Volume CXII, Issue #1
The student news publication of Walnut Hills High School
Friday September 8, 2017
Chambers takes charge
SYDNEY RHONE/CHATTERBOX
New interim building principal John Chambers stands in front of the Sulsar steps. Chamber’s main philosophy for the school year is focused on balance and evolution, and he hopes to implement these ideas into his plans for the WHHS community. Shiv Malhotra, ‘20 Ibrahim Munir, ‘19 During the past several years, WHHS has evolved in many ways. From the recent renovation to the addition of the tennis courts, there have been many changes made both to the building itself, and the hardworking people inside it, that make WHHS one of the most sought after schools in the state. Over this past summer, the school went through a major staff transformation, with the addition of more than 20 new faculty members, and a new head principal for the first time in over a decade. Jeff Brokamp, the school principal for 10 years, announced that he was going to retire at the end of the 2016-17 school year, leading to a lengthy search for a new principal. However, when the original choice for principal dropped out, the WHHS Local School Decision Making Committee chose John Chambers to become the Interim Building Principal for the ’17-’18 school year. Chambers has received many years of administrative experience in other Cincinnati-area schools, as well as at WHHS. He was the Assistant Principal for two years at Fairview-Clifton German Language School, Principal for three
years at Rothenberg Preparatory Academy, Assistant Principal for two years at Aiken High School and an administrator for a year at Western Hills High School. Chambers has spent the last nine years at WHHS as an Assistant Principal. Chambers is now spending his tenth year at WHHS as the Interim Building Principal. Chambers describes his current role of Interim Building Principal as someone who was chosen to lead the school in the direction they want to see. Chambers’ contract lasts one year, which differs from the standard principal contract of two years. However, Chambers
has the exact same responsibilities as the principal, and his title could be changed to official principal by the school any day. For the next school year, he may permanently hold the position or a new candidate could be chosen. Chambers likes to use the term “evolve” as his mantra for the school year. When asked what he plans on improving or changing, he says that “there’s not a lot of things that necessarily need to be changed. We have to evolve our academic programs and all our extracurriculars with the evolution of the student. My number one goal is to match the academic pro-
grams to the needs of the student.” More specifically, Chambers wants to see better alignment with Junior High and AP courses. His hope is that teachers of AP courses can collaborate with teachers of the lower grade levels and incorporate strategies and new curriculum into the junior high classes to encourage more students to option for the challenging AP courses and by making them feel more prepared for them as well. “Students should evolve as they go through WHHS, and should feel confident about those upper level classes.” said Chambers. Chambers feels that this is
“We have to evolve our academic programs and all our extracurriculars with the evolution of the student. My number one goal is to match the academic programs to the needs of the student.” -John Chambers
necessary since some students at WHHS steer away from AP courses because of their difficulty. Another issue that many students have witnessed firsthand is the overcrowding of the school. Chambers feels that WHHS is a “hot ticket,” and said that the school board and faculty have been having conversations about this issue. Chambers recognizes there is no easy solution; he and the school board want to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity of attending the school and to not cut off certain groups. However, no ideas of solving the overcrowding issue “are off the table.” But, before Chambers commits to any change, he wants to make sure that WHHS “is striking a balance, and that if a student goes to a Cincinnati Public School and passes Walnut Hills’ entrance exam, they get in. After that point, there is no saying no, making sure that all of the families in the city of Cincinnati are served before other students outside the city.” At the end of the day, Chambers hopes his ideas of balance and evolution guide his decisions for the school year and are able to leave a lasting impact on the WHHS community.
SEPT. 8 2017
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SPORTS
SECTION EDITOR: RYLEIGH SANBORN
WHHSCBOX.COM
CINCINNATI, OHIO
New coach brings new hope
RYLEIGH SANBORN/CHATTERBOX
WHHS’s new head football coach Gerry Beauchamp looks on at the varsity football team during their Sept. 25 loss to the Lakota East Thunderhawks. The home game was Beauchamp’s first game as head coach which was decided by a last minute Lakota field goal. Trent Willhite, ‘19 WHHS’s new head football coach as of May 2017 is Gerry Beauchamp. Beauchamp has 20 years of prior coaching experience at various schools. Starting off with very ambitious goals this year, Beauchamp wants to try to complete them all. From his experience at University of Cincinnati to three consecutive championships at La Salle High School, he has proven his qualifications for the position. He also won a State Championship in Ken-
tucky at Covington Catholic High School. “I like to constantly be going,” said Beauchamp. Whether in the classroom or on the football field, he is constantly striving for success. Though his true focus is on the young athletes he coaches everyday. Beauchamp believes that some of the most important aspects of coaching are the kids themselves. “Everybody is important,” Beauchamp said. Whether starting or being on the bench, each individual is a key part to the success of the team. He also said “ I think the great thing we do is
if you come to one of our practices, you’re not going to see kids standing around.” The main thing he wants to build is, “a championship culture,” stating that he wants WHHS to be “the closest team in America.” Some of his goals that he stated are “[increasing] support in the booster club, rais[ing] the number of kids coming out to participate, continu[ing] success on the field, and continu[ing] to raise [the] number of wins”. He also said that “continuous improvement of G.P.A and more parent support” are other important goals he’d like to achieve.
These are just some of the many goals and expectations that the new coach has set out, and he intends on completing them all. A new way, a new coach and a new hope for WHHS.
WHHS alumni returns as new Athletic Director
HAYDEN WILLHITE/CHATTERBOX WHHS’s new Athletic Director Steven Ellison takes a phone call in his office while also checking his computer screen. Ellison began work as AD on July 1st and has many high hopes for the WHHS athletic department.
Hayden Willhite, ‘18 WHHS graduate of 2005, Steve Ellison has returned as head Athletic Director effective July 1st, of the new 2017-18 school year. Ellison started at WHHS in seventh grade, having played baseball since kindergarden. After coming to WHHS, Ellison, persuaded by his friends decided to play football. His parents were not fond of him playing football at first, but it made sense for him to play football rather than baseball. Ellison said, “I was a little bit more successful because I was just bigger, faster, and stronger than most, not everybody, but most.” After high school Ellison decided to go
the University of Tennessee-Martin to study Sports Administration, with a goal to do Event Operations. Ellison felt as if taking this route would help widen his range of career opportunities. “It was pretty much a situation where you just get as much experience as you can, get to know as many people as you can, and when the opportunity presents itself, you'll be prepared for that opportunity,” Ellison said. Ellison now has nine years of experience in Athletic Administration, and five years of experience as a head Athletic Director, all acquired working with WHHS, Wright State University, the Cincinnati Reds, Woodward High School, and being a teacher.
Ellison says he hopes to bring guidance to WHHS, by building a stronger relationship between the players, and their coaches. “The driving factors of a student wanting to be here is their participation in athletics, and that directly correlates that they hear their coach, that they like their coach, that they like their assistant coach [and] that they like their teammates,” Ellison said. Ellison believes that a player that builds a strong relationship with their coach and peers, helps the athlete further their career. “My biggest goal for any student or any student athlete that comes through the athletic department is to make sure they have the tools to be suc-
cessful once they leave us,” Ellison said. With this Ellison can only express how important the academic standards of WHHS are to him, “You will always hear people say, ‘student first,and athlete second’, and that's something that I stand by,” he said. As the new Athletic Director, Ellison is here to bring his full efforts to WHHS. By bringing guidance, academics, and experience to the athletic program, he hopes to build players, coaches, athletes, students, and our community, all while putting academics as the number one priority.
WHHSCBOX.COM
OPINIONS
CINCINNATI, OHIO
SEPTEMBER 8, 2017
PAGE 3
SECTION EDITOR: NICK ROBERTSON
WHHS bursting at the seams Nick Robertson, ‘19
As of the 2017-2018 school year, WHHS has over 3,000 students. The school building is designed to hold approximately 2,400 students. There aren’t enough lockers in the school building for every student, after nearly every legal square inch of space in the school has been filled with them. Walnut is growing, and we need to slow that growth down. If more kids enroll at the school, there will be nowhere to put them. This is a problem, so what do we do? Many classes are well over 30 students, with some classes over 35 students per class. Having so many students can affect the quality of education of the students and make teaching more difficult. Teacher’s union representative and social studies teacher, Brad Smith, said that the larger class sizes “definitely affect a student’s learning” and that this school year is his “largest ever with class sizes.” Spanish teacher, Keith Maddox, echoed Smith’s concerns, saying “it is harder for teachers with so many more kids, especially since language is more one-on-one than other classes.”
SYDNEY RHONE/CHATTERBOX Hundreds of students walk through the main hallway everyday between classes, creating congestion that can be felt throughout the building.
Both teachers also support extending the passing time from five to six minutes. Smith stated, “I am more than willing to give up one minute of my class for the students.” Everyone recognizes that overcrowding is a problem in this school, but what is lacking is a real-
istic solution. One solution involves building a separate building for the middle school students, relieving the hallways in the main building, and freeing up lockers for everyone. While this looks like a good solution at first, it has some key faults. Many teachers in the school
WHHS declassified hallway survival guide Jeresa Anderson, ‘18 With the student count passing the 3,000 mark, it has become increasingly overwhelming to navigate the hallways during passing bells. Entering the 2017-2018 school year, there are approximately 507 seventh graders and roughly 200 new students throughout all grades in addition to returning students. There are also 28 new faculty members, many of which are traveling teachers. That means when the bell rings, all of these people are trying to get through the hallways at once. One would think teachers would be a little more lenient about tardiness to class, but some of them are not. Tardiness is an issue for many students and to make the process more stressful, teachers have differ-
ent rules about attendance and tardiness. Many of them know how hard it is to walk the hallways as a student, some of them have to walk between passing bells to get to other classes themselves. Despite this knowledge, some teachers aren’t as forgiving as others. Imagine trying to get from the Music Lyceum to a social studies class in the opposite end of the school on a rainy day. Traveling through the arcade is difficult when some people are entering and exiting the Arts and Science building while others are trying to walk to the Senior high gym, and others are just standing and talking. We’ve all experienced that traffic jam. So, what exactly can we do to ease the stress of getting to class? One solution is taking alternative routes to class. If you want to
skip the crowds in the hallways, walk outside. This may seem like an obvious solution, but many new students don’t know they can. This gives you more room to walk (or run) as fast as you want. Unfortunately, the weather isn’t always permitting. Another way to beat the crowds is to try to leave class as quick as possible. If you have a class on the other side of the building, try not to straddle behind after the bell rings. If your teacher allows time to pack up before the bell rings, utilize that time wisely. Though the hallways may be stressful, until a realistic solution is put into place to control the number of students, we all will just have to simply deal with it.
HANNAH REINHARDT/CHATTERBOX Assistant Principal Jarron Gray walks trough the hall with students, struggling with the traffic. Stairwells are a major congestion point for students moving bwtween classes.
teach both middle school and high school classes and would have trouble commuting between buildings during the day. Many students also take higher level classes when in middle school, such as health or Algebra 1. However, the largest inhibitor to this plan is its cost. A new building would cost millions of dollars, money that may not be able to be spared for construction. Another solution is to cap admissions. Capping admissions of the incoming class would ensure that there is enough seats for everyone, and enough lockers, too. The issue with this solution is its implementation. As an open-enrollment school, WHHS currently accepts all in-district students that pass the entrance exam. With a cap, would some students that pass not be accepted? Is that legal or ethical? I believe so, but these are questions that Walnut and the district’s administrators have been mulling over for the last few years, and questions that need answers soon. Another solution is changing the entrance exam. Currently, you need to score 70% on the exam to be allowed to enroll in the school, but the proposal increases this to 75%. This will not only limit the
size of the incoming seventh grade class, but also increase the academic ability of new students. However, this solution could also limit diversity in the school’s population. Students from different elementary schools and economic classes may score lower on the standardized test. Selecting a proper solution really is choosing the lesser of evils. Even though these solutions have been proposed, no solution has been implemented. Changing admissions rules requires months of bureaucracy and paperwork, which can be difficult to get. The best choice for our school is to limit admissions. With less students, teachers can individualize their work and overall get better grades for their students. It is the best solution for the halls, for the students, and for the teachers. Hopefully, with a new administration, solutions that are agreeable to all sides can be found, and there may finally be room to breathe in the hallways. It is getting close to the point where action is required immediately. We can only hope that the administration acts sooner rather than later and before it is too late.
What WHHS is reading: summer reading review Karrington Butler, ‘18
The Teen’s Guide to World Domination: Advice on Life, Liberty, And the Pursuit of Awesomeness by Josh Shipp Rating:4/5 9AA/H - Entering high school can be a tricky and scary journey, but The Teen’s Guide to World Domination: Advice on Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Awesomeness by Josh Shipp gives great advice. From how to deal with your “villains” and how to “have a plan” this book covers topics many teens face today. This book serves as advice for the teens who want to have things figured out, but just don’t know how to go about it in a good manner. Through
many metaphors and hilarious commentary, Shipp provides a book that can change your life.
Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger 10 - Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger tells the story of Holden Caulfield a lazy, stubborn, and immature teenager. Caulfield may be all those things, but he is also lonely, intelligent and loving. Those things today perfectly describe teenagers. While not all of us may be lonely, or lazy, we all have our insecurities. We all have a little bit of Holden in us. Holden is a teenager scared of adulthood because it’s a scary place, but he knows he’ll have to face it one day. That’s why Catcher in the Rye is so relatable
Rating: 5/5
in today’s society. It explores topics of teenage angst in a unique way.
For more summer reading reviews for all grades, visit WHHSCBOX.com
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,
Manager of Operations
Emma Heines, Video Content Manager
Amanda Anderson, Online Content Manager
Samantha Gerwe-Perkins, Adviser
Dawn Wolfe, English Department Chair
RE AND PEANUTS
SEPT. 8, 2017
PAGE 5
RDING AND KEEGAN SULLIVAN
en arms, from the Chatterbox)
Michael Wendeln, Steel Drum Band How does WHHS compare to other schools? “Culture is big and very cool. never been a part of a music team like this; neat to have comradery. I was brought in by Leborgne; I’ve known him for 20 years.” What is one quote you live by? “Stay positive; love your life.” Hobbies: playing music, doing fantasy football, frisbee, golf and rock climbing.
Angela Markesberry, English 9 How has this school year been so far? “So far it’s good. Everyone’s been really helpful and welcoming, and I’m just trying to do figure out where everything is and learn how everything works.” What is a goal that you have for this school year? “To get my students excited about hearing stories and hopefully learning something.” Hobbies: running, hanging out with her two dogs.
Andrew Van der Bent, Chemistry and Science 8 How does WHHS compare to other schools? “I love WHHS. I like all the energy and the activity. The students are really nice; I like all the clubs. The science department’s really awesome. That’s why I moved. I taught with Ms. Pfeiffer at Hughes, and I know Mr. Barrett from UC.” What is a goal you have for this school year? “One is probably to have eighth graders just love science. And a chemistry goal is to do good labs and also make the students really appreciate chemistry and understand how important it is.” Hobbies: spending time with family, exercising, listening to music and gardening.
Rebecca Ashley Dobbs, Algebra 1 and Geometry, WHHS alum, ‘09 Where did you teach before Walnut? “[In] Chicago.” How does Walnut compare to other school? “The kids here are different, they’re very...weird.” What is a goal you have for this school year? “To be taller than most of my kids.” Hobbies: sleeping and watching movies.
Michael Stewart, Social Studies 8 and Modern World History How is this year going, so far? “It’s challenging because I was hired at the very last minute, so coming in without a whole lot of time to get anything ready or prepared has been challenging, but I like being here very much. I subbed here for a month or so last year for one of the teachers who was injured. I enjoyed that very much, so when the opportunity came to come back here I was very, very happy to do it.” Hobbies: visiting historical sites and reading.
Robbie Boshears, English 8AA and English 9AA How is this school year going, so far? “Good so far, I’m still trying to learn more about the technology, and it’s new for me as a travelling teacher, but if I can make it through the hallways, everything’s good.” Why did you become a teacher? “I like helping people, I like seeing people succeed. I’m a big proponent of people, and I like being the center of attention.” What is a goal you have for this school year? “To integrate more technology, professionally, to get away from paper and be able to go digital.”
Michelle Martinez, Latin 1; WHHS alum. ‘11 How would you describe teaching at Walnut? “Well I went to Walnut, so it’s nice to be back. It’s a familiar place. I just make sure that the great experience I had as a student is something that I strive for, to replicate as a teacher.” How is this school year going, so far? “Really well. I love all my seventh graders. They’re getting off to a great start and I think they’ll do really well.” Hobbies: doing yoga, going to concerts, listening to folk music and exercising.
Trisha Moore, Geometry Andrew Peoples, Music teacher Where did you teach before Walnut? Where were you before WHHS? “Lakota West and Deer Park.” “Assistant band director at Mason high school and faculty What is a goal this year that you have? member at Xavier University” “I am hoping to get to know this How does WHHS compare? community better, I live in Cincin“It’s larger. The student body at Walnut is motivated and nati Public [district] and didn’t realize wonderfully diverse.” what a resource this school was.” What is a goal you have for this school year? Hobbies: swimming laps, spending “Be the best teacher I can be” time with family and traveling. What is one quote you live by? “Be good to people.” PHOTOS BY: MOLLY JOHNSTON: MOORE, REILLY, STICKLEY, WHITE KEEGAN SULLIVAN: PEOPLES, SMITSON, WENDELN Hobby: going to FC Cincinnati games.
CAMILLE WILLIAMS: VAN DER BENT, SEDGEWICK, MARTINEZ, STEWART< MARKESBERRY, BOSHEARS, WEEKS, SCHAMER, HUTCHINSON HANNAH REINDHART: DOBBS, HOGAN
STYLE & CULTUR
SEPT. 8, 2017
SECTION EDITORS: GRACE BER
PAGE 4
Welcome to WHHS (with open
Debra Hutchinson, Chemistry and Biology How does WHHS compare to other schools you’ve taught at? “Kids with more motivation and students asking a lot more questions, which is good. It’s more interactive so I get a chance to talk back and forth with students, so I’m not having to poke and prod as much as I did before.” What is a goal you have for this school year? “To make an impact on a student in any way that turns out, whether it’s to help them understand science better or to help them become a better person.” Hobbies: watching movies, singing, dancing and eating food.
Frank Sedgewick, Pre-Algebra, Probability and Statistics How is this year going, so far? “I love it here. It’s a great school.” What is a goal you have for this school year? “I hope to get to know the school better because it’s very big compared to what I’m used to. Also, I want to get my colleagues and my students a lot better.” Hobbies: playing board games, role playing games and card games.
Jennifer Reilly, Geometry and Pre-algebra How does Walnut compare to other schools? “I taught at [Mt. Washington Elementary and Riverview East] for 10 years; it was 600 kids total and K-12. The high school staff was 8 general education teachers. So this is much larger, much different. The contents the same but the atmosphere and being a travelling teacher is very new.” What is a goal that you have for this school year? “Get myself more organized, and get better at the technology so the students have everything they need right away.” Hobbies: coaching field hockey at Mt Notre Dame, running and spending time with her husband and dog.
Luke Schamer, English 7 and British Literature How has this school year been so far? “It’s been great, I love the seventh graders and the seniors. I love the transition period. So seeing the seventh graders coming in and the seniors leaving, I love being a part of that.” What is a goal that you have for this school year? “Get to know students, be active on campus, [and] serve as a great colleague for other teachers and a great resource.” Hobbies: writing fiction, non-fiction, essays and poetry and producing music, mostly hip hop and rap.
Birgit Weeks, German Why did you decide to teach German? “I love the language, I’m passionate about the language and I love getting to know students, these students.” How do the students at WHHS compare to the graduate students you taught at the University of Cincinnati? “They are very much more involved; they get a little more excited.” What is a goal you have for this school is year? “To be the best teacher I can be.”
Karyn Hogan, nurse What did you do before you came to WHHS? “I was home with my kids before I came here; I have 3 kids” How does WHHS compare? “It’s fun to work with high school kids; I like being busy” What is a goal you have for this school year? “I want to help make sure everyone is safe, feels good and trusts me.” Hobby: exploring parks.
Jody White, study hall monitor What is a goal that you have for this school year? “For the football team, we need to win our league and play as a team, if we can play as a team we can win our league and make it to the playoffs.” What is a quote you live by? “‘If it is to be, it’s up to me.’ Being a marine, I take responsibility for everything I do or fail to do.” Hobbies: spending time with his five kids and his wife.
Tom Stickley, World History and Economics How does WHHS compare to other schools? “It’s huge; I’m amazed by the number of people here. I’m really impressed by the kids. I think it’s a really nice bunch of kids, a nice learning community. Everyone’s been very nice. Hopefully I’ll get settled real soon and get into a groove.” What is a goal that you have for this school year? “Just to make learning fun.” What is a quote you live by? “There but for the grace of god goes me.” Hobbies: athletic activities, gardening and watching his grandkids play sports.
Jessica Smitson, 7-9 M-Z assistant principal, WHHS alum ‘94 What’s different about WHHS? “Students here are driven, they meet the high expectations, there is rigor here that prepares students for a successful future. The diversity is fabulous. As an alum, there are a lot of people I’ve met and am able to carry that on. I am more open minded because of my time here. I appreciate that everyone here is accepted for who they are.” What is one quote you live by? “‘The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.’ -Eleanor Roosevelt.” Hobbies: spending time with family, cooking and gardening.
NEWS
SPETEMBER 8, 2017
PAGE 6
WHHSCBOX.COM
SECTION EDITOR: IBRAHIM MUNIR
CINCINNATI, OHIO
So... what did we miss this summer?
Conflict with North Korea intensifies Difficulties and developments in D.C. Matthew Youkilis, ‘19
that showed their capability of reaching “anywhere in the world” with an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). After a second test by North Korea, the United States flew several stealth bombers over North Korea in a show of strength. On Aug. 8, North Korea said they were considering a missile strike on Guam, a U.S. territory, going beyond just saying they had the capability of reaching the United States. Trump responded that if North Korea made any more threats, “they will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen.” Since then, the conflict has continued to slowly escalate with shows of force on both sides. Only time will tell if this conflict cools down once again or intensifies into something even bigger.
Nuclear war is certainly not a phrase the general public takes lightly, so when the conflict between North Korea and the United States escalated this summer, many people became very fearful of what the future may hold. North Korea, an authoritarian, Communist regime in East Asia, has had very tense relations with the United States for decades. Since Kim Jong-un became Supreme Leader of the nation in 2011, tensions have risen even further, especially as he is attempting to expand his country’s nuclear program. Following months of slowly escalating hostility, the conflict began to intensify greatly. In May, North Korea launched several missiles near Russia and Japan. This led the U.N. Security Council to introduce new sanctions against the East Asian country in June. Military officials also brought revised military options to the attention of President Donald Trump in late June. On July 4, North Korea claimed to have successfully conducted a test
Matthew Youkilis, ‘19 Though the summer is normally a quieter season in the national news cycle, there have been many major news stories throughout the past few months, especially in Washington D.C. Beginning on July 21, Press Secretary Sean Spicer resigned after the hiring of a controversial new Communications Director, Anthony Scaramucci. On July 28, after a feud with Scaramucci, Chief of Staff Reince Priebus was replaced with Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly. However, on July 31, Scaramucci was removed from his position by Kelly, according to the New York Times. The turmoil in the White House seemed to be calming down for several weeks, until Chief Strategist Steve Bannon was removed on August 18. Many have argued that these back-
PHOTO COURTESY OF FLICKR.COM
to-back staff changes, which involve individuals from all across the political spectrum, illustrate the instability and lack of control in the White House. Another major story in Washington D.C. this summer was the controversy surrounding the new health care bill. After campaigning heavily on the repeal and replacement of Obamacare for years, Senate Republicans struggled to come up with a strong enough bill that could receive a majority vote. First, Senate Republicans tried to create a comprehensive health care bill that would be put in place of Obamacare. However, that bill appeared to be heading for failure, so an attempt was made at passing a “skinny repeal,” which would not be as comprehensive. On July 27, this bill was rejected by a 51-49 margin, ultimately leading to a temporary failure to repeal and replace Obamacare. The events this summer continued the pattern in Washington D.C. of a very active news cycle, maintaining its pace even as the one-year mark of the 2016 election nears.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Two trucks carry explosive devices, toting some of North Korea’s ground breaking nuclear missiles. Following a summer of nuclear tests and political jabs, tensions between the United States and North Korea are very high.
Anthony Scaramucci, Steve Bannon and Reince Priebus (from left to right) were just three of the departing members of President Donald Trump’s White House staff. The steady stream of members in and out of his staff has made Donald Trump’s presidency one of the most controversial in history.
FC Cincinnati fires up fan base with big summer
Ohioan dies after release from North Korea
Matthew Youkilis, ‘19 Cincinnati is well known as a city with a long, rich sporting history, and after an exciting summer of soccer, it appears that a new chapter in Cincinnati sports is emerging with FC Cincinnati. In August 2015, it was announced that there would be a new soccer club in Cincinnati, owned by the Lindner Family, with Jeff Berding as General Manager. In 2016, the team played their first game as part of the United Soccer League, a professional league below Major League Soccer, and generated lots of excitement around Cincinnati. Playing at Nippert Stadium in Clifton, FC Cincinnati brought in over 20,000 fans several times en route to a winning season. While participating in league play, FC Cincinnati also has played in other tournaments, including the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open. The winner of this tournament will play in a Champions League against teams from all over North America, making it very competitive and rewarding. During the summer of 2017, FC Cincinnati made a deep run in this tournament, bringing record-breaking crowds into Nippert Stadium. In the Fourth Round of play on June
14, FC Cincinnati defeated cross-state rival and MLS team Columbus Crew SC 1-0 with over 30,000 people in attendance. Then, on June 28, FC Cincinnati beat another MLS team, Chicago Fire SC, in penalty kicks in front of over 32,000 people at Nippert Stadium. With eight teams remaining, FC Cincinnati defeated Miami FC 1-0 on Aug. 2 in Miami to reach the Final Four. However, despite a 2-0 lead in the second half of their Final Four match, FC Cincinnati’s opponent, the New York Red Bulls, came back to win in extra time on Aug. 15. Nevertheless, FC Cincinnati made history this summer by going much farther in the tournament than predicted, and they hope to replicate this success in the years to come. DISCLAIMER: Chatterbox staff member Grace Berding, ‘19, is the daughter of FC Cincinnati General Manager Jeff Berding.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Fans of FC Cincinnati gather at Nippert Stadium at the University of Cincinnati. FC Cincinnati’s fan base is one of the fastest growing in American soccer with fans emerging from all areas of the city.
Amanda Anderson, ‘19 Otto Warmbier, a Cincinnati native, made headlines this summer as North Korea released him in a semi-conscious state to the United States, 17 months after being arrested and accused of stealing a propaganda poster by North Korean officials. Warmbier was on the trip with a tour group and staying in the Yanggakdo International Hotel prior to his arrest. Following a night out with friends, Warmbier allegedly tried to take a poster off a wall in a staff-only area of the hotel, although the evidence was not strong. The day his group was meant to leave the country, Warmbier was detained and arrested at Pyongyang International Airport. His companions were allowed to return to the United States without conflict. Warmbier was convicted of his crime and sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in March 2016. Following this news, there were
no reports about Warmbier for over a year. Then in June 2017, amid increasing tensions between the United States and North Korea, Warmbier was released from the Asian nation, but in a nearly comatose condition. He arrived home on June 13 in a state of “unresponsive wakefulness,” similar to a coma. Warmbier was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for treatment of his condition. Though North Korea claimed Warmbier had contracted botulism from a sleeping pill which caused this condition, the evidence suggested he had gone into some sort of cardiac or pulmonary arrest. Over time, this could lead to bodily deterioration and neurological damage. Warmbier died at the medical center on June 19. His parents, Fred and Cindy Warmbier, requested that an autopsy not be performed. They released a statement expressing their sadness and anger over what happened to their son, a terrible casualty in the conflict with North Korea.
PHOTO COUTESY OF KR.USEMBASSY.GOV
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson announces the release of Otto Warmbier from detention in North Korea. Warmbier was released through the efforts of many officials, though he died soon after returning.
WHHSCBOX.COM
FINE ARTS
SEPTEMBER 8, 2017
PAGE 7
Banter with Canter CINCINNATI, OHIO
SECTION EDITOR: ISABEL NISSLEY
Introducing the new head Marching Band Director Isabel Nissley, ‘20 Joseph Stanichar, ‘18
Richard Canter has been a band teacher at WHHS for three years. This year he was appointed as the WHHS Head Marching Band director.
Richard Canter may be seen as just a teacher to his many students, but there is much more to the man than his career. Canter is a musician himself, having played the piano for 32 years and the trumpet for almost 30. He is also a member of a band called “The Klaberheads”, and he has even created his own teaching method called “Scale and Rhythm Chunks.” “I began composing my own music around age 10 and started playing the trumpet that year as well,” Canter said. This band teacher’s Mozart-like start to music has led to a life filled with one of the things that he loves best. His interest in music continued into high school and Canter joined his school’s marching band in ninth grade, having felt pressure from his parents. He continued marching band throughout high school and college, even becoming the drum major at Bowling Green State University his senior year. Ever since his first year playing in the marching band, his involvement hasn’t ceased. In fact, between playing for his high school, college and finally directing the marching band itself, Canter has been involved with marching band for 25 consecutive years. Although, just this summer Canter was appointed as the head WHHS Marching Band Direc-
tor, he has been working with the band for the past two years. As the band director, he describes his role as “helping make all of the elements of music and marching come to life in a way that reaches everyone from the audience at a football game to the adjudicators at a competition.” Canter plans to continue greatness in the marching band by strengthening traditions and helping the program grow in regards to size and ability level. Canter finds his job very rewarding, viewing it as a way to give back to the music community through seeing students not only grow musically, but also into better people because of their experiences in marching band. A favorite memory of being the marching band director happened at “this year’s band camp when we had our final run-through of the show on Friday before we left. The amount of progress and growth that happened that week was incredible and having such a great final performance was an awesome thing for the students to experience” Canter said. When asked about advice for students considering joining the marching band, Canter said “Do it! Joining the marching band will give you a ton of friendships that will last a lifetime and experiences performing that are second to none.”
Marching Band: by the numbers
The Marching Blue and Gold marches off the field after their first halftime performance of the season.
Field commander, Ziaire Sherman, ‘18, directs the band’s performance. INFOGRAPHIC: ISABEL NISSLEY/CHATTERBOX
ALL PHOTOS: ALLYSON GARTH/CHATTERBOX
ARCADE
SEPTEMBER 8, 2017
WHHSCBOX.COM
SECTION EDITOR: DELANEY OWENS
PAGE 8
Perspectives
CINCINNATI, OHIO
What was the highlight of your summer?
“I went to New York for a five week dance program.”
“Watching my daughter play in the ocean for the first time... without being attacked by a shark.”
“Going to Disney World.”
Zoe Cummings, ‘22
Mitchell Perdrix
Mackenzie Waggoner, ‘20
“Going to Barcelona.”
“Going to a wedding in Rhode Island and seeing all my cousins.”
Tim Coleman, ‘21
Hallie Christian, ‘23
“Spending five weeks in New York City with my daughters. One [of my daughters] was part of a summer intensive dance program.” Jerron Gray
Sudoku
WHHS Trivia Crossword Delaney Owens, ‘21
Delaney Owens, ‘21
Across 8. The Academic ___ has the longest running winning streak of any WHHS team. 9. The Halloween themed junior high dance 10. The men’s ___ team returned to WHHS last year, it had not been a sport at WHHS since the 1940s. 12. WHHS motto ‘Sursum ad summam’ translates to ‘rise to the ___’. 13. For the SENIOR prank of 2016, graduating students filled the Forum with these 14. A club dedicated to spreading kindness, named after a character in To Kill A Mockingbird 15. WHHS Alumni DeHart Hubbard ‘21 was the first African-American to win an individual ___ gold medal. 17. WHHS offers a ___ education, including the addition of Latin to the curriculum. 18. WHHS Alumni Charles Guggenheim ‘42 was a four time ___ Award Winner known for his films about history and social issues. Down 1. The WHHS yearbook is also known by this name, defined as ‘one who reminds’. 2. The process of selecting next year’s classes each January 3. An affectionate nickname for a seventh grader 4. WHHS currently has 90 sports teams, including this sport similar to football 5. The student cheering section for WHHS athletics, started in 2008 6. The Chatterbox’s anonymous opinion columnist 7. WHHS freshman-only dance in the spring 11. An annual Earth Day celebration hosted by the Bio-Eco club, including a chalk drawing competition 14. Recently retired principal Jeff ___ was replaced this year by John Chambers. 16. WHHS Alumni Evelyn Venable ‘30 has a star on the ___ Walk of Fame.
Answers to all puzzles can be found online at <whhscbox.com>.
All Perspectives photos: ALLYSON GARTH/CHATTERBOX