paw print issue 12 by GHS Paw Print

THE PAW PRINT Issue#12 | Vol.35 | MAY 15, 2023

senior

ISSUE

A LETTER FROM THE (NEW) EDITOR

SENIOR COLUMNS BEGIN ON PAGE 7

4-5

JROTC COMPETE AT WORLDS

TABLE OF CONTENTS OpEd 03

A Letter from the (New) Editor

MONTH IN PHOTOS

Features 04-05 JROTC 06 2023 Senior Stats

Senior Columns 07

Jackson Hall & Riley Sumption

Amy Lin & Sophia Logsdon

Hope Hoffman & Davis Stanley

Eric Wolford & Marko Kulina

Izzy Scott & Payton Macesich

Jules Beyes & Kaylie Duskey

Chase Boreland & Lauren Leemaster

Daniella Potts & Kody Hunter

Ryan Mueller & Lillian Baer

TOP: Varsity Softball Team wins the Federal League. PHOTO PROVIDED BY: Michelle Herdlick

LEFT: Seniors serving seniors. PHOTO PROVIDED BY: Julie McMahan

COMING UP SOON

Caboose 16

Class of 2023 Playlist

May 15

Seniors Last Day

May 16

Senior Payback Day

May 23

Graduation

STORIES>>

MEDIA>>

Read reviews of the latest hit TV shows and check out our weekly sports broadcast by visiting ghspawprint.org or scanning the QR code.

RIGHT: GHS Military signing day. PHOTO PROVIDED BY: Julie McMahan

3 | editorial

THE PAW PRINT

A LETTER FROM

1474 Boettler Rd. Uniontown OH, 44685 (330) 896-7500

the (new) editor The Paw Print Staff is looking forward to closing off the 2022-2023 school year with our final senior issue. This year set the ground running for the future of The Paw Print with a total of twelve new issues, the creation of our new website, our increased social media presence, and our first place win at the OSMA Competition. This year was full of new beginnings for The Paw Print, but unfortunately it comes to an end for our beloved seniors. With half our staff consisting of seniors, all of them contributed in many different ways in order to make each issue a success. Whether it was writing, editing, or designing, the seniors managed to put forth their best effort. A big thanks goes out to our Chief Copy Editor, Amy Lin. Words cannot describe everything she’s done these past two years on The Paw Print Staff. She is dedicated to every article she writes, and also works very hard to ensure that our writing meets the standards. It’s not always easy, but she gets the job done perfectly. We don’t know how she does it, but we’re forever grateful. Thank you Amy. Another thank you goes to our social media coordinator, Sophia Logsdon. Sophia joined the staff this year, but fit in perfectly. We’re so very grateful she was able to take on the task of our social media because we all knew Jackson had some crazy ideas we never thought were possible. Thanks to Sophia, a new beginning for The Paw Print emerged because of her dedication to providing our followers with weekly content. We thank you Sophia. Thank you to our Managing Editor, Riley Sumption. With these past two years on The Paw Print Staff, we are extremely grateful for everything you’ve done. Although most of the time we were unsure of what you were doing, you managed to pull through in the end with your best work. We love your presence and advice in the classroom, and, of course, your dedication to the paper. Thank you Riley for an incredible two years. To our senior section editors, we thank you. Your work to ensure every article has what it needs and is acceptable for publication is one of the most important jobs. We appreciate your effort and time spent because we know we would not be the same without you. Thank you. Finally, thank you to our Editor-in-Chief, Jackson Hall. We are beyond grateful and impressed with the amount of time and work you put into The Paw Print. All of your crazy ideas you made happen, and the paper is ultimately better for it. Thank you for pulling all-nighters and writing last minute articles to ensure our readers were given the best content. The paper is losing a great writer, designer, and editor, but most importantly a great leader. Thank you Jackson for these last two years of never ending passion. You deserve everything you’ve accomplished. We thank you Jackson. Of course, a massive thank you goes to our adviser, Mrs. Natalie Tannehill. The Paw Print is truly something because of her dedication. Thank you for trusting us through every issue. Your encouragement allowed us to go beyond what we thought was possible. Everything done this year was because of you. Thank you for your endless support and guidance. Thank you to all of our readers for coming back for more. Everything we do is for you and your continued support. We wish our seniors the best of luck as they graduate high school and continue onto better things. You all will be missed, but we support you in all your future endeavors. Thank you for a one of a kind year.

@thepawprintghs

Published By EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: JACKSON HALL

COPY EDITOR: AMY LIN

DESIGN EDITOR: MCKENZIE COLLINSWORTH

PHOTOGRAPHY: LAUREN STEPHAN ALYSSA DAVIS

MANAGING EDITOR: ADVISOR: RILEY SUMPTION NATALIE TANNEHILL MEDIA MANAGER: SOPHIA LOGSDON

EDITORIAL POLICY

The newspaper staff will make every reasonable effort to verify quotations in final approved copy with the individual(s) quoted, in interest of accuracy. Copy in the newspaper will bear bylines when, in the opinion of the adviser with the editor’s approval, the writer has earned recognition and running the byline is acceptable journalistically. If a newspaper editorial does not bear a byline, it reflects the opinion of the entire staff. A bylined editorial reflects only the opinion of the writer. Viewpoints expressed in newspaper editorials are not necessarily shared by any members of the faculty (including the adviser), the administration, or the board of education. All letters to the editor of the newspaper must be signed for verification purposes, but the staff may withhold names upon request. Because of space limitations letters of 300 words or less will receive preference, and longer letters may be subject to condensation with the cooperation of the writer. The final decision of whether to print a letter rests solely with the staff.

SECTION EDITORS: CATHERINE SMITH SOPHIA SALEY NINA SUMMERS IZZY SCOTT JULES BEYES MALLORY GEARHART DAVIS STANLEY HOPE HOFFMAN VICTORIA SCHLUE PAYTON MACESICH

STAFF:

OLIVIA PENNINGTON AIDEN MORGAN KAYLIE DUSKEY RHIANA BRUCE AMBER BETS KODY HUNTER CHASE BORLAND LAUREN LEEMASTER RYAN MUELLER SELENA SABBAGH ZACHARY JACOBS LILLIAN BAER SKYLAR JOHNSON DANIELLA POTTS LINDSEY REY TAYLOR MCCARTY ISABELLA PANDER NATE CARR NINA MCANNALLY JENNA VENEY ERIC WOLFORD VIENNA HORVATH MARKO KULINA

4 | features

Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps by Nina Summers & Mckenzie Collinsworth The Air Force JROTC program at Green offers citizenship, leadership, and life skill lessons to promote good character, responsibility, and self discipline. When joining the JROTC, there is no military obligation and little physical fitness. Anyone in grades 9-12 can join the program as long as they are willing to commit to the program's responsibilities. Along with that, students from other schools are allowed to participate in Green's JROTC program. The program offers advantages that can waive the physical education requirement, rank-up students that plan to enlist after high school, scholarship advantages to those who complete the program, and a military seal on diplomas. For someone who does not plan to join the military after high school, the program still offers health, wellness, fitness, discipline, self-control, attention to detail, and organizational skills. The program offers something for everyone and is a welcoming environment to those who do not plan on enlisting in the military. “It's a class like any other, you go in there, you learn, you leave,” said Van Nuosce ‘24. JROTC does not just offer education in the classroom, students are encouraged to become active in the programs after-school Drill Team, Color Guard, Kitty Hawk Society, Raiders Fitness Team, CyberPatriot Team, JLAB (JROTC academic challenge team,) Recruiting Team, Summer Leadership Camps, Military Balls, and much more. The activities during and after school bring the students together and create unforgettable bonds. “I joined and it was probably the best decision i've ever made

because we get to represent a lot more than just ourselves in doing this,” said Keelan Bahry ‘25, “The amount of time that we spend together has probably been one of my favorite parts because when I came into this program I didn't know anybody which is kind of crazy because I never would have thought these people would become as important to me as they have been. I've gotten a new family out of this.” Community service is a large part of the JROTC program at GHS. The program helps the community with food drives, cleaning the Veterans Memorial Courtyard, and other events that teach civic responsibility. In the past, the program has competed in many other competitions. The raiders team competed in KCC and Mcdowell in Pennsylvania, along with Perry. The Drill Competitions took place in locations such as Ellet, Mcdowell, Richland, and West Virginia. “At the beginning of the year, we had raiders competitions (fitness portion) and local drill competitions. All of the local ones are typically armed and unarmed teams and the color guard competing. Then we went to nationals, which is where we placed first that got us qualified for worlds,” said Bahry. The JROTC program at Green High School offers a variety of advantages and opportunities for anyone. Since the program is not based on a military requirement anyone can join to learn useful skills and grow themselves as a person. The JROTC is a close knit family that creates endless memories through helping the community and each other.

The Color Guard prepares to leave for Nationals at Daytona Beach, Florida. They are riding in a private plane provided by Castle Aviation at their send-off party. PHOTO BY: Michelle Herdlick

The Color Guard at the National High School Drill Team Championships. PHOTO PROVIDED BY: HQ AF Junior ROTC

FAQ

frequently asked questions to JROTC members and answers

What do you do? Rocketry, drill, fitness, etc. “Package of all traits.”

What is it? A leadership program. "There's no downsides."

Do I have to join the Military? No Military obligation. "A lot of freedom with your choices."

Are you band kids? Not all of them. "We’re band kids with guns."

THE COLOR GUARD The Color Guard is a JROTC program responsible for presenting flags in a variety of settings. The members practice drill routines and ceremonies, wearing a proper uniform to honor the nation's flag. There are four cadets present in the color guard, two holding rifles, one holding the American flag, and the other holding their state flag. The Color Guard can perform their routines in settings such as sports games, ceremonies, and competitions. Higher level Color Guards will perform in front of the president or even the queen. In competitions, the team is scored based on verbal, uniform, mark time, and marches. The team can also face penalties such as boundary violations, incorrect commands, and uniform deductions that will lose them points. Color Guard is a very specific routine of synchronized marches and commands with difficult flag work. The team memorizes around 400 different movements that all need to be completed at the same time. The commander yells out the calls and the rest of the team follows. Each member cannot see the others, so it's very important to practice and stay in line with the others.

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Green High School's color guard entered the National High School Drill Team Championship in Daytona, Florida after placing first in the state tournament. The Color Guard -Keely Bahry ‘25, Wyatt Moser ‘24, Van Nuosce ‘24, and Xander Herstich ‘24- was celebrated by family and community members at Castle Aviation before their takeoff. To show their support, Castle Aviation gave the guard members a private jet ride to and from the competition, while also hosting a sendoff party for family and supporters to attend. At Castle Aviation, the parents of Van Nuosce commented that, “From the start of his ROTC career to here, his experience has been life changing. We could not be happier or prouder as parents.” Community and City of Green Board Members also gathered to wish the Color Guard luck before their competition. The city wanted to join together in showing support for the ROTC program because of their lack of recognition. Board of Education President Bob Campbell spoke about the team and their accomplishments, “You never know when you're going to get that opportunity and it may never come again; it was great that the community came together with Castle to provide the transportation down there to award them the opportunity. It's just amazing.” Going into the tournament, Sargent was confident in his team's ability to perform under the extreme pressure and proud to be representing the school at such a high level. The four members in Green's JROTC color guard

“Best decision I’ve ever made,” says Keely Bahry ‘25, the only female member of the JROTC Color Guard at GHS. Bahry joined the JROTC her freshman year because she wanted to try something new. Little did she know she would find her second family and a new deep passion. Outside of JROTC, Bahry enjoys swimming and reading. Bahry was originally the Color Guard Commander of the non-competition team. Although, when she was asked to stand alongside three older male cadets in the competition Color Guard team, she jumped at the offer. “It was a personal accomplishment for me knowing I had what it took,” said Bahry. Bahry’s role on the team is to carry the Ohio flag during competitions. The team spends a large amount of time together which is Bahry’s favorite part about her whole experience in the JROTC program.

Van

Van Nuosce ‘24, a member of the JROTC Color Guard, believes the JROTC program has so much to offer. “You don’t really lose anything. You gain a lot,” said Nuosce. Through his experience in the JROTC program, Nuosce has gained more pride in his country, leadership, and support from his family and friends. Nuosce began the program his freshman year. “I joined because I wanted to get out of gym,” said Nuosce. He started the Color Guard his freshman year when he was picked for his talent and respect for the flag and our country. Nuosce’s role on the team is senior rifleman, but he originally started as a junior rifleman. Nuosce finds support from his parents throughout his time in the JROTC and in his decision to pursue a career in the US Air Force after high school. The team has a family bond made by all the memories they have together which Nuosce appreciates most about his experience.

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Built for the pressure, Alexander Herstich ‘24 is the Commander of the GHS Color Guard. Herstich started his JROTC journey freshman year with aspirations to join the Navy. He decided to join the Color Guard because he discovered there was more to the flags than what they looked like. “Once you learn about the symbolic nature of the flags, you’re representing something more than yourself,” said Herstich. Herstich’s role on the team requires him to call out commands, make sure everything is executed correctly, and he helps design the training program for the Color Guard. Herstich is the perfect man for Commander because he’s got the “command voice.” Herstich also practices solo rifle spinning, and he also helps local units with drills. Herstich depends on his team, but also knows he can trust them all which is why his favorite part of his experience in JROTC is the team camaraderie.

OLOR GU C S A H HE G

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Alexander He r

competition team were excited and extremely grateful for the opportunity they were given. Castle Aviation and community members agreed that the kids were gifted with an amazing opportunity. May 6, 2023, the color guard completed their routine, representing Green in the world competition. The competition consisted of many events including inspection, regulation, color guard, and team exhibition. “There were a lot of really good teams,” said Bahry, “it’s people from all over so it’s nothing we have seen at our local competitions, but it’s interesting to see the different ways that people do things.” Satisfied with their performance, Nuosce shared the results of the competition. “Only Air Force team to place top 10, we got sixth and we were only three points away from fifth due to a technicality. The final verdict on the number of teams was 57,” he said. Along with the experience of getting to compete against schools from around the world, the team got to spend an amazing weekend together and create unforgettable memories. Nuosce and Bahry highlighted the memory of walking down the beach as a team to a Betty Boop themed diner every morning, and even getting to influence the pie flavor of the day. “We put in a little hint for key lime,” said Bahry The team had an amazing showing at the World Competition and competed well under the heavy pressure.

Wyatt Moser ‘24 dedicates most of his time to the JROTC and the Color Guard. “It’s the biggest honor I could do,” said Moser. Moser joined the program his freshman year because he saw all of the potential opportunities, and he thought it would be a good experience. After joining, he learned there was more than just uniforms and pride. Moser joined the Color Guard because he knew the honor of representing something with so much symbolic meaning. “Our symbolic job is to protect the colors,” said Moser. Moser’s role on the team is to act as junior rifleman. He loves to share his experience with the people around him. “There is a meaning behind it, and being able to share that with other people is really cool,” said Moser. Moser plans to pursue a career in the military after high school.

2023

6 | features

senior stats students participated in school sports

students earned the Honors Diploma

f Bilitera lo 2023

Sea

students are attending Kent State, the most popular college choice

students earned the Seal of Biliteracy

students are in the class of 2023

students enlisted in the military

students had perfect attendance for the 2022-2023 year

students will go on the Academic Wall of Fame

students were in National Honor Society

students participated in the CCP program

students were a part of the Academy of Scholars

7 | column

MY APOLOGY LETTER

JACKSON HALL PAW The Best of Us Award. He PRINT saw more Paw Print potential than any of us, AWARD and he made every idea a reality. Even if one of those ideas resulted in reprinting the entire paper. He did whatever it took to make the paper great, and his legacy will never be forgotten.

Well, it’s finally here. Senior year has run its course and so have I. These four years were nothing short of chaos, but that’s just how I roll. When the time came for senior columns, I had only one idea. Without further ado, enjoy this list of apologies to some of the teachers I wronged during my high school career. Lightheartedly, I definitely want to issue my first apology to Mrs. Wagar. You have only put up with me for three short years, but I am confident that felt like a lifetime. I apologize for keeping you at school every other Monday for sometimes hours (if we’re happening to create the best holiday tree Green High has ever seen). Thank you so much for your willing attitude to start environmental club with Lauren and me. I admire your dedication to saving the earth. Ugh, this apology would 100% shock my junior self

when my class schedule felt like life or death. Mrs. Gamble, I am so sorry for doubting your capabilities as a counselor. I really wasn’t meant to be a CCP student anyway. Pivoting to the arts, Mrs. Rach, I am sorry for my lack of knowledge in your course. I promise I’m not that much of a dud; it’s just excruciatingly difficult to listen to secular tunes of the medieval times at 7:30 in the morning! If I possessed the wherewithal to tactfully speak about music specifics, trust me, I would’ve. My longest apology is for Tannehill. I know you didn’t expect your measly elective class to turn into the powerhouse that it is now (well powerhouse in our eyes 💀 ), but it surely has. Expecting you to work overtime on Canva to finish an issue is something I feel bad about but don't regret.

Not only would you put in that extra effort, you always went above and beyond every time to add touches that no one else would’ve thought of. I will never forget the night you doubled as an advisor making Canva comments and as a woman going into labor, the ultimate slay. You are the best teacher and adviser in this district in my humble opinion of course. I will miss your guidance and second to none quick-witted humor when I leave GHS. Mckenzie, I am sorry! I feel for you the most. This job is rarely easy and requires a lot more work than people understand. There is no one better suited than you to take The Paw Print to the next level. I have loved working with you, and I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors as editor-in-chief.

BE THE CHANGE

RILEY SUMPTION Best Writer Award. Riley

PAW wrote more last minute PRINT stories than anyone on AWARD staff (sorry, Nate) and they all turned out excellent on draft one.

It may just be me, but adults have always told me that the world is a cruel and dangerous place. While sometimes this can be true, I often look at life through a positive lense, and I believe that more people should too. Our generation is unlike any other in history; we stand up against injustices and speak our mind when we see something wrong. For instance, the internet has given us more power to group together and form groups to protect our rights. An example of one of these groups is Redefy, a non-profit founded to provide educational support to those who really need it, and it was founded in 2013 by Ziad Ahmed, a 23 year old in our generation that wants to be the change. I hope to be this change, too,

which is why I want to work in law and create policies that truly benefit people. I plan to attend Kent State University in the graduating class of 2027, and I’m majoring in political science. If I were to offer some advice, I believe you should do something that makes you happy, and while not everyone wants to be a part of a change, it’s obvious that we need more people who work toward it. Ziad Ahmed has taken a small step towards this change, and I plan to take a step of my own. I don’t expect everyone to work towards the same goals as me, but passion is passion. When I stumbled upon the idea of working on a congressional staff, it excited me, and I knew that was something I wanted to work towards what they believe is important in their life - family,

money, impactful change - all these things are valid goals and motivations to live life for. I’ve chosen a combination of the three, but while you’re preoccupied living, try to pause and ask yourself what you choose. Just don’t choose to be a murderer please. I don't mean to sound preachy, but I just wanted to offer my perspective on things. Hopefully, it gives you a better look into myself and offers you a new way of seeing things. I wish everyone the best of luck with whatever they're most focused on right now. Thank you to all of the people who’ve stuck by me through my high school journey, and thank you to the teachers who put their hearts into shaping young minds. This is Riley Sumption signing off.

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THE "BEST" FOUR YEARS

AMY LIN PAW Amy is undoubtedly our PRINT Paw Print MVP. For two years she's copy edited AWARD every piece and made us all better writers. We will all miss her epic Google Doc comments.

American television and social media have curated a romanticized image of what high school really is. Growing up, I fell victim to these depictions; I looked forward to sleepovers and dances, sneaking out and going on late-night drives, pep rallies and games, etc. But the media fails to recognize the burnout, loneliness, and repetitiveness that many teens experience. The reality is that by the time I graduate, I’ll never have gone to a football game, a high school dance, or a party. I secretly yearned for these experiences, being afraid of missing out. As time passed by, I still had this deep feeling, this false hope. But, as I gradually advanced from a freshman to a senior, my rose-colored lenses were replaced by clear ones of disillusionment. As a naive adolescent, I was easily influenced by the books I read and the movies and shows I

watched. I let them whisk me away into a warped reality of what these four years would be. I clung onto these falsehoods, and time slipped away before I could realize. That’s the danger of them: they can lead to unrealistic expectations to escape the insipidness of the real world. But these expectations are often met with disappointment, and I feel guilty and regretful for giving in. I was so focused on these big events that never happened that I failed to appreciate the little things that helped me continue on. As I spent my days doing homework, studying for tests, and working, I wondered when I would experience the excitement and adventure that my teen years were supposed to bring. But now I know that I did experience these things: a 1,000-piece Animal Crossing puzzle, opening Pokemon cards with my siblings, Paw Print releases, trips to the bookstore, backyard sunsets,

movie nights with my sister, paying a compliment to someone, waiting for concert tickets to go on sale - these are some of the little excitements I’ve had this year. I have learned not to blame myself or anyone else for these high hopes because at the end of the day, these works are just for entertainment. As I grow up and accept this, I have a clearer view of what high school is. It’s the late nights spent studying. It’s catching up with friends in the halls. It’s waiting for the clock to hit 2:30 p.m. It’s whatever I make of it, and the same goes for others. These may be the best years for some people, the worst for others, and maybe even just painfully average ones for everyone else; either way, students should spend them the way they want to because these four years go by quicker than one may think. Just don’t forget to value those little moments of happiness.

COMFORT IN YELLOW

SOPHIA LOGSDON PAW Sophia coined her own PRINT award: The Sophia Logsdon Social Media AWARD Award, given to those

who display incredible talent at creating and maintaining our social media presence.

Since I can remember, I have always loved the color yellow. This affinity for yellow even stuck with me as I entered high school. I would walk the halls of Green High School with a yellow Hydro Flask in one hand and a yellow IPhone XR - which I miss deeply in the other. Everywhere I went, I always found something yellow to “ooh” and “ahh” about. Some may say I was “obsessed”, but I just find a sense of peace in the color yellow. When the world turned upside down my freshman/sophomore year at GHS, I still had that yellow Hydro and phone, but expanding on my love of yellow, I began to appreciate the beauty of sunflowers. The sunflower represents loyalty, adoration, and longevity - all things that I learned my sophomore year. Loyalty became important to me because I found my true friends sophomore

year. Adoration taught me to love my family because they can be gone in a second. I started my first, and current, job at Pav's Creamery this year which represents longevity. I am proud to say I still work at Pav’s creamery to this day and will be returning during breaks when I go off to college. The roller coaster of junior year challenged me both mentally and physically. This might best bee represented in my grueling search for the perfect prom dress. In March 2022, I began the search for a prom dress. I spent hours at The Winner in Pennsylvania trying to find the perfect dress. It came down to two final dresses: one was pink and the other was purple and green. I didn’t walk out of there with either of those dresses. My mom had pulled a yellow dress that I refused to

try on. She finally convinced me to just try it and I knew it was the one. Perhaps it was the most "me" thing to do to wear a yellow prom dress. As I finish my high school years here in Green, I still find comfort in the color yellow. I may not have the yellow Hydro Flask or the yellow XR, but I have the memories and the lessons that have made me into the person I am today. The person who knows her worth and knows how to love herself first. I am both mentally and physically stronger than my freshman self ever could have imagined. I am so thankful for the color yellow for being there when I needed comfort. To others, the color yellow may represent happiness and sunshine, but to me the color yellow represents stability, consistency, and all the other lessons I have learned at GHS.

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FINDING MY SUPPORT

HOPE HOFFMAN PAW 2 year Sunshine Award PRINT Winner. Hope is always there to brighten our AWARD days when we're stressed. We're also pretty sure she can bench press Marko.

In the past four years, the most impactful and influential thing that happened to me throughout high school was joining ROX. It started my freshman year when I was approached by Mrs. McCartney, who encouraged me to look into ROX, and she described to me that unlike other clubs in the school, I had flexibility for when I could go. I chose to go during my study hall because who wants to sit in a boring, silent cafeteria. I remember walking in and thinking “wow, who are all these people?” Though, by the end of the year, I became close with everyone and felt more comfortable with these girls than I could have ever imagined. Throughout the year, we met as a group with Mrs. Kraus once a week and discussed many key things like healthy relationships, stress

management, self defense, effects of social media, career exploration, and leadership. Not only do the topics we learn about help us navigate through high school, but they also apply to the places we go after. People always say, “Oh, if you need help go to the counselors or the administration” but I never felt comfortable enough to speak up, unlike the way I do with Mrs. Kraus because she never makes me feel like a burden or that I am alone. There've been a few times I've shown up in her room just to rant, and she has always welcomed me with open arms. She made me feel like I was truly being heard and cared for. A lot of students probably don't prefer talking to their parents at home, and some, unfortunately, don't have a support system

at home, so it's very important that students find a support system/person at school. Luckily, I found an amazing support group my freshman year in ROX and have continued to talk to the same girls that were in this group to this day. For the past four years, I have continued to be a part of ROX as a ROX alumni, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such a welcoming club. My advice to incoming freshmen or even sophomores and juniors is to find your support group or person. Find a club that represents you and what you stand for, or find that teacher that shows you they are there for you apart from your academics. Find your safe place because there are many highs and lows to experience throughout high school.

WHAT SPORTS MEAN TO ME

DAVIS STANLEY PAW Class DJ. He knows our PRINT favorite songs and he reserves his judgment, AWARD most of the time. Just don't tell him you love The Doors.

My love for sports didn’t exist until around the eighth grade. Back then, it was what all my friends were interested in and so I thought I’d give it a chance. The only athletic thing I was involved in was playing soccer for six years, and I was mediocre at best in that. So after quitting soccer, I began to stop playing and start watching. My condensed love for soccer expanded into baseball, basketball, and football. My admiration for a variety of sports led me to several jobs at Green Local Schools. In my sophomore year, I was offered an opportunity to become the Green varsity baseball announcer. I took it without any hesitation and after three seasons, I haven’t regretted a single moment. The job had so many benefits and didn’t even feel like work. In fact, I couldn’t get

enough, so I worked as the Green JV baseball announcer as well. It was an unnecessary position, but I filled it and have so many great memories from doing so. After the baseball season came to an end, I applied for the Green freshman basketball announcer position and got the job. The fastpaced sport of basketball made it so much fun to do, and the fact that it wasn’t weather dependent made me enjoy the gig even more. During my junior and senior year, I continued to expand my duties and was able to announce both freshman and JV basketball. The games helped me earn money and explore what I have a passion for. After writing for the school newspaper my junior year, I decided to join my friends once again and come back for my senior year. Doing this

led me to become a sports editor and publish more sports stories that capture my interest. After all is said and done, I don’t regret any part of this brief journey. I plan to study journalism in college and I can’t wait for the opportunities that await me. If there’s any corny and cliché parting advice I could give, it would be this: pursue any interesting opportunities you can. High school is very short-lived but you can make the most of it by exploring what interests you. Gaining experience in the early years helps you build your resume and determine your future. I’ll leave you with a quote from one of Ye’s most famous songs: “50 told me, ‘Go ‘head switch the style up and if they hate then let ‘em hate and watch the money pile up.”

10 | column

MID CLASS MID LIST

ERIC WOLFORD PAW Class Clown Award. He PRINT started the Mid List and kept us all laughing AWARD every day, well, when he wasn't making Mrs. Tan furious.

High school has been a great adventure with the many different opportunities and classes that I got to experience. While I found many classes to have rigorous coursework and difficult tests such as APUSH, I also found some classes to be extremely easy and relaxing like journalism. With my easier classes, I tended to find more time for fun and shenanigans. Therefore, while recess was omitted in high school, I found journalism to be a recess in disguise. In my first year of journalism, I coined the term Mid-List. The Mid-List, a list of ten things in the world that I found to be “mid” or overrated, was a list that was created every Friday. At the start, Marko, Davis, and I created the list. While the list continued to grow in popularity, we were open to suggestions

from the rest of the class and teachers. From there, the list made its appearance every Friday and was posted on social media by the world. The Mid-List has seen its high points as well as its low points. For example, two-lane highways received great praise for their accuracy on the list. Also, William Henry Harrison fit very well at number 6 in February 2022. While there have been many high points, some weeks were met with great backlash and controversy. The darkest time in the Mid-List was when 5, 6, and 7 were all indirectly thrown towards a select person as a joke. Needless to say that that person did not enjoy the Mid-List that week. The Mid-List’s biggest struggle was staying relatable for all. Every week,

it was stressed that politics would not be included in the Mid-List. In our minds, the Mid-List did not have a political or social standpoint, but is rather a list that all can enjoy. The Mid-List and the Constitution of the United States of America has a great parallel: they are both colorblind. The Mid-List, without a doubt, has fostered the fun of my high school academic career greatly. While I graduate soon, I plan on creating a similar source of fun in my collegiate academic career. Also, I hope that the students of Green High School will find a way to continue the Mid-List in some form. I encourage students to reach past their academic careers, and to strive to have more fun in their everyday lives because it is much more important than school.

MY HS HAIR EVOLUTION Going into high school, I had the average overgrown middle school hair with the classic pushmy hair over with my fingers. I never really cared enough to schedule my haircuts; it was more of a thing where I remember ‘Hey, maybe it's time to get it cut’. Once Covid hit, I tried to cut my hair but it turned out to be horrible. I went and got it somewhat fixed at Great Clips but after that experience, I was paranoid about getting my hair cut again. It grew from then until sophomore year. The following PAW The Shout Out Award. summer, my hair kept growing PRINT Marko wins Most Likely until it was too long to just push to mention his AWARD journalism class in an back and I started wearing headbands to soccer and even acceptance speech for a began to tie it up sometimes. soccer award. Or at By the time junior year started, least that's what we tell my hair was long enough to tie it ourselves. He's really all up in a bun. This was the time Most Likely to make us of my life. I washed my hair every all proud.

MARKO KULINA

single night and by the time the next night came again, my hair was still wet from the night before. But, that didn't phase me because I just tied it back again and went to sleep. That following winter was when I finally decided I had to do something with my hair. I got it trimmed but it was still super long. At that point, I had no idea what to do with my hair. After a few months, I shortened it up a little and it looked more cleaned up.It was short enough to be wavy and have curls on the end and the sun gave my hair natural highlights. Little did I know that this would be the last of my ‘long hair’ era, truly a memorable time. Summer after junior year, I was in Serbia and thought 'what if I just cut it?' My main motivating factor to cut it was because I'd have to start running for soccer

season and long hair would just be a distraction to my game. I first thought about getting a buzz cut with bleached tips but my parents didn't let me, so I just cut it short. I still will never forget the drive to my aunt's barber shop in Serbia. I think I ran my fingers through my hair 1000 times. At first, it was the biggest regret of my life, but after a few days it turned out to be fine. It stayed like this all through summer and the fall soccer season. Fast forward to today, and I grew out the top and back but kept the sides short. In my personal experience, having short hair is easier to take care of but longer hair looks better. Today, I'm still experimenting with exactly what I want. But, it's fun to try new things while we young guys still have hair because one day we'll all be bald with horrible hairlines.