Volume CXVI, Issue #8
The student news publication of Walnut Hills High School
Fri. March 11, 2022
STATE CHAMPIONS
COURTESY OF WALNUT HILLS ATHLETICS
COURTESY OF TONY TRIBBLE / TONYTRIBBLEPHOTOGRAHY.COM
COURTESY OF BELA NOBEL’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL
COURTESY OF WALNUT HILLS ATHLETICS
COURTESY OF TONY TRIBBLE / TONYTRIBBLEPHOTOGRAHY.COM
COURTESY OF BELA NOBEL
SENIOR Erin Martin poses with her coach Michael Francis WHHS swim coach Tammy Smith embraces Wright after her Bela Noble embraces her parents after capturing her state championship after winning the state title in the 155 pound weight class victory in the 100 freestyle, where she set a new school record with in the division 1 girls one meter diving with a score of 491.8. “After seeing my final score I was ecstatic to see that I had beaten all the scores wrestling state championship. a time of 50.10 seconds. I had throughout the season,” said Noble.
Megan Dorr ‘22 One state championship after another, the SENIOR Lady Eagles have racked up the titles for winter sports. First, with SENIOR Erin Martin who won the state wrestling championship, followed by SENIOR Bella Noble with the diving title, and finally, SENIOR Phoebe Wright with the swimming state championship in the 100 yard freestyle. Erin Martin Martin won the 155 pound class
wrestling state championship on Feb. 19, where she opened with an 8-1 lead after two rounds and then won the third to capture the title. Martin finished fifth in the state last season, and was ready for a shot at redemption. This is the first year the Ohio High School Sports Association has sanctioned girls wrestling. WHHS has no other girl wrestlers, so Martin has to practice with the boys team. “Erin has been an amazing wrestler for four years, and getting to this moment was well deserved,” said her coach Michael Francis to
the Cincinnati Enquirer. “ Erin is the only girl on the wrestling team at Walnut, so much of her training is with/against the boys. Erin was ready for anything thrown at her, she practices daily with the boys, and even through injuries, she continue to prove that she’s at the top of her game.” Phoebe Wright Wright dominated the pool during sectionals and districts, and once she got to the state championship she kept up her streak. Wright won the 100 yard freestyle with a time
of 50.10 seconds and was second in the 200 yard freestyle with a time of 1:48.33. Both of these times are new school records. “I kind of wanted redemption after the 200 free. I just went for [the 100 freestyle],” Wright said. “I knew I could do it, but it was still a surreal feeling to actually see my name on the board in first place.” Bela Noble After Noble had already dominated the preliminary round of the diving state championship, she received a score of 491.8 in the finals
to crown her as the state champion. This high score also set a new school record. “After my last dive, I knew almost immediately that I had secured my first place finish,” Noble said. “I was overwhelmed with excitement and disbelief of what I had just accomplished.” While all of their high school athletic careers are now over, Noble and Wright will be continuing at the next level. Noble will dive for the University of Akron and Wright will swim for George Washington University.
OPINIONS
MARCH 11, 2022
PAGE 2
WHHSCBOX.COM
CINCINNATI, OHIO
SECTION EDITOR: ISABEL RODRIGUEZ
Mematic Warfare In the early days of social media, it mainly revolved around messaging friends, posting pictures, and marketing products. However, as time has marched forward, our society has seen a cultural shift surrounding social media. Now the lines between our real lives and our
lives online have begun to bleed together. This shift has caused us to use social media to discuss and post about everything going on in our lives and the world around us constantly. When you scroll through your social feed, in between seeing videos of cute dogs and pictures
of your friend’s birthday party, you may see photos and videos from news outlets of bombs raining down on Ukrainian civilians paired with captions about the conflict. Social media has become a source of news for many with 48% of U.S. adults saying that they
How memes inform Kaylee Robbins, ‘24 Teenagers and people of our generation have not only grown up with social media and a constant connection to the outside world, but we have created a need to know and understand everything that is happening around us at all times. Whether it’s COVID-19 related, political election based or even international conflicts, such as Russia and Ukraine, teenagers are bound to hear about newsworthy events through social media and more often than not, memes. Even though social media is not always correct and is often biased, a survey from Common Sense revealed that 54% of teens get their news at least a few times a week from social media sources such as instagram, twitter, or Facebook. TikTok has become a commonplace for teenagers alike to post and share videos or memes related to, and often joking about, serious issues. While this can be seen as insensitive and unhelpful, some have found that they create a safe space and a coping mechanism for many kids and teenagers. Jamie Withorne, a research assistant at the Middlebury Institute Center for Nonproliferation Studies, claims that memes can “provide a sense of comfort” for situations that are not
Maus Owen Cummings, ‘22
Isabel Rodriguez, ‘22
A cartoon allegory for World War II has been banned from schools in Tennessee for showing a nude mouse. Mice don’t wear clothes. Maus by Art Spiegelman is the biggest story in the book-banning craze of the last few months. Spiegelman’s account of his father’s journey through the Holocaust is one of the most critically acclaimed graphic novels of the last 40 years, winning the Pulitzer Prize in 1992. While the book was not
“often” or “sometimes” get news from online platforms according to a study done by Pew Research Center. It is important to ask the question: is engaging in conversations around current events on social media responsible?
How memes decieve
so familiar or known. Right now, tensions are mounting with the idea of an upcoming “World War III” in relation to Russia and Ukraine. When I, like many, started seeing memes on TikTok about people getting drafted, people convincing Vladmir Putin not to go on and other themes like that, I started to wonder what the joke was about. I went online to various trusted news sources and decided to learn more about this very serious topic that everyone my age was learning about. Because of these jokes, I not only feel informed about this topic, but I also feel relatively more safe than before, knowing exactly what is happening and being able to talk about it with my friends. Our generation has seen a rise in activists and people who are willing to make a difference in the world. Social media is often seen as a poison or something bad in our society but in actuality, it can be quite informative and helpful to a generation who has never known anything else. All views shared in the Opinions section of The Chatterbox belong to their respective authors, and may not represent the views of the publication as a whole.
The invasion of Ukraine brings social media memes under fire
Kat Swift, ‘23
@NBATRUJI69 / TIKTOK Many memes, such as this one, have gone viral on TikTok, predicting a WWIII draft pick. With over 54 thousand likes, this video sheds light on the issues over in Ukraine and Russia.
With the new age of technology upon us, various social platforms are now being used to comment on the current political and social climate of our world. While this may promote awareness of certain issues and occasionally provide a light-hearted twist on dark topics, overall the pitfalls of discussing these issues on social media seem to be much more numerous than the benefits. On various platforms a typical way to discuss issues in the world is through memes. In addition to the typical meme topics such as school, work, and pets sometimes these venture into darker subject matter such as war, sexual assualt, racism, sexism, and the COVID-19 pandemic. While many may see these as nothing more than jokes that have no real impact, history has shown that humor is a powerful tool that can be weaponized. “Memetic Warfare,” a term used to describe a new type of information warfare that uses memes as its vessel, has quickly become a topic of interest for governments. While this may be a relatively new topic it is not quite as recent as one might think. In fact, in March 2016 Jeff Giasa pushed for research into the area in an academic journal he wrote for the Defense Strategic Communications, the journal of NATO Strategic Communications Center of
Excellence, “Daesh is conducting memetic warfare. The Kremlin is doing it. It’s inexpensive. The capabilities exist. Why aren’t we trying it?” The potential for memes to attack is a frightening concept and should be taken into account when considering whether discussing news on social media is a positive development. Misinformation is easily spread offline, but online, when all you need to do to share it is click repost, it is even easier. With the ever-growing number of people learning about current events on social media, and six out of ten teenagers telling Common Sense Media they consider themselves more likely to get their news from influencers or celebrities on social media rather than legitimate new outlets on the same platform, it seems that it is easier than ever to spread misinformation and half-truths. New memes are popping up all the time and with the influx of news about the Russia-Ukraine conflict, memes about the situation were bound to happen. While these could inspire people to research the topic some may take the information on social media at face value causing a potentially perilous sway of opinion. Ultimately memes about current events are more dangerous than enlightening and should be carefully evaluated by those that consume them. All views shared in the Opinions section of The Chatterbox belong to their respective authors, and may not represent the views of the publication as a whole.
is another chapter in book banning saga specifically designed to teach the Holocaust to children (Spiegelman just has a background in cartoons), its accessible style did make it easy for those of a younger age to at least get a background on the topic, and has been a staple of many summer reading lists (including WHHS) for middle-schoolers across the country. Even if the proposed reasons for banning Maus were nudity and some vulgar language, many believe that this book is being banned for more specific reasons. Books heavily based in the atrocities of WWII have been common at schools, such as The Diary of Anne Frank and The Book Thief, but because of its genre, one that is more commonly marketed to children, the Tennessee school
board in question felt Maus to be too much for a potentially younger audience. The banning of this book is not necessarily any different than the banning of past books, but it did raise a few eyebrows, even those of the author himself. While Spiegelman does not believe that the banning of Maus was rooted in anti-Semitism, he did believe it had negative implications. “They want to teach the Holocaust, they just want a friendlier Holocaust to teach,” Spiegelman told New York Magazine. What drives home the backlash against this particular ban is that, within a week following Maus’s ban, it became the #1 most popular
book on Amazon’s best sellers list after not even being in the top 1000 before. Comic book stores, such as Nirvana Comics in Knoxville, began donating copies to any student who requested one, as well as setting up online fund raisers to raise money for students to buy their own copies. This point in particular indicates yet another fallacy in the logic behind book banning. The fact that a book ending up on the banned or challenged book list will make it skyrocket up the charts and have more people invested in it than ever means that maybe the book in question was never really the issue, and the select few who decide it’s worthy of being removed in no way represent the community as a whole.
Ultimately, Maus is just another chapter in a long running story about the ethics of book banning, but it further proves the importance of being aware of the current situation. To those in charge of regulating books, it means being made aware of the significance of removing a book from a school’s shelves and the reasons for doing so. As William Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet, “There is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” All views shared in the Opinions section of The Chatterbox belong to their respective authors, and may not represent the views of the publication as a whole.
CORRECTION: In Issue 7, we mistakenly left out one of the co-presidents of BCC. SENIOR Ximen Morgan is also a co-president. The BCC talent showcase and culture fest will be held on March 23, not March 24.
The Chatterbox Policy Statement The Chatterbox has been guaranteed the right of freedom of the press through the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. The administration of Walnut Hills High School is thus bound to support and protect the Chatterbox’s inalienable rights as a free press. As an integral part of the Walnut Hills High School community, the Chatterbox has the responsibility to report in the most comprehensive and objective manner possible. Students, parents, faculty, and administrators
are encouraged to use this publication as a forum to express any ideas or concerns, whether they be personal or of local, national, or international scope. Journalists are required to work under established guidelines. Invasion of privacy as a means of news gathering is prohibited. Articles found to be discriminatory, libelous, or unnecessarily obscene (as determined by the editors or the advisor) will not be published. Finally, journalists are granted the right to keep private the name of a source
from whom they received information with the understanding that the source was to remain anonymous. The role of the newspaper advisor will be to provide counsel and criticism pertaining to the newspaper’s content and production. Although both the advisor and the administration hold certain powers regarding the Chatterbox, both must respect the paper’s autonomy. No student shall be prevented from joining the staff on the basis of sex, race, creed or national origin.
The Chatterbox Editorial Staff
SARAH DAVIDOFF, ‘13
Bobby Keegan,
Isabella Zinchini,
Editor-in-Chief
Deputy Editor-in-Chief
Kaylee Robbins, Managing Editor of Current Events
Hajra Munir,
Managing Editor of Student Life
Owen Cummings,
Managing Editor of Viewpoints
Sydnie Barrett,
Managing Editor of Visual Elements
Ryan Helton,
Operations Manager
Alonzo Montgomery, Public Relations Manager
Samantha Gerwe-Perkins, Adviser
Brian Sweeney, English Department Chair
FINE ARTS
WHHSCBOX.COM CINCINNATI, OHIO
MARCH 11, 2022
PAGE 3
SECTION EDITOR: NAZRET DEGAULLE
Choir at WHHS High notes and high achievements What is Senior Choir classes prepare for upcoming competitions Ensemble? Nazret Degaulle, ‘23
ISABELLA ZINCHINI / CHATTERBOX
Choir teacher, Anthony Nims, rehearses with Senior Ensemble during their class. The Senior Ensemble is the highest choir organization at WHHS, performing at a college level, and it is what most members of the choral studies program look forward to.
Nazret Degaulle, ‘23 On March 4-5, WHHS choirs headed to the OMEA Large Group Choir Contest at Winton Woods High School. This was the first inperson competition the WHHS choir program has had since before remote learning. The Junior Choir, Men’s Ensemble, Women’s Ensemble and Senior Ensemble all attended the contest. School choirs from all around Ohio will be present to compete against each other. Of the many schools that will be in attendance, Taylor High School will be there. “One of our big competitors is Taylor High School; that’s actually where Mr. Albright used to teach,” SENIOR Melanie Mitchell said. To prepare, the choirs had a “precontest competition” earlier in the week to be ready for the upcoming competition. “It went really well. [We’re] all really excited,” Mitchell said. The choirs have been busy preparing for the contest for weeks now. Even
after they learned the music, they continued to work through it, and make revisions. “After we learn all the notes and the rhythms, we critique it and try to make it sound more colorful and more musical,” Charli Maxwell, ‘24, said. Despite the pressure that competitions bring, the students feel prepared and are confident that they will come out on top. “In previous years we normally get ones and I think we’ll get a one [this year],” Maxwell said. The decision to give a choir a one is not taken lightly since a one is the highest score a choir can receive. The judges look through a lot of criteria when considering which score to give each choir. “They judge you on your diction and how well you know the rhythm in the songs,” Maxwell said. There are many levels at these choir competitions. The choirs decide ahead of time which level, or class, they will be competing in. For example, WHHS choirs compete in the AA Class, and they are some of the only choirs to do so. The AA class is the highest class
that the choirs can compete in. “So really, you’re competing against yourself,” Mitchell said. A big part of the reason that the WHHS choirs receive high scores is because of the accomplished teaching staff. Choir teachers Anthony Nims, who teaches the four high school choirs, and Bret Albright, who teaches the four junior high choirs, both work hard to ensure that students participating in choral studies will leave WHHS the best vocalists they can be. While teaching at WHHS, Albright saw the high school choir program grow tremendously. It has gone from 1 choir with 32 members to three choirs with well over 175 members. The middle school program has also grown significantly from three choirs to six choirs. As the program continues to grow students are sure that they will continue to earn superior ratings. “The choir department, and the music department in general, is one of the most wholesome places ever. I’m so glad I’ve been a part of it for the past six years,” Mitchell said.
From visual arts, to dancing, to acting, there is a place for all students to channel their creativity at WHHS. Within vocal studies alone, there are countless choirs ISABELLA ZINCHINI / CHATTERBOX and ensembles that work to bring music SENIOR Kayla McGraw. to our campus. At the pinnacle, is our very own Senior Ensemble. The Senior Ensemble is the highest choir group at WHHS, and they perform a variety of musical styles from different time periods, languages and cultures at a college level. The Senior Ensemble is made up of both juniors and seniors who are dedicated to singing. The pace that these students have to learn music is significantly faster than any other vocal ensemble at WHHS. “All the skills that we’ve been developing since seventh through 12th grade are basically to prepare you for the Senior Ensemble where you’ll be able to get a piece of music and just be able to sing it,” Gemma Huber, ‘23, said. Huber is a first-year member of the Senior Ensemble. Because of this, members of the Senior Ensemble are very strong at reading music. They use a system called solfeggio for singing notes. “By senior ensemble you’re able to look at a piece of music and be able to sing it right away,” Huber said. Currently, the Senior Ensemble is preparing for their upcoming competition on March 4. They will compete in the WHHS auditorium at the regional choir competition. At these competitions, the judges give ensembles a score from one to five, with one being the highest score. The Senior Ensemble nearly always earns a one at competitions so they feel confident they will walk away feeling accomplished. Simultaneously, the ensemble is working through the Bach Magnificat, which is the 30 minute work they will be performing in March. “We have a lot more work to do but I think it’s going to be really cool seeing that come together,” Huber said. Since they have had to learn a lot of music in a short amount of time, this long piece is like the “crowning accomplishment” of the ensemble. Though the choral studies courses are considered classes, the students apart of them find friendship, family and community throughout the years. “It’s like a big family, especially around choir concert time,” SENIOR Taylor Blair said. Senior Ensemble allows for students to form great connections and understandings with their fellow classmates while helping them become the best version of themselves vocally. “Singing is a form of expressing myself; it’s just freeing to be able to sing and just do what I love everyday,” SENIOR Simone Simmons said.
Singing through the years
2016
WALNUT HILLSCHIOR.COM
Senior ensemble plays Beetoven’s 9th Symphony with the WHHS Chamber Orchestra and professional soloists.
2019
GEO DUCH /YOUTUBE
Senior Ensemble plays at the WHHS graduation ceremony for the class of 2019 on May 22.
2022
ISABELLA ZINCHINI / CHATTERBOX
Members of the Senior Ensemble rehearse for their upcoming recital and competition during class.
FEATURES
MARCH 11, 2022
PAGE 4
WHHSCBOX.COM
CINCINNATI, OHIO
SECTION EDITOR: KIMAYA MUNDHE
HOSA Medical Club on to States Kimaya Mundhe, ‘25
From Biomedical Debate, to CPR, and even a Cultural Diversities & Disparities in Healthcare event, HOSA Medical Club creates opportunities for students interested in a career in health services. The fairly new club was started in WHHS two years ago and is currently led by SENIORS Sophia Liu and Mary Sullivan. HOSA is a student organization, that’s mission is to allow students “to become leaders in the global health community through education, collaboration, and experience.” There are currently over 245,000 members in the 54 HOSA Associations worldwide. Co-president of WHHS’ HOSA chapter, Liu applied to college as a pre-med and joined the club as a sophomore to understand more about what is involved in the medical field. “I have some personal experience with Alzheimer’s so I was very interested in doing Alzheimer’s research, which is kind of the path I’m looking at,” Liu said. Co-president Sullivan is interested in going into research-based, behavioral biology. Liu and Sullivan graciously stepped up into their roles as club presidents this year. With HOSA being a newer club at WHHS, they had to take on jobs that they wouldn’t normally have to do, including registering members for competitions. “We don’t yet have the funding for things like the textbooks and the resources that you would use to study, so [it’s difficult] when we’re competing against schools that already have had this program for a while,”
BROOKLYN SHAFER / REMEMBRANCER
HOSA Medical Club is filled with many students with many different backgrounds, all working towards the same goal of helping and developing the healthcare environment. Sullivan said. “There’s a bunch of random kinds of different problems that are thrown our way that we have to solve.” Currently, the club has about 30 active members. Many competed at the regional competition on Feb. 1. and placed highly in their events, advancing to states in March. There are dozens of events for students to compete in ranging from veterinary science to pharmacy science, pathophysiology and medical law and ethics. Louis Ke, ‘23, placed third in the Researched Persuasive Writing and Speaking event. This year’s topic was
“Vaping: Safe or Sorry.” Ke prepared and presented an essay to an audience defending his position on the issue. “I encourage even people who aren’t into health and medicine to take a look at [HOSA] since there’s a lot of stuff that isn’t specifically health and medicine related,” Ke said. “Especially since Walnut doesn’t have a speech and debate team, it’s a good alternative. The event that I chose… fits with more of what I want to do in the future [which is related] to business and speaking.” Most of the preparation for competitions takes place independently, but sometimes
speakers and medical professionals volunteer to share their knowledge and experience at meetings. Joining HOSA can allow students to make connections within the medical field. Part of the club attended the online competition which consisted of testbased events. Some events had an interactive portion which include lab and procedural evaluations. Members who competed in those events, such as CERT Skills and CPR/First Aid, attended the competition in person at Scarlet Oaks Career Campus. Looking forward, in preparation for states, qualifiers are working on revising their essays or reviewing test
material. Members have primarily relied on Quizlet and PDF versions of textbooks to study because there isn’t much school funding given to HOSA yet. SENIOR Reben Drummer, competed in the Cultural Diversities and Disparities event. Drummer plans on pursuing a career in psychology, but wants to explore all the possibilities within the medical field. “This year I’ve been really interested in learning about different cultures and aspects of how they are in America and how they’re disenfranchised, or how they’re privileged,” Drummer said. Uyen Dao, ‘23, won the Medical Law and Ethics event at regionals. “It was stressful but the reward of making it past regionals and making it into states, legitimately through hard work, is pretty nice,” Dao said. She plans on joining the club again during her SENIOR year. HOSA hopes to expand as a club through increased fundraising and bringing in more speakers to talk about their professions and answer any questions club members may have. Students interested in joining can do so in the 2022-2023 school year and can contact the club presidents, Liu and Sullivan, or the advisor, Dr. Rajni Harsh for more information. “I’ve been in this club since I started at Walnut and it was a way for me to meet other people without having to go out of my way in my classrooms,” Drummer said. “It definitely made my high school experience better… and I just wish a lot of people knew more about it and that it truly is a fun club.”
Rising to the highest SENIOR Julia Berman wins UC scholarship Sarah Wilson, ‘25 SENIOR Julia Berman is working hard to make a change in her community and was recently recognized with the Marian Spencer Scholarship. Named after local civil rights activist Marian Spencer, the scholarship includes full tuition to the University of Cincinnati, along with room and board, a service trip to Tanzania and other specialized learning opportunities. Spencer, a UC Class of ‘42 graduate, fought for the desegregation of CPS schools and equity in education. Nearly 80 years later, Berman is following Spencer’s path to continue making similar contributions. Berman currently serves as the secretary for STUCO 2022, participates in HOSA Medical Club, is the student representative for the Local School Decision Making Committee (LSDMC) and plays varsity volleyball. “With the LSDMC, I was involved with creating an anti-racism committee, which is a partnership
between the administration, the alumni and students… and I was involved in recruiting students,” Berman said. Outside of the WHHS community, Berman has furthered her involvement through an internship with the nonprofit “Leadership Initiatives,” and is working to create a community workshop addressing public health in Nigeria. The project aims to connect high-achieving students with medical professionals globally, similar to the goals of the Marian Spencer Scholarship. “A big part [of my internship] is about how to create public health projects… and especially public health ethics, which is really important when you’re doing work like this in low-income countries,” Berman said. Berman noted that participating in these roles and engaging in this service-learning has also helped guide her hopes for her career in the future. “I really want to focus on [public health and medicine] for a career
PHOTO COURTESY OF JULIA BERMAN
In the program’s first year, Berman was one of the 10 CPS students selected and surprised with the scholarship.
path because I feel like it’s really meaningful,” Berman said. “If I choose to go to UC, the Marian Spencer program will help me to pursue that.” While Berman has yet to commit to a college, she is excited by the opportunities that await her at UC. “I’m really looking forward to networking and being connected with [prominent] figures in
the university through the scholarship,” Berman said. Berman offered this advice to other students looking to make a similar impact on their communities, highlighting the importance of dedication. “It’s really your extracurriculars that make you stand out. It’s important to really be involved, and to find your passion,” Berman
said.
Berman also reflected on the spirit of Spencer following winning the scholarship. “[Marian Spencer] pursued her goals, no matter what anyone else told her, and I think that’s really inspiring. I like to think that I try to be like that in my daily life as well,” Berman said.
WHHSCBOX.COM CINCINNATI, OHIO
NEWS
SECTION EDITOR: KAT SWIFT
MARCH 11, 2022
PAGE 5
Construction updates
HAJRA MUNIR /CHATTERBOX
Fences have been removed around the tennis courts to make way for the heavy machinery needed for the installation of the “bubble.” This new indoor space will provide the school with options for testing and lunch. Crews are working to prepare the area for installing of the enclosure that will create indoor tennis courts on campus.
What’s happening?
Where is it?
A “Bubble” that will surround the tennis courts, making an indoor facility. This facility will have heating and cooling, water fountains, restrooms, and electricity.
The “bubble” is being built where the current tennis courts are, just next to Marx Stadium.
Why is it being built?
What’s next?
WHHS has a known crowding issue, especially during lunch. This “bubble” will be used as an alternative indoor seating option for students during their lunch. Testing can also be held in the new facility.
Further renovations will begin over the summer as WHHS plans to renovate the cafeteria for more seating as well as the start of a new building with up to 30 new classrooms.
Jewish teens (16-18 years of age) can get up to $8,000 for high school Israel travel.
When will it be done? The project should be completed by the beginning of next school year.
HAJRA MUNIR /CHATTERBOX
STYLE & CULTURE
MARCH 11, 2022
PAGE 6
WHHSCBOX.COM
CINCINNATI, OHIO
SECTION EDITOR: KATE STIENS
Are we really strangers? A look into what makes people happy
KATE STIENS/CHATTERBOX
Talking to strangers is one of the most impactful ways to gain insight into life. From the amazing stories to the great wisdom, people are the best source of knowledge. Kate Stiens, ‘23 There are nearly 7.8 billion people in the world. According to the New York Times, the average person only knows about 600 of them. Think about that. There is only a tiny percentage of people you know in this whole wide world. The rest are strangers. But they don’t have to be. Everyone has a story, and everyone has life experiences. The person standing next to you on a bus may have just dealt with a tragic loss. The woman you walk by in a park may have just started a multimillion dollar company. The man you see in line at a coffee shop may have just adopted a dog hoping it will solve
all his life problems. It is so valuable to gain insight into other people’s lives, and the simplest way to do that is just to talk to them. The thing is, sometimes that is scary. You might think, “oh, they are preoccupied with their phone, why would they want to talk to a stranger?” You might not know what to say. In reality, the more people you meet, the more things you will know about life. As a teenager (like every other student at WHHS), I don’t know a lot about life yet. I think one of the most important ways to learn about it, however, is through strangers. Odd, I know. But if you only talk to the same people you are surrounded by everyday, you get caught up in your own world.
Surrounded by the same thoughts and topics. Doing the same thing everyday with one goal in mind for your future. At least that’s how it was for me. I always thought of myself as someone who would go to college, study medicine, become a doctor and pursue that as a career. Then, one day, I passed out when getting blood drawn. Yeah, maybe medicine isn’t the career for me. I panicked. I had, for some reason, planned my life around something all of my friends seemed to want to do, and now I didn’t know what I was passionate about. It wasn’t until I started to meet new people with different passions that this changed. I worked at the zoo and talked to so many employees
and guests. I met people who were passionate about the environment, and some who weren’t. I met people who loved their job as a stay at home mom, and some who were workaholics. I finally was given this advice: Do whatever makes you happy. Don’t worry about all the other stuff, it
will all workout if you are happy with what you are doing. Cliche, I know. But what makes someone happy? As I’ve learned from strangers, It doesn’t necessarily need to be a career, but can be the smallest things in life.
Scan the QR code to watch the full video. Find out what seven strangers had to say about finding true happiness.
What we’ve been listening to Ben Schneider, ‘24
We are approaching a time where quarantine will soon become nostalgic. It’s kind of inevitable; everything eventually does, it’s just a matter of time. “Right” was at the top of all my playlists during quarantine. It was eerily reminiscent of what everyone was going through, but it was made well beforehand.This wasn’t a cash grab by an artist trying to collectively console a nation, it was Mac Miller at his best, accompanied by Stephen Lee Bruner's, aka Thundercat’s, incredible work on bass. Put this man on every song.
I’ve heard “Smokin Out The Window” a million times, but it’s one of those songs where even on the millionth and first listen, I’ll still be into it. It feels like an oldie, but this song will never get old. Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak's combination of passionate soul and upbeat pop make for the highlight of their first album together and one of their funniest songs to date.
Heartbreak. It’s so commonly written about in music. What possibly could anyone say more about the subject? The thing about The Weeknd's “Don't Break My Heart'' is that it is one of the only recent Heartbreak songs, which is: sad but not totally pathetic. He’s not begging for reconciliation here, he even may have learned something from the relationship, and became a better person at the end of the day. I know, gross.
There is a selfish relatability to this song that I think Drake has lost more recently. For a guy who’s been at the top of the music game for so long, he is surprisingly introspective looking back at his old stuff. Drake is not mad here, it’s not an angry rant, you can tell he’s been thinking this over for a while and still, he doesn’t have the words to describe what he’s feeling. It's that slow beat lingering in the background that tells the real story.
While most people’s morale was at an all time low as a result of the pandemic, Bo Burnham actually found a way to be more creative. He was still feeling what everyone else was feeling, albeit in a very dramatic fashion, but he was able to channel those feelings into one of his most impressive works to date. “Look Who’s Inside Again” is quick but memorable. It is a prime example of someone having their livelihood taken away like so many other people with the pandemic. Here, Bo, at the same time, is trying to cope with the realities of his own upbringing.
When I saw Jack Harlow wearing New Balances like they wereJordans, I realized his biggest strength has been his ability to not take himself too seriously. He’s corny, but he knows it. Does that redeem him? Not at all, but “Nail Tech” is another Harlow victory lap, and even in his victory laps he’s going full speed.
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PEANUTS
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MARCH 11, 2022
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SECTION EDITOR: FAITH WALLACE
The undefeated Academeic Quiz Team Jason Nicholas, ‘26 The JH WHHS Academic Quiz Team is a force to be reckoned with. They didn’t lose a single match this entire season and they won the Eastern Cincinnati Conference championship. The team was ranked #9 in the state of Ohio according to the National Academic Quiz Tournaments. Nikolai Fedorov ‘26, a member of the team when asked what it takes to win the National Championship, he said “If we work hard, and if we study hard, then we’re a dangerous team. You do not want to mess with the Walnut Hills eagles.” There are four rounds played in each match. The first two rounds are the same, each team is asked a question and if they answer incorrectly then the other team has a chance to answer the question. The third round is the alphabet round: each answer starts with a certain letter given by the moderator. Lastly, the lighting round is when anyone from either team can answer the question that is asked.
According to the members, joining the team has its benefits. “I joined it because it was fun,” Ben Jump ‘27 said. “It’s nice being with a group of people that all like the same thing.” Players have joined the team because it boosted their morale and improved their academic performance in school. To prepare for the next upcoming matches, the team will review 6:30-8 and Fridays from 5:30-7, with around two meets a week, usually on Saturdays and Sundays. “You’ve got to be able to learn a variety of topics,” Ben Jump ‘27, said. “That was probably the hardest part.” The JH team is going to take on nationals in May. Last year, the group qualified for nationals but was put on a wait list. This is the first time in WHHS history that the team will compete in nationals. “A quote that describes our team’s desire to win is ‘I came, I saw, I conquered,’” Jackson Riddle ‘26, said.
The junior high Academic Team has an eight match winning streak, and are ready to head to Nationals for the first time. “We feel like we can really make some noise at nationals,” Jackson Riddle ‘26 said.
HANNAH CAMPBELL/REMEMBRANCER
a leader Meets and Memories Become Three opportunities to gain The junior high swim team ends the season with success and friendship
experience in your interests Faith Wallace , ‘24 and Owen Cummings, ‘22
Cincinnati Recreation Comission - Youth to Work Are you an E-flat looking for leadership opportunities? Consider becoming a leader at Cincinnati R e c r e a t i o n Commission’s Youth to Work (Y2WK) program. Help work with and run many of CRC’s programs across the city, such as life guarding, business internships and media production. The job pays $11 an hour across all of the various branches. Apply by March 15. < https://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/ recreation/programs/y2wk-youth-to-work/>
Cincinnati Fire Department - Summer Cadet
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Dominic Hamon, ‘25 As the weather gets warmer, winter must come to an end and with it all of the many winter sports. This swim season, many of our WHHS swimmers made it very far in the state and district competitions, and our JH swimmers had a great season too. The team did a fantastic job at all of their meets, only losing one out of all the ones they competed in. The swimmers had a great time during practices that improved their technique and skill while still being enjoyable for the swimmers. “It was a lot of fun, definitely more team centered than my previous swimming experiences and the practices weren’t all that long either,” Zel Auger, ‘26 said. Practice took place
Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30-8 and Fridays from 5:30-7, with around two meets a week, usually on Saturdays and Sundays. The swim meets last, on average, two hours and are very animated for all the swimmers to see as everyone cheers them on for their races and the unmatchable energy builds in the room. “My favorite part about swimming is the meets because you get to see everyone and cheer, I also like just being in the water,” Emmet Royalty, ‘26 said. Members of the JH swim team have time during practices and meets to socialize and make friends with one another, making the team a very close knit community. Everyone cheers each other on and encourages each other through
events which makes the swimmers dedicated to swim, not only for themselves, but for the team. “My favorite part about swimming was probably the team experience because on my other team it’s more like you swim for your best time and you go home,” Auger said. “With WHHS, you swim but you’re really going for points. [You are] trying to get the whole team to win and not just you.” Unlike the high school swimmers, the JH members don’t have any district or state competitions to go onto, so their season is over but not without great results and memories to show for all their hard work. “I made a lot of new friends this year and thank you to the coaches, the coaches were great,” Maeve Mohler, ‘26 said.
COURTESY OF PXHERE.COM
Is your career goal becoming a firefighter? If so, then the Summer Cadet program at Hamilton County is right for you. Learn fire fighting techniques and patrol the neighborhood, earning up to 22,900 dollars over the course of the program. While this position is open only for E-flats, Effies can bear it in mind for next year.< https://www.cps-k12.org/ news/whats-new/apply-now-be-partcincinnatis-fire-cadet-program>
Microsoft - Digigirlz
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Microsoft Digigirlz is an online program that allows Effies and E-flat girls to learn more about coding. Explore a career in technology and get hands-on experience with Microsoft employees through an upcoming free virtual event on April 15. <https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ diversity/programs/digigirlz/default.aspx>
MARCH 11, 2022
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How was The SpongeBob Musical?
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SECTION EDITOR: JAKAYLA ROGERS
WHHSCBOX.COM
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Spring Crossword
Myron Barker, ‘23
Aidyn Montgomery, ‘27 Q: What was your favorite part of the play? A:“I liked all the songs in it and the choreography” Q: Is there anything else you would like to add ? A:“It’s very entertaining and I really liked how it had all the people like run around at the beginning, I thought that made it even better”
Answers to all games can be found on whhscbox.com
Murray Cummings ‘27 Q: What was your favorite part of the play? A:“Probably either the different songs or the improvisation my brother did, cause that was really funny” Q: Is there anything else you would like to add ? A:“It definitely seemed like just a live-action version of SpongeBob because like the actors like definitely nailed the character”
Color in the image
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