Vol. 9 No. 3

GRANVILLE HIGH SCHOOL • GRANVILLE, OHIO • APRIL 2019 • VOL. 9 NO. 3

BLUEPRINTS THE STUDENT VOICE OF GRANVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

April 2019 1

Letter from the editor media creates a lack of concentration, communication and confidence.

In our sports section, our “Getting to Know” feature is over the new varsity baseball coach Adam Bennett. Andy Hoben assesed the differences between club sports and team sports and the difference in time and money consumption. We also included all of our (PHOTO COURTESY OF TAYNA CORZZATT) sport updates for all sports also.

BY JOSIE DECARO (‘19) For your entertainment s spring comes around we included, as always, our the staff has been “Cousin vs. Cousin” over the working quickly to safety of using GMOs. For the put together our March issue. spring season Micah Organ Throughout these past couput together a spring playlist ple months a lot of important just for you.

Keeping with events have taken place. Offithe spring them, we also put cers from the Granville Police together the best spring fashion Department will be visiting our school on a regular basis in or- for the season. Finally, Liam McCamish did a game review der to build relationships with about “Intruder” which is not students and staff members. very well known but also an Along with police officers upcoming game. being placed in schools, there We hope you enjoy and feel has been new laws put in place free to give us any feedback for Granville that permits ages on our website, Twitter page of eighteen years old and older or email.

For any questions to drive while operating mobile or further information please communication devices. The contact me at 19jdecaro@ law will be put in place on granvilleschools.org.

April 1. Jason Reding warns against the usage of using mobile communication devices in our staff editorial. We as a staff agree that texting and driving is a very dangerous habit that needs to come to an end. Molly Wilson analyzed the usage JOSIE DECARO (‘19) of social media throughout EDITOR-IN-CHIEF the school and its negative effects. The usage of social

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BLUEPRINTS STAFF

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Josie DeCaro

FEATURES EDITOR Sarah Carpenter

SPORTS EDITOR Andy Hoben

WEBSITE EDITOR Liam McCamish

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Micah Organ

OPINION EDITOR Jason Reding

NEWS EDITOR Molly Wilson

ADVISER

Amy Tolbert

(COVER PHOTO COURESY OF JENNIFER SKERBETZ) 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.

BLUEPRINTS April 2019

Contents...

4 NEWS BRIEFS

By Sarah Carpenter

5 SOCIAL MEDIA LEADS TO...

By Molly Wilson

6 CODE BLUE, OFFICERS IN THS SCHOOL

By Josie DeCaro

8 STAFF EDITORIAL

By Jason Reding

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9 COUSIN VS. COUSIN

By Jason Reding and Andy Hoben

10 STUDENT VIEWS ON THE NEWS

By Liam McCamish

11 READER OPINION

By Jason Reding

12 HOBIES HOT TAKES

By Andy Hoben

13 CLUB SPORTS VS TEAM SPORTS

By Andy Hoben

14 BLUE ACE SPORTS REPORT

By Andy Hoben

15 GETTING TO KNOW ADAM BENNETT

By Josie DeCaro

16 THESPIAN CONFERENCE

By Micah Organ

SPRING LOOKS 17 SUPER

By Sarah Carpenter

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18 “INTRUDER” DROPS ON STREAM

By Liam McCamish

19 SONGS TO PUT A SPRING IN YOUR STEP

By Micah Organ April 2019 3

VILLAGE IMPLEMENTS NEW TEXTING AND DRIVING PHONE LAW

BY SARAH CARPENTER (‘20) hen leaving school, many students have noticed a new sign that has an image of a cell phone crossed out at the end of New Burg Street, and have wondered what exactly it meant.

These new signs come as a result of a new texting and driving law, called “Nathan’s Law”, that Granville will enforce starting on April 1. The law bans texting within the village, and is named for a Granville High School graduate and veteran who was killed by a distracted driver in 2018 while changing a tire.

The signs are placed on the sides of all roads that lead into the village of Granville and state that mobile communication devices are prohibited.

“I think that putting signs up is smart,” junior Jojo Cacciato stated. “It helps people stay informed so they have no excuse to not follow the law.”

In April, the Granville Police Department will formally begin to issue citations for those who violate Nathan’s Law. “I think that putting a law in place to help restrict the amount of texting and driving is a good idea,” junior Jojo Cacciato stated.

“When people are distracted because of their phones, they can cause accidents while doing something so unimportant such as changing their music.”

Those who are found in violation will be charged with a misdemeanor and will be fined $150.

“A lot of people are going to think that these punishments are harsh, but I think they are necessary. You have to make people question if texting your mom back ‘K’ is worth $150,” said Cacciato.

If, however, someone violates the law for a second time within a

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One of the new no texting and driving signs located outside of the school. (BLUEPRINTS PHOTO/SARAH CARPENTER)

time span of a year, they may face up to 30-days in jail, as well as an additional fine of $250.

“I think everyone in Granville will just feel better and more safe knowing that more people will actually have their eyes on the road, and not on their phones,” Cacciato stated. “I just hope people will actually follow the law.”

ENVIROTHON COMPETITIONS ON THE HORIZON

BY SARAH CARPENTER (‘20) he beginning of spring is a time for new beginnings in many aspects, be it self reflection, spring cleaning or the flowers blossoming outside. Spring also brings the beginning of several activities at Granville, one of them being Envirothon.

Envirothon is composed of several teams of individuals who cover topics such as forestry, soils, aquatics and wildlife identification, with each individual on a team specializing in one topic.

“Each person pretty much specializes in the area they are the best at, which helps each individual team run pretty efficiently,” Envirothon member Emma Reamer stated.

Envirothon aims to bring awareness to different envirometal topics, especially those that are close to home.

“We try and figure out how we can resolve different environmental issues, especially those in Ohio,” Reamer mentioned. “One of the main topics that we focus on for Ohio is silting,” Reamer

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added.

This upcoming April, the Envirothon team has their first competitions.

“We have the Tri County competition in April, and then later on that month we also have the Regional competition,” Reamer said. “At the end of the season is the State Envirothon competition, which is in June.”

One noteworthy Envirothon team is composed of Andy Hoben, Jason Reding, Evan Noth, Lance VanOstran and Logan Smith, who are favored to win the upcoming state competition in June.

“I think that my team, as well as the other teams in Envirothon, will do very well,” stated Emma Reamer. “I’m very excited for the competitions to begin, and hopefully we can win some of them!”

SOCIAL MEDIA LEADS TO NEGATIVE EFFECTS FOR USERS

BY MOLLY WILSON (‘20) oday, teenagers are using social media for means of studying and communicating; however, according to the Child Mind Institute, social media is the driving factor in anxiety, lack of social skills and poor concentration for teenagers.

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Self-esteem

Most feel more comfortable behind a screen where they have control over how they share their lives with their followers.

The significance that the perfect post, picture and online personality has for teenagers severely impacts their self esteem.

According to SOVA, teenage girls feel a lack of confidence in their own skin due to the unrealistic body expectations and enhanced pictures of celebrities that are shared on all social media platforms.

Photoshopped pictures are becoming a standard on social media, to an extent that they appear to be reality. BP Magazine reports on a study showing that users spend an extended period of time perfecting their posts. Teenage users want to ensure that their posts will be admired by their followers, that they will not be judged based on their content and that they meet the beauty standards that other users are setting. The pressure to conform to beauty standards on social media has manifested into a harmful and stressful atmosphere that impacts the self esteem of young users.

Poor Concentration

According to Child Mind, the majority of students continue to scroll and communicate with their peers on social media while simultaneously completing their schoolwork. Students feel as though they are masters in the field of multitasking.

And while some may be able to get their work done with the distraction of being on their phone, the continuation of this practice may produce a habit of poor concentration at home and in the classroom.

“When you’re studying its hard to ignore notifications when they pop up on your phone” Junior, Mckenna Fuhrman said.

Morgan Roof on phone while studying. (BLUEPRINTS PHOTO/JASON REDING)

Personal Interactions

Social media is creating a barrier between online and face to face interaction for younger generations.

Study hall monitor, Tiera Cramer expresses her frustrations with increased phone use.

“Kids aren’t as comfortable dealing with people face to face,” she said. “They don’t look at the people’s eyes. Instead of actually speaking to people they text.”

Video games and online messaging allow users to hide behind false personalities and personas. When faced with communicating in person, Cramer claims that they “often shy away from eye contact and look other ways to avoid it.”

This is a direct result form increased phone use among teens. Unable to put their phones down, teenagers are more focused on what they are missing when talking to adults.

Social media is creating an abundance of problems for today’s generation of teenagers. It has dominated technology at home and in classrooms. It continues to distract

teens and students from school work and social interaction that will prepare them for the real world. Cramer worries about this generation’s ability to sit through a job interview, and to have good communication and social skills that will help them secure the job, without the urge to get on their phone.

April 2019 5

CODE BLUE Officer Kocher roams the halls getting to know student and staff members in order to build relationships throughout the school. (BLUEPRINTS PHOTO/JOSIE DECARO)

BY JOSIE DECARO (’19) s a result of the District Safety Community, the district in partnering with the Granville Police Department to integrate officers within the school to build relationships with students.

“Granville is fortunate to have a police department and village leadership that values relationships and community engagement,” said superintendent Jeff Brown in the Blue Ace News letter. “We are happy to partner with GPD to support our students and have an increased presence in our schools.”

On January 8, two Granville Police Officers had their first visitation to the high school for the year. Stg. Costa and Officer Kocher will be stopping in periodically and at random times.

“The whole idea is to make it unsystematically systematic. It’s just to provide just another way for the students and staff to get better communication with us,” said Stg. Costa.

Building relationships is valuable in order to strengthen the community. The students and staff are both going to have to adjust with having officers present in the school.

“Being a police officer people don’t think you’re a real person. It’s like when you’re a kid and you see your teacher in the grocery store,” stated Stg. Costa. The point of having the officers in the school is so that students feel like they have an outlet to safety if need be.

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“The purpose behind increasing the presence and visibility of the GPD at the high school is to foster relationships between the GPD and our students,” principal Matthew Durst said. Durst and the Officers both agree that due to the officers being present, students will feel much more comfortable approaching the officers whether it is within the school or within the community.

Not only are the officers there to build relationships, but they are there to make the students and staff feel safer. Stg. Costa stated that with there not being many issues in the school, it is still important that the students feel safe.

“If we make one person feel safer at school, not that there are any issues at school. We are just trying to be present to add the safety then bridge that gap to where the students know all the police officers,” Stg. Costa said.

English teacher No’el Fortner agrees that the students need to build the strong relationships with each other. “It is a good idea to have that feeling of safety but it is also good to build rapport cause students that don’t have experience with law enforcement helps them to build relationships with those people,” said Fortner.

Some students, though, may find these officers threatening in a way. Although the officers are not here to search the school, some students see them still as an intimidation.

“I don’t feel comfortable with the officers here. I just feel like it’s going to be very awkward,” said senior Evan Foster. Students

who may not have connections with police officers or know how to communicate with them may find it awkward having them at school. As Stg. Costa stated earlier, many people see them as dehumanized with the uniform on, therefore it is important that students learn how to communicate with high authorities.

94 students responded to a BluePrints survey about about their comfort with having police officers in the school. 54 percent of

“I’m comfortable with the officers being in the school because it gives a blanket of security for the students to have if they need anything.”

Alyssa Christian students said that having an officer in the school did not make a difference. 22 percent of students said that feel more comfortable with an officer in the school, then 24 percent said they feel less comfortable.

In Westerville City Schools there has been School Resource Officers in all three high schools and four middle schools.

From a point of view from an officer always present in schools,

Officer Adam Dross was assigned to Westerville North High School since the 2013-2014 school year.

“Over the years I have made several relationships with many students and staff members,” said officer Dross. “I have been given the opportunity to pass out several diplomas to graduating students. Graduating student can choose any past or present school employee to present the student with his honor.”

At this point students are expecting to see officers in their schools and it is no difference for them on a day to day basis.

“We have been present daily since 2002,” said officer Dross.

“On many occasions we will teach a lesson and interact with kids during lunch periods.’

Dross and other officers find it important to interact and build relationships with the students to strengthen the community.

“Having a full time officer in the school will build strong community relations,” said Dross. “A lot of time, we will see past and present students working at local businesses. It is always good to see a familiar face and to share a past story.”

Due to having officers in the school, there are many occasions where officers and students see each other outside of school.

Especially while the students are working it is important to see a “familiar face.”

April 2019 7

THUMBS UP THUMBS DOWN

BY JASON REDING (‘19)

TAKE ACTION PROJECTS “ They are good because they force students to think about tackling real world problems in our community that they care about.”

Peyton Williams(‘19)

POLICE IN THE SCHOOLS

EDITORIAL CARTOON BY KENNEDY OGDEN

Texting and Driving STAFF EDITORIAL he Granville community Has enacted a new rule for the citizens that involves two of the most important things in the 21st century: phones and vehicles.

The combination of these two technologies can create one of the most dangerous weapons known to man. The mixing of these two important technological advancement has caused over 1.5 millioncrashes this year alone. The state already has laws in place that make it illegal to text and drive but this has not had the biggest impact that they expected it to be.

Now the village of Granville has passed a new law that makes it illegal to even be on a phone in the car. This means music, phone calls and other things on cellular devices can be a reason the Granville police can pull you over and ticket you.

If you are pulled over by a cop, you can recieve a minor misdeminor and a fine.

Nathan’s Law has been brought about by the death of Granville’s Nathan Richardson, who was changing a tire on the side of the road and was hit and killed by a distracted driver. His parents pushed for stricter driving rules and so does the BluePrints staff. The law is for the Granville area only and wnet into affect on April 1.

The law says that people under eighteen are not allowed to use any moblile devices in the car including hands-free modes that the vehicle provides people over eighteen are allowed to use hands-free devices that are in the car but can still be ticketed for useing their phones.

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The BluePrints staff thinks that the law is a great decision for the community and believes that it is a necessary cost to keep people in the community safe. With Granville Township being full of so many new and young drivers and being a large college community, there are many distracted drivers even if it is not on purpose.

The staff encourages the GPD to enforces this rule and create a safer environment for the community as a whole. With accidents occurring all of the time in granville, we hope that with the new laws and enforcements of these laws the accident rate will decline, making the community a safer place for everybody.

We agree that in order to make the roads a safe as possible for the students and families of Granville that we need to have stricter driving policies and that the Nathan’s Law needs to be enforced. We as a student body should focus more on driving safely and keeping one hundred percent of our attention on the road. Changing the music or sending a quick text to a friend can be deadly for the driver or for bystanders along the road and can change someone’s life forever.

If people need to use the phone in the car to make calls, they must use the handheld device function connected to the car itself. Again the BluePrints staff urges for people to practice safe driving and be focused on the road.

The students of Granville can make a huge change to the driving atmosphere of the town and make it a safer place for everybody.

“I think it’s a good idea to have them because people have the idea that all cops are bad, and students should learn that most of them are good people.”

Casey Boch (‘20)

GMOS “I feel that a responsible balance of GMOs and nonGMOs is the best route for the future of agriculture.”

Lance Vanostron (‘19)

WINFO “I think the rage for schools dances is going down. I’m not suprised how few people came.”

Morgan Roof (‘20)

SENIOR PROJECT “Senior Superlatives are a great way for people to remeber therehighschool career and the memories they had.”

Sham Kushneves (‘19) ARTWORK BY MARIE WEIS

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In each issue this year, two cousins on the BluePrints staff will debate over many different topics. Although they are part of the same family (they both have parents who teach in the building and see each other every day), they have very different views on many issues. We hope you enjoy our third BluePrints family feud.

ABOUT JASON:

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Enjoys fishing in his free time Very involved in the enviroment His father is the enviromental teacher at the high school Considers himself politcally liberal

The world is changing and the next generation of world thinkers are taking their place at the table to change the course of how we do everything today. We as the next generation must decide how we want to approach feeding the world and how we can support the nearly two billion person increase in the world population in the next 30 years and how we can stop the increasing rate of starvation.

Many people believe that we should press into the new science of genetically modified foods and use this new untested science to create massive industrialized crops made for only one thing, produce as much of the same

crops as possible with diversity being completely thrown out the window. We need to find a sustainable way to feed the world and I can argue that the monoculteristic ideas of GMOs are unsustainable and that people should turn to sustainable farming with no-till farming retaking the cities and backyard small-time farming instead of the major corporations taking control of the industry.

By the time we find out the long-term impact, it could be too late. Monocultures are detrimental because they lead to crops being more susceptible to pest and diseases. This can be seen in the recent recall of romaine lettuce crops produce

by big industries can cause massive economic problems as issues occur because instead of knowing that your neighbor down the road had a bad batch of lettuce, you can end up with states or even the whole country having to throw out entire shipments of produce.

While GMOs can be seen as an easy solution, it is most definitely not the right one.

Long term effects continue to pose uncertainty to the future of our health and environment.

Although some may argue that GMOs are ‘thinking differently’, it’s thinking quickly under pressure.

Cousin vs. Cousin THE GMO ISSUE

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ABOUT ANDY:

Loves all things sports, especially Michigan teams Has a great interest in academics.

His mother is math teacher at the high school Watches and plays sports in his free time Considers himself politically conservative

BLUEPRINTS PHOTOS/JOSIE DECARO

Genetically modified organisms are a revolutionary development in the science of food production and are necessary to feed the world. The United Nations predicts that by the year 2050, the world population will be nine billion people, with many of this growth coming from food-insecure countries.

GMOs are needed to maximize production and nutrition, as caloric gains are needed in areas where people are starving.

However, GMOs need to be financially viable in order to come into widespread use; not only are they economically safe, but they actually improve farmer profits exponentially. According to a report published by agricultural economists Graham Brooks and Peter Barfoot, global profits from genetically modified crops

have reached $150 billion dollars since they were first planted.

Farmers need the durability and profitability that genetically modified crops bring, as they can be mass produced, modified to be bigger and have a longer shelf-life, and also be modified to be more aesthetically pleasing to make want to purchase the plant.

Not only can they be modified to enhance their outward features, but they can also be made resistant to certain diseases and insects that make the use of pesticides and insecticides unneeded. The biggest reason for a conversion to GMOs, though, could be its positive environmental impact. Due to the fact that GMOs can be grown in harsher conditions than non-GMO crops and can be stored longer, they

decrease the need for transportation and can greatly limit the amount of carbon emissions needed for this transportation.

A study by Cornell found that the effect of GMO crops on fossil fuel emissions was the equivalent to taking 12 million cars off the road.

Overall, Genetically Modified Organisms are the only way to supply the growing population in a sustainable way.

April 2019 9

ANDY’S CONSPIRACY SERIES

STUDENT VIEWS ON THE NEWS

Should R.Kelly’s music be muted?

R.Kelly has been making music since the late 1980’s. He has made many songs in the R&B and Hip Hop genre. A new documentary “Surviving R.Kelly,” uncovers how he has sexual abused girls. More specifically, black girls from Chicago, R.Kelly’s hometown. The documentary highlights the victims’ stories and its close ties with the songs R.Kelly has produced. It also explains how he was able to get away with this for so long because of his talents. Some of his inner-circle probably knew about but because of the money involved, said nothing. This sparked the Mute R.Kelly movement, a group of people who want R.Kelly’s music banned from music platforms.

BY LIAM MCCAMISH (‘20) R.Kelly¨ was released. This showed how Celebrities getting his songs were some of his victim’s stoin trouble has ries. If you are not familiar with R.Kelly’s always part of the music some of his songs are titled: Hollywood drama. For as long as Holly¨Same Girl¨ wood has been around, there has always ¨Bump n´ Grind¨ been controversy and it is something that ¨I´ll Never Leave¨ is never going away. Most of the time it is ¨You Made Me Love You¨ stuff like drugs or drinking while driving. ¨Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number¨ While these are serious crimes, most of the A lot of people want at least these songs time it can be resolved within a few hours, removed from places like Spotify and a ticket or some jail iTunes. A lot more time. Some cases are “Listening to R.Kelly´s people want all of far more severe and his music removed music after listening to stopping a flow of complex and have a lot more controversy. stories of these girls is income from his Robert Sylvester really disturbing, and art.People speculate Kelly, more popularly is why this is such a known as ¨R.Kelthat the reason ly¨ is a Soul/R&B R.Kelly was able unique situation, songwriter based in to get away with unfortunately for the this for so long Chicago. R. Kelly first album ¨Born¨ is because of his worse.” was released in 1992. talents. It is true R.Kelly has been facing underage sex R.Kelly is extremely talented, and where accusations for over 20 years. He was there is talent there is money. A lot of also acquitted on trial in 2008 when he people made money off R.Kelly´s success, allegedly had a sexual relationship with a making them want to make sure he contin13-year-old girl. This is not the first time ues to succeed. in recent history where a celebrity has Listening to R.Kelly´s music after lisbeen accused of sexual assault or rape. tening to stories of these girls is really disHowever, peoples reaction to R.Kelly turbing, and is why this is such a unique are very different. Instead of just putting situation, unfortunately for the worse. him on trial and making the disgusting Obviously, it isn´t illegal to continue to enthings he has done out to the public, joy R.Kelly´s music, but if this movement people want his music gone. This mainly continues to go strong, his music might be started when ẗhe documentary ¨Surviving harder to find.

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BY ANDY HOBEN (‘20) or the third edition of Andy’s Conspiracy Series, we decided to go big and tackle one of the biggest theories out there: The Illuminati.

Theories regarding this supposed secret society spawn from a belief that there is a “New World Order” that was created sometime in the early 20th century that is being carried out by one or more groups that have origins in the Enlightenment era and now are controlling a large amount of the world’s wealth and power. Here are the most important points to consider about the Illuminati: Early years: The Illuminati was an actual institution that was created in the late 1700s and was meant to oppose the superstition, obscurantism, religious influence over public life and abuses of state power seen during that time. However, the group was denounced by the church, and began to function in complete secrecy. Some have even placed blame on the group for causing the French Revolution.

Start of a Conspiracy: The Illuminati that we have come to know and that has infiltrated the mainstream conscience was a product of counter-culture mania, LSD and interest in Eastern philosophy. Leaders of the reincarnated society wanted to bring chaos into society and shake things up through the spread of misinformation.

Modern society: This rebirthed Illuminati did not fully gain traction until the 1990s and the dawn of the internet, when theories could be spread by everyone with access to various message boards and websites. Theorists have linked the society to a “New World Order,” claiming that the world’s elites gather together at meetings guised as “business” and actually discuss the ruling of the world. They also claim the society has members in Hollywood; singers such as Jay-Z, Beyonce, and Katy Perry have shown the supposed signs of the Illuminati in pubic and are a part of the secret society.

Do I endorse these theories?: Yes. While I do not necessarily think that the mainstream “Illuminati” is ruling the world, I do think that there suspect signs that there is a group of elites are in control of most of the global economy, and that a secret society like the Illuminati is at the origins of this phenomenon.

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How do you feel about cops in the school?

The district is partnering with the Granville Police Department to integrate officers into the school. We asked our readers what they think about the safety measure.

@ZanderFinley

“I think it’s sad we have to take such drastic measures just to keep our schools safe.”

@DerickBellofatto “Yeah, I love the fact that we are keeping police in the building. I feel safer at school having them patrolling.”

@MitchKunar “It’s great that we have police officers in the building.”

@EmmaCummisky “I don’t really mind them being in the building honestly. I’d like to know why they are here.” @JoeMaurer “There is no reason not to as long as they are not checking lockers everyday.”

@MathewSteele “No one should worry about the cops. They are just here for our safety.” @MckennaFuhrman “I was not aware that they were here. But I’m ok with it.”

@TieraCramer

“I absolutly do [think it is a good idea] because students can have a relationship with offficers on a positive level instead of a negetive one.”

@AnthonyZeno “I like that they are at the school so that kids can build relationships with them and get closer in the community.”

@RafiDeGenero “It’s fine if it’s keeping us safe.” @WillFletcher “It makes everyone uncomfortable.”

@LanceVanostran “I have mixed emotions about them. I know they are here for our safety but sometimes they seem like they are judging us.”

@WillGilbert

“I don’t mind it but the lack of transparancy is odd.”

@BjornLudwig

“[It is a] pathetically inadequate solution for our goverment’s failure to pass reasonable, common sense firearm legistlation”

April 2019 11

STAR SPOTLIGHT: Nate Stone

BY MOLLY WILSON (20’) enior Nate Stone is about to begin his fourth season as a varsity Blue Ace baseball player. The season kicked off over spring break in Myrtle Beach. The team played 5 games, lead by 6 seniors, among them starting center fielder Nate Stone.

Last baseball season Nate earned second team all Ohio for Division II high school baseball. Stone has also participated in summer baseball for many years. This offseason work and dedication is an attribute that set Stone apart from the rest of his competition.

Stone is has had influence at the plate since his freshman season. PBR Ohio said of Nate’s impressive hitting skill: “Impressive strength/bat speed combo. Mid to upper 90s EV. Turns barrel into contact well. Upside lefty bat.”

His powerful hitting skills and prowess in center field attracted the eye of the Miami University baseball program. In the fall of this year Stone plans to attend school in Oxford and study business, all while being apart of a division I baseball program. Stone was drawn to Miami because “the coaching staff is welcoming and knowledgeable. The athletic facilities for the baseball team are brand new and top notch.”

Stone is looking forward to this next step in his baseball career and is “excited by the level of competition that college baseball offers and the opportunities that playing at an advanced level can lead you towards.”

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DAVIS, BROWN SITUATIONS BAD FOR SPORTS

I am all for “power to the players,” but the diva-like contract and team disputes that players in the major sports leagues have started within the last year have been nothing short of disturbing. I fully support players like Le’veon Bell, who sat out the 2018 season with the Pittsburgh Steelers over a salary dispute on the verge of free agency.

However, players like Anthony Davis, who still has two years left on his contract with the Pelicans, and Antonio Brown, who still had FOUR years left on his deal when he demanded a trade from the Steelers, create a huge issue for the future of pro-sports and show its movement to an entirely player-centered industry without team loyalty or trust.

Antonio Brown said in an interview this year, while in the prime of his career and with adoring fans tuning in, that he “doesn’t need football.” I think the better question is, does football need players like Antonio Brown?

MARCH MADNESS IS THE BEST TIME OF THE YEAR

I know a lot of basketball fans share this sentiment, but the Christmas of the sports calendar, March Madness, is a gift that just keeps on giving every year and round of the tournament. The month starts in mid-March during the conference tournament season, when power-houses and low-major hopefuls compete within their leagues to see who will gain a bid to the “Big Dance.” Then there is Selection Sunday, a drama-filled TV special where highly-ranked heavyweights hope for a good seeding and region, and bubble teams just hope to be given a chance. Then, it is officially time to fill out tournament picks, an exercise that brings people together from all walks of life to conquer one, impossible goal: to create the perfect bracket. After that, it is four weekends straight of game-watching all day, every day, and if you have your own home team in the tournament, praying that they stay alive to make a trip to the legendary Final Four round.

During March Madness, only one thing is a given: your bracket will be TOTALLY busted during the first weekend of the tournament.

HOBIE’S HOT TAKES

BY ANDY HOBEN (‘20)

BASEBALL MAY BE SLOW, BUT DON’T CALL IT BORING

An average major league baseball game takes about three hours to complete, and the league-wide batting average for the 2018 season was under .250, meaning that less than one out of every four batters reached base safely. Spectators are not watching the game as frequently as they used to, saying it is too boring. However, I just see these qualms as more reason to love the watching and experiencing the game. Three hours of time watching a baseball means three hours away enjoying the sun, spitting seeds and escaping from other responsibilities while enjoying the great American pastime. True lovers of the game will also point out that the decrease in batting average is just a new evolution of the sport, much like the three point rampage in basketball, and that the greater number of strikeouts and home runs makes the game more exciting. And, if those reasons aren’t enough to get someone out to the ballpark, picking a team and following them through a run to the World Series is fun no matter what your opinion is on the pace of the game.

GRANVILLE WINTER SPORTS SEASON BEST EVER

Nate and his parents at his signing day. (Photo courtesy of Paris Arthur)

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Granville is perennially one of the top teams in the LCL across all sports, many Blue Aces of the winter 2018-2019 season truly DOMINATED all competition in the league and then went on to have historic postseason runs as well. Boys’ basketball went a perfect 12-0 in the league to win the LCL-Buckeye for the fourth straight year and made a trip to the district semifinal for the first time since 2011, while girls’ basketball also won the league for the second season in a row and went to the district finals for the first time since 2003, narrowly losing to Eastmoor. Wrestling made history, sending two wrestlers to state with both of them, senior 182-pounder Keegan Van Meter and sophomore 145-pounder Douglas Terry, making the second and third state semifinal appearances in the process. Terry then went on to become the first state finalist in school history. To close out the winter season, the Newark Generals hockey team (which includes many Granville players) and the Blue Aces competition cheer team won the state competitionship. Overall, it was a historic winter sports season for the Blue Aces.

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CLUB SPORTS SURPASSING SCHOOL SPORTS

MANY FAMILIES FACED WITH TOUGH DECISIONS ON WHERE TO COMPETE

BY ANDY HOBEN (‘20) n a world of non-stop extracurricular schedules for much of today’s youth, and an increasingly competitive landscape when it comes to pursuing these passions after high school, it is no wonder why club sports have become such a large industry over the course of the last 20 years. From AAU basketball, to club field hockey and lacrosse, to travel baseball, to competition dance, non-scholastic sports and activities have dramatically risen in popularity and have now gotten to the point where they rival, if not surpass, the involvement and time commitment to school extracurriculars. Club sports have monetized, privatized and completely deregulated the market for players of the sports and their teams; but, have club sports surpassed school sports entirely?

This question is multidimensional with three main factors needing to be taken into consideration: the time commitment, the cost, and the stakes of the game.

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THE TIME COMMITMENT

When it comes to overall time commitment, club sports are unregulated, meaning that teams can schedule practices, games, and tournaments whenever and wherever they want, many times even requiring their players to leave the state or at least their immediate home city to play away contests for an extended period of time. While this can be a benefit for some athletes, as they get more game time, repetitions, and exposure for scouts at the next level of whatever sport they are in, it can also be a hassle and a huge time commitment for families, causing them to be pulled out of other important activities and events in their life in favor of their club sport. This heightened pressure and large responsibility can lead to burn-out; AthleticBusiness.com reports that “60-70% of kids quit sports by the time they are 13 years old.” While the time commitment of club sports is intended to provide the athlete with an enhanced experience, many

times it can do just the opposite. School sports, on the other hand, have much more regimented guidelines when it comes to competition times and player-coach contact. This works to reduce the workload of players and help them focus on other areas of their life, including school.

THE COST

The cost of club sports is also not comparable to school sports, as it is at an exponentially higher cost to the player and their family; however, it also adds benefits and opportunities that school sports simply cannot provide. While families of players end up paying thousands of dollars for

“They are different animals but the same beast.” their child to participate in a single season of a club sport, they are able to receive gear, trips, and exposure that school sports intentionally do not provide in order to standardize their experience and save money.

Granville baseball and football player Mitch Kunar has experience playing travel sports for many years.

“I played travel baseball in the summer for many years to face better competition and work on my skills after the school season,” Kunar said. \ “I like school sports and club sports.

They are different animals but ultimately the same beast. You have to compete in both and winning is at a premium. The biggest difference I’d say is the cost and types of time commitments.”

THE STAKES

Additionally, the increased experience and competition will, the families hope,

gain them attention from college coaches and earn them a scholarship. However, a downside of all this spending can be the sheer magnitude of it; according to the LHSAA, in actuality, “a very small percentage of students earn athletic scholarships, and the overwhelming majority will spend more money for club sports than they wish to count—sometimes equaling the cost of college expenses.” While in some sports like soccer, where there is nearly no exposure to college coaches outside of club tournaments, in reality, the desired end result is not worth the spending.

In comparing the stakes of the games between school sports and club sports, one has to make the distinction between quality and quantity. In general, while it may vary from individual to individual, school sports provide a much more energized and singular experience for each game, especially when the postseason starts in their respective sport. However, the large number of games that can be played in a single weekend tournament and across a whole season during club sports provides a greater opportunity to improve skills during game competition and be noticed by college coaches.

Overall, making a distinction between the validity of school sports and club sports is difficult, as in an ideal world they can coexist and work to help athletes in the realm of the other; however, in a world where regulation has failed to encompass both sides of the sport, the waters become muddied. One thing that is certain, though, is that athletes are gravitating to club sports at an increasing rate, as one study by the NCAA surveying swimmers, soccer, volleyball, basketball, baseball, softball, and hockey players shows that over 85% of athletes in these sports play for a club team. With all things considered, the decisions made between club and school sports have and will ultimately continue to occur on an individual basis and be up to the family on whether they want to spend the money to reach the top.

April 2019 13

BY THE NUMBERS These Blue Aces have turned in great seasons in their respective sports so far. Let’s look at their success by the numbers.

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The girls’ lacrosse team faced off against Olentangy Liberty on April 4. (BLUEPRINTS PHOTO)

BLUE ACE SPRING SPORTS REPORT

BY BLUEPRINTS STAFF Baseball The baseball team started off their spring training trip to Myrtle Beach where they went 5-0. A strong start to the season payed off in their first league game against Heath winning 4-0 and keeping the Blue Aces undefeated at 6-0. Senior Nate Stone hit a triple and after an error he ran home for a home run. Senior Curtis Clark pitched a shutout for the game, continuing his strong start to the season.

Boys’ Lacrosse While the boys’ lacrosse team graduated a solid group of players from last years team, returning seniors Jake Belt and Mason Ketron, among others, are looking to lead the Aces to another great season. The boys started their season off against Jonathan Alder in victorious fashion, winning 14-4, and while they fell in their next game to New Albany by a sizeable margin, they will look to rebound against Desales on Thursday, March 11.

Softball The varsity softball team is led by seniors Ally Gilliam at second base, Regan Bensholder at third, Kaitlyn Brown on the mound and Ally Fisher, who is out with a hamstring injury.

They are currently 6-1. Junior Kara Gunter pitched an outstanding game against Newark Catholic with nine strikeouts in seven innings. This looks to be an exciting season for the 5 seniors who anticipate a playoff run when it comes to tournament time.

Girls’ Lacrosse The varsity girls lacrosse team’s season began on Tuesday, March 19. The team won one home game against Olentangy in a 10-9 victory, and won another 8-5 to Dublin Coffman. Their current record is 2-0. Notable players on the team include Sophie Shaw, Lauren Newkirk, Audrey Smith and Ella Gravitt.

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Track and Field The Granville track team had its first meet of the season last week. Despite pouring down

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rain, Granville still obtained some impressive wins, setting the standard high for there next meet. Hopefully, the weather will be better and Granville can continue to rise. The Blue Aces will be led by Zach Walsh, Brandon Haley and a strong group of young runners in boys sprints, while Rafi Degenero will lead the boys distance squad. The girls team contains a stable of talented sprinters in Ellie Lewandowski, Maria Law and Annika Green, as well as distance runner Alyssa Christian Boys’ Tennis The Granville Blue Aces tennis team is starting a new season with high hopes for the year.

The team has multiple strong seniors to lead them into having a good season. Tennis meets will be starting very soon and with seniors Raleigh Conway, Even Noth, and Noah Flowers, the team has high hopes for the season.

Strikeouts that Curtis Clark had in his complete-game shutout against Heath

9’-6”

Feet and inches of senior Ceridwyn Hunter’s winning pole vault at the Watkins Icebreaker track meet

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Average speed, in miles per hour, of Granville boys tennis’ #1 man Raleigh Conway’s serves

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Place that the Newark Generals hockey team took at the National Tournament, the best finish in program history

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Goals that junior Sophie Shaw had in her sophomore season. She is committed to the Fordham University lacrosse team

(BLUEPRINTS PHOTOS/JOSIE DECARO)

GETTING TO KNOW . . .

ADAM BENNETT The Granville community is welcoming Coach Bennett who went from being a Panther to an Ace.

Bennett also attended and

BY JOSIE DECARO (‘19) graduated from Licking Valley et another coach trades High School in 2008, where he in their long time rivalplayed baseball and basketball. ry and comes apart of He furthered his athletic career the Granville’s community. at Muskingum University and Adam Bennett is a first year coach for the high school boys’ Mount Vernon Nazarene University (MVNU). varsity baseball team. Coach During Bennett’s time at Bennett is on his sixth year coaching coming from at Lick- Muskingum University, he received two bachelor’s degrees ing Valley where in Political Science he was head IftI lo evoerk get and Business. Bennett “I freshman coach. s lidkiveorc then married his wife, ag Bennett is was ai Ged n ra ville I’bmausing hnim Mckenzie Bennett, and seball has also an assistant bright futu a they have two children. coach for the re.”

A LE He has a daughter X RIZOR Licking Valley named Harper who varsity team. is three years old and “The best part an eight month of son of working with named Deacon. the athletes is the long term “As a newcomer to the relationships you can build and community the reception and the effect you can have on a the welcoming to the Granville young person’s life on or off community has been excelthe field,” said Bennett. Bennett is passionate about helping lent,” said Bennett. Bennett has greatly been welcomed by his players accel and building the community along with his relationships with his athletes. athletes.

Bennett has also coached “He’s committed to turning during his summers for comthe program around,” said petitive travel teams. These senior baseball player Alex teams include the 13 and 14U Rizor. “It looks like Granville Athletics team and the 16, 17 baseball has a bright future.” and 18U Midwest Marlins.

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Along with Bennett, his athletes are excited for the upcoming season and what the new coach has to bring to the team.

“He was an energetic coach who knew what he was talking about,” said Logan White, senior at Licking Valley. “He put a lot of time into this game and it showed through his coaching. Granville was a better fit for him and I wish him the best there.”

White played for Bennetts 18U team. Along with Bennetts current players and travel team players they are more than excited about what Bennett can bring to the field.

“This year will run really smoothly, I think he knows what he is doing,” said Mitch Kunar, junior varsity player.

“He definitely is more experienced than his peers at his age. I think he is a good coach and we’ll run smoothly as a program for the next through years.”

LIGHTNING ROUND...

Favorite MLB team?

Fan of the game, no true favorite team How is your time spent with athletes everyday?

3-4 hours Favorite workout time?

Weights

Favorite healthy snack?

Broccoli and ranch Favorite pro-athlete?

Ken Griffey Jr.

April 2019 15

THESPIAN CONFERENCE

BY MICAH ORGAN (‘19) embers of the drama club attended the Ohio Thespian State Conference and won several awards on March 29-31. Ohio Thespian State Conference is a three-day event in which over 1,000 high school students participated. “[Thespian Conference is] a place that you can bring shows that your school has done, [and] you can compete in individual events,” said True Chin-Parker, co-president of the drama club. “There are also workshops, and you can see other school’s plays, so you can support your friends, and there’s the All-Ohio Show...it’s a lot of theatre in one weekend, but it’s really exciting because everyone there loves theatre.”

Chin-Parker was not the only attendee of the Ohio Thespian State Conference from GHS. Drama club members David Braden, Claire Duncan, CJ Travis, Alex Hare, Nick Havill, Olivia Belvins, Rose Duffus and Katie Noth were also in attendance.

“We brought “110 Stories” to conference, which we performed on Saturday afternoon in front of a room of other people,” Chin-Parker said. “People really liked that one. I got to perform in front of 500 other high school theatre kids, which was really fascinating. We [also applied] to become an Honor Troupe, which we did. We are a Bronze Honor Troupe now.

Next year, we can apply for Gold.”

In addition to putting on an abbreviated performance of “110 Stories”, this year’s fall play, all of the GHS drama club students who attended Ohio Thespian State

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Conference participated in Tech Chala strong theatre department that lets us do lenge. Tech Challenge is a team activity all of these crazy things.” that involves doing five to six different Ohio Thespian State Conference is an technical theatre challenges. event that celebrates both theatre techni“This is our third year in recent history cians and actors. The biggest display of participating [in Tech Challenge]. Our first support for both groups occurred during year, we got dead last, but last year [and the individual award showcase at the end this year], we got first place. [For prizes], of the weekend. you get a trophy, and a light you can use “Claire Duncan and I took [individual in your theater. [There events],” Chin-Parker were] schools at Tech said. “Claire did CosCOSTUME DESIGN Challenge who were tume Design, and I took Double Superior determined to beat a song for Solo Musical Claire Duncan us, [because] we went Theatre. We both got from last place to first a Double Superior SOLO MUSICAL THEATRE place by our second [rating], which is the Double Superior year. [That] says a lot highest rating possible, True Chin-Parker about how well-trained [and] Claire got a perGranville technicians fect score. The [indiTECH CHALLENGE are.” vidual award] showcase First PLace While Tech Chal[is] on the final day, David Braden, Claire lenge was an important [and] the people with Duncan, CJ Travis, Alex Hare, tech Double Superiors... aspect of Ohio ThesNick Havill, Olivia Belvins, pian State Conference, show people [their] Rose Duffus and Katie Noth the performance of work. It’s cool because this year’s All-Ohio sometimes as a techmusical, “Carrie”, nician, it’s not always occurred during this appreciated.” event. Chin-Parker, David Braden, and Given that Ohio Thespian State ConferClaire Duncan all participated in the perence celebrates all things theatre-related, formance of “Carrie”. it is an experience like no other for drama Chin-Parker, who played Freida in the club students. performance of “Carrie”, said, “We’ve “With theatre, a lot of people appreciate had people in the All-Ohio show for the it, but it’s not often that you get to be in last four years, [but] I’m the first actor a space with so many people who totally who’s been in the show in awhile. It’s an understand the work that you do, so that’s honor to have people in the show because really nice,” Chin-Parker said. ”You get it’s kind of selective. Less than half of the to learn so many things and meet people people who applied [got] in, [so] it really you’d never meet otherwise.” is a testament to the fact that Granville has

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SUPER SPRING LOOKS

The beginning of spring brings the blooming of flowers, the beginning of the fourth quarter and long awaited warm weather. With this new warm weather comes a shift in the different styles and clothes seen at Granville. Check out some of the best spring outfits shared by four Granville students. BY SARAH CARPENTER (‘20)

“

Spring is my favorite time for fashion. I l0ve when it gets warmer Because I can wear more short sleeve shirts.

-Jojo Cacciato

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As modeled by junior Frances Goodwin, this yellow shirt is perfect for a pop of color. This shirt looks great when paired with jeans, and is a great look for any spring event!

As shown by junior JoJo Cacciato, these plaid pants give a bit of flair to any outfit! They look gret when paired with a neutral colored cropped shirt, and are great for an everyday look!

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I love spring because I don’t have to ruin all my outfits with a heavy winter jacket, -Grace portzline

As seen on junior Anna Mialky, this dress is sure to make you pop out from the crowd! The bright yellow compliments the jovial atmosphere of spring, and is perfect simple look!

Shown on junior Grace Portzline, this outfit is perfect for those chilly spring days. Pair any shirt with a jean jacket to add a layer of warmth and make a great addition to any outfit!

”

BLUEPRINTS PHOTOS/SARAH CARPENTER ADDITIONAL PHOTOS COURTESY OF JOJO CACCIATO AND FRANCES GOODWIN

April 2019 17

“INTRUDER” DROPS ON STEAM

NEWEST RELEASE IS WORTH THE MONEY

BY LIAM MCCAMISH (‘20) ntruder¨ was recently released on the steam market as an early access game. ¨Intruder¨ is a first-person tactical shooter. The release Steam has caught the eye of some popular streamers on the streaming website Twitch. After watching the game for a little while I decided to make the investment and I´m not disappointed.

I am a big counter-strike player and if you know anything about counter-strike it takes some tactical thinking and using grenades, but it is not overwhelmingly important to the casual >>Platform player. In “Intruder,” PC the tactical portion >>Style of the game is the Tactical FPS largest aspect. You´re Mulitplayer given items like >>Developer binoculars, cameras Superboss that can reach around Games walls, smoke gre>>Release nades and a walkie Mar. 1, 2019 talkie. It makes for a great experience.

The game itself is 5 v. 5, the two teams are ¨Guards¨ and ¨Intruders.” The Guards have to protect certain computers or briefcases, which depends on what map you are playing on. The Intruders have to break into the building and hack a certain number of computers or steal a briefcase and bring it back to their checkpoint, without getting caught by the Guards of course.

The game may sound simple, but it is hard to learn. Both Guards and Intruders are given certain gadgets that affect how you play. One is a camera that you can

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turn 360 degrees that is on a 5-foot long pole, leading to some sneaky situations Unlike a lot of popular competitive games, “Intruder” has a special voice chat and name tag system. When you are in a game of “Intruder” it is proximity chat, meaning if you´re close to someone they will be able to hear you perfectly and the farther you get away from them, the less and less you hear them. Everyone on the team also has a walkie talkie, so if everyone is spread out, you can still communicate. Another very important feature is that everyone can hear you including the other team. So if I use my radio to say something to my team, and an enemy is nearby, they could potentially hear me. You might run into having a conversation with the other team.

Another feature, that is not used in a lot of games, is that there is no kill feed or name tags. In most games, if I were to kill someone, it would let everyone know and most games let you know how much of your team is alive. In “Intruder” that is not a feature, intentionally. So when you also never know how many people on your team are still alive, meaning you have to use your walkie talkie to know, known by many “Intruder” players as a ¨radio check.” But as stated in the previous passage, everyone can hear you, so radio checks need to be carefully timed.

The immersion in “Intruder” is done really well. It is an intense game that will keep you at the edge of your seat. If you have the money ($20.00), it is definitely a game you should pick up.

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Q&A RobStorm, the developer of “Intruder,” shared his thoughts on the future of the game

BY LIAM MCCAMISH (‘20) Q: When the competitive game mode comes out will there be seasons, like in most popular competitive games?

A: “Right now everything is sort of player moderated because some of those systems take a lot of set up. But if we do well enough, we should hire people to help set up systems like that.

We already have people doing the new website and plauer tracking which would help implement that.”

Q:Where do you see in “IntRUder” being 3 years from now?

A: “[I see] Intruder 3 years from now as a complete game, but still growing. The island the game takes place on would be more fleshed out. New modes and missions and a real sense that the game is a world to be immersed in as well as the game.”

“THESE THINGS ARE FUN SONGS TO PUT A SPRING IN YOUR STEP AND FUN IS GOOD”: SEUSBY MICAH ORGAN (‘19) s we leave the drab winter weather in the rearview, the general mood becomes more hopeful and optimistic.

With this Spring Break playlist, I worked to capture these moods in a collection of new and old songs that are meant for you to enjoy during your break from school.

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Frank Ocean- “Nights”

This song combines chill vibes and a general sense of optimism, leaving the listener yearning for more even at the end of the 5:07 run time.

Rex Orange County- “Sunflower”

This song’s abrupt switch from downtempo to upbeat and jazz-influenced captures the idea of rebirth that spring is associated with.

Tyler, the Creator- “See You Again”

It is the sweeping instrumentals that carry the stellar vocal performances that make this song perfect for spring.

Foster the People- “Doing It For the Money”

This song fuses percussive elements with a pop vocal style, which gives it a happy, upbeat vibe.

Catfish and the Bottlemen- “Longshot”

This track sounds like the ultimate road trip song. The sparkling indie-rock instrumentals compliment the vibrant vocals perfectly.

Vampire Weekend- “Harmony Hall”

In their first new song in five years, Vampire Weekend creates a peaceful atmosphere while still being full of instrumental surprises.

Bring Me the Horizon- “sugar honey ice & tea”

The chorus of this song is catchy and friendly towards a pop-oriented audience.

Grimes- “California”

This song combines acoustic elements with synthpop features in a relaxed, slow presentation that will inevitably have you singing along.

J.Cole- “MIDDLE CHILD”

It is the serious message embedded in the lyrics of this song that will keep you listening again and again over the duration of your break.

YUNGBLUD- “11 Minutes”

The strong percussion provided by Blink-182’s Travis Barker support YUNGBLUD and guest vocalist Halsey on a track that is bound to get stuck in your head.

SICAL MUSICAL PREVIEW

BY MICAH ORGAN (‘19) ongratulations! Today is your day! The spring musical, “Seussical”, is off and away!

“Seussical,” will run on May 3 and 4. “Seussical” was created by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, and GHS’s production will be directed by Sara Sharp and Stefanie Stanton.

According to student director Claire Duncan, “‘Seussical’ is a collection of stories by Dr. Seuss merged together in a very magical, crazy way to create one continuous storyline, which then has wild music and dancing and crazy characters and everything under the sun. The main story that it focuses on is the story of ‘Horton Hears a Who.’” “Seussical” is the final show that the drama department is putting on this year. In general, musicals tend to produce a bigger turnout than plays.

“I think [‘Seussical’] is so much fun,” Duncan said. “It is absolutely crazy. There’s all the crazy Dr. Seuss characters, [like] the Grinch, and the Cat in the Hat, and [Horton] and it’s all of that nostalgic Dr. Seuss love from our childhood come back. There is [also] that pure sweetness of the story that is so gentle and kind, that it’s a really moving story, but it still has these crazy dance numbers and colors and crazy costumes. It’s got something for everybody.”

The stars of “Seussical” include CJ Travis, True Chin-Parker and Spencer Treciak.

“This cast is a really, really wonderful group of people,” Duncan said. “I got the pleasure of watching auditions, so I got to see all these people really do their thing. The way the cast turned out was really lovely.”

While this is the last show of the school year, it is also the last high school show for the seniors participating in “Seussical.”

“We have a lot of of strong underclassman, but the seniors are the beautiful base that this program has right now,” Duncan said, “Everyone is so talented, and we have this sense of family that I hope remains [once we leave].”

“Seussical” is based on the children’s stories of Dr. Seuss.

Even though the books that the show is based off of are meant to appeal to children, the show itself is made for a broad audience.

“It is built for any ages,” Duncan said. “It has dynamic and complex characters and storylines, and there’s this pure heart to the story that can draw in any audience, and that adults will probably be able to see better than children...[it] has the innocence of the storybooks, but in creating a more dynamic storyline, people have bigger emotions, and it gets scary at some points. It has all the dynamics you need to create a full story, so it’s definitely not flat.”

“Seussical” is a unique musical experience. The comedic elements and dramatic storyline should keep anybody entertained. “[‘Seussical’ is] going to be a really good show,” Duncan said. “[The cast and crew have] so much talent. Once we get on stage and really get to strut our stuff, it’s going to be super fun.”

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