C H T
Volume 113
Issue 1
Fall 2026
THE FALL ISSUE New CHS Staff HOCO Ethics of Movie Piracy
Pg. 2 Pgs. 16-17 Pg. 27
Contents 1 Letters from the Editors __________________________________
News 2 New CHS Staff 3 Policy New SPS and CHS Policies Meta Settlement 4 DSA 5 NAFTA and USMCA 6 Food Recalls 7 Flock Cameras 8 Natural Disasters 9 Ads Student Voice Committee __________________________________
Sports 10 Kilties 11 Pomdogs 12 Step 13 Cheer 14 NBA Offseason 15 Football __________________________________
Feature 16-17 Homecoming 18 Candy Poll 19 Dolly Parton’s Legacy 20 Halloween Activities _______________________________
Opinion 21 Fall Festival Review 22-23 Favorite Halloween Media (Editorial) 24 Fall Drinks Review 25 Pylon Review 26 Amazing Digital Circus Review 27 Ethics of Movie Piracy 28 Ads Evangel Sylvan LMVPFFL Inside Back Cover Ads Yearbook Back Cover Comic
COMIC FRONT COVER Comic by Avery Rapp. Senior Franklin Lucore conducts marching band at the Mt. Vernon Band Exhibition. Photo by Maggie Moore. EDITORIAL POLICY The Central High Times is a student-produced publication of the Central High School journalism department. The staff and adviser strive to create an open forum for students and teachers. We take responsibility for accuracy and fairness and for work to be unbiased and responsive to the needs of readers in order to encourage the submission of readers’ ideas. We promise to practice honesty, to run the paper as a business and to avoid printing material that is legally considered obscene, libelous or private. LETTER TO THE EDITOR POLICY The Central High Times encourages the submission of ideas or comments from readers. Letters to the Editor must contain no more than 150 words. Letter to the Editor submissions should be typed, printed, signed and delivered to Central High School’s journalism office (room 024) or sent to keodell@spsmail.org with the subject line “Letter to the CHT Editor.” The Central High Times reserves the right to edit submissions for grammatical and spelling errors and for space limitations. ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP POLICY The Central High Times has the right to accept, reject or cancel any advertisement at any time. Advertising will not contain any statements, illustrations or implications offensive to good taste or public decency based on the opinion of the Central High Times staff (i.e. any content containing anything racist, sexist or illegal for high school students or violates journalistic principles). Advertisements accepted by the Central High Times staff are not an endorsement from the staff, adviser, administration or Springfield Public Schools District. Advertisements should refrain from attacking competitors unfairly or disparaging their products, services or methods of doing business. If your organization would like to advertise in the Central High Times, or if you would like to provide a financial sponsorship for the Central High Times, please contact the adviser, Kori O’Dell, at keodell@spsmail.org. Sponsorships begins at $25 per year, advertising pricing begins at $50 per issue, and all money raised goes toward our printing budget. ADVISER Kori O’Dell CO-EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Jack Herr & George Wood PAGE DESIGNERS Emma Lewis & Sarah Greene ASSISTANT PAGE DESIGNERS Avery Rapp COPY EDITORS Sarah Greene, Jack Herr, Reese Wood, Emma Lewis SENIOR REPORTERS Maggie Moore, Avery Rapp
REPORTERS Maggie Moore, Todd Gao, Avery Rapp, Olive Eck, Emily Huggins, Eli Ceron, Joshua Shang, Gavin “Bobby” Broom, Aiden Moon, Sophia Serafimov. THE CHT Volume 113 Issue 1 CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL 423 E. Central St., Springfield, MO 65802 CONTACT keodell@spsmail.org FONT FAMILIES Function, Century PUBLISHER Indiana Printing & Publishing
LE T TERS ON SENIORDOM
JACK - In the late 17th century, the concept of the sublime experience was introduced to European thought. The sublime was something ineffable—unable to be described. Attempts at explaining the sublime characterized it as delightful, tinged with a hint of sadness or fear—in the words of Joseph Addison, a man who embarked on a trip across the Alps to find the sublime: “An agreeable kind of horror.” Oftentimes, like with Addison’s Alps expedition, people claimed to have these sublime experiences when encountering the grandeur of nature. To thinkers, the sublime was separate from aesthetic appreciation; it was a feeling all its own, a truly unique experience. In my time at Central High School, I think I’ve felt an experience—-perhaps easier to describe—but similar in its uniqueness. There is something very special about an early Missouri morning on a school bus headed someplace other than school. One’s brain is saturated with caffeine, and combined with the low 60s temperature, there is a permeating air of excitement and anticipation. It’s one of those things that, once you feel it, it is instantly recognizable. To me, this is an essential part of the extracurricular experience, and an essential high school experience outright. If I had a piece of advice for anyone—senior, sophomore, freshman, or junior—it’d be to do some extracurricular activity both to chase that afore-described sublimeadjacent experience, and to feel all the joy that comes with being in a club or sport. Entering the formative years of high school, extracurriculars are the first real academic choice one gets to make. Up until that point, all your classes are, for the most part, chosen for you—An extracurricular is the first real opportunity to dive deep into something you are interested in; that is something incredibly valuable.
JACK HERR
GEORGE WOOD
CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
REESE - Finally, here in senior year. I started attending Central in 6th grade as a scholar; being a senior felt like something that was so far away. Seeing fully grown adult students marching around the building, (Not very often because of COVID), was probably equally as weird to me as it was to them seeing a fresh-out-of-elementary school kid walking around. The amount of diversity in age that this school has is something we should be proud of. I remember Mr. Tuckness when I did middle school debate. I have legitimately no idea how old he is; he could be anywhere between 60 and 90, and I wouldn’t be surprised. To say Tuckness knew what he was doing would be an understatement. I still remember him drilling and teaching me how to do Prose/Poetry… Performance? Act? I dunno. Tuckness liked to wander the halls helping any soul he ran across. Tuckness and my grandpa are pretty much the older end of the spectrum , that being the older generation at Central. My grandpa graduated in 1958 and I wish I could have asked him more about Central. On the other end is Mr. Bossi, who was a student only a year before I started attending Central (I think), which is honestly really weird to think about. I don’t remember which other teachers were students, but I know there are a couple that we covered on a couple of magazine issues ago. I love this school. This school has made me in many ways: the teachers, my friends, the sports. They all have contributed to the person that I am. The class I’m writing this Ledditor in, I’ve been a part of for my entire high school life. It’s honestly existentially intense to think about it. I’ve done so many complete circles, I started freshman year history with Mr. Slingerland, I’m doing senior history with Mr. Slingerland. The different ages and backgrounds that are represented at CHS are a good sign of intellectual capacity as the different ages allow for different viewpoints on current events allowing any echo chamber that could be found to be minimized. We must avoid “The Danger of a Single Story”—Chimamanda Adichie.
Senior Dominic Quinn, friend of Reese Wood and Jack Herr, gazes out of the window of a bus en route to a quiz bowl competition. Photo by Jack Herr.
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • FALL 2026 • EDITORIAL • 1
WORDS FROM NEW CHS STAFF AMANDA PEARSON - “I want to experience all of the high school things: dances, sports, marching band. I really enjoyed the first day kickoff in the auditorium with the band, kilties, cheerleaders, and dancers. It was such a fun way to start the year! Being able to experience high school a second time and remember all the memories I made was very nostalgic.” SHELDON EVERETT - “I came to Central high school to coach the boys, basketball team and further develop as an educator. My favorite thing about Central thus far is the amount of support that we get from all of our administrators Lead by Dr. Felton.” CASEY MALONE - “I am teaching because I truly love it. Teaching math is a way I can help our future generations be successful in their finances and other important areas of life. The freshman class has been great, and I look forward to seeing them crush all their goals.”
TODD GAO REPORTER
ALEXIS MILES - “My favorite thing about Central is its strength. If Central was an element in nature, it would be an unshakable mountain. Each unique person in this collective, staff and student alike, add to that unshakable strength. I feel proud to be a small part of that integrity.” RYAN EDWARDS - “My favorite thing about Central so far is for sure the people! 100% :)” CRIS CUEVAS - “Central’s diversity and culture is what inspired me to come teach her. My favorite thing about Central is the wide range of different people ideas, and reactions to what is happening on our campus. Oh and the Step Team!!!!! To my students...Please finish your work on time...Please.”
CANDIS LIEUMANN - “I was really drawn to Central because of its IB curriculum and the diversity of its student body. I love being in an environment where students bring different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives into the classroom. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know my students and being part of a staff that has been so welcoming and supportive. I’m excited to continue getting to know the people who make up the Central community. “Books are a uniquely portable magic.” — Stephen King”
PARKER BAILEY - “I used to go to Central and I loved my experience as a Bulldog. I also love the building and the history associated with it! (not just because I am a history teacher). My favorite thing about Central so far has to be the students I have met already. In every class I have students who ask wonderful questions, tell funny jokes, and give me wicked music recommendations.”
AARON HUFFMAN - “ My favorite thing about Central is the wide array of students we have. We have all kinds of backgrounds, personalities, and interests presented in our students and it is almost magical to see all of them come together into one student body. I love talking to band students and students in the hallway to hear how they interact. I believe every student at Central deserves a chance to learn as much as they can and to take advantage of the amazing opportunities that are offered here. Don’t take the things you have presented to you for granted; you may regret it when it’s too late!”
JOHN ELY - “I like the structure and organization in all aspects of the day. Everyone in the building (staff and students) always seems to know and model the expectations of behavior, communication, and politeness.” I hope to build deeper connections in the community.
2 • NEWS • FALL 2026 • CENTRAL HIGH TIMES
SPS POLICY REWRITTEN In the 2026-2027 school year, Springfield Public Schools implemented district-wide policies, including a 30% grade deduction on late assignments. Some students believe this new late work policy is needlessly unfair. “Personally, I believe that the district policy of the 30% late policy is unreasonable for many students,” junior Madan Kantugaur said. “People often struggle with late work due to the massive amounts of work piled on top of them. This causes students to fall behind,[punishes] them for already being behind by making them feel worse…and it simply encourages them to stop doing the work… as it won’t bring their grade up.” Some students believe the policy is too harsh towards students who are heavily
MAGGIE MOORE SENIOR REPORTER Meta Platforms agreed to a historic $17.1 billion settlement in a California federal court on August 26, 2026, ending a lawsuit filed by 47 state attorneys general. The states accused the company of intentionally designing Facebook and Instagram with addictive features that harmed children’s mental health. To settle the case, Meta will pay billions over ten years and implement strict safety updates for minor accounts, including a mandatory two-hour daily time limit and late-night app blocks. “I don’t think that social media is a completely bad thing,” business teacher Kevin Buening said. “I think what Meta is doing with the regulations is important. These things are not to punish students for anything. These rules are put in place to protect you.” The settlement followed years of intense scrutiny from lawmakers, parents, and public health experts over how social media affects young brains. Government officials used internal company documents to argue that Meta knew its platforms caused psychological harm to minors, but chose corporate profits over user safety. Before choosing to settle midtrial, Meta faced up to $200 billion in potential fines. “Social media is something that changes your brain without you even knowing,” Senior London Evans said, “That will never change. However, the changes Meta is bringing forth to users under the age of 18 may be for the better. I think that this will benefit young users.” Meta’s $17.1 billion settlement establishes a new safety standard for social media by forcing
involved in extracurriculars. “Personally, I think that since this policy was implemented, teachers should be more lenient towards those who are involved in extracurriculars or need more time - within reason - for the completion of tasks without the influence of stress buildup,” junior Malachi Wright said. In addition to new grading policy, SPS has officially changed their evaluation for the graduation honors (ROSE Banquet) event. Up to the graduating class of 2026, the top 10 seniors with the highest grade point average (GPA) were selected from all 5 SPS high schools and invited to the ROSE banquet. Now, starting with the graduating class of 2027, students are fully transitioning into a
TODD GAO REPORTER Cum Laude Latin honors system. As long as a student has a weighted GPA of 4.2 or higher (at least 7 weighted classes), they are automatically invited into the ROSE banquet, regardless of how many students cross the threshold. This eliminates the brutal competition between students who all have near/perfect GPA’s. “I think at that level of performance in terms of grades, it opens up the umbrella a little bit instead of the competition between a very specific GPA,” Ryker Douglas, math teacher, said. “When you have, say, 20 people fighting over that same GPA, how do you distinguish between that many people that are the same performance grade wise?”
META SETTLES the company to replace addictive design features with strict protections for minor users. However, the financial penalty will not be distributed directly to the users affected. “It’s an insane amount of money,” Buening said. “That’s not something that really goes to individuals, though. Nobody individually will be making money off of this.” Instead, states plan to allocate the funds toward expanding school-based counseling services, establishing youth mental health treatment programs, and building public health campaigns centered around digital wellness. Additionally, a portion of the money will be dedicated to funding digital literacy education for parents and educators, as well as bankrolling independent academic research into the longterm psychological effects of digital platforms on minors. “This money will power many programs and events,” Evans said. “Think of how far billions of dollars will take some of these programs. Especially some of these smaller programs that have all this potential and not much opportunity.” The funding marks a major shift in how communities can approach the youth mental health crisis, guaranteeing resource injections into support systems for the next decade. “We are now funding these amazing things that without the settlement, we would not be doing,” Buening said. “Mental health, research, and programs will now become something on the surface for the next 10 years! That’s substantial.”
Beyond the money, teen accounts will face strict daily time controls, defaulting to a cumulative two-hour daily limit across Meta apps, and a complete platform curfew block between midnight and 6:00 AM. To disrupt compulsive engagement, push notifications will be automatically silenced during overnight windows (10:00 PM to 7:00 AM) and regional school hours, while mandatory ‘pause prompts’ will break up scrolling. “I don’t think that these new regulations are horrendous,” Buening said. “I think they are reasonable, and are going to be beneficial.” Furthermore, to combat toxic social comparison and body image issues, Meta must remove visible ‘like’ counts on teen profiles, institute a total ban on cosmetic beauty filters, and filter out age-inappropriate content regarding extreme weight or body idealization. Finally, enhanced parental controls will be integrated, requiring automatic parental alerts if a teen repeatedly searches for terms tied to self-harm or eating disorders. “This is happening because horrible things do happen online,” Evans said. “It happens on every platform, everywhere. And unfortunately, this does happen to nearly everyone. That’s disgusting. I think we are taking big steps in the right direction. We are changing the things that need to be changed.”
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • FALL 2026 • NEWS • 3
THE DSA, TODAY EMMA LEWIS SENIOR REPORTER
In preparation for an increasingly highstakes election cycle, the 2026 primary season came with unprecedented victories for the Democratic Socialists of America. In the journey to redefine the Democrat Party beyond being an alternative to the Make America Great Again movement, older, establishment faces are quickly being challenged by younger, more progressive perspectives.
4 • NEWS • FALL 2026 • CENTRAL HIGH TIMES
While the current socialist moment is most often associated with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s social media virality, the story of the DSA begins far prior with its founding in 1982. Built off of increasing the power of the working class, DSA members have sought to shift the Democrat party further left with respect to issues they care about. Though the party held minimal influence in U.S. politics for its first decades, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) brought the party into mainstream discussion with his presidential run in 2016. Since then, the presence of the DSA at the federal level has largely been limited to Sen. Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-N.Y.) collaboration across chambers. “I believe the DSA’s more of a response to a lot of the very charismatic Republican candidates that we’ve had in, you know, the past ten years,” senior Ethan Johnson said. “Maybe this trend started off with Bernie Sanders and the left wing. We’re just seeing a resurgence now: AOC, El-Sayed. As somebody not into politics, almost all the political people I know are from the DSA or Trump, right. So, I think that’s very interesting.” With Zohran Mamdani’s upset win in the N.Y. Mayoral Democratic primary, displacing former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the DSA emerged back into the national conversation. Brad Lander, a Democrat party nominee for New York’s tenth district who defeated establishment-backed candidate and champion of AIPAC Dan Goldman, reflects the power of Mamdani’s endorsement. The race was particularly telling of the potential for Democrats’ progression on key issues, including foreign policy and corruption. “A lot of DSA is young people who have been so disaffected with corrupt and cynical politics, and who get involved, not just in electoral politics but issue campaigns for universal child care, to stop evictions or to protect immigrant
neighbors,” Lander said in an interview with NPR. “Everybody wants harder fighting on the affordability crisis. No one likes money in politics. And I think most Americans want to stop sending money for Netanyahu’s wars. But young people are concentrated in cities, and that’s where this movement is strongest.” While many, more progressive voters value the rising activity associated with the DSA, some pollsters monitoring this season’s midterms are not optimistic about the change. They worry that such a transition in the party base will be harmful for more moderate districts, sending them further right. “To me, the line is not, you know, progressives and democratic socialists versus moderates,” Landers said. “It’s fighters versus folders. People want to see elected officials who will fight for them, who understand their daily struggles and who are saying, here’s how we’re going to fix something. Your housing is insanely expensive - here’s what I’m going to do about it. And I think we would do better to talk to voters about the things that matter in their lives rather than attack each other, one way or another, based on factional labels.” While the party’s trajectory is uncertain, many political scientists see the 2028 primaries as an unforgettable clue; it will represent which faction of the Democratic party holds the greatest influence, while being regarded as electable enough for nation-wide success. To many, the AOC’s performance will serve as a litmus test for the long-term influence of the DSA, providing a final verdict for our current political climate. “What’s happening now is a lot of folks are approaching AOC with a little more openness because they’re saying this moment may call for someone who has that credibility with progressives at a time when progressives are having a moment,” one anonymous, longtime Democratic strategist said in an interview with the Hill.
NAFTA NEWS SOPHIA SERAFIMOV
JOSH SHANG
AIDEN MOON
REPORTER
REPORTER
REPORTER
As of the past few months, a “trade war” between the United States and Canada has broken out due to changes in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The U.S.’s decision to raise tariffs by 50% on Canadian imports provoked retaliatory action and will have repercussions across North America, including but not limited to Springfield, Missouri. [1] Previously, relationships between Canada and the U.S. had been amicable. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), a collection of policies stimulating trade, has been in force since January 1, 1994. NAFTA is unusual because it was the first Free Trade Agreement linking two wealthy, developed countries like the U.S. and Canada, with a developing country like Mexico. Since NAFTA has taken effect, U.S. trade with Canada and Mexico has more than tripled. In 2018, a new series of trade agreements was reached, called the USMCA. The deal was signed by U.S. President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto in Buenos Aires. New regulations for the Regional Value Content (RVC) are an important change introduced in the USMCA. RVC is the percentage of a product’s value that must originate within North America in order to not incur large tariffs. With USMCA, RVC for passenger vehicles, light trucks, engines, and transmissions has risen from 62.5% to 75%, and RVC for other vehicles and auto parts has increased from 60% to 65%-70%. USMCA also implemented a requirement that 70% of a vehicle manufacturer’s steel and aluminum purchases by value must originate in North America. According to The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the requirement for a vehicle to be free from tariffs was changed; most of its parts will have to be made by workers earning at least
$16 an hour because, the average Mexican auto worker makes up to $2.50 every hour. [2] President Trump described USMCA as a “much different deal than NAFTA.” Gary Hufbauer, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and a self-described “free trader,” said that, even with the changes, 90% of the original NAFTA agreement stays in place. Another change is the U.S. opening up Canada’s dairy market to American farmers. Before USMCA, Canada could limit how much dairy the United States could access. Now, Canada has to increase market access for US dairy, poultry, and eggs, and in return, the United States will allow more Canadian dairy, peanuts and peanut products, and a limited amount of sugar to cross the border. Another change made by Canada is to end a system that had kept the price of some milk products, including milk protein, low, which would cause more US dairy products to enter the Canadian market. These prior agreements helped facilitate relations and trade between the two countries, but as new tariffs are implemented, the relationship between the two countries grows more tense. The U.S.-Canada trade war continues intensifying throughout September as policies surrounding tariffs continue to change. Canada has been a notable trade partner of the U.S. in the past, but new tariffs force tensions to grow between the two bordering countries. [3] On September 8, 2026, Canada instituted retaliatory tariffs on $20 billion in U.S. goods. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says he wants to keep Canada stable and independent. “It’s about ensuring that no country can hold us hostage. And that we can live how we want to live,” Carney said. He also stated that Canada would match Washington’s tariffs in order to protect Canadian workers. In the interview, Carney also claimed the U.S. had changed, and that Canada
would respond appropriately to the new tariffs that have been imposed. Carney previously said he made these choices reluctantly, but that he wanted what was best for Canada. Carney also noted that there was a clear question of sovereignty in the trade war. With morals and concern for the Canadian people taken into account, the question of what to do becomes a more urgent thing to consider. Canada also has to take into account the fact that around three-quarters of Canadian exports go to the United States, so the cost of living for an average Canadian would increase due to the tariffs. Notes: 1. https://apnews.com/article/canadacarney-trump-tariffs-trade-war-a5fbb50d1c3032 7ae813482556a37ac3 2. https://w w w.cong ress .gov/cr sproduct/IF12082 3. https://ustr.gov/trade-agreements/ free-trade-agreements/united-states-mexicocanada-agreement/fact-sheets/market-accessand-dairy-outcomes 4. https://apnews.com/article/canadatrump-carney-trade-war-tariffs-4620ffb5ecc029 322217207fa6758431 5. https://apnews.com/article/canadacarney trump-tariffs-economic-coercion-trade-a180 ac85a70bbfb512ea59c224cb6c31
The flags of Canada, The United States of America, and Mexico in the CHS Commons. Photo by Sophia Serafimov.
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • FALL 2026 • NEWS • 5
MAGGIE MOORE SENIOR REPORTER
On Aug. 21, 2026, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a series of health alerts after a Taylor Farms facility unknowingly distributed contaminated shredded iceberg lettuce from its processing plant, triggering a historic Cyclospora outbreak that sickened nearly 11,000 grocery store consumers across 17 states. “Recalls are seen everywhere, new ones develop everyday,” science teacher Brian Carlstrom said. “They change all the time, and it’s not just food; they can be anything really. You see it in cars, toys, basically any everyday object. Not just food.” Food recalls, including those for lettuce, have hit an all-time high and continue to rise. Federal health officials say the numbers are alarming, and agencies are scrambling to contain the contamination. “[Produce is] not being properly washed,” Kayla Vernatti, food pantry and A+ coordinator, said. “A lot of people are really trying to get away from using chemical pesticides and things like that, but unfortunately, on the flip side, the pesticides they do use now aren’t as strong. That means bugs and bacteria can stay on the food if it’s not washed properly, and then it gets shipped out to stores and ends up in our homes.” The 2026 Cyclospora outbreak has made its way into the record books as the biggest Cyclospora outbreak ever recorded, affecting a reported 11,000 people; however, that number could very likely be higher. “Cyclospora is a protozoan parasite,” Carlstrom said. “It infects specifically the small intestine. It can be found in more than just lettuce of course, it’s everywhere really. It’s in food, water and it can even be in the air.” The unprecedented volume of food recalls in 2026 is driven by seasonal agricultural heat waves, the rapid distribution networks of an interconnected global supply chain, and the adoption of advanced whole-genome sequencing by regulatory agencies. “If we continue to have such intense climate and atmospheric changes like we have lately, then we should expect to continue seeing these numbers rise,” Vernatti said. “ If we can’t change it, or fix it, we need to find ways around it.” The FDA and state health departments tracked a multi-state Salmonella outbreak back to jalapeño peppers, which forced immediate 6 • NEWS • FALL 2026 • CENTRAL HIGH TIMES
FOOD RECALLS product pulls of prepared salsas, guacamoles, and pre-packaged meal kits from major retailers including Costco, Target, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. “Cyclospora is not the only thing we are seeing either,” science teacher Paul Epps said. “ We are seeing many different bacterias in more than just lettuce.” The vulnerability of the agricultural supply chain was further exposed when Publix issued a voluntary recall for its GreenWise Organic Blueberries across multiple southern states due to potential E. coli contamination discovered during routine distribution testing. “E. Coli is something we unfortunately do see often. It’s a common bacteria,” Vernatti said. “E. Coli is something that creates new recalls all the time,” she said. The contamination risks of 2026 extended well beyond the produce aisle, impacting processed foods, imported meats, and pet products across various supermarket departments. “I do remember hearing about commotion with imported meats recently,” Carlstrom said. “The meat was failing to meet meat inspection standards and that can be a huge red flag.” In the meat department, federal regulators initiated a recall of more than 29,000 pounds of raw beef imported from Argentina after discovering the shipments bypassed mandatory U.S. import inspection requirements. Meanwhile, physical contaminants triggered major recalls in the frozen and dry goods aisles. “29,000 pounds is a lot to be recalled,” senior Spencer Norton said. “That unfortunately took a lot of food off of a lot of tables because it wasn’t safe.” Outshine frozen fruit bars were pulled from nationwide distribution due to reports of glass shards embedded in the product, and Mars Petcare voluntarily recalled select lots of Pedigree wet dog food after identifying potential metal and plastic fragments within the cans. “It’s mind blowing really to see or hear about some of these crazy recalls.” Norton said. “I don’t just think about plastic or metal being in pet food. Or glass in popsicles? That’s crazy.” Additionally, ready-to-eat convenience meals faced severe biological risks, highlighted by a multi-state recall of Marketside tomato bisque kits sold at Walmart across 29 states
after routine sampling detected Listeria monocytogenes contamination. “Premade meals are seen as very convenient,” Vernatti said. “ You can typically find a good selection for a decent price. But you don’t know what could have contaminated that.,” Agricultural heat waves and elevated summer temperatures serve as primary catalysts for seasonal spikes in foodborne pathogen proliferation. During the peak summer and early autumn months, sustained high temperatures accelerate the reproduction rates of bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli in agricultural soil and irrigation water networks. “This time of year is when we will see the biggest impact with recalls.” Epps said. “We have had a rough year already with substantial recalls so I just hope we can have some grace.” The environmental stress is compounded by the systemic strain that severe heat places on commercial refrigeration infrastructure throughout the transit process. When ambient temperatures rise, cold-chain transport trucks and distribution center holding bays must work harder to maintain critical food-safe temperatures; minor logistical delays or brief mechanical fluctuations can allow internal product temperatures to climb into the danger zone, facilitating rapid microbial growth before the items ever reach grocery store shelves. “As temperatures begin to go down, hopefully so will the stress on the environment,” Norton said. “It’s no lie that this summer was really hot.” The rise in food recalls shows that safety systems are working faster than ever to find and stop contamination. While the massive food system means a single problem can spread quickly across many states, advanced tracking tech now catches these issues before they cause widespread harm. “Food safety and awareness is something I feel we need to educate and stress these younger generations on,” Vernatti said. “It’s something that you will always have to be aware of. Recalls don’t just go away. Neither will bacterias.”
FDA
FLOCK PROTESTS Springfield has joined the ranks among cities increasing their presence of Flock cameras, automated license plate reader technologies that utilize artificial intelligence in an attempt to maintain public safety. Per Flock’s website, “Flock connects incident detection, evidence search, and response tools in one platform. Depending on the products a customer uses, Flock can help teams identify relevant vehicles, review video footage, receive alerts, and build a clearer picture of an incident.” According to KY3, the Springfield Police Department had 23 Flock cameras installed in 2023. In the past three years, that number nearly doubled to reach 41. Meanwhile, the SPD says officers also have access to networks of cameras in surrounding cities.
“I’M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE WAY THAT FLOCK HAS KIND OF INSTALLED ITSELF AROUND THE COUNTRY, THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AND LACK OF DEMOCRACY THAT’S GONE AROUND IT.” - Founder of Flock Out SGF James Ritzendollar Many citizens have sought to combat this trend due to its perceived undemocratic nature; in the latter half of 2025, Ritzendollar founded Flock Out SGF to centralize protests against the technology’s implementation. “We hear the concerns of the public,” SPD Major Tad Peters said. “We know that privacy
is a concern. We share those concerns, and we want to find a good middle ground where we balance that privacy versus the benefits to the investigations that we see. It’s undeniable these cameras have helped us reduce crime in Springfield.” As of September 18, 2026, Gov. Mike Kehoe has released an executive order regulating the use of ALPR’s throughout the state. The order directs the Missouri Department of Public Safety to establish safeguards for statefunded law enforcement agencies that use the technology. It requires data to be deleted within 30 days, prohibits the selling of data, limits the use of technology for criminal justice and lifesaving purposes, installs accountability measures that penalize misuse, and prohibits artificial intelligence facial recognition in technology. “We felt like because some Missourians are worried about their constitutional rights, and I am as well, that we would at least get this executive order out there to establish the penalty piece and how long you keep the data to make sure Missouri is know we’re concerned about the constitutional rights and we’re putting the guard rails,” Kehoe said in an interview with Gray Media’s Missouri Capitol Bureau. Per the executive order, misuse of Flock and similar ALPR technology warrants immediate disciplinary proceedings and criminal referral where appropriate. According to the SPD, current use of Flock cameras in the city already align with the order’s standards. “At this time it is preliminary,” City Councilmen Brandon Jenson said in an interview with KY3. “But I met with a group of folks to better understand their concerns and consider a resolution requesting a report on the real and perceived benefits and risks. It is my intent to ensure we are adequately balancing public safety needs and personal privacy. Our current balance may or may not need adjustment, hence the requested study.” Following such discussions, on Monday, September 21st, Springfield’s city council met to discuss a resolution to increase regulation toward Flock technology spearheaded by Jenson: a meeting that was, notably, not on the publicly available agenda. “I’m not sure which staff member made the decision to withhold this item from the published agenda, but it was a reaction to
EMMA LEWIS SENIOR REPORTER
the Governor’s EO,” Jenson said in an email with Ritzendollar. “I have confirmed that the agenda will be updated to include this under the Resolutions section.” Despite the lack of transparency, dozens still attended the meeting and sought to comment during the public hearings associated with the resolution. However, during constituent Mia Heider’s speaking time, Mayor Jeff Schrag cut her off as a cop approached her with handcuffs. As Schrag motioned to send the resolution to the Plans and Policies Committee, concluding the public’s ability to speak on the resolution, Heider and one other were arrested. “Those things work best when there’s a defined box that people can say something about,” Schrag said. “And there was not a defined box for people to say things about. It was about… Should we do more research?” Councilman Abe McGill chairs the committee, giving him the authority to determine when further decisions will occur. According to KY3, Jenson explained that he has had bills that “have sat in committee for a year or more without any meaningful action.”
“WE DESERVE TO HAVE THIS INFORMATION PUBLIC; IT’S OUR RIGHT. WE DESERVE TO HAVE A SAY IN WHAT GOES ON IN THIS CITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO OUR PRIVACY AND SURVEILLANCE IN THIS TOWN.” - Springfield citizen Raylea Crockett CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • FALL 2026 • NEWS • 7
NATURAL DISASTERS JACK HERR CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Over the course of the past months, floods in Nepal, China, and the United States have destroyed infrastructure and resulted in hundreds of deaths. Earthquakes in Colombia and Indonesia have wreaked similar havoc.
In the United States, less-severe flash floods have hit Grand Canyon National Park. As of September 1, 2026—two people have died as a result of these floods. Footbridges across canyon creeks have also been wrecked, interfering with cleanup and rescue efforts. The Arizona floods seem to have been caused by heavy rainfall. In Asia, floods were concentrated along the Nepal-China border and along the Trishuli River through Central Nepal. Villages in the Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha, and Tanahun districts have borne the brunt of the damage. Along the flood site, silt and mud mix with the water, resulting in higher viscosity and impact pressure. Higher impact pressure and viscosity mean the floods have a higher potential to knock over settlements and trap people. In particular, the floods in Nepal heavily impacted more than a dozen hydropower plants along the Trishuli River, with the Nepal Electricity Authority estimating hundreds of billions of rupees in damages— one billion Nepalese rupees being roughly equivalent to six-and-a-half million United States dollars. Hundreds of workers have been trapped in tunnels around these plants, further contributing to the crisis. Scientists’ best answer for the cause of these floods was the collapse of part of a Himalayan glacier corroborated with the wet monsoon season of South Asia. On August 15, 2026 an earthquake struck eastern Indonesia measured at a 7.7 magnitude on the logarithmic Richter scale; this earthquake was classified as “major.” Damage was reported across the country—in homes, schools, health facilities, office buildings, and places of worship. Coastal nations, such as Indonesia, are unique in that they often have to deal with tsunamis—large sea waves caused by seismic or volcanic activity—which can further endanger settlements. This was not the case in Indonesia, although the earthquake was 8 • NEWS • FALL 2026 • CENTRAL HIGH TIMES
powerful enough to trigger a tsunami (per the Richter scale), authorities lifted the tsunami warning three hours after the earthquake. Also in August, Colombia’s Chocó department experienced a magnitude 7.4 quake. The Colombian government declared a national emergency and, according to Luis Felipe Mendoza of ColombiaOne, more than 10 airports experienced significant damage. According to the United States Geological Survey’s Earthquake Hazard Program, economic losses could equal up to 6% of Colombia’s gross domestic product. All of these natural disasters could have been influenced by changes in the planet’s climate. Rising global temperatures contribute to glacial melting, which is what is believed to have set off the floods in Nepal. In terms of rainfall, higher temperatures increase evaporation, building larger storms—when it rains, it pours. In the case of the Grand Canyon floods, conditions such as drought can make it difficult for the ground to absorb water, further contributing to flooding. A 2025 Colorado State University study linked rising global temperatures to increased earthquake activity. The study posits that some faults are held together by glaciers, and that glacial melting—caused by rising global temperatures—can break the “glue” across the fault, allowing for increased seismic activity. This may or may not have contributed to the earthquakes in Colombia and Indonesia, but glacial melting has been documented in both countries. Experts from Indonesia’s climatological agency expect Indonesia’s last glaciers to have fully melted by 2030. The United States could very well be impacted by the trend of severe global natural disasters linked, in part, to climate change. An estimate from the US Senate Joint Economic Committee suggests that, at its current severity, flooding costs the United States between $180 billion and almost half-a-trillion dollars each year. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, extreme
precipitation events are expected to become more frequent in the future—contributing to a higher risk of flood events. Flash floods, floods that happen within minutes or hours of rainfall starting, can occur frequently in urban areas— such as Springfield— due to the large surface area of impermeable substances that water cannot pass through or be absorbed into. Such impermeable surfaces include concrete and asphalt. The closest fault line to Springfield is the New Madrid Seismic Zone, near Missouri’s bootheel region. According to the Swiss Seismological Service, at high enough magnitudes, earthquakes can be felt several hundred kilometers away—which includes the distance between Springfield and the New Madrid Seismic Zone.
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KILTIES ON THE MOVE EMILY HUGGINS REPORTER Sunday Wildschuetz has been coaching the Kilties for four years, and has been a sponsor of the team for 10 years. “I was a Kiltie myself when I went to Central, and I love the corps and I couldn’t wait to come back and help,” Wildschuetz said. The Kilties have been a part of Central for over 100 years. They practice almost everyday and even over the summer so they can perform in parades against other schools. “We do have competitions,” Wildschuetz said. “But a lot of times we are the only people in our category, because we are so unique. But we do compete against other marching units.” The Kilties travel and march in parades from Missouri to Arkansas. Central Alumni are there to cheer on the team. “Just to see how Alumni love, is so much there still willing to come back and perform and how much they cheered us on when we performed and just seeing the legacy of being one hundred years old.” Wildschuetz said. The Alumni like to watch the Kilties perform, but everyone has a different perspective while they watch them perform. “As the coach I’m checking them out making sure everyone is okay and nitpicking,” Wildschuetz said. “But as a Kilties alumni my heart still always just swells when you hear Scotland the Brave.” Mackenzie Mac is a junior, and she enjoys being in the Kilties because of the emotions that are brought out by the audience.
“The joy that it brings people,” Mac said. “I love to see everyone cheering and in parades clapping along to the songs, especially when Alumni who were Kilties with me in earlier years come and see our performances.” She also has a lot of memories from the season, between the Kilties bringing joy for the audience and from the girls performing. “My favorite memory of this season is probably hanging out on the bus before a parade and my friend ended up sleeping on me,” Mac said. The Kilties are a big part of Central and they still continue to make the legacy even better. “It’s such a wonderful Springfield legacy… 100 years is a hard legacy to live up to, but we do.”
Makenzie Bentancourt holding the flag at the Hello Day assembly. Photo by Thomas Klepper.
10 • SPORTS • FALL 2026 • CENTRAL HIGH TIMES
KILTIES SPOTLIGHT EMILY HUGGINS REPORTER Senior Sophia Toth is a majorette, a leadership position, for the Kilties and has been on the team for four years. A majorette can be fun and stressful at the same time. “I have so much fun organizing performances and performing. However it is also challenging. I have to work with tons of different kinds of people,” Toth says. “Adapting to how everyone learns is a skill I have had to develop over the year. It’s also really cool to be at the front and in charge.” Toth has been working hard to become a majorette on the Kilties team. “I’ve been working towards this goal since before I even started high school. Seeing it pay off is amazing.” Even though being majorette can be stressful at times there are also some fun parts of it too. “I like the attention we get at parades,” Toth said. “It feels really good to walk down a street and have everyone in a town cheer for you. Everyone loves when we come. I love performing as well.” As a team the kilties work together to help each other improve, creating a positive environment. “We all go through hard things together and spend so much time together that everyone becomes close,” Toth said. Toth has become close with the other girls on the Kilties team. Almost like sisters. “I didn’t realize when I joined that everyone actually does feel like your sister. Obviously it’s not always sunshine and rainbows, siblings don’t always get along, but we all work through it. I would say it makes us better at teamwork and communication.”
POMDOGS SPOTLIGHT JACK HERR CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Victoria Li is the only senior on Central’s Pomdogs. Heading into a season of performances, Li serves as a leader—having danced with the team all four years of high school. “I’m a co-captain and social media officer this year,” Li said. “So I help lead practice and communicate with the team and community about Pomdogs.” In addition to running warmups and teaching dances for the team, Li participates in cross country, track, figure skating, and volunteering—but Pomdogs holds a special place in her heart. “I am so glad I ended up getting out of my comfort zone and auditioning because I’ve made some of my best friends and memories at Central [through Pomdogs],” Li said. Though the number of members has fluctuated over the years—with a large cohort graduating out of the team last year—Li places emphasis on the community of Pomdogs as a motivator to keep committed for all four years of high school. “I love how close-knit our team is,” Li said. “I love getting the chance to perform at college games, community events, and everything at Central!” Li says she is looking forward to performing in front of a crowd at Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions— the most highly attended high school basketball tournament in the country. “I love big performances and a competitive game,” Li said.
POMDOGS ON THE RUN JACK HERR CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF The Pomdogs are one of Central’s spirit teams, representing the Bulldogs at games and other events. After the departure of a number of former seniors, the team looks to put on a show with its underclassman-dominated core. “We graduated five seniors last year, so we were super excited to have so many people audition,” Senior, Victoria Li, pomdogs cocaptain, said. The audition process is tailored so that all the skills one might need on the team are assessed. “Our actual auditions are held the week before spring break, Monday through Thursday,” Li said. “Monday-Wednesday you’ll work on skills and learn a hip-hop and jazz combo. On Thursday, you’ll be evaluated in groups of three based on showmanship, memory, and technique.” Being experienced in dance is a plus during auditions. “It’s not like we’re asking that you have to have so many years of studio experience or competition experience,” Pomdogs coach, Collyn Riley, said. “Usually they do have some sort of basis—like taking classes at four years old—and that does the job.” Following auditions, over the summer, the team gets their routine at a Universal Dance Association (UDA) camp—where dancers from many schools come together to learn. Dancers are also evaluated individually at UDA, which is the closest Pomdogs comes to dance competitions. “At camp, each dancer learns two dances,” Riley said. “We spread out everyone, so they
are all in different groups so they can teach each other. We are learning three to five dances one day and the next day it’s a different three to five dances.” UDA lasts three days of about 12 hours of dance. Despite the intensity, Li says she is always happy to go. “UDA is definitely an event to remember each year,” Li said. Coming out of UDA, the team learns about 10 diverse dances to be performed at various events over the course of the year. “We have different styles [of dance],” Riley said. “The main styles we have are jazz, pom, and hip-hop.” Tailoring the UDA templates to the Pomdogs specific needs is the proverbial meatand-potatoes of the practice process. “Even though we do have choreography set, when we do change stuff we will always do team input,” Riley said. “There is a lot of collaboration.” Li says the only real issue she takes with Pomdogs is the less-than-consistent air conditioning during rehearsals. Overall, she says her experience has been overwhelmingly positive. “I am so grateful I decided to join this team,” Li said. “I think it’s definitely one of the most supportive environments I’ve been in and I’ve definitely learned a lot more than just dancing. I would encourage anyone who has an interest in dance team or any experience in dance to try out, because it has definitely helped make my high school experience. Also, boys—who can dance—can try out too!”
Pomdogs at the Hello Day Assembly. Photo By Julia Matson.
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • FALL 2026 • SPORTS • 11
STEPPIN’ INTO THE SCHOOL
STEP SPOTLIGHT
GEORGE WOOD
GEORGE WOOD
CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF This year the Central High School (CHS) Step team is taking strolls into their competitive season. Having their roots in Black history, the step team has cultural ties to CHS. “Step is basically rooted from African descent. Back in slavery, they used to make music using their bodies, patting themselves, making rhythms.” Senior Shamaya Lewis, member of Step Team, said, “It’s also still dated back in Africa. So I guess that’s different. We have more history compared to all the other dance teams. I guess since it’s a very historical school, a very cultural dance is practiced in a very historical school.” Much of Step team dancing comes from the influence of the Divine Nine. Divine Nine is a series of Black Fraternities and Sororities originating from the early 1900s when Black people were not allowed in the other Greek-life organizations. “Stroll is from fraternities, sororities, I guess Divine Nine, they have strolls for their calling chants and they do signs along with dancing,” Lewis said, ”The underlying meaning of a stroll is just dancing. So that’s what we do, we dance in a line. It’s basically just bringing us all together.” Because of its origin from dancing, a lot of the practice regiment is listening to music, working with it to make a stroll. Choosing a song is vibes based. “Usually our coach just tells us what to do,” Lewis said, “But when we like to make our strolls, we just like to go through a list of songs. You just see whatever feels right and what gets us hype and that’s what we do. And when we make steps, we just find a rhythm.” Step also requires an aspect of conditioning. “Practice is structured around keeping everyone in shape, getting prepared for performances, and creating new material.” Jazmyn Marshall, coach of the step team, said, “We also have annual Steps-giving, Stepsmas, and end of the year party/awards. We team build with Hillcrest and Parkview’s step teams.” The step team keeps in rhythm after creating their strolls by practicing wherever they may. Especially when going out to compete at one of their step competitions. “For step, we do have to wake up early because of the long trip,” Lewis said, “We make sure we get a lot of rest and then when we get there, we make sure we practice a lot.
We run through our strolls, even like on our way there. Like, if we’re sitting on the bus, we’ll practice our strolls or steps. It’s just like we do it everywhere. I guess we just keep that mentality of practicing everywhere.” The step team regularly helps each other with not just their dances, but academically as well. “I think we’re very close,” Lewis said, “We make sure we message each other a lot. When we, like when we’re stuck on steps, we make sure we all help each other. If we’re stuck on academic stuff, we make sure we help each other to get where we need to be. We do hang out a lot.” Accountability is a big part of the step team’s community. “We have a very family-oriented relationship amongst the team.” Marshall said, “We continue to use Dr. Felton’s “One family, one sound” phrase. We hold each other accountable and give a hand when needed. I like to create an atmosphere where everyone feels welcome and loved!” The step team is involved with the Springfield community at large. “We perform at TOC, Nixa Multicultural festival, Springfield Culture festival,” Marshall said, ”Lebanon Black History assembly, World of Step virtual and in person competitions. (We) participated in the Route 66 parade, participated in Park Day Parade, every year we host a kids clinic, we give back to the community and participate in Christmas volunteering at the Dream center, perform at our school assemblies, and travel to our feeder schools to recruit and participate in their assemblies or give support.”
CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Shamaya Lewis is one of the two seniors on the step team. She has 4 years of steps under her belt. Because of her long involvement she has a lot of responsibility. “Steps are fun. Sometimes it looks hard, but I feel like once you get into it, it’s gonna be smooth sailing.” Lewis said, “It definitely does take a lot of dedication and hard work, but you get to perform and go to different places and you get amazing opportunities.” The team doesn’t have official team captains, instead, it relies on the upperclassmen to keep everyone in line. “It’s just basically led by the people who’ve been there the longest, like most of the four years, like the seniors, of course, and like the juniors.” Lewis said, “It’s just like a leadership thing. Like, we all show leadership. We try to make sure everybody is where they need to be.” Lewis is a competitive person. “Yeah, I may have or may have not made people a little upset last year due to it (being competitive),” Lewis said, “So I learned how to, like, tone it down a little, just walk away, and not pay attention to it. So, yeah, it really shows a little bit. But I tried to, like, overdo it, so I have good positivity so I won’t mess up the juju.”
Step Team dances at the Homecoming Assembly. Photo by Julia Matson.
12 • SPORTS • FALL 2026 • CENTRAL HIGH TIMES
CHEER SPOTLIGHT EMILY HUGGINS REPORTER Haylee Kammerer is a Senior and has been on the cheer team all four years of high school. Different people have different motivations for being on the cheer team. “My sister did cheer and I’ve grown up wanting to be a cheerleader,” Kammerer said. There are harder things and easier things about cheerleading. Learning new stunts can be hard, while cheering and chanting can be the easier part. But friendship through cheerleading can help manage the harder things. “My favorite memory about this year would be the connections I have with all the girls on the team,” Kammerer said. Being on the cheer team allows a place where accomplishments happen. “I would say my greatest accomplishment for this year would be that I have made it all 4 years without quitting,” Kammerer said. Being on the cheer team requires motivation and practice, but there are some downsides to being a cheerleader. “One thing I don’t like about cheer would be how repetitive it can be at some points,” Kammerer said. Though cheerleading can sometimes be repetitive there are some upsides to being a cheerleader too. “One thing I love about cheer would be the friends you make on the team,” Kammerer said.
CHEERING US ON EMILY HUGGINS REPORTER Veronica Smith has been coaching cheer at Central for 17 years and has been head coach for 12. The cheer team is planning to compete in Missouri Cheerleading Coaches Association Game Day in February. The competition will be held at Drury University. “We hope to have a lot of Central fans attend to give us crowd involvement to improve our scores,” Smith said. The cheer team trains countless hours to place well in competitions. Even though they train a lot there is still competition. “But truly our biggest competition is ourselves,” Smith said. “We are always working to be better and more innovative than the previous year.” The cheer coaches are there to help the girls improve while they are training. “Us coaches spend a lot of time watching current trends in cheer at all levels and looking over judges comments from previous years to improve,” Smith said. “I can see that they leave
Junior Maycee Cover leads the audience in a cheer, at the Hello Day Assembly. Photo by Paige Bodnar.
Sophie Schmidt (11) waves her pom pom at the Homecoming Assembly. Photo by Julia Matson.
everything on the mat and when I think about how much they have improved and overcome learning a new routine, I am truly amazed by them and grateful for their efforts.” The cheer team collaborates together to help each other improve. “So far this year, I have really enjoyed how the girls have bonded and are supporting each other,” Smith said. “We have a lot of new faces and they are working hard to work together to learn and improve quickly. Everyone is so encouraging to each other.” With the team working together to help each other improve they are able to place better in competitions. “I am always so impressed and proud of the team when I watch them compete,” Smith said. “I can see that they leave everything on the mat and when I think about how much they have improved and overcome learning a new routine, I am truly amazed by them and grateful for their efforts.” CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • FALL 2026 • SPORTS • 13
NBA OFFSEASON GAVIN BROOM REPORTER contract for 2 years, $8 million. Tuttle said, “I think that it is one of a couple great moves made by the 76ers.” LeBron is entering his 24th season in the upcoming 2026-2027 NBA season, ready to have a chance of winning his fifth NBA The National Basketball Association championship before the end of his career in (NBA) tries the NBA. Some fans disagree with this decision. to make its “LeBron James just needs to retire at offseason as entertaining this point in his career; he has done enough as it can already,” Senior John Tadlock said. Another move that happened during the be, and this latest offseason in June was the trade of Giannis one has Antetokounmpo to the “sunshine state” been through his acquisition by the Miami Heat, in a very exchange for Kel’el Ware, Tyler Herro, Jaime eventful one Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, and draft with trades picks. “Giannis is going to a solid team, while and free agent signings. making good money, and he’s going to a larger “I think the market as well,” Coordinate Site Investigator NBA has had one of Ryan Desha said. The Heat made this move in the belief that their best offseason that they have had in a while,” they have a better chance at winning the title, with Giannis combining with Bam Adebayo, Senior Miles Tuttle said. From player signings to trades to coach who, according to Basketball-Reference, is firings, there have been a ton of transactions. coming off last season averaging 20.1 points The NBA always has ways to make basketball and 10 rebounds a game. “The Heat will not be as good of a basketball fans excited for the upcoming regular season, team as most people think they will be,” Tuttle which starts on October 20th. Probably the biggest move this offseason, said. Perhaps the last solid transaction, popularity-wise: LeBron James deciding to join the Philadelphia 76ers on a veteran minimum popularity-wise, was a trade made by the 14 • SPORTS • FALL 2026 • CENTRAL HIGH TIMES
Boston Celtics and the 76ers. That trade involved the Celtics sending Jaylen Brown to the 76ers in exchange for Paul George and multiple draft picks. “Sending Brown to a rival team and getting back someone who is seven years older than Brown has left me scratching my head over this trade,” Desha said Brown is coming off his best year, averaging 28.7 Points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists a game. Meanwhile, George is coming off a season where he only played 37 out of 82 games last season due to injuries and a suspension, averaging 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists a game, according to Basketball Reference. “George is an overrated player right now in the NBA,” Tuttle said. With the offseason now over, people can shift their focus to their predictions on which teams will be great contenders for the NBA championship. “The Minnesota Timberwolves will be a great contender for the title with the addition of LaMelo Ball,” Tadlock said. Ball is coming off a season averaging 20.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game, according to the ESPN website, while he was playing for the Charlotte Hornets, ranked #11 out of 15 teams in the East in the power rankings on the NBA website. If one is just getting into basketball and still needs a team to cheer for, teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs are in the Western Conference and had 60+ win seasons last year. Desha said, “I believe that the Spurs will get the job done and win the NBA Championship this season.” A couple of teams from the East that you can cheer for could be the 76ers or the New York Knicks, who are coming off of winning the title last season. Tuttle said, “The 76ers will for sure be a contender this season just based on the number of skilled players that they have.” Another factor fans will focus on is awards, with the most popular being the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award and the Rookie Of The Year award. “The MVP this year will be Victor Wembanyama,” Desha said. Wembanyama is a 7 feet 6 inches tall Center for the Spurs who is coming off his best season. “The ROY will be a little bit of a shock to everyone, but I think it’ll be Yaxel Lendeborg,” Tuttle said. Lendeborg was the 11th pick in 2026 and is one of about 450 players ready to make a statement to people that they belong.
FOOTBALL RETURNS AIDEN MOON REPORTER After a year of absence, Central’s junior varsity (JV) football program has returned. Although the varsity team is still in the works, the players still hope to showcase their skills on Monday nights. Coaches pushed to recruit new players like Freshman Ethan McNeven in order to realize football at Central for the 2026-2027 school year. “First meeting the coaches and the teammates, it was a bit scary. All of them were bigger than me, and they all seemed to know each other, and I didn’t know anybody, so it was a bit scary, but if you spend time with them, everybody is friendly. Everybody’s kind and open,” McNeven said. Meeting all the football players was difficult for McNeven, but they seem to be very welcoming to newer players. “I liked meeting them, they’re very welcoming and stuff. There’s not really any egos.” Junior Connor Schooler said. Schooler concurs with McNeven’s experience. “I love all the coaches.” McNeven said. McNeven’s opinion over the new coaching staff. “Yep, I liked everybody,” Schooler said. “They’re all really nice and all willing to help you with any questions you have about the game.” Schooler praises the coaches for their willingness to help, but also discusses the importance of helping oneself. He then discusses his pregame routine. “Always make sure you get enough sleep and stretch a lot because, if you don’t, you’re gonna catch cramps. Drink a lot of water and have some sort of food in you.” Schooler said.
The other players had similar opinions on the importance of nutrition before a game. “Once I get there, I’m normally just listening to music to at first calm me down, and then later to hype me up before I have to suit up.” McNeven said. Preparation for a game is not only physical, but mental, McNeven says he tries to get into the right headspace before games. “Before games, we do walk-throughs of plays.” Freshman Raheem Gipson said. Another part of the process is going over the plans for each part of the team: offense, defense, and special teams. Learning the plays, honestly, is really easy. I’ve been a fan of football for a long time, so I normally know how things go.” McNeven said. Learning plays are crucial for football. Depending on the other team’s playing style, different plays could prove to be more effective. Knowing what your position has to do for each play is key. Gipson is a defensive wing and tight end. Schooler is a quarterback. McNeven plays wide receiver and cornerback on defense. “So, we warm up first. We’ll practice as a team. Then we work with our coaches on our positions.” Schooler said. Schooler walks-through the flow of football practices. “We’ll scrimmage against each other a little bit.” McNeven said. “We’ll have our starting offense/defense up and then we’ll have what we call scout offense or defense against them. Where it’s basically like we have fill-in players play the other positions” McNeven adds how the team runs through scrimmages. “And then, we’ll practice our special teams, like kicking and punting.” Schooler said.
On offense, the team tries to stay unpredictable. “It is pretty balanced between running and passing.” Schooler said. Schooler describes Central’s football playing style. “Just defense in general,” Gipson said. Gipson states what he thinks is the hardest part of football for himself. “From my point of view, it’s just like reading the defense. Just knowing who to read on which play and stuff,” Schooler said To be a quarterback one needs to be able to read the other team’s defense. Openings in the opposing team’s defense creates opportunities to gain yards or score a touchdown. “I feel like I’ve just always been playing football. My favorite football memory is from 9U,” Gipson said. Gipson has been playing football for as long as he could remember. “I played a tiny bit before, but it wasn’t serious.” McNeven said. McNeven only recently started playing football. “I came to Central originally for academics. Then I heard there was no varsity team, so I guess I might as well join. It’d be better just to jump right into JV than jump right into varsity, ” Schooler said. Schooler’s response on how he got into Central’s football program. “I joined because I wanted to get a sports award.” Gipson said. Gipson joined the program with great aspirations inspiring him to work harder. “I thought I might as well just go try something new.” Schooler said.
Austin Faucett (11) celebrating after a touchdown. Photo by: Aiden Moon. CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • FALL 2026 • SPORTS • 15
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Attending high school comes with many things - testing, extracurriculars, planning for the future, and of course, the opportunity to attend homecoming. The first Friday of October hosted both a homecoming soccer game and a “Down the Rabbithole” themed dance & assembly. Even though the dance, assembly, and game occurred on one day, lots of time went toward students’ enjoyment. “My favorite part was during the middle of the dance when everyone was full of energy,” Freshman Clara Satterwhite said. “Most people were on the floor, and we were all dancing, singing, belting our hearts out, and having so much fun.” The decorations, which included a clockwork tunnel, glowing mushrooms, and giant cards were made by the members of Cabinet and Student Council over the course of two weeks. “I didn’t expect the ‘down the rabbit hole’ tunnel,” Sophomore Maisie Rockne said. “I thought it was really cool and made the theme more prominent and more fun.” Some themed pieces got a second life after the spirit week. “I really liked the characters that were on the banners, like the queen of hearts and the rabbit,” Sophomore Student Council member Ridhima Suthar said. “They had them painted on the banners for spirit week, but then they cut them out and put them around the dance. I thought that was pretty cool.” Some students took the dance as an opportunity to have a fun evening with their friends, not only by attending the dance, but also by going out for dinner or taking photos.
RABBITHOLE OLIVE ECK REPORTER
“My favorite part was when everyone was dancing together and having fun!” Rockne said.
Cheer performs at the Homecoming Assembly. Photo by Julia Matson.
16 • FEATURE • FALL 2026 • CENTRAL HIGH TIMES
“I had so much fun with getting ready, taking photos, and the dance itself,” Rockne said. “The music was perfect and so were the decorations. I loved the theme! My favorite part was when everyone was dancing together and having fun.” Students had the opportunity to submit songs to be considered for the homecoming dance playlist, which many people took advantage of. “I would say my favorite part was the fact that everyone could collaborate and suggest song choices,” Sophomore Kylie Shepherd said. “I didn’t expect how many elaborate decorations there would be put up in the commons, but they really added to the atmosphere!” Since Central doesn’t have a varsity football team this year, the soccer team stepped up and won the homecoming game against Osage. “The best part of the game was the celebration of all the fans whenever Central scored,” Rockne said. The homecoming game was full of special performances from band and dance team, along with the traditional crowning of the Homecoming queen. “[My favorite part was] performing in the band and dancing with my friends,” Sophomore Marshall Myers said. Students also had the opportunity to attend the Homecoming assembly. “The assembly was quite fun,” Sophomore Gabrielle Koenig said. “The Jazz Band had a very good performance, especially their performance of Low Rider, and they were doing some classics which was nice to see.”
The Pomdogs show their skills during the Homecoming assembly. Photo by Julia Matson.
Students enter the dance through the clockwork tunnel. Photo by Emma Munoz.
Naturally Sharp performs at the Homecoming Assembly. Photo by Julia Matson.
Sophomore Mackenzie Simers performs with the Kilties during the assembly. Photo by Julia Matson.
Of course, along with the festivities comes a spirit week. This year’s spirit week involved dressing up in certain colors, matching with a twin, dressing for the wrong occasion, and crazy hair day. “I participated in all of the spirit days,” Satterwhite said. “My favorite was crazy hair day! I thought the theme was awesome this year, and I loved the decorations!” Overall, the theme was expressed in all of the events for the week, even in unexpected places. “I like how they really leaned into the theme,” Myers said. “Even with the one minute bell!”
Students celebrate at the Homecoming dance. Photo by Emma Munoz.
Seniors Stella Green and Owen Smith act during the Homecoming Assembly. Photo by Julia Matson.
The Boys Soccer Team exits the field following their win. Photo by Lucy Park.
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • FALL 2026 • FEATURE • 17
BULLDOG SURVEY
SARAH GREENE
BITES & TREATS
SENIOR REPORTER
In September, the CHT sent out a survey to Central students asking for their favorite candy, allowing multiple responses from one student. It closed September 16th with a total of 296 responses. In the end, Reese’s won with 28 votes; 10 people specified cups and 4 specified pieces. Skittles was the runner-up with 22 votes; 6 for sour, 2 for wildberry, 1 for gummy, and 1 for Pop’d.
FIRST
REESE’S
SECOND
28 VOTES
SKITTLES 22 VOTES
THIRD
T WIX
21 VOTES
Gummy Candy
Sour Patch Kids
Almond Joy
20
18
17
Kit-Kat
M&M’s
Nerds
16
13
13
Chocolate Bars
11
10 votes: Hershey’s 8 votes: Airheads 6 votes: Jolly Ranchers 5 votes: Kinder bueno, Swedish fish, Milky Way 4 votes: Taffy, Snickers, Ghirardelli, Mike n Ikes, Starburst 3 votes: Twizzlers, Sweet Tart ropes, Peach Rings 2 votes: Smarties, York peppermint patties, Peach/Lychee Peelerz, HotTamales, Lifesavers gummies, 3 Musketeers, Haribo Twin Snakes, Hi-Chew, Squashies, Tootsie rolls 1 vote: Crunch bars, Milk Duds, Lemon Heads, Sour straw, PayDay, Butterfingers, Monster Energy, Chinese Redbull, Heath bars, Trollie, Ring Pops, Toffee Oreo, Toxic Waste, Hamburger, Chocolate covered pretzels, Idk, Sour bottle pop, Candy Corn, Mounds, Candy sticks, Ferrero Rocher, Lollipops, War heads, Whatchamacallits, Peanut Butter Fudge, Cow Tails, 100 grand bars, Charleston Chew, Rolos, Whoppers, Sea salt caramels, Dr. Pepper flavored Jelly Beans, Toblerone, Junior mints 18 • FEATURE • FALL 2026 • CENTRAL HIGH TIMES
‘AND I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU’ DOLLY PARTON & HER LEGACY On August 25th, 2026, country singer and songwriter Dolly Parton died after a battle with cancer. Her death led to a wave of mourning and listening to her music. Nashville International Airport will be renamed after Dolly Parton in her memory, reflecting her strong ties to the city and her music career. “I think she definitely had a cultural impact, especially during the 70s and 80s, but even today we still
look back and see all the things that she’s done,” Junior Cole Stephenson said. “For example, the reading program she donated books to still impacts culture today.” Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a charity founded by Parton to help children without means to access reading materials and provide books. Parton’s career is highlighted by large acts of philanthropy, from donating large sums of dollars to disaster relief to donating millions to medical research colleges. Dolly Parton was also a loud advocate for many minority groups, including workers’ rights, LGBTQ+, and most famously, women’s rights. “She definitely helped promote the strength of women’s rights,” Sam Shelton, shop teacher at Central, said. “She just had kind of an openness and a lovingness that other celebrities maybe kind of shy away from or skip out on. So I think it definitely had an impact on the culture.” Dolly Parton had a lasting impact on the US, not only in country music but in other genres and regions across the US. For example, south of Springfield in Branson
is the Dolly Parton Stampede. In Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, Dollywood theme park is named after her. “I think it was huge, I mean she spanned multiple generations,” Shelton said. “She was popular across multiple generations, especially on the country music scene, but more recently in the last 20 years or so very much so on the pop culture scene as well. So I think she had a huge impact on the culture.” Dolly Parton meant a lot to different people. “I do not listen to it often, but my mom is a deep, deep fan of Dolly Parton,” Junior Willis Hoyt said. ”I do get some of the music from her, and I do enjoy it when I do hear it.” Dolly Parton said that she estimates she’d written about 3000 songs in her nearly 60year-long career. Only around 500 of those songs were produced. Among them were powerhouses like “I Will Always Love You”, a song immortalized by Whitney Houston. “9 to 5” a feminist song about misogyny in the workplace, as well as songs like “Jolene”. “Almost certainly with, like, nine to five, that definitely feels like empowerment.” Hoyt said, “And just the fact that people can see a woman being so successful, and especially Dolly Parton and how she was able to be herself in the way she was. It feels like a bit of a sign or just making people feel worse about American culture in some way, like, we’re losing something somehow.”
GEORGE WOOD CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Photo Courtesy of NBC
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • FALL 2026 • FEATURE • 19
HALLOWEEEN ACTIVITIES Halloween is around the corner, and Central students and staff are getting ready to celebrate in all kinds of ways. Their favorite activities range from trick‑or‑treating and haunted houses to parties, corn mazes, and simply spending time with friends. Freshman Henry Regions says he enjoys spending time with his friends, whether it’s going around in a costume trick-or-treating or simply just talking. For him, Halloween isn’t just about candy or costumes; it’s about the experience of being surrounded by people he cares about and making memories that feel unique to the season. “Normally I go out with some friends, in costumes.” Regions said, adding that “[Regarding his favorite Halloween activity] Probably just walking around with my friends in general.” For Regions, the focus is on the sense of community. For Freshman Toby Jones, the focus is on haunted corn mazes. “My favorite activity is probably trickor-treating,” Jones said. “Sometimes those haunted corn mazes, I like those as well,” adding, “I mainly just go with friends, like just hanging out; that’s really cool.” Haunted corn mazes in the area include Field of Screams in Nixa, Monster Corn Maze, which is a little bit farther in Cabool, and Ozark Nightmares in Lebanon, which also includes a Haunted House. “There are two [Haunted Houses] in town; there’s Hotel of Terror and Dungeons of Doom,” Senior Chase Brodeur said, adding that “They’re right next to each other so you can go to them in the same night.” Brodeur’s love for Haunted House didn’t just start randomly in high school; it comes from his Halloween Traditions. “My dad was always a big Halloween guy too, and he’d always put up a haunted house in our garage or in our neighborhood, and that was always a lot of fun. The whole week leading up to Halloween, we’d be setting up the house.” Halloween for Brodeur was the fun and enjoyment of decorations, whether it was decorating, scaring people, or seeing the decorations in haunted houses. Some of the decorations and themes Brodeur mentioned were huge cobwebs, animatronics, and scary clowns. “We used to have themed parties every year, and we’d make food themed after that. One year it was Harry Potter, and we’d make Butterbeer.” Brodeur’s themed parties show how Halloween can be shaped by tradition and family, but for some, it changed just from the realization of being older. “I stopped doing Halloween as a student somewhere in that transition between being an underclassman and being an upperclassman,” Joseeduardo Rodriguez said. “[Regarding his favorite Halloween
activity] Nowadays, as an adult, I think the correct answer is to give out candy, and I do not give out candy. For the last couple of Halloweens, I have been going to a rave or some sort of Halloween Party. I just loved to dance, and what’s cooler than playing dress-up and dancing with friends.” As Rodriguez moved away from trick‑or‑treating and into parties and raves, he also began thinking about the younger generation and their time during Halloween. “I think that it is important to enjoy Halloween while you can. While you can trick-or-treat, go for it, but at a certain point I think you realize that you don’t want to take away the opportunity of getting these good candies, spending time with your friends, or feeling safe. You don’t want to take that away from other children, and so once I started becoming like an upperclassman, that’s when I transitioned to Halloween parties so that way I could respect the youth. I think it’s pretty lame to steal childhood from somebody. I think that no matter what you’re doing for Halloween, whether you’re trick-or-treating or going to a Halloween party, be safe. It is easy to be caught up in the moment, but remember that you have a brain and use some logic.” The students and staff at Central agree that Halloween can be fun with so many activities, ranging from trick-or-treating or handing out candy, going out partying, corn mazes, haunted houses, or simply hanging out with friends, but at the end of the day the feeling of fall settles in. “It [Halloween] is festive; it gets me in the fall spirit,” Freshman Paisley David said.
20 • FEATURE • FALL 2026 • CENTRAL HIGH TIMES
JOSHUA SHANG REPORTER
The Hotel of Terror. Photo by Joshua Shang
The entrance to Dungeons of Doom. Photo by Joshua Shang.
SOPHIA SERAFIMOV REPORTER As fall draws closer, Springfield and the surrounding areas host many fall festivals, such as the Japanese Stroll Garden and Wickman’s Garden village. Wickman’s Annual Fall Festival is an event that happened September 12 and 13 in Wickman’s Garden Village. In the festival, people gather to set up an autumn themed event with food, crafts, and other goods. Many stalls were set up where you could buy crafts people had made or get facepaint and henna. Additionally, Flower Shop, a small store at Wickman’s Garden Village, has a “DIY Flower Bar” inside, where you could put together your own bouquet of flowers. It also had candy and snacks, as well as colorful autumn displays with creative designs. The village had a greenhouse where you could buy various plants, such as mums or geraniums. The greenhouse occasionally had trinkets that you could buy as well. Another shop sat on the other side of Wickman’s, containing gardening supplies as well. Other autumn decorations were sold there, like pots shaped like Jack-O-Lanterns and large sun-shaped wall art. The people helping host the event were kind and welcoming, and there were many things to do and see at the village. Another fall activity was the Japanese Fall Festival, which took place in the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden from September 11-13. It was a display of culture and creativity, with food, crafts, music and more. Each day had a different entry price, ranging from $4 for a child to $15 for adults (before tax). There was a section where people could sit and eat food, from meals to desserts like the Japanese pastry taiyaki. There were other food stalls as well, such as Omo Japanese Soul Food, Misa Sweets, Koji Kitchen, Jade Dragon Bubble Tea, and more. Other foods you could find included Korean barbecue, cookies, waffles and egg rolls. Many handcrafted goods were sold at the Japanese festival. Jewelry, crochet amigurumi plushies, an impressive display of bonsai trees, ceramics, plushies, origami, and more were available in the stalls. Bonsai trees, sold by the Ozarks Bonsai Society, were gathered at a small table, with prices as low as $15. People skilled in taking care of the plants helped explain bonsai care, and many different kinds of the bonsai plants were present. Information booths for many other organizations were there as well, such as Dynamic Edge Martial Arts, Kumon Math and Reading, Springfield Cosplay, Fanatics and the Fan, and Thrive Martial Arts. Additionally, people could try on yukatas and kimonos at the festival for $5. A kimono is a type of traditional Japanese clothing that has wide sleeves, a belt covering much of the torso, and a long skirt that reaches down to the ankles, often with a design of some kind on the
FALL FESTIVALS
Straw Doll At Wickman’s Garden Village. Photo by Sophia Serafimov.
fabric. Around the gardens, torches lined the paths, and wishing lanterns floated in the koi ponds. The environment was relaxed, and depending on where you were, soft music could be heard. A schedule could be found on the Japanese Fall Festival website of all the demonstrations that would be happening at the festival. For example, traditional dance, calligraphy, storytelling, music, martial arts demonstrations, tea ceremonies, and even a community cosplay showcase were all available Delegates from Isesaki, Springfield’s Japanese sister city, come from Japan to participate in the fall festival every year. Isesaki has been a sister city to Springfield since July 18, 1986. There have been many shared efforts, such as earthquake recovery in 2011, language teachers, annual exchanges of performance groups, and other exchange programs. Other demonstrations such as the Nihon Bunka Taiken tent (about Japanese culture), and Omiyage and Dagashi tents (souvenirs and snacks tents) were directly related to Japanese culture and practices, helping to explain to people the differences in cultures without separating them. The event was a celebration of cultures and diversity amongst each other, and an encouragement to learn about the customs of other people. I would encourage any readers to get involved in their community and visit cultural events.
Shop at Wickman’s Garden Village. Photo by Sophia Serafimov.
Shop at Wickman’s Garden Village. Photo by Sophia Serafimov.
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • FALL 2026 • OPINION • 21
MEET THE CHT STAFF Hello, my name is Gavin Broom. I’m a senior, and I am a staff member for CHT. I want to talk about how cool jack-o-lanterns are and also give a little history of their origin. They were invented in Scotland and Ireland centuries ago, and they were first used for folklore. You might think that they won’t impress you since they are an old item, but they’re fun to use for tons of people. You can make any design out of it as long as you have eyes and a mouth. For example, you can try to make other parts on your face like a funny nose or a confusing-looking ear.
OLIVE ECK REPORTER
REPORTER
SENIOR REPORTER
REPORTER
REPORTER
JOSHUA SHANG REPORTER
Hello! I’m Sarah, and this is my 4th year on the magazine. I’m the co-lead designer with Emma Lewis, and one of the main copy editors. My choice, David S. Pumpkins, is a very thought-provoking, intense, culturally relevant piece of artistic media, first aired on Saturday Night Live. It features icon Tom Hanks as the titular Pumpkins, accompanied by Mikey Day and Bobby Moynihan as dancing skeletons. The short film is confusing, strange, and controversial in its humor. Some, like me and fellow staff member Avery Rapp, find it humorous, while others, like my parents, think it’s really stupid. Thus, controversy. Please sit down with your family and watch it.
My name is Sophia Serafimov, a new member of the Central High Times Magazine. My favorite piece of Halloween media is Coraline. The book by Neil Gaiman has a captivating and mysterious allure, and there are fantastical elements that make you a little more scared of dolls and blocked off doors than you were before. The movie has a fitting animation style that feels almost like a dream, with dark weather and whimsical designs, as well as excellent music that helps draw you into the world of Coraline. Happy Halloween!
EMILY HUGGINS
AIDEN MOON
My name is Todd Gao, and I am a junior for the Central High Times magazine; my favorite piece of Halloween media is “The Nightmare Before Christmas” directed by Henry Selick, and written by Tim Burton. It is a rare cinematic masterpiece in my opinion, which bridges a dark gothic Halloween world with the world of Christmas. It’s made with pure stop motion animation, which is why its graphics are still breathtaking decades later. When combined with Elfman’s exclusive opera designed for the film, this cinematic work easily remains one of the most memorable works of Halloween.
My name is Joshua Shang, and I am a freshman who is graduating in the class of 2030. This year, I’m a first-year reporter for the magazine. My favorite piece of Halloween is trick-or-treating, especially a candy called Twix. Twix is a very crispy chocolate wafer filled with caramel. I really like caramel candies and chocolate, so that’s why I love Twix so much. Happy Halloween and happy trick-or-treating. Thank you for reading my section, and I hope you enjoy the rest of this issue.
SARAH GREENE
SENIOR REPORTER
My name is Olive Eck, and I am a sophomore this year! The Halloween media I recommend is “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”. The classic follows Charlie Brown, Linus, Snoopy, and the rest of the Peanuts as they prepare for their Halloween adventures. While many of the characters go trick-ortreating (or in Charlie Brown’s case, rock collecting), Linus and Sally stay behind to watch for The Great Pumpkin, who Linus says will bring toys to those who believe in him. If you are looking for a movie to watch while writing your letter to the Great Pumpkin, this one won’t disappoint.
I am Aiden Moon, a first year magazine student with a great and easy costume idea. Being a ghost is a really easy costume. All you need is a white bed sheet and a pair of scissors. Use the scissors to cut holes for your eyes. Optional additions could be a marker to draw a spooky face and wearing black pants to blend in with the night. This could cost as low as 10 dollars. This costume is cost effective and very simple. If you ever need a quick costume idea remember this.
TODD GAO
GAVIN BROOM
SOPHIA SERAFIMOV REPORTER
Hi, my name is Emily Huggins. I am a junior and a reporter on staff. My favorite piece of Halloween media is Hocus Pocus. The movie follows three witches who are also sisters, Winifred, Mary, and Sarah Sanderson. The sisters steal the youth of young children to make themselves younger. But in 1693 they were caught and killed by the townspeople,Then were resurrected in modern-day Salem Massachusetts by a teenager named Max. Max, his younger sister Dani, and his crush Allison must stop the sisters from stealing all of the kids in Salem’s youth.
22 • EDITORIAL • FALL 2026 • CENTRAL HIGH TIMES
AVERY RAPP SENIOR REPORTER
Hello, my name is Avery Rapp and I am a reporter and artist for Central High Times! I design the comics in the back of each issue, as well as any additional graphics. My favorite piece of Halloween media is the movie “Hubie Halloween.” I think the movie is really funny, and I have good memories of watching it with my family when it first came out in 2020.
My name is Jack Herr, I’m a Co-Editor-In-Chief for this publication. A Halloween favorite of mine is Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It’s a great read for any season, but is especially so in the fall. The book is roughly 150 pages long, but goes by quickly—a real page turner—whether you know the premise or not. This book is one of those, which, once you have read it, you’ll find references to it everywhere (such as The Incredible Hulk.) For superhero fans and the average Joe alike, I would recommend it.
GEORGE WOOD CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
SENIOR REPORTER
CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Hello, I’m Reese Wood. I’m one of the magazine’s EOCs, and I love ghost stories. The idea of the supernatural has always been very interesting to me. There are so many different types of ghost stories that one can learn about. Military ghost stories from military bases across the world are very interesting to me. I myself have interacted with hard-to-explain supernatural events. For those who don’t know, the basement of Central is haunted by a ghost who has called out people’s names and slammed doors shut. I’ve nicknamed him Charlie, so make sure to give him a visit.
My name is Eli Ceron, I’m a junior at Central High and I’m an artist. This is my second time taking Ms. O’Dell’s class; I took J1 my Sophomore year. The media I chose is one of the all-time greatest movies ever conceived, the 2015 Goosebumps film adaptation. The film follows Zach, a teenager moving into a strange new town with his mom. After accidentally unleashing a group of monsters trapped between the pages of his neighbor’s (R.L. Stine’s) books, he and his group of friends set out to trap them back in and stop doomsday from happening. I love it because it’s really funny, has some great chase scenes, and an all-time performance from Jack Black.
MAGGIE MOORE
JACK HERR
ELI CERON REPORTER
I am a senior reporter for the Central High Times, serving my second year on our staff. Beetlejuice has been a fall favorite of mine for a long time, from the color palette to the overall story and the representation from every character. My favorite part is, of course, the introduction of the sand worm and the fictional story connected to the movie itself, spanning over 600 years. Beginning as a grave robber in Italy during the Black Plague where he was poisoned by his cult-leader wife, Dolores. This is finally explained in the sequel of the movie and I would recommend watching it!
Hey! My name’s Emma, this is my fourth year on staff, and I’m the Director of Design and Opinion Section Editor. My favorite piece of Halloween media is an ethereal, long-sleeve top I thrifted from the Salvation Army on S. Campbell. Backed by a perfectly autumnal shade of burnt orange, the piece features graphics of falling leaves with the following poem printed: “Gentle breeze/through the trees/it is clear/fall is here” I’m so ready to wear it, paired with dark-wash jeans or a brown maxi-skirt, this fall!
EMMA LEWIS SENIOR REPORTER
Journalism II: Newsmagazine works to finalize the first issue of Central High Times. Photo by Jack Herr.
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • FALL 2026 • EDITORIAL • 23
FALL DRINKS
AVERY RAPP SENOIR REPORTER
No fall is complete without the perfect beverage, whether it’s a mug of apple cider, or a pumpkin spice latte. Where are the best drinks, though? And what are they? I reviewed certain fall choices from 7Brew, Starbucks, and The Mudhouse to determine the best drink at each location, and which of these takes the win overall. 7Brew is a fairly recent chain with lots of locations in Springfield, it also offers a seasonal menu for the fall. This includes the Pumpkin Blonde Breve, Caramel Apple Pie Macchiato, Drizzled Apple 7 Energy Frozen Chiller, Apple Butter Chai Latte, and the Pumpkin Roll Shake. I have a sweet tooth, so I was thrilled to try the Pumpkin Roll Shake. I rate this drink 8/10 stars. It was very good, but also very sweet. I ordered a medium, which I can typically down
in 10 minutes, but I had to put this one in the fridge for later. It was a lot to take in at once. The next time, I tried a Caramel Apple Pie Macchiato. It was a lot better than I expected. Very sweet, and the apple and caramel flavors mixed very well even if I didn’t like the macchiato flavor. 7/10. The last drink I tried was The Apple Butter Chai Latte. It tasted a lot like the Caramel Apple Pie Macchiato but slightly sweeter. I was disappointed it
did not come with whipped cream, althoug h it was displayed with it on the menu. The drink gets a total of 8/10 stars, and 7Brew receives an overall 7.7/10 star rating from me.
My favorite local coffee place is The Mudhouse, located on South Ave. downtown. Their fall menu includes a Pumpkin Pie Latte, Pumpkin Pie Chai, M a p l e Pancake L a t t e
PistachiOAT Latte, Caramel Apple Butter, and Hot Caramel Apple Cider. Following my theme, the first drink I tried from The Mudhouse was The Pumpkin Pie Latte, iced. This drink gets 7/10 stars from me. It was very well made and had a pumpkin flavor, but it was not sweet enough for my liking, especially without whipped cream. The second drink I tried was Caramel Apple Butter. I did not love the cold foam on this one, but enjoyed the rest of it. It was a bit bitter for my
liking; it receives a solid 5/10. I was pleasantly surprised with the final drink I tried from The Mudhouse, which was a Hot Caramel Apple Cider. This drink was everything an apple cider should be. It had a rich apple flavor with a perfect blend of cinnamon undertones. I will definitely try this one again once the temperature drops; it was a 9/10 star drink. This makes my total rating of the fall drinks I tried at The Mudhouse 7/10 stars.
The first drink I tried was the creme based pumpkin spice Frappuccino, which receives 7/10 stars. I love the seasoning applied to the whipped cream in all of the pumpkin spice’s variations; the taste reminds me of pumpkin pie. The drink itself has a good pumpkin flavor, but it wasn’t completely blended, so some of the taste is lost in the frozen bits. The iced pumpkin cream matcha was the second drink I tried off of the Starbucks fall menu. When it comes to
matcha by itself, Starbucks has my least favorite out of the places on this list. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this drink. The pumpkin cold foam helps improve the matcha’s flavor, and I rate it 7/10. The Pumpkin Spice Latte receives a lot of traction online each year, both positive and negative. It’s a staple. I have to agree with the majority on this one, because I love Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte, hot and iced. It is the perfect mix of pumpkin sweetness with spice,
and the flavor resembles pumpkin pie. I love it, and fully support all the praise it receives. 10/10 stars from me. This brings my total ranking of Starbucks’ fall menu to 8/10 stars.
24 • OPINION • FALL 2026 • CENTRAL HIGH TIMES
ALBUM REVIEW
BEABADOOBEE AVERY RAPP SENOIOR REPORTER On Sep. 18, 2026, indie pop singer/ songwriter Beatrice Laus, stage name Beabadoobee, released her fourth studio album: “Pylon.” It’s an amazingly unique indie rock album with elements of post-grunge and midwest emo; it has 14 tracks and a play time of 40 minutes. The album has three singles, “The Sun Has Set” being the first, released June 24, 2026. The song’s instrumentals lean into the post-grunge element, which does a good job of setting the overall tone for the album. It definitely sounds different than most of Beabadoobee’s songs, but I enjoy it and think it’s well executed. Lyrically, “The Sun Has Set” is a track that stands out to me. The sun setting is used as a metaphor for the relationship between Beabadoobee and the subject of the song ending. The other two singles are “Switchblade,” which was released July 14, 2026, and “Memories,” which came out a little under a month before the album on Aug. 20, 2026. “Switchblade” is probably my least favorite song from the album; the sound is pretty unique to the others, and it is more distorted and less upbeat. This makes it less enjoyable than the others. “Memories” was an instant classic for me and another lyrical standout. One of the lyrics is “The smell of rain on the pavement,” which is a reference to the lyrics “You are the smell of pavement after the rain” from Beabadoobee’s song “Horen Sarrison” released in 2020. Even for listeners that didn’t pick up on this reference, the lyrics are still creative and relatable as they reflect on fond memories within a relationship and how they create the feeling of comfort. This album has more of a lyrical story than previous albums by Beabadoobee. The title refers to a pylon, a tall structure used to support high electrical power lines. The electrical motif is carried through the tracks titled.“Pylon,” “Powerlines,” “Spark,” and “Satellite.” This is meant to symbolize the
Album cover for Pylon, photo credit to Beabadoobee
feeling of being connected to someone despite not being physically near them. The first line of “Powerlines” is “Powerlines help me feel I’m close to you.” The lyrics in this album aren’t necessarily profound, but they still do a good job of conveying the message. While “The Sun Has Set” and “Memories” are lyrical standouts, my favorite tracks musically are “Estranged,” “It’s Alright,” and “Satellite.” “Estranged” and “It’s Alright” both do a splendid work combining the alt rock elements within Beabadoobee’s debut album “Fake it Flowers” and the more indie pop elements of her albums “Beatopia” and “This is How Tomorrow Moves.” They’re both super catchy. As for “Satellite,” it has its own sound unique to “Pylon.” It combines all of the album’s genres beautifully, showcasing some of the best vocals Beabadoobee has in any song. This album also has two features. Track nine, “Nothing To Prove” features Hayley Williams, independent artist and lead singer of pop punk band Paramore. “Powerlines” is the second track with a feature and the 11th track in the album. This one features Brendon Yates, lead singer of the hardcore punk band Turnstile. Out of all the titles teased for this album, “Nothing To Prove” was the one I was most looking forward to as I am a listener of both Paramore and Beabadoobee, and I was curious to see how their sounds combine. The song was good, but I was a bit let down by the level of participation Williams had. While she does backing vocals for the chorus, she does not get her own verse. Her vocals still add a lot and it’s another amazing song overall; I just wish the vocals were more evenly distributed. Yates was not an artist I was previously familiar with, but he does a great job on “Powerlines.” He gets his own verse, and sings together with Beabadoobee in the chorus. His deeper, breathy vocals contribute to the eerie vibe of the song and contrast nicely with Beabadoobee’s. In totality, I give the album “Pylon” five
out of five stars. It does a perfect job of combining Beabadoobee’s previous style with new genres, carrying a consistent sound throughout with 14 wonderful songs. I’m excited to see the next album she puts out!
Graphic design by Avery Rapp
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • FALL 2026 • OPINION • 25
The Mediocre Digital Circus
2026
SARAH GREENE SENIOR REPORTER
1/2 Disclaimer: The Odyssey was phenomenal, Obsession was impressive for a dirt-cheap YouTube movie, and Lesbian Space Princess was genuinely awful. For a school magazine, we can’t write about rated R movies, so we’re stuck with an Amazing Digital Circus review. I can’t say I hated this movie, or that there’s nothing redeemable about it. The animation and voice acting are good, and its incredible success is a huge step forward for independent animation. However, outside of that, I can’t really give it any compliments. When The Amazing Digital Circus first released on YouTube in October 2023, it was an immediate success, breaching 100 million views in a month. It left no real impact on me when it first came out, even at the prime age (14) for this kind of show. I watched it, thought it was sort of cool, and moved on. Three years later, Avery and I watched the full movie when it released on YouTube. We had a great time, but the movie was terrible. The characters are bland, one-note, and flanderized, and the plot is a garbled mess of half-baked ideas and directionless writing. Nothing feels connected, everything gets magically fixed, and the characters’ relationships feel nonexistent. We’re told, not shown who’s friends with who, who likes who, who has complex feelings for who. Nobody has any conflict at all. Everybody loves everybody, even the characters who have no reason to. The titular circus itself is terribly boring. At the start of the show, it followed the episodic “characters go on journey, develop plot and relationships, build up some mysterious greater lore” genre. By the movie, they’ve completely abandoned the adventures and are instead stuck in a monotone gray big top with one random hallway with rooms. In the preceding episode, they kill the main robot that controls everything and the whole digital world breaks, which is why it looks the way it does. It makes sense with the overarching plot, but it’s just ugly and bland. Having the setting be a technicolor
glitchy nightmare to reflect a digital world that’s falling apart could’ve been really cool and interesting for the characters to work off of. It would at least give the audience something to look at beyond just gray squares. The story, on the other hand, is so bad that it comes back around to being peak. The emotional beats are so forced and out of nowhere that they’re hilarious, the tone flips between overdramatic tragedy and quirky preteen humor on a dime without executing either well, and the whole thing falls flat on its face with a fanservice “where are they now” ending featuring the real-world human versions of the cast. I can’t complain about the story beyond the basic hits without mentioning the reason this whole show is so bad, the reason the fandom is so hated, the reason the creator fell from grace, the one thing I genuinely hate about this movie: Jax the purple rabbit. I hate him so much. I hate everything about him. I hate his character, I hate his design, I hate his voice actor, I hate his personality, I hate his humor, I hate his story, I hate his “development”, I hate his fans, I hate the creator’s obsessive lust for him, I hate the way the other characters interact with him, I hate that we’re supposed to feel bad for him, I hate the incredibly forced trans representation that doesn’t exist outside of the creator’s X account, I hate that he’s supposed to be suicide awareness representation, I hate that the girl he spent the whole show viciously bullying and assaulting is villainized for not crying when he dies, I hate how every character gets ignored so he can have the spotlight. The critical problem with his character that summarizes all of my annoyance is that he just takes up all of the runtime.
26 • OPINION • FALL 2026 • CENTRAL HIGH TIMES
This movie just ends up being a really long Jax exposition dump. A huge chunk is just flashbacks with random characters that have only been mentioned in passing, that are now getting the spotlight because they are Jax’s friends and everything is about him. The story on its own isn’t so bad; I like Jax’s character as an idea, even if it’s incredibly basic and drawn out by now. It’s just the execution that makes the experience so unbearable, a sentiment that reflects the movie as a whole. In retrospect, the show was a weird but earnest moment in YouTube history. While the movie on its own is nothing remarkable, the impact it left on its small section of society is genuinely incredible. Millions of people worldwide gathered to celebrate the show making it to theatres, and I’m happy that they got to enjoy it, even if the majority were left disappointed. For the rest of the world, The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act does not go far beyond giving small hopes of success to independent animators, and giving TikTok trolls another tweenage fanbase to ridicule. Watch it if you’re really bored, it’s sort of entertaining.
I would highly recommend you watch this movie with friends at a party. Don’t watch it in any other scenario, it’s not good.
Ethics of Movie Piracy It’s thanks to increased ticket pricing, streaming service costs, and poor industry decisions that millions of people are switching to pirating media instead of purchasing it legally, costing the film industry an estimated $30-40 billion annually. Piracy is defined as the act of illegally obtaining, viewing, or distributing copyrighted materials such as films and video games. These acts can be done through sketchy websites, obtaining counterfeit copies of the material from a third party, or downloading unauthorized files. Perhaps the most common form of media to pirate is film, with illegal copies being shared all around the world. To many people, it’s instantly obvious why piracy is unethical. After all, piracy is stealing (which is very illegal) and that lost profit results in the creatives losing their cut of the cash. But those who support piracy argue that it doesn’t harm anyone; the studios make millions– sometimes even billions– of dollars annually; the profit lost from a select few pirating their products won’t harm them a noticeable amount. But the crux of that argument is to ignore that media productions are made up of hundreds of individuals, with many of these creatives already being poorly compensated for their work. “They get such a small cut of it anyway,” said Central media teacher, Joshua Cantrell. “It’s their livelihood. As the industries pay for those people, those residuals can keep going to those who made the things you’re enjoying.” So, when you steal the product, they get less of those residuals, which makes it harder to support themselves financially and continue with their media career. It’s a common misconception that supporters of piracy hold that all movies are backed by big corporations and that the consequences of piracy won’t hurt them. But
ELI CERON REPORTER
movies like Iron Lung in 2025 were entirely self-financed, making the profit loss from piracy much more impactful for that production and other similar ones. Though piracy is unethical, it’s no surprise that so many people have begun turning towards it. Streaming service prices have sky-rocketed in the past few years, taking more money out of the pockets of consumers, and that’s not even to mention all the competition that’s emerged since the launch of Netflix in the mid-2000s. Back then movies of all kinds were available to watch with ease and at a low price. But with inflation and copyright restrictions moving one film from service to service, it’s making streaming far less appealing than it once was. Sometimes films just aren’t available on streaming services through legal means. In those cases, it becomes hard to resist the pull of piracy when it’s the only way to view the product. “I’ve run into this on my own research.” Josh Cantrell said. “I needed a film that I knew existed and it wasn’t available anywhere. Do I try to find some sort of copy I can use and reference? Or do I pirate it ‘cause it’s easier? It’s a difficult question.” Even if you were to bypass streaming entirely and instead purchase the media individually, problems may still arise. With the rise of digital media and virtual libraries slowly phasing out DVDs from the public consciousness, most are left with no choice but to move to the digital versions. With this shift from physical to digital-only media, it’s begun to surface a new approach to consumerism in the film industry. That approach being “you don’t own anything”. Sony in particular found themselves in hot water with the removal of over 550 movies from their catalogues, including from the libraries of people who already purchased the product.
This, of course, led to a bunch of backlash from those who lost the movies from their catalogues. They argued that, since they purchased the product, they are entitled to their copy as long as they want it. Sony’s response failed to quell frustrations, simply stating: “You will no longer be able to access your previously purchased content from Studio Canal, and it will be removed from your video library.” It’s hard to deny the appeal of pirating media. It’s easy, it’s convenient, you often don’t know the extent that doing so harms the productions, and in many ways it can be better than obtaining the media through legal means. But on the other hand, it still takes away money from the hard-working individuals involved in the production. So yes, piracy is unethical; you shouldn’t do it. But it’s also worth criticizing the holders of the copyright for their poor management, making piracy so appealing to begin with. At the end of the day, it’s always worth remembering: “The artists deserve to be compensated for their hard work”.
CHS Media Teacher, Joshua Cantrell on his computer. Photo by Eli Ceron.
CENTRAL HIGH TIMES • FALL 2026 • OPINION • 27
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