December 2013 - Pursuit Online
Transcription
December 2013 - Pursuit Online
Centerville High School Pursuit NewsMagazine Teens deal with bullying Centerville High School 500 East Franklin St. Centerville, OH 45459 Vol. 41 Issue 2 $2 Centerville High School 500 East Franklin St. Centerville, OH 45459 Vol. 41 Issue 2 News Centerville High School Pursuit December 2013 Studies question ‘rite of passage’ Celia Lavoie Staff Writer According to a study in July at the University of Michigan, the percentage of teens with a driver’s license has decreased in the past 30 years. Sixty percent of teens between the ages of 17 and 19 have a driver’s license. In 1983, 80 percent had one. Getting a driver’s license is a rite of passage for some students. Sophomore Madi Jones says she was one of the first in her grade to get her license. “It was pretty important to me,” said Jones. Other students prefer to wait. “Driving school is expensive,” graduate Cassie Turner-Crisp said. The high expense kept Turner-Crisp from getting her license until her eighteenth birthday. PDS driving school charges $460. Driving is a rite of passage for teens. According to the CDC, this rite of passage kills seven teens, between the ages of 16 and 19, every day. Photo by Celia Lavoie B-Safe driving school charges $379 and promises to match any competitor’s price, according to the company’s website. These steep prices may be part of the reason for the decrease in drivers. School security guard Barry Pack says maturity is a big part of whether or not a teen is ready to start driving. Numerous statistics support teens waiting to drive. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every day seven teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19 die from injuries due to motor vehicle incidents. Geico Insurance Co. says one way accidents can be prevented is to drive with the right attitude. Gieco says driving responsibly can save lives and prevent driving accidents among teens. Hashtag cures boredom, starts trouble Nick Pierron Staff Writer Twitter is known for its extreme use of hashtags, reflecting on what’s currently trending. However, these tweets don’t always highlight current trends. They can sometimes cause painful repercussions for the subjects. One hashtag in particular was #LetsMakeitAwkward. This particular term was made to pair two people who have broken up from a relationship or who are no longer friends. Junior Kevin McGrail claims he brought the hashtag to Centerville. “I did it because I was bored,” McGrail said. Along with him, senior Evan Henry tagged several people who were once couples but are no longer together. Students bring up the past on Twitter with the hashtag “#Letsmakeitawkaward.” Some say the trend was started out of boredom. Photo by Nick Pierron To some, like commonly tagged senior Ray Greene, the hashtag was just for fun. “Most of the information about me was true,” Greene said. Greene claims to have been in several relationships that eventually 2 ended, making him a common target for the hashtag. He seems to simply just brush it off. However, the hashtag can be harmful, reportedly bringing back painful, awkward memories of the past. Some schools have even taken action to find people who do this type of tweeting and pursue punishment for cyber bullying. Students at Morriston High School in New Jersey found themselves suspended when the hashtag caused problems. This once popular twitter hashtag serves as a reminder that even though you may have warm intentions, those may reflect in a negative way to those on the punch line of the joke. News Centerville High School Pursuit December 2013 Do you remember what happened in 2013? Arthur Heineman’s Milestone Mo-Tel first opened in 1925. The closed in 1991. Photo from Creative Commons. This day in history 1859-In December, the first train operates over the Victoria Railway Bridge in Montreal, Canada. 1913- The Mona Lisa is recovered after being stolen from the Louvre Museum in 1911. 1906- Oscar Straus becomes the first Jewish cabinet member appointed Secretary of Commerce. 1925- Arthur Heineman opens the first motel. He combines the words motorist and hotel to create the word “motel.” Heineman’s motel was originally known as the Milestone Mo-Tel. 1937-The first mobile TV is created in New York. 1959- United Nations establishes a committee for peaceful use of outer space. 1963- Frank Sinatra Jr. is recovered after being kidnapped. 1972- Eugene Cernan, commander of Apollo 17, walks on the moon. 1975-Sara Jane Moore pleads guilty for attempting to assassinate President Gerald Ford. 1979-Gold hits a record high of $462.50 an ounce. 1988 -Sandra Miller sues Mike Tyson for sexual harassment. President Barack Obama stands next to his wife, Michelle, at his second inauguration. The inauguration was held Jan 20. Photo from Creative Commons. The year is coming to an end and there is much to remember from the last 12 months. Here’s a short recap of some of what happened in 2013. • Jan. 20, President Barack Obama has his second and final inauguration. •February, Supreme Leader,Kim Jong-Un of North Korea sends threats of a potential attack. Several months later, nothing has happened. •Feb 15, Chelyabinsk, Russia is hit with a meteor causing damage to over thousands of buidlings and injuring 1,491 people. The meteor was one of the most powerful to hit Earth since 1908. • March 16, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina is chosen as the 266th pope after Pope Benedict XVI resigns. Bergoglio is now known as Pope Francis. • The April 15 Boston Marathon is bombed, killing three people and injuring 264 others. One suspect, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, is dead and his brother, Dzhokhar, remains in custody. • June, former CIA agent Edward Snowden discloses information about the U.S. surveillance organization, the National Security Agency. Snowden sought asylum in Russia. He 3 is now facing criminal charges. • July 3, Egypt’s army chief general Abdul Fatah al-Sisi removes President Mohamed Morsi from office and suspends the Egyptian constitution. This overthrow led several camp raids in August, killing 638 people and injuring thousands. •July 22, Kate Middleton gives birth to Prince George of Cambridge. He is third in line as English Monarch following Queen Elizabeth II. • Aug 21, the Syrian government attacks neighborhoods in Damascus, killing more than 1000 people with a chemical agent. President Obama expresses interest in going to war with Syria for these crimes. • Nov 8, Typhoon Haiyan, the strongest tropical cyclone to make landfall with 145 mph winds, hit the Philippines killing thousands of people and leaving at least 11 million homeless. •Nov 24, President Obama agrees to for the Islamic Republic of Iran to be granted sanctions relief by the United Nations in exchange for them to limit their nuclear development program. Ads Pursuit december 2013 Centerville High School Go Elks! 8906 Kingsridge Drive (behind the Dayton Mall) 937-434-3952 Mon-Thur 10:30-9:30 Friday 10:30-10:00 Saturday 11:00-10:00 Sunday Noon-8:00 Bring this ad to the Hole in the Wall (located Back of Central during the months of December and January) To receive 10% off of your next spirit wear purchase Pursuit: On Paper and Online Soyo Yogurt 971 South Main Street Centerville, OH 45458 [email protected] 937-496-5574 Check us out on our website! http://pursuit .centerville.k12.oh.us FREE Buy 1, Get 1 Free (Up to 6oz) FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @CHSMassComm FREE Buy 1, Get 1 Free Got Yearbook? 2014 Elkonian $95 • Over 280 pages of full color • Portraits, group pictures, team shots • Sports, academics, clubs and much more • Delivers in late May Also includes: • Spring 2013: sports highlights, Prom, Musical, Graduation and more! Reserve Your Copy by Pre-Ordering Order Forms available in C222 4 Life Centerville High School Pursuit December 2013 What are your winter break vacation plans? Tori Pachiano STAFF WRITER For the holiday season, students and teachers are preparing their vacation plans. Whether you’re scheduling a tropical retreat to escape the cold or to somewhere snow will be certain, getting together with all of your family or staying in Centerville; most say they are ready for a twoweek break. There are lots of fun activities to look forward to during winter break. “For winter break, I am going to stay in Centerville. I have holiday tournaments for basketball and my family is coming in town to visit,” senior Nadiyah Cross said. “I am visiting Pennsylvania to see my grandparents and my dad’s side of the family,” junior Dan Pressel said. “I will be spending Christmas at home with my wife and kids and then visiting our extended family in Toledo for New Year’s,” English teacher Luke Arnold said. “I am going to be spending my winter break in the awesome town of Centerville. I can’t wait to sleep in every day and celebrate the holidays with my family,” junior Alice Ghraham said. “For winter break, I am visiting a place called Ogle Bay in West Virginia. We’re going to stay in a cabin with my grandparents, aunts and cousins,” junior Madison Rettig said. “I am flying down to Cancun, Mexico with my family,” junior Hannah Vaughn said. “For winter break, I am excited to hang out with my friends and family and then we are driving to Chicago,” junior Blake Zeller said. “I am going to hang out with all of my friends and visit my uncle in Middletown. Mostly, I am just planning to have a lot of fun,” freshman Ethan Hall said. 5 Feature Pursuit December 2013 Feature Passion brings painful experiences Adam Fuentes Staff Writer Relationships can involve physical, emotional or mental abuse. Many continue to fight through the ups and downs they experience and will do whatever it takes to be with that person. photo by Creative Commons Looking at both sides of peer pressure Tori Pachiano STAFF WRITER Everyone has experienced peer pressure before, either positive or negative. Peer pressure is when your classmates or someone else your age tries to convince you to do something. In a high school environment, people worry about what sticky situations they might find themselves in. Being pressured can lead you to make harmful decisions. “Being in high school is hard because there are so many poor influences every where,” sophomore Sohi Burch said. Have you ever realized there is also positive peer pressure throughout the school? “When people compliment you or when a teacher encourages you, it can make you do something that coexists with those feelings,” senior Kristen Kottman said. Students are exposed to different in- fluences and it’s their responsibility to differentiate between those that are positive and negative. “You just have to know that you’re making the right choice, even if it may not seem like it at the moment,” Burch said. Kottman says if someone is putting you down every day or you’re really stressed out, it can lead you to make choices that coincide with those negetive feelings. Some students push themselves to achieve both academic and ethical excellence through their athletic programs. “With cross country, you have to run so you can’t be doing harmful things. It’s also about being on the team and behaving correctly,” junior varsity cross country member Ben Balster said. Balster says keeping a clear head is the best way to achieve success both in sports and in school. 6 Love is a passionate feeling everyone experiences in life. But what if the person you loved the most, hurt you? It could be your mother, father, spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend. “You don’t understand how much I love him. I’ll do whatever it takes to make things right,” junior girl said. Those in an abusive relationship find it hard to see the signs of abuse, even if they’re being beaten or in fear of being with the person they love. Many continue to fight through the ups and downs they experience. They will do whatever it takes to be with the same person they fell deeply in love with, according to Robert and Jeanne Segal founders of HelpGuide. org, a resourse developed to help people resolve challanges. “It’s hard to leave because I don’t know what my life would be like without her. I love her too much for her to walk out of my life and never come back,” an anonymous senior boy said. His girlfriend began to have relationships with other guys besides him. It became emotional for him after sharing most of his high school years with her. He continues to fight to have a relationship with her. “I believe she’s my soul mate and even after all the terrible things that we’ve done to each other, at the end of the day, I will always love her,” the senior boy said. Support is key to coping Students fight and argue about almost anything. “Be confident, especially in your body language,” School Councelor Beth Mires said. photo by Brianna Blackmore Matthew Greathouse Staff Writer Students cope with bullying in different ways. Unfortunately, some students cope in negative ways. “Some students have resorted to killing themselves because of bullying,” jun- ior Kelsey Schirmer said. Other students cope using techniques in positive ways. One of those is to use the resources offered at school. “We offer individual sessions. Those individual sessions focus on conflict resolutions, coping strategies and general support,” resource counselor Beth Mires said. There are many people who could be used for general support. “They could tell someone about it. They could talk to Mrs. Mires or their parents. They can also talk to one of the Resource Officers or ask the person why they are bullying,” senior Irene Brooks said. These techniques can help students cope with bullying because it makes them feel more comfortable. “Be confident, especially in your body language,” Mires said. “Seek help and get advice.” Pursuit December 2013 Local organization gives young people hope TJ’s place of Hope gives young people a place to deal with their daily struggles. Anyone between the ages of 12 and 25 are welcome. Photo by Celia Lavoie Celia lavoie STAFF WRITER According to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 11 percent of kids experience some sort of depressive disorder. T.J.’s Place of Hope, a local volunteerrun organization gives kids a safe place to work out these struggles. “We have a very simple game plan,” T.J.’s Chairman Greg Crabtree said. The goal at T.J.’s is to give kids a safe and confidential place to “make connections and build positive influences,” according to Crabtree. These positive influences can be found at group meetings. The meetings are held for people ages 12-25 who are dealing with addiction or suicidal thoughts and tendencies. The meetings give participants a chance to talk with others 7 who have been in similar situations. “It helps me find more positive ways to use my time,” junior Alice Lowe said. Instead of teaching “coping mechanisms,” T.J.’s teaches healthy alternatives. “This could be anything from music and art lessons to providing materials for kids to find and follow their passion,” Crabtree said. T.J.’s also wants people to be able to deal with problems in the future. Lowe says she has learned many techniques but believes you must be able to move on from the past. “Confidence is key,” Lowe said. If you or someone you know is suffering from addiction, suicidal tendencies or other mental illnesses, T.J.’s is open to anyone who is looking for help. They are located at 85 E. Franklin St. Feature Centerville High School Pursuit December 2013 Students express their creativity Adam Fuentes Staff Writer The theatre program creates four plays every school year allowing students to learn to create different stage settings, as well as learn to direct and act. “We create a student produced play once every year, to express the creativity that many students can show to the audience,” Theatre Director Joe Beumer said. After presenting Moon over Buffalo from Sept. 12-14, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was a major success. “It’s important to have energy. When your nervous on stage, it’s a type of energy that you need to release to get used to your character and audience,” Beumer said. Students are looking forward to creating All My Sons in January. The play is set after World War II with two friends, working together making airplane parts. Steve Deever, one of the main characters, was sent to jail after producing faulty parts that caused 21 planes to fail, killing all pilots and passengers. Joe Keller, another main character, has suddenly disappeared without a trace. The play is filled with love, tragedy and heartbreak. Roles are cast and the script is ready for this upcoming event to premiere next year. Characters pose for photo during, The Putnam County Spelling Bee. The theatre will produce their next play, All my Sons, in January 2014. Photo courtesy of Joe Beumer. Time and dedication spark interests Celia Lavoie STAFF WRITER “Usually I’ll get home from school and do nothing but play until I go to bed,” senior Kieran Cronley said. In the fourth grade, senior Kieran Cronley joined orchestra, playing the viola. Between fourth and seventh grade, Cronley bounced from instrument to instrument looking for a spark. In the seventh grade, that spark finally came. When Cronley heard the need for a bassist in a band, he picked up the bass guitar and hasn’t been able to put it down since. Cronley has moved on from his middle school band, Phedora, and has taken big strides with the band, Giant Steps. Giant Steps is a local band comprised of four members. The band released its debut album, Transitions, in 2012. Time and dedication got Cronley where he is now. “Most of the time I’m playing bass instead of doing homework,” Cronley said. While Cronley focuses on making music with his bass, senior Lauren McAndrew uses her voice. Starting out with chorus in middle school, McAndrew said she didn’t really take it seriously. Now a member of Forte, she says she takes it a lot more seriously. Being a part of Forte has put her in a class where she sings every day. On top of that class, McAndrew says she has rehearsal twice a week and competitions on weekends. When talking about the amount of time she spends on her singing, she said, “oh, way too much.” 8 Senior Kieran Cronley began playing bass in middle school. He now plays in a band called Giant Steps. Photo by Celia Lavoie Like Cronley, McAndrew has gained success through her time and dedication to the activity she loves. sports Centerville High School Pursuit December 2013 Wrestlers prepare for upcoming season Wrestling team members practice before each scheduled match, They work on improving techniques and takedowns. Photo by Khalil Abushanab. Khalil Abushanab Staff Writer Winter is approaching and that means wrestling season is here. Team members are preparing for this upcoming season. They have been lifting weights and working out through the spring, summer and fall three days every week. “We took part in a spring wrestling club, that meant two days per week we had tournaments. We also had guys go to nationals in the summer. Conditioning started in October and I think we’re ready for the season,” Head Coach Alan Bair said. Bair believes the seniors have really bought into the program. “I am making an effort to become the best I can be for my final year of wrestling,” senior Adam Tonkin said. Tonkin is working alongside Coach Bair and his fellow teammates to get ready for the season. “I am excited to see what we can do this season,” junior Harley Hale said. Hale is looking forward to see how the team will do this year, and believes they will be successful. Mamoun Mustafa is a sophmore member of the wrestling team. “I like how things are going this year, I’m excited to see what the future holds,” Mustafa said. The team has had a lot of success over the past nine years. They have been back to back GWOC champs and qualified for state a number of times. Bair has grown up with this group of young men and is taking this season very serious. It is his son’s senior year. “It personally means a little more to me because I’ve sort of grown up watching these kids for 8 or 9 years now,” said Bair. Bair says this year they will have the hardest schedule they have ever had since he has been head coach. The team will travel to Cleveland to wrestle in one of the toughest tournaments in the state of Ohio. Winter guard, drumline spin into new season Winter guard and drum line members gather for a group picture. Each member is wearing their uniform. Photo courtesy of Tina Weigand. Matthew greathouse Staff Writer Winter guard consists of color guard and winter drumline, the percussion portion of the show. The groups compete separately from each other, but both practice together. “We perform at competitions that 9 each school hosts and at the end of the year, we perform at the Nutter Center,” senior guard member Sydney Pence said. However, before they can compete, they have rehearsals to prepare. “We start off the season learning basics,” guard director Tiffany Seago said. Winter drumline consists of percussionist, putting on a show with their beats and even some stick tricks. The drumline puts in many hours outside of school to practice, but a little less than they do in the fall. However, senior Josh Foy enjoys it. “It’s fun when it sounds good,” Foy said. “It’s good when we work together.” Ads Centerville High School Pursuit December 2013 430 Miamisburg Centerville Rd, Dayton, OH 45459 (937) 434-2262 Planet Smoothie $ 1 OFF ANY SMOOTHIE Planet Smoothie FREE Upsize upsize to a 32 oz. or 44 oz. at no charge Need Help? Please call us: (937)436-HOPE We would like to hear from you. Call an experienced professional that will talk with you about our organization and about other local services. All calls are confidential. We hold confidential meetings each week for young men and women struggling with the following: •Drug/alcohol abuse or addiction •Self-injury •Eating Disorders We hold confidential meetings each week for young men and women struggling with the following: • Drug/alcohol abuse or addiction • Self-injury • Eating disorders • Social anxiety issues • Depression • Suicidal thoughts 85 E. Franklin St. Centerville, OH 45475 (937) 436-4673 10 Opinion Centerville High School In our opinion... Bullying leaves marks The worst type of bullying is physical; it can leave marks, not only on the officials respond horrible to bullying. Many students think adult help is outside but also the inside. About 160,000 teens skip school each day just to avoid being bullied, according to the Do Something ineffective and infrequent. Physical bullying increases in elementary school, doesn’t happen too often in middle school, and almost website. One out of 10 students drop out of school because of bullying, and one out of four teachers see nothing wrong with bullying with only four never happens in high school. Verbal abuse is still very active with bullying. Suicide is the third leading cause of percent saying they would intervene. Bullying can lead to many different things. Seventy-five percent of school shooters have claimed they were harassed or bullied. Students have constant memories from the pain and suffering they went through at the hands of a bully. Two-thirds of students say school deaths for young adults. With about 85 percent of bullying cases there is no intervention or effort made by any other student or teacher. Now that schools are more aware of this problem, officials must take a different approach to it to stop bullying. A number of students still live in fear from their experiences of being bullied. This trend needs to stop. In our opinion... The meaning of being bullied less things and don’t realize it can really hurt or offend someone. Step back and think a minute if it really hurts them even though they won’t say anything. Or just walk a mile in their shoes and try to understand from their point of view. Even though you might feel king of the world, you’re not. If you’re a bully Students make fun of students and don’t even notice it. Photo by Nick Baver. Ask yourself, what is the definition of bullying? According to the Governments stop bulling website,“bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power inbalance.” Sometimes we do seemingly harm- you’re below everyone. Schools are trying to get a point across and basically they’re saying bullying is not cool in any way, shape or form. So even though it may be all fun and games, you could really be hurting or offending someone. 11 Pursuit December 2013 Pursuit Centerville High School 500 E. Franklin St. Centerville, OH 45459 (937) 439-3525 Pursuit is a current member of the National Scholastic Press Association. Pursuit’s purpose is to inform and entertain the students of Centerville High School. In accordance with the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, Pursuit will strive to report news items objectively, cover controversial topics fairly and show no favoritism in coverage or content. Readers can express their views through guest editorials and letters to the editor. Unless a specific question is asked, no response will be made to such expressions. Pursuit reserves the right to edit according to space limitations. Obscene or libelous material will not be printed. Unsigned editorials will reflect the opinion of the staff as determined by the editorial board, which shall consist of the editor. These editorials will be written to enlighten and to inform the student body and immediate community. Pursuit will, at all times, strive to be fair, accurate and objective when reporting facts. Any factual errors made will be a corrected. 2013-2014 Staff Khari Anthony- Managing Editor Khalil Abushanab- Staff Writer Nick Baver- Staff Writer Brianna Blackmore- Staff Writer Maya Crabtree- Staff Writer KaCarary Day- Staff Writer Adam Fuentes- Staff Writer Matthew Greathouse- Staff Writer Celia Lavoie- Staff Writer Tori Pachiano- Staff Writer Nick Pierron- Staff Writer Mia Smith- Staff Writer Delaney Wurster- Staff Writer