Volume CXII, Issue 4
The student news publication of Walnut Hills High School
Friday October 20, 2017
Green brothers go blue and gold
JOHN GREEN PHOTOS BY ISABEL NISSLEY/ CHATTERBOX Far right; John Green began the show by reading an excerpt from his new book Turtles All the Way Down. In it he told how his story was similar to Aza’s, the main character, in regards to mental health. Top middle; When asked how to stay positive, Hank Green encouraged people to focus on the little things. He said although life can seem bleak, friends always make him happier. Bottom middle; The Cincinnati stop of the Turtles All the Way Down tour was sold out. Some of the attendees included two newly engaged people, many WHHS teachers, and students. Far left; John Green reads a chapter from his new book Turtles All the Way Down. Each person who bought a ticket and attended recieved a signed copy of the book. Delaney Owens, ‘21 Isabel Nissley, ‘20 On Wednesday Oct. 18, Joseph Beth Booksellers brought John and Hank Green to WHHS as part of their tour promoting John Green’s newest book, Turtles All the Way Down. Together they have been internet phenomena since 2007. They are the faces and brains behind the educational Youtube channel Crash Course as well as the more personal channel, vlogbrothers. Hank Green also produces the channel SciShow. The community that John and Hank Green have built was extremely present at the show. A highlight was when a couple, who met at John and Hank Green’s show in Cincinnati five years ago, was invited to the stage to get engaged. “That’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever been a part of,” John said. Turtles All The Way Down is a fast paced mystery that follows Aza Holmes and addresses her struggle with mental illness, which was inspired by John Green’s own experience. John Green said that growing up he did not
have the language to express his fears. “[Obsessive Compulsive Disorder] made me feel like a passenger in my own consciousness,” he said. One of his main goals in writing Turtles All the Way Down was to help readers to not feel alone. “It took me a long time... to find an express i o n for the e xper ience of obsessive thought spirals, or at least how Aza experiences them in the book. It’s something I’ve tried to write about before and I’ve never had any success, and finally I felt like I had language for it… I also realized that I’m not the only person who has this problem, it’s something a lot of people live with,” Green said.
John Green’s brother, Hank Green, is his partner in many endeavors. He is a musician, producer, entrepreneur and a notable online influencer. At the show, Hank Green not only played music, but played the role of Professor Lawrence Turtleman, who gave a lecture on taxonomy and phylogeny alluding to Turtles All the Way Down. During the show he took a moment to remind the audience that mental health was treatable, and that people do get better. He used himself as an example, recounting his experiences using medicine. Hank Green also involved the audience in his singing. He performed some of his own songs, including “A Song About An Anglerfish”, but also encouraged the audi-
“It took me a long time...to find an expression for the experience of obsessive thought spirals, or at least how Aza experiences them in the book,” John Green
ence to sing along to songs such as “Sweet Caroline” but omitted the chorus, and called it a “bonding moment” for the audience. During the show the brothers even performed segments of their podcast, Dear Hank and John, while answering audience questions. John Green even poked fun at Ohio, asking why have grass fields when “We’re in Ohio, make some corn!” When asked if he created realities for his characters after ending their stories, John Green said, “No. That seems like it’s your problem.” He said that when finishing a book, he needs to feel content with how he left the characters. Without spoiling the ending for fans, John said that he felt differently about the ending of Turtles All the Way Down than he did with his other books. They held a question and answer segment as well. John Green advised future authors to read, allow themselves to “suck”, and to remember that writers are regular people and there are many careers in writing.
MONSTER OF A SHOW KILLS STEREOTYPES A preview of the upcoming WHHS production, She Kills Monsters
ALLYSON GARTH/ CHATTERBOX
Declan Robinson, ‘18, Maya Robinson, ‘19, and Clare Brennan, ‘20, all involved with She Kills Monsters, show off posters that illustrates one of the main character’s interest in comics and video games. A variety of student volunteers and WHHS stagecraft students made the set. Isabel Nissley, ‘20 Joseph Stanichar, ‘18 The dim lights of the Black Box theater illuminate several actors poised with still fac-
es and swords. “Quiet in the shop,” shouts the stage manager, Matthew Eggers ‘20, and then nods. The actors break from their stillness and plunge into their fantasy world. The play is complete with sword combat
and a intricate set which includes a climbable mountain, and a puppet provided by Madcap, a company nationally recognized for their puppets. The upcoming WHHS theater production, She Kills Monsters, has something to offer for all in the audience. The story, set in Athens, Ohio, in 1995, follows Agnes Evans, played by Lydia Noll, ‘19, who loses her sister, Tilly, played by Lily Adams ‘19, in a car crash. She delves into her sister’s world of Dungeons and Dragons in order to seek closure about the fact that the two were not close. Along the way, there are many hilarious situations as Agnes embarks on a weird and otherworldly adventure, along with some heartfelt moments. Michael Sherman, the director of this production, classifies it as “a dramedy.” “Overall, it’s a comedy, but there are some very serious and dramatic moments. At the end of the day, I think the audience will leave the play having en-
joyed it like a comedy,” Sherman said. This is the Cappies show, meaning that the play will be critiqued by students from around the city. Most of the actors feel an added pressure to perform their best. “Lydia and I have been freaking out about being the face of the Cappies show and having to have all this pressure, being critiqued on our acting. It’s a bit more nerve wrecking,” Adams said. “It’s a story about relationships and friendships and breaking down stereotypes and trying to see people for the human beings that they are other than the labels that we put on them,” Sherman said. The show runs from Oct. 26 through 28 and is currently sold out, but keep a keen eye out for any future opportunities to see this show. Disclaimer: Chatterbox member Joseph Stanichar is part of the production of She Kills Monsters.
STYLE & CULTURE
OCTOBER 20, 2017
PAGE 2
WHHSCBOX.COM
SECTION EDITOR: GRACE BERDING
Tailoring terrors for tall people
CAMILLE WILLIAMS/CHATTERBOX
A struggle for many people of above average height is shopping for clothes. Many of them have trouble finding pants and shirts that are long and wide enough for them. Nadya Ellerhorst, ‘20
There’s no doubt that a lot of people wish they could be taller. And there’s no doubt that height has some benefits. However, there are negatives to towering over your peers. One that could be considered especially aggravating is clothing. Some do not realize that being taller usually makes it difficult to shop. Many brands simply do not design clothes for a person of above-average height. According to livestrong.com, the average height of an American woman is about 5’4”, and the
average height of an American man is 5’9.5”. Therefore, many clothing stores primarily carry sizes for people around these average heights. The men and women who exceed these measurements have to work a little harder to find things to wear. Arthur Schmid, ‘19, stands at around 6’4”. Schmid calls in-store shopping a “battle of proportions”. “ finding clothing that is long enough but also fits your width is a challenge because most clothing is not long enough, like pants, shirts; they just don’t fit. They’re just not made
for tall people,” Schmid said. In regards to the ease of finding clothes, Schmid said, “Pants are definitely the worst,” Kendal Cooke, ‘20, who is 5’10”, has created ways to find pants that suit her. “If my pants aren’t long enough, I always can buy fabric and sew them and make them long enough, so I don’t really stress over buying my clothes anymore,” she said. Shoes can also pose a problem for those who exceed the average height range, because being tall often means having longer feet. Although Cooke does not have much difficulty finding clothes,
as a size nine in shoes, finding shoes that fit is more challenging. “Things that are harder to find are shoes in my size, because I’m so tall. So, either everybody has bought them or they just don’t have that size... even though I don’t think my feet are really that big. I think I have average feet,” Cooke said. “I always have to ask for their shoes in stock in the back; they never display it. Most shoes in stores don’t even sell my size, so I have to order them online”, said Schmid, who wears a size 14 in shoes. Because of these shopping setbacks, taller people can’t find clothes that fit them properly. Fortunately, there are brands that specialize in the production of tall-sized clothing such as Long Tall Sally, New York and Company, Topshop, and Old Navy for women, and 2Tall and H&M for men. Brands such as ASOS and J.Crew carry tall clothing for both men and women. However, most of the brands that produce tall clothing only make the garments
CINCINNATI, OHIO
available online, which can pose additional annoyances. “It’s always a lot more of a gamble when you can’t try it on, because you don’t know if it’s long enough or if it fits you perfectly,” Schmid said. Even though it can be tough to find clothes and shoes that properly fit, being tall has some pros. “Being tall, there’s a lot of things that we get offered… modeling, sports, people are just interested because you’re tall,” Cooke said. “You get to look over people… It’s way easier to push through crowds… You can reach things easier… You have more of a presence when you walk into the room,” Schmid said. It might take a lot of effort to find suitable clothes if you exceed the norm for height. However, everyone should embrace their height, no matter the hardships it may come with. “Just make sure that you love yourself. Tall or short, we’re all different, because if we were all the same, it would be boring. So if you’re tall, rock your tall, if you’re short, rock your short and just make the best of it,” Cooke said.
“Just make sure that you love yourself. Tall or short, we’re all different, because if we were all the same, it would be boring.” Kendal Cooke, ‘20
SENIORS!!!
do you want a
senior baby ad? Go to Jostens.com/yearbook and search Walnut Hills High School. Baby Ads are listed as RECOGNITION ADS!
TELL YOUR PARENTS
WHHSCBOX.COM
OCTOBER 20, 2017
OPINIONS
CINCINNATI, OHIO
PAGE 3
SECTION EDITOR: NICK ROBERTSON
WHHS excels, district struggles to catch up
Jeresa Anderson, ‘18
For the third year in a row, WHHS has been ranked as the top public high school in the state of Ohio. We’ve received some backlash because of our ranking. Some have described WHHS as a “private public” school and believe we should not be ranked or compared to other public high schools in the state. Should we slow down or should they catch up? WHHS is the most successful Cincinnati Public School (CPS) academically with a graduation rate of 98%, which is 24 percentage points higher than the district average. Test scores are also higher than other CPS high schools. This should be something to celebrate, right? Well, not everyone agrees. Because WHHS has an entrance test, many people believe it is unfair to rank us with schools who do not have an entrance test. To pass the Terranova test, students must receive a 70 percent or higher. Following the steady increase of students each year at WHHS, the district tried to come up with ways to slow enrollment. One of them was to up the passing grade for the entrance test. This was quickly shut down by the district, because it would decrease the enrollment of many African Americans and others of different socioeconomic backgrounds.
Other schools can have the same entrance tests. Having an entrance test isn’t necessarily weaving out the “bad students”. Other schools can have an entrance test with different requirements that could be higher or lower than 70%. The entrance test can even serve as a placement test for certain subjects. Instead of reflecting on WHHS and its ranking, we should reflect on why other schools aren’t performing at the same rates. According to Ohio School Report Cards that are issued annually by the Ohio Department of Education based on statewide tests, literacy tests and graduation rates, almost 92% of high schools in CPS received a D or F in the achievement category for the 2016-2017 school year. WHHS received an A for the Prepared for Success category compared to an overall score of a D for CPS. One of the many reasons for underperformance is the student enrollment of certain schools. About 80% of the students who are enrolled in CPS are considered economically disadvantaged. Poverty and homelife are associated with underperformance in school. Most of the schools in CPS who are performing well have a lower percentage of students who are considered economically disadvantaged and a higher percentage of white, non-Hispanic enrolled.
Another leading problem is how public schools are funded. In the landmark case DeRolph v. Ohio, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that the way public schools are funded in Ohio is unconstitutional. The state gives schools a certain amount of money based on the amount of economically disadvantaged students. Schools like WHHS do not benefit as much as other schools in the district. School funding is linked to real estate and property taxes. Many schools in the district are located in areas that have a high percentage of low income homes so they do not benefit as much than schools in the suburbs that are in areas with homes with high property value. Since WHHS receives a large amount of money in donations from alumni, we aren’t as impacted by this. The rankings of schools matter more than they should. It’s insane that we are competitive with something like education because it is important for everyone to have. The district should begin to focus on eliminating confounding variables for schools who are struggling, without the performance of the schools who are doing well being impacted. Views shared in the Opinions section of The Chatterbox are those of their author, and may not represent the views of the publication as a whole.
PHOTO COURTESY OFOhio Board of Education
The new patrioti sm humans are herbivores, not carnivores Nick Robertson, ‘19 Patriotism, according to Merriam-Webster, is the love or devotion to one’s country. It is a quality that nearly every American citizen shares. Patriotism is standing up for American values, the Constitution and valuing each and every amendment in the Bill of Rights. Patriotism is promoting equality, fairness and success for all people in our modern society. In the last month, American conservatives changed the meaning of patriotism. It is now stand-
PHOTO COURTESY OF The Smithsonian Institute
ing for the national anthem and honoring our flag. This is not true patriotism. Claiming that those who kneel during the national anthem are not patriots is the antithesis of patriotism. Speaking against these protests is speaking against one crucial freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment; the freedom of speech. Our veterans served for the purpose of defending the rights of Americans, including the right to take a knee. It was a Green Beret who asked San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick to kneel instead of sit during the anthem to protest last year. Kaepernick honored the veteran’s request and continued his protest against police brutality. Following in his footsteps, dozens of NFL players have kneeled during the national anthem this season. Patriotism is not standing to honor the national anthem, or holding your hand over your heart for the Pledge of Allegiance. Patriotism is the defense of American values. The inalienable rights of every American citizen; Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Views shared in the Opinions section of The Chatterbox are those of their author, and may not represent the views of the publication as a whole.
Caroline Horvath, ‘20 Imagine this, you are driving along the highway and see a dead squirrel, how do you feel? Do you want to stop and take a bite out of it? Or do you feel a little sorry for the helpless guy who probably had a squirrel family? Do you daydream about slaughtering cows? What about using your bare hands to kill and eat an animal? If you answered no, congratulations. You are a human, and believe it or not, you are also a herbivore. Biologists and anthropologists who study humans, their anatomy and their evolutionary traits, say that humans are herbivores. Humans are not equipped with the right physical characteristics or the instinct to eat dead carcasses. Humans have soft fingernails, while carnivores have claws used to rip the flesh of their food. Humans have small canine teeth, while carnivores have large canine teeth capable of tearing flesh. Humans are not physically able to tear the hide of an animal, unlike large canines. Instead, humans, like herbivores, have flat molars and a jaw that moves side-to-side
allowing people to grind up plant foods and eat fibrous foods. Canines lack these molars and their jaws only move up and down. Here is a scary picture: carnivores swallow their food whole, relying on their strong stomach acid to break down the food and kill all the bacteria hiding in the flesh. Humans have much weaker stomach acid, which explains why food poisoning from meat and poultry exist for people, but not for the animals eating raw meat for every meal. A human’s intestines are also much longer than a carnivore’s. The longer the meat is in a human’s intestine, the more time it gives bacteria to grow, making it much more dangerous for humans to eat meat. In a human’s intestines, the meat begins to rot, increasing the risk for colon cancer. Humans are a species that suffers from a lot of ailments including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, strokes and obesity. Other animals rarely suffer from these conditions, so why do humans? It is because these diseases are caused by saturated fats and cholesterol found largely in animal flesh. Heart disease kills 610,000 people every year, one out of every four
deaths. Medical experts credit the main cause of heart disease to the consumption of animal products. Just by eating meat, people have a 32% higher chance of developing heart disease than vegetarians. Most of our ancestors had largely plant based diets. With the discovery of fire, human ancestors were able to decrease the risk of parasites, therefore reducing risk of death, from meat, and continue life when plant foods were unavailable. By abstaining from all animal products, humans would be able to decrease the amount of water used per day. To make one pound of beef is 441 gallons of water. Go ahead, take a shorter shower. But really, for every pound of meat consumed, someone could be taking 25.64 showers that last for eight minutes each. By changing dietary habits, humans can foster a world where people who eat meat are outnumbered by those eating plant-based diets.
Views shared in the Opinions section of The Chatterbox are those of their author, 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 Hanna Bundschuh, Editor-in-Chief
Matthew Youkilis, Managing Editor of News and Features
Caroline Horvath, Managing Editor of Student Life
Camille Williams, Managing Editor of Opinions
Hannah Reinhardt, Managing Editor of Visual Elements
Aaron Espelage, Business Manager
Emma Heines, Video Content Manager
Amanda Anderson, Online Content Manager
Samantha Gerwe-Perkins, Adviser
Dawn Wolfe, English Department Chair
FEATURES
OCTOBER 20, 2017
PAGE 4
WHHSCBOX.COM
SECTION EDITOR: IBRAHIM MUNIR
CINCINNATI, OHIO
Halloween costumes cause controversy Ibrahim Munir, ‘19 As Halloween approaches, people everywhere are preparing costumes, candy and decorations to enjoy the festive holiday. However, in the past few years, problems have arisen with some costumes offending and perpetuating stereotypes associated with certain races, cultures and religions. The Chatterbox conducted a survey on 379 WHHS students to find what students’ opinions about inappropriate or insensitive costumes were. 104 people, or 27.6% of those surveyed, believe that insensitive or inappropriate costumes are a problem in Cincinnati. Of the same group, 158 answered that they have seen such a costume in Cincinnati. With the upcoming Boogie Bash, the annual seventh and eighth grade Halloween dance, the topic of insensitive costumes is very pressing for WHHS junior high students. In the survey, however,
the results showed that around half of students believed there should be restrictions on “insensitive” costumes and half believed there should not be. The student body is almost evenly split on this issue. In addition, when shown pictures of Halloween costumes that could be considered offensive, the results showed another similarly even split. Students had three choices to describe what they thought of the costume when presented with its image; “very offensive”, “somewhat offensive” and “not offensive at all.” When shown a picture of a costume of a Native American person that could be seen as cultural appropriation, 25.4% of students said it was very offensive and 44.4% said it was not offensive at all. There was a difference of 72 students between the two choices. In an image of a man with a sombrero, poncho and two guns as a costume, which could be seen as perpetuating stereotypes of Mexi-
can culture, 37.7% said it was very offensive and 33.2% said it was not offensive at all. These results also demonstrate the near even split of viewpoints on what is considered insensitive. The final image and question contained an image of a man in a yukata as a costume, which is a traditional Japanese outfit. For this, 37.7% said this costume was very offensive and 39.5% believed this costume was not offensive at all. Again, the votes show an almost even split. When buying or making a costume for Halloween, it is important to keep in mind that some people may find costumes offensive or insensitive and it can hurt a person, so it is best to stray away from anything that may be considered offensive by anyone.
Do you think inappropriate or insensitive Halloween costumes are a problem in Cincinnati?
Have you ever seen someone dressed in a costume you found offensive?
Do you think there should be restrictions on dressing up in “insensitive” costumes for the Boogie Bash?
CAMILLE WILLIAMS/CHATTERBOX
The drawings above are examples of common costumes found in Halloween stores that might be seen as conveying harmful stereotypes and use culture as a costume. Many students are divided on whether or not these costumes are offensive.
WHHS students seek victory in Vocabulary Bowl Shiv Malhotra, ‘20 One new feature at WHHS this year is the use of the vocabulary.com website in place of vocabulary workshop books in english classes. Many students have begun to notice that this website also includes a “Vocabulary
Bowl.” The Vocabulary Bowl is a competition in which more than 38,000 schools from the United States and Canada participate. Points are awarded for every word that a user masters. Last year, with fewer classes opting to use vocabulary.com, WHHS placed fourth
RYAN AZURE/CHATTERBOX
Alan Zhang, ‘20, tests his vocabulary knowledge on the interactive learning website vocabulary.com. Many English teachers have shifted their vocabulary teaching method to the vocabulary.com system.
on a national level for the Vocabulary Bowl. The school mastered 213,107 words, which is 152,344 fewer words than the 2016-17 champion Etiwanda High School in Rancho Cucamonga, California. As of Oct. 17, WHHS is in second place behind the defending champion, Etiwanda, by 15,067 points. WHHS’ current leading teacher on the school leaderboard is Dawn Wolfe. Wolfe finds vocabulary.com a useful tool for her AP students. She is able to input words from essays they read, and vocabulary.com automatically forms lists with words that tend to be harder for students. Wolfe says, “the kids’ vocabularies are growing, and I see evidence of that in writing conversations, and how the students respond to my vocabulary use as well. The vocabulary.com program is really interactive, and has helped with teaching.” Alan Zhang, ‘20, has mixed feelings about vocabulary.com. “It’s neat that Walnut Hills is placed second place in the nation for the Vocab Bowl. However, on the whole, I don’t think
that vocabulary.com is a good substitute for traditional vocabulary education, since the meanings of words aren’t conveyed as well online than in class. But the website is a valuable resource for the future, and Walnut should continue to jump on opportunities for progressive education.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF VOCABULARY.COM
WHHSCBOX.COM
NEWS
CINCINNATI, OHIO
OCTOBER 20,2017
PAGE 5
SECTION EDITOR: IBRAHIM MUNIR
Debat e s a nd d i scus s ion s s how ca nd id at e s’ t r ue bel ief s
RYLEIGH SANBORN /CHATTERBOX
Mayor John Cranley speaks in response to a question in the Cincinnati mayoral debate on Oct. 10 at the Cincinnati Art Museum. Simpson and Cranley were both given equal time to respond to questions, provide a rebuttal and later ask each other questions. Seelbach, however, reflected on the city should handle taxes. candidates” events at WHHS. that was meant to help them Amanda Anderson, ‘19 The mayoral candidates took better decide who to support. what he and other council memThe discussion then switched Overall, the “Meet the canWith election day approach- bers have already accomplished. topics, evolving into a sort of ad- a very different approach to pering, this year’s mayoral and city He believed that this showed the vice session on how one becomes suading their audience that they didates” events and mayoral decouncil elections have become a continued success he hopes to have involved in local politics and runs were deserving of this position. bate have brought out many asThis involved more finger- pects of the Cincinnati election for a position such as city council. focus of many WHHS students. this term. First-time candidates Lesley Jones Although these events have pointing from the two candidates candidates, allowing citizens to The Student Democratic Club has been hosting “Meet the candidates” and Erica Black Johnson appeared given students a view of how the and the deconstruction of each have a more informed view on events in the Recital Hall on Tues- at the second “Meet the candidates” candidates go about interacting other’s previous actions. Cran- each person running and what days and Thursdays after school. event. Though the candidates have with their audience and each oth- ley criticized Simpson’s proposi- they hope to achieve if they win. Six candidates have come to somewhat different ideological be- er, nothing did this quite as effec- tion regarding reimbursing the WHHS as of Oct. 18: Chris Seel- liefs (Jones being a Democrat and tively as the recent mayoral debate. residents of Avondale during the The mayoral debate between expansion of the Children’s Hosbach, Derek Bauman, Erica Black Johnson being an Independent), Johnson, Lesley Jones, Manuel both candidates had very similar Mayor John Cranley and Coun- pital, and Simpson denounced Foggie and Henry Frondorf. views when it came to the impor- cilwoman Yvette Simpson on Cranley’s treatment of the resiEach candidate has taken a dif- tance of increasing the education Oct. 10 at the Cincinnati Art dents of Winton Hills Terrace. The debate gave voters a poferent approach to interacting with around police brutality and en- Museum was a more structured, the students, influenced partially suring that the city is working to- heated version of the “Meet the larizing view of each candidate by their own campaign intentions ward a decrease in gun violence. Many AP U.S. Government and and the impression the students give off when the forums begin. Politics students attended this event The first event on Tuesday, Oct. to learn more about the candidates 3, hosted Derek Bauman and Chris and to fulfill volunteer requireSeelbach. Bauman, a first time can- ments for their civic action projects didate, and Seelbach, an incum- in an interesting, hands-on way. The next event, held on Oct. bent, had very different approaches when talking to the students. 12, featured candidates Manuel Bauman, a retired police of- Foggie and Henry Frondorf. ficer, was very forward with what Both candidates are among the he plans to do if he is elected and youngest out of those running, what he would push for on the with Frondorf in his early thircouncil. This includes increas- ties and Foggie being only 19. RYLEIGH SANBORN /CHATTERBOX Their forum focused main- Audience members listen intently as Cranley and Simpson debate. The debate covered many of the commonly discussed poing the awareness around police brutality and working to combat ly on issues such as the West- litical topics such as transportation and Children’s Hospital, but also touched on less well-known topics such as the Winton discrimination in Cincinnati. ern Hills Viaduct and how Terrace and Western Hills Viaduct.
BLINK and you miss the Cincinnati light show
SYDNEY RHONE/CHATTERBOX
Bright lights illuminate the streets and buildings of Downtown Cincinnati on Oct. 12-15. The BLINK festival included projections, displays and new art installations across all of downtown which brought Cincinnati to life for a weekend as thousands of people came to view it each day. Sydney Rhone, ‘18 The BLINK light festival illuminated Downtown Cincinnati on Oct. 12-15, creating a vibrant atmosphere throughout the city. Rivaling the Lumenocity festival in 2016, BLINK covered twenty blocks and included light shows, interactive displays, art installa-
tions, murals and vivid projections that adorned the city’s historical architecture. Thousands gathered during the festival’s four day span, taking advantage of the picturesque scenery and sharing the event on social media. SENIOR Regan Anderson attended the event on Saturday, Oct.
14, the busiest day of the festival. “My favorite part of BLINK was the ‘Swing and Sway’ projection,” Anderson said, expressing her appreciation for the Rosemary Clooney video projection on Pleasant Street. However, Anderson added that she found it difficult to find a display that stood out more than the others. With over 20 projec-
tions and 35 art installations throughout the downtown area, a day at BLINK proved to be an adventure for all who attended. Although the event has ended, nine murals remain to remind the city of the beauty of the neon installments and optical illusions which BLINK brought. This being the first year of the
event, many have expressed their hopes of it returning. This sentiment was captured in the commonly heard phrase, “Happy BLINK!” This exchange among festival-goers expresses the excitement and liveliness BLINK brought to Cincinnati and the light it shed on the community that made the event a success.
OCTOBER 20, 2017
PAGE 6
ARCADE
WHHSCBOX.COM
SECTION EDITOR: DELANEY OWENS
CINCINNATI, OHIO
Meeting a new face at WHHS Delaney Owens, ‘21
ALLYSON GARTH/CHATTERBOX
Sheree Scott is the new secretary in the tenth and eleventh grade office. Scott enjoys spending time with her 3-yearold son.
A phone in a nearby office rings over the clicks of restless fingers typing away at a keyboard. The door opens, letting the murmur of the hallways drift into office 2209. The tenth and eleventh grade office is constantly bustling. Within her first few weeks at WHHS, new secretary Sheree Scott has already met hundreds of WHHS students and staff. Scott’s first day at WHHS was Sept. 29, filling the position of recently retired Debbie Love. Previously, she was an administrative assistant at Manpower, an employment agency. This is Scott’s first time working in a public school. So far, Scott is enjoying working at WHHS. “It’s never the same thing,” Scott said, “there’s always something new.” As the secretary in Jerron Gray’s office, Scott directs a fast paced environment. She helps students, administra-
tors, coaches, and unshakable Chatterbox reporters, all with a smile. “It’s busy from seven o’clock when the doors open to when I leave, which is good. You know you’re helping people get stuff done,” Scott said. In her free time, Scott enjoys shopping, watching movies and spending time with her 3-yearold son. Scott’s advice to students was to be kind to each other. She recalled being bullied herself in junior high, and would hate for others to experience bullying, “Try to be nice to each other, especially when it’s a new kid. Take it easy on the new kids,” she said. The Chatterbox is happy to welcome Scott to the WHHS community.
CIC words of the week crossword How well do you remember the College Information Center words of the day? Find answers online at <whhscbox.com> Across 3. to stockpile; to keep in reserve 9. to obscure; to make unclear or cloudy 10. persistent; stubborn; holding firmly, cohesive; tough 11. to spread widely; to disperse throughout 13. to collect, accumulate, pile up 15. to confuse or make cloudy 17. to increase; to intensify; to make greater; to heighten 18. conscientious; applying steady and energetic effort; painstaking 19. to cut short; to cut off Down 1. to cut back; to lessen; to shorten 2. secretive; clandestine 4. capable of being fashioned into a new form 5. supple enough to bend freely; yielding readily to others 6. eager; zealous; impassioned 7. urgent; passionate; intense; emphatic 8. wise, sensible; possessing sound judgment 11. to scatter; to distribute 12. a knowledgeable or learned person; judicious or prudent 14. to increase; to add to; to make greater; to enlarge 16. not openly known or showed; veiled, secret
Sudoku
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CINCINNATI, OHIO
OCTOBER 20,2017
SECTION EDITOR: KEEGAN SULLIVAN
Talking about banned books Keegan Sullivan, ‘18
E xample s of banne d b o ok s TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD BY HARPER LEE This 1961 Pulitzer-Prize winning story of racism in the Deep South, told through the eyes of a young girl named Scout, has been banned mainly for its use of language, including the “N” word. A school district in Indiana challenged it in 1981, because it claimed the book represented “institutionalized racism under the guise of good literature,” according to the ALA (American Literature Association). MOLLY JONHSTON/CHATTERBOX Above left; Kendall Carloss, ‘23, reads The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. This book has been banned many times by many different school boards. Above right; The Color Purple by Alice walker was banned by many school boards and libraries because of it’s depiction of rape, racism and violence against women.
THE GREAT GATSBY BY F. SCOTT FITZGERALD F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Jazz Age classic is one of the most-banned books of all time. The tale of playboy Jay Gatsby and the target of his affection, Daisy Buchanan, was “challenged” as recently as 1987, by Baptist College in Charleston, S.C. because of “language and sexual references in the book.”
THE CATCHER IN THE RYE BY J.D. SALINGER The stream-of-consciousness story of Holden Caulfield’s coming of age has long been a controversial text for young readers. An Oklahoma teacher was fired for assigning Catcher to an 11th grade English class in 1960, and numerous school boards have banned it for its language (Holden goes on a lengthy rant about the “F” word at one point) and sexual content.
THE COLOR PURPLE BY ALICE WALKER This novel’s graphic portrayals of rape, racism, violence against women and sex have gotten it banned by school boards and libraries since its release in 1982. Another winner of the Pulitzer Prize, The Color Purple was one of more than a dozen books challenged in Virginia in 2002 by a group, Parents Against Bad Books in Schools.
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Reasons books get banned Racial issues Encouragement of “damaging” lifestyles Blasphemous dialog Sexual situations or dialog Violence or negativity Presence of witchcraft Religious affiliations (unpopular religions) Political bias Age inappropriate
The class of ‘23 on banned books What are banned books? Daniel Bruce: “It is a book that some schools and libraries don’t allow because the government or school board decided they were inappropriate.” Anonymous: “Books banned from certain public school libraries.” Bryson Weir: “Mrs. Wolfe explained that school board in certain places decided some books have too much violence.” Do you agree with banning books? Daniel Bruce: “It depends; if it’s really hard-core but every book that’s been banned I don’t agree with.” Anonymous: “I think it’s okay; they’re banned for a reason. They’re inappropriate or it’s a touchy topic.” Bryson Weir: “I feel like it’s not
okay with some, but with others, kids our age shouldn’t be reading them. Harry Potter shouldn’t have been banned and Mark Twain shouldn’t have been banned. They banned the bible; even though I believe in God, some people aren’t Christian and everyone should feel comfortable here.” Have you ever read a banned book? Daniel Bruce: “I’ve read Harry Potter. I don’t think it deserves to be banned.” Anonymous: “I tried to read Harry Potter but it wasn’t interesting.” Bryson Weir: “I liked Harry Potter.”
P iper Pe a nut wei g h s i n on boy- g i rl pa r t ie s Dear Piper, My friend is throwing a really cool Halloween party. T here will be apple-bobbing, a costume contest, scary movies and lots of fun. T he only problem is there will be boys there. It also runs until midnight and that’s pretty late for me. I’m not sure if I’m old enough for boygirl parties yet, and even if I go, I’m not sure how to act once I’m there. I’m worried people will think I’m a loser. Should I go? Sincerely, Party Paula Dear Party Paula, That is a great question! Now that you are reaching an age where the genders are mixing more than
ever before, boundaries can be confusing. It is best to make sure you always feel comfortable and be yourself. Knowing what you are old enough for completely relies on you as an individual. If you feel that you are responsible and mature enough to handle yourself in a situation that may become awkward, by all means go to the party. But if you are worried you might get peer pressured into something you are not ready for or if you won’t have fun, it may be better to just have a few friends over and hangout in a more comfortable situation. Parents can also be helpful in this decision. Talk to them and lay out the whole situation. Make sure to be completely honest otherwise they will not be able to help to their full potential. It can be awkward, but they have your best interest in mind. Their re-
sponse may upset you, but you can prove your maturity by remaining calm and talking it out in a reasonable manner. Present your thoughts, allow them space to present theirs and go from there. If you end up deciding to go, there is no need to act a different way than you would any other day. Everyone else is as nervous as you may be. It is important to make sure you are comfortable and do not do anything you do not want to. If you want to go home early so you are not out until midnight, do it. If people tease you for being a “grandma,” that is their issue. If you need to call someone to come get you in the middle of the party, go ahead and do it. Your safety and well-being comes before whatever anyone else thinks of you. Sincerely, Piper Peanut
CAMILLE WILLIAMS/CHATTERBOX The drawing above depicts stereotypical situations of boy-girl parties. It is important when going to these parties that you feel comfortable in every situation and don’t feel pressured to do anything you are not okay with, even if people tease you for it; that is their problem, not yours.
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SPORTS
OCTOBER 20, 2017
PAGE 8
WHHSCBOX.COM
SECTION EDITOR:RYLEIGH SANBORN
Bump. Set. Basics.
CINCINNATI, OHIO
Cheer for cheerleaders
Fall Accolades
JV Boy’s Soccer
HAYDEN WILLHITE/CHATTERBOX
Olivia Tombragel, ‘20 leaps to spike a set from a teammate. This is Tombragel’s fourth year with the program. Hayden Willhite, ‘18 middle blocker is supposed to construct a block to stop the ball, or give Volleyball is one of many the team a way to dig the ball up. competitive fall sports offered Last but not least, the oppoto WHHS Students. All grades site player is the one who usually participate and show great de- scores the most points, and does termination for the sport. not have passing responsibility. Why are people attracted to The WHHS varsity volleyball volleyball? It is a way to release coach is Nicholas Toth. This is aggression, burn lots of calories, Toth’s tenth year coaching volleyincrease muscle tone and strength ball and his third season at WHHS. from the upper body to the lower Besides coaching at WHHS, legs, increase hand-eye coordi- Toth is also involved in coachnation, enhance reflexes, bal- ing the University of Cincinnati’s ance and also teaches teamwork. Women’s Volleyball Club, and he Divided into an attack zone is on the board of directors for and a defensive zone, there are the National Collegiate Volleyball six players on both sides of the Federation, overseeing the comnet to represent each team. Each pliance, eligibility, discipline and position is given to a player by much more for around 800 collethe coach with intuitive precision giate club teams across the country. to help guide the team to a win. “I have coached many teams First there is the outside hitter, or and very few of them have had wing spiker, who is the player with the variety of personalities that responsibility to receive the serve [the WHHS] team has,” Toth said. along with the libero. The libero “What has been very neat is to is a position in which the player see how those personalities have wears a different color shirt that meshed as the years and the shows they can change positions season have progressed,” Toth with any back row player on the said about coaching at WHHS. court, though they cannot serve the Toth also emphasizes the ball. The libero position requires diversity, and variety of playgood passing and defensive skills. ers, from freshman to SENIOR The next position is the set- personalities and how it brings ter, or the playmaker of the team. growth throughout the team over He or she is the quarterback, his years of coaching at WHHS. pitcher, and point guard in vol- “Eagles rumble,” Toth said. leyball. Similar to the outside hitter, there is the right side hitter and the person who holds this position attacks, blocks, and has defense responsibilities. Following the right side hitter, you have the middle blocker. The
The Junior Varsity Boy’s Soccer team(pictured in yellow jerseys) finished the season as Eastern Cincinnati Conference champions with a record of 13-1-2. Freshman Charlie Hamann broke the WHHS JV scoring record with 20 goals. And Freshman Sean Sullivan broke the WHHS JV assist record with 17 on the season.
Varsity and junior varsity cheerleading teams compete Oct. 29 in Centerville, Ohio. If they advance, they will go to nationals in Florida. Hayden Willhite , ‘t8
JH Girl’s Soccer
the interaction with the crowd. SENIOR Faith Stewart, who is this year’s varsity cheer captain, has been a cheer member since seventh grade at WHHS. Alongside her coach, she has been through struggles and successes with the cheer squad. “This year was about a lot of team bonding and getting to know each other’s personality so we could work together,” Stewart said. Being a SENIOR brings mixed emotions through the course of the last year of high school. At WHHS there is a special bond that Stewart has formed with the people and teachers. Stewart says that when graduation approaches, she will be nervous, because she has “never been in a classroom where there’s so many different ethnicities and backgrounds and I fear once I leave, I won’t be in that environment again.” Come out and support the WHHS cheer squad as they are always there to cheer for WHHS sports teams. The next competition will be held at Centerville, Ohio on Oct. 29, where coach Hill and Stewart will be ready to see and welcome WHHS students and athletes.
E’Lyse Hill is the WHHS head cheerleading coach. This is her third year coaching the team. She believes this year her squad will reach their goal; to take a trip to nationals and bring home a national championship. Hill feels that this particular group will be the ones to advance past expectations, because they are very self motivating and always look to perfect the task at hand. She says that they reflect her as a coach because they “have a good heart, even if they don’t want to show it”, and that they are also “perfectionists.” Regionals for the cheerleaders will be held on Oct. 29 in Centerville, Ohio. Success in Centerville will take the cheer squad to the nationals in Florida. “Making it to nationals has never happened at Walnut, never happened in CPS,” Hill said. One barrier to this is that judging is not just based on performance alone. It is also based on on how well the cheerleaders interact with the crowd. In order for this interaction, it is best that there is strong support at this competition. A future plan, Hill said, is loading up a couple busses and cars with students for support and making it a fun trip and great experience. Another competition will be held at WHHS on Feb. 5 and will be for the Eastern Cincinnati Conference, which is also judged by
The Junior high girl’s soccer team finished their season undefeated and play in the their tournament finals Saturday,Oct. 21 at Mariemont high school.
Seventh grade football
The Seventh grade football team finished 6-0 overall and won the ECC.
Freshman volleyball
The WHHS Freshman Volleyball team finished their season 14-1 with their only loss coming against Milford. The team also won the ECC.
All other sports team photos courtesy of REM
Fall Sports Standings as of Oct.16 2017 Football
Anderson Milford West Clermont Kings Turpin Walnut Hills Loveland Withrow
8–0 7–1 5-3 3-5 3-5 2-6 1-7 1-7
Boy’s Soccer Anderson Turpin Loveland Kings Walnut Hills Milford West Clermont Withrow
Girl’s Volleyball
Boy’s XC
1.G.Ballman/Loveland 2.J.Ingram/Anderson 3.C.Virzi/Milford 4.A.Justus/Kings 5.P.Morton/Turpin 6. D.Carter/Turpin 7.J.Morton/Turpin 26.W.Floro-Hagman/WHHS
Loveland Turpin Anderson
West Clermont
Milford Kings Walnut Hills Withrow
Loveland Turpin Anderson West Clermont Kings Walnut Hills Milford Withrow
Girl’s XC
Girl’s soccer 15-1-0 12-2-2 9-6-1 8-6-2 5-8-3 8-4-4 4-11-1 0-10-2
16:06:6 16:21:0 16:23:0 16:23:0 16:28:0 16:33:0 16:36:0 17:16:0
15-1-0 8-4-4 8-2-6 9-5-2 5-7-4 5-11-0 3-10-2 0-7-0
1.M.Walker/W.C. 2.S.bush/Turpin 3.L.Maschino/Kings 4.M.Walsh/W.C. 5.K.Kelly/Anderson 6.B.Garter/Kings 7.J.Cooper/Kings 28. C.Shiff/WHHS
17:31:0 17:36:1 18:29:0 18:49:0 18:54:0 18:57:0 19:12:0 20:36:0
14-0 11-3 10-4 7-7 6-8 5-9 3-11 0-14 Girl’s Tennis Turpin Walnut Hills Loveland Kings Anderson Milford West Clermont
13-4 11-6 9-8 7-6 5-7 2-12 3-9