Central High Times - Volume 109, Issue 1 - Fall 2022

IN THIS ISSUE

OPINION

Letter from the Editor

Pg. 01

Schedule Changes Pg. 10

Movie Review Pg. 30

Pumpkin Spice Lattes Pg. 32

NEWS

Accolades Pg. 02

The Impact of a Cube Pg. 03

Fall Calendar & Checklist Pg. 05

Caden’s Corner: The Queen’s Death Pg. 06

Monkeypox Pg. 07

SPS Policies: Pride Flag Pg. 08

SPS Policies: Book Ban Pg. 09

FEATURES

Moths of Missouri Pg. 12

2023 Cabinet Pg. 14

CHS in The 60s Pg. 16

Making a Magazine Pg. 18

Journalism II Staff Pg. 19

New CHS Teachers Pg. 20

Club Feature: Math Team Pg. 29

SPORTS

Football

Pg. 22

Boys Soccer Pg. 23

Volleyball Pg. 24

Girls Tennis and Golf Pg. 25

Boys Swim and Dive Pg. 26

Cross Country Pg. 27

Softball Pg. 28

ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP POLICY

The Central High Times has the right to accept, reject, edit, or cancel any advertisement at any time. Advertising will not contain 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, 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 Chrismer, at kechrismer@spsmail. org. Sponsorships begin at $25 per year, advertising pricing begins at $50.00 per issue, and all money raised goes toward our printing budget.

WAGS GROWLS &

ANIA KOVACS / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

WA week-long Thanksgiving break means more sleep and more pumpkin pie.

No more learning lab… goodbye much-needed catchup time.

WGFruit Jam and Homecoming ROCKED.

More spirit day participation please! We’re all in this together, Bulldogs.

EDITORIAL POLICY

The Central High Times is a studentproduced 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.

ADVISER Kori Chrismer EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ania Kovacs

ASST. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ned Pickett PHOTO EDITOR Ollie Francis

GCOPY EDITORS Emmarie Logan, Madi Taylor DIRECTOR OF ART & DESIGN Natalie Reece

SENIOR REPORTER Lilith Creemer

REPORTERS Miles Como, Travis Davison, Nathaniel Hunter, Allison Loughary, Nina Malega, Morgan Martens, Caden RectorCurrent

THE CHT

CENTRAL HIGH

CONTACT

FONT

LETTER TO THE EDITOR POLICY

E.

St., Springfield,

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 kechrismer@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.

LETTER FROM

THE EDITOR

ANIA KOVACS / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

As I begin my senior year, my thoughts have become more introspective and I can’t help but get emotional about the end of my seven years at Central. It’s now my turn to apply to colleges and cram for my extended essay and top off the school year with four IB exams.

More importantly, the time has come for me to continue the legacy of becoming editor-in-chief of the Central High Times, a title previously held by both of my older sisters. My sister Julia graduated from Central’s IB Diploma Program exactly one decade ago and was also the CHT editor-in-chief that same year - two tasks that seemed so distant and unachievable to sevenyear-old me.

Therein lies an opportunity too perfect to pass up, Julia’s worst fear and my dream come true, a public response (and maybe subtle critique) to her publications as a 17-year old-- exactly ten years later.

The 2012 fall issue begins with horoscopes, a Central High Times tradition that I’ve often heard is “the only reason why people look at your magazine.” Sadly, we’ve decided to cut them this year, so let this 2012 highlight be a tribute:

“Sagittarius and Capricorn: On a sunny and warm day, you’ll revisit your summer wardrobe and wear shorts. Unfortunately, you neglect to bring a jacket and get hypothermia in the Commons.”

I turned the page and came across the Breakfast Olympics, in which Anton’s took bronze, Aunt Martha’s took silver, and Gailey’s took the (pan)cake as Springfield’s best brunch spot. Two of the three victorious diners have since closed down. Both Anton’s and Aunt Martha’s are still deeply missed by Springfield foodies.

Alongside the food review, there is an upcoming music column. There are weeks until Taylor Swift’s Red and Kendrick Lamar’s Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City are released. I wonder how it would feel to be a teenager during the release of some of the best albums in music history.

An article titled “‘YOLO’ Has to Go-lo” by Alexis Meacheam caught my attention as I was flipping through the rest of the issue. I laughed when I first saw the headline, expecting it to be light-hearted student discourse about 2010’s slang, but the article took a philosophical deep dive into the question of

whether or not ‘YOLO’ should be used to justify destructive decision making in teenagers. Appropriately, it all built up to a Drake quote.

My favorite part of the issue was our signature back cover comic, a section we’ve continued to this day. It features the remaining CHS Revengers “Epps-pocalypse”, “Mrs. McIn-Fyre”, and “CoXena, Warrior Princess” in alliance against evil scientist Mr. Quick, (also known as “Mr. Quick”).

I’m glad CHT has kept its goofiness in conjunction with tough issues that need to be examined by high school students, and I’m more than grateful to be able to take up the editor’s torch this year.

ACCOLADES

TRAVIS DAVISON / SENIOR REPORTER

Central Football

Tae’Sean McShane, 12, set a new school rushing yards record! In a 121-year program, this is a huge accomplishment! He rushed 280 yards, with only 18 carries! He also got 3 touchdowns! McShane also ranked 27th all-time in MSHSAA history!! He was also chosen for the News-Leader’s Player of the Week.

First Win as Head Coach

Two of our head coaches, Coach Cardoza and Coach Tadlock won their first games since receiv ing their title! With Coach Cardoza, the boy’s soccer team won a game against Parkview with a score of 8-0. With the girl’s volleyball team, Coach Tadlock was able to secure 3 wins, which were 25-12, 27-25, and 25-19. Congratulations to both the boy’s soccer team and the Volleyball team for the fantastic wins!

Foundation for SPS Grants

A few of our teachers re cently got SPS grants! SPS grants are funds that are given to teachers who need more money outside of the normal budget for class. One of the recipients, Mrs. Kelly, is using this grant to buy paper-making materials for her IB portfolio class. Her stu dents will learn how to make paper, then teach another class how to! Congratulations to all the teachers who did receive the grant!

Scholars Secure a Win

Three scholars have placed in the Broadcom Masters Top 300 in the nation with their Science Fair projects. Rishi Janakiraman, Emma Lewis, and Zain Rehman were the only students chosen from the whole state of Missouri. Rishi, Emma, and Zain will move on to the final selec tion of the top 30 students in the na tion.

Recognition for Samuel Cummings

Samuel Cummings, 11, re ceives the National African Ameri can Recognition Award for his out standing performance on the PSAT and AP Exams. Only the top 10 per cent of all test takers are eligible to apply for this award. If you see Sam uel in the halls, make sure to con gratulate him on his success.

Mr. Shelton and Ms. Kelly receive their grants.

The Impact of a MADICube

On August 19th, a Central student broke a world record. The record, held by the Guinness World Records, was for the most Rubik’s cubes solved while riding a unicycle, at 300. Jonah Swann, a Central High senior, solved 302. Not only did he break the record, but every cube solved raised more money for his fundraiser, called Cubing for a Cause, in support of the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks.

At 7:30 AM, on Big Shots Golf’s driving range, Swann climbed atop his unicycle and began solving Rubik’s cubes. About five hours later, he finished with 302 cubes solved.

“I had no idea I would beat the record. The odds were against me,” Jonah Swann, 12, said. “The most I’d ever solved before was 30.” Swann had been training for this since he was 14. At the young age of 12, he was given a unicycle for Christmas, and decided to combine unicycling with his interest in Rubik’s cubes.

“I had always wanted to break a world record, so I’d be searching for records to break when I came across this one,” Swann recalled.

His preparation consisted of a lot of unicycling around Springfield. He had been telling his family about this record for about four years, so his feat did not come as much of a surprise.

“They were pretty supportive, you know, and they said this was pretty on par for me,” Swann said.

He felt that having his family, friends, and even strangers watching him at Big Shots motivated him to keep going. While breaking a world record is an incredible feat, Swann believes it was just an added bonus. He was more focused on raising money for his fundraiser, Cubing for a Cause. This fundraiser was his reasoning for choosing Big Shots as the location. Swann wanted people to come and watch, both for entertainment and to donate money. His goal was to raise as much money as possible, with an initial goal of $50,000. By the end of the five hours, he had raised around $30,000 in total. He donated the money to the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks.

“My grandma, on my mom’s side, died of breast cancer when she was my mom’s age,” Swann said. “The foundation provides support for the families, and it was difficult for my mom and her family growing up. Helping them continue this support was meaningful to me.”

For now, Swann has no future plans for Cubing for a Cause. In fact, he feels like he’s done with unicycling now. He unicycled for five

/

hours straight, but he wonders if he could’ve kept going.

“Big Shots had delayed their opening for this, and people were starting to get annoyed,” Swann claimed, “They wanted to come in and hit golf balls. At that five hour mark, Big Shots told us we had to stop. I had just barely broken the record at that point.”

Swann and his family are both happy with this accomplishment, but Swann is a little relieved that the hype is dying down. He doesn’t see himself as a spotlight person, and while he’s proud of the recognition, he’s ready to move on. Breaking an obscure world record isn’t something most people can say, especially not high school seniors, but Swann stays humble. This achievement, and the fundraiser, will be cherished by Swann for a long time.

Jonah Swann practicing unicycling. Image courtesy of Cubing for a Cause Instagram.

Jonah Swann unicycling and solving cubes at Big Shots Golf. Image courtesy of Cub ing for a Cause Instagram.

Fall Calendar

Must-do’s for this upcoming season

The months of autumn are upon us, and with that comes fall festivities that you just can’t miss. If you’re looking to celebrate Halloween early, or simply enjoy the fall weather, take a peek at this list. From hiking trails to pizza nights, there is sure to be something that catches your eye.

If you’re looking to pick some pumpkins, check out the multiple patches around Springfield and the surrounding area. Grab some pumpkins, eat some s'mores, or enjoy a twisting corn maze.

• October 28-30, Fall Roundup at Sycamore Creek Family Ranch, 8:30 pm. 2657 Sunset Inn Road, Branson. Pick your own pumpkins, rent a fire pit, or hop on a hayride, go through a corn maze, or try corn hole and the challenge course.

• Opening September 10, the Modern Homestead Fall Harvest, 10am-7pm. 14038 Farm Road 84, Ash Grove. Pick all sorts of pumpkins, explore the variety of pop-up food trucks, or check out the Homestead Hollows-three corn mazes of different levels! For those who love nature and the fall weather, consider this outdoor checklist for some beautiful scenery.

• Millsap Pizza Nights go throughout October, and let you enjoy a tasty farm dinner at Millsap Farms. Stop by 6583 Emu Lane, Springfield, to experience the atmosphere and delicious pizza.

• Do you like seeing the changing colors of autumn trees, but don’t want to take a long trek? Try out the Glad Trail at Ruth and Paul Henning Conservation Area, down in Branson. It holds some lovely Ozarks scenery for your viewing pleasure.

October,

If you love Halloween and want to enjoy some

October 29th. Tickets range from $35-$70, and the ball will start at 7:00 pm. It will be at

by

reward for the crowd-chosen

is the season of beautiful

Abou

some Pappo's Pizzeria. There will also be a

601 East Saint Louis Street, and will feature a variety of activities. Dance to the bass

it’d be a shame to miss it. Head out to these

events

MONKEYPOX

The Widespread Epidemic

TRAVIS DAVISON / SENIOR REPORTER

A viral disease, all over TikTok and other social media. News outlets have been covering the topic for months. The governments have struggled to contain this virus, as it spreading across the world. Monkeypox is a virus, which has two clades: the Congo Basin or Central African clade, and the west African. The Central African clade is the currently affecting countries like the US, Brazil, Canada, Thailand, France, Nigeria, and multiple other countries. Monkeypox has spread almost all over the Americas and Europe. The spread of this virus has been slowing down in some countries due to vaccinations. According to the CDC, Monkeypox starts with flu-like symptoms, usually 3 weeks after coming into contact with a person afflicted by the virus. Around one to four days later, the rashes will begin to form. Rashes can be anywhere on the body. These rashes can look like pimples, or blisters, and can be painful or itchy. This sickness usually lasts around 2 to 4 weeks. After

this, the blisters crust over and fall off.

Monkeypox spreads through contact with an infected person. This includes touching objects the person touched, coming into direct contact with the scab or rash, along with respiratory droplets from an infected person from up to six feet away. We do not have a cure for monkeypox, but we do have vaccines. In the United States, we have two vaccines available to use. JYNNEOS is a vaccine used to protect against both smallpox and monkeypox. ACAM2000 is the other option, and it specifically targets smallpox. Smallpox and monkeypox are in the same family, which is why vaccines targeted against smallpox can be effective in preventing and making the symptoms milder.

Smallpox and monkeypox are part of the Poxviridae Family, which also includes several other animal-related viruses. Since they are part of a similar family, people who have received smallpox vaccinations have

Don’t Touch

Rashes

Wear a Mask Wash Hands Often

shown to have a milder reaction to the monkeypox virus. Since we have no specific vaccine for monkeypox, smallpox vaccines are being used to protect others from more serious cases of monkeypox.

To prevent yourself or those close to you from getting monkeypox, you should; Wash your hands often, avoid close, skin-to-skin contact with someone who looks like they might have the monkeypox rash, and avoid anything that the person has come into contact with. You can also take another step to protect yourself: you can wear a mask! This helps prevent the spread of this virus via respiratory droplets.

CADEN’S CORNER The Queen’s Death

CADEN RECTOR-CURRENT / SENIOR REPORTER

HM Queen Elizabeth II passed away on Sept. 8 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. She was 96 years old, reigning over the United Kingdom for 70 years. Her cause of death is currently undisclosed. Her son, now King Charles III, has assumed the throne.

Queen Elizabeth was born on April 21, 1926, in London. During the Second World War, she trained to be a driver and mechanic, eventually

reaching the rank equivalent to that of captain. After the war, She married Prince Phillip in 1947. Soon after, in 1951, her father died, and she ascended to the throne. During her reign as Queen, she saw the Cold War in full force, the Falklands War, the troubles in Northern Ireland, and The War on Terror. Elizabeth ruled during a time of immense change, and she was an idol to the world.

There will be several changes to policy in light of the Queen’s passing. The national anthem will change from ‘God Save The Queen’ To ‘God Save The King,’ and the currency will also begin to change, as King Charles III will now be printed on currency.

King Charles III immediately assumed the throne and was officially proclaimed king in a ceremony at St. James’ Palace on Saturday, Sept. 10.

Queen Elizabeth II, 1960 Portrait (Image courtesy of National Portrait Gallery)

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, 2007 (Image courtesy of The Guardian)

Sexually Explicit Material Removal

SPS Statement

SPS

The definition of “explicit sexual material” in SB 775 does not include the written word, but instead, is limited to pictorial or visual depictions (e.g. photos, film, video, etc.). Exceptions include works of art, when taken as a whole, that have serious artistic significance, works of anthropological significance, and materials used in science courses (e.g. biology, anatomy, physiology and sexual education). It is important to note that the definition of “explicit sexual material” used in the new law mirrors the definition already on the books in Chapter 573 of existing state statutes and clarifies the application of an existing criminal charge that has been the law in Missouri for almost 50 years. As a result, it should not apply to most library materials or other works used as part of the district’s curriculum, which aligns with the standards established by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Senate Bill 775, a law primarily focused on updating previous legislation on child sexual trafficking and assault, has an added section that targets the educational setting. Section 573.55 makes it illegal for any person affiliated with public or private schools to let students have access to any visual material that is sexually explicit. Exceptions include materials that are artistic or informative in nature. Educators or librarians who allow a student to access these materials face a Class A misdemeanor which may include a $2,000 fine and up to a year in prison.

State Senator Holly Thompson Rehder, R-27, proposed the bill and worked with co-sponsor, Senator Jill Schupp, D-24, to make the legislative process better for victims of sexual assault. “The survivors bill of rights outlines services and accommodations victims should expect as they report a crime, seek care and participate in the investigation and prosecution of the offense.

The process of coming forward will still be incredibly intimidating and difficult but, hopefully, this legislation will remove some of the hurdles and help reduce the trauma as survivors seek justice and attempt to get perpetrators off the street,” Senator Rehder wrote in a statement on the Missouri Senate website.

However, Senator Rick Brattin, R-31, added the section that makes it illegal for school-affiliated persons to provide or knowingly allow a student to access visual sexually explicit material. “There’s no question that in some places this content is not only celebrated but actively being pushed on our children. We have to put our foot down and say ‘no, our children are too important to us and our future to allow this to happen.’ Our children are a precious gift from God, and it’s our job to raise them to respect themselves and the opposite sex the way God intended,” Senator Brattin said in a statement on the Missouri Senate website.

Librarians and teachers heard about the law not long before school started, which gave them little time to go through materials before it would be enacted on August 28. The first day of school, August 22, was in the middle of that time crunch.

The district has always had a review policy in place for questionable materials. “SPS educators frequently review curriculum resources to determine if adjustments are needed. SB 775 may have prompted another review; however, the expectation for continual review has always been in place. When adjustments are made regarding the use of specific materials, this occurs to better align classroom/school resources with longstanding DESE curriculum standards and this is unrelated to new legislation. SB 775 mostly reiterates expectations that have been in statute for more than 50 years,” the district said via spokesperson Teresa Bledsoe, Assistant Director of Communication.

Policies

Several teachers at Kickapoo High School were asked to remove Pride flags from their classrooms a week before school started. Kickapoo’s principal, Bill Powers, asked them to take this measure following district guidelines.

However, there are people who worry that removing the flags will make school a less accepting place for the LGBTQ+ community. This led to protests on the first day of school, when people gathered outside of Kickapoo holding signs

Pride Flag Removal

and arguing against the removal of the flags. The protest was organized by Jimmy Anti, a drag artist, who was a 2018 Glendale graduate. PFLAG Springfield, a group of supporters and LGBTQ+ members, was also there passing out stickers, buttons, and flags presenting the Pride flag as a symbol of safety and inclusion.

On the other side of the debate are people who believe that the presence of Pride flags in the classroom promotes an ideology

they do not embrace. This group believes the display causes students to question issues that should be addressed at home and not at school.

According to district policies and guidelines, the personal opinions of employees cannot represent the opinion of the district. Per the Board of Education Policy GBCB, “Speech and conduct within a classroom environment should prevent disruption and ensure the focus remains on academics.”

SPS Statement

SPS is committed to equitable learning environments that equip all students with the support needed to achieve their full potential. This is reflected in the many ways SPS demonstrates its commitment to underrepresented and under-resourced students, including the presence of equity champions in every building. Board of Education Policy GBCB clearly states that “employees will not represent their personal opinions as the opinion of the district.” This applies to speech and to the use of district property, including the classroom. When employee conduct does not align with this policy, it is the district’s expectation that supervisors hold team members accountable for maintaining a professional standard. In this circumstance, Dr. Powers acted appropriately to clarify the Board policy. This is essential in order to prevent disruptions to the learning environment and to ensure the focus in the classroom remains on academics. As with all policies, consistency is imperative.

The Schedule Change

NATHANIEL HUNTER / REPORTER

Almost a month has passed since the beginning of the new school year and the most obvious change is that of the schedule, with varying results. Days that originally started at 7:30 in the morning and ended at 2:30 in the afternoon have switched to days that start at 8:10 and end at 3:10. Mondays and Thursdays used to be odd blocks, Tuesdays and Fridays were even blocks, and Wednesdays were a hybrid of the two categories.

Now, days are organized in an alternating Red Day and Black Day system. And, most tragically of all, Learning Lab is no longer a universal class. The schedule overhaul is a hard adjustment for some, but a welcome change for many.

The schedule change, in hindsight, isn’t too surprising. In 2019, California passed legislation forcing high schools to start classes no earlier than 8:30 in the morning. In an article for the New York Times, Matthew Walker, a professor at the University of California, is quoted as saying, “Asking a teenager to be awake and trying to absorb information at 8:30 in the morning in some ways is like asking an adult to wake up at 4 o’clock in the morning.”

The transition to later start times is intended to benefit students, giving them more time to sleep and mentally wake up in the morning in the hopes of improving their learning capabilities. While California was the first state to implement this new start time into the law, other schools in states like North Dakota and Alaska more often than not started

after 8:30 a.m., based on survey results from 2011-2012, meaning the idea of starting around or later than 8:30 is not a new one.

While the later start times absolutely can benefit students by allowing them to get more sleep so they can function better in the mornings, it’s not all beneficial. Students who have sports practice, cross country for example, now have to stay longer after school for their extracurricular activities. This gives them less time to finish any homework than they had before, which was already less time than anyone who didn’t participate in those extracurricular activities.

The hope is that the people who do participate in those activities will be able to balance their time enough to have everything completed, but the loss of an entire hour of time to complete their work is potentially more detrimental than it can seem.

The Red Day and Black Day alternating schedule results in a more balanced week, with every day including six classes, and Wednesday no longer being the outlier with six classes in one day. This also leads to more time per class on Wednesdays instead of the last block because of the late start.

The alternating weeks where groups of classes switch days, like even blocks being on Monday, Wednesday and Friday on one week then switching to Tuesday and Thursday the next, could be more difficult to adapt to. Keeping track of how things alternate per week, when

in the previous years each day would have the same classes no matter what week it was, is a more difficult adjustment than the start and end times of school. Remembering that weeks alternate after retaining the previous schedule for 2 or 3 years can absolutely be a challenge.

Learning Lab, commonly referred to as study hall, being completely cut from the schedule is nothing short of disappointing for many students. While it’s in the school’s best interest to ensure that students have more time in other classes to learn, the social interaction and time to wind down near the end of the school day that came with Learning Lab will be missed. Whether or not cutting it out of the schedule was for the best is too early to decide, but the decision stings as the class was an appreciated, albeit short, break from other potentially stressinducing classes.

While it’s much too early to make a solid judgment on whether one schedule is objectively better than the other, comparing the two and discussing our findings can still be beneficial. We can understand why we like or dislike the new schedule more, and come up with compromises to the problems we have with it.

The schedule change will hopefully result in a better experience for more students, but if it does not, students shouldn’t be afraid to voice their complaints so that things are changed in a way that is hopefully beneficial for everyone.

YOU CAN

THE WORLD CHANGE

The world is in need of young people like you–independent thinkers who have a passion for helping others. After all, you want your life to matter and make a difference. What better way to feed that passion than a career in health care.

Cox College has been training young men and women in health care since 1907. We have degree programs in nursing, radiography, and diagnostic imaging. Our small class sizes, helpful and knowlegable faculty, state-of-the-art Clinical Skills and Simulation Center, and access to the largest medical system in Southwest Missouri will help prepare you for a successful career in health care.

Come visit us! Schedule a tour and see for yourself. Contact our Admissions recruiters at admissions@coxcollege.edu. College scholarships are available.

Moths of Missouri

LILITH CREEMER / SENIOR REPORTER

Moths are an incredibly diverse group due to the nature of their classification. In the order Lepidoptera, the group containing all butterflies and moths, moths are classified as any lepidopteran that isn’t a butterfly. The order is then split into 44 superfamilies, which in turn contain multiple families. Only a single one of these superfamilies contains every species of butterfly we have found, the remaining 43 are all moths.

Today I want to focus on a few moths in the family Sphingidae, also known as Hawk Moths, which fall under the superfamily Bombycoidea.

At first glance, Hummingbird Moths may appear to just be miniature hummingbirds. Their behaviors are a perfect match and their mimicry is spectacular, but they really are moths.

Here in Missouri, the main two hummingbird moths we see are the Hummingbird Clearwing and the Snowberry Clearwing. These two moths are closely related, both falling under the genus Hemaris, although they have different approaches to being a hummingbird look-alike.

The Hummingbird Clearwing,

scientifically known as Hemaris Thysbe, looks about like the name suggests. They can range from 1.75 inches to 2.25 inches and have mostly transparent wings that are bordered with a bright maroon. The backside of the thorax is a rich olive while the underside is a blend of white and yellow. The abdomen is the same maroon color as the wings. Their bodies have the same general shape as hummingbirds, although the big differences com down to the head and limbs.

Being moths, Hummingbird Clearwings have compound eyes, antennae, a proboscis, and 6 legs. The eyes, antennae, and proboscis are all black while the legs are closer to brown. They can be seen from April to September and can be broken down into three major broods. They are diurnal, meaning they are active at both day and night, and can be found on Blackhaw and Buckbrush. The Snowberry Clearwing, scientifically known as Hemaris Diffinis, is what really stretches the term hummingbird moth.

Substantially smaller than their cousin species, their size only ranges from 1.25 inches to 1.75 inches. Their appearance is closer to that of a bee than a hummingbird, being mostly yellow with stripes of black. The edges and veins on their wings are still somewhat maroon, although the color is significantly muted. Their limbs, proboscis, eyes, and antennae are all black.

Unlike the Hummingbird Clearwing, Snowberry Clearwing are a day-flying species. From my

experience, they seem more common in urban areas than Hummingbird Clearwings. They can be found from late March all the way to September and commonly feed on Buckbrush, Snowberry, Lavender, and Horse Gentian.

The Clearwings are also known as Hawk Moths or Sphinx Moths, due to the fact that they come from the family Sphingidae. This family also contains all of the other moths known as hummingbird moths, which are all contained in either Hemaris or Macroglossum, which are American hummingbird moths and old world hummingbird moths respectively.

If you have a garden and want to encounter these fascinating insects, consider planting one of the plants they favor. They are also both general pollinators, so growing anything that attracts other pollinators may also increase your chances of seeing one of them.

Works Cited

Heitzman, J. Richard, and Joan E. Heitzman. Butterflies and Moths of Missouri. Missouri Dept. of Conservation, 2006. Sbordoni, Valerio, and Saverio Forestiero. Butterflies of the World. Firefly Books, 1998.

1: Joseph OBrien, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

2: Distant Hill Gardens, some rights reserved

3: Pat Deacon/iNaturalist

Moth Fact

Some moths don’t have mouths! Moths in the family Saturniidae have reduced mouthparts at best, making them incapable of eating. Once they reach that stage in their life, they simply burn storage energy until they mate.

CHS CABINET

Shyam Rama

Griffin Ray Vice President

Rosellen Park Secretary

Jacob Tetlow Media

Gio Garcia Finance

Amelia Billionis Art Megan Bolen Public Relations

Marley Knust Student Relations

Claire Bodnar Dance

Ania Kovacs Assemblies

Richie Browne

Jenna Skidmore

can I do to cope?

Central in the 60s

Issue 1 EMMARIE LOGAN / COPY EDITOR

The Pit Still Stands

In 1956, Springfield High School was renamed Central High School after Parkview was built and opened. Many students have walked out of Central’s doors and one alumnus came back to tell as many stories as he remembered and see all the renovations that have been done over the years. Gene Marcum, a Central graduate in the class of 1965, and his wife Kay decided to take a look down memory lane, at a part of Springfield that has been standing for so long. It has been over 56 years, but there was such a unique dynamic to look back on, at Central in the 60s.

“The last time I was here I was probably in middle school and Central was playing Republic, that was when I was at The Pit,” Kay said.

The Pit stands to this day as a historical landmark for many within the town, but also to those from the Ozark area who loved to watch games. With an occupancy of 2100 when it opened, “packing The Pit” was never hard to do, but always shocking. Schools from all over the area came to play in The Pit and some aspects of Central’s sports will never change.

“Parkview was our nemesis, it was the other school in town,” Gene stated.

Today there are five high schools within Springfield;however, Parkview still stands to be the rival. Whether

or not there is a reasoning behind the rivalry it has been that way for so many years and will most likely continue on the path of tradition. Without the students at Central, the rivalry would not be possible and

109

that’s not the only aspect of Central that needed its students.

Most Memorable Moment

In 1965, there were many opportunities to be a part of Central that may not be present or as recognizable now.

“I think his ability as an office assistant, how well he typed, kept him from having to go to Vietnam.” His wife claimed.

Gene was an office assistant all throughout high school. He did anything the office needed him to and that experience created memories and lifelong skills.

“Not a lot of males knew how to type,” Gene said.

Gender roles have evolved immensely but during the 60s it was rare to find a man working in an office because at the time women were a more common sight in that setting. Although, during high school students were given the opportunity to be office assistants which many took advantage of. High school was full of many opportunities, all of them being memorable. Describing high school in a few words can be hard, but sharing main memories is easier.

“I was in my sophomore year and I was walking down those stairs into the office when I heard that JFK had been assassinated. At first, I just thought somebody was saying

Gene Marcum; Class of 1965

something, but it was true. That is a day I will never forget.” Gene expressed.

The assassination of JFK was a nationwide hurt, that day was silent and forever affected the United States people. Having a support system such as Central created a healthy space for grief with good people.

Little Miss Central

In every high school movie, there is “the girl”, who’s kind, pretty, popular, and everything that the perfect girl might be. Central had that girl in 1965. Her name was Linda Koch.

“Oh yeah I remember, everybody wanted to date her, Linda Koch, but I wasn’t gonna stand in that line,” Gene said.

As Prom Queen and a frequent flier in the school papers, Koch was the ultimate lady. Future readers who happen to pick up the 1965 papers or yearbook will know her name.

environment of the school since it opened back in 1867.

Parts of the building have been renovated, but many have stayed true to their original design. One original piece of Central that still exists is the hardwood flooring in what is referred to now as the old building.

“These [the wood floors] were laid one at a time. As you walk down the hallway the direction they were laid changes.” Gene stated.

It’s All In The Details

Central has been writing papers, taking photos, and diving into the

Central High School is a nostalgic piece of history that many love to look back on. Looking back on what Central looked like in the 60s brings hope that in another 56 years, Central will still be standing and running better than ever.

Gene and his wife Kay standing outside The Pit

Linda Koch; Prom Queen of 1965

The Office Assistants of 1965

NED PICKETT /

The Making of the Magazine

It all starts with an idea being tossed out. Or perhaps, more accurately, several ideas being thrown at each other.

At the beginning of every quarter, the staff of the Central High Times groups together and pitches ideas we have been saving--current events and random things we think are important to know. While this is certainly one of the most interesting parts to do in the magazine, it is also largely the root of all problems that arise down the line. We devote about two days to writing down the good ideas and dividing them up into their separate categories.

The stories are broken into five major groups when creating the magazine--news, sports, opinion, hype, and feature. The opinion section is usually the smallest category, with only around two or three editorials per issue. The largest is most often the news section, as we cover anything from current events on the international stage to small changes at Central, which is closely followed by the sports section. There is some overlap between the hype and feature section, but the feature section largely covers people, groups, and events at Central, whereas hype is our entertainment

and review segment, and those hype stories are eventually categorized as opinion or feature. Once we have the ideas recorded and placed into their respective sections, we divide them up among the staff based on the individual reporters’ strengths and interests.

Assuming we do not face problems after that, we break for around two or three weeks to write the stories. This is the most critical aspect of the creation of the magazine, and where most of the magic happens. The interviews, the writing, the photography--it all comes from this stage.

It can also be the most difficult part. Everyone goes around, tracking down the people they need to find, trying to set up a meeting just to get that one morsel of information or a quote that would really make a story pop. The last week usually becomes rather frantic, as even the best among us are sometimes writing until the last minute, or only just getting that critical interview a couple days before the copy deadline. Something usually goes wrong for someone or another around this point, and if it does, we try to help each other out of a bad situation or a story gone bad.

In the unlikely event that nothing

goes wrong in the previous phase, or after we have finished troubleshooting everything that did go wrong, we move on to the editing stage. A team consisting of four editors and our advisor looks over everything that has been submitted and makes suggestions to the reporters about all the minor and major mistakes that have been made. The reporters then consider these suggestions and revise their stories to create the final draft, which we then start uploading into the online version of the official magazine.

We take the completed copy, the photos we have taken, an outline of the backgrounds done by our resident design editor, and put it together using Adobe Indesign.

In the, once again, unlikely event nothing goes wrong at this stage of creation, it goes to the editors again for one last check over to make sure everything looks alright. Provided it does, we send it to our printers and wait a few more weeks for it to arrive.

When it gets here, we go to all the classrooms and distribute the magazines to the teachers who ordered them. Finally, it ends up in the hands of readers like you.

New Journalism StaffNew Journalism Staff

LILITH CREEMER / SENIOR REPORTER

Kevin Myers Assist. Photo Editor

“I wanted to join so I could make new friends.”

Maddy Houck Yearbook Reporter

Miles Como CHT Reporter

“I decided to join to be a major part of the school through the magazine.”

Evan Cornelius-White Yearbook Reporter

“I wanted to join J2 mainly because I wanted to help contribute to the yearbook.”

Chloe Cunniff Ads & Sales

“I would like to have a bee the size of a cat because it would be super cute.”

Nina Malega CHT Reporter

Travis Davison CHT Reporter

“Photography is super cool, although I feel like I connect with writing more.”

Meghan Grone Yearbook Reporter

Allison Loughary CHT Reporter

“I’m not sure that I have a hidden talent, but I play guitar, if that can count!”

“I love the feeling of writ ing something that matters to me.”

“I believe my talent is catching little mistakes and details that others don’t.”

“I joined J2 because writing is a way for me to escape and express myself.”

New Staff

Jasmine Barker School Police

Alysia Bledsoe Nurse Kerry Bodenhousen Special Education

Nathan Cardoza Physical Education / Soccer Hayden Champion Social Studies

David Cogorno Art Michael Dalagin Special Education

Christopher Kensinger Assistant Principal

Melissa Kilburn Math

Laura McCammon Family & Consumer Science

Emily Morris Librarian

Emmilyn Murphy Math Mikayla Nebel Social Studies

Kayla Nel Assistant Principal Secretary

Mark Nelson Science

Kendra Peak Counselor

Kristina Proctor PE / Health

Sarah Reed Communication Arts

Jackie Rister Science

Brittany Roberts-McElwain Art

Teacher Shortage

Who is the group of adults who arguably have the most influence on students’ lives? Teachers. So what does it mean when there is a teacher shortage? It means that there aren’t enough properly qualified teachers to fill all of the needed positions. Some teachers who don’t already have an overload are teaching another class during their prep time. Additionally, paraprofessionals have taken substitute-like roles, when there are not enough substitute teachers available. Teachers are leaving their positions because of the stress and demands of the jobs, in addition to low wages. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the estimated average annual salary for a public school teacher in the United States is $65,090 in 2020 to 2021. In Missouri, the

estimate for the same criteria is $51,557. As of 2021, the living salary in the US was $67,690 and for Missouri was $60,858. With the pressure of teaching, it makes sense that so many teachers are retiring or finding higher paid positions, which are most often found outside of academics.

For students, a decreased number of teachers has many effects. Priorities have to be made and this is often at the expense of students. One such result is that class sizes are larger, which can make it harder for a teacher to manage the classroom and captivate students. While larger classes can be beneficial for group discussions, it can be difficult for students to concentrate when so many people are together. There is also less of a chance for oneon-one interactions between students and the teacher.

Another problem is that some classes have been entirely cut because there was no teacher available.

In 2021, the NCES shows that there were an estimated 345,000 new teachers in both private and public education. With more than two hundred teachers leaving Springfield Public Schools last school year, a lot of replacements were necessary. According to a district statement, “To start the 2022-2023 school year, Springfield Public Schools hired roughly 350 teachers. Currently, all classroom teaching positions are filled or covered.” At Central, there are 20 new teachers across most content areas.

NotPictured:

Keith Fry - Custodial

Chrystopher Jackson - Special Education Para

Megan Rogers Paraprofessional

Victoria Rogers Communication Arts

Lynn Shick Scholars

Nina Smith Communication Arts

Luke Vaughn Social Studies

Jessica West Special Education

Jordan Ziek Special Education Para

Rise of The Dogs

MORGAN MARTENS / REPORTER

Last year, our football team was focused on breaking the 0-53 losing streak. This season, our team has different expectations. Now that they’ve broken it, their goal is to have a great season full of fun and many more wins. More importantly, they want to show that they are a talented team that can compete with the top dogs. Going into this season, they are no longer the underdogs and they can no longer be overlooked.

During interviews conducted with football players, there were a lot of thoughts about goals for the year. Most of the football players’ responses were centered around making it to the playoffs and winning a little bit this season. For these seniors it’s important to show off this season, as most of them are thinking about college and trying to get as much attention as possible for offers.

“This season I feel is more about showing that we are competitors, and when we face other teams, they should have something to fear when they see us on their schedule,” Hayden Smith, 12, said when being asked how this season is different from the last season.

This season is going to be very different from last season as the team has more to prove. This season is about competing and showing the fight in the dog. The football team is trying to prove they are here to stay. The competing team does not matter to them-- all that matters is getting points on the board.

“My goal for this season is to get my name out there more and also to be the most feared person to go against, but mostly to have 7+ offers by the time I graduate,” Tevon Bush, 12, said about his goals for the season.

The team’s goal this season is

Tae’Sean McShane, 12 setting up for a big play. Photo by Darby Plute

Tae’Sean McShane, Tevon Bush, DreLando Wells, 12 prepare to run out of the tunnel. Photo by Kevin Myers

Defense making a play on a big drive. Photo by Kevin Myers

Offense getting in position for the next play. Photo by Kevin Myers

Soccer Dogs

MORGAN MARTENS / REPORTER

This soccer season is big for this team as they welcome a new head coach, Coach Nathan Cardoza. With this new coaching staff, things have stayed the same and changed from last year. Coach Cardoza is taking this team in a different direction.

This season they hope to make it further in the conference and even Districts. The team really wants to have a winning record and improve as a team together, building relationships to feel like a family.

Playing soccer takes a lot of time and experience. It is a rewarding thing to do.

Being a student athlete and playing a demanding sport like

soccer is hard. Being able to talk to some soccer players made a realization that this type of sport is not for the weak.

Making this team and creating a welcoming environment is important when dealing with soccer and new staff.

“The new coaching style is great because we finally play with an identity as a team and have a real style of play and it really helps with chemistry and team bonding,” Max Robertson, 10, said.

Having new coaches can either make or break a team. As players have mentioned, this new coaching helps build their style and character.

The biggest thing it will help is the chemistry and play of all the players. This will build this teams confidence and team work.

“I expect us to make it a positive record even better than last year. I can see us making it far in the districts games maybe even win some of districts,” Boston Hawkins, 12, said as he explained what he expects from the season.

With high expectations in Districts from this team they look to take the new coaching style and win big. They really want to have a positive atmosphere and accolades because they work hard and play even harder.

Max Robertson being a ball hawk looking for a big play. Photo by Annie German

Group photo of the Senior soccer dogs on Senior Night. Photo by Isabel Gamble

Ryan Doel going for the ball mid-field. Photo by Annie German

A New Starting Roster

Volleyball season is kicking off, and Central’s volleyball girls are working to start strong. Despite their rough beginning, with four consecutive losses in the Branson Invitational, the varsity girls are coming back. Earning two 3-0 wins against Monett and Joplin, they brought their season record up to 2-5. Volleyball sees more younger girls this year as well.

The volleyball team roster shows three seniors, five juniors, nine sophomores, and a total of 12 freshmen. This means that varsity, and starting players, almost entirely consist of underclassmen.

“I honestly really miss playing with the other girls I grew up playing

with,” Anya Presley, 12, said, “Girls drop out for all sorts of reasons, though, and I don’t blame them.”

Presley is one of only three seniors on the team, the other two being Makydria Harper and Seriyah McCaw. She has been playing volleyball since 7th grade, and found her home in the middle position on the front row.

“I feel like it’s made me grow closer with the other two seniors on the court with me,” Presley said.

“We’re in it together, and have been for years. That gives us a special bond that I wouldn’t trade away.”

With so few seniors and plenty of

new girls, the future of the team is bright. Two juniors were even put on the AVCA Phenom List for 2022. These girls are Collette Buschhorn, setter, and Miliana Sylvester, middle blocker. They have a chance of joining the Phenom College Preparatory Program. This program is designed to prepare student-athletes and their parents about playing volleyball at the collegiate level.

In order for an athlete to be on the AVCA Phenom list, they must be an underclassman who was recognized for her outstanding volleyball capabilities. However, being on the Phenom List does not guarantee them a spot in the program.

The volleyball team’s winning percentage has been statistically low these past few years- similarly to 2021, where it was 64.5%. At the time of writing, September 9th, the girls’ record for 2022 is two wins and six losses.

There is more to the sport than winning, though.

“I love playing with my girls and

having common goals,” Presley remarked. She looks forward to having fun in general, and winning some games is a good bonus.

The volleyball team still has a whole season ahead of them, and one to three years of playing in high school.

All the young girls will get a chance to play in these upcoming

years, and a shot on the team.

“I hope the younger girls are encouraged to come back and play again and again. I’m thankful I stayed in even when it got tough,” Presley tells.

Regardless of the record at the end of this season, the volleyball team’s determination will continue to grow.

The girls reconvene after a play. Photo by Evan Cornelius-White

Coco Buschhorn sets the ball. Photo by Ainsley Daccache

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun...

EMMARIE

In Golf

Fall sports season is kicking off all types of sports this year, including girls golf. Golf is unique because it’s different from your typical FNL. Many people aren’t aware of how positive and beneficial the sport is.

“What makes golf unique is that it is an individual and a team sport. We have the support system of having the team and being able to individually succeed and continue to grow in the sport. An important skill I developed from golf was how to be a leader. As a senior, it is important to be a good example for the other

girls on the team and be a mentor for them. The coach also relies on me since I am a senior and have been playing for three years. ” Darby Plute, 12, said.

Golf may not be one of the most popular sports; however, the Central Girls Golf team is nothing short of hardworking, talented, and powerful individuals. They have a strong team dynamic that builds character, leadership, and a close-knit family.

“The best part about Central golf is the people,” Emmy Smith, 11, said. “The coach is fantastic and

really cares about us. [He helps us] get better and my teammates are always there for me, keeping me smiling even on my bad days.”

There is nothing better than being great friends with all your teammates and the girl’s golf team is lucky enough to have that. They are improving every day and building the best possible future for the younger generations of golfers who will walk into Central’s doors one day.

And Tennis

When watching tennis, you may not think it requires attention to detail and a growth mindset; however, behind the scenes, the Central Girls Tennis team is winning their games by first winning over their minds.

“I feel like in other sports you can just hop in and learn everything, but in tennis, it takes a while to get everything down and to actually start gaining skill in the sport,” Quincy Alberhasky, 11, explained. “A lot of girls come in and for them, it’s disheartening to see everybody else play so well. It seems like such a huge skill difference but really it’s

just a few months of practice and getting used to how the ball moves and how to actively play.”

There is no easy path to something you want to be good at. Every journey takes a lot of work. Tennis requires athletes who are willing to be patient, fail, and try again. Without growth through failure, there wouldn’t be any true feeling of victory for oneself.

“If I choose to accept that I’m going to play badly sometimes then it’s easier for me to get over that loss and some of the best times I’ve played are when I’ve chosen to get over my losses and look forward,”

Alberhasky said.

Every athlete has unique strengths and weaknesses, but all athletes are human. The Central Girls Tennis team embraces the vulnerability of failure and chooses to harness it. Learning how to use your failure for good is a skill many are never able to learn, but the girls tennis team has made that skill the foundation for their season.

Hampton Richards on the driving range.

Marley Knust jumps for joy!

Elana Hadi readies her swing.

Hampton Richards follows through on her swing.

New Coach Makes A Splash

NED PICKETT / ASSISTANT EDITOR

Central High School’s boys swim team is among the many Fall Sports the school has to offer. This year, the team has high hopes due to a new head coach, Joe Price, who was recently promoted from assistant coach, and has made a great impact on the athletes and their performances.

“When I first got here, it was really rough, but we’ve really built the team, especially from last year,” according to freestyle swimmer Jason Allen, 10. “[Coach Price] gives us everything we need to succeed, he tries his best, you know--he’s a really good hardworking coach and he knows what he’s talking about.”

Just a short bit of observation of the team reveals that not only is Coach Price an effective and diligent

leader, he is also popular among the athletes. The team seems to have developed a very positive relationship with their new mentor.

“...I still like to be as accessible as possible, you know, just to make it comfortable and relaxing, and I want these guys to have fun, it’s a fun sport, it’s high school swimming. Most of my club swimmers come here and they come from a very serious environment--high school swimming is much more about the team and supporting each other, so I like to kind of demonstrate that as much as I can,” Price said.

The swimmers have just as great a sense of camaraderie with each other as they have with their coach. The group gets together before their first meet and has a so-called pasta party,

where they carbo-load, hang out, and get to know each other better. “Swimming specifically is kind of individual, and it’s not like any other team sport, so even in the relays it’s hard to communicate and get to know your fellow teammates, but personally I believe that’s really important,” said team captain Jacob Tetlow, 12.

Coach Price believes that this school year’s team has a better chance of doing well than in previous years that he has seen. “Central has a history of having really good individual swimmers,” said Price. “This year I think we have the ability to be good as a team while still having good individual swimmers.”

PR’s, Pace, and Stride Oh My!

Many high school sports are experiencing a high demand for prior experience to be functional members of the team. Skill levels in certain sports such as club volleyball and basketball are starting to represent the “normal” skill level needed to be on any team. Although, there are some sports still running on “no skill level needed”.

“Cross country is different from other sports because anyone can do it. You don’t have to have a certain skill set. As long as you’re willing to put in some work, anyone can run.” Will Goode, 12, said.

Every sport requires different sets of skills. Oftentimes, running is just seen as conditioning or punishment; however, in cross country, it’s quite the opposite. Athletes who find themselves passionate about cross country run to have fun and challenge themselves to do what most athletes dread on a daily basis. There is

of skills that separates them from any other sport or activity they may participate in and for many cross country has turned from a hobby into a passion.

“I’ve been running since 6th grade as a part of Mr. Draper’s cross country club, which was once a week, and from 7th grade onward I was part of the actual cross country teams of Pipkin and Central.” Spirit Sell, 12, explained.

One privilege of attending a public

of pure hard work. Running is not easy on the body and the crazy weather we experience here in the Ozarks doesn’t provide any help. These Central athletes require determination, passion, and discipline for themselves. Luckily, these skills seem to only be growing on the Central Cross Country Team.

no sport similar to cross country. Some may argue track, but it takes an immense amount of stamina to compete in cross country, while track might only need speed. Every athlete involved needs a unique set

school is easy access to a number of different sports. Kids can try new things when they’re young and by the time they enter high school, they know what sports they want to continue. Cross country is more common to be a small community of the same people, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that the Central team is a strong group.

“Under the guidance of our new Coaches, I expect our runners to all be pushing themselves as hard as they can. Workouts have been more intense, and mileage has been higher, so I expect to see that pay off later in the season,” said Goode.

Cross country takes vast amounts

“My favorite memory would have to be the first time I ran the “Airport Loop” and started walking,” said Sell. “A senior that year named Derek Melton slowed down to let me catch up and ran beside me for the last mile or so and encouraged me to sprint the last 100 meters. It has inspired me to push through and give it my all.”

No one is perfect and athletes know, better than most, that failure is inevitable. No matter how good you are, there will always be something harder or someone better than you. It’s important not only to lean into your team’s support system but to also be a support system to those who may not be as comfortable. Even though cross country is an individual sport, Central’s team continues to get better, together.

CHS SOFTBALL

NINA MALEGA / REPORTER

With the new school year comes a new softball season at Central High School. As the season picks up, a fresh team has been formed. With several returning members and many new ones, this year’s softball team is a promising one.

“We had a decent amount of new girls come out who are willing to learn the game and want to get better. People are willing to try new positions they aren’t used to and do what’s best for the team. Overall, the team this year is growing and striving to get better,” Holley Harrell, 12, said.

This season, the softball team gained a plethora of new girls ready to show Central all that they have.

In past years, the team has been lacking girls to fill the various positions, but the new girls are ready and willing to step up to the plate.

Though the team has had a tough start and has taken losses in all four games they have played, they are continuing to work hard and utilize their assets as a team.

With two freshmen, two sophomores, six juniors, and three seniors, the team is well-rounded.

Although it is not far into the season, they have immense potential and room to grow as a team and as individual athletes.

“This year’s and last year’s team is similar and different in many ways. This year’s team compared to last year’s team is more connected,” Harrell explained.

With a new team comes new bonds that need to be formed for a team to be successful and work as a unit.

Though it is still early in the season, the team is already growing stronger physically and emotionally. They have been taking strides to improve upon themselves and grow as a whole.

Even though the team lacks high numbers, they make sure to put in the effort to improve throughout the season.

“We spent more time on the field in summer workouts. Trying to establish commitment and a work ethic out of players. The girls need to understand that softball needs to be a priority and it requires hard work in order to improve,” Ricky Hammers, the coach, said.

the players have been on the field practicing. Whether the workouts were optional or mandatory, the girls made sure to show up and put in 100% effort.

“Goals are discipline, be a good team member, commitment, and work harder on individual goals,” Hammers said.

Since the beginning of the season, Coach Hammers has had solidified goals he wants each of his players to meet. One of the main goals is showing discipline.

During preseason, Hammers, as well as new players, improve on their various positions and teach new positions to the returning players.

“My goals for this season are to grow as a team and to have fun playing softball because that is always important when playing a sport,” Autumn Wuench, 11 said.

According to Wuench, a good way to improve in a sport is by simply enjoying it, but with the work the softball players put in and the drive they show, there is no doubt that this season will be one of the most meaningful yet.

Madison Taylor batting. Photo by Nina Malega

Bree Petitt, 15, catching. Photo by Elaine Klepper

Holley Harrell batting.

Photo by Elaine Klepper

CLUB FEATURE: MATH TEAM

NATHANIEL HUNTER / REPORTER

The Central Math Team is accepting new members, with the process being as simple as walking up to the team sponsor, Ellen Hunter, and asking for a position. However, the simple joining process should not fool you.

The Math Team is not an easy group to be a part of. It takes knowledge, commitment, confidence, skill, and the ability to learn from your mistakes.

All of these factors come together to create a team that for many seems daunting to be a part of, but the reward for being willing to step outside of your comfort zone to participate can be well worth the effort.

The Central Math Team is accept ing new members, with the process being as simple as walking up to the team sponsor, Ellen Hunter, and asking for a position. However, the simple joining process should not fool you. The Math Team isn’t an easy group to be a part of. It takes knowledge, commitment, confi dence, skill, and the ability to learn from your mistakes. All of these factors come together to create a team that for many seems daunting to be a part of, but the reward for being willing to step outside of your comfort zone to participate can be well worth the effort. The feeling of facing a question that may seem in credibly difficult, but having a team that you can work with and com municate with effectively to solve a problem can be very satisfying if you’re willing to put in the work ..

The feeling of facing a question that may seem incredibly difficult, but having a team that you can work with and communicate with effectively to solve a problem can be very satisfying if you’re willing to put in the work.

There’s a very steep learning curve and if you can’t keep up, then things will be very difficult for you.”

One of the hardest parts of Math Team is how intense things can be at any given time. While the idea of solving math equations isn’t very blood-pumping for most peo ple, when you’re in the middle of a competition against people from other schools across your region, state, or country, and the burden of helping your team out-compete them all is shared by you yourself, it can have an effect on your mental state. Cracking under the pressure is a real possibility, and even if you do manage to stay calm, you also need to pace yourself. Having a goal to answer a certain amount of ques tions in a certain amount of time can be very difficult if you aren’t able to handle it, if you even get to that point.

that and let me know as early as possible so we’ll be as well off as possible.”

One of the hardest parts of Math Team is how intense things can be at any given time. While the idea of solving math equations isn’t very blood-pumping for most people, when you’re in the middle of a competition against people from other schools across your region, state, or country, and the burden of helping your team out-compete them all is shared by you yourself, it can have an effect on your mental state.

Cracking under the pressure is a real possibility, and even if you do manage to stay calm, you also need to pace yourself. Having a goal to answer a certain amount of questions in a certain amount of time can be very difficult if you aren’t able to handle it, if you even get to that point.

However, while the Math Team may currently seem difficult, stressful, and too commitmentheavy, it is not as bleak as it may seem.

While it can certainly be all those things, the team can also be a fun learning experience that teaches you how to think more logically and helps you develop better communication skills.

“There are a lot of things that go into being on the Math Team, honestly,” says Hunter. “You have to be familiar with the ma terial, which can require a lot of studying on your own time outside of class. You have to be able to communicate with other people effectively and quickly, especial ly since there are some sections in the actual competition where you’re p in a very short time frame. That also adds to the fact that you need to be able to work well under pressure and you need to be able to work quickly under pressure. There’s a very steep learning curve and if you can’t keep up, then things will be very difficult for you.”

“There are a lot of things that go into being on the Math Team, honestly,” says Hunter. “You have to be familiar with the material, which can require a lot of studying on your own time outside of class. You have to be able to communicate with other people effectively and quickly, especially since there are some sections in the actual competition where you’re working in a very short time frame. That also adds to the fact that you need to be able to work well under pressure and you need to be able to work quickly under pressure.

“I’ve had kids who, a week or a few days before a competition, just drop out. Which they’re allowed to do, but it’s so frustrating, because when they don’t let me know ahead of time, suddenly I have an issue on my hands that I need to resolve right when things are about to get the most difficult,” says Hunter.

“I had one kid who, right when we were about to drive out to a competition, just let me know that they couldn’t do it, and I was pretty frustrated with that. This team is a commitment, and I know not everyone is able to commit to it, but if you aren’t, you need to recognize

“I’ve had kids who, a week or a few days before a competition, just drop out. Which they’re al lowed to do, but it’s so frustrating, because when they don’t let me know ahead of time, suddenly I have an issue on my hands that I need to resolve right when things are about to get the most difficult,” says Hunter. “I had one kid who, right when we were about to drive out to a competition, just let me know that they couldn’t do it, and I was pretty frustrated with that. This team is a commitment, and I know not every one is able to commit to it, but if you aren’t, you need to recognize that and let me know as early as possible so we’ll be as well off as possible.”

However, while the Math

“The goal is to make the team work together better so we can be as successful as we can,” says Hunter. “We learn how to cooperate so we can be the best team possible and do as well at competitions as we can. The competition is steep so it’s important to make sure that everyone is prepared and knows how to work with each other so we can do our best, for ourselves and for Central.”

Preparing for competitions may seem tough, but you aren’t alone. There are other members of the team who you can work with to learn how to complete problems better and faster.

Learning to work with others successfully is a very useful skill that you can learn from being on the Math Team, and that you can apply to other situations in your life.

The Math Team will require you to prepare some on your own, but there are people to help you traverse every other step on the way.

The Invitation (2022) Movie Review

What do you get when you mix a love story full of lavish, riches, and lust with a brutal vampire story full of blood, horror, and despair? You get The Invitation.

The movie follows Evie (Nathalie Emmanuel), who works as a hotel waitress, as she discovers that she has filthy rich blood relatives. They are all living in a large mansion in England, and want her to come down and stay to meet the family for a grand wedding.

Evie initially comes in with awe and wonder over this large family and becomes rather fixated on Walter (Thomas Doherty), the lord of the manor who charms her with his handsome looks and his accent. However, she slowly starts to realize that there is an underlying evil conspiracy going on within this family and that they’re thirsty for fresh blood.

This film had me rather conflicted, because everybody in this cast, especially Nathalie Emmanuel and Thomas Doherty, did an amazing job with their performances. They had great chemistry together in the romantic sequences and drew you in with their strong charm.

The problem was that the screenplay was written in such a dry and lifeless manner to where the characters never truly had depth to

them. I did not feel like I truly cared for the story as a result.

Evie’s backstory was summed up in basic bullet points; her mom having died a year ago, she wants to become a ceramic artist.

Additionally, Walter was a typical charming rich guy with a mansion, wanting to lure Evie in with his riches and lavish lifestyle. There was never enough humanity given to the characters to retain my interest in them or the dark twist of events.

The horror consists of predictable and cheap CGI jump scares. That, or as much blood and gore appropriate for a PG-13 film in an attempt to up the shock value.

I didn’t quite hate this film entirely. It was very well casted, with brilliant acting, and it had a very cool horror atmosphere and color palette. However, there is nothing interesting or alluring about the story to keep you invested.

This is a one hour and 44 minute film that feels like a drawn out two and a half hours that leads to nothing of note.

Overall, I give this film 3 out of 5 stars.

Nathalie Emmanuel as Evie holding a bro ken candle. Image courtesy of Sony.

Nathalie Emmanuel As Evie making an evil transformation. Image courtesy of Sony.

HALLOWEEN THRIFTING START

NATALIE REECE / DIRECTOR OF ART & DESIGN

Halloween is a holiday cherished by many. From candy to costumes, there’s something for everyone. One of the best ways to celebrate the holiday is by dressing up in your best costume. Unfortunately, fast fashion costumes contribute to Clothing waste, which is one of the biggest polluters on the planet. A great way to combat this problem is by thrifting! Thanks to secondhand stores, even your Halloween costume can help to save the planet.

An important part of reducing waste is finding pieces you can reuse. This guide offers a way to make a cute and unique classic costume that contains pieces you can continue to wear outside of the Halloween season!

GHOST

The ghost is one of the most classic costumes out there. Every October this costume resurges thanks to TikTok’s ‘ghost trend’, which has aesthetic photos taken while dressed as the spooky spectator. Nothing is quite as iconic as the bed sheet with the cutout eyes but permanently damaging a bed sheet or curtain to make this costume can contribute to clothing waste. An alternative way to do this costume is by moving the face down to your chest! Try finding a white shirt and white or black pants. From there you can make ‘ghost eyes’ out of black foam or paper to put on your shirt. To really sell the look, add a white beanie or really any kind of white hat!

SCARECROW

The Scarecrow is one of the easiest DIY costumes! It’s also highly recognized as a Halloween classic. To make this costume, simply find a long sleeve flannel shirt of any color and pair it with blue jeans or overalls. From there you can add boots - cowboy boots or brown combat boots look great!

WITCH/WIZARD

The witch or wizard costume is an excellent choice for Halloween. This one offers a bit of edge over the others and provides a lot more freedom. Almost any attire will work for this costume, so long as you have the hat to bode. Seeing how popular this costume is for all ages, it is very easy to find a witch or wizard hat in thrift stores. Alternatively, you could also use a wide-brim fedora hat- aka the ‘autumn white girl hat’. Any assortment of black clothing paired with one of these hats will immediately read as magic-inspired. This costume is great because it’s one of the most reusable!

No matter what kind of costume you choose this Halloween, we should all focus on helping our planet by reusing the clothes already have!

Finding The Flavors of Fall