The Paw Print Issue 3

GREEN DEI INITIATIVE

problems and proposals

“The administration, faculty, staff and students of Green High School are committed to ensuring that every member of our school community has a chance to reach their full potential, do great work, and learn in a supportive environment. We seek to serve as a model for proactive engagement despite our differences, with respect, dignity, openness and acceptance. We stand together in making our school community one in which all students feel safe, welcome, and supported. The Green High School community will treat all persons equally, respectfully and refrain from the willful or negligent use of slurs and/or harassment against any person on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. Such behavior will not be tolerated and shall be subjected to appropriate disciplinary consequences. Kindness towards another person is never wrong. At Green High School, kindness will prevail.”

Inspired by the City of Green’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, Green Local Schools has begun its own DEI initiative to change the culture of classrooms and promote the acceptance of all individuals. While growth has been noticed, Green’s course of action is not necessarily fair.

The Green Local School District’s Strategic Plan states that the goals and objectives of this are to “continue to build upon an atmosphere that respects, embraces and celebrates the uniqueness of individuals; embrace local and regional resources to promote diversity and global perspectives” and “utilize a systemic focus to evaluate and prioritize areas of growth within the district, including curriculum, hiring practices, policies, student and community connectedness; collaborate with City of Green to expand initiatives.”

The initiative has produced visible results for Green High School.

“We have spoken to different students and they have told the principals that they have noticed an overall change of climate, like the classroom environment and within the halls, and they're just saying more people speak up about it,” said Diversity Equity and Inclusion Coach Tiron Jester.

As DEI Coach, Jester serves as a mentor to help students understand what DEI really is.

“Sometimes a situation is due to them being unaware of how sensitive the subject is or just a misinterpretation of what they were saying. They didn't really understand how hurtful they were so I kind of mentor them on how to handle the situation, educate them on the entire situation, and kind of help remold them and implement more positive behaviors and how to be an advocate now to the situation so we can move forward with creating that positive environment for students to be in,” he said.

However, this is only after an incident occurs. When a student is reported for discriminatory behavior, the administration meets with said student to investigate the circumstances of the situation and figure out a course of punishment if needed. Part of this is to speak with Jester for guidance, so they can become aware of how grave their words or actions are. Students have received in-school and out-of-school suspensions and even expulsion in some cases for discriminatory behaviors. It is great that GHS takes this very seriously, but it is unfair for some students to receive such severe punishment when their fellow peers enact the same behaviors yet go unnoticed, and it is unfair that only certain students are getting educated on the matter when all students could benefit from it.

Principal Cindy Brown and DEI Coach Jester both express that this restorative justice-like system has been successful, but both also explain that these situations typically arise from ignorance of the issue. Although there is improved behavior throughout the school, harmful language can still be heard in the halls. These corrective actions are only issued out to students who are brought to the administration, but what about those who still have biased beliefs and are unaware? Discrimination is not 100% avoidable, but rather than advising certain students after something has already been said or done, the school should promote education on this matter for all students.

It may be difficult for students to educate themselves on the matter as some either do not know where to start when looking for information or simply do not have the drive to do so. GHS should implement a plan that involves both education and engaging activities for the whole school like recurring break-out group sessions that follow a lesson plan and include DEI themed games, facilitated open discussions among peers, a DEI lunch-and-learn event, or the Build a Better Bulldog Day. This was an event held during the 2019-2020 school year where students were able to choose a few activities to partake in after a mandatory diversity training session. Not only does it provide some sort of teaching on DEI, it allows students and teachers to take a break from academics and connect with each other. Unfortunately, Green has not seen this program since then because of the pandemic.

“We would like to bring [the Build-a-Better-Bulldog Day] back. It is just a matter of putting it all together,” said Brown. The DEI initiative has brought great change to GHS, but much more could be achieved if preventive actions were taken alongside these corrective measures.

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

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.

STAFF:

ERIC WOLFORD

DAVIS STANLEY

VICTORIA SCHLUE

MARKO KULINA

HOPE HOFFMAN

NINA SUMMERS

VIENNA HORVATH

ZACHARY JACOBS NINA MCANNALLY

AIDEN MORGAN

AMBER BETZ

CATHERINE SMITH CHASE BORLAND

DANIELLA POTTS

ISABELLA PANDER

IZZY SCOTT

JENNA VENEY JULES BEYES

KAYLIE DUSKEY

KODY HUNTER

LAUREN LEEMASTER

LAUREN STEPHAN

LAYLA NICKOLAS

LILLIAN BAER

LINDSEY REY

MALLORY GEARHART NATE CARR

OLIVIA PENNINGTON

PAYTON

MACESICH

RHIANA BRUCE

RYAN MUELLER

SELENA SABBAGH

SKYLAR JOHNSON

SOPHIA BALDINGER

TAYLOR MCCARTY

AIDEN BRUECK

RUSSIA-UKRAINE UPDATE

by Lauren Leemaster

As the war in Ukraine continues, Russian forces struggle to find reasonable grounds to escalate the conflict.

Most recently, Moscow (Russia) made allegations of Ukrainian leaders developing a “dirty bomb” in Kyiv. A “dirty bomb” radiological dispersal devices or R.D.D - is a bomb that is created using conventional explosives while also containing radioactive material. An R.D.D is not considered a nuclear weapon, as to there not being fusion or fission during production. Instead, the bombs use radioactive materials that would adversely be seen in hospitals and labratories. Because of this, the bombs are cheaper and faster to produce while still resulting in affects that typically associated with a nuclear weapon.

If an R.D.D were to be detonated, it would be very difficult to send in personnel for cleanup due to air contamination and high radioactivity. Detonation also presents a heightened risk of soil and waterway contamination from transportation of waste material.

While there is no solid evidence as to why Moscow made the “dirty bomb” claim, The US based Institute for the Study of War claim that Russian Leaders were potentially trying to slow outside reinforcements from NATO in aiding Ukraine’s efforts.

Shortly after Russia made the “dirty bomb” claims, Putin resumed nuclear testing for the first time since the initial invasion back in February.

In September of 2022, in an address to Russian citizens, Putin claimed that Moscow had ”various weapons of destruction” and said that “I’m [Putin] not bluffing”.

And while Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov believes that “Putin won’t use nukes”, his recent actions of resuming testing and development prove to say otherwise.

Meanwhile, tensions in Europe surrounding the war continue. Following Putin’s statement, the EU’s Chief Policy Officer, Josep Borrell said, “it's a dangerous moment because the Russian army has been pushed into a corner, and Putin's reaction - threatening using nuclear arms - it's very bad". As of right now, the United Nations (UN) are actively using their satellites to track damages to Ukraine architecture. This is helpful for when the UN sends in recovery supplies and resources in the future.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has also taken on supporting roles in the war in support of the Ukrainian cause. NATO countries are actively providing air defense systems in Kyiv and other military resources. However, NATO has yet to send in troops because Ukraine is not an active NATO member, nor will they be able to join at the moment.

While the Ukrainian government intends to prosecute those responsible for war crimes during this period of time, their main priority is still minimizing Russian settlement and collecting active accurate body counts for recovery efforts.

NEWS IN BRIEF

by

LOCAL: NEW TURF FIELD READY FOR UPCOMING SPORTS SEASONS

The long awaited soccer and lacrosse field is finally finished. It’s located right next to our high school, and October 15 marked the opening day in which teams showcased the new field. That Saturday, the GHS Girls Soccer team had an early morning scrimmage on the field. A u15 boys travel soccer team also participated in a scrimmage because of their generous donation of the field’s scoreboard Finally, the GHS Boys Soccer team hosted their senior day on the field as the main event. The boys soccer team had the option of holding their senior celebration event at either the new turf field or the classic stadium. The boys’ team opted for the new field as a way to unveil it to the community. Senior Carter Hane shared his opinion on the new turf field versus the original stadium. “I liked the atmosphere better than the stadium, but the stadium was more sentimental” Hane said.

As the soccer season comes to a close, the new turf field awaits the 2023 lacrosse season. Both the boys and girls lacrosse teams will be able to hold their home games on the new turf. Next year will hold a completely different environment for both the soccer and lacrosse teams as the turf field will be used throughout the entirety of both their seasons.

STATE: WHAT’S ISSUE 2 ON OHIO’S GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT?

Issue 2, on this year’s election ballot in Ohio, states that only U.S. citizens with 18 years of age who have been legal residents and registered voters for 30 days can vote in the state or local elections. Issue 2 allows for non-citizens to vote in only local elections since they are prohibited from voting in state and federal elections. This is a great opportunity for immigrants who are working towards citizenship to practice voting and get a say in the community in which they reside. Mayor Pam Conine of Yellow Springs, Ohio casted a vote in 2019 for her city to choose whether to allow their 30 non-citizen taxpayers to vote in their local elections. The vote passed and allowed Yellow Springs non-citizens to vote, locally only.

“It adds value to our village, literally, in the sense that it's helping to improve our village values for inclusion, diversity, and all people's opinions being of importance” Conine said. The downside to Issue 2 is that it reduces the number of 18 year olds eligible to vote. Prior to Issue 2, any U.S. citizen with 18 years of age could register to vote in elections. If Issue 2 passes, it denies the fresh 18 year olds who were not registered for the 30 day requirement.

“If you're born after the 30-day deadline, but also before the actual date of the general election, you are kind of thrown out” Teja Paladugu said.

Following the voting for Issue 2 on November 8, Ohio will have new requirements for their future voters.

NATIONAL: SEVERE DECLINE IN MATH SCORES ACROSS U.S.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress, otherwise known as the NAEP, has shown a dramatic decline in fourth and eighth grade math scores since 2019. The average math score has dropped five points for fourth graders, and eight points for eighth graders. Many other states have fallen below the average. For example, Delaware’s scores have declined by 7 points in fourth grade and 12 points in eighth. The time period the scores started dropping is the key factor in the falling math comprehension of fourth and eighth graders. 2019 marked the year the COVID-19 pandemic hit and several schools shut down for months. The schools taught remotely, which contributed to the decline in scores over the past few years. Intermediate and middle school students need to receive the proper fundamental skills in order to thrive in the future. The lack of these skills and basic math comprehension hold back these students from furthering their education. Carissa Moffat Miller, CEO of the Council of Chief State School Officers, which represents K-12 state education chiefs, is looking for ways to get these students back on track.

“State leaders and CCSSO are committed to doubling down on programs that have been proven to help students achieve, like high-dosage tutoring, evidencebased literacy instruction, high-quality instructional materials and support for student well-being” Miller said.

Despite the drop in math scores for students in fourth and eighth grade, solutions are being enacted to ensure the United State’s education system returns to its previous standard.

Catherine Smith

The new turf soccer/lacrosse field behind the High School.

PHOTO BY: Michelle Herdlick

PECULIAR PPETS ECULIAR PETS

discover

by Kaylie Duskey

the not so normal pets GHS students have at home

Keritori the Parakeet

Keritori is the lovely bird belonging to junior Parker Green. She has had the parakeet since the seventh grade. Keritori’s favorite food is watermelon and loves to whistle. Green laughs as she explains that, “every night at exactly 9 pm, she knows it’s bedtime and whistles until I put her cover on”. Green also shares that Keritori is extremely smart and knows how to dismantle her cage. One day, Keritori did get loose and lost in the house. Thankfully, she never escaped. A hectic household for sure, but totally worth it for that beautiful bird.

Luna and Nova the Sugar Gliders

Senior Julie Garritano also has a dynamic duo, but this time with sugar gliders. Their names are Luna and Nova and they can glide long distances, similarly to flying squirrels. Luna and Nova love cherries and mealworms. Garritano explains how they eat. “They hang upside down with their hind legs and grip their food with their front paws”, Garritano says. Luna and Nova are nocturnal animals, meaning they are awake in the night and sleep throughout the day. Garritano also describes how sugar gliders need to be kept with at least another depression. Luna and Nova will now always have each other to keep company with!

Leo and Stitch the Chinchillas

Leo and Stitch are the lively chinchillas that junior Breila Allen has. Allen adores how soft and cute they are. She tells us that both of their favorite foods are Timothy hay and dried fruit, which are easily digestible for their tiny tummies. Sadly, they do not like to be held, so Allen opts for them to sit in her lap with treats in her hand. Leo and Stitch can not get wet so they take dust baths to keep themselves and their fur clean. Allen elaborates on another interesting fact about them. “They use their front paws like little hands” she says. Leo and Stitch are the dynamic duo of chinchillas and Allen loves (mostly) everything

Sammie the Donkey

Sammie is the one-year old donkey owned by senior Kylyn Evans. Sammie is quite the character who “loves to make any inch of personal space disappear”. He also has many tricks up his sleeve including bowing, jumping, and even climbing. Evans discloses that he isn’t always this smart and that, “the only thing that frightens him is his shadow”. Evans also informs us that Sammie loves his blackberries and diet coke. Sammie is a big baby who also loves having his ears scratched and being social with her other horses. Sammie has a big smile, which is pictured, and is a perfect addition to the peculiar pets of GHS!

PASSIONS

check out how to navigate Pinterest by creating boards and pins

by Isabella Pander

Pinterest is a popular platform and app that approximately 433 million people all around the world use as a fun way to express creativity. People share style inspiration, recipes, home decor, health/wellness tips, traveling destinations, beauty hacks, etc. When making an account, it gives the options to post images for other people to view and save to their boards. A board is a collection of images to help organize your pins.

How to get a Pinterest Account Started

To sign up and make a Pinterest account, one option is to use email, then create a username and password, and enter in an age. On a Pinterest account, it allows the owner of an account to put a chosen name and preferred pronouns. When putting together an account, there is an option of making it a business account or a personal account. If the account is a personal account, it gives the option to make it public for everyone to view or private for only the owner to view. After getting an account started, boards and pins are then introduced.

How To Make A Board

When making a board on pinterest, there will be a plus sign in the bottom of the screen. Clicking that will lead to the three options of ‘Idea Pin, Pin, and Board.’ Clicking board will lead to a screen of choosing the board name, whether or not it is a collaborative board, and if it is a secret or public board. After all of, that the board will be made and pins can now be saved within the board. Boards can have all different types of themes and ideas.

How to Pin

When scrolling on Pinterest, there will be a different variety of images on the person's feed based on the user's interest. Holding down on an image will then give the options of different buttons; the one that looks like a thumb tack is the option when pinning to a board. Another option is clicking on the image and opening it full screen. On the bottom of the image to the right it will say ‘save’. These two actions lead to the ‘Save to board’ screen, and this is just for deciding which board to put that specific image into. Not only can pin ideas be saved, but they can also be posted as well.

How to post an Idea Pin

TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS: IN

Explaining how toxic relationships

by Jackson Hall & Jules Beyes

According to a 2014 Pew Report, half of marriages end in divorce and 25% of people under 50 will have been single all their lives. This can cause teenagers to not only stay, but condone an unhealthy relationship. A relationship is toxic when one’s well-being is threatened in some way - emotionally, psychologically, or physically. Though the most common toxic relationship is of a romantic nature, not all are subjected to that. Friends, family members, coworkers, teammates are all examples of relationships that can be unhealthy.

High school is an imperative time of growth in young adults. With emotions at an all time high, these strong feelings can cause teenagers to confuse their priorities and values. Oftentimes, feelings of anger, sadness, and anxiousness are a direct result of an unhealthy relationship. In a 2017 study published in Psychology Today, over 60 percent of teens stay in unhealthy or toxic relationships. Additionally, in a randomized survey with 41 responses from GHS students, roughly 51 percent of participants claimed they had been in a toxic relationship.

It’s important to establish the different types of toxic relationships. As mentioned earlier, these relationships exist in a family, friend group, workplace, and of course between romantic partners. It’s undeniable that both parties in a relationship can exude toxic behavior; but, it’s also possible that only one person is just all around toxic. They simply have a negative energy. Constant complaining paired with critical remarks can identify quite the destructive force in a relationship. That person in the relationship might constantly argue or announce their counterpart’s flaws. In an unhealthy connection like this, the other person reasonably feels stressed, ignored, and insignificant as a result. However, sometimes, the abuser doesn’t realize their own mistreatmenting behavior. In situations like this, it’s best for the partner to present a healthy way of communication such as assertive statements, open-ended conversations, or discussions with a trained moderator.

Most toxic relationships stem from forms of manipulation. Guilt tripping, gaslighting, playing the victim, stonewalling, and the silent treatment are all manipulation tactics. In order to detect manipulation, an individual must spot an imbalance of power. If one partner employs dishonest or exploitative strategies to gain dominance in the relationship, it’s emotional manipulation, thus a toxic relationship. Editorial contributors at WebMD said, “Unlike people in healthy relationships, which demonstrate reciprocity and cooperation, an emotional manipulator looks to use, control, or even victimize someone else.”

Assess the dynamic of your own relationships. Consider the signs. In an age of social media, teenagers today must navigate through a new generation of dating. Checking someone’s Snapchat score, BeReal reactions, and Instagram followers can be identifiers that you don’t trust your significant other. These actions represent tendencies of lying, jealousy, and disrespect, which according to Planned Parenthood are the top three qualifications to define your relationship as unhealthy. The growth of technology and social platforms enables manipulators to be dishonest and unprincipled as they can hide behind a screen. Avoiding face-to-face conversations makes it difficult to understand where people stand in the relationship. It’s vital that a person makes themself available to their partner, in person and over the phone.

On the account of availability, an increasing trend in high school relationships is the “situationship” which is exactly as it sounds. A romantic relationship that comes in spurts when the situation is right or wanted. It’s a casual dynamic that is not serious or labeled. Though this type of connection seems fun and effortless, it usually ends in a manner that is damaging to at least one half of the couple. The situationship demonstrates the hot and cold treatment, which includes the “hot” periods of a committed relationship and the “cold” periods where one partner doesn’t want to be associated with the other. According to health professional Carly Vandergriendt, Ph.D., situationships are neither good nor bad. However, each party in the relationship must recognize that they are in an uncommitted bond.

Another form of toxicity stems from narcissism. In a relationship, some people feed off of their partner’s attention and admiration. Narcissists have tendencies to one-up not only their partner, but everyone around them. They might put their partner down through insults to elevate their own self esteem and persona. Narcissistic people are also notoriously known to not admit faultiness, which can result in gaslighting their partner. Gaslighting is a type of emotional abuse in which the abuser misleads the target, creating a false narrative and making them question their judgments and reality, according to Elizabeth Scott, Phd, from verywell mind.

When facing toxic relationships of all kinds, Elizabeth Scott at verywell mind states, “When dealing with any type of toxic relationship, it's important to focus on your health and well-being. Consequently, if you're dealing with someone who drains you of your energy and happiness, consider removing them from your life, or at least limiting your time spent with them. And, if you're experiencing emotional or physical abuse, get help right away.”

THE WORLD AND IN GHS

anonymously shared experiences

“I was in a relationship for about a year and a half. It was with a boy who made himself seem like he was perfect within the first two months and ultimately showed his true colors soon after. We never really had a “honeymoon” phase as people call it because we began fighting the minute we started dating I was always told that fighting was a normal thing in relationships, but not like this I became so mentally and physically drained with all the issues that he stirred up, that I tried to end things multiple times But, for some reason there would be a family emergency or a terrible event that I couldn’t leave him in the midst of However, I didn’t know about these issues until I threatened to break up He ruined every family event, holiday, or day that didn’t center around him and his happiness He pretended to be respectful and kind to my family and then turned his head towards me and rolled his eyes and told me how awful I was I ended up breaking up with him on his prom night because after he accused me of always starting arguments and creating problems when nothing was really there 6 minutes later he blew up an issue because I didn’t want to repeat my 20 minute rant about the dance because he decided not to listen Again, he claimed that his family and the stress he was under caused him to act this way and so I couldn’t leave him I knew at this point though, there was no way of fixing everything that he broke inside of me. I have yet to speak to him since Mother’s Day“

“I had been dating my ex boyfriend for about a year when we broke up Following the breakup, he accused me of cheating, and I was never shown the “proof” he claimed to have. As a result, I was blocked on every social media. I would receive phone calls from him, full of yelling, cussing and accusations Still feeling love for him after how he treated me, I got back together with him 2 months later During that time, he refused to see me, we barely talked and he chose to see other girls behind my back. My mental health was declining, and he made that seem like an inconvenience to him Finally coming to my senses, we ended our relationship and I sought mental therapy for 5 months trying to repair the damage he caused”

“I was once with a guy who put so much effort into the relationship so fast that I really thought he’d be genuine and committed He seemed so honest that every time I heard about him either hitting on another girl or texting his ex I'd just ask him because I thought he respected me enough to tell me the truth. He would get mad at me for even making the accusation that he didn’t have good intentions with me and I would end up apologizing It turned out his hesitation to really make a commitment was a total red flag He was lying to me the whole time and was back with his ex before we had even ended things I had never felt so used or humiliated ”

“I had a friend who I was really close with We did everything together They were going through a tough relationship themselves and I was trying my best to help them through it In the process my feelings were sacrificed I never felt like I was allowed to be sad or upset I would stay up late and give hours of advice just for them to ignore it and shut it out. They claimed they just needed someone to “listen” but it started to affect my mental health Ultimately I had to pull away from the relationship. There was a level of trust that was broken and it has taught me to really appreciate people who put in the same effort you put in. I have now found people who want to care for me even if they are going through it ”

“A toxic relationship that I have been in included a man who made zero time for me and continuously cheated on me with multiple different girls behind my back. He continued to lie to my face and it seemed like everything was okay This man was very manipulative, always blamed me for his actions, and never took responsibility for anything he did wrong.”

by Izzy Scott

LOCAL HOT LSPOTS OCAL HOT SPOTS

popular places for the Green HS teens to pass the time

Becoming a teenager is a pivotal moment for most, bringing an exciting new outlook on life as you enter a different social world But more importantly, being a teenager means having more freedom. Whether spending time alone, with a few friends or a large group of people, there are many hangout spots that teenagers often populate Although some are more popular than others, these teen hot spots are known and loved.

Beginning in North Canton, there are many fun activities and restaurants to enjoy The North Canton Skate Center is packed full on weekend nights, especially with young teenagers. Without having a license, many kids hang out there, skating, playing arcade games, and socializing In addition, Belden Village is extremely busy on the weekends The Tinseltown movie theater is a popular date spot for teens of all ages. Not only do teenagers go to Belden Village to shop at the mall and surrounding stores like Target, you can also find them hanging around Raising Cane's Chicken

Natalie Brandenburg, a GHS senior who works at Cane’s said “the weekends are definitely the busiest Teenagers “ come all day” to Cane's, especially later at night

For those with driver’s licenses, Swensons Drive In is a (fan/teen) favorite. The closest locations to Green are the Jackson Township

location and the North Canton location Swensons is busy year round; however, being open until 1:00/1:30 makes the weekends Swensons’ busiest days during the school year. After football and basketball games, students flock to these Swensons to grab a bite, but also to socialize Swensons has a huge social aspect, bringing teengers from different schools in contact with each other

“My favorite thing to do after games is go to Swensons with my friends because it's a great spot and a great time,” said Ben Pine.

Although it may seem like popular teen hangouts veer away from Green, they, in fact, do not. Green is home to many great city parks, for example Boettler Park, Southgate Park and East Liberty Park. Boettler and Southgate cater to teenagers that love peace and relaxation. Many students come to these parks to walk the trails, enjoy nature or hammock from the trees. Another place teeangers love to go to enjoy nature is the Nimisila Reservoir. These places are great to go to, whether to be alone, do homework, read a book, listen to music and more. To add, these parks also cater to the athletic teenagers. Boettler Park included tennis/pickleball courts, as well as basketball courts. However, the basketball courts at East

Liberty Park are far more popular Teens of all ages meet at these courts to play pick up games, exercise and meet new people who share a similar interest in basketball.

When it comes to food, Green has a variety of sit down restaurants, ice cream places, and fast food restaurants that teenagers gravitate towards El Fogon is a popular restaurant that appeals to teeangers due to their low priced menu Not only are the prices affordable for teeaangers, the service is fast and the food is good. For dessert, Handel's Homemade Ice cream has it covered With most of the employees being high schoolers, the demographic of customers tends to be a majority of teenagers Whether visiting a friend who works there, grabbing ice cream after a night out or tagging along with others for the social aspect, Handel’s proves to be the most popular ice cream place for teens If you ’ re looking to grab snacks late at night, Sheetz is the place to go With endless options, you’ll often find large groups of teenagers inside ordering food and drinks.

“Sheetz has been my favorite place to go with my friends all throughout high school,” Maddy Elsass said, because “ you never know who will be there ”

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BeReal

THE PAPAS TWINS: SPIRO & THEO

by Skylar Johnson and Kody Hunter

Spiro: Mr. Hane, this is my second year having him. He changed my views on things like learning and being motivated. As a teacher and a coach, Mr. Hane is always cheering me on to do great things.

Theo: Mr. Saylor because he taught me the physics of the world, and he always brings happiness to my day. Every time I walk into his classroom, I feel happy and inspired to have a great day.

Spiro: It's very helpful having someone I know I can rely on to push me in practice and then be able to take that into a race and use it to help push me to beat him and the other competitors.

Theo: It’s great. Aside from being my teammate, he’s a consistent rival. I can always count on giving me competition to help us both perform our best.

Spiro: I am very grateful I got the opportunity to go down to the state meet this season with the whole varsity squad. I didn’t run as well as i had hoped for only placing 33rd with a time of 16:09

Theo: States was a lot of fun. It was a totally different and more exciting experience to get to go down with the whole team and compete together rather than the past couple of years going down individually. The very windy, hot, and not ideal conditions definitely made the race challenging but very fun. I finished in 11th with a time of 15:45.

Spiro: started in 8th grade, my mom was a runner and I am a very competitive person so I wanted to try out another sport

Theo: 8th grade. My mom used to be a runner so naturally I picked it up off of her. I grew up doing road races and always being active so I think that ties into my passion for the sport.

What drives you?

Spiro: My responsibility, I have responsibilities expected of me everyday that I pride myself in completing. I want to live my best life, and want to be somebody that others can look up to.

Theo- Running drives me and the certain goals I set for myself. There are always new goals to set for yourself.

Spiro: Resting and meditation help me feel calm. I also read my Bible when I’m stressed.

Theo: Whenever I’m stressed I try to relax by playing video games and settling down into a new show on Netflix.

Spiro: Coach Saylor is probably my biggest motivator, always pushing me and the team

Theo: I do it all for my coaches and teammates, who motivate me every day.

Spiro: I'm planning on running at a D1 school which I can not disclose at this time

Theo: I plan on going to college not sure where but my current top school is Toledo.

Spiro: Born for This - Chase Matthew

Theo: The Middle - jimmy Eat World

How do you de stress?

What teacher made an impact on you, and why?

How does it feel to compete against your brother?

What was your experience like at states this year?

What is your go to song before competing?

What motivated you to start running?

Who has been your biggest motivator for running?

What are your plans after high school?

PAR FOR THE PCOURSE AR FOR THE PCOURSE AR FOR THE COURSE

an overview of the 2022 golf season

by Davis Stanley

Recently, the 2022 Boy’s Golf Team made their way down to the heart of the Buckeye State in search of a state title. This feat isn’t easily achievable, but the boys' team has been state qualifiers in back to back seasons

Junior Brady Trejbal credits his drive and motivation to his teammates “Trez Cobb inspires me every match to try my best and never give up on my goals,” Trejbal said.

As far as goals go, Brady believes he has completed the goals appropriate for this year “I met my personal goals this season by making it to states and making my people proud ”

The boys played at the famed Scarlet and Gray course which provided them with challenging fairways and menacing greens.

Senior Ava Pulley was a 2022 State Qualifier and competed in the girls' tournament on the same course as the boys

“I really enjoyed playing the gray course this year I have played it once before so to have the opportunity to play it again was amazing. The course itself isn’t long at all but the weather conditions and greens always make it more challenging Overall, I really enjoyed the chance I had to play the gray course once again with some of the best golfers in the state,” Pulley said

There was another senior joined by the boys for the state tournament. Senior Grant Schlue is the only senior a part of the boys’ golf team “I look back on this year and I think I had a lot to achieve but in such a little time,” said Schlue

Overall, the boys finished the tournament in 11th place and Senior Ava Pulley finished the girls' tournament in 18th place. Congratulations to the bulldog golfers for an impressive season.

KNOW IT IN SIX:

NBA

by Jenna Veney

Denver Nuggets star center, Nikola Jokic, is beginning to chase the record books. Jokic has been MVP in back to back years and is seeking a third MVP appearance. If he is successful, Jokic would become the fourth player in NBA history to win back to back to back MVPs.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are in second place in the Eastern Conference behind the undefeated Miluakee Bucks.

While the Cavaliers are surpassing expectations, former Cavalier, LeBron James, is struggling to win with Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers only have two wins in the last nine games.

Whatisyourfavoritecoursetoplay?

Schlue

Udonis Haslem is the third player in NBA history to play with the same team for 20 straight seasons. The other two players being Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant.

In remembrance to the great Bill Russell, the NBA will be retiring the jersey number six league wide. This is the first time in history the NBA is retiring a jersey league wide. The rule applies to all players except those who are currently wearing them. Along with the jersey retirement, all NBA arenas will include the number six located near the scorer’s table.

Lakers star, LeBron James, is expected to surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for all-time points scored this season.

"My favorite course to pl would probably have Prestwick Country Club. This i course that I learned to golf on grew up playing. Although it the most beautiful or top n course around that I have play will always be my favo

Ava Pul

"I liked playing Firestone South. The course was very well put together, managed, and I played pretty well too."

Grant

BOYS BASKETBALL WITH BRUECK

preview into the highly anticipated 2022 basketball season

by Aiden Brueck

“Surprising” may be the word Green Boys’ Varsity Basketball Coach Mark Kinsley would use to describe his team this season. This is Coach Kinsley’s 25th year coaching basketball Kinsley started his journey when he played forward in high school He was the assistant coach at various local schools for 10 years He then spent a year at Walsh and coached at Ravenna for three The Boys’ Varsity basketball team lost an outstanding senior class, but loss doesn’t automatically elude to failure. With returning players such as the pairing of juniors Brady Rollyson and Jarrett Taylor, previous success can definitely be replicated Also returning are lettering players Nikola Bundalo and Ben Pine which paired together should be able to make a big difference Also coming into play will be all of the new talent that will now be able to showcase what they can do on a bigger scale

A main goal this year is to retain all those strengths from last year ’ s team and, as stated previously, this will be the time for all the new players to shine and prove who they are as players Though, basketball skill isn't always the number one priority

When asked if leadership was important to Green’s team in specific, Kinsley said, “I think it’s huge And [the leader] doesn’t have to be that ‘rah rah’ yelling type of guy, but those guys that can lead by example… You can count on them. They’re consistent in not only their play, [but also] their demeanor.” He also explained that, currently, it’s an area that they have to work on

This year ' s team is one of the biggest that Green has had in years Taking a look at that said team, it looks like Green has more athleticism on the wings which is something that wasn’t very present on last year ’ s roster. However, that doesn’t mean all attributes from last year ’ s team are gone.

“I feel we’ll be more balanced this year scoring wise I see us more balanced with Jarrett, Brady, Nic, Antonio Martin having a bigger role this year So I don’t think we’ll have one guy getting it for us, we’ll have more balance,” Kinsley said

Green’s contention in the Federal League has been no short of impressive. Winning the federal league title last year, Green beat out the basketball powerhouse McKinley The goal is always to win the league, but a league title this year could prove that last year wasn’t a one off Though as stated previously, McKinley is a basketball team to be reckoned with They have the most players back from last season

“McKinley is the favorite going in, they have the most guys back who’ve played. They probably have the top player back in the league this year ” Kinsley said about McKinley’s team Though he said he doesn’t think it will be a problem because if Green can work on their chemistry and toughness, he thinks they have a shot

The main theme this season will be growth Everyone is focusing on losing a talented senior class, but they fail to look at the players coming back and new additions to the roster To say that Green will fall off substantially is an overreaction

Coach Kinsley states, “I think that [I’ve said that] Green expects to compete for the Federal League title, [and] just because we lost 5 seniors doesn’t mean that we ’ re going to take a step back. We wanna go out and win that title, [and that will] put you in the position to win a district title. Every year, those are our 1 and 2 goals: win the Federal League, and then to win a district title This year it won’t be any different ”

The basketball team winning the District Championship last year

PHOTO BY: Michelle Herdlick

Brady Rollyson '24 fighting for the ball as Ben Pine '23 looks a little timid.

PHOTO BY: Michelle Herdlick

Coach Kinsley astonished by a call from the refs.

PHOTO BY: Michelle Herdlick

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS CHAOS

the troubles and tribulations during college applications

by Eric Wolford

As I frantically rushed to pay the fee in order to confirm my application submission, I continuously lost hope in my chances of being accepted Over the past couple of years, my friend attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill frequently called me, wanting to share his wild stories and experiences It was practically once a week that he would call me to join his frat if I were to be admitted there. Nonetheless, his great memories he has made at the university moved me to apply there more and more Every time I signed up for the ACT, I would always send my scores to UNC. I felt obligated to; besides, I was pursuing the path my friend, whom I look up to, took As my senior year rolled around, however, time was against me, and with soccer season engulfing my life, I found no time to prepare myself for the application process

October acted as a wake up call At the turn of the month, my inbox flooded with emails nailing me about early admission deadlines Early admission is the process in which students apply to schools rather early in an attempt to boost their chances of getting in and receiving their decision faster The importance of early admission, however, is often overlooked by counselors and other community members that guide students through the lengthy process of applying to college In my personal experiences, I had to learn the importance of early admission by taking

the initiative to go on college tours in the summer from junior to senior year. For many schools, especially the more competitive ones, early admission can be a make or break deal when schools admit students As I scrolled through my inbox near the beginning of October, the date October fifteenth caught my attention This was a date thrown into an email from UNC, one of my top colleges I quickly realized that October fifteenth was the early admissions deadline for the school, giving me exactly a week to complete my entire application and essay

Through that busy week, I spent my time writing my college essay, taking multiple drafts before I found something that I deemed worthy of being turned in Through the help of my teachers, I was provided with great insight on my essay, making the final product something that I held to a great standard While my friends went to Topgolf on the Friday we did not have school, I found myself completing the common application in my mom ’ s office for hours on end After hours of selecting the correct bubbles, switching the wording of my extracurriculars, and recounting my awards through the years, I found myself nearing the end Knowing this application is due tomorrow, I could not wait overnight to think about my application as a whole. In short, I rushed. I whipped together an application in a single day The application, looking back at what I submitted, looks like I did a great job,

or at least the best I could do. However, I still feel a sense of unreadiness when someone brings up UNC. When I hear that word, my mind races to an application that was quickly put together to reach an important deadline that I was unaware of for quite some time. I feel a sense that I am missing something, whether it be an important community project, hobby, or lifestyle that I exemplify. UNC did not receive an application from Eric Wolford. UNC received an application from a student that vomited their resume onto a page.

Fortunately, every other school I applied to has a much later early admission deadline, which gave me more time to rethink and alter my application. I have submitted my resume to the rest of my schools confidently, and I am excited to see where it takes me. However, when I remember the process of applying for years to come, I will always remember my struggles with applying to an unaware, procrastinated deadline of UNC. I encourage future students to research their college deadlines and application processes as quickly as possible, for I understand that there is a lack of that information given to us by the very people that support us. College immediately plays the role of maturing, and letting a top school feel out of reach due merely to a deadline is something no student should experience.

STRENGTH THROUGH WEAKNES

a journey through grief, god, and greed

Throughout my freshman year, I overcame my struggle with my poor mental health. While being stuck inside due to the Covid-19 pandemic, being around my parents was one of the hardest experiences I have ever overcome. My mom and stepdad both struggled with extreme substance abuse. Living with my struggling parents led me to fall into depression; the environment created an unhealthy mindset within me. Without experiencing mental health issues before, I was really worried about what was to come, and I couldn’t understand why things at home happened the way they did. Constantly, I felt guilty as maybe I was the reason why so many issues and problems occurred.

During this time, I made extremely poor decisions, pushing those who cared most away from me. Early in my childhood, I never really determined what my religion would be. My mom never introduced me to a pathway of religion along with my dad. I had gone to church a couple of times before with my Grandma, “Gome”, but I never really understood what church was about, yet it brought me joy. When my parents were struggling with alcoholism, I thought of selling my soul to the Devil yet Gome saved me when she brought God into my life. When my parents came to conflict the most, I was constantly angry and frustrated with what was surrounding me. I felt as if I had nowhere to vent and that there was no help available to me. After

getting into trouble very regularly at school, Gome came to pick me up and drove me to where my dad lived. She wasn’t angry, she wasn’t yelling, and she didn’t raise her voice. For the first time in what I felt like my whole life, she listened to me. She heard what I said and comforted me in every way she could. I never had anyone treat me like making a bad mistake was just a bump in the road. I had always thought if I started to make bad decisions it would not hurt to just keep making them. After becoming really close with Gome, I realized how she introduced the world so much differently to me. She had so many friends, was always happy. I never really understood how the universe gave her so much joy and treated her so well. I realized after a while that her closest relationship was with God. After she had given me advice on how to communicate to my parents, she told me the best thing I could do was to expand my relationship with God.

In November of 2021, Gome passed away; I felt like my entire world shattered. I had finally been given someone to help me through a time I struggled the most and they were taken away from me. I was introduced to grief for the first time in my life; it's something unexplainable. Losing Gome created a new normal to me and eventually lead to creating growth. I started believing everything in this time period of my life was happening in just the way God wanted to. God had sent my dependent

away from me and opened up so much more. I now felt like my new reliance was God. I learned during this time, the best dependent you can have is God.

The upcoming summer I went to work at a camp owned by my church, Camp Wakonda. I stayed at this camp the entire summer and I had my first panic attack while I was away. I was stressed due to being away from my family for the first time in my life. I left my dad to himself for the first time since his mom passed away. After staying at this camp, I have been surrounded by only joy. I have felt so much happiness in the world sense given this experience, in my lifetime, if I could persuade anyone to do anything, it would be to put everything to the side and spend time getting closer to God.

Living on the road of God's plan creates reassurance for myself knowing that I am always protected from what's happening around me. Even if there is not someone physically doing anything, there is something happening spiritually. Being in high school is so scary with substances being all around us; I have always been scared of creating a life for myself in the future that I do not want. Peer pressure is everywhere and for me and millions of others, addiction is hereditary. I thank God everyday for being my dependent and my right hand man when I needed him the most. I have learned through the 16 years that I have lived to always have strength through weakness during the times I struggle the most.

by Taylor Mccarty