Volume CXVI, Issue #3
The student news publication of Walnut Hills High School
Wednesday Nov. 3, 2021
Behind the mask WHHS theatre brings fall play, Rhinosceros, to life with handcrafted headgear
Hajra Munir, ‘23 The WHHS theatre program is taking on Eugene Ionesco’s post-war avant-garde drama, Rhinoceros, while creatively minding the mask mandate. The show is an absurdist piece of commentary on the human condition, which features a town plagued by its citizens transforming into rhinoceroses, but one man is unable to change. “Most high schools wouldn’t tackle this work. It’s an absurdist piece of drama. It’s very weird,” drama, stagecraft, and costuming teacher Helen Raymond-Goers said. With this show, the theatre department is experimenting with a unique theatrical style
COURTESY OF MIKKI SCHAFFNER
in that they will perform the whole production in a black-and-white setting. “We’re also doing it all in grayscale of the Twilight Zone, so it’s going to be a very offputting kind of adventure for our audience simply because it’s not in color; it’s not realistic,” Raymond-Goers said, “but the storytelling is really sort of on point, even for today’s cultural situation.” In order to comply with COVID safety, and maintain the mysterious and thrilling aesthetic of the show, the costume designers have made full face covering caricature masks of the characters. SENIOR Sadie Gray, head mask-maker and costume designer, has been an asset in completing these masks. She pulled inspira-
Making the masks
tion from cartoons that she watched in her childhood, including the French cartoon “Triplets of Belleville” and Tim Burton’s “Corpse Bride.” “I think a lot of costuming includes limits on your creative control, because a lot of choices are directorial based choices,” Gray said. “So I think a lot of this, especially when you’re working with masks, takes a lot of the actor’s work away because the expression that they’re usually able to use is taken away. So a lot of responsibility goes on you for making them expressive enough to make up for the lack of expression. So we just went headfirst, right into just going for it and making it our own.” As opening night approaches, the costume
and prop designers are ecstatic to see their work displayed on stage in front of a live audience. “[I’m most excited for] All of the looks coming together. I think right now it’s a slow process of introducing working with the masks for the actors and I feel like opening night is where it all comes together and where it’s put on display for everyone to see,” Gray said. Parents, students, and staff can buy tickets on the theatre department’s website. A limited number of tickets will be sold this year in order to comply with Cincinnati Public Schools district policy. Performances are Nov. 11 and 12 at 7p.m., and Nov. 13 at 2p.m. and 7p.m. in the Rick Steiner Black Box Theatre.
Rhinosceros' costume crew worked for weeks cutting, gluing, sculpting, and painting the character masks to be perfectly ridiculous and show ready.
PHOTOS BY HAJRA MUNIR/CHATTERBOX AND CATHERINE FROST/REMEMBRANCER
COURTESY OF SADIE GRAY
OPINIONS
NOV. 3, 2021
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WHHSCBOX.COM
CINCINNATI, OHIO
SECTION EDITOR: ISABEL RODRIGUEZ
Letter from the Editor Students Dear Walnut Hills High School Community,
Over the past several weeks, the community of Evanston has suffered a great deal of crime in close proximity to our school. The Chatterbox staff acknowledges the loss this community has suffered and has engaged in intentional conversations regarding how we as a publication can use our platform to support the community through this difficult time. As a publication, we encourage students, outside of the Chatterbox staff, to address these events and their feelings behind them. If you are interested in having your voice heard by the community then you can write a letter to the editor regarding your personal thoughts and perspective behind conflicts occurring throughout the year. In order to do this, simply write out your thoughts in a formal letter and send them to the Chatterbox e-mail address: cboxwalnut@ gmail.com. Those emails will come directly to
me, and I will review your letter to consider it for our next print issue. On a seemingly lighter note, the WHHS community is still busier than ever with new events coming and going every week. Fall sports are coming to an end as our Eagles enter the tournament season, the theatre department is preparing for their highly anticipated “Rhinoceros” show in November and the music department is working on their first performances since returning to school. It’s quite the stressful time for SENIORS around the school, as college application deadlines are approaching and students reflect back upon their last first quarter at WHHS. As a publication, we work diligently throughout the year to cover a diverse set of student events, issues and perspectives. If you have any critiques or things you’d like to see covered more (or less) I would strongly encourage you to fill out the “Chatter Back” survey on the last page of every issue. Bobby Keegan
recent lock-ins have students thinking about campus safety
offer input WHHS experienced 3 lock-ins during the first quarter this year due to shootings that occurred in the neighborhood within miles of the school. These ocurred on Sept. 14, Oct. 13, and Oct. 21. This spike in violence has the community on high alert, and students are speaking out about their concerns regarding campus safety. Angela Britton, ‘23
SENIOR, Olivia Farmer
“I felt unsafe, with it being the second lock down in 8 days... it was unsettling that we went on about our day like nothing bad was happening around us.”
“Watching the younger students panic and not know what was happening was not a good experience. Hearing later about what had happened really made me question my safety.”
Teddy Sifri, ‘23
“I mean, we can’t stop crime happening outside our school, but it would be nice if they said why we were in lockdown.”
In the Chatterbox’s previous issue, the article “Castle for city council” features a misspelling of Jaime Castle’s name. The Chatterbox staff sincerely apologizes to Ms. Castle for our mistake.
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.
HEY SENIORS! GET YOUR SENIOR RECOGNITION AD BEFORE SPACE RUNS OUT! jostensyearbooks.com
TELL YOUR FRIENDS’ PARENTS
The Chatterbox Editorial Staff
SARAH DAVIDOFF, ‘13
Bobby Keegan,
Isabella Zinchini,
Editor-in-Chief
Deputy Editor-in-Chief
Kaylee Robbins, Managing Editor of Current Events
Hajra Munir,
Managing Editor of Student Life
Owen Cummings,
Managing Editor of Viewpoints
Sydnie Barrett,
Managing Editor of Visual Elements
Ryan Helton,
Operations Manager
Alonzo Montgomery, Public Relations Manager
Samantha Gerwe-Perkins, Adviser
Brian Sweeney, English Department Chair
SPORTS
WHHSCBOX.COM CINCINNATI, OHIO
NOV. 3, 2021
PAGE 3
SECTION EDITOR: MEGAN DORR
Soccer season ends in heartbreak Megan Dorr, ‘22 The scene on the field after the WHHS boys soccer team was a sorrowful sight on Sat., Oct. 24, after the team was knocked out of the postseason tournament in a heartbreaking loss to Kings that came in penalty kicks. This loss ended the Eagles season, along with the SENIORS high school soccer career. “I thought it was tough playing 120 minutes then to come up just short. I think it was a really big blow to all the work the SENIORS and the rest of the team have put in. I think it was a fun year, but wished it hadn’t ended so soon,” SENIOR Bron Dietz said. The game ended with a score of 0-0 in regulation, the exact score from when the teams met earlier this season in an ECC game. Since the two are in the same conference, there was a level of familiarity heading into this game. “We played very well in the first game against Kings. We moved the ball but just couldn’t finish. We plan on watching tape before the upcoming game to prepare and hopefully the result will be a trip to round three,” SENIOR Isaac Larsen said ahead of the game. Unfortunately for WHHS, the results this time were not a trip to round three. After ending regulation in a tie, the teams moved to the first overtime period, and after no team had scored, another overtime period. Even after all that, no team had scored, so the game
COURTESY OF JEREMY SCHULZ
SENIORS Bron Dietz and Aiden Clarke feel the heartbreak of loss after losing to the Knights in penalty kicks on Oct. 24. Both made thier penalty kick, but the loss ended the WHHS soccer teams season, and the SENIORS high school soccer careers. was sent to penalty kicks (PK). In penalty kicks, the pressure was on and the stakes were high. After each team made their first three, it went to sudden death. The Kings Knights were able to capitalize on a missed WHHS PK and advance to round four. “Personally, in a penalty situation, since I started playing soccer for Walnut, I always go bottom right,” Dietz said. “My mind just goes blank and I let whatever happens happen. If you think too much you’re more likely to mess up.” WHHS advanced to play Kings after a commanding win against Winton Woods on Oct. 20. The team built an early lead and never
looked back, winning 7-1. “I think there’s always pressure on a tournament game but the team was confident and excited to get the tournament started. We were super focused and it helped
us pull through to get the win,” Larsen said. The offense not only scored seven goals, but each one came from a different player. Roman Girandola, ‘24, Josh Bauer, ‘23, Jordan Domoe,
‘23, and SENIORS, Llewelyn Grant, Liam Mentz, Aiden Clarke, and Larsen all connected the ball with the back of the net. “I think the team moved so smoothly and was so productive because of how we passed the ball,” Clarke said. “We played simple passes to feet with minimal touches. This quick decisive play really helped us take control of possession and Winton Woods couldn’t keep up.” While the loss will likely stay with players for a while, this season was nothing to hang their heads about. The Eagles finished the regular season with a 6-5-4 record and were fifth in the ECC conference. As the SENIORS depart from the Eagles soccer program, they hope they have left a lasting impact. “I thought having a younger team I was able to be more of a role model and a leader to all the people who hadn’t gotten big varsity minutes. I feel like this connection will last a lot further past my career as a soccer player,” Dietz said.
SENIOR Liam Mentz takes a shot during WHHS 7-1 win against Winton Woods in the first round of the postseason. Mentz, along with six other WHHS players, all scored goals.
COURTESY OF JEREMY SCHULZ
Filling the silence
Men’s basketball hopes to make noise this season
KYLIE BRIDGEMAN/CHATTERBOX
SENIOR Austin Miller is working hard during the preseason on the court and in the weight room. Kylie Bridgeman, ‘22 The continous thump of the basketball being dribbled on the hardwood floor, the voices of players cheering each other on, and the squeak of tennis shoes filled the empty space of the gym throughout the 2020-2021 basketball season. However, there was still a missing energy that can only be filled by packed stands of rowdy fans. “It just felt really empty in the gym without people there,” SENIOR Kellen Porter said. “It
was just boring, the crowd really makes it better.” The men’s basketball team returns several talented players , including SENIORS Owen Murray, Max Poynter, and Porter. Ricardo Hill, head varsity coach, has high hopes for the success of the team this season following the unfulfilled dreams of last year’s team. “I have very high expectations for this season. I’m expecting a very deep run in the tournament this year,” Poynter said. “I want to compete for the state title.”
Last season, the Eagle’s tournament run was cut short by a tough loss to Mason High School in round two of the postseason tournament. “We are just going to come back ready to work harder, we don’t like the feeling of losing,” Murray said. “We’re coming back with a chip on our shoulder.” The Eagles had a record of 17-4 last season, and were not used to losing. They only suffered two league losses during the regular season. “I’m hoping we go undefeated [this season],” Porter said. A lot of the team’s success is owed to their scoring ability; six of the top 50 scorers in the ECC were Eagles last season. Poynter, Murray, Porter, Javion Bostic, ‘23, Tyler Mckinley, ‘24, and Collin Miller, ‘21, all earned their spot on the leaderboard. Murray, a small forward, put up 214 points in 19 games. “For me personally I’m a 3-point shooter,” Murray said. “Whenever I get the ball I just let it fly.” However, Murray is not the only successful player on the team. McKinley is a standout sophomore
who is receiving attention and offers from schools across the country, such as The University of Cincinnati, The University of South Carolina and West Virginia University. His talent, coupled with his teammates’ experience and skill, pose a promising future for the basketball program. With so many promising players on the team, Hill has high expectations for the season as well. “It’s tough for me to predict anything but a championship, because that’s my mentality,” Hill said. “That’s our goal and I’m sticking to it.” The varsity season opener is slated for Nov. 26 against Archbishop Moeller Highschool, a historical basketball powerhouse who finished 18-5 overall in the 2020-21 season. “I think we’re going to have an exciting season, the sky’s the limit for us,” Hill said. “I wish we could start tonight. I’m ready.” Along with the team and coaches, fans will be welcomed back into the gym this year. “Last year it was so weird playing home games with nobody there,” Poynter said. “The energy in that
crowd is something that you don’t see for Walnut. Especially with our team this year the Nuthouse should definitely come out and have some great turnouts for our home and away games.”
KYLIE BRIDGEMAN/CHATTERBOX
SENIOR Maxwell Poynter and Tyler McKinley, ‘24, are both receiving attention from colleges for their performance on the court. They were both dominating scorers last season, averaging 11.3 and 10.7 points per game respectively.
NEWS & F
NOV. 3, 2021
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SECTION EDITOR: KAT SW
The students behind the Kimaya Mundhe, ‘25 Sarah Wilson, ‘25
Marlee Rush, ‘25 In her first year as a student helper, Marlee Rush, ‘25, is working as a helper for math teacher Mary Rhame. Despite not having previous knowledge of the opportunity, Rush jumped at the chance to help her former teacher and has been hard at work ever since. “I have learned more from a teacher’s perspective… now when I communicate with my teachers I appreciate them more. I get this new perspective [by] working with a teacher… and I understand some of the hardships they face,” Rush said. Rush is looking forward to the rest of the semester as a student helper and hopes to continue participating in the program in the future.
Andrew Rhoades, ‘24 Andrew Rhoades, ‘24 is a student helper for Helen Raymond-Goers, known as RG by her students, from the theatre department. This is Rhoades’s first semester as a student helper. “I’m [interested in] having lots of hours of stagecraft time for college resumes, I think it would be a great [experience] to have,” Rhoades said. He helps out during one of RG’s stagecraft classes, a class he is also taking himself. One of his biggest responsibilities is ensuring safety in the production room. “We’re working with power tools and power saws… we have to [ensure] proper use of tools and we have sign-out sheets.” So far, Rhoades has enjoyed his experience as a student helper. “I’ve learned lots about tools, carpentry and painting… lots of fun stuff,” Rhoades said. He plans on continuing to be a student helper in the future with RG and highly recommends it for students who have free time during their study hall.
One of the many volunteer opportunities offered to WHHS students is the student helpers program in which over 70 WHHS students and 33 staff members participate. Interested students may sign up to work during their study halls and are able to work for both academic teachers as well as the library staff. This program allows for high school students to ‘work’ for a teacher during their study hall, and aid the teacher in fulfilling various tasks. The workload for student helpers fluctuates on a daily basis, but some common tasks include helping enter grades, organizing classrooms and even working with students in class. In the library, student helpers perform more specialized tasks, “[They] are able to check out books and check in books… and [all] that has to do with our book check-out system,” Acacia Diniz, library aid, said. Diniz added that they run restroom and locker logs, and help with other library events, such as book sales. While it can be difficult for students to fulfill their personal responsibilities alongside their student helper responsibilities, there are options for students to help on alternating days of the week to better suit their needs. Students may also split their week to work in different classrooms on specific days to accommodate their different interests. “We’ve had people before who want to help in the writing center… so they do two days [in the library] and three days in the writing center. But for the most
R
Violence near the school: A Kat Swift, ‘23, and Kaylee Robbins, ‘24 This school year, WHHS has been in a lock in situation 3 times due to violence in the neighborhood. Violence in Cincinnati is down by 11 % and at this point, there are fewer homicides than this time in the previous year. While statistics show a decrease in violence, more than 400 shootings have occurred in the city, causing over 40 people to have been shot in 2021 alone. Out of the 40 people shot, 10 have been between ages 10 and 19 while 20 have been between
KAYLEE ROBBINS/CHATTERBOX
ages 20 and 29. Along with Westwood and Over-the-Rhine, Walnut Hills experiences one of every four aggravated assaults in Cincinnati so far this year and it has not only affected the school day, causing the school to go into multiple lock-ins monthly, but also individuals at the school. To gain insight into the violence that has been happening around the WHHS area, to the right is a timeline displaying just a few of these assaults and shootings from the past few months:
Suffering from two gunshot wounds, Freddy Wright, 65, died two weeks after the Sept. 27 shooting in the Walnut Hills area. Since then, the CPD has been investigating ,but no killer has yet been identified.
September 27, 2021 September 11, 2021
September 14, 2021
After getting into an altercation, NKU law student and mother of two, Cierra Allen, was shot and killed. This happened around 2:30 a.m. in the Walnut Hills area. Due to the nature of the shooting, all charges against the shooter were dropped.
WHHS went into a lock-in as police used a helicopter and dogs to search for a possible shooting victim after police were called to Montgomery Road at Duck Creek Rd. in Evanston where shots may have been fired.
TRENT WILLHITE/CHATTERBOX
NOV. 3, 2021
FEATURES
PAGE 5
WIFT & KIMAYA MUNDHE
e desks: student helpers part, they stay here five days a week,” Diniz said. Aside from helping staff members, student helpers also serve their fellow peers in an equally important way, particularly for underclassmen. “They can also be real role models for other kids that watch them,” Diniz said. “I think that helps more than people realize, to observe... older students being responsible and taking things seriously; it creates a culture.” Student helpers’ experiences apply to their lives beyond the classroom, providing them with job-like interactions to take with them into their futures. “It requires you to follow certain rules and pay attention to certain things… we do deal with money here, with the fines, so you need to be able to be responsible with that,” Diniz said. “If they take it seriously and take it as a job... that’s an experience that will translate into other jobs in their lifetime.” While student helpers do not receive official credit or compensation for their work, they may receive service hour signatures from the teacher they work with. If you’re interested in becoming a student helper, reach out to your teachers to find out what you can do. All helpers must obtain and complete a student helper work permit, which may be found in the 10-12 grade level office. Students must also maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0, as well as other academic and attendance requirements.
Racky Barry, ‘24
For Racky Barry, ‘24, this school year is her first as an official student helper for the library. Previously, she unofficially helped out in the library during her 8th-grade year. Working behind the library’s circulation desk is a popular choice amongst student helpers where they can be found checking in and out books, writing hall passes, occasionally stocking books and helping the librarians with anything they need. “[My experience] has been great, I’ve been looking forward to it for so long... and this year I can finally do it which is really exciting because I love books and I love being in the library, especially this library. It’s so beautiful,” Barry said. She is truly passionate about books and loves reading old favorites but also enjoys finding new novels. Barry plans to student help for the library until she graduates. “I think it teaches you good people skills… working behind the circulation desk with the technology [teaches you] nice skills to have.”
Elizabeth Wheatley, ‘23
Elizabeth Wheatley, ‘23, is a student helper for AP United States History and AP Psychology teacher, Kathy Noland. In her first semester as a student helper, Wheatley was inclined to begin helping as a way to productively spend her study halls. “I really like the teacher and I wanted something to do during my study hall rather than work because I wanted to help somebody,” Wheatley said. Typically, she spends most of the bell grading papers and because Noland is one of the club advisors for student congress, she sometimes assists her with jobs related to the club. Wheatley participates in WHHS’ marching band which is a large afterschool commitment for her, however, she’s still been able to get homework done despite giving up her study hall. So far she’s enjoyed her experience as a student helper and plans to continue next semester and potentially during her senior year as well. To any students interested in being a student helper, Wheatley highly recommends trying it out, “Find a nice teacher… specifically history and English teachers seem to be really nice student helpers for,” she said. PHOTOS BY SYDNIE BARRETT, KAT SWIFT, KAYLEE ROBBINS, AND KYLIE BRIDGEMAN
A timeline of the year so far The windows of a white 2008 Honda Fit Sport, belonging to WHHS SENIOR Catherine Frost, were smashed in. The car was parked in the gravel lot. If you have any information, Frost says to talk to Matthew Chaney, a teacher, her sister, SENIOR Eleanor Frost, or herself. According to Frost, another white hatchback was smashed as well.
October 11, 2021
Outside of the Walnut Hills neighborhood, a 13-year-old boy was shot on Lawn Avenue in Bond Hill. A 16-year-old was arrested and charged in connection with the shooting according to the police. The 13-year-old was taken to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in life threatening conditions but is now stable according to officials. CATHERINE FROST/REMEMBERANCE
October 13, 2021
October 12, 2021
October 13, 2021
Yarsellay Sammie Sr., 39, was shot and killed in a drive by around 1:30 p.m. at the corner of Montgomery and Clarion, not only causing Montgomery Rd. to be shut down for hours, but also causing WHHS to go into lock-in for multiple periods. The suspect was seen driving a maroon fourdoor sedan.
Within blocks of WHHS, 16-yearold Javeir Randolph was shot and killed on Jonathan Avenue, causing the school to go into lockdown for multiple hours. The shooter(s) are not yet found and officials are still investigating whether this murder is connected to the one that happened less than 24 hours earlier.
Two men, ages 19 and 21, were shot in a drive-by shooting on the 3100 block of Harvard Avenue near Gilbert in Evanston. The men were taken to UC Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. Witnesses reported seeing the shooter driving a four door gray Honda Civic with a sunroof. The shooting prompted WHHS to go into a lock-in.
October 21, 2021
KAYLEE ROBBINS/CHATTERBOX
STYLE & CULTURE
NOV. 3, 2021
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WHHSCBOX.COM
CINCINNATI, OHIO
SECTION EDITOR: KATE STIENS
The reality of
“The Circle” the ultimate comfort show of deception and connection
Ben Schneider, ‘24 Because of the inherently goofy nature of “The Circle,” it can be hard for viewers to seek anything of substance from what seems like just another output of the Netflix reality TV show machine. The show at first was a refuge for many from the reality of 2020, to kill
some of the seemingly never ending time of a pandemic. The Circle’s promised gimmick: a social-media themed reality show. The premise was loose, but still quirky enough to capture a curious audience. Contestants isolated in their apartment, texting being their only way to communicate to one
another. Sound Familiar? All vying for their fellow players vote in “The Circle’s” ratings. Where at the end of the day, the two highest rated players get to ‘block’ someone in “The Circle,” all culminating in a $100,000 prize. The big catch of the whole show is that any player can disguise themselves as a totally different person if
they want to, or go as their genuine who they are actually talking to in selves. “The Circle,” they are Once you get past the unafraid to open cringe-inducing player up to their “The Circle” is built introductions and fellow players. on strong, passionate their out-of-this-world It is still a participants that use personalities, the show goofy our own communicative settles down and lets show, but commonalities the players talk amon to occasionally, relate to and, inevitably there are gst themselves. relinquish their No one is here to these emoticompetitors. specifically find love like onal moments in “Love is Blind” or to that sneak up and make love like in “Too really hit you. Hot to Handle”. Just to merely This is mostly because of the talk. fact that you can never really escape Conversations start out light the feeling that these characters, hearted and fun. Cute hashtags whether real or fake, are putting and emojis support each players’ up some sort of front to begin generically authentic dialogue with. Whether playing it up for and are mixed in with the real life the cameras or just doing it for the player reactions to the messages. attention, it is when the players These messages and the subsequent finally get comfortable enough to reactions are seamlessly edited and let their guard down and truly be presented to the audience, making themselves that “The Circle” is at these text based connections in its best. “The Circle” unique. You would think after three In that, when people text in seasons of this, it would get stale. real life there is a pervading air of The premise is flimsy, but that ambiguity because you don’t really gives the showrunners the fluidity know what someone is thinking, to throw in obstacles that may be turning modern unfair to some players, though it communicais what keeps the show fresh. The tion into reason it works is how the players The big catch of the that of a react and change the way they whole show is that game. play the game. any player can disguise “The Season three once again brings themselves as a totally Circle,” us another batch of great different person if they however, want to, or go as their characters to cheer on or root gives the against, and the show’s silly, selfgenuine selves. audience aware nature makes “The Circle,” both sides of the ultimate TV comfort show. the screen, making text based character building very real and very effective. Although players have no idea
Guns N’ Roses runs out of ammo
the “most dangerous band in the world’s” decline is apparent with their emotionless new singles Owen Cummings, ‘22 It’s unfortunate that the downfall of Guns N’ Roses, the so-called “most dangerous band in the world,” was foreshadowed from the instant they arrived on the Sunset Strip. Their danger lay in a band that could cross the divides of pretension and sleaze to impress the masses, whether by their talent or by being able to get away with their profane and angry lyrics. But danger is temporary. In order to feel unsettled in a situation, most other situations must be pleasant or more bearable and can be returned to once the danger is gone. And danger has certainly left GN’R. Following an almost total band rift in 1993, singer Axl Rose believed that it was his duty to continue making music under the GN’R mantle. What has since been a successful touring career, including headlining many festivals such as Austin City Limits, eventually was blessed with (or perhaps unwillingly given custody of) the second most expensive album ever made,
2008’s Chinese Democracy. The album eventually did get released to mixed reviews, but it became clear even then that the band was headed for the same fate as the rest of its hair metal cousins: an embarrassing caricature of its former self. The reason this is worth bringing up is because now, in 2021, these titans of music are putting out songs with titles like “ABSURD” and “Hard Skool.” Rock and roll… These two GN’R songs are downright abysmal. As cliche as Rose’s lyrics have been in the past, the raw anger and emotion that he brought to whatever idea he sang about elevated the machismo energy to a more respectable light. That emotion has disappeared completely from these recent releases, and Rose now sings profane lyrics only to be profane, not to prove a point or accentuate what he feels. In the most Axl Rose way to criticize Axl Rose, it sounds as if he went into a karaoke bar with a checklist on how to write a metal song, got blackout drunk, and took the mic out of someone else’s hand to relive his glory days. Brutal, yes, but accurate. It’s not as if the rest of the band
is short of criticism either. Slash’s guitar riff in “ABSURD” sounds like it’s been sped up to one and a half times its original speed, which detracts from what fans know he is capable of, sounding like he’s trying to mask lack of interest with modern production. McKagan’s bass line could have saved the track, but it’s barely audible due to the heavily distorted vocals and ear-piercing guitar. Guns N’ Roses has lost sight of their appeal in an attempt to chase
trends. They care too much, they’re trying too hard, and they’re devoid of emotion. The band departed from its original vision without a strong enough back catalog to fall back onto. They aren’t like other artists such as Metallica and The Clash from a few years before who could afford to put out bad material because of their strong foundation which took years to develop. The seeds of Guns N’ Roses’ downfall were sown too soon after they broke into the main-
stream, and if they continue on this track, they’ll end up with other bands who took themselves too seriously too soon. It’s not like Rose or any other member of the band needs to keep making music, as Rose’s net worth is estimated at $200 million, so perhaps it’s time for Rose to retire to the Paradise City he sang about all those years ago and let what he left behind be appreciated for what it was.
The current lineup of Guns N’ Roses (from left to right, Slash, Axl Rose, Duff McKagan, and Richard Fortus) play at Wrigley Field on Sept. 16. This reunion follows a nearly 25 year long split between guitarist Slash and singer Rose that resulted in a drastic shift in creativity and sound… for the worse.
COURTESY OF KATARINA BENZOVA/CHICAGO SUN TIMES
WHHSCBOX.COM CINCINNATI, OHIO
PEANUTS
NOV. 3, 2021
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SECTION EDITOR: FAITH WALLACE
A spooky tradition lives again student council treats junior high to the Boogie Bash
FAITH WALLACE/CHATTERBOX
During the first hour of the dance, students were able to approach the DJ to enter the costume contest. Four members of the student council were the judges who decided the winners. There were several categories for which contestants could win gift cards.
DOMINIC HAMON/CHATTERBOX
In a night of fun, food, and friendship, junior high students masked up and dressed up for their first dance as WHHS students, the Boogie Bash. The eighth grade student council has been planning the dance since the summer, and watching it come to life electrified them. “I’m really excited to finally get to do this, and I hope it’s a great time for everyone and that we can provide...some fun and an experience that a lot of people haven’t gotten to have in a while because of COVID or have never had,” class of ‘26 student council representative, Caroline Lovelance, ’26, said. As the tradition goes, the first middle school dance, the Boogie Bash, is back again in the junior high gym. This year’s dance wouldn’t have commenced without the eighth grade student council’s preparations. Before the night began, the eighth grade student council got together to prepare the event, setting whole thing up within a half hour. The student council team of 15 split up into 5 groups: the set-up group, the chaperone coordination group, costume judges, and those in charge of the music, along with over 100 parent volunteers, who helped with ticket sales, bringing candy/ food and chaperoning, as well as cleanup. This was a whole new experience for the 7th and 8th grade parents, as it’s their first time helping out with a junior high event like this.
FAITH WALLACE/CHATTERBOX
SYDNIE BARRETT/CHATTERBOX
SYDNIE BARRETT/CHATTERBOX
“It is such a big thing and we really rely on the parent association, so a big thank you to them because without them,” English teacher and junior high student council advisor, Samantha Stephenson said, “this would be really hard to pull off because it’s literally just all donated stuff and parents and community members and students helping us.”
The MAP test of patience
junior high students have mixed reactions to standardized testing Dominic Hamon, ‘25 While upperclassmen spent the majority of their school day on Oct. 13 taking the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test or the National Merit Scholar Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), junior high students took the Measurement of Academic Progress (MAP) test. Effies and E-Flats put what they’ve been learning in their English and math classes to the test, and even though it had no effect on their grade, it still came with nerves for many of the young students. It was the Effies’ first time taking a MAP test as WHHS students, and feelings of nervousness turned MAP testing days into undesirable times for some. “The worst part of the week was MAP testing,” Emmet Royalty, ‘26, said, “the best part was finishing MAP testing.”
Between the English and math tests, the easier subject often varied depending on the students personal strengths. “English was harder because it was a lot of reading,” Royalty said. Others, like Ava Carruthers, ‘26, felt the opposite. “English was definitely easier; I’ve always had a love for reading and writing, so English was kind of easy for me,” Carruthers said. Some students’ nerves were soothed by the lack of consequence from the standardized test. “I wasn’t really nervous going in because it doesn’t really do anything for your grade,” Leo Sundar, ‘26, said. “We got our test scores back right away, and those did boost my confidence a little though.” Even though the tests only took half a day, they still had a significant effect on the students’ whole week. Some teachers used
class time after the test to do things like play Kahoot! or have a study hall to lessen students’ stress. For most of the students though, MAP testing was still the worst part of the week “The week’s been fine, nothing special. The
worst part has been MAP testing,” Lila Whedon, ‘26, said, “The rest of the classes were like study halls, we didn’t really do anything, just homework.”
Junior high students put what they’ve been learning to the MAP test, during the week of Oct. 13. Students were only allowed only the resources given by the testing website, a pencil, paper, and their knowledge to answer a series of English and Math questions. DOMINIC HAMON / CHATTERBOX
ARCADE
NOV. 3, 2021
PAGE 8
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