Issuu

GRANVILLE HIGH SCHOOL • GRANVILLE, OHIO • SEPT/OCT 2016 • VOL. 7 ISSUE 1

Granville goes Hollywood School featured in new Bruce Willis film

Inside:

The “Year of E.B.” commences Why Halloween is never on Halloween Derogatory language: They’re not just words Fall sports quiz Drama department falls into Wonderland blueprintsonline.org

Letter from the Editor

BLUEPRINTS STAFF

editor in chief Anna Minton

managment editor Morgan Prachar

news editor Hannah Dear

sports editor Justin Thompson

opinion editor Carsten Savage

entertainment editor Emma Naille

features editor Daniel Brnjic

social media editor Megan Coffey

photograghy editor Dustin Braden

staff (BluePrints Photo/Morgan Prachar)

he crisp fall season is upon us. Although we have had some warmer temps than usual, the autumn spirit has definitely arrived at Granville High School. Our charming surroundings have returned with a hint of familiarity, though, bringing back fall traditions we all know and love. In this issue, you’ll read about all the aspects of autumn that Granville folks take part in, as well as why Halloween in the ‘ville is not quite the same as it is outside of our village. You will also learn more about our student section, and all that the “Ace Spirit” has to offer. In contrast, you’ll read in the opinion section that sometimes an abundance of enthusiasm may be perceived as too much of a good thing. As many of you may know, our Blue Ace charm has reached out to the silver screen. In this issue, we delve into why Granville is the perfect small town for a big movie, and how movie executives of Bruce Willis’ future hit “First Kill” have

2 September/October 2016

fallen in love with Granville. So pull out your cornstalks, put up your scarecrows and grab your pumpkins spice lattes. It’s fall, y’all. Of course we’d love to hear what you think and learn of any recommendations for improvement. Please drop us an email at ghsblueprints@gmail.com. Or, talk to us through one of our social media sites. You can follow us on Instagram, @granvilleblueprints; Facebook at GHS Blueprints; or on Twitter, @GHSBluePrints.

Sydney Bednarski Ashlyn Brockway Mackenzie Chesrown Sam Dunham Mackenna Finley Jordan Gummere Karissa Harris Ava Kunar Lexi Marelli Hannah Musick Jake Purdy Elijah Smith Chris Volzke Riley Vradenburg Cortez Yannie

adviser Mrs. Amy Tolbert

online

blueprintsonline.org Anna Minton Editor-in-Chief

CONTENTS BLUEPRINTS • SEPT/OCT 2016

OPINION

4 The student section goes down a dangerous road 5 Should students have more access to the weight room? 6 Kaepernick calls for a change around the country 6 Weighing the value of AP courses 7 Subject Tests are skewing college admissions 7 Derogatory language: They’re not just words

NEWS 8 News Briefs 10 The “Year of E.B.” commences

COVER

12 Granville goes Hollywood

SPORTS

14 Fall sports quiz 15 Holthaus shatters volleyball records 15 New sports traditions fuel school spirit 16 Warriors will have a lot to say about a Cavs repeat 16 Will the Browns ever win a Super Bowl? 17 The student section explodes

FEATURES 18 Why Halloween is never on Halloween 18 Keith Mullins: Ghost Hunter 19 Fall Forecast

ENTERTAINMENT ON OUR COVER Photo Illustration by Dustin Braden The “Year of E.B.” commences 10 Why Halloween is never on Halloween 18 Derogatory language: They’re not just words 7 Fall sports quiz 14 Drama department falls into wonderland 20

GRANVILLE HIGH SCHOOL • GRANVILLE, OHIO • SEPT/OCT 2016 • VOL. 7 ISSUE 1

20 Exploring the chin forest 20 Drama department falls into Wonderland

Granville goes Hollywood School featured in new Bruce Willis film

Inside:

The “Year of E.B.” commences Why Halloween is never on Halloween Derogatory language: They’re not just words Fall sports quiz Drama department falls into Wonderland

blueprintsonline.org

Opinion

The student section goes down a dangerous road STAFF EDITORIAL fter the behavior of the student section at the Johnstown football game, Johnstown student Kate Sparhawk tweeted “I’ve never experienced such poor character from another student section.” In the past, Granville has usually been on good behavior when it comes to our school spirit at athletics and school events. We are the ones to bring up the enthusiasm and create a good energy that makes everyone want to join in. This year, however, our student section has been falling down a steep slope when it comes to school spirit. We have witnessed our actions at school events and we are

“We have witnessed our actions at school events and we are getting out of hand.” getting out of hand. There has been vulgar language towards other teams and there have been cruel jokes being made about the other school’s uniforms and playing. We are lacking the real and true “school spirit.” Other Johnstown students are also making public statements about us! For example, Christian Roberts tweeted, “Granville needs to take care of their student section” and Hailee tweeted, “Dear Granville’s student section: Y’ALL ARE SOOO RUDE.” These people tweeted at

us on social media, and as we all know by now, social media travels far and wide. Some people might say that these tweets could be seen as people just being jealous of our student section. The way we are acting could be said that we are bringing the full force to “support” our school sports and events. We are just putting up a face and saying we are bringing the school spirit, but we are only covering up what is really going on. Our actions speak louder than our words. We have to think of the kind of impression we are making, and how we are affecting our reputation. Our reputation is not just what our school has done in the

past and keeping it up, but also representing future generations. We want Granville to have a good reputation for future students so that they can have a good high school experience. We need to change our attitudes from entitled and negative, to a more positive and respectful approach with our school spirit. Our student section is not meant to bash other schools, but to support our own teams while not being disrespectful towards the opposing team. We need to walk right back up the steep slope we are falling down, and instead of bringing negative energy, bring more courteous behavior.

What do you think about the poor repuation our student section has gained this year? By Riley Vradenburg “Sometimes it gets to the extent where it is just rude and embarassing. We can turn it around by keeping the language G-rated and being a little more respectful.” -Emily Stachler (‘19)

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“The Granville student section has had nothing but energy and involvement this season. Students are having a great time- we love our aces.” -Will Sharp (‘17)

“I’m a freshman so I don’t know what happens in the front. But if it gets out of hand then we’ll know what’s inappropriate and what’s fun.” -Ross Barrett (‘20)

Many people are upset that the weight room is often reserved for one team at a time. (BluePrints Photo/Dustin Braden)

Should students have more access to the weight room?

BY ASHLYN BROCKWAY (‘17) n the previous years the weight room has been open to the public to use freely. This high school is a public school, so anything they have should be able to be used at all timeswith rules. The use of the weight room has changed for the worse. The new lifting coach, Derek Fry, only allows students to work out if they’re in a specific sport or if they coordinate a time that he has to be there after the sports have already finished. The students that aren’t in that sport can’t work out until 6 pm. Athletic Director Kevin Jarrett says the reason for restricting access to the weight room is that there is no supervision and that it wouldn’t be safe for the students. When students go try to work out at 6 p.m., they cannot get in without someone unlocking the door and having someone stay in there with them to supervise. This rule was never addressed as of last year: students were able to go in and out of the weight room whenever. Senior Isabel Nazarian, who used the weight room almost every day after school last year, is finding this new policy frustrating. “Last year it was very convenient to work out right after school; this year is a lot trickier. I don’t have my license yet, so trying to find a ride any time after 6 p.m. is almost impossible. Because of this rule I don’t work out every day after school anymore,” Nazarian said. Junior Annie Penland also used the weight last year. “Last year I regularly used the weight room with my friends to stay active during the off season, but as of this year it’s much more difficult to found time to be able to use the equipment.” While safety is one thing to take account of, I don’t believe the students who aren’t in a sport should be punished and told they can’t work out in the weight room until 6 p.m. This rule has made many students not workout during their off season because this new rule is very inconsiderate of their schedules. Twice a week, the weight room should allow students to participate directly after school.

BY JAKE PURDY (‘17) n a high school with over 800 students and 29 sports, a small weight room can get very crowded. With the majority of our students involved in athletics sharing time in the weight room, management can be very tricky. We have only one full-time strength coach, Derek Fry. The after school hours from 3-5 are the most prized hours for the weight room, but during that period it is reserved for teams. Many students have complained that they should be able to lift in the weight room after school. Students have every right to use the weight room as long as they follow the precautions that are in place for student use of the room. Students complain that they want to be able to lift right after school when it is most convenient for them, even though this time is reserved for athletic teams such as basketball, track, cross country and football. The problem with students going into the weight room at times when teams are in there is that they can distract the athletes who are trying to lift. Tens of thousands of weight room injuries happen every year; many of these are due to lack of space in weight rooms, which results in unsafe lifting conditions. After school is when the weight room receives the most traffic from teams that take up almost the entire room. Allowing non-athletes to lift at the same time as teams will only make it worse. There are two solutions: the school could build a second weight room or make the one we have bigger. Both of these options would cost thousands of dollars and would be nearly impossible to accomplish. The main purpose of the weight room is for the use of teams to make their athletes stronger, faster and to prevent athletes’ injuries. That is why they have the first priority and get to use it after school when they are assigned to lift. If the teams can get done what they need in the weight room, students can use the weight room afterwards. What could be done is after the teams are finished, a faculty member or a coach could stay in the weight room and supervise students who want to come in and lift.

Yes.

No.

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Opinion

Kaepernick calls for change

BY CORTEZ YANNIE (‘17) hen families were watching pre-season football for the National Football League, they weren’t expecting a more-reserved, quiet player to take a kneel for one of the biggest problems in history. Colin Kaepernick was this man of change, who forced us to go outside our comfort zone and make us ask the question: do American values of the American society fit with oppression and discrimination that we present to African Americans and people of other races every day? Our American values don’t represent what our nation was supposed to be founded on. America was supposed to be the land of the free, but so far we have not lived that ideals our society was supposed to be. If you still don’t agree, then look at the American flag that we salute. The white signifies purity and innocence. The red signifies hardness and valor. The blue signifies vigilance, perseverance and justice. Each color stands for important American values, but is not true in today’s society. The questions we also ask, is if kneeling is disrespectful to people who have fought for our country. I believe it is not disrespectful, I also believe it is a necessary point to address. The kneel is trying to show that the reality we live in for the United States is not the land of the free, but more like the land of the discriminated and oppressed. But with all things that want to evoke change, there will be people who will oppose these changes and try to destroy the people responsible for change. Yet, change is inevitable and the more people who rally around a cause the faster change will come. In our society today we can’t turn on the television without hearing about a hearing injustice in America, and a member of society losing their life. These events of injustice have not increased drastically in the past years, but these events have had light shed upon them to help prompt you to stand against injustice. Instead of sitting on your couch bashing a man who wants to kneel for change, then go ahead and do that: but what you should do is take a stand for injustice, speak at rally’s or donate to the groups who you believe stand for strives away from oppression.

EDITORIAL POLICY BluePrints, Granville High School’s newsmagazine, is published by students in Journalism. As a forum of student expression, the goal of BluePrints is to provide the high school students’ perspective on relevant issues concerning the school, the community and the world. Editorial decisions are based on timeliness, relevance and appropriateness. Opinions expressed in the newspaper are not necessarily that of the entire staff, student body or school. Letters to the editor will be published as space allows. BluePrints does accept advertisements; however, the staff reserves the right to withdraw ads.

6 September/October 2016

Weighing the value of AP courses BY MEGAN COFFEY (‘18) ead. Study. Stress. Repeat. This is the life of an AP student. Since as young as the sixth grade students who excel in certain subjects are pushed to take advanced courses. This eventually leads them to take AP courses. Their four year plan can be seen packed with AP and honors courses. The question that many ask is, is it worth it? The increased amount of homework, the stress, studying into the night; is it worth the potential college credit and GPA curve? I say no. The reasons students are presented with when deciding to take an AP course are not secure and provide no guarantees. One reason students take an AP course is to gain college credit. If a student does well enough in the class they can gain college credit and will not have to take that class in college. However, “well enough” is defined differently by every university. Most public and state universities require a minimum of a three or above on the AP exam to The increased earn credit, according to the College amount of homework,Board. For example The Ohio State University re- the stress, studying quires at least a three for the into the night; is it United States history exam and a four for worth the potential exam. a statistics college credit and parison, In commost private universities GPA curve? require a four or five on the AP exam to earn credit. According to the College Board, Cornell University requires a four on the United States history exam and a five for the statistics exam. There is no guarantee that a student will be able to meet these requirements. If they don’t, they did all the work for a class that won’t benefit them. Another perk of AP courses is the GPA curve. At the high school an A+ and an A in an AP course puts you on a 5.00 grading scale, an A- is a 4.67, a B+ is a 4.33, and a B is a 4.00. This helps many students boost their GPA and be rewarded for their hard work; however, many universities are now using their student applicants unweighted GPA. The websites for more and more universities are listing their requirements in terms of unweighted GPA. According to Harvard Universities website, Harvard is looking for a 3.8 unweighted GPA. Universities are switching and asking for an unweighted GPA to even the playing field for all applicants and make it easier for the admissions board to compare applicants. This makes the point of taking an AP course for the GPA curve useless. Chances are the university a student is applying to will ask for the unweighted GPA giving them no edge up on the competition. The two main benefits of taking AP courses are not guaranteed. A student must really evaluate the importance of the course and their dedication to it.

Subject Tests are skewing college admissions BY CARSTEN SAVAGE (‘17) hroughout high school, we worry about the SAT, ACT, AP exams and college essays, but there is one test that we often overlook: the SAT Subject Test. The College Board offers SAT Subject Tests in foreign languages, math, science, history and English. Students are recommended to take them at the end of THE SAVAGE’S ninth, tenth and eleventh grade to test them JUDGMENT over content that they studied over the school year. Subject Tests can increase admissions chances, but they encourage inequality, and thus every college in the country should stop requiring them. Although schools such as Cornell University, Carnegie Mellon University, MIT and Rice University expect applicants of certain programs to take the tests, they should abolish this requirement. Private high schools regularly remind their students to take these tests, but in public high schools like ours, we barely hear about them. This skews the playing field; colleges see Subject Test scores as proof of a student’s mastery in a certain subject, and if mostly private students take them, they become the majority of the accepted students in those schools. In addition, Subject Tests cater to the wealthy. When students take AP tests, they can gain college credit, saving families

thousands of dollars. Subject Tests, however, carry much less weight, so colleges rarely award college credit for good scores. Thus, wealthy students can afford to purchase the practice books and Subject Tests just for the sake of looking more qualified on college applications. The problem is that most colleges do not take AP scores into consideration during the admissions process and want the Subject Tests instead, so students are encouraged to take both tests in every subject. With each AP exam clocking in at $93 and each subject test at $20 piling on top of a $26 base registration fee, students are forking over well over $100 for each subject tested. On top of this, many students choose to take the SAT with the essay for $54.50, and they take it multiple times. Thus, students end up paying the College Board hundreds of dollars in total. To lower-income families, then, Subject Tests quickly become an unnecessary expense. We need to allow AP exams to replace Subject Tests in the college admissions process. While AP exams are expensive, both lower-income and wealthy students take them, and they accurately measure students’ skills- receiving a 4 or 5 is challenging. Thus, using them in admissions would level out the playing field; equally-qualified poor and rich students would compete with their AP scores instead of whether or not they paid to take the Subject Tests.

Derogatory language: They’re not just words BY MACKENNA FINLEY (‘17) alk down the halls of any high school and listen. There’s always people talking. Language is thrown around haphazardly without a thought to the meaning behind words. We use words that have been used to belittle and persecute people for the way they portray themselves, the people they love, and the challenges they face. It is impossible to walk around day to day without being bombarded by this offensive and derogatory language. This needs to be rectified. Hearing gay slurs, Transphobic labels, and the appropriation of medical conditions as insults is impossible to avoid. The problem is that people won’t give a second thought to the weight that their words carry. This ignorance is dangerous and disrespectful. Maybe we would think twice if we knew what our words meant and where they came from. Before homosexuality was removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and before the Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community started to become accepted in today’s society, those who identified with in this group faced severe backlash. Couples were attacked walking down the streets. Massacres claimed lives. People paid for their identities with their lives, and at the end of their lives in their final moments, they likely heard the same gay slurs that we hear walking down the streets today. Only now they’re “just words.” Now we need to “learn to take a joke.” But it wasn’t funny then and it isn’t funny now. When we

decide it is okay to use these offensive terms as commonplace insults or jeers, we are belittling the horrific reality that the LGBT community has faced in the past, and continues to face today. Dumb. Ignorant. Illogical. Dense. Foolish. Obtuse. All of these words and so many more would get the point across so clearly. Yet what are so many electing to use in their place? A mental condition that plagues the lives of so many. This intellectual disability is a hardship that countless people and their families are forced to deal with every single day of their lives. It affects their ability to live everyday life. It makes simple everyday tasks seem next to impossible. It is an illness. A serious illness. We don’t use cancer as an insult. We haven’t adopted Leukemia as a commonplace slight. So why then is it so widely accepted to use this R word as such? Understand that when we use this word to put something or someone down, we are using an entire population of struggling people as an insult. There is no way to justify that belittlement. Words are not just words. They have meaning and background. They can bring great joy, and great sorrow. Words have power, and as the saying goes: with great power comes great responsibility. It is our job as individuals to understand the weight that our words carry. It is our responsibility to be sensitive to those around us, and what our words might mean to them. It is not about being politically correct. It’s about realizing that what we say matters. Our words have the powers to change lives. We need to make sure we understand the change our words are making.

Words have power, and as the saying goes: with great power comes great responsibility.

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News

Louis Wood is on the road to recovery

BY HANNAH MUSICK (‘18) very day Louis Wood, a junior, is a step closer to recovering from the car accident that took place in September of last year. Wood was riding in the back seat of the car when it swerved off of the road and burst into flames. Wood sustained injuries to his brain and lungs. The doctors thought he would not make it. He did. “Doctors said Louis would probably never be able to talk, and now he is speaking almost fluently,” one of Louis’ best friends Christian Sams said. “They said he wouldn’t be able to do simple tasks, and he has achieved them.” Sams has been with Wood every step through his recovery process. “Louis has improved since the accident by going to therapy at Ohio State to learn to speak, walk and learn to do everyday tasks,” Sams said. “He has improved his speech tremendously and can say just about any word now. He now walks on his own without help and has learned to do many tasks like before the accident.” “His speech returned as well as his motor skills,” another of Wood’s friends Ryan Birgeneau said. Wood has made so much progress through this past year. “What I love most about Louis is his sense of humor and his willingness to keep pushing himself to get better,” Sams said.

Louis “Louie” Wood has improved his ability to walk, talk and do daily tasks. (BluePrints Photo/Dustin Braden)

8 September/October 2016

Mr. Sean Felder, along wtih eight other new faculty members, adjusts to working at Granville. (BluePrints Photo/Dustin Braden)

Nine new teachers join staff BY AVA KUNAR (‘18) was a change from the schools where they he high school hired new faculty previously taught. members this year. They both said that they noticed that The new faculty members all that the students here are very colinclude study hall monitor Joe Dowllege-driven and care about their academic ing, social studies teacher Sean Felder, success. English teacher Lori Hudson, C-TECH “The students here are very motivated gaming teacher Ryan Johnston, biology to do well,” Zawacki said.“Though the teacher Josh Levine, school counselor new teachers seem to be assimilating Cody Masters, math teacher Janie Zawacwell, there is still chaos with all the room ki, architecture and design teacher Craig switches,” said senior Rachel Shomaker, Wenning and district-wide school psychol- who has multiple new teachers this year. ogist Mariah Koons, according to the new “There are more new teachers this year school secretary, Tiera Cramer. than there have been in a while,” Cramer Two new teachers were interviewed to said. see what their thoughts were on Granville, While the new teachers are still settling so far. Hudson moved to Granville from in, the general consensus is that most of Reynoldsburg this year and said the transi- the students at Granville are trying to tion went quite well. make this work. “The English department is so helpful and I’m super excited about teaching seniors because I’ve never done that before,” she said. Zawacki said she enjoys the environment here. “The kids and staff are very welcoming, polite and good people,” she said. Both said that the universal, colLori Hudson begins work in English classes. “The English delege-driven mentality partment is so helpful,” Hudson said. (BluePrints Photo/Dustin was something that Braden)

Four teachers receive grant for drone BY JAKE PURDY (‘17) he future is here; four teachers have received a $2,600 grant from the Granville Education Foundation over the summer for a drone. The grant was submitted by Evan McCullough, Jim Reding, J.R. Wait, and Jerod Smith.“ To view changes at the land lab, provide aerial feedback for sporting and band performances, and other uses as requested,” according to GEF website. The drone is called the “solo” from the company 3d Robotics. “It is incredibly easy to fly,” McCullough said. Reding has used the drone technology the most at his land lab. “Using the drone’s GoPro to take pictures we have been able to see the progression of the lab like never before,” Reding said. The expensive price of the drone comes with an invaluable return: the restoration of habitats, according to Reding. McCullough flew the drone over the marching band’s preview performance to gain a different perspective of their marching formations. Wait is yet to use the drone but “it could be used to video practice or games for film angles unlike any we have ever seen,” McCullough said. The Granville Education Foundation or GEF is an organization that works to enhance education opportunities for students in the district. They were founded in 1994 and have given over a quarter of a million dollars in grants to innovative education programs throughout the district. “The Foundation will fund the purchase of a smart drone with video feed to view changes at the land lab, provide aerial feedback for sporting and band performances, and other uses as requested,” according to the GEF website.

T The senior lounge couches will be replaced in the coming months. (BluePrints Photo/ Dustin Braden)

New senior lounge couches coming soon BY RILEY VRADENBURG (‘18) he class of 2017 wants to purchase new senior lounge couches due to replace the beat-up ones they currently have. The couches are being funded by the seniors’ current budget as well as the leftover money from graduated classes, Granville Principal Durst said. A design for a new senior lounge has been under way for months. Many new features will be added in addition to couches. “The industrial tech class is designing

new high top tables as well so it has more of a Starbucks feel to it,” Senior Class President Mackenzie Koester said. Not only are there plans for new tables, there will also be some helpful features installed to enhance the overall effectiveness of the space. “We’re looking to install power strips on a bar height shelf to make a sort of charging station,” Durst said. New couches will soon be on the way to the high school. “We are getting new couches ideally by the end of this fall,” Koester said.

School welcomes three exchange students BY SYDNEY BEDNARSKI (‘18) lmost every year the school receives a handful of foreign exchange students from all around the world. Each of these students are given the remarkable chance to have a new life and meet amazing people. Clemence Biron, from Brussels, Belgium, is one of several students sponsored. While Biron said the United States was not her first choice, she has loved every minute here so far. “Everything is different. The sports, the food, everyone is always so positive and moving around!” Biron said. “I am doing an exchange for the opportunity, I want to learn better English.”

Another student who now attends Granville High School is Natsuki Tanaka. Tanaka is from Japan and is currently living with the Applegates. She is eager to learn more about American culture. “I want to learn better English,” Tanaka said while speaking to a group of fellow exchange students. Junior Elia Martinelli, said he traveled all the way from Southern Tuscany, Italy to meet new people and experience American culture first hand. Martinelli is traveling with an exchange group called AFS and is currently living with the Dickson’s. He does miss one thing about Italy, though; “The food.”

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Lance Van Offren smiles while working with Mrs. Smith, just like every other student. (Blueprints Photo/Dustin Braden )

The “Year of E.B.” commences

Inspiring teacher wins two education awards

BY EMMA NAILLE (’18) uring the staff convocation, parent Wendy Bittel read a letter written by a parent describing a teacher that had won the Jody Van Tine Award, which is given annually to a teacher who has exemplified the qualities idealized by Van Tine, a second grade teacher who passed away in 1985. One teacher in particular sat not realizing that the person being described was herself. “I was sitting next to Mrs. Tolbert and [about halfway through] she says, ‘I think this is you’ and I said ‘No it’s not, no it’s not,’” English teacher E.B. Smith said. “Like I had honestly been listening but not even thinking that it was me.” Smith also received the Excellence in Education award, given to one teacher in Licking County, right after she accepted the VanTine award. After winning both of these awards, this year was christened “The Year of E.B.” As Smith begins her 16th year teaching, she is grateful to have received these awards. She explained that the VanTine award in particular meant so much to her because the nomination came from the father of former student, Levi Franz.

10 September/October 2016

“I think I always knew that Levi would go on to do such great things,” Smith said. “I was the only one who constantly reminded him of that, and I think the fact that it came from that situation makes it that much more special just because of how close we were. And are. And I know I work hard for every student but just to have that lasting memory of the lasting impact that both of us had on each other is just pretty significant.” Franz is glad Smith won the award “because she’s the best lady ever.” “She’s always there for me when I need her and always willing to help me when I need help,” said Franz. “She always knows what’s best for me even if I disagree with her!” Franz added “she’s the greatest lady ever, not just teacher. I knew she was going to win. She deserves it.” However, Smith said she felt as though “there were so many other people who deserved it. Because Mr. Reding had just done this amazing presentation about his land lab and all the things that the students learned and all these projects and all I could think was he probably deserved that more than me.”

But students agree that the award given to Smith was well-deserved. “She’s really interactive and welcoming,” junior Grace Petryk said, “so I could go into her after school and after class and she just really likes to work with you.” “She treats every student that way,” Petryk said in reference to how Mrs. Smith helped Levi. “She’s such a good mentor and teacher friend.” Sophomore Georgia Bain said Smith is “funny and witty.” “I liked her sense of humor a lot, it was easy to relate to.” Bain also felt as though she learned a lot while in Smith’s class and that she “loved to be in her class.” It seems Smith was always destined to be a teacher. She explained that she does not even remember deciding what she wanted to be. “I just remember as far back as first grade where it was what do you want to be, and I just wanted to be a teacher,” said Smith. “I never had a moment where I sat down, even filling out college applications, and went like I picked my major and went yeah this is it … it just felt like that’s what I was supposed to do. It just was meant to be.”

Photo courtes

But Smith did not realize she wanted to teach English until high school. Part of this discovery came from learning from her own inspirational teacher. “Her name was Mrs. Castle. She was my sophomore English teacher, which is so funny to me now,” said Smith. “She directed plays and she was tough, she was very, very tough and I never had a personal relationship with her. She wasn’t a teacher I could go to and she could help me with problems, or anything like that. She was just to me so smart and perceptive and I loved listening to her lecture about literature and I always, always wanted to please her and I think that’s one of the moments I decided English was definitely for me.” Smith decided on teaching high school students because of her lack of patience for small children, but also because of the complexity. “English guides you to high school where you’re gonna do analytical writing and really get to a text that you can’t do in elementary school,” Smith said, “I’m actually certified to teach sy of E.B. Smitth Reading to K through 12, but I don’t think I could ever teach small children.” When she started teaching, Smith said she didn’t realize how much work teachers do outside of the classroom. “It’s not a job where you can ever leave it here.” She also said she was unaware of “mentally how much comes with you when you’re involved in the lives of 150 people every day,” stating that “It’s a lot. It’s very, very difficult to separate yourself because you worry about them.” Smith went on to describe how her tendency to “mother” people makes her worry about her students’ “emotional health in some cases and academic health in others and sometimes both,” she said, “It’s difficult in this profession to separate yourself from the lives of young people because you do see them so much. It’s not a nine to five job that’s for sure.” It was also difficult for Smith as she began her career to see students not putting forth effort. “I assumed every student was like me,” she said. “Because I tried hard and not until I started teaching that I realized a lot of people just don’t try.” Smith said she wants “young people to realize that you may not always be good at something and you can’t be good at everything but you have to try. You have to put forth an effort and that effort gets

rewarded.” She explained that “Nothing is easy in life and I think so often we try to accept that it’s easy and if it’s not easy I’m done with it, but trying is so important.” However, she also said that “the type of student who is just struggling not because they’re not able to do it but just because they don’t want to,” is the student she usually ends up “zoning in on”. Now that Smith has had students grow up into adults she said her favorite part of being a teacher is “seeing people succeed and watching people go on to do very cool things with their lives.” Smith said she loves following students through social media and “seeing their careers and all the cool things they are doing.” Some of her students have left Granville, like one who lives in Boston working for Saucony, but other students have chosen to stay in Granville and some even work for the school district, like Mariah Koons, the district psychologist, who was in Smith’s journalism class. Recently Smith sat in a meeting with Koons and said that “she like ran the meeting across the table from me.” “It’s just so cool to see people go on and do awesome things. It’s great.” But for students of the past and current students, Smith says she hopes that through her class they become “better critical thinkers whether that’s in an essay or trying to decide which dryer to buy for their house.” In World Literature specifically, Smith said her students can have an “appreciation for different cultures and different people and realizing that other people’s experiences might not be your own and understanding where other people came from. Kind of like Atticus stepping into other people’s shoes and walking around.” She hopes this gives her students “[a] new respect hopefully for other people.” However, even teachers have their bad days. Smith said the worst part of being a teacher is “seeing students fail. Or make poor choices and watching them struggle or knowing students have potential that they aren’t fulfilling is difficult as an adult.” But during these bad days Smith said she has never gotten to the point where she’s questioned whether teaching was the right choice for her. And neither have any of her students.

Fun Facts: What you didn’t know about the famous Mrs. Smith What is your favorite show? “Ooo...‘Walking Dead.’” What is the first thing you would grab in a Zombie apocalypse? “A weapon. You need a weapon to survive first. Antibiotics. Hit up the local drugstore.” What is your favorite movie? “‘Shawshank Redemption.’” What is your favorite food? “Donuts… Mrs. Sattelmeyer had donut Fridays, she buys us all donuts every Friday, it’s the greatest day ever.” What is your favorite dessert? “Cake. I love a good cake.” What is your favorite music? “90s alternative.” What is your favorite place? “Dublin, Ireland.” What is your favorite book? “Probably “The Book Thief” if I had to pick modern. I still won’t watch the movie.” What is your favorite color? “Elliott asks me that all the time. I don’t think I ever know. Currently like a turquoise blue; I really like a dark turquoise.” Was English always your favorite subject in school? “Always. I just naturally like it; I just understood it. It’s the way my brain works.” Did you like reading or writing better in English? “Reading but I was better at writing. I don’t read as much as I would like to.”

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“First Kill” filmed many scenes in Granville. “I think people are proud,” Freshman Jack Bortle said. (Photo Illustration by Dustin Braden)

Granville goes Hollywood BY HANNAH DEAR (‘17), RILEY VRADENBURG (‘18) AND ANNA MINTON (‘17) ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY DUSTIN BRADEN (‘17) AND CORTEZ YANNIE (‘17) t’s not everyday you see the guy who plays Anakin Skywalker peeling out of the high school parking lot. However, when “First Kill” hits theaters next year, filmgoers will see just that, in addition to many other locations in the building and from around town. Principal photography for the film began in August, and ended in September, bringing stars like Bruce Willis and Hayden Christensen to our small town. Willis plays a police chief who is trying to solve a kidnapping that involves a bank robber holding a young boy hostage, according to IMDB.

Filming at the High School The high school will be featured extensively in “First Kill;” however, you might not recognize it at first. For example, the front office where secretary Tiera Cramer sits was transformed into a hospital waiting room. “The front desk… they turned into a reception desk for a hospital They used our current cafeteria the way it is for cafeteria scenes they shot,” Theater Manager Tim Stanton, who was present at the high school during the filming, said.

12 September/October 2016

“They changed all the signage [in the front hallway towards the industrial tech room] to make it read as a hospital,” Stanton said. The band hallway was also used for an important scene. “The hallway back by the music room… they turned it into the interior of a bank vault,” Stanton said. Our very own high school principal was able to meet many members of the production staff and show them around the school. “I started showing them closets in the music area,” Principal Matt Durst said. “Their reaction was priceless because they said this was absolutely perfect.” The high school also served as a place to build various set pieces. “They build a hunting line for [Lazy River Campground] and a cellar door type thing to the guy’s hideout,” Stanton said. One larger scale set was built in the theater. “They built a large tunnel on stage,” Stanton said. “They had an actor crawling through to make it look like he was tunneling through the bottom of a bank vault.” The use of the school allowed for theater students to get a unique opportunity. “Some of our students were actually able to meet some of the production staff,” Stanton said. Durst enjoyed his time working closely with the film crew. “It was kind of fun to walk around with them and see them

look at the building and see what the building could look like,” Durst said. His favorite story is being in the background of the movie. “I was teasing this lady that runs the arts department,” Durst said. “‘She said ‘do you want to be in the movie?’” Durst ended up having his mugshot taken for the background of a shot. “Who would say no to that?” Durst said. “One of the location guys to a picture of my mugshot up in the village office which they turned into the police office.” The film crew left their final mark on the school monetarily. “They made a $1500 donation to the theater arts department,” Durst said. “That was the iceing on the cake.”

Filming Downtown Several locations downtown were used in filming, including CVS pharmacy, St. Lukes Episcopal Church, Aladdin’s restaurant, Buxton Inn, and the post office. “They turned CVS into the outside of the police office because the director didn’t think our police office ‘looked police office-y enough,’” Chief of Police Bill Caskey said. “The inside of the police office is actually the inside of a different building in Granville.” Some students were downtown the actual filming of the movie. “I was in town for about three hours total the first few nights, watching them film the movie,” sophomore Natalie Rioux said. “People were so interested because it is a small town, and it is probably the most interesting thing that we have seen in awhile.” Bruce Willis’ stunt double, Stuart Wilson, could be spotted frequently filming around town. “This makes me realize how much Hollywood uses doubles instead of the actual actor considering Bruce Willis’ double was here three weeks longer than he was,” junior Maura Masterson said.

Why Granville? “I think people were so interested in the filming of the movie because it is surprising that a small town like Granville is the setting of a big movie,” freshman Jack Bortle said. Chris Petro, an Ohio native and the location manager for the film, told the Sentinel that he scouted Granville after reading the movie’s script. “They drove through Granville while on their way to Cincinnati then realized it was the perfect small town America,” Caskey said. “They described it as the ‘Norman Rockwell’ of a town.” A movie filmed in town is interesting to most. This changes everyday life in the village. “I think people are proud that a movie is being filmed here. It is nice to have recognition of the small town,” Bortle said. Willis’ stunt double particularly enjoyed the small town experience. “I think being a stunt double in Granville is fantastic,” Wilson said. “The town is amazing, I love it. If it was closer I would come here every weekend, but I live in California. I think the town is wonderful and I think stunts everywhere are the same whether we’re in a small town like Granville or Los Angeles.”

The Best of Bruce

BY SAM DUNHAM (‘17) s Bruce Willis’ new movie “First Kill” continues filming in the central Ohio area, we look back on some of his illustrious career in Hollywood. Although his resume is certainly not flawless, Willis has been a part of so many iconic moments in cinema and has delivered incredible performances. From action to mystery to drama to romance, he has proven his versatility within the movie industry. Here’s to the hope of another classic with his upcoming Granville project.

“Die Hard” Perhaps the greatest action movie ever to come out of Hollywood, John McTiernan’s groundbreaking film paved the way in this genre. In addition to it’s gritty and realistic fight scenes, the 1988 film showcased incredible performances. Willis creates a compelling and flawed character in John McClane, who has since become one of the most iconic movie characters of all time. The late great Alan Rickman is also at his best as the villainous (and equally iconic) Hans Gruber. Simply stated, Die Hard is a perfect mix of innovative action, Oscar-nominated effects, compelling characters and dialogue, and incredibly quotable lines, creating a landmark film in the genre of action.

“The Sixth Sense” One of the great thrillers of the 1990s, “The Sixth Sense” is a powerhouse of suspense and character. M. Night Shyamalan is truly at the height of his power as director, crafting incredible cinematography, compelling dialogue, and nuanced performances. Young Haley Joel Osment and Willis are fantastic as the film blends drama, horror, romance, mystery, and so much more; not to mention one of the greatest twist endings in movie history.

“Pulp Fiction” We would be remiss to not mention this Tarantino classic. A masterclass of dialogue and story, Quentin Tarantino interweaves the narratives of several characters to create a compelling, multi-genre story. Although Willis is one of many iconic characters, he truly shines as Butch the boxer. Similarly, Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta, and Uma Thurman all give riveting performances. Little else needs to be said for this film, as yet another QT masterpiece makes it mark on film history. blueprintsonline.org

Sports

FALL SPORTS QUIZ

How well do you know these fall athletes?

BY JUSTIN THOMPSON (‘17)

QUESTION 1

QUESTION 9

How many assists does Brooklyn Holthaus have in her volleyball career?

Which tennis player is in her first year of playing organized tennis? a) Senior doubles player Hannah Dear is a newbie to the sport. b) Hard-hitting senior Spencer Kruse-Melfi is in her first season. c) Athletic senior Delaney Hill, who can cover the whole court.

a) 100. She averages about 25 per season.

c) 1,286. Brooklyn broke into quadruple digits long ago. d) 2,526. Brooklyn has more assists than we have years in the modern calandar.

QUESTION 2

QUESTION 3

QUESTION 5

a) Brille Bait, an electric midfielder with tremendous stamina.

a) Tennis is playing at the highest level-- Division I-against the strongest competition.

b.) Junior goalkeeper Monique Jardell, a brick wall in goal.

b) This year’s team is playing in Division II.

b) Nick Kurek is a big boy, but is he the heaviest on the line?

c) The girls are playing against Division III opponents.

c) Junior Nate Miller protects the backfield with ferocity.

d) The team usually takes on smaller schools in Division IV.

d) Grant Porterfield is a brick wall up front who does not let anyone in the backfield.

Who has played the most minutes on the field hockey team?

Who is the only boys soccer player to earn a red card this season?

c) Senior firecracker Madison Koester, who is a physical defenseman.

a) Christian Sams, an aggressive player who often finds himself in the middle of scuffles.

d) Senior Makenzie Koester, who leads the charge when she is on the field.

b) Colin Crates has a fiery personality, but has he earned himself an elusive red card?

QUESTION 4

c) Evan Lewandowski, a shifty player who gets in the heads of his opponents.

a) Austin Rader is nearing the record for assists in a season. b) Daniel Brnjic is closing in on the career shutout record. c) Ryan Birgeneau is nearing the record for single season goals. d) Kyle Otterstedt is closing in on the career record for minutes played.

14 September/October 2016

a.) Senior wide reciever Jack Peterson has been hauling in touchdown passes left and right.

QUESTION 6

QUESTION 7

a) David Parkinson-- “Diesel Dave”-- deserves much credit for his work up front.

a) Team

b) Sophomore running back Brandon Haley has rumbled and tumbled into the end zone more than anyone else.

b) Junior Coury Rogers, has a golf swing as deadly as his 3-pointers.

c) Junior Patrick Chaykowski, a lightning rod of a player, is a threat to score whenever he touches the ball.

Who is the heaviest offensive lineman?

Which golfer was 2nd in the LCL? captain Addison Conway is a giant both on and off the course

c) With two brothers as wide recievers AJ Peterson uses his skill to hit balls rather than catch them.

d) Speedy kicker Tyler Schroeder siezes his scoring opportunities.

d) With his golf ability rivaled only by his fashion sense, senior Luke Stewart is a model of consistency.

QUESTION 10

Who is the girls’ soccer teams leading scorer? a) A shifty senior with lots of experience, Reilly Welles is hard to stop on the field. Her experience and knowledge on the field makes her a nightmare to gameplan for. A very versatile player. b) Foreward Rose Sawyers committed to play at Toledo after she graduates. The future rocket can kill the opposing team with her speed, but can still weave through defenders with her skill. She is a very dangerous player. c) Midfielder Katie Cox, who started as a freshman, is a very skilled player. She is aggressive and isn’t afraid of anyone. Only in her second year of high school soccer, she gives teams nightmares with her ball skills. d) A junior who uses her agility and passing ability to beat teams, foreward Grace Dennison is a smart player who knows when to make the right play. She uses her speed to get by defenders and them either finish or find her teammates.

Photo Credits: Justin Thompson and Dustin Braden

d) Physical defender Luke Pappas has earned himself a red card this season.

Which boys’ soccer player is nearing a school record?

IIn what division is girls’ tennis playing in this fall?

Which football player has the most touchdowns this season?

Answers: 1-D, 2-A, 3-B, 4-B, 5-A, 6-C, 7-B, 8-A, 9-C, 10-C

b) 689. Brooklyn is quickly approaching the elusive 700 mark.

d) Kate Ginise glides like a gazelle across the court, but is she a veteran or a rookie?

QUESTION 8

Holthaus shatters volleyball records

Holthaus graciously accepts a ball from her teammmates. She was gifted the ball when she set the school assist record. (Photo courtesy of Tonya Holthaus) BY JAKE PURDY (‘17) rooklyn Holthaus started her athletic career as a gymnast, but breaking her foot in fifth grade may have been the best thing that ever happened to her. She has shattered maore records over the past four seasons than any other player, she now holds four school records. Holthaus holds multiple career records, She holds the game and season records for assists, service aces and service points.

She doubled the career assist record with three regular season games and the playoffs remaining on the schedule. The school career aces record stood for 30 years before she broke it. She plays national level club volleyball for PPV (Performance Prep Volleyball) she also competes in sand volleyball tournaments nationwide. This season big things are expected from Holthaus as she is the returning district and league player of the year. “It is not often that a player is the district player of the year in any sport as a junior,” said junior Grant Porterfield, who rarely misses a volleyball game. Holthaus is very humble and credits much of her success to her teammates. “Teamwork was a big part of it I can’t get a set without a pass or I can’t get an assist without a kill, so overall it is a team effort” Holthaus said. As strong as a player Holthaus is, she is just as strong as a leader on the court. “Brooklyn is a really great captain who sets goals for her teammates, holds them accountable and sees their potential as a player and helps to get the best out of them everyday,” said junior teammate Courtney Brooks. The records she has set show that she is one of the best volleyball players in school history and one of the most accomplished athletes Granville has ever seen.

New sports traditions BY ASHLYN BROCKWAY (‘17) chools change a little every year, but it’s always interesting to see just how much or how little Granville has changed in sports. The high school has many fun-filled and exciting traditions. The football team has carried on multiple different traditions over the past few years. Head football coach J.R. Wait used to attend the high school. Wait, who has coached everything from middle school to high school, assistant coach and now to head coach. Wait has been a part of the coaching staff for 18 years. Over the years of football and schools spirit in general have changed. First of all, the school has never had as many kids enrolled in the high school, therefore making the school activities and school spirit a little better, said Wait. The Friday night football games have not changed too drastically since Wait was a student. “I’ve always thought the Friday night football games were good. Being under those lights give those boys energy and something that the middle scholars look forward to be a part of,” Wait said. He responded, “No. I like the traditions we have today. We’ve improved on old traditions and made them better” Along with football, cheerleading has had old and new traditions over the years as well. Drama teacher Sara Sharp, attended Granville high school and was a cheerleader.

One tradition that has supposedly been going on for a long time is actually a myth. “Capture the senior” never took place when she was a cheerleader. The cheerleaders used to hang Cheerleaders have been motivating fans for deup banners and cades. (BluePrints Photo/Dustin Braden) would be more active in engaging the school spirit a little better. “School participation was better a few years ago,” Sharp said. Pep rallies were a much bigger deal around 10 years ago, everyone used to go and participate in getting pumped up the next game, and the activities that they do during the rallies, said Sharp. On the other hand, the cheerleaders didn’t have the tumbling skills that they have today, said Mrs. Sharp. “Tumbling was never a requirement to make the cheer squad like it is today.” While some things have changed in both sports, the football games will always be a fun event to go to on our Friday nights.

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Sports

Warriors have a lot to say about a Cavs repeat

BY ELIJAH SMITH (18’) efore last season no team had ever clawed their way back from a 3deficit in the NBA Finals. Cavs fans SMITTY’S hung their head low SPORTS when the 73 win Warriors backed the Cavs into such a corner. It seemed as though only one man believed that the Warriors were vulnerbale, luckily for Cavs fans that man was Lebron James. James. The Warriors responded in the offseason by expanding their arsenal and siging bonafied superstar Kevin Durant. Lebron will surely do everything humanly possible to bring the Cavs back to the promised land and add a fourth ring to his giant, talented hand. Cleveland Cavaliers 2015/16 season record: 57-25 Offseason: Coming off of a championship season, the Cavs added veteran players with some new young talent to their roster. They signed Mike Dunleavy and Chris “Birdman” Andersen. They also resigned James Jones and Richard Jefferson. Resigning J.R. Smith keeps the passion and grit of the team intact. It comes as no suprise that the most important move of the offseason was resigning Lebron James to a three-year $100 million contract. Predicted season record: 60-22 Golden State Warriors 2015/16 season record: 73-9 Offseason: The runner up from last season. Kevin Durant signed a 2-year deal with the Warriors that seems to make the NBA unfair. The 6’9, four time scoring champion has teamed up with the splash brothers, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. Adding big men, JaVale McGee and Anderson Varejao, the Warriors look to be contending for another NBA championship this season. Predicted 2016/17 record: 64-18

16 September/October 2016

Will the Browns ever win a Super Bowl? BY DANIEL BRNJIC (‘17) he Browns will soon win a Super Bowl. The city of Cleveland is in the midst of a renaissance. New buildings line downtown and the Cleveland Cavaliers are NBA champions. The Cleveland Indians are in the middle of a playoff run after an impressive regular season. The entire city feels a new sense of pride in their sports teams. The only problem in Cleveland yet to be fixed is the Browns. The team that ruins careers of NFL rookies every year when they get picked up by the feared Orange and Brown. However, the Browns were not always so bad. In the 1950s men like Jim Brown led the Browns to many Championships in the pre- Super Bowl era. Not all is bad on the horizon for the Browns. With fresh young talent the Browns have a treasure trove of potential. The city just needs to be patient. The NFL is a league that changes every year. Teams change year by year with few dynasties. If teams like the St. Louis Rams can make a Super Bowl, the Browns are due for a winning season and a Super Bowl. Why not anytime soon? The Cavaliers broke a decades long streak for going without a championship and the cavs are way overdue for a title of their own. The city of Cleveland is behind the Browns without a doubt. Fans pack the Browns stadium every game. If the past year has taught Cleveland anything, it’s that the light is shining on Cleveland sports and the Browns are the final piece to the puzzle. Why not anytime soon? The Cavaliers broke a decades long streak for going without a championship. The Lake Erie Monsters are champions, and the Cleveland Indians are making the World Series for the first time since the 1990’s. Maybe hell is cooling off in Cleveland as the Browns may hoist a trophy over their heads for the first time in the not so distant future. The Cleveland Browns were once the best team in America. Players like Jim Brown and coach Paul Brown are all time legends. Since their return, the Browns have struggled, but their time is near

BY JUSTIN THOMPSON (‘17)

Yes

he law of infinite probability states that every event should occur at least once if played out on an eternal timescale. However, every rule has at least one exception. For the fine folks of Northeastern Ohio, they know the exception all too well. In the 50 years that the NFL regular season has culminated in the Super Bowl, the Browns have yet to reach the big game.What only makes the pain worse is how close they have come. In 1986, a young quarterback named John Elway led the Denver Broncos on a 98 yard scoring drive to end AFC Championship Game, The next year the two teams met again in the same game. This time the Browns reached the eight-yard line, down a touchdown with time running out. With victory in sight Earnest Byner burst through a hole in the offensive line, seemingly destined to end decades of Dawg Pound misery. It was not to be however, Byner was stripped of the ball inches from the end zone, the fumble was recovered by the Broncos and Cleveland fans were left to ponder what might have been. Since 2000, the Browns have started 25 different quarterbacks. The New England Patriots on the other hand, have only started 4 quarterbacks in 15 years. The single quarterback system has worked quite well for the boys from New England. Who would have guessed that sticking with the same leader every week would improve morale and eventually lead to wins? In the interest of full disclosure, I must admit that I am a diehard Pittsburgh Steelers fan. I have seen Ben Roethlisberger hoist that beautiful Lombardi Trophy over his head on several occasions. And, I must admit, as I write this article I am giddy with glee as I watch the Patriots stomping the Browns 23-7 on the TV set in front of me. Napoleon once said that “the most dangerous moment comes with victory in sight.” Browns fans have seen their beloved Brownies come ever so close to victory, then have it ripped from their bulldog paws. As a Steelers fan, I wouldn’t have it any other way. What’s that you say? I forgot to mention Johnny Manziel? Just check TMZ, I’m sure you’ll find a healthy dose of Johnny Football drama there.

The student section explodes BY EMMA NAILLE (’17) ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY HANNAH MUSICK (‘18) nder the bright Friday night lights, the band plays, the cheerleaders are jumping, and the football players are the center of attention. But the untold story of this well-known event is becoming more and more popular at high schools across America: the student section. The student section, which used to be just a place for students to stand during a sporting event, has now become a hypedup phenomenon. Fans do not just cheer anymore, they wear face paint, dress up in themes, and wave flags. In fact, a ‘better’ student section has been a goal for the many seniors this year who sit in the front row of the bleachers and lead the school in spirit. Even football players are affected by the student section. Senior football player Zach Plute said it feels “pretty good” when the stands are cheering loudly during a play. He even said it helps him “because people from the school are there,” which encourages him to “play harder.” The

student section can even influence the outcome of the game because it “creates a lot of noise and distraction for the other team, and motivates our team,” Plute said. Senior Teddy Parsley said the way to become a ‘superfan’ is to “definitely dress up and interact with cheers.” His favorite theme this season was the “beach theme” at the home game against Eastmoor, which also happened to be Senior Night. Fans dressed up in swimsuits, tiki costumes, and wore leis. The student section is “definitely better, with the increasing number of people and increasing participation and how many people dress up,” said Parsley. Senior Wyatt Caravana believes that the way to be a good fan in the student section is to “have passion” without “caring what others think.” His favorite theme is “Jersey Night,” which was the theme for the away game against Johnstown on the 23rd of September. Caravana’s favorite chant is the “I believe” chant, in which one person chants and the crowd repeats them. Wyatt said that the student section has “been better” because of the “huge turnouts” and because “the seniors are more organized.” However, the seniors are not the only

ones who think the student section is getting better. Sophomore Emily Stachler said “it’s improving since last year” because “a lot more people show up if there are more interesting themes” and the themes have “been a really big hit.” The student section is “definitely very energetic,” she said. “I think that being in the student section makes the game a lot more fun.” As for the student section influencing the outcome of the game, Stachler said that “I don’t know if the players hear us cheering for them, I’m assuming they do, but I feel like they get more pumped for it.” Stachler said the reason student sections have become more important is because when “thinking of football season, you think of student section. It just ties in football season altogether.” The student section has had a great year so far, but there’s no doubt that it could be better. Students from every grade are welcome to encourage the football players to play the best they can this season.

The student section celebrates in tropical garb during the home game against Eastmoor (Photo courtesy of Ciahnna Winston).

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Features

Why Halloween is never on Halloween

BY HANNAH DEAR (’17) he Granville village follows tradition by having trick-or-treat on the fourth Thursday of October. Trick-or-treat almost never falls on the night of Halloween despite the obvious correlation between the two. “I was born and raised in central Ohio, we never trick-or-treated on Halloween,” Granville village Clerk of Council Mollie Prasher said. “It’s just what the tradition has been forever.” So why is it that we all run around getting (Photo illustration by Dustin and giving canBraden) dy on a day that isn’t even Halloween? One reason is the other events that are happening throughout the week. “Friday night is Friday night football, Saturday is a weekend… on Sunday, conflict with religious holidays,” Prasher said. In addition to these events, many people have Halloween parties on the weekend. By having trick-or-treat on Thursday, kids are able to participate in both activities. Having trick-or-treat on a Thursday night was also started for safety reasons. “It would be on a school night because there were limited amounts of traffic,” Prasher said. This was a much bigger issue in the seventies than today. Forty years ago there was some scare in regards to the integrity of the candy and other treats being handed out. “Some people moved it back to Saturdays and Sundays but in the day time,” Prasher said. “It kind of broke up adult’s days and it wasn’t fun to trick-or-treat if it wasn’t dark.” Nowadays, trick-or-treat almost always happens on a Thursday night as per tradition. “Granville has traditionally followed Newark’s schedule,” Prasher said. “Newark does trick-or-treat on the fourth Thursday of October.” So next time you’re puzzling over when to go buy a million pieces of candy to hand out, remember that’s trick-or-treat is probably on Thursday. “That’s the way it’s been since fifty years,” Prasher said.

18 September/October 2016

Keith Mullins: Ghost Hunter

Did you need a double take? That’s ok, we did too. Keith Mullins just fits seamlessly into the Ghotsbuster’s scene. (Photo illustration by Dustin Braden) BY MACKENNA FINLEY (’17) ho ya gonna call? Apparently, English Teacher Keith Mullins. Mullins has always had an interest in the paranormal. It’s an interest that stems from his childhood. “I read up on real stories and horror stories as well. My sister was interested in ghosts and stuff, so I grew up around it a bit.” Mullins said. His involvement with life beyond the grave only grew when he entered college. While in attendance at Miami University in Oxford, Mullins had a plethora of suspected hauntings right at his fingertips. “There were a ton of stories of hauntings so [my friends and I] would check them out,” Mullins said. “Like Screaming Bridge and old railroad bridge near Cincinnati. There were many locations on campus in the old dorms. Our dorm was reported to have ghosts.” After college Mullins continued ghost hunting with his sister, wife, and other friends. Over the years of adventuring in rundown buildings and spooky old jails, he has had his fair share of chilling encounters. When choosing his craziest experience, Mullins had trouble narrowing it down to

just one. “Prospect Place near Dresden had some sounds that couldn’t be explained and just the feeling in the barn was dense.” Mullins said. “But the shadow figure my wife and I saw at Mansfield Reformatory and the sounds we heard when alone in the Wardens room were pretty awesome.” Mullins was not the only member of the school staff to share in the experience of the Mansfield Reformatory. As he continues his story, Mullins shares that former Principal Ryan Bernath was also on sight. “On the top floor where they kept tuberculous patients we were investigating and stood at different parts of room to listen and take in as much as possible.” Mullins Said. “[My wife and I] both saw a person shaped shadow darker than the other shadows cast by the outside light. No matter the angle I looked it stood there. As I moved closer, and I got Mr. Bernath’s attention for he was in another room nearby, the shape moved back into an elevator shaft.” At least for the time being, Mullins has hung up his tan jump suit and proton pack (note the proton pack and jump suit are mere speculation). “I have just been too busy” Mullins said. Hopefully, the world has not seen the last of Keith Mullins: Ghost Hunter.

FALL FORECAST 8 ways to fall in love with fall in the village

1 PUMPKINGS: Dustin Braden, ORCHARD: Justin Thompson, HAUNTED HOUSE: Hannah Dear, FARM: Mackenzie Chesrown PUMPKIN SPICE: Morgan Prachar, FALL LEAVES: Emma Naille, PAINTED PUMPKIN: Olivia Rutherford, ACE PUMPKIN: Screenshot from YouTube

1) visit a pumpkin patch

From pie to jack-o-lanterns, these traditional decorations line the srteets of Granville from Halloween to Thanksgiving.

2) go apple picking

Apple picking has been an American pastime for generations, both for farming and recreation. Whether it be at Lynd’s Fruit Farm in Pataskala or Branstool Orchards in Utica, this autumn tradition is a great time to be with friends, family and nature.

3) visit a haunted house

While some haunted houses may charge you an arm and a leg for some phony frights, these places charge nothing for the legit experience. The Buxton Inn and Bryn Du Mansion, are jsut some of the places in town that are rumored to be haunted.

4) pigeon roost farm

It’s the Halloween equivalent of the north pole- it’s got pumpkins, it’s got corn maze, and it’s got goats.

5) try pumpkin spice

Everone’s favorite fall drink is back, or so you think. Turns out, not every white girl in Granville is in love with the the stereotypical coffee treat.

6) enjoy fall leaves

When the weather starts to cool and the leaves begin to turn, it means it is finally fall time in Granville. This gives the village a picture-perfect display of autumnal colors that will litter your instagram feed.

7) paint a pumpkin

The new trend is to paint your pumpkins! Instead of carving a scary face into your pumpkin try painting a cool design.

8) carve a pumpkin

Sydney tried her hand at carving a blue ace onto my large pumpkin. Watch her video on our Youtube channel for step-bystep directions on how to carve a pumpkin, with little tips and tricks here and there! blueprintsonline.org

Entertainment

Exploring the chin forest

BY CHRIS VOLZKE (’17) Alright guys, we are all starting to get to the age where our peach fuzz is turning into something a little more. We as men have two TIME TO BE different choices A MAN here: we can shave it off and keep our young boyish looks or we can grow out that facial hair and really become men. Any of you guys ever forgotten your sunscreen and gotten sunburned on your face? Then you have to come into school the next day with cheery red cheeks and dead skin peeling all over your face! That’s just embarrassing. The easiest and cheapest way to fix this issue is facial hair! According to studies done by the University of Southern Queensland, facial hair can block up to 95% of the sun’s harmful UV rays. It’s a simple fix to an annoying problem. Also, beards act as protection against winter elements. No longer will you need to invest in heavy winter hats. Just grow out a nice full face bush and keep yourself warm this upcoming winter. Unfortunately, another issue that comes with getting older is acne. There is a cheaper option then spending money on acne pills that may or may not work. Beards can actually prevent the harmful oils that cause acne from building up on ones face. So please avoid looking like a sad eighth grader, and grow out that mane! Let’s talk about the social benefits. The average man spends about 5 months shaving over his lifetime. Imagine all the great things you could accomplish over that time! You could conquer all of Europe, win a Super Bowl, or even win the World Beard and Moustache Championships in Germany! So the case for facial hair has been laid out. Now it is up for you to decide. Think about the choice you are making when you pick up that razor. Think about the consequences of your actions before you make your decision.

20 September/October 2016

Drama department falls into Wonderland

“Alice in Wonderland” is the next challenge for the drama department. “It’s a cornucopia of opportunity,” senior Kate Duncan said. (Artwork by Mairi Bowman) BY HANNAH DEAR (’17) entire thing themselves.” he drama department falls through Since its original publication, the work the rabbit hole as they get ready has been adapted into numerous plays and to begin their journey through films. wonderland. “It’s a cornucopia of opportunity,” “Alice in Wonderland,” which will be senior Kate Duncan said. performed November 4-5, was announced The first adaption was a West End muas the fall play produced by the drama sical in 1886. This was the beginning of” club. Alice in Wonderland” as a world-renown “We don’t usually do dramatic production. See the show! really well-known shows The first movie adaptation November 4thlike that so it’s nice when was made in 1903. This was 7pm we get something that a silent film lasting just over November 5theveryone knows,” junior eight minutes. Lily Moulton said. The Disney films are the 2pm and 8pm The cast list will be most popular adaptations of Box office numberposted Sep. 16 and tech the story for this generation. 740-587-8166 forms are due Sep. 23. The 1951 animated film and This play offers advantagthe two recent live action es such as a fun script and many roles. versions keep Lewis Carrol’s story alive in “It has exciting and fantastic technical pop culture today. opportunities that will be interesting for Moulton said that the Disney animated behind the scenes,” drama teacher Sara version was her favorite because “that’s Sharp said. “It’s all still in the planning the one you see when you’re little and it’s stages of what we’re going to do with it.” the one you know.” “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Over a hundred and fifty years later, Lewis Carrol has been a well-loved story “Alice in Wonderland” has remained a since its release in 1865. childhood favorite and a work of literary “It’s so cool,” said junior Kate Guiney. excellence. The adaptations that have been “It’s like going through your own little made through the years have added to its fairy land along with the characters.” timelessness. The story of Alice is uniquely magical “The main message is, like, you should when it comes to characterization, setting, dream and you should think for yourself and plot. and that’s okay and that’s good,” Moulton “It was such a creative story,” Guiney said. “It really inspires kids to have their said. “Most children don’t think of that own thoughts and be free.”