The official website for the Oak Hills High School student newspaper
3200 Ebenezer Road, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Top 10 Reasons to Visit The Cincy Reds
by Emma Supe & Bailey Garcia
Thursday, May 2nd, 2019
1. Joey Votto. Enough said. He is the Reds first baseman and has been with the team since
2007. Besides his amazing baseball skills, he is a very attractive man and makes the games
much more fun to watch. So get some good seats near first base and enjoy.
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2. 150 years of the Red Legs. The Cincinnati Reds are celebrating 150 years of being a MLB
team. To celebrate this anniversary, they are bringing back 15 throwback uniforms and rotating
them during games. These range from the 1902 uniforms and go up to the 1999 uniforms.
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3. Martin (Marty) Brennaman is retiring after this season, so you have to go witness one of the
last games with a legendary sportscaster. Marty has been with the Reds since 1974 and is
retiring after the 2018-2019 season. He has been to almost every game for 45 years, minus
a few away games so he could have a few days off. You should definitely go watch a game
while Marty is still announcing over the radio!
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4. Ballpark food. You have to go to at least one game to enjoy all of the fattening food the stadium has to offer. Pretzels, hotdogs, nachos, and all of the good stuff in between.
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5. The Reds Hall of Fame. Right outside of the ballpark is the Reds museum/Hall of Fame. Inside, there is a wall filled with Pete Rose's all-time record of 4,256 balls that make up the number of home runs he hit in his career. There are also past uniforms on display that date back to the first year of the Red Legs. The exhibits change often so there is always something new to see!
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6. Updates to the stadium. There is a new team store near first base and the new Kids Zone has also been redesigned to be mobile. There is also a new shaded bar area in the Fan Zone. All of these new updates make the ballpark even more fun than it already was.
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7. Seeing little kids at the game with their mitt waiting to catch a foul ball. There isn’t anything cuter than seeing a toddler with a big mitt waiting for a ball to fall into their glove.
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8. Baseball music. Listening to “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” is an American classic and it’s a great song to sing along to and bring you back to your childhood. Also, the National Anthem is always better to hear in person from an amazing singer.
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9. Pete Rose. One of the biggest names in baseball was apart of the Reds. He is a legend in baseball and his number, 14, has been incorporated into the stadium so his legacy will live on forever.
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10. The atmosphere. Baseball is America's pastime. And with summer coming up, it’s the perfect season to watch a game, enjoy the weather, spend time with friends and family, and watch some baseball.
Prom King and Queen
by Emma Supe
Monday, May 6th, 2019
Congratulations to the 2019 Prom King and Queen, Jacob Berkemeier and Athena Caneris! Both students exemplify what it means to be hardworking student athletes and and all round good people. Jacob Berkemeier is in multiple AP and honors classes including APES, AP Calculus and AP Chemistry. He also plays football, basketball and track and has had many accomplishments with sports including GMC athlete of the week multiple times, and has set many records. Jacob is heavily involved with Oak Hills, and is always friendly to everyone. Athena Caneris is another amazing senior. She is involved in so much along with a vigorous class schedule. Some of her classes include, Honors Humanities, Hon Entrepreneurship, Hon Physics, and many others. She is also in NHS, scot squad, Spanish National Society, student council, class officers, and she is the varsity goalie for the girls lacrosse team. Both of these students will be greatly missed next year, and they will leave their legacy here at Oak Hills for years to come. Congratulations on king and queen; you earned it!
Prom Court 2019
by Emma Supe
Wednesday, April 24th, 2019
Katrina Applegate
Why should people vote for you?
“Who else do you know that can sing the ABC's with their mouth closed... exactly.”
What do you think is your best trait?
“Come on I am supposed to sound humble.. but everything.”
What Oak Hills staff member has had the biggest impact on you?
“Everyone already knows this answer, my bestie Liz Kelly.”
What is your most embarrassing high school moment?
“April 9th, 2019! I spilled my coffee all over myself, and it looked like I peed my pants.”
CJ Wilke
Why should people vote for you?
“Because they should.”
What does your ideal date look like?
“A scooter that will support my crippled leg.”
What do you think is your best trait?
“My dashing handsome looks.”
What has been your favorite dance you have gone to at Oak Hills and why?
“Senior Homecoming because it was just a grand time.”
Mattison Fisher
What’s your favorite thing about your prom court partner?
“His amazing magic skills.”
What are you going to miss most about Oak Hills?
“The wraps.”
What does your ideal date look like?
“Jordan Peddenpohl.”
Why do you want to be king/queen?
“Disney really set me up wanting to be a queen.”
Sam Herzog
What’s your favorite thing about your prom court partner?
“Her bubbling enthusiasm.”
What does your ideal date look like?
“A casual movie night with a nice, handsome, relatable guy.”
Why should you win?
“Because my last name translates to "Duke" in German, so I'm basically royalty already.”
What sets you apart from others?
“My utter lack of social media. I get all of my information by carrier pigeon.”
Marge Grote
Why should people vote for you?
“I´d bribe you but Idk I have like $3.”
What do you think is your best trait?
“I remember all the lyrics to 50 nifty and the preamble. I also kinda look like Billie Eilish
in the right lighting.”
Why do you want to be king/queen?
“I’d like to add to my tiara collection.”
What is your most embarrassing high school moment?
“I had a song written about me- s/o to cVanny.”
Carson Lewis
What sets you apart from others?
“My vascular calf muscles.”
What do you think is your best trait?
“The way I wear ankle socks.”
What does your ideal date look like?
“Maddie Otten.”
What clubs/organizations are you involved in?
“NHS, Student Council, Robotics.”
Michael Cable
If you don’t win who should?
“Manny Zig- however you spell and say his god forsaken last name.”
What are your plans for the future?
“My mom's basement or your mom's basement am I right? Or college.”
Why should people vote for you?
“Because they should all feel bad for me because I got cut from the basketball team.”
Why do you want to be king/queen?
“I would love to be the first ever male Queen, cause I already am one."
Pieper Buckley
What color dress/tux are you wearing?
“I don't have one yet. Yikes, I'm really behind huh?”
What’s your favorite thing about your prom court partner?
“Sam Herzog is a man of many talents, and he is actually a great singer (which I think
is ICONIC).”
What are you going to miss most about Oak Hills?
“Honestly, the lunch ladies. I feel like no one has ever been as nice to me as they are.”
What are your plans for the future?
“Okay well given that I don't even have my prom dress…”
Athena Caneris
When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
“A princess, so far it's been working out.”
Why should you win?
“I have a really good pageant wave....I'm being too humble, it's an excellent wave.”
What has been your favorite dance you have gone to at Oak Hills and why?
“My favorite dance was homecoming this past year because I had a leopard print
dress.”
What is your most embarrassing high school moment?
“Almost running over our principal, Mr. Hunt, due to a misinterpretation of hand
gestures.”
Karlee Shay
What are your best qualities?
“Backflips.”
Why should people vote for you?
“I've never got out in Nerf Wars.”
What has been your favorite dance you have gone to at Oak Hills and why?
“MORP! When we accidently set off the fire alarm…”
What Oak Hills staff member has had the biggest impact on you?
“Who would have guessed... Mr. Shay.”
Balor Appiarius
What sets you apart from others?
“The Head Honchos and I live in the moment, let the good times roll.”
What is your most embarrassing high school moment?
“First day freshman year I sat through half of an AP Physics class before I realized it
wasn't Geometry.”
What Oak Hills staff member has had the biggest impact on you?
“The Mr. Bobby "Clutch" Klotz.”
What are your plans for the future?
“College football. Law School. Job. Boom wife and kids.”
Brody Boone
Who is your hero?
“Elon Musk for hosting meme review.”
What are your plans for the future?
“I hear this music thing is going alright so far.”
What is your most embarrassing high school moment?
“Quitting drumline to play soccer.”
When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
“I wanted to be a dolphin, I’m crushed.”
Grace Aug
When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
“A mermaid (specifically, Ariel).”
Why should you win?
”Cause if you ain't first, you're last -Ricky Bobby.”
What does your ideal date look like?
“Chris.. or Liam Hemsworth, why not both??”
What is your most embarrassing high school moment?
“Stuttering on the announcements.”
Jacob Berkemeier
When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
“I wanted to be 6’8, have cornrows and be in the NBA like my favorite player Carmelo
Anthony.”
What are your plans for the future?
“Not sure yet I think I’ll sleep on it.”
What do you think is your best trait?
“I think my best trait is my ability to recite rap lyrics, it’s a nice tricks for the ladies.”
Why do you want to be king/queen?
“So I can carry on Hamza’s legacy’s from last year and he can present the crown to me
and we can finally reunite.”
Tommy Combs
What color dress/tux are you wearing?
“All of them.”
When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
“A princess.”
What does your ideal date look like?
“Anyone besides Marge.”
What is your most embarrassing high school moment?
“Talking to Marge.”
Khady Thiero
Where are you going to dinner this year?
“Not sure but anywhere with rats, restaurants that have rats just hit different.”
What’s your favorite thing about your prom court partner?
“His hourglass figure.”
When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
“The fifth Cheetah girl.”
What Oak Hills staff member has had the biggest impact on you?
“Mr. Kinkley - thanks for trusting the vision.”
Zachary Moeller
What color dress/tux are you wearing?
“Birthday suit.”
What’s your favorite thing about your prom court partner?
“Her brother.”
What are your plans for the future?
“About that......”
What does your ideal date look like?
“Liv Lang.”
Emmanuel Zagorianos
What is the number one song you want to hear at prom?
“Creamy Salad by T Diddle.”
What are your best qualities?
“Being tall, and I can sing all the parts to Bohemian Rhapsody at the same time.”
Why should you win?
“Because if I win, we’ll start a Greek dancing circle and show everyone how prom is
done the Mediterranean way.”
Who is your hero?
“Shaquille O’Neal, a man who can do it all from professional basketball, being a DJ,
to designing a clothing line for big dudes.”
Thalia Georges
If you don’t win who should?
“Athena because Greeks have to stick together.”
Where are you going to dinner this year?
“The lamb roast in my backyard.”
What’s your favorite thing about your prom court partner?
“His girlfriend.”
What does your ideal date look like?
“I'd have to say April 25th because it's not too hot, not too cold, all you need is a light
jacket.”
Kayla Javorsky
What color dress/tux are you wearing?
“Once I get one I'll be sure to let you know.”
What’s your favorite thing about your prom court partner?
“The fact that he broke his foot playing nerf wars.”
What are your plans for the future?
“Might mess around and get my college degree, I bet my old man will be so proud of
me.”
What is your most embarrassing high school moment?
“After my Calc semester exam, I was so relieved that I was jumping around in the
bathroom and ended up falling on my back from slipping in a huge pile of toilet water.”
A Sprint to New Beginnings
by Elysia Sturm
Thursday, March 14th, 2019
Mr. Kinkley is one of Oak Hills’ greatest teachers. He teaches Intro to Psychology, American History,
as well as the EOC Test Prep Course. More importantly, he has also been well involved in our
school’s athletics, being track and field, and cross country. The past 3 years he has been the head
coach for boys cross country and coached the track and field team alongside Coach Hageman,
and Coach Continenza. Although, just recently Mr. Hageman was offered the opportunity to be our
school’s new AD (congrats to you, Mr. Hageman)! This then left some shoes to fill. Mr. Kinkley was
then asked to be the new head coach for the team. I spent the time to ask him a few questions to
see the insight of how he thinks of this new position.
I asked Mr. Kinkley how he felt when he received the news of Mr. Hageman’s new role in the school
and he said, “When I found out Coach Hageman would no longer be coaching I was excited for
him and his new opportunity, but a little disheartened because he was one of those people that I
have been learning from. Thankfully, he didn't move too far away and we have an extremely
experienced and capable staff with a wealth of knowledge that I can lean on as well.” I am very
close with many student-athletes who have been on this journey with Coach Kinkley and it’s safe to say, they have no doubts that Mr. Kinkley will lead them to success with their upcoming season, considering he has been involved with track since he was in fifth grade.
I asked Kinkley more about his own personal experience with track and field, where he said that as he grew older and progressed through his career, he realized track was something he did not want to let go of and figured he might as well spread his knowledge regarding it. Mr. Kinkley attended Memorial High School in St. Mary’s, Ohio. Depending on the meet, he said he competed in the 400, 200, 4x200, 4x400, High Jump, and Long Jump. In college, he then attended Ohio State University and competed in the High Jump. I then asked what most valuable lesson he took away from his personal experience with track and he responded with, “No matter how good you become, there is always someone else out there that is just as good if not better than you. Once I realized that it allowed me to push myself and work harder than I ever had. As a result, I have learned to surround myself with people who are better than me and I can learn from them to keep growing in whatever I may be doing.” It is evident that Mr. Kinkley cares immensely for his athletes as well as students. I, myself, can even vouch to this. My junior year I was assigned to Mr. Kinkley’s course for Government and it was genuinely one of my favorite classes. He was always extremely helpful inside the classroom, as well as outside. He wanted nothing but the best for his students inside and outside of the class and made sure he did whatever he could do for us to feel as such.
I decided to ask a couple of our school’s track and field athletes to get their personal insight into Kinkley as a teacher and coach. Senior, Kaycee Barnett was asked to describe Mr. Kinkley as a teacher and coach and she answered by explaining her friendship with him. “As a coach, Kinkley is very supportive and is willing to do whatever to make sure you do what you need to do. I haven’t had him as a teacher, but I have sat in his classroom for study hall the past three years if that counts! I’m very excited to have Kinkley as head coach this year and I am confident this will be my favorite season of track yet.” I then proceeded to ask Kaycee to reflect on what she feels Mr. Kinkley’s does best as a coach. She immediately responded without any thought, “I think Kinkley’s best quality as a coach is that he’s very approachable. Myself, Carissa Sartor, and Jacob Berkemeier (two fellow seniors on the track team) are constantly in his classroom talking to him about track, school, any issues, etc. He never cares to listen and helps us with whatever problems we come across. He also pulls in his own experiences from when he was a jumper at THE Ohio State University, so he’s kind of a big deal.” I then asked senior, Carissa Sartor for her reflection of how Coach Kinkley influenced her experience in track, where she easily responded with, “He has always pushed me to try new events that I never imagined myself being able to do. He stayed by my side every time I doubted myself when running a new distance, or talking me into trying high jump.”
It is clear how big of an impact that Mr. Kinkley has on Oak Hills as a school as well with athletic performances. I have no doubts that he will do big things for years to come, especially when it comes to athletics. I asked him what his goals were for the upcoming season and confidently he responded with, “Right now, our goals for the team are to continue getting stronger throughout the winter and to build a good base for the outdoor season. We will have a good mix of experienced athletes and young underclassmen looking to make a name for themselves. It will be fun to watch them all develop and realize that the hard work they are putting in now will lead to success for themselves and the team as a whole this spring.” Mr. Kinkley is definitely perfect for this new position as head coach and I am excited to see how well they do! The first meet is to-be-determined but practice and conditioning has already begun. I would like to personally thank Mr. Kinkey for always being such a positive influence and role model from myself and on behalf of his students and athletes!
Nerf Wars
by Jessica Johnson
Thursday, April 4th, 2019
*queue the music* “It’s the most wonderful time of the yeeeaaarrrrr”
Just kidding, but not really; Nerf Wars is just around the corner! Nerf Wars is an up and coming trend amongst friend groups, sports teams, and schools where students form a team and work together to get the others out and win. These prizes consist of a glorious trophy, and the best, bragging rights.
Some kids wake up at the wee hours of dawn, even as early as 4 in the morning, to wait outside of an opponent’s house. If you see any strange cars around your neighborhood, do not be alarmed. Good chances it’s just a fellow Oak Hills Nerfer camping outside. Also, don’t be frazzled if a high schooler is sprinting into their house or out to their car. They’re most likely running to avoid an opponent. It is taken very seriously amongst players and can be a great workout.
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Alliances are often made during the Wars, but most of the time, it is every man for themselves. Past stats have shown that truces and alliances have been broken. I advise not doing this for the sake of your and your team’s safety. I also advise not competing with people that are levels ahead in skill and speed. From experience, you WILL get out, no matter how hard you try (Thank you Chris Guy).
There are over 50 teams and 350 players participating in the Oak Hills Nerf Wars this year, the highest participation rate in history! More people means more targets, and also more predators. May the odds be ever in your favor, or should I say, it’s Nerf or Nothing.
OHHS Annual Walk
by Elysia Sturm
Wednesday, March 13th, 2019
As a part of Student Council’s Executive Board, we would like to invite you to this year’s 10th annual Walk. The Walk will take place on Thursday, April 18, the day before a four day weekend. All grade levels can participate; it only requires a minimum of $25 in donations. We urge you to try to raise this money instead of asking your parent/ guardian to write you a check. Donations submitted by Friday, March 29 will earn you the opportunity of getting a free Walk t-shirt. The final deadline for turning in money is Tuesday, April 16. Any student planning on attending must have a completed EMA form, as well as their Walk Donation envelope which is available in room 304.
All donations will be given to a group of local organizations, listed below.
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Anderson Ferry Food Pantry - Donations to feed the homeless, lower-income families, veterans and single parents. Providing them with clothing, household items, and food.
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Delhi Township Senior Center - Provides a living space for the elderly, also an event hall that can be rented for special occasions.
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Green Township Senior Center - Living center that provides responsive, efficient and high-quality services to maintain a welcoming environment.
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OHHS Feed a Highlander Program - Program here at the high school that allows donations to provide lunch for those students who are unable to afford it.
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Honor Flight - Donations to support our veterans and their trip to Washington DC in respect for their service. Funds go towards travel expenses.
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Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Donations dedicated to helping fund research, finding cures, as well as ensuring access to treatment for blood cancer patients.
The Walk comes with a lot of great opportunities. Students will be given the choice to pick whom they want in their groups, giving them access to walking with their friends, and spend the day with them. Each student will be assigned a group and given a set time of when they will begin their walk. While waiting for your assigned time, there will be intramural activities held in the new gym as well as the wrestling room, so there is always something to do to pass time. This event also offers coverage for unexcused absences/ tardies. Students who raise a minimum of $25 can make up 3 tardies or one unexcused absence. Students can donate as much as they would like, as we are offering prizes for those who raise the most. For instance, those who raise a minimum of $100 are eligible to choose the prize of an Oak Hills parking pass for next year (2019-2020) or an Amazon Firestick. If you raise at least $200 then you are eligible to receive either 2 tickets to prom (April 27th, 2019-- JUNIORS & SENIORS only), 2 tickets to next year’s Homecoming, or a FitBit Alta. Those who donate a minimum of $300 are given a choice of a free parking spot with a personalized sign and pass for 2019-2020, or a 40” Insignia LED TV. If you are a senior, you are also eligible for 4 saved seats at graduation. With that, you are also given the choice of athe second prize of either two tickets to next year’s Homecoming, an Oak Hills Sports Pass for 2019-2020, a FitBit Alta, an Amazon Firestick or if you are a junior or senior, you can get two tickets to this year’s prom.
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As you can see, the Oak Hills walk is a great opportunity to give back to our community. You can spend the day with your friends while supporting a variety of great organizations at the same time. If you are interested and have not yet received a form, there are plenty available in room 304. We hope to see you there!
Teacher Superlatives Part 1
by Ciera Franke
Wednesday, February 27th, 2019
Acts The Youngest - Mr. Murray
Most Spirited - Mr. Martin
Best Personality - Ms. Book
Best Dressed - Mr. Klotz
Best Hair - Mr. Dunkle
Life Of The Pary - Mr. Seiler
Most Creative - Mr. Groh
Most Athletic - Mr. Continenza
Mrs. Vandewalle, Not Your Average Teacher
by Jess Johnson
Wednesday, February 20th, 2019
“Don’t wait to be great!” is the quote her students think of when Mrs. Vandewalle comes to mind, as she ends every video for her students with this saying. If you don’t know who she is, she is a teacher here at Oak Hills High School. Vandewalle teaches all Chemistry classes, including AP Chemistry, Honors Chemistry, and Honors Organic Chemistry, and has been teaching for 25 years. She first started teaching math classes at a small school at Indiana, but only taught there for two years. “Everyone knew everyone there, but Oak Hills has a lot more electives and the student body is diverse, and that is extremely important,” she claims, and she is not wrong.
She started out at Purdue University majoring in Chemistry, and they needed a teaching assistant, so she took the job. Vandewalle ended up loving the job and the idea of teaching, which led her to pursue a career in teaching. She is a very successful teacher and has helped students for their future in many ways. “She has prepared me for the classes in college and taught me how to prepare for things such as tests and projects,” former student Tim Doyle states.
One of her most effective teaching methods is her Flipped Classroom. This is a method where she records her SmartBoard notes and talks over the processes and teaches her students what certain things mean. “We’ll have time to talk over things in class with this, and she’ll answer any questions we have,” AP Chemistry student Tiffany Miller claims. Vandewalle also lets students help each other with these notes and allows them to communicate with each other when they have problems.
Many of us students think teachers have no life outside of teaching, but when it comes to Mrs. Vandewalle, our stereotypes are way off. Despite her avid love for Chemistry, she loves to read and travel with her kids in her free time. Vandewalle has been to almost all 50 states, some European countries, and on quite a few cruises. She also mentioned many stories about seeing old students while on her vacation. (Picture on the right: Mrs. Vandewalle, on the far left, with some students she coincidentally reunited with on her cruise.)
As Mrs. Vandewalle began to talk about her passion for teaching and the memories she’s formed, she got tears in her eyes and a permanent smile on her face. She truly loves her students and genuinely wants them to learn. When she was diagnosed with her autoimmune disease back in the 2016-2017 school year, her AP Chemistry students each bought an addition to a gift basket and gave it to her. “One student brought a David Hasselhoff chocolate bar, and another brought seeds so I could plant things,” she describes. “That is when I knew I made a difference in their lives, and it meant so much to me.”
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One of the first things Vandewalle told me is that “Chemistry was, and still is my first love.” We both laughed, but this love and passion she has for teaching this subject clearly show how much she enjoys it. I have never met a teacher more passionate about teaching than Mrs. Vandewalle. Many students of hers claimed she helped them not only love Chemistry but loving school and being more motivated to succeed in life. She brings such a good reputation of Chemistry to Oak Hills, and I am so glad to have had her as my teacher.
Advancements in Breast Cancer
by Bre Luca
Wednesday, February 27th, 2019
Hearing the word “cancer” is different for every person. Some people have fought through it themselves or have seen some of their loved ones fight it. There are some lucky people who have never been in contact with someone who has cancer. No matter what, no one knows everything about every cancer. There are so many little advancements that go unnoticed because of other news. While these advancements in breast cancer may not have cured the disease completely, they still deserve to be heard.
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Various researchers are studying ways to use computers and statistical methods to estimate the odds that a woman’s ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) will become invasive. They ask a woman with DCIS questions that help her decide which factors (such as survival, preventing recurrence, and side effects) she considers most important in choosing a treatment. In DCIS, the abnormal cells are in the milk duct and have not grown outside the duct. In some women, DCIS turns into invasive breast cancer, or sometimes an area of DCIS contains invasive cancer. In other women, though, the cells just stay within the ducts and never invade deeper or spread to lymph nodes or other organs. The uncertainty about how DCIS will behave can make it hard to choose the best treatments. This is only a fraction of the research devoted towards breast cancer alone.
There are new lab tests that have come to surface as well. Researchers have found that in many women with breast cancer, cells may break away from the tumor and enter the blood. These circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can be detected with sensitive lab tests. Although these tests can help predict which patients may have breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast (metastatic disease), it isn’t clear if these tests can tell whether the cancer will come back after treatment or help patients live longer. Some studies are looking to see if these CTCs can be removed and then tested in the lab to determine which specific anticancer drugs will work on the tumor. This is a great achievement for breast cancer research and it opens up a whole new path of studies to help contain the illness.
There have also been new imaging tests that scientists have been able to implement to hospitals. Scintimammography (molecular breast imaging), a slightly radioactive drug called a tracer, is injected into a vein. The tracer attaches to breast cancer cells and is detected by a special camera.This technique is still being studied to see if it will be useful in finding breast cancers. Some doctors believe it may be helpful in looking at suspicious areas found by regular mammograms, but its exact role is still unclear. Current research is aimed at improving the technology and evaluating its use in specific situations such as in the dense breasts of younger women.
In order for research to be devoted to finding a cure, scientists have to know what they are fighting against. Breast cancer, much like most other cancers, has many different ways of forming and spreading. While these advancements may not seem like much, they are steps in the right direction. Every advancement is helping doctors take care of their patients better. There are the temporary solutions such as chemo, oncoplastic surgery, and targeted therapy drugs that are able to help people for different periods of time. Every person with cancer has a unique type of tumor and not everyone can get the same treatment, this is a bump in the road towards finding a solution. One day in the future, hopefully, the scientists find a cure for this illness but until then, these little baby steps are helping people live their lives.
Stress & Anxiety In High School Students
by Guest Writer Audrey Busker
Saturday, February 9th, 2019
Many high school students deal with stress and anxiety. Like myself, I’ve dealt with stress and anxiety all through high school and I’ve found a few ways to cope with it. According to suicide.org, 30% of teenagers have some form of anxiety and the majority of them don't seek help or even understand what it means to have anxiety. There are many causes of anxiety and stress, but there are also many ways to deal with your stress.
There are many high school students that are involved in several extracurricular activities, such as, sports, clubs and work; add all of those on top of 3-4 AP classes and you are in for a serious amount of stress. In high school, many students feel like it is their time to get involved and participate in all of these clubs and sports and AP and honors classes. This is a great time to do that, but you have to know your limits. Not everyone can handle being a varsity soccer player, an NHS member, have 3 AP classes and have a job. If you can, that's wonderful, but if you can’t, that’s okay too. You have to know your limits and know what stresses you out and causes you anxiety.
Another big factor in teen stress and anxiety is social media. High school students love to be on their phones and scroll through Instagram and Twitter for hours and hours on end. As fun and relaxing as that may seem, it's actually causing you more harm than you think. When you are on social media you're constantly comparing yourself to others. You’re comparing how many likes they get, how many friends they have, how nice their clothes are, and you probably don't even realize you are doing it. All of this comparing is lowering your self-esteem and causing you so much stress and anxiety. You also feel like your social media has to reflect your life and you want people to think you have your life together and have such a great life, and that is entirely too much pressure to put on yourself.
Coming from a person who has bad anxiety and stresses about every single thing possible, I have found some coping mechanisms and tips. Taking care of yourself and taking care of your health really helps with stress. Eating healthy and eating less sugar really helps with feeling good both mentally and physically. Exercise is a huge one for me. If I’m ever stressed or worried about something, I’ll work out or go for a run. Exercise or any other physical activity produces endorphins which are chemicals in the brain that act as natural painkillers and also improve the ability to sleep, which is why it reduces stress. Alyssa McRoberts who is a fellow high school student also deals with stress and anxiety. Alyssa says “Whenever I’m stressed or nervous about something I will draw and listen to music”. Drawing and Listening to music is a great way to calm down and get your mind off of something that is causing you stress. According to the Center for disease control and prevention, talking to someone about your stress and anxiety is also a good thing to do. Even if it's just a friend or your parents it can help. Talking about your problems is a great way for you to get it out of your system and get it off your mind. High school and life, in general, are stressful, but it’ll get better if you utilize some stress relieving strategies.
Carbon Dioxide Emissions At Their Highest Point
by Guest Writer Maggie Stewart
Friday, February 8th, 2019
Within the last few decades, as temperatures have slowly started to increase throughout all world regions, government leaders have been questioning the existence of climate change and if there is even a realistic solution to it. Now, in 2019, carbon dioxide emissions within just the first week of the year are as high as the worst point within 2018, according to The Denver Post.
CO2.earth, the nation's leading website on carbon dioxide emission, has been collecting statistical evidence on the releasing of fossil fuels within the environment since 2006. According to their “2015 Global Carbon Budget”, fossil fuel and cement emissions have risen by about 1.432 GtC(gigatonne of carbon) between 2006 and 2014. Though for the three years after 2014 up until 2018, emissions were at a steady pace of decline. That is until 2018 which holds a 3.4% increase in carbon dioxide emissions after these three years of decline. Energy Manager Today reports that the emissions within 2015 and 2016 were at -2.7% and -1.7%. The decreasing held off a bit in 2017 with only a reduction of 0.8%, but 2018 came rolling in with a 3.4% increase, even with the large boom in coal power plant retirements.
Unfortunately, there was already an environment changing global climate agreement that the United States subsequently decided to withdraw from back in 2017. On June 1, 2017, President Trump announced that he wished to be the only country that had remarkably joined and then left the Paris Climate Agreement, because of “the draconian financial and economic burdens the agreement imposes on our country” as he controversially made the greenhouse gas emission rates gradually become worse over the years by declining this global deal.
Not only did carbon emissions worsen with the United States, but also in large industrial countries like China and India. Earth System Science Data found that China was the largest emitter per country and even experienced a large spike within the last ten years. However, the United States is still extremely far above any of the other severe carbon emitters in relation to emission per person. This simply means that each singular American and their personal carbon footprint is partially responsible for the large increase in emissions. Electricity, transportation, construction, and deforestation are all human based actions that contribute to global climate change and the heavily polluted atmosphere.
Looking to reduce your personal carbon footprint? Even the smallest things like introducing recycling to your household, planting a tree, or reducing the amount of paper that you print can make a HUGE difference in the environment and just how much carbon/fossil fuel emissions are released into the atmosphere. If no one makes a change, serious repercussions are expected to hit by the year 2050, according to CO2.earth. Here are some life-changing steps that you can take to save the planet from climate change and increasing carbon emissions:
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Stop Eating Meat: Greenhouse gas emissions from various agriculture businesses can have an even larger effect on the atmosphere than fossil fuels and, especially, red meat which produces five times more emissions than its counterparts.
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Drive Less: Most Americans are aware at this point in time that most modern forms of transportation are not the most eco-friendly. Fortunately, many cities have invested in the appropriate infrastructure of sidewalks to make car and bus alternatives like biking as well as walking much easier for the average civilian.
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Try Line Drying: According to the World Wildlife Foundation, drying machines use five times more electricity than washing. Byline drying clothes, Americans could save a significant amount of electricity and prevent excess emissions.
by Kyra Lough
Wednesday, January 23nd, 2019
The Engineering Elite of OHHS
Mr. Wandsnider: The Mysterious Legend
by Bailey Garcia
Monday, January 28th, 2019
Oak Hills High School is home to many unique and wonderful teachers. Some are funny, some are weird,
and some are crazy in their own way. One teacher in particular, Mr. Wandsnider, is a well-known,
well-liked teacher amongst many.
Wandsnider has been teaching here for about seven years. Before residing at Oak Hills, Wandsnider
taught at Colerain High School, and North Lincoln High School in North Carolina. Here, he teaches
legal issues, government,and sociology.
Throughout school, Wandsnider was the wrestling legend. He broke countless records and was known
across the state and Mid-West region. When it came time to college, Wandsnider decided to go to a
school in Tennessee t participate in Division I wrestling. However, after a few years, he decided to move
back to Cincinnati to be with his girlfriend (and yes, they stayed together). Upon arriving back at his beloved city, Wandsnider welcomed his first of
five kids into the world. He might not have been at the top of the class, but he was able to go to Mount Saint Joseph University to continue his academic (and athletic) career.
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Wandsnider claims that this teaching gig “just kind of happened.” His main goal wasn’t to become a teacher, but he realized he wanted to impact kids just like his coaches impacted him. In order to coach wrestling and make a good living at the same time, Wandsnider knew he had to be a teacher. It would be the easiest way to influence kids the way he wanted to.
Since teaching, many students have appreciated the way that Wandsnider teaches and what he’s all about. Senior Hailey Seifert claims that she learned from him that “there is always a grey area in life”. Throughout his classes, Wandsnider always tries to make sure that his students are filled with examples from his life.
With these examples, students are able to see that everyone faces their own kind of hardships. As real as he can be, Wandsnider enables a personal connection with each of students in hopes of influencing them as well as his coaches did when he was in wrestling.
Another senior, Sierra Dance, comments on Wandsnider saying that “He cares so much for you and your grades! He truly wants to see you succeed!” Sometimes, some of the people in his classes end up taking them because they need the class or it sounded like a cool option for one of their electives. Besides this, Wandsnider always strives to make sure that he cares individually for each person sitting in his class.
Now although all of this seems super serious, it doesn’t shed a light on how a class is actually like with Wandsnider. Most times, it’s filled with laughter from his remarks or positive energy from the open space that he allows his classroom to be. Many students (including myself) really love the fact that Wandsnider uses a flip-phone still. And the best part? He really could not care what others have to say about it. Senior Alex Kidd comments on this, claiming that he showed her that “it’s okay to have a flip-phone while everyone else uses an iPhone.”
Along with his phone from the ages, Wandsnider loves (I cannot stress this enough), loves the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Not to point out the obvious, but not a lot of people go around ranting and raving about this band, but never fear, Wandsnider does just that.
Wandsnider doesn’t plan on leaving any time soon either. He thinks he’ll be here until he’s about 57 because that’s when he can properly retire. But he probably won’t retire fully. I have a good feeling he will ride his bike and coach wrestling until he takes his last breath.
With all this being said, I truly mean it from the bottom of my heart that Wandsnider is one of the most down-to-earth, open and accepting teachers I know. The atmosphere that he creates in his classroom allows him to be able to connect with students just as he wishes to. As great of a personality that Wandsnider has, he weirdly claims that he “likes to be the mysterious guy.” Contrary to the majority, once you get to know Wandsnider, I think this all changes. But maybe, just maybe, he really is the mysterious legend he claims to be. I guess we truly will never know.
Oak Hills High Schools is remarkable when it comes to opportunities for its students. Clubs and extracurricular activities are open to anyone who wants to participate. One of the many activities open to students is Oak Hills High School’s Robotics Club. Since 2012, this group has been building and inventing new robot designs for competitions year round. Even just within these few months of the year, they have built, competed, and fundraised for themselves. Once you get to look at the entire club, you get to see that they are a family bonded by a similar passion: Robotics.
What exactly does Robotics Club do? Well, for starters, they compete quite often. Coach Mr. Dunkle, who is also a Physics teacher at Oak Hills, indicated that the students compete throughout the whole school year. “We’ve
had 3 preseason competitions so far this year.” The earliest competition they
had was in Columbus, but they sadly missed the playoffs. Their second
preseason competition was the Purdue BoilerBot, where they placed as
Semi-Finalists. The most recent one was the Battle for the Bluegrass, and
they made Quarter Finalists. Their ultimate goal is the FRC (FIRST Robotics
Competition), which will occur later in the year.
This club is very successful on the field, but they are also successful as a group
when at home base: The Lab. This room is used for many classes, but it is
where they Robotics crew runs its operations. They design, build and test in
this space. A couple of students admit that it’s almost never fully clean. However messy it can be, this is home for Robotics students.
Many around Oak Hills are familiar with the stickers placed on the covers of students’ laptops.
“Scot Bot 4284” is the name of the Robotics group, and is a popular phrase to see when walking
around the school. Just the recognition alone shows how large they have grown.
More students and people in the community have become aware of the Robotics Club. Just this year, they
have raised $5,884 on their SnapRaise alone. But to be fullyfunctional, they must raise tens of thousands
of dollars themselves, seeing as they are not funded by the school. Mr. Dunkle says, “Oh yes, we raise
$40-$50k every year on our own.” The sheer amount of dedication to Robotics Club is the only way
it is able to run.
Last year, the team became larger than they had in a few years. The Seniors last year truly encouraged
students of all ages and educational levels to participate. Now, they have 34 student
members from Freshman to Senior and 3 coaches (Mr. Dunkle, Mr. Boles, and Mrs. Wells).
One of the ways they gain new members is through the Activities Fair at the beginning of
every year. They are most well-known for controlling the robot from the year before. They
love to encourage everyone to join in of the fun. It is a sight that brings people together
and shows them what Robotics Club is truly about: Family and fun. Mr. Dunkle described
some of their most memorable moments being, "Team social nights, the rebuilding of last
year’s robot, and the team campout at the Red River Gorge before our Kentucky competition."
Even as they place in competitions and work together to build their masterpiece, it seems that
just the team bonding moments are enough to keep them going strong.
Robotics Club is great for everyone. They are accommodating and encourage new prospect
students to consider joining. Connor Taylor (senior) is one of the students helping lead the other
students to success with his knowledge passed down to him. He said that “Robotics is such a great experience, and I am always looking for a way to improve it.” Currently, Taylor has made it his project in AP Research to design a platform to help teach students the ins and outs of robotics. Even in other studies, this club has made an impact on student’s passions.
However, Robotics Club is not their work, but they have involvement in the Oak Hills community. Beyond that FRC, they built storage units for the CO Harrison band rooms, a staff holiday gift, a robotic deer for Archery Club, Chromebook repairs for Vartek, COSI and Enrichment Days at the elementary schools, and general repairs for teachers’ classrooms. Passions drive these students, and they are always willing to help out in whatever asked of them. Robotics is such a major part of the building, and luckily, people are finally beginning to see that. This devoted club will keep expanding, and students of the future, present, and past will always remember the impact Robotics Club had on them.
The Man Behind The History Department
by Ana Holleman
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019
Who is Mr. Klotz? Mr. Klotz is a Humanities, AP European History, and American History teacher, he is the head of the history department. While in his homeroom and observing him teach, I noticed that he is a very friendly and supportive teacher. He is known for caring deeply about his students, constantly pushing each and every one of them to try his or her hardest. I have a memory of sitting in Mr. Klotz’s homeroom as he's collecting money for one of the charities put on at school. I watched as he put his own money in the folder to start us off, pushing each of his student’s to do the same. I also remember getting donuts in homeroom every year to thank us for turning in papers and coming to CCP meetings. Just something as little as that can change how a student’s looks at a teacher. This shows that Mr. Klotz's is a passionate teacher. He interacts with his students, makes time for them, holds study sessions in the morning and meets with kids after school to ensure that each of his students meet their goals. If they don’t he gives them every opportunity to get them there, offering extra credit for watching movies that tie into the subject, holding study sessions in the morning and in the afternoon instead of going home.
During class, Mr. Klotz is known for his quirky attitude. He loves to play music during class and is known to sing along. While watching him teach, you’ll see that he doesn’t stand in one spot, he interacts with student’s, sits next to them, moves around, always engaging his students in a discussion that relates to the lesson at hand, using modern examples to further an understanding of the content. In class there’s no tension, his teaching environment is relaxed and inviting. When walking into the class you can normally hear music playing in the background and smell coffee, his walls are covered in student made, movie posters and copies of art in an array of colors, that either tie in directly to what he teaches or to one of his students. He’s supportive of each of his students, noticing when a students colors or cuts his/her hair, knowing whether or not they are athletes or sing, whether they enjoy to draw or cheer, bringing that into the classroom and praising them for a good job. He has a passion for this school that shows through his teaching, the care she shows his students, the pride and time he has given this school, and all of the hours he has spent working with every one of his students and this school in general. He loves this school and has pride in it, there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for this school, including delaying his retirement; not that him not retiring is a bad thing, right? His students love him, either for his loud speaking voice, quirky attitude, or fun lessons, I know Oak Hills will gladly keep Mr. Klotz around.
Mrs. Steele: Always There
by Morgan Butts
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019
Oak Hills High School teacher, Kathryn Steel, does a lot to help and be there for her students. She teaches throughout the day and stays after to help host a few clubs. She is always there for her students and would do anything to help them with any problems. “Don’t be afraid, there is always someone to talk to.” I have Steel as a Tartan Time teacher and it’s one of my favorite places to go during the school week. Her classes are always fun, as well as educational.
Steel is mainly an English teacher, having a few classes with freshman and sophomores. She also is the Speech teacher/advisor. The Speech team participates in after-school competitions that require extra time put forth and she is always there to cheer the team on. Steel also taught Mythology as a class in previous years, but couldn’t continue this year. Even though I haven’t had her as a teacher yet, I can only assume her classes are as fun and peppy as she is. While she does have her bad days, just like every other teacher, she tries to still remain calm and happy for her students. She is always being the best teacher that she can be.
Mrs. Steel’s Tartan Time has always been a place I’m happy to be in. Whether it be a testing day or a two-hour class at the beginning of the year, it’s a fun time. While we still do some of the lesson pre-made for each class, we always put our own spin into it. Testing how something would affect us in real life or playing a game with it, we learn and enjoy it. We have thrown multiple ‘parties’ during her classes, having snacks and listening to music. Typically at the end of the year as a way to say goodbye. Steel also has brought in donuts more than a few times for us to eat during Tartan Time. As other students say how much they hate tartan time and want to cancel it, I can’t wait to go to Mrs. Steel’s class every Thursday.
There are a few clubs that Mrs. Steel advises after school, including Gay-Straight Alliance and Magic Club. She also has the Speech team, though it is considered one of her classes. With these clubs, she gives students a place to express themselves. Gay-Straight Alliance is a club that anyone can join. Students who are afraid of coming out or being judged can come and be whomever they want to be without any judgment at all. Steel is proud of the club that she is running because it’s for the students and they feel safe there. The Magic Club was just created this year for one of her tartan time students to be able to teach magic to anyone who wanted to learn. So far, it has been successful.
In conclusion, Mrs. Steel is one of the best teachers at Oak Hills High School. She is always available to help and will give you her own spare time in order to help. Even though she has a separate life at home with two children and a new puppy, she will always find a time to be there for you. Mrs. Steel will be one of the many teachers I will miss as I graduate and move forward in life.
Fiona The Miracle Hippo
by Jess Johnson
Friday, January 18th, 2019
Fiona, the backbone of not only our Cincinnati Zoo but the nation. After
Harambe’s tragic death on May 28, 2016, everyone was in distraught.
Thousands of memes were made around the nation paying tribute to
Harambe, and the zoo faced lots of backlash. As a result, the zoo lost a lot
of fans, and business as well. This lasted for months, until about eight months
later, on January 24, 2017, our beautiful hippo was born. She is not just an
ordinary hippo though.
The average hippo weighs about 50-100 pounds when born. Fiona was
born to mother Bibi and father Henry at 29 pounds. This is 25 pounds lighter than the lowest recorded weight for her species. Zookeepers were afraid she would not survive such a premature birth, and they could not face another death in the zoo family. To overcome this, the Cincinnati Zoo invited caretakers from Children’s Hospital to help take care of Fiona. For weeks, the doctors, and the nation were worried about her survival.
After a few weeks, she was on her feet, exploring her surroundings. Everyone fell in love with this pure and tiny creature as she grew into her skin. As of now, Fiona weighs well over 1000 pounds and is caught up with hippos at her age and height physically and mentally! Unfortunately, Henry passed away in September of 2017, but Bibi has been a strong and loving mother to the baby hippo.
The Cincinnati Zoo’s Twitter account posts videos of her almost daily, and these tweets reach hundreds and even thousands of retweets from Fiona’s forever fans. They also remind their audience that she can only be in the viewing area when it is 45 degrees or warmer outside, so she cannot be outside during this time, but will be during the spring and summer!
Fiona’s second birthday is coming up, and she is thriving in her zoo environment. They had a big celebration for her first birthday, but no word has been received on a second birthday celebration. I am sure Fiona would appreciate a birthday shoutout, or even sporting her spiritwear, just make sure to recognize this queen on her birthday!
Aaand Action!
by Jaden Thompson
Monday, December 17th, 2018
Mrs. Cook has taught the Theater Arts class, along with several other freshmen and
sophomore English classes and electives, for the past seven years. Mrs. Cook’s favorite
part of teaching the class is the relationships she is able to develop with her students.
“I adore the time I have with my drama kids. I love watching them stretch and grow and
face their fears.” Theater Arts is her seventh bell and to her, it is the best way to end the day.
Teaching a class for seven years, Mrs. Cook obviously knows what she’s doing, and her students agree that she is the perfect fit. “Mrs. Cook is a great Theater Arts teacher and knows a lot about the class,” states Carlos Rodriguez-Macau.
I decided that I wanted to attend the class itself and see it in action. The class has such a positive feel to it and you don’t even have to be in the class to know it. Sophomore Emma Crull took Theater Arts with Mrs. Cook last year and has returned as a student aid. She comments on the class saying, “everyone is super accepting,” and “it really opens you up.” Others can agree with her as well. “My favorite thing about the class is all of the different types of people in it. I love that everyone bonds together to create a positive environment,” freshman Grace Smith said.
They start out with warm-ups that get them in character for that day’s lesson. A couple activities they do are called face bomb and what’s in the bag. Both are super fun games that prepare them. Freeze tag, another game they play, is a big hit in Theater Arts. “Whenever we play Freeze Tag, some people come up with funny scenes and whatnot,” says Hannah Snider, a freshman. A twist on the game where two people create a scene, freeze, and start a new scene, to put it simply.
The class has just finished working on the art of pantomime, a difficult art to master. Pantomiming is done through dramatic gestures to represent something. Performances are held to reflect the students’ skills over what they have learned. Family and friends are invited to see them in action. I have been to a couple of performances and I am always delighted by them. The class presented four scenes, each with a group of students. The groups had to think on their feet about what they would do. And with a full audience, the pressure is on.
The four scenes that took place were: A Day At The Beach, The Emergency Room, Worst Wedding Ever, and First Day Of School. The whole point of pantomiming is to make the audience believe the objects they create are truly there and they did a really good job keeping it consistent throughout the scene. Each scene had its own unexpected turns from the groom flirting with the ring bearer in Worst Wedding Ever to chopping off a leg after a disastrous game of hopscotch in The Emergency Room, not literally, of course.
Overall, it was very obvious how hard everyone worked and it shows in their amazing performances. You never knew what was going to happen, the twists the story took were both surprising and humorous. Not to mention how well everyone worked together. An audience member, Allison Lipps said, “I thought it was great! I think that it was a good representation of the art.” If you love the arts or are just unsure of what classes to take next year, then Theater Arts is the class for you!
Für die Liebe des Deutsch
by Jaden Thompson
Monday, January 14th, 2019
You’ve probably seen Herr Vaske around the language hallway or even had him in
class yourself. He teaches German 2, 3, and 6 which is a newer class for students
who what to continue in the language and have already taken AP German. He also
runs the Academic Team, German National Honor Society, and is a part of the
Veterans Day Committee where he calls all 500-plus veterans. Outside of the
school year, he is a part of the 3-week Dingolfing exchange program.
Herr Vaske has been to Germany, as he states, “many, many, many, many times”.
The first being for six weeks in the summer of 1987 where he got the chance to stay
with two different families, giving him a new perspective of Germany. “Ever since
then, I was hooked!” He took another trip in college where he stayed for an entire
year, again for an exchange program in Hamburg for nine months, and then for the
Dingolfing exchange program. When he worked for Delta Airlines, he went every
free weekend for two years. In total, Herr Vaske has lived in Germany for about
three years!
Herr Vaske has been teaching for a total of seven years all at Oak Hills, but before
he was a teacher he had a career in a construction company and had also worked at Delta Airlines. For Herr Vaske, teaching was a second career. But what lead him to choose to teach? “I don’t think that there is anything that leads to you, you just kind of have that feeling,” he states. “I’ve always had that feeling but never had the opportunity to do it.” After his job at the construction company, he had to think of where he would go next. With his wife’s help, he was able to go back to school and get a degree in teaching. While in school, Herr Vaske was asked to watch “the German guy” and see what he thought about it and ever since then he knew that he could do it. He says his favorite think about teaching is the relationships he is able to build with his students and also the teaching process itself. “I love watching things grow and develop from when they come in on day one and not be able to do anything and then the development of ability for them to speak [German] by the time its all over with.”
Students agree that Herr Vaske’s teaching style is an amazing mix between fun and getting stuff done. Andrew Rhoton is a sophomore in German 2 and says, “I really like his form of teaching. It's always a new adventure in the class and it does help my understanding.” When asked to describe the class in three words, he says es ist fantastisch (it is fantastic). Another student, Katelyn Rieder, is also a sophomore in German 2, comments on the class saying, “My favorite thing about German besides actually learning has to be Here Vaske’s constant humor with us. He’s truly one of the kindest teachers I’ve ever had.” Katelyn first decided to take German because of her German heritage and plans to continue her love for learning the language next school year.
With every class comes an inside joke, and for Herr Vaske, it is in his final class of the day. “This kid told me that he doesn’t name his fish!” he says. As a part of Herr Vaske’s seventh bell, I can speak for all of us when I say that it was probably one of the most memorable moments of the year.
So if you’re looking to take a foreign language, or maybe you’ve already got your language credit, then für die Liebe des Deutsch (for the love of German), take German! And if you have Herr Vaske, be prepared for more than just learning the language but for all the laughs you’ll share and relationships you’ll build!
I’d like to start out with a small explanation of the disease that is currently
a major part of my life. Multiple Myeloma is a blood cancer in which
forms as a white blood cell called plasma cells. These cells help fight
bodily infections by creating antibodies that fight such germs and infections.
This type of cancer roots within bone marrow in an attempt to block out the
healthy blood cells. The cancerous cells produce abnormal proteins that can
cause further health complications. To date, there is no cure for Multiple
Myeloma, the most that can be done is a series of treatments in hopes of
reaching remission.
What brings me to write about this awareness is rather unfortunate news. In 2015 my mother was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma Cancer. February 2015 was the month-long journey of her stem cell transplant. My mom was sent to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota where she stayed in the hospital-hotel for 30 days. Those days felt like an eternity. No more getting off the bus and running straight home to tell her about my day. No more surprise notes are hidden in my lunch bag; I felt empty. Fortunately, for my sake, my older siblings took on the parental role while she was gone, so I was never alone. My mom is a single mother of 6 kids, and when I tell you that she is genuinely the strongest person I have ever met, I mean it. Amidst her struggles, she managed to hide her pain and worries behind a smile. If you were to ask her how she was doing (regarding her illness) her response would be, “I’m good!” Yet, no one knows what goes on behind the scenes. In April of 2016, the results finally came back; she was in remission. The words echoed in my ear, a feeling that couldn’t be beaten.
You thought that was it? I wish that were the case. This past Mother’s day, she sat me down and the words were spoken again. The cancer grew back in both sides of her jaws and ribs. In life, highs and lows are inevitable. This was one the lowest lows. Just recently it was decided that my mom would be sent to The Mayo Clinic for round two at the beginning of January. This time she is scheduled for a 6-7 week stay, following the same exact process as last time. Her arms were my safe place, but for the first time, I did not receive the sense of reassurance I usually had. For those who have witnessed family or friends going through chemo, I am sure we can agree that it’s heart-wrenching to watch. My mom became so thin and her bones became seemingly visible. It got to the point where eating was her biggest obstacle; even getting pills down. Some days were unbearable, instead, she’d rather lay in bed all day and try to sleep off the pain, but we knew that wasn’t going to happen. Each day she found a little more energy within herself, where soon enough she was back to tidying up her hotel room and making random gift shop visits.
Considering my mom is a single mother working a full-time job, that means her work hours will come to a pause. She will be out of work for a total of four months, which causes a disruption in finances. My siblings and I now ask something my mother is not completely comfortable with- a GoFundMe campaign has been started in support of my mother and my family while she is away. We ask with the utmost gratitude if there’s anyone willing to donate to her cause. Any donations received will be put strictly towards medical/utility bills, flight tickets, hotel/hospital stay, as well as living expenses. If money is not an option, please offer up any thoughts and prayers you have as they are most welcome and needed. We would like to thank each and every one of you, simply for taking the time to read this in the first place. Any help after that is beyond appreciated, and updates will be posted with her journey through this treatment. The link will be attached below for anyone interested.
Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart as well as my family’s.
by Ellie Sturm
Monday, December 17th, 2018
#IgniteJenniesFight
After being a teacher for the past 14 years, seven years at Ross High School and going into her seventh
year at Oak Hills, Amanda Tuchfarber has it down. Oak Hills High School knows her well as the advisor
of the Tartan and teacher of AP Language and Composition and English 2.
In high school and throughout college, Tuchfarber was an above average student, getting A’s and B’s in
her classes. At McAuley high school, she was a cheerleader for Lasalle and participated in gymnastics and
dance outside of school.
Though she did not start out thinking of being a teacher, it was basically fate. She attended Ohio University.
Going to Ohio University was a great experience for her, when asked how she liked it she responded, “Yes! I loved OU!”. where she started out studying journalism; a passion of hers for as long as she can remember. Being an active member of her high school newspaper, Tuchfarber knew she loved writing and that journalism was the way to go. But while in college, she realized that she needed more out of life than just being a journalist. Tuchfarber explains, “I went to college to be a journalist and it wasn't enough, I felt a need to be in the classroom, I really like reading and writing and I want other people, my kids, to like it as much as I do.”
Tuchfarber’s senior year AP Literature teacher, Mrs. Heile, was one of her major influences in becoming a teacher. Heile impacted her both as a person and as a teacher, from the way class was run to the way she presented herself. Tuchfarber also stated that even now she is able to find teachers now, specifically her coworkers, influence her because of how they run their class or their relationships with students.
When asked if she would ever choose another profession the answer was a confident “no if I ever chose another profession it would still be in the education environment.” She said that if she were to ever not be a teacher she would still stay around schools as a counselor or administrator. Besides that, if teaching had not worked out in the beginning, she would have probably written for a newspaper.
Most, if not all, students have nothing bad to say about her. When asked, Bailey Garcia, a senior at Oak Hills, said “I love the atmosphere in her class. She makes sure that everyone understands completely and fully what he or she are to do, and if a student doesn’t, she always goes above and beyond to help. She loves to give feedback and advice to anything she can, and I love learning from her both as a teacher and as a person.” Tuchfarber is a teacher that most students hope to have, hearing great things about her class atmosphere. In this interview, Tuchfarber was asked how much longer she would be teaching; she responded with “I don’t see an end in sight if I stop being a teacher I will still stay connected with the school.” We all hope that remains true.
An amazing teacher and person, Amanda Tuchfarber has made a positive impact on almost all of her students and everyone she has met throughout her life. There are those that leave a mark on her, and she will never forget them as her past students will never forget her or her class.
“Every year I have a favorite group. Do I have those that stand out, yes.”
by Ciera Franke
Thursday, December 13th, 2018
Profile Feature: Mrs. Tuchfarber
by Kyra Lough
Wednesday, December 12th, 2018
Christmas Traditions Around The World
Santa Clause, decorated trees, stockings, and lights are a few of the traditions we celebrate Christmas here in the United States. But do you know how this global holiday is celebrated in other places in the world? Here we will take a look at 8 Christmas traditions around the world!
Philippines
Giant Lantern Festival
This festive festival is held every year on the Saturday before Christmas Eve. San Fernando- the “Christmas Capital of the Philippines” attracts visitors from all around the world. There is a competition to build the most elaborate lantern. They are made from different materials, have grown from around ½ meter to 6 meters in size, and are lit by a light bulb. These beautiful lanterns are sure to take your breath away!
Sweden
Gävel Goat
A 13-meter-tall Yule Goat has been build up at the center of Gävel Castle Square in Sweden since 1966. But it isn’t just the building of this monumental animal that has become a tradition - people try to burn it down. Since this all started, it has successfully been burnt down 29 times, the last time being in 2016.
Bavaria
Krampus
A creature that roams the streets, frightening children and punishing the naughty ones. You have likely heard of Krampus before. St. Nicholas’ evil partner does the opposite. On December 6th, St. Nicholas goes around and rewards the good children, while Krampus goes around and captures the naughty children in his sack. Within the first week of December, young men will dress up as Krampus and frighten children with the clattering noise of chains and bells. Make sure you are behaving, or you may be getting a visit next year!
Japan
KFC Dinner
One tradition my family has begun is to eat the traditional Christmas meal of another country. A couple of years ago, we chose Japan. Turns out, they celebrate with the Christmas Day feast of Kentucky Fried Chicken. Yes, in recent years, Christmas tables have been filled with KFC. Doesn’t sound too bad, does it?
Iceland
The Yule Lads
In the 13 days leading up to Christmas, Iceland has 13 troll-like characters come out and play. Children leave out their best shoes by the window, and a Yule Lad (jólasveinarnir or jólasveinar) go around and leaves gifts for the good children and rotting potatoes for the bad ones. They travel around and create mischief all across Iceland, as their names suggest:
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Stekkjastaur (Sheep-Cote Clod)
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Giljagaur (Gully Gawk)
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Stúfur (Stubby)
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Þvörusleikir (Spoon-Licker)
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Pottaskefill (Pot-Scraper)
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Askasleikir (Bowl-Licker)
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Hurðaskellir (Door-Slammer)
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Skyrgámur (Skyr-Gobbler)
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Bjúgnakrækir (Sausage-Swiper)
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Gluggagægir (Window-Peeper)
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Gáttaþefur (Doorway-Sniffer)
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Ketkrókur (Meat-Hook)
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Kertasníkir (Candle-Stealer)
Norway
Christmas Witches
Now, this is very different. In Norway, people will hide their brooms come Christmas. There is an interesting backstory. Centuries ago, people believed that witches and evil spirits came out on Christmas Eve and looked for their brooms to ride upon. The tradition of hiding brooms to keep away the witches and spirits has carried on to even today, as they are put into the safest place in the house to prevent them from being stolen.
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Venezuela
Rolling to Church
As Christmas is a Christian holiday, many attend Church frequently during the holidays. In Venezuela, they attend Church frequently too, but they roller skate to get there. Every Christmas Eve, the residents head to Church in the morning, but for reasons I cannot explain, they do so on roller skates. The roads are even closed to cars to make sure everyone is safe as they skate. What a way to wake up!
Toronto
Cavalcade of Lights
A little closer to home, the annual Cavalcade of Lights marks the official start of the holidays. Since 1967, City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square are lit with over 300,000 energy-efficient LED lights from dusk to 11 pm until the New Year. On top of that, there is a fireworks show and ice skating to enjoy. What a beautiful way to celebrate the season!
Land of Open Graves Talk by Dr. Jason De León
by Kyra Lough
Tuesday, December 11th, 2018
Everyone will have their own opinion about immigration policy and the United State’s actions to counter illegal immigration. I am not trying to convince anyone of my opinions or Dr. León’s opinions. That being said, I am also not trying to argue against anyone and their beliefs. You are entitled to your opinion and I will not attempt to change it. To me, this talk taught me much about migrants and their side of the story. With recent events, I wanted to talk about what I took away from Dr. León’s book and talk.
On October 18th, 2018, I was invited to listen to a lecture at Miami University in Oxford. Called Land of Open Graves, author Dr. Jason De León describes his books and journey discovering the challenges migrants from Central and South America ace when crossing the US/Mexican border. All I knew going in was that he is a brilliant Archeologist and doing a lecture on his new book. What I didn’t expect were the tear-jerking stories I would witness in words and images.
Death is normal for humans. We are all aware that we will one day die and leave our legacy behind us. For most of us, we dream big and focus on ways to boost yourself in society. For many people, they are trying to escape the harsh conditions of poverty and persecution. A life without freedom is a life we can’t imagine without experiencing it. I don’t pretend to be able to relate to any migrant. The hardships they face are worse than I ever knew, and I doubt you knew either.
Due to the recent migrant caravan, I decided to write this article about the messages I received from the lecture.
To start, Dr. León had to talk about his experience. He saw death first hand and
realized the struggle it truly was just to walk through the natural environment. He
discussed “Prevention Through Deterrence,” which is the system used today to try
and prevent illegal immigration. The US deliberately funnels immigrants into the
Sonoran Desert where humans and natural causes will do the border patrols’
“brutal work.” Going in, they have no clue the parallels that will have to face,
leaving them open to heat stroke, dehydration, diseases, animals, and more. The
weather, heat, terrain, and floods alone are enough to kill thousands every year.
Many end up missing and their bodies are never recovered. To help each other,
migrants set up supply camps and towns to help anyone who passes by replenishing
their supplies. Other than those few places, they are on their own. Because of the lack
of preparedness, death is a normal occurrence on the path north. But that doesn’t deter
the desperate.
As he traveled around, he got to know the people and their stories. The accounts of Memo and Lucho, people he met during his time by border towns/cities, shocked him and contributed greatly to the discoveries made. Previously, Homeland Security used a “catch and release” system where illegal immigrants were immediately deported, whereas now, they use Operation Streamline, a no tolerance program. Memo and Lucho were able to cross the border and lived in Arizona. From their stories, Dr. León became more aware of the personal trauma migrants face. He uncovered the typology of the migrant process. Places migrants would camp, rest, practice religion, trade, get picked up, get arrested and die were uncovered in his expeditions. It helps to identify the timing and locations of events, as people search for their missing loved ones.
That’s just it isn’t it. Many of the people that attempt to cross the border don’t make it past the Sonoran Desert. They will likely remain there, either confirmed dead or missing for years. As Dr. León and his students cross the paths, migrants themselves take, they came across the body of a woman that had experienced necroviolence. While this term may be misconstrued, Dr. León developed the term necroviolence to describe the mistreatment of a body. He says that the Department of Homeland Security's “Prevention Through Deterrence” embodies necroviolence and all of its heartbreak. The emotions he and his students felt were harrowing and showed them that no matter how much it sickens them, they must continue to investigate because that is what they are doing. If no one else will search into just what happens to migrants, then who will?
After identifying the body as Maricela from Ecuador, Dr. León’s team gets in contact with Maricela’s family, one of whom is a migrant living in Queens, New York, Christian. He never wanted her to cross due to the horror and difficulty that he experienced. They also contacted her family in Ecuador. They told the team that they too warned her against going. She had left in hopes of providing more for her three children. When they brought her body back home, it remained close casket. Dr. León didn’t want her family to see what had happened to her. The horrific events that her body told the family and the team were just the beginning of the story. When someone dies, his or her body is scavenged and lost within days. The clothing and belongings become scattered, dehumanizing the body. But this isn’t the only instance of dehumanization. Necropolitics puts all of these deaths, including Maricela’s into a number. Sovereignty is used to justify the deaths. It also sends a message to the living. A message that many ignore in hopes of a possible better future.
A Q&A session followed the talk. I was one of the few lucky people to be able to ask my burning question. Seeing as I wasn’t a student taking notes for an assignment, a professor attending with their students to learn more, or an attendant with a personal connection to migration, I asked a fairly general question. I asked him: “With the current political controversy over immigration and the upcoming election, what would you say to the younger generations that are preparing to vote in the coming years?” Beng 17 myself, I will be voting in the next election. I knew that the audience was filled with college students getting prepared to vote in a couple of weeks. While the election is over, I feel that his response is still important to remember. Dr. León told me that he wants everyone to be more aware. He never once attempted to implement is political views on me or anyone else. While I could easily distinguish them, He only wished that people would be more conscious when they vote. The people have the power to make the change and express their opinions. The younger generations are different, and as they start to participate more in government, they will need to prepare themselves with information. Necroviolence and necropolitics are ignored parts of the immigration debates, and everyone should be more aware of what happens at the border and the United States’ current policies being implemented.
If there is anything I hope someone can retain form this, I would want them to be more aware of the migrant issue at the border. But it isn’t just this issue. Americans are generally ignorant about societal and political issues. If we were all more attentive, the government would likely run more functionally, and the United States could truly be the free refuge. Let us set an example for everyone and give everyone the equity he or she deserves.
by Kyra Lough
Monday, December 10th, 2018
Ohio’s 1st Congressional Debate (Aftab Pureval v. Steve Chabot)
I was invited by my AP Government teacher, Mr. Cocklin, to go and represent Oak Hills among other schools in the area, at the Aftab Preval/Steve Chabot debate on October 24th, 2018. Never before have I been able to interact so much with politics, seeing as I am only 17-years-old. So going in, I had no idea what to expect. I have watched Presidential debates before on television, but this could be completely different. I was both excited and curious to find out more about the Congressional debate and more about our candidates for Congress in the 1st District.
When I arrived, the first thing that caught my attention was the gathering of Aftab supporters. Decked in light blue, the proudly showed their support for the young candidate. From 5:45 to 6:30, they stood there and cheered on their candidate with signs, balloons, LGBTQ representation, and chants.
Oak Hills wasn’t the only school to have student representative watch. Taylor, MSJ, Swaton, Elder, St. X, and LaSalle all showed up as well. Judge Dennis Deters, retired politicians, and others were some of the familiar faces to come at witness the debate. Watching everyone socialize with each other and getting along was quite the sight.
It was soon time to go back into the room. The stage was set up quite simply: red, white, and blue decor and each candidate on either side of the stage. Sponsored by the Western Economic Council (WEC), the debate soon began as we entered the room. Covered by WCPO, they gave us directions to stay quiet and watch peacefully. However, we all were shocked by the hostility and humor both candidates showed. We couldn’t help but laugh under our breaths as we watched. I began to wonder if this was how all debates were, just a tennis match of insults and jabs to make the other seem worse. Perhaps they are.
Opening statements were interesting, to say the least. I myself have scarcely followed the race up until this point, but even I could sense the hostility between Pureval and Chabot. Steve Chabot opened the night up with his opening statement, which was mostly jabs at his opponent and his successes in office so far. Aftab Pureval followed up with a somewhat softer opening, where he primarily talked about the positive to electing him and the negative of Chabot’s campaigns so far. Both seemed like respectable people, but I always find that there was a point where both seemed somewhat childish.
There were 12 total topics/questions asked in the hour. Some of the major ones included immigration, the Me Too movement, the Kavanaugh/Gorsuch case, economic control, gun restrictions, the Heroin epidemic, Tariffs, and more. You could easily tell the differences in opinions. They are both very Republican/Democratic respectively, and their views on those issues support that.
One topic mentioned frequently was minorities and young adults. While you would think they would all be supporting Aftab, Chabot was apparently trying to target them too. I feel that both know in the coming future, there will be an influx of young voters, and as it stands, they primarily support the Democratic Party. As a teen soon to be a voter myself, I do feel that my generation is prepared to vote. We have the passion and will to do so.
After the election, I was somewhat surprised at the results. Based on the debate, I would have expected greater supports for Aftab. With 151,107 votes, Chabot won and remains as the 1st District Congressman. But it was a close race. Preval won 135,467 votes. For a young newcomer, he did better than many expected.
Over the next couple of years, I am expecting to see the Democratic Party rise up again after Obama. With the Democrats controlling the House, the next few years will be interesting to witness. Perhaps I’m wrong, and the Republican party will have a greater impact on Cincinnati. Either way, the debate told me much about our government and local representation. If I had to get one message across, it would be to pay attention to the elections, both local and national. You could learn a lot in an hour of your time. I can attest that not only can it be attention-grabbing, but you could learn something new. Let our generation be the next one. As we reach adulthood, the responsibilities are repulsing to think about, but it is your jobs as much as it is mine to be aware.
Females Take The Lead: An Interview With Grace Devoid and Abby Dollries
by Pieper Buckley
Wednesday, November 28th, 2018
Pictured: Dollries (left) and Devoid (right)
In this interview, I sat down with two of the strong female leads in Oak Hills High School’s production of Taming of the Shrew. Seniors Grace Devoid and Abby Dollries (playing the characters of Tranio and Katherine, respectively) give us an insight into the emotion and hard work behind the scenes of the show.
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Q: How do your personal views about social topics such as feminism, relationships, and abuse align with your role in Taming of the Shrew?
GRACE: My character was embodying the feminist agenda at least in my eyes, with having to prove myself to be a man to sit at the table to discuss what my job needed to be. I see the true meaning that people thought it was okay to treat women like this and women accepted and actually liked it. My character is almost like a glimpse into the future that women can “wear the pants” and got the job done in an area where men might not be as strong.
ABBY: When first reading this play, it is easy for someone to think it is largely about sexist and anti-feminist topics. In the beginning of the play, Katherine is strong, witty, and always speaks her mind, while her younger sister Bianca is dainty and more reserved. One could argue that Women are still celebrated more for their beauty than for any other achievement in today’s society. As exemplified in Shakespeare's writing, many people valued Bianca for her 'beauteous modesty' over Katherine's 'scolding tongue'. As for the relationship between Katherine and Petruchio, I think that their interaction is far less about subordination and more like a compromise. After Kate is married off, Petruchio begins the process of taming her; he starts by acting enraged and crazy, even going so far as to strike his servants. Additionally, he tells Kate that she deserves the absolute best, and therefore none of the food, or her bed, or her clothes are good enough, so he keeps her from having any of it. This may seem extremely harsh and could even be classified as abuse. However, Petruchio's motive is not to hurt Kate but rather to emulate how she is acting to make her realize that her behavior is unacceptable. It is also important to remember that Shakespeare intended this play to be taken as a comedy full of satire, but he also uses these extreme actions to make a commentary on society's view of women.
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Q: What kind of sacrifices did you make in your personal life in order to put so much effort into the production of the play?
GRACE: When I say I do almost everything, I literally almost do everything. I had to give up sleep and having literally any connections with people. I had to read Shakespeare, let me tell you it is very hard to sit there and learn Shakespeare outside of a classroom setting.
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ABBY: Every show (especially Shakespeare) requires a large amount of devotion and time to make it successful. I know I speak for all the cast and crew when I say this show was both rewarding and exhausting. Typically, we start rehearsing Tuesdays through Thursdays and also on the weekends. When the show grows closer, we rehearse every day after school. Aside from that time, learning hundreds of lines, including massive two-page monologues, takes a great deal of dedication and patience. To top it all off, you have to keep up with all your school work, college applications, and other activities. That being said, I wouldn't trade doing productions like this for anything else. Without a doubt, the best part is growing so close with all the members of the cast and crew. After spending that much time together, you can't help but feel like a family.
Q: What were your proudest moments throughout the process of creating the show?
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GRACE: My proudest moment is the end when people truly think that I did a good job after having worked so hard on this show. But seeing other people grow as actors and people is amazing and makes me very happy.
ABBY: Some of the best moment from the show are because of those deep friendships developed with the cast. The number of inside jokes could truly be made into a novel! The best thing, however, is that all of the physical heavy liftings was done by female characters. In a show so filled with sexist jokes and jibes about the weakness and subservience of women, several female characters like Grumio, Katherine, and Tranio lifted other members of the cast. In the final scene, I myself carried Bianca on stage over my shoulder. All of us couldn't help but be proud and feel empowered after such a physically demanding performance! I think the addition of actions like these shed a different light on our show; rather than becoming about subordination, it instead was a testament to the power a woman holds in society.
Christmas Checklist
by Emma Supe
Wednesday, November 28th, 2018
Look at Christmas "Lights: The Cincinnati Zoo has one of the best holiday Christmas light displays in Cincinnati, and it definitely is a sight to see! The Whole park is filled with colorful lights which brighten up the whole place. You can also see reindeer.
Light Shows: Pyramid Hill sculpture park has a light show that is made to be gone through in the comfort of your warm cozy car. It has many twists and turns and is full of cool light displays! Coney Island also has a light show that is meant to be done in the car, and also streams music over the radio that coordinates with the show!
Watch Christmas Movies: One of the best times of the year for movies is during the holidays. Everyone loves to cuddle up with some hot chocolate, under a cozy blanket, watching Christmas movies. Watch some classics like Home Alone, or a new movie like the newly made Grinch.
Ice Skating: Downtown is a magical place to be during Christmas. They have a huge ice skating rink right next to the huge Macy’s Christmas tree, and it’s so much fun. It definitely is something to go see!
Bake Christmas Cookies: There isn’t anything that says Christmas like making cookies. Sugar cookies with sprinkles that are shaped like wreaths, trees, and bells are the way to go.
Visit Santa Claus: Go to the mall and sit on Santas lap for a cute picture! Tell him all the cool gifts you want for Christmas, and bring back those good memories from childhood.
Make Christmas Crafts: Get some paper and make snowflakes to hang around the house. Just like the movie Elf. There are wreath kits and fun ornament packs at the local craft store that are also really cool and easy to do.
Ugly Christmas Sweater: Go to the local thrift store and pick out an ugly Christmas sweater. Nothing says Christmas quite like an Ugly Christmas sweater party. And let’s be honest, they don’t make them like they used to; so the older they are, the warmer they probably are.
Most students look forward to the day when they graduate and move on to the “real world.” The underclassmen left at the high school rarely hear from many of those alumni again. Thus, leading to the Tartan’s goal of discovering the lives of Oak Hills alumni, with our newest feature called “Where Are They Now?”
In this edition, we uncover the life of Mrs. DelConte, beloved alumni, former teacher, and past colleague here at Oak Hills High School.
Where Are They Now? Teacher Edition
by Bailey Garcia
Wednesday, November 7th, 2018
Delconte graduated from Oak Hills in 1997, went to Ohio State, and then came back to teach in the district she loved. In fact, her entire teaching career was spent in the district, teaching at both Bridgetown and the high school. At the high school, DelConte taught Legal Issues and Sociology, both elective classes. She was also the advisor for Student Council and absolutely loved to plan and help execute events. Along with Student Council, DelConte enjoyed attending the pep rallies and contributing to the morning announcements. Though DelConte had little no free time, when she did get a second, she loved to read books and watch movies.
Former students and staff endlessly proclaim how much they loved DelConte. No student ever had a bad time in her class. But what made her so successful? It’s fairly simple: DelConte never forgot what it was like to be both a student and a human being. She claims that she “didn’t really do well in school” and she always tried to “not forget what it’s like being in high school.” DelConte knew that students always had more going on in their lives than just school, such as a job and family. Knowing this, allowed for her to both relate to her students and incorporate a teaching style that included real-life lessons and activities.
To those who wish to be this great of a teacher, DelConte provides some straightforward advice: “be helpful and learn how to be flexible.” She also encourages aspiring teachers to make sure that children and students are your passion, ensuring what age group you work best with. In doing so, your teaching career will become something you love and dedicate your life to. DelConte always used to tell her students that “if you like your job half as much as I love mine, you’ll be fine.” Teaching was an obvious passion for DelConte, and she made sure that she positively impacted every student she taught.
DelConte retired in 2014. Now, she said spends her free time “doing whatever I want.” From traveling to babysitting three days a week, DelConte enjoys the free time that she does have now. Though she is retired, DelConte will never forget the students that she was able to teach. To all her past students and current student at Oak Hills, she wants you to remember that “you only live once. Follow your dreams and don’t get into negativity.”
DelConte may be retired from the district, but her legacy and influence on her students will never leave. All who knew her and had her in class know that she is a perfect example of what a great teacher is. DelConte is a teacher who will forever have a lasting impression on her students. From all of us here at Oak Hills and from Oak Hills, thank you for being you, Mrs. DelConte.
DelConte with the kid she watches, Bud.
First day not back to school.
How Could You?
by Bre Luca
Thursday, November 1st, 2018
*Writers note: This story is not something I experienced for myself. I wanted to write this article to show students in our school that they can get over cheating. The person who sent in this story has remained anonymous but she still wanted to share her story. If you know who this person is, please do not reveal it, she stayed anonymous for a reason. Thank you.*
Dear cheating,
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“One morning before the ACT I woke up early and saw that I had 10 missed calls and texts from my boyfriend at the time. He was texting me saying that “we need to talk.” Obviously, I knew something was wrong, but I didn’t know if he was just mad that I canceled plans with him the night before or something minor like that. I called him after the ACT, which was difficult to concentrate on because I was wondering what I could have done to make him mad. After talking on the phone he said he wanted to talk to me in person and that “I had nothing to worry about.” So, he told me to drive to his house which was 45 minutes away. As I was doing that I already had a pit in my stomach assuming the worst, and to make it all better while I was on the highway by myself my tire blew out so I made my way to a gas station. After I called my mom to tell her about my car, I called him to tell him what happened and that I wouldn’t be coming over. After telling me not to freak out because “other guys have done way worse” he told me that he had kissed the girl that he swore to me was only a friend. It took all my energy not to start crying while I was on the phone, but I kept it together and told him we would talk later. When I got home I didn’t want to give him the power to make me upset. I was mad at him. Of course, when I was by myself and thinking about it I got upset and cried every once in a while. But, I refused to think that I was the problem. I knew my worth and I did not want to be another girl who goes back to the guy who cheats on her. Because I knew if I went back since I was so close to ending it the first time, if it happened a second time he wouldn’t tell me. I ended things with him the next morning. It was really nice to have my friends there for me when it happened. I was able to joke around about it which made things easier. As for the guy, I haven’t really talked to him a year ago when it happened. I don’t hate him and I know he is not a completely awful guy, he just did an unforgettable thing that made me not trust him.”
Cheating, you popped up out of nowhere and tried to play everything off like it was no big deal. What did I ever do to you to make you hurt me that bad? You thought you had the power to tear me down but little did you know, I had such outstanding friends who were there for me after everything you did. I know my self-worth, even though you tried your hardest to tear it down. I’m not going to be one of your victims, but nice try.
Sincerely,
Anonymous
P.S. To the people who have been affected by cheating, just remember it is the cheater’s fault and no one else's, you did nothing wrong. Most importantly you need to move on and not go back to the person who hurt you. If they are willing to hurt you like that once, they are willing to do it again in most cases. You don’t deserve for someone to treat you as if you are not important, because darling you are so valuable. You are worth more than that, and eventually, you’ll find someone far better than that original scumbag.
What's The Difference?: Dia De Los Muertos v. Halloween
by Kenzie Hoy
Thursday, November 1st, 2018
Many of us know what Halloween is, but do you know what Dia de Los Muertos is? Some might say it's the Mexican version of Halloween. Well, you’re in luck because I’m going to tell you all about Dia de Los Muertos and why it's actually different from Halloween.
Day of the Dead (Dia de Los Muertos)
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- Originated in Mexico
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- Begins November 1st and Ends November 2nd
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- The purpose of this holiday is to remember and celebrate family and friends who have died
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- The well-known symbol(s) for this day is the sugar skulls
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- The foods eaten during this holiday are pan de Muertos (bread of the dead-skull shaped bread), candied pumpkins and any favorite food of the person you are celebrating
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- The religion of this holiday is Christian.​
Halloween
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- Originated in Ireland
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- Begins and Ends October 31st
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- The purpose of this holiday is to appreciate the afterlife and survival after death. The literal meaning of Halloween is the night before All Hallows Day.
- The well-known symbol(s) for this holiday are pumpkins and ghosts.
- The foods eaten on this holiday are pumpkin pie, cookies shaped like ghosts or skulls, candy and cakes.
- The religion of this holiday is Paganism and Christianity.
Marching Update
by Jaden Thompson
Monday, October 22nd, 2018
Ever wonder what’s going on with the band that peps up the football team and marches in the halftime show at every game? With it being the second year of competition for the marching highlanders, there's a lot going on. Last year, the Marching Highlanders competed in two marching competitions, the Taylor and Colerain Invitationals. The Highlanders will also be competing at LaSalle this year. The Marching Highlanders are stepping up their game and you won’t want to miss a moment!
This year’s show consists of four movements entitled “True Colors.” On the field, they have the opener and the ballad but are working eagerly to put the closer on and finish the show as strong as possible. The opener is a piece to get the crowd going. The ballad though is a more lyrical piece. Like the opener, the closer is very upbeat as it is the last thing the audience will hear from the band.
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The band has five permanent staff members including Kevin Sweatman, Director of Bands, Jim Green, Assistant Director of Bands and Percussion Director, Curtis Shreve, Visual Designer/Caption Head, Julie Shreve, Color Guard Director, and Sara Pollitt, Color Guard Assistant Director. With so few staff members it’s hard to believe how far the Oak Hills marching band has come.
Last year’s show entitled “Breaking the Cycle,” got the Highlanders fourth in their class, which is categorized by size, and sixth place overall at the Colerain Invitational. This year, at their first competition, they’ve placed second in their class and won Reserved Grand Champion out of all eleven bands competing that day at Taylor. Beating Colerain by about three points, and not that far behind Lakota West, winner of the Grand Champion, which, along with Colerain, have been competing for much longer that Oak Hills, is a huge achievement for the Highlanders.
The band spends three hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays just on show music and drill. Sometimes it’s adding on another set, other times it’s cleaning up different parts to get the show to its best possible quality. If you’re in marching band, you’ve probably overheard the phrase “one last time” one too many times! So when Mr. Shreve says, “one last time,” we usually can expect at least another seven runs.
For many, marching band is a four-year commitment. New marchers come in every year from the three middle schools. Sophia Marsala, a freshman trumpet player, is now a part of the band family. Sophia isn’t sure whether she will continue because of conflicts with other activities but would love to if she has the opportunity. When asked what her favorite part of marching was, she couldn’t settle on just one thing. “I love marching band, and my entire section has been amazing throughout this marching season so far,” she says. Getting to meet new people who lift her up and getting to make music all in one place is truly a highlight to her marching experience. “Like they say, ‘we are family.’" Sophia does plan to continue as a part of the band whether it is marching or just concert band.
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The drum majors for the marching season are seniors Mariah Colyer and Kari Sexton, and junior Renee Hall. Mariah Colyer plays a big role in the marching band being the head drum major. With competitions coming up so fast, one could worry endlessly about how much they can improve with only a couple weeks in between each of them, but Mariah is completely confident in the band. “The marching band seriously blew me away with their respect, readiness, and performance at the first competition bringing home Reserve Grand Champions,” Mariah says. She believes that being in those competition settings will help both her and the rest of the band prepare for other events. “I have no doubt in my mind that we will do even better once we compete with our whole show and hearts!” Mariah is in her fourth year with the marching band and a lot has changed since then. A few years ago, Oak Hills got a new band director, Kevin Sweatman, and being a freshman through this huge transition doesn’t make it any easier. In her quick four years of high school, she has seen how much the band has grown. “I have seen Sweatman and Green
grow, not only from each other’s teaching techniques and styles on how to make 100+ kids learn the basics of their instruments in what feels like a week but also through how they build relationships with their students and truly understand what we go through.” This is the key as to why the band has taken off in a way that they couldn’t have even dreamed of four years ago. Not only has the band grown, but Mariah as a person has grown with it saying, “I personally have grown so much more than if I hadn’t been in band throughout high school.” Since her freshman year, it has been her goal to become a drum major and she finally achieved that. Mariah has grown greatly as a leader and musician. “Band has not only made me the person I am today but has helped me lay out my future path too!”
Renee Hall now the first junior assistant drum major since they began letting junior try out, explained what it is like. “When I first got chosen I thought people were going to hate me and disrespect me just because I was a junior in a senior’s position. I have never been more wrong.” She talks about how close she got with the senior drum majors Kari Sexton and Mariah Colyer. “It’s a joke between us that we are the same person because we basically do the same thing.” Renee expresses all the love and care everyone has shown her and everything she has learned from it. “I had doubts about there being a junior drum major but I know now that if you put in the effort, you can do anything.” When asked if she was going to plan on being a drum major next year she responded with, “I really want to be drum major again, and I’ll have a year of experience which can totally help.” She plans to also spread her knowledge down to the crew of aspiring drum majors.
Kari Sexton is the marching band’s third drum major. Like Mariah, Kari has dreamed of being drum major for a while now. For her, the dream began around the time that she was six or seven years old, watching the UC pregame and halftime show. Some may be more intrigued to watch the show from the audience. Marching the show means you can’t actually see it in action, but not for Kari. She says that’s her favorite part of the experience, “I get to watch and listen to the show while being a part of it.” And now being a competing band, the shows will only get better. Kari describes this year's show as “the best show yet” and continues with saying “it really shows off the amazing talent we have this year and is launching us into the competitive atmosphere.” Being a part of the band for all of her high school career, marching has had lasting impacts on her that she will leave high school with. “It has taught me discipline, hard work, determination, and most importantly time management.”
The marching band competed at their second competition last Saturday performing three of their four movements. At the first competition this year, only eleven bands competed with one other band was in our class. This time they competed against four other bands in the open class with 19 bands including, Oak Hills. Open class is the largest having 100+ marchers. They got 3rd place in their class and were awarded 4th place overall beating 12 other bands. "Think about it, if we got 3rd place already, what place would we have got if we actually knew the whole show?" says Hannah Snider, a member of the color guard.
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As mentioned before, the marching band has only been a competing band for two years. One may be curious as to what led band director Kevin Sweatman to turn the band into a competitive marching one. He says that competitive marching can provide extra motivation for students to give their absolute best performance which is ultimately the main reason. “It's all about presenting the best we are capable of to a live audience. Being in the hands of great leadership can help to promote a higher quality
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product,” says Sweatman. What the band is being asked to do is incredibly demanding and requires complete dedication and work ethic that is much different from your typical clubs and activities. “Data has shown that the physical demands of competitive marching can equate to, or surpass, that of some competitive sports,” Sweatman states. He also believes that the experience is incredibly rewarding and flat-out fun, “We take pride in the musical opportunities we're able to provide because it is a unique and exciting outlet unlike anything else a high school student will ever get to experience.” While the number of students involved in ensembles and other activities has increased, what he finds more important the skill level and quality of musicianship that he has begun to see rapid progress in. Not to mention the overall excitement going on throughout Oak Hills bands. “Nothing is more fulfilling than seeing students this excited about developing and sharing this great gift of music.” What he has seen is as he describes as “really something special,” something many marches can all relate to.
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Here is what came to mind when members think of marching band.
Jentsyn Thorp, a senior trombone player, and section leader said, “When I think of band I think of hard work and dedication, but most of all I think of family. No matter what your interests, who you are, what you do, Band is always there for you. We don’t judge anyone, because in the end we are all nerds and we are fine with being ourselves. Band has given us a chance to amplify our true selves and have a place where we call home away from home.”
Aiden Gregg, a sophomore trumpet player, and quartermaster (aka someone who helps to set everything up for rehearsals)said, “When I hear the words marching band, I think of family. I have made many lifelong friends in the two years I've been a part of marching band. Our directors, Mr. Sweatman and Mr. Green, don't really present themselves as teachers, but more as a friend and mentor, which only adds to the family feeling. They commit their time to help us improve, and are always open to suggestions
from students, instead of leading a tight state, they are understanding. I also think about the great amount of fun that I've had, whether it be during practice, trying to make every moment count, or the bus rides to and from our parades, games, and competitions, jamming out in the back of the bus, getting hyped for what's to come in the next couple of hours. Band has always been an escape from whatever is going on in my life, and it has helped me through many tough situations, especially with the amount of people who are there to help and listen.”
Kevin Tinker, a sophomore baritone player, and member of spirit squad said, “I think of family who will always be by your side. I think of building friendships that will last a lifetime. I also think of how much work we put in throughout the marching season to see the amazing result.”
The Oak Hills Marching Highlanders are taking a huge step, shocking the other, more experienced, bands. With one more competition to come, they’re sure to blow everyone away. Be sure to keep up with the marching band at home football games and come to show your support on October 27th, 8:45 pm at Colerain High School for their last competition of the season! They will be performing their entire show, True Colors, competing against 20 other bands. Hope to see you there!
RIP Firehawk
by Cameron Fink
Friday, October 19th, 2018
After about a week of speculation and media implications of a Kings Island favorite being dispatched, the answer everyone has been waiting for has been announced. Kings Island is going to be ridding its park of Firehawk after its last weekend of operation, Oct. 26- Oct. 28, this being during the final days of Halloween Haunt and the Great Pumpkin Fest. Firehawk has been a fan favorite for its unique design. Firehawk is an inverted “lay-back” ride where the rider is seated, and then the car is rotated so the riders are strapped in and once everyone is seated, the seats fall back. Then the coaster goes in reverse out of the starting position. According to the official Kings Island website, Firehawk “travels up the 115-foot lift at a 33-degree angle. At the top of the lift, it dips down into a twist that turns
the trains upside down into a flying position where riders face the ground and experience the inconceivable feeling of flight. Riders fly at speeds up to 51 mph along 3,340 feet of track.” Firehawk at Kings Island has already given over 6.7 million rides! But the coaster that can be found in the amusement park today wasn’t always “Firehawk”. The coaster was called X-Flight at its original opening location of Six Flags. The ride was manufactured by Vekoma, a Dutch amusement ride manufacturer. Vekoma has produced only one other coaster that has the same layout as Firehawk named the Batwing, located at yet another Six Flags in Gurnee, Illinois. X-Flight began service in 2001 in Aurora, Ohio. 17 years of constant use has brought the coaster to the “end of its lifespan after loyally serving two dedicated fan bases” as officials have said. So what’s next? Removing a roller coaster as large as Firehawk would mean there is now room for another to replace it, right? Kings Island fans have been speculating but that’s all it is for now, speculation. Kings Island hasn’t made any indication as to what a new coaster would be or look like. However, many are still hoping for a reprise of the Son of Beast, an original, wooden, recording breaking rollercoaster that was meant as a sequel to the Beast. Although this is unlikely, for financial purposes and space allotted, many are also hoping to see a giga-coaster, a coaster between 300-399 feet tall that completes a full circuit. Until then, all that can be done is mourn for the loss of one of our beloved roller coasters.
Teacher Feature: Ms. Kelly
by Bre Luca
Tuesday, October 16th, 2018
Once again, the student body has spoken. Ms. Kelly has been voted to be October’s featured teacher. After taking time out of her very hectic week, Ms. Kelly has generously answered my inescapable questions to help you get to know her better.
Q: “What subject do you teach?”
A: “English! I teach Honors English 1, English 2, and Honors English 3.”
Q: “What are five words you would you to describe yourself?”
A: “Compassionate, passionate, awkward, friendly, bad-at-list-making.”
Q: “How do you get ready for school in the morning?”
A: “I hit snooze approximately 27 times. Then I put on clothes and chug coffee. If I’m feeling really ambitious, I put my hair in a ponytail instead of a bun - that’s how you know I’ve really gotten my life together.”
Q: “If you could turn back time, what would you change and why?”
A: “I’m probably overthinking this, but I would be terrified to turn back time and make things worse somehow. But if I knew there would be no negative effects, I would definitely turn back time and prevent Kanye from ruining TayTay’s night at the 2009 VMAs.”
Q: “What is your greatest fear?”
A: “I’m a huge germaphobe, as most of my students can attest. I’m also really, really terrified of getting a paper cut on my eye (ever since I found out that’s a thing that can happen).”
Q: “What animal would you be if you had the choice?”
A: “I would be my dog, Jamie Suzanne because she’s a goddess and also because she literally gets everything she wants. (My sister and I are very bad dog owners.)”
Q: “If you weren't a teacher what would you be?”
A: “A psychologist - I’m really interested in helping careers, and especially interested in helping people who are really struggling.”
Q: “Why did you choose to become a teacher?”
A: “I was a tennis instructor in the summers during high school and college, and I loved watching people learn new things and get excited about their learning. Eventually, I realized that I could actually get paid (real) money to do that - so I applied to the College of Education at my college.”
Q: “What is the funniest moment from your teaching experience?”
A: “There are too many to count! I will say that’s one of the things that makes me love my job; I never go a full day without laughing really, really hard.”
Q: “How do you make your classroom fun?”
A: “I think my students actually do most of the work to accomplish that! But I try to open up the floor for students to share their ideas and their questions so that all people in my room can be a part of the learning process - and be excited about it.”
Congratulations Ms. Kelly! Thank you for being the free-spirited teacher that you are. Your relatability and creativity have helped you to be loved by many students today. With her bubbly personality and relatable morning routine, it is no surprise why the students voted to have her featured this month.
Choir Festival
by Emily Cole
Wednesday, October 10th, 2018
Choir Festival is an OHLSD concert, that takes place on Monday, October 8th, where all the choirs in the district (elementary, middle, and the high school) gather together in the gym at Oak Hills High School once every school year to perform for parents, friends, and whoever else wants to sit back and enjoy some music! We all sing a variety of songs, that range from movie tracks to different languages.
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You may be asking yourself, “Well, why would I want to come? What’s so interesting about it?” It’s totally free! And what else are you going to do on a Monday night?
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This performance is the perfect opportunity for the younger kids to bond with the older kids, getting the experience of singing in a very large group in a busy setting. The elementary and middle school students look up to the high schoolers for guidance, and they begin to find their way, whether it’s involving music or not.
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Parents of the students involved get the opportunity to interact and socialize with teachers and other parents, especially when it involves choir. The parents of new choir students, or any choir student, can become part of the community while being exposed to the environment of singing heartfelt songs. It is sure to melt hearts and bring together every person in the district, student or not, in this coming up chilly sweater weather!
Witches
by Jaden Thompson
Friday, October 5th, 2018
The infamous Salem witch trials have inspired many popular Halloween fantasies, such as the movie The Conjuring. These give us the impression of an innocent woman being accused of witchcraft, which ultimately led to being burned at the stake. But were they truly “burned”?
Burning witches originated from European trials. These took place before the Salem trials. It was a typical practice to have been executed by fire which is presumably what sparked such myths about Salem. Witch trials were held in places such as Germany, Scandinavia, Scotland, Italy, and France with approximately 50,000 people executed for witchcraft. Some were beheaded first, others faced the fires alive. Quite spooky to think of, right? Witch trials ended for Salem and Europe around the same time but continued in other places around the world. The most recent one was only a concerning ten years ago in Nigeria.
Not only did the witch trials take place in Salem, Massachusetts but they were also commonly found in Europe, starting all the way back in the late 17th century. Contrary to what we have heard, witches were not actually burned at the stake in Salem. Instead, they were hung after they went to trial.
Starting in the spring of 1692 in Salem Village, accusations of witchcraft were cast out to over 150 people, of whom were mostly women, within just a few months. It began when a group of young girls thought to be possessed by the devil, causing a surge of chaos throughout Salem. The first person convicted of witchcraft was Bridget Bishop. Bishop, along with 18 others, were hung.
Bridget Bishop, maiden name Playfer, was a big deal to historians since she was the first victim of the Salem witch trials. Bishop had an average life back then. In 1660, she married her first husband, a man from England, named Samuel Wasselby who died four years later. Within two years she had married a widower named Thomas Oliver. Oliver had a couple children of his own but he and Bridget only had one child together. Often the couple were found fighting by neighbors and were fined. In 1678, Bridget was brought to court for using foul language against her husband. The following year, Oliver died of an illness and Bridget received a substantial inheritance whereas his children only inherited 20 shillings each. Bridget’s stepchildren accused her to have bewitched their father to death, but with such little evidence, it was overlooked. It was thought that the children only wanted the property she has inherited from their father.
Bridget continued to get into trouble over the years. She was marrying her third husband now. He was a woodcutter named Edward Bishop, hence Bridget Bishop. On April 18, 1692, Bridget Bishop was arrested for witchcraft under the accusations of several other women. The next day she went to trial.
As stated on historyofmassachusetts.org, this transcript showcases the line of questioning Bridget Bishop received at her trial.
She
[Bishop]: If it please your worship I know nothing of it.
‘“[Hathorne]: They say you bewitcht your first husband to death.shake her head & the afflicted were tortured.
The like again upon the motion of her head.
Sam: Braybrook affirmed that she told him to day that she had been accounted a witch these 10 years, but she was no witch, the Devil cannot hurt her.
[Bishop]: I am no witch.
[Hathorne]: Why if you have not wrote in the book, yet tell me how far you
have gone? Have you not to do with familiar Spirits?
[Bishop]: I have no familiarity with the devil.
[Hathorne]: How is it then, that your appearance doth hurt these?
[Bishop]: I am innocent.
[Hathorne]: Why you seem to act witchcraft before us, by the motion of your
body, which seems to have influence upon the afflicted?
[Bishop]: I know nothing of it. I am innocent to a witch. I know not what
a Witch is.
[Hathorne]: How do you know then that you are not a witch?
[Bishop]: I do not know what you say.
[Hathorne]: How can you know, you are no witch, & yet not know what a
witch is?
[Bishop]: I am clear: if I were any such person you should know it.
[Hathorne]: You may threaten, but you can do no more than you are permitted.
[Bishop]: I am innocent of a witch.”’
That same day, Bishop was indicted on five separate counts of witchcraft, with an overwhelming amount of evidence against her. Witnesses gave testimonies on how she bewitched their family, friends, and even animals. And later on, a man named John Louder was afraid her spirit would attack him in his sleep, and also seemed skeptical of her apple orchard tree claiming he saw “flying monkeys” over them. On Friday, June 10, 1692, after several other examinations, Bridget Bishop was brought to the execution site and was hung. Even after death, she was not permitted to be buried in the sanctified ground because of her conviction as a witch. In a more modern day, flying monkeys and bewitching people to death seems quite absurd...
After Bridget Bishop, over 200 others would be accused, and 20 would be executed for witchcraft. It wasn’t until the governor’s wife was accused that the trials became prohibited. It was admitted that the trials were a mistake and the affected families were compensated for their losses and convictions, but nothing could’ve made up for what happened to these men and women.
Today many know that the witch trials are just a bunch of Hocus Pocus, so you don’t have to worry about being bewitched to death. And believe it or not, the trials have left a lasting impact on us. Many young girls used to dress as a witch for Halloween every year, and now they know their stories.
Trick-Or-Treat So Kids Can Eat
by Kyra Lough
Thursday, October 4th, 2018
A Halloween tradition here at Oak Hills High School is the annual fundraiser and canned food drive: Trick-Or-Treat So Kids Can Eat. Our Drama Club, Key Club, Band, and the Work-Study students ask Tartan Times to participate in collecting canned foods on Halloween.
From 6-9 p.m. on October 31st, Oak Hills students will hit the town to collect non-perishables instead of (or with) their candy. The non-perishables will be donated to the Anderson Ferry Food Pantry to help local families.
Mama P, the director of this event, says, “this is a great program and my students love knowing that they are making a difference in their community and having fun in the process.”
The challenge given to the students every year is to stock the pantry to feed the community. Any contribution can make a difference. All you have to do is ask your neighbors when going around for Trick-Or-Treat to fill up a bag of nonperishable items. Bring them to school the next day on the small stage in the back of the commons.
I have done this every year of my high school career. I have found that people are willing to contribute any canned goods they have. The community is brought together on Halloween. We all decorate and celebrate the end of October with costumes, candy, and movies. If Halloween can bring us together over costumes and candy, then it should be able to bring us together to feed our community.
So, what will YOU be doing this Halloween?
Hope Squad
by Cameron Fink & Bre Luca
Monday, October 1st, 2018
School can play a key role in suicide prevention among students. Teachers, counselors, and the student body, coupled with whoever else might have frequent or daily contact with students, can play a fundamental role in assisting the school with the suicide prevention initiative. The most effective approach to this is a comprehensive counselor-student relationship, referred to as Hope Squad. Hope Squad is an initiative coming to Oak Hills High School at the beginning of the second semester. Implementing this program at Oak Hills High School will require an immense amount of thought and research.
Teenage suicide rates have dramatically increased in our country. High school principal Mr. Hunt has led an initiative to adopt the Hope Squad; An organization aiming to help students and staff recognize potential suicidal students. Forty students will lead the Hope Squad; students who are deemed reliable and easy to talk to by the student body will make up the annual additions. Once selected, these students will be trained by the counselors on how to understand suicidal signs. Elected students will undergo regular training for a few months. They will then be able to recognize signs of mental disorders, disability, or depressed demeanors, even if it isn’t blatantly obvious. The training process will occur once or twice a month until they have completed all nine chapters of the course. Beyond this training, students will be informed as to what their roles are. These students are not substituting counselors and should not interfere with extremely serious or dire situations; as this is still the role of school counselors. The counselors are the ones who train the forty selected Hope Squad members on what they should be specifically watching for. The students are intended to be the eyes and ears only. Even though the students are the ones who are watching for others in need, the counselors are the leaders and professionals of this organization. Students can talk amongst themselves for support, of course, however, if any suicidal tendencies are noticed by another student, this is when the student should report it to a counselor.
Hope Squad might only be implemented in the high school, but its main purpose is to make our community as a whole a better place. We are hoping that this allows the school to have a much more positive and accepting environment where all students feel safe to talk to the counselors and their peers. The community benefits from safer and happier students in the schools. The weight will be lifted off of students shoulders because they now know that there is a direct counselor to student relationship to rely upon at all times. High school is a tumultuous period for nearly all students, the Hope Squad initiative is not just a step, but a leap in the right direction.
The Effects Of Standardized Testing
by Elizabeth Dreyer
Thursday, September 27th, 2018
Standardized testing is widely used in the United States. The average student takes up to 112 mandatory tests between pre-kindergarten and 12 grade. Standardized testing has created many negative experiences for students in America. According to Education Researcher Gregory J. Cizek, standardized testing creates gripping anxiety, even in the brightest of students that could, in turn, hinder the student’s test score. Testing doesn’t just affect the students, but also the educators/administrators. Since students are often evaluated on correctness, teachers will often “teach to the test.” This means that teachers will teach what is on the test and may not focus on a student’s learning ability. Critics of my argument may say that “teaching to the test” is great because it teaches the student the actual concept, but it doesn’t help students strive for better learning options and it doesn’t help students learn skills that they need for their adult life.
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Standardized learning doesn’t take into account a student’s creativity, logic, or hands-on learning practices. Standardized testing judges a student’s ability to answer a logical question on one particular day and does not take into consideration outside factors. Evaluating a student that had a bad day or a student that cannot focus sets the student up for failure. Testing doesn’t measure a student’s creativity and/or the ability to solve real-world problems. Therefore, standardized testing creates many complications for the student and educator.
Homecoming Spirit Week
by Elysia Sturm
Wednesday, September 19th, 2018
Here are the daily themes for this year’s Spirit Week to kick off Homecoming Week! (9/24 thru 9/28)
Monday: Powderpuff Shirt/Jersey Day
Tuesday: Dad Day
Wednesday: Jungle Safari Day
Thursday: Toga Day (Seniors Only)/Holiday Day (Grades 9-11)
Friday: Red & Black Oak Hills Spirit Wear Day
We hope to see you all participate. Happy Homecoming Week!
Where Are They Now? Ross Twins
by Bailey Garcia
Thursday, September 13th, 2018
Most students look forward to the day when they graduate and move on to the “real world.” The underclassmen left at the high school rarely hear from many of those alumni again. Thus, leading to the Tartan’s goal of discovering the lives of Oak Hills alumni, with our newest feature called “Where Are They Now?”
Pictured:
Derrek and Dustin Ross
In this edition, we uncover the lives of Derrek and Dustin Ross who graduated from Oak Hills in 2012. Their time spent in high school was surrounded by football, basketball, and spending quality time with friends. The pair also conveniently worked at the same restaurant, Marco’s Pizza. The school was most enjoyable in class with Mrs. Bareswilt or Mr. Boles, two of their favorite teachers. Involvement in extracurriculars and socializing with friends was a big part of both Derrek and Dustin being successful, as it adequately prepared both for college and life after school.
It was no surprise that the twins ended up attending the same college, Yale University. Their time there was spent both on the football field and in the classroom, as they chose to continue their football career as well. Derrek and Dustin also majored in economics together.
The transition from high school life to college life was fairly easy for them as Oak Hills prepared them well for the difficulty of college life. because of the life, the pair both led in Oak Hills High School. Dustin advises high school students to “be prepared for the academic intensity and responsibility that comes with attending college,” and to engage in as many friendships as possible, making sure to meet new people from new places. With this in mind, Derrek states that it is important to “find what you’re passionate about and give it everything” ensuring yourself the best life after college.
After graduating college, the twins decided to pursue what each of them was passionate about. Their majors in college led both of them to the same career field of economics. Dustin is a finance associate at Stone Canyon Industries in Los Angeles. Derrek is a Private Equity Associate in New York City.
Alumni make our community great. Graduating from Oak Hills High School leaves one with life-long friends and a reason to be proud every time you come home and visit. Dustin states he is proud to be an Oak Hills alumni because of the “continued record of success the school and its alumni have.” He expresses how proud he is to see current students succeed both in the classroom and on the field. Dustin is “honored to see many of my classmates go on to do meaningful things with their education to positively affect the world, and I can only expect them to do so more in the future.” Likewise, Derrek is also very proud to be a graduate of Oak Hills High School. He explains that “the Oak Hills community gives back what you put in. With some of the most invested teachers, staff, and coaches, a student who chooses to work hard and achieve their goals is given the support to accomplish anything.” Becoming a part of the Oak Hills alumni is something to be proud of, it’s a great community built from students and teachers who make it great. Derrek concludes that “I’m proud to say that I’m part of a community that challenges and encourages the students who choose to invest in themselves.”
17 Years And We're Still Affected
by Kyra Lough
Tuesday, September 11th, 2018
Today marks the 17th Anniversary of the September 11th attacks. This year, the last generation alive during this will be graduating high school. This year, the kids learning how to drive for the first time have never lived in a world without Airport Security being so secure and strict. This year the youngest child killed during the attacks would have been 20, while the oldest would have surpassed 100 years.
Such a tragedy has been haunting our minds for nearly 2 decades and will continue to remind us of a time that brought the world together. After these 17 years, there have been new developments concerning 9/11 and the victims.
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Between those on the plane, those on ground zero, and the rescuers, nearly 3,000 people were killed with about 6,000 injured. CBS Sunday Morning gave a story of a new memorial opened two days before the anniversary for the heroic victims of Flight 93. Providing details for the new addition, a 2,200 acre memorial on the grounds of the crash of Flight 93 in central Pennsylvania.
American Flag / Kyra Lough
American Flag / Kyra Lough
"Tower of Voices" / CBS News
The “Tower of Voices” will dedicate 40 wind chimes for the 40 passengers and crew members aboard Flight 93, even though there are only eight chimes held right now. Paul Murdoch told CBS that "The first thing I want them to do is feel. Whatever they feel. The tower itself is quite heroic; it's a monumental piece, it's meant to be heroic. But the sounds are not booming chimes. They're meant to be actually quite subtle and intimate so that people can be there and have a very personal experience, whatever it is for them." This area of Pennsylvania is known for its wind and windmills. When the wind blows, those today and in the future will hear the soft voices of those 40 heroes so people will always remember.
Visit CBS Sunday Morning to listen to the simulation of the windchimes.
It wasn’t just the Twin Towers that were damaged. When they fell, the underground subway system in the area was buried. The Cortlandt Street station, as reported by The Economic Times, reopened for the first time after the 9/11 attack just days before the anniversary. 1,200 feet of tunnel and track were rebuilt with the old footprint after The Metropolitan Transportation Authority began construction in 2015. The New York Times described it as the “last major piece in the city’s quest to rebuild what was lost.” People celebrated the reopening as a way to remember what happened.
Visit The Economic Times for more on the subway.
Most people have watched the only film of the first plane crashing into the North Tower or footage of the towers falling. In early September, RealClearPolitics wrote about new, never before released the footage. According to them, The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuits against the National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) led to the release of almost all existing footage consulted in the 9/11 Commission report.
CBS photojournalist Mark LaGrange was carrying a full-size television camera in the heat of it all. He got into it all by traveling in the wreckage, filming the falling towers, and the aftermath of the collapse.
The second video shows the fire in the North Tower and Flight 175 crashing into the South Tower. Deeper into the video, two people discuss whether or not the towers will collapse as they watch people jump from the higher floors.
An aerial view of the Helicopter “Air11” shows the whole events. It depicts the hole in the North Tower, Flight 175 flying into the South Tower, and the collapse of the towers.
Videographer Ben Riesman captured footage from walking from the Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall Park. He had a direct view of the towers collapsing. He woke up to the news of the World Trade Center on fire. He grabbed his camera and took the subway to the Towers. When he got above ground, he witnessed the collapse within minutes. He went in believing it was just a fire and had no idea that planes were flown into the towers.
Anthony Mazza and Michael Barbagallo of WPIX-TV, where Mazza was presumably calling his wife, telling her about how a plane flew into the North Tower. Moments later, they see the second plane flying into the South Tower. They immediately take cover to get away from falling debris.
Visit RealClearPolitics for the videos.
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The events of September 11th, 2001 will stick with our minds and history as a day of grief and tragedy. It was the day the world stood still. Even 17 years later, we are still stricken with despair for the victims and the families. The day brought people together by tearing them apart. Let us continue to remember what we represent and those who willingly and unwillingly volunteered to stand for it.
Oak Hills Welcomes Author Kelsey Timmerman
by Ciera Franke and Bailey Garcia
Tuesday, September 4th, 2018
Pictured: Author Kelsey Timmerman
On Tuesday, August 28th, Oak Hills welcomed the author of Where am I Wearing?, Where am I Eating?, and Where am I Giving? Kelsey Timmerman. Students from the AP English Language course were tasked with reading one of these books over the summer, and fortunately, these students were able to hear from Timmerman in person.
Timmerman grew up in Muncie, Indiana and graduated with a class of just 47 students. Since he grew up in such a small area, attending Miami University in Oxford, Ohio was a huge change. Though Miami is not the most diverse school, it was more diverse than Timmerman was used to. Thus, this allowed him to decide that he would branch out and try to learn more about other people and other cultures.
His first adventure was narrated in the book, Where am I Wearing? Timmerman was inspired to write this book after reading the tag on the back of his shirt. Unlike most people, he didn’t ignore where the fabric was made and instead sought to meet the people who made his shirt. He set off to Honduras with his brother. Once arriving at his destination, the pair realized how unprepared they were. However, Timmerman was to meet his first friend Amilcar, 25, a garment worker, by showing up to the factory where his shirt was made. Through Amilcar, Timmerman was able to see the real life of the people who make the clothes that we wear: low wages and long working hours. Having a new perspective of the workers who make clothing, Timmerman traveled to more countries where clothing is commonly made, such as Cambodia and China. Timmerman was able to experience both guilt and sympathy for the men and women who make our clothes. He expresses that “awareness without action leads to guilt,” and sought to help any person he could throughout his quest to look into the lives of those who are in the garment industry.
After he completed his first book, Timmerman realized he still had more questions. So, he chose to go on another series of adventures to find out the secrets our food companies hide; ultimately writing Where am I Eating?. During his travels, Timmerman went to Colombia to explore Starbucks’ coffee, Costa Rica for Dole bananas, Ivory Coast for chocolate bars, Nicaragua to meet lobster divers, and China meet apple farmers. Solo was one of the workers that Timmerman met during his time in the Ivory Coast. Solo left his home in Ghana to go work on the cacao farms without telling his family, he wanted to go back home but the owner of the farm would not allow it. While he was on the farm he was treated terribly, he said “worse than donkeys” and was not fed a lot. Timmerman tried to help him escape but in the end, it did not end up working because Solo ended up back on the farm. His main purpose in all of these stories is to let people know how poorly these workers are treated. Most don’t even know where their products go and make little to nothing for the work they do.
Oak Hills senior, Isaac Tarter, asked Timmerman if he would take his family on any of his trips. Timmerman explained how he took his daughter, Harper, to Puerto Rico for book research and they were able to experience snorkeling together. His son, Griffin, has autism which makes him not as mobile. Although he would like to have him join, it is not the easiest thing to do. Annie, his wife, doesn’t even have a passport, completely opposite of Timmerman, she would rather stay home than travel. Timmerman says his family is a huge part of his life and they’ve helped him get to where he is; therefore, he wants to incorporate them as much as possible.
Rebecca Gilligan, a junior at Oak Hills, asked Timmerman the changes he has made in his own life after writing his books. Timmerman explained that he consumes differently, going to stores such as Trader Joe’s to find his groceries. Along with buying his groceries from fair trade markets, Timmerman also tries to volunteer 1,000 hours per year. However, most things Timmerman does aren’t just physical. He thinks about people such as Amilcar often, and he tries to always think of the sacrifices people in other cultures make in order to give us the things we value. Timmerman explains that sometimes you have to be “comfortable being uncomfortable,” meaning, that most times there isn’t a whole lot a single person can do, but it is still about the thought and drives to do better, any way you can.
If you enjoy reading about Timmerman and his adventures to change the world, be sure to check out his new book Where am I Giving? where he uncovers the world’s most giving people, and their daily sacrifices to make their communities great. To learn more about Timmerman, visit www.kelseytimmerman.com, or follow him on social media @KelseyTimmerman!
