Livewire Vol. 12 Issue 3 May 2021 by Livewire

Volume 12, Issu

e 2 | May 202

Contents Volume 12, Issue 2 | May 2021

Staff Members Saying ‘Goodbye’ To Long Careers

Teacher of the Year

The Science Behind Influence

Homeschooling Affecting Students In a Variety of Ways

When Parental Influence Extends Into Other Compunds of Life

Influencing the Future Generation

Under Presure

The Pressure’s On

Shoes for Days

Giving Up On Social Media

No Body is Perfect

Trust: The First Step to Influencing

Read more at belivewire.com

Staff Editorial “You are who your friends are.” Influence is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as the power or capacity of causing an effect in indirect or intangible ways. It is impossible to escape. As human beings, we get our influence from everything that surrounds us. It’s the people we follow on Instagram, the videos that we click through, the television shows we watch and the people’s opinions that we listen to. Whether that be people, culture, work or school, the influence of our day to day changes the way we think and act whether we would like it to or not. It is this concept that we hope you picked up on from our cover and the theme you will see throughout this magazine. The influence of the world in itself can be both positive and negative. Some things such as motivational speakers, good music, the environment that surrounds you can all influence the person you are and the way you think. Both types of influences can help us grow into the people we are today and even have a path for our future. The people we surround ourselves with, the music we listen to, the people we follow on social media are all influences in our life that can help us grow by either pushing us forward or sometimes making us take a step backwards. As humans we all want to be in the know. This pushes us to do things like constantly check social media, listen to gossip, and watch the news. It’s an everyday thing for most people to try to be informed and want to figure out information about what’s going on in the world. We want to know what people are wearing, who they’re with, what’s happening with the latest politics, and even just what the latest fashion trend is. As humans we like to connect with each other and the world around us. Different factors that go into mental health come from the information we take in around us. With different types of influences like social media gaining popularity more and more people are being diagnosed with more mental health issues because of the negative influences in our life. Certain influences are affecting the way we view ourselves and take care of ours because we see the way others look or are living and think we need to change in order to be like them. There are a lot of things in our lives that we have to choose from when it comes to being influenced, but it is important to take a step back and understand what we let rule the decisions that we make. Ask yourself if you want to be like the things that you consume. Renowned Motivational Speaker, John Rohn states that, “We are the average of the five people that we spend the most time with.” We believe that this applies to the culture that you consume as well. In an effort to try to promote good change, we encourage you to think about who you want to be and if the things that you consume reflect that. We believe that it is important to be aware of this influence and to choose what you want to be influenced by. If you want to change who you are, it comes down to changing your environment. Ask yourself, what do you let influence you and how do you influence others? Sincerely, The Livewire Staff 2

Staff Members Saying ‘Goodbye’ to Long Careers by keelin davis and dane bunel It is hard to replace 76 years of work especially when 64 of those were spent in this building.

Before going to Bernheim, Stewart had taught at Bullitt East for 14 years. “I got my principal certification not really intending to use it. I really liked working with him and I had taught at East for many years before going to Bernheim and my kids were here so this is home,” Stewart said. Stewart is glad that she got to finish her career here and has made many memories.

The end of the year is approaching quickly, and in a year full of turbulence and turmoil, it’s a better time than ever to step out of comfort zones and discover new challenges. After years of working on staff and making memories, Guidance Counselor Crystal Barr is retiring to be with her family more and to live out her youth. Assistant Principal Kari Stewart is retiring to leave on a high note and to tend to her parents. Guidance Counselor Dana Steinmetz accepted a new counseling position at Male High School in order to pursue new opportunities.

She has many takeaways from her experiences, but the people that she has interacted with over the years have stuck with her the most. Stewart said, “I will take away a full heart. All of the amazing people that I got the chance to work with here, the incredible students have come through…” With all the people that have impacted her in her career, she hopes to make the same impact back on other people.

From a young age, Barr was always interested in taking a job as a counselor. “I really liked my high school guidance counselor. That kind of got me interested to begin with, but it’s always something I wanted to do,” Barr said. She has taken her love for counseling far and has made a large impact on the school.

Although Stewart has not been a teacher since her first time at the school, she has always wanted to make sure students achieve their goals. “I have always said that the goals I have for kids are the ones that aren’t on the learning targets… it’s the kind of people that they will be when they leave here when they grow up and have families of their own. I want them to be good citizens and just good humans,” Stewart said. Her impact is evident and she wants to end her career on a high note.

For as long as Barr has been interested in counseling, she always wanted to make a difference in the lives of kids. “I enjoyed teaching but I always wanted to give kids the guidance aspect of life that some might be lacking in,” Barr said. Stepping into the guidance role was a near perfect fit for Barr’s interest and her impact has reflected that. In her time at the school, she has watched the community and school atmosphere grow. “Although there are a number of people that have come and gone in my time, the overall staff and student roster has doubled in size entirely,” Barr said. She views this as a positive and has one large take away from her experiences. Barr said, “one thing that’s for sure is there’s a strong sense of community here.” With the growth of the community, she feels that the school has only grown closer and stronger.

Her family has played a large role in her time at the school. Her proudest moments include “watching [her] own sons graduate and knowing they were part of the family that our school is,” Stewart said. They also played a role in her retirement, specifically her husband. She continued, “My husband and I met when we were student teaching and we started at the same time and we are able to finish together as well. I think it is mostly so we can keep eachother company. I don’t know that I am fully done. I know that I am just getting a little tired. I want to go out when I am not bitter. I still feel love.” Her time at the school has taken

The decision to move on from the school was a tough one for Barr but she knew it was the right decision. “It’s my time now. My husband is retired, the kids are close to getting out of college. We just want to take this time to travel and enjoy all the things that life brings us while we still have some youth left in us,” Barr said. Her time at the school will not be forgotten and is greatly appreciated by many. Also moving on from the school, Stewart has made the decision to retire. She got into the job years ago and has called the school her home. “What got me into this job was Willie Foster who was the principal here before Mr. Mason. We worked together down at Bernheim Middle School where I was his instructional coach. When he had an opening here, he reached out and asked me to consider,” Stewart said. After consideration, she accepted the job because of the community and her familiarity with the culture.

up a large part of her life and now with retirement, she hopes to dedicate time to other things in her life.

surrounded by her family. Teacher Larry Steinmetz and her two children, Tyler and Haley Steinmetz have all come through the school and have always had them around. By moving schools, she will no longer be with Larry Steinmetz and is nervous for the transition. “It is going to be interesting. We have always worked together. It’s almost like I don’t know what I’m getting myself into, maybe a year from now I can follow up and we can see how this transition has been for me,” she said.

Stewart has hopes to travel and care for her family in her retirement. She said, “the immediate next thing is that I am on a plane out to California to visit my parents. I have not seen them in two years and they are getting a little older so now it will free me up to take better care of them. We are looking at a lot of travel. I hope that I can substitute a little bit and just stay around young people just to keep me connected to the real world.” She doesn’t feel like her time working in a school building is complete, but for now, Stewart feels as if retirement is the best option for her.

Her favorite years and memories come from the years that her kids were seniors. Steinmetz said, “Having the ability to see your kids outside of just your home environment, it’s very interesting seeing their dynamics and how they approach themselves in real life scenarios.” Now that they have graduated, she feels more free to move on and try new things.

While she is not retiring, Counselor Dana Steinmetz accepted a new job at Male High School to take on a new challenge. “I’m going to try all new things at Male. After 24 years of living the same old habits, the curiosity of what could be next always hits me,” Steinmetz said. She is joining former principal Willie Foster at Male where he now is the principal.

Overall, the staff and students are grateful for the time and experiences they have shared with all three staff members. Their impact will not be forgotten and their presence will be missed. Livewire and the rest of the student body wishes these staff members the best of luck in their future endeavors.

Throughout her career at the school, she has constantly been

The three staffers pose together on their last day of school together. All three are moving on to different pathways in their lives and are excited for what is to come. “It’s almost like I don’t know what I’m getting myself into, maybe a year from now I can follow up and we can see how this transition has been for me,” Dana Steinmetz said.

Teacher of the Year by katey goins The influenced becomes the influencer.

the environment. I think Bullitt East, the community is still so involved, the parent, the student, and the teacher of the triangle that makes this all work. That’s what I live for and at Bullitt East I could tell that it is a community school. That was something I had in high school and I desperately wanted to have that back being a teacher,” Phillips said.

Steven Phillips carries the experiences he’s had as a student in high school into his days as a freshman math teacher. Phillips’ teaching style is made whole by the many parts of his own teachers and coaches that made an impact on him. The relationship between Phillips and his past teachers is something that he is able to create with his own students now. At the end of the day he wants to be more than just a teacher.

Being the freshman algebra teacher, Phillips feels he carries an extra responsibility to these new high school students. “I think I just want to make sure I’m providing such a supportive and good enough education that when they do go to their geometry teachers, algebra two, in their higher level math courses, that I’ve given them a good foundation. Because these teachers here are fantastic. They’re just awesome. I don’t want to be letting them down. As a freshman teacher I take it very personally, not building them up to where they need to be for those classes,” Phillips said.

Phillips grew up in the Pleasure Ridge Park (PRP) area, which also became home for his inspirations for wanting to become a teacher. “Miss Stevenson, she was just super caring and she would do anything for any student, with any student that wanted it, that wanted to go far. She was right there. It didn’t matter what time of the day, she was gonna make sure that she helped me with the material from day one to the end of the school year. And just throughout those years, she really just kept an eye on me. She just always asked me how I was doing. Then she just little by little started telling me I was one of her favorites you know, and I think it was something just to motivate me and kind of guide me. She knew I wanted to be a teacher, but she knew how hard that journey was going to be. And I think she just instilled a lot of confidence. Even if she didn’t know I was going to become a teacher or not. She wanted to make sure I had the confidence that I could if that’s what I wanted to be,” Phillips said.

Being a new teacher to Bullitt East, receiving Teacher of the year felt out of reach for Phillips. “When I first got here I was kind of looking through the halls and I would see Teacher of the Year Livewire on the wall and I would see certain teachers. I saw Mr. Fulgham’s picture on there and I was like, ‘man, that would be one cool thing, if before I leave here, you know before I retire 50 years out, to be able to come close to winning that’. You know I actually had that thought so the fact that it happened to me, it’s super thrilling. I feel honored, I’m humble about it, I feel blessed about it. I’m so glad I came here. Number one, because of the students, I wake up everyday super excited to see them. I don’t really want summer break to start if I’m being honest. But I want you guys to get the summer break. You all worked hard this year. But I can do this. I wish I was Mr. Feeny and I could travel along with this group. But I’m excited for the next group of freshmen to come in,” Phillips said.

In high school Phillips was on the soccer team. During this time the team experienced a change in leadership when they got a new coach. “The soccer coach… he lit a fire under us, he lit a fire under me. I almost looked at him like a dad, and I have a dad and a stepdad, so you know I’m very blessed. But I looked at him like a dad and he was only 24. But he was so motivating. He would just light a fire like I said, he would make up these stories about what this team said. We’d get on the bus and we we’re ready to destroy as soon as we got off that bus. And the teams we could, we were destroying the teams. There’s still teams that are maintenance that just were playing better, but the year before we weren’t beating anybody. So I liked the motivational factor that he provided and I kind of try to do that as much as I can,” Phillips said.

Winning Livewire Teacher of the Year was just the reassurance Phillips needed coming into a new job at Bullitt East. “All the positive feedback from it, it helped me realize that at 16, I made the right choice. It was what I was meant to do,” Phillips said.

Not only did Phillips know he wanted to be a teacher from a young age, but he also knew he want to end up in Bullitt County at Bullitt East. “I always had this image of moving from Louisville to Bullitt County. It was something I always kind of wanted to do. I didn’t get to move to Bullitt County, I got to move to Spencer County with my wife. My wife works in Oldham, so kind of middle ground. But the school system I just always from afar, loved. Just from from going to the website and looking around at jobs. But when sports teams would come I really just loved the demeanor of the student athletes when they would come play PRP. When I would come out here I was coaching soccer, I’d come out here playing against Bullitt East, playing against North Bullitt, Bullitt Central, and I just liked being in

Teacher of the Year Stephen Phillips teaching in his freshman math class, “I think I just want to make sure I’m providing such a supportive and good enough education that when they do go to their geometry teachers, algebra two, in their higher level math courses, that I’ve given them a good foundation. Because these teachers here are fantastic. They’re just awesome. I don’t want to be letting them down. As a freshman teacher I take it very personally, not building them up to where they need to be for those classes,” Phillips said.

Teacher of the Year Stephen Phillips who teaches freshman math, “When I first got here I was kind of looking through the halls and I would see Teacher of the Year Livewire on the wall and I would see certain teachers. I saw Mr. Fulgham’s picture on there and I was like, ‘man, that would be one cool thing, if before I leave here, you know before I retire 50 years out, to be able to come close to winning that’. You know I actually had that thought so the fact that it happened to me, it’s super thrilling. I feel honored, I’m humble about it, I feel blessed about it. I’m so glad I came here. Number one, because of the students, I wake up everyday super excited to see them. I don’t really want summer break to start if I’m being honest. But I want you guys to get the summer break. You all worked hard this year. But I can do this. I wish I was Mr. Feeny and I could travel along with this group. But I’m excited for the next group of freshmen to come in,” Phillips said.

The Science Behind Influence by ella olds Persuasion or influence falls under the category of social psychology. Social psychology is defined as “the scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another,” according to dictionary.com. Social psychology is apparent in all aspects of our lives.

ment lines, participants were told to match the original line to one of the three given choices. The participants were asked by themselves which one matched best and most gave the correct answer. But when asked in front of a group, one person started with an incorrect answer to see how others would react. The purpose of this experiment was to see if the participants would give the same answer, even if it was the incorrect one. When in front of the group at least 75% of the subjects gave the wrong answer. This experiment proves conformity, they gave the same answer because they didn’t want to be different. The experiment also proved that peer pressure has an immense effect on how we respond/react to situations when in front of a group.

Communication is a vital part of life and a vital part of social psychology. The act of communication has one of the largest impacts in our life, with most human beings spending most of their day communicating. Though, everything we communicate may not have come from our own ideologies. We take cues from our environment on how to speak, react and think. Think of living in a southern small town, most people speak with a southern accent but take into account somebody who moved in from a northern city, such as Boston. The person who moved into a southern town will adapt their own accent over time and begin to start talking similar to their peers. Because there is such a desire to fit in, the northerner who moved into a small southern town, will begin adjusting to their type of life, in more ways than just the southern accent.

Peer pressure is another aspect of social psychology. Peer pressure is apparent in everyday life for kids, teenagers, and adults. The third wave experiment conducted in 1967 by high school teacher Ron Jones shows peer pressure and ignorance in a bigger picture. Troubled with finding a way to explain how the German people accepted the actions of the Nazis, he created a five-day-long social movement as a way to show the appeal of facism. He began the experiment by writing mottos everyday on the chalkboard and slowly getting stricter with his instruction. On the first day, he wrote “Strength Through Discipline,” the students had assigned seating and he started to lecture about discipline. On the second day, he already had the students saluting him. By the third day the experiment took a life of its own. All the students got identification cards and were instructed to start recruiting other members. The fourth day, Jones announced that

Conformity, the want to fit in and changing yourself to do so, is a big part of influence. Conformity is neither good or bad and can sometimes help a society function better. More people are willing to agree when similar mindsets are present. The Asch experiment performed in a series of studies during the 1950’s pulls ideas from peer pressure and conformity. In the experiment, there was a set line and then three choices of different measure-

Graphic by junior Jenna Tipton. “Sheep” is a representation of our culture’s conformity to ideals and the science behind influence.

this class movement was actually a part of a national movement and that they were to attend a rally for facism the next day. They all did what they were told reluctantly throughout the entire experiment. When all the students attended the rally, they were told this was only an experiment and that they all proved the point. When a leader or authority figure has the power to tell one what is right, what is wrong and what they are meant to be doing; people begin to listen. This experiment appeals more to active peer pressure, where somebody is actively trying to pressure someone into believing or doing something.

himself. He lay in the streets of New York in a pool of his own blood with people stepping over him, just ignoring him for an hour and a half until authorities were eventually notified. Another very similar but more recent example was in 2013, citizens of Houston, Texas were just out doing their shopping for the day, when they had noticed a possible dead, homeless man in their city’s strip mall. He lay there for over a day, until authorities were notified. Nobody stopped for help, some even taking pictures of the deceased man. People lose their sense of respect when it comes to the homeless population and the bystander effect further shows that people won’t come to somebody’s aid if they believe somebody else will. If everybody thinks somebody else is going to be the one to help a victim, who is actually helping?

One of the most influential theories that strongly relates to influence is the bystander effect. The bystander effect came to be named when the Bystander Apathy Experiment was conducted throughout the 1960’s. This experiment took place in separate rooms, one for individual conferences and then one for a group questionnaire. They were asked the same questions both times but you couldn’t see who was asking the questions. In the middle of asking questions, they played a recording which emphasized somebody obviously struggling and the phrase “I’m having a fit… Im gonna die…” Because they could only hear the struggle their response should’ve been to get somebody or try to call/yell for help. In the one on one questionnaires 85% of the participants tried to seek help and in the group only 31% of the participants tried to seek help. This experiment proves that people have a higher chance of asking for help or trying to find help when they are the only one who knows about the situation, and a lower one when an entire group knows about the situation.

To sum all these theories up, there is a psychological phenomenon called “Groupthink.” Groupthink occurs within a group of people that desire for harmony or conformity in the group. Cohesiveness, or the desire for cohesiveness, in a group may encourage its members to agree no matter what. This causes the group to minimize conflict and reach a decision without argument. This is relevant in groups such as political parties or school clubs. You join the one with the views you agree most on or join what you like. “Whether the question is what to do with an empty popcorn box in a movie theater, how fast to drive on a certain stretch of highway, or how to eat the chicken at a dinner party, the actions of those around us will be important in defining the answer”, psychologist Robert Cialdini. Everything you do is influenced by others and our brain is wired like that on purpose. We have the theories above, social psychology and even more theories out there to explain why we are so easily influenced by the world around us.

A real world example of the bystander effect has taken place within the country’s homeless population more than a few times. In 2010, a homeless man noticed a girl in distress, later finding out she was getting robbed. He ran to her with the intention of helping but ended up getting stabbed by the attacker

Homeschooling Affecting Students in a Variety of Ways by keelin davis

There are many vacant seats in classes all around the school. Many homeschooled and Cloud Students are missing out on valuable influence and experiences that students in-person get to be a part of everyday. “I do feel that I am missing out on some things being at home and I do miss my friends sometimes. It’s part of the sacrifice,” Leake said.

Breaking the stigma.

back over to public school,” Meyers said. After attending in-person school for years, it was a drastic switch for Meyers and she felt that it was not for her in the end.

The widespread view of homeschooled children is that they are “weird and standoffish,” but they are just exposed to different influences than others.

Although homeschooling may not be for all, some people need it to be able to get a proper education best suited for their situation. Cloud Academy student and junior Logan Leake said, “I feel like I just work so much better online. I never really did that well in school and this year I have been able to learn so much at my own pace and I enjoy it now,” While many feel that they get more work done in the classroom, others feel the opposite and work better under their own time.

While those who are homeschooled may have different reasons for doing such, they are exposed to similar influences that reflect in their daily lives. With Cloud Academy being an option, many students are closing themselves off to their friends and a more in-depth education. There are many effects that can result from homeschooling that can have lasting impacts. Homeschooling is often viewed as an odd dynamic from those on the outside, looking in. Many students who choose the homeschooling route have social or physical impairments that interfere with their ability to attend a “normal” schooling environment. Others simply thrive in smaller and less exposed environments and learn better by themselves rather than with peers. With being constantly surrounded by only your own thoughts as well as your family’s, there is a lack of variety in opinions and cultural awareness that one can be exposed to in their life. This can lead to a variety of effects all tied back to influence that can change a person’s mindset and thought process.

With the homeschool approach, it raises the problem of the interference with social skills. By missing out on the valuable interactions with peers and teachers, these students are forced to stay in their own bubble and close their shell in a way. This may not be the same for all homeschooled students, but it is a common problem that arises in many. Meyers said, “not experiencing the school environment was bad for me. A big part of why I discovered homeschooling was not right for me was because I was so isolated and I felt really lonely.” This serves as one of the largest disadvantages to homeschooling but in certain situations it may work the opposite.

There are a variety of different types of homeschooling that can be executed by parents and students. They range from state-controlled curriculum taught through tutors or parents or Cloud Academy, offered through the school systems. Senior Madeline Meyers explored the homeschooling world during the beginning of her eighth grade year and had a short experience with it. “Towards the end of seventh grade, I thought that I would work better home-schooled so I did that the first quarter of eighth grade. I realized soon that it was not working out so I switched

The main source behind the cause of this problem is the need for a well-rounded education. Being exposed to others’ thoughts and being able to formulate a proper conversation is an essential part of curriculum in high schools and without that social aspect, these students may lack these skills in the real world. “I do miss all the talks with my friends in class but I don’t think I have lost those skills that I have learned my whole life. I feel like educating myself has made me way better at communicating than anyone would’ve thought,” Leake said. On the other hand, Meyers said, 9

“I think that it is good to expose yourself to different people. When you isolate yourself like that, you’re constantly surrounded by your own thoughts and your own self and when you put yourself around other people, you are exposed to more overall. I feel like it isn’t good to be confined to only your thoughts.” The growing concern of wilting social skills actually has an upside in growing cases of individualism in minority groups.

Another benefit to the homeschooled environment that these students may have, is an advantage which is more hands-on control over what you learn. Personalized learning geared towards interests is something that schools are now trying to focus on more than ever but home-schooled kids have it at their fingertips. Meyers said, “the time that I spent homechooled was actually very similar to when we were all forced to be online. I was basically in control of my own education. It was different in that sense but it was the same general feeling of having more control over my learning.” This is just one of many positive examples that feed into the influence that home-schooled students are exposed to.

The lack of influence that you are exposed to by being at home for a majority of your life has been a leading cause in the greater frequency of expression in the past years. People are able to avoid caring about what others think and are shut off to bad influences and societal norms and are able to be their own person, free of criticism. “I am more of myself than I have ever been, I think. I have been able to focus on myself and get in the gym and it has made me like way happier,” Leake said. With this, lack of influence from peers can result in better mental health and self-positivity.

“You have to know yourself before you make that big of a decision.” Meyers said.

Those who are homeschooled may lack peer judgment but have social media and technology to use for their influence and forms of communication. With the steady growth of Tik Tok and the trends that arise from it, people are being exposed to toxic forms of communication and influencers who preach messages that can be harmful to one’s mental health. Meyers said, “you can still be exposed to other people and a variety of viewpoints over social media. Not necessarily in a schooling sense and for some people who just rely on it as their main source of communication, it can become unhealthy.” Mental health can become a big struggle for anyone at any time but in these homeschooling situations, some can be exposed to it more than others. A large stem of the social media dependence comes from the widespread availability of Cloud Academy in the school systems. Students can switch to strictly online education with much ease and many students try to abuse or take advantage of the opportunity, giving those who choose homeschooling a “bad” look. Leake said, “a lot of my friends kinda look down on me for wanting to be online and they think that I am just lazy for it. I wish it wasn’t that way but it is what you have to expect.” Meyers added, “At first it was understandable to take the Cloud route at the beginning of the year. Now that things are a lot better, I feel that people are just trying to use it and take advantage of it. Some people, I believe, it works better for but some people just do not prefer to go to school. Not because they think it would be better for them, educationally or socially, but they simply don’t wanna go to school.” The views on Cloud Academy students range from positive to negative and have become a new dynamic that may continue but dosen’t have to. There are similarities between actual homeschooling and the Cloud Academy and there are some positives that stem from that. “There is the benefit of being more relaxed and not in this stressful environment for most of the day. School can be stressful with teachers hounding you about assignments and being tired. You don’t always want to sit there and have to do something that early in the morning. Homeschooling is definitely a more relaxed environment… It was good for that,” Meyers said. Introducing a less stressful environment for school is a way to promote a more balanced learning and positive view towards learning.

The decision that parents have to make for their children to be home-schooled in their lives are ones that can be tough and need lots of thought beforehand. The new environment can close their children off to a larger social life and have a smaller range of education if not done correctly. Shutting the brain off from outside influences and experiences is something that can be detrimental to students while they are growing and it can cause social anxiety, depression and more. “You have to know yourself before you make that big of a decision,” Meyers said. Getting used to the isolated environment for too long can also translate to problems later in life. The promotion of at-home work environments can lead to less jobs out in the field and less communication in the workplace. “People are now becoming more oriented towards being isolated. I can see it translating to the workforce in the future and I can see it being a problem. People are starting to see the benefits of that and get too comfortable with being at home,” Meyers said. Although this may not have a large impact in the future, it could cause a shift in job popularity and opportunities. Overall, the homeschooling community is exposed to different sources of influence that shape their everyday lives. Being around their own thoughts and opinions for most of their day is something that can help build individualism and help them gear their education to best fit their interests. This brings a wide range of advantages and disadvantages, as does traditional schooling, and it can shape a person in a variety of ways for their lives. Influence is something that plays a part in every piece of one’s life and schooling is just one way that those influences can be shifted.

Junior Logan Leake goes up for the layup at the Mount Washington basketball park. He chose to attend Cloud Academy for the second half of the year to work on himself and because he believed he would work better on his own. “I can just see myself improving in every way. I don’t think I could have changed so much if I was still in school every single day,” Leake said.

When Parental Influence Extends into Other Components of Life by sierra karner and violet wise Parents have a large amount of control over how their children view the world.

is more considerate of taking medication, while her dad fears that she may become dependent on the medication. Lawson’s father also was hesitant about therapy because she would have to be fully committed and in it for the long haul. Her therapist has a plan to slowly wean Lawson off her medication by six months if everything goes as planned.

Parental validation drastically contributes to this, going as far as affecting the mental health of their child. Wanting to live up to your parents’ expectations to please them has always seemed like second nature for most children, getting all A’s, winning the game for your team, or hiding your mental struggles in order for them to feel like successful parents.

“I take my parents’ advice pretty often because I want to do everything that they say and be the child that they want. What they tell me I do, if I don’t do it I feel like they’re going to think

Whether your parents are biological, adopted or an honorary parental figure. Their influence and opinions tends to leave a lasting mark on your views of the world and yourself. Mental health and the way you view and perceive things changes so easily. Ally Lawson believes that negative events that still affect her today progressed her anxiety and elevated her mental health issues. She lost her grandma, August 2018 and not even a year later she had to put her dog to rest. After losing two who you grew up with almost all of your life, along with losing them both so fast, takes a toll. Lawson has always struggled with anxiety. However, her parents brushed it aside and told her that she was exaggerating. Anxiety causes Lawson to have a hard time making new friends or asking for help from teachers. “Being scared that someone isn’t A parent yells at their child for getting a B on their paper. The parent tells the child that she isn’t good enough and needs to try harder. The words being exchanged make the child feel worse about themselves. going to like me or that somebody is going to think that I am stupid because of the constant worry in my head of what are people thinking about me, all day throughout the school day,” I don’t appreciate what they are saying or that I am rebelling Lawson said. against them,” Lawson said. She was hesitant with taking medication just because her father didn’t approve of it they soon Since being diagnosed, her parents have been there more often decided that it would be best for her, and her parents supported to support and be more considerate. “I think they didn’t want to her decision. realize that their kids have something wrong in their heads and that their parenting could contribute to why,” Lawson said. Lawson is getting better at recognizing the signs when her anxiety is starting to act up. People have begun taking her After being diagnosed by a professional and advised to take seriously when she talks about it rather than brushing it off. therapy, her parents allowed Lawson to begin sessions. Her mom Friendships have been the same but her extended family is all starting to realize the seriousness. “I think that they are in shock with it. Some of the things I’ve told them and they said that it was a lot to take in at one time because they didn’t know that anything was going on,” Lawson said. I have a constant need for perfection and validation, because

of how I was raised. If I get a ‘B’ in any of my classes I view it as failing,” Isenberg said.

She often finds herself anxious and will experience panic attacks because of the additional academic pressure that her parents have put on her. Out of her siblings, Lawson is the ‘smart one’ 11

and is expected to have good grades and be involved in school. “They want me to be able to give an answer off of the top of my head and my anxiety causes me to have a fear of failing my parents, adding that to the pressure of having to get good grades and the pressure I put on myself to be a perfect child for them, to not disappoint them. It led to a decrease in my mental health,” Lawson said.

“At the time, it didn’t seem like too much pressure, however, looking back on it, it was overbearing getting it from both parents,” Price said.

Commentation on things such as mental health is serious in every situation. Especially when someone who has a parental role in your life downplays your current or past experiences. It’s important to seek help and open up to others that would be willing to support you.

have an AP test tomorrow and I feel like I have learned nothing through online school.” Isenberg said. Isenberg is in both AP psychology and will have taken two full JCTC classes by the time her junior year ends, and as previously mentioned, she works four days a week. Which is a daunting task for any high school student. “ I have a constant need for perfection and validation, because of how I was raised. If I get a ‘B’ in any of my classes I view it as failing.” Isenberg said.

Almost every parent wants their child to be successful, and a lot of parents tie good grades to success. This sometimes creates an overbearing sense of pressure that can end up affecting the child’s grades negatively. “My dad grew up with these high expectations and he didn’t meet them, so he puts them on his daughter. He expects me to keep a job, do extracurriculars and

She reflects that while she used to greatly consider everything her parents said, and incorporate it into her performance she disclosed that she doesn’t as much anymore due to the change in education caused by the pandemic. “I definitely don’t take my parents into consideration when it comes to my school anymore because they make it worse. Like I don’t ask what classes I should take or for them to help me with homework anymore, you had to learn how to do online school yourself.” However, the influence from parents on their child’s mental health doesn’t just stem from academics, it can also affect their extracurriculars like in Lyndsey Price’s case: sports. Sophomore Lyndsey Price is currently in dance and plans on picking soccer back up in the fall of the 2021-2022 school year.

Graphic by junior Jenna Tipton. “Do Better” represents parents being unsatisfied with their child’s work ethic.

manage my high GPA all at once.” Junior Peyton Isenberg said. Isenberg already manages a high GPA while still working four days a week. She mentioned that her mother is very understanding compared to her father. While her mother is satisfied with an explanation her father always demands more from her, no matter how much she has already given.

She discloses that the only time her parents appear to put too much pressure on her is competition season. “During practices, they aren’t bad, but competition weeks are the most pressure. -- At the time it didn’t seem like too much pressure, however looking back on it, it was overbearing getting it from both parents.” Price said. Price says that her parents have never forced her to pick up any certain sports, and have let her quit sports she was good at. “However, they do seem to take it very hard and try to convince me to stay in it. It takes a lot to convince them to let me quit but they have let me.” Price said.

Isenberg reflects that under the circumstances that if she has kids when she grows up she wouldn’t ever consider putting the same amount of pressure on them as her dad puts on her. She specifies that out of both her parents her dad is far more strict and contributed more to the sense of pressure she has to succeed far more than her mother does.

Those who have known Lyndsey since before highschool have most likely been in attendance to one of her dances (as she’s performing confidently for Mt. Washington Middle school), “Currently, they do tend to pressure me on stage.” Price said. Referring to previous dance competitions.

The amount of stress pushed onto her regarding her academics greatly affects her mental health. “You have to find a balance, especially with online school. Which was terrible trying to take notes and keep up with honors classes and the ACT this year. I

Of course, not all parents are overbearing when it comes to their 12

child playing sports, “I think they can get disappointed because they do take it very seriously.” Price said, compared to another athlete’s answer. “My parents care about how I play, but they are mainly concerned about what type of person I am and how I treat other people.” Said Lilly Reid

evident in her playing as she became one of the more notable players on both the Mt. Washington Middle school Basketball team and Bullitt East’s own Lady Chargers. “I strive to accomplish everyday. In conclusion, mental health issues come in a wide variety of forms, whether that be anxiety, depression, or some more severe disorders. Parental influences greatly influence these things whether you realize it or not. A comment one of your parental figures has made to you can leave a long lasting effect. That’s why it’s important to find support in other people and not just your parents. As most of them would say they grew up in a different time, they don’t understand things quite as well as they would like to. It’s valuable to have more than one support system.

As a successful varsity basketball player, Reid faces a hefty amount of pressure from herself and her parents. “My parents are both very supportive, I feel like there is an expectation I have for myself that is more pressure than anyone else does,” Reid said. Reid recently made it to state with the rest of her team. “I don’t think my parents have too high expectations for me. They expect a lot from me, but all of their goals are attainable and things I strive to accomplish every day.” Reid said. This refers to not only

Similarly, parents have had different educational experiences than us. I’ve had my grandmother look at my geometry work and talk about how she had done that all in college. Our parents were not raised in a school system with common core, so while it is important to listen to what they have to say about your grades and future e9ducation choices. It’s hard to remember that their experiences were different, and unless they are close to the educational field it’s easier to find yourself more knowledgeable on certain topics.

Collectively our parents have not had to go through schooling due to the pandemic, save for some parental figures that may be in college, chances are they were utterly clueless on what you learned this past year. It’s crucial that when it comes to academics we don’t take everything our parents say to heart. While their advice and commentary on assignments come from a good Xavier Gaubler and John Wood play Coach and player. Xavier gets scolded despite making the goal. “I strive to achieve those goals everyday.” Photo: Violet place. Overall their experiences Wise were different, therefore the rules and wisdom they impart on us should be different than what her position on the basketball team but also her grades. She feels their parents have shared with them. the amount of pressure her parents put on her is manageable and she strives to make them proud. She acknowledges that her Sports are similar but ultimately different. What your parents parents know about her own expectations of herself and support criticize you about should be different. This is due to the fact her in any way they can. that while they may know about the sport of your choice they aren’t on the field with you. They are not making the split The idea that her parents may have forced her to play basketball second decision you think is right, their simply watching it arose, however. “I signed up and went to tryouts by myself, my unfold in the stands, which is significantly more stressful than friends were all doing it and my sister was on the team. So I being on the floor or the bench cheering your team on. was super excited to play” Reid said. Then came the idea of her parents letting her quit, which she has no interest in doing. “My Mental health does not always stem from the pressure a parent parents would let me quit if I asked. My parents are supportive puts on their child. However, it can largely contribute to it. It’s in all my decisions that I make, if I asked they would let me important to acknowledge unrealistic expectations pushed onto without a doubt.” yourself or others by parental figures. It can end up helping others who struggle with this in the future. “I was super excited to play.” Reid said. This soon became

Influencing the Future Generation by Macie Brown There are many different people in our life who we look up to and who influence us. Coaches, teammates, friends, peers, teachers, parents and so much more. These people shape the person we are and the person we grow up to be.

commented. Wilson said that Couch has had a huge impact on the court and in the classroom and he pushes students to do the best they can in all areas. Wilson also said the trip to state brought not only the players closer to each other, but also to the coaches closer to the players. “The experience was unexplainable. It is definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am blessed we got there,” Wilson explained. Wilson said that practicing at Eastern Kentucky University’s faculty and warming up on Rupp Arena’s floor was the best part because the players were able to get an experience that is so close to what it would be like for them in college.

Sam Wilson, a freshman, plays varsity on the basketball team. He not only looks up to his coaches as leaders, but also to his older teammates. “I look up to the guys on the team because they have been doing this for such a long time, it’s really amazing to share this experience with them and grow to learn more about Bullitt East culture,” Wilson explained. Wilson said the fact that his older teammates welcomed him with open arms and had such a passion for the game really made him have a deep respect for them and look up to them.

Lilly Reid, a sophomore, also plays basketball. The team and coaches have been a huge part in her highschool experience and influenced her life in major ways.

Someone that Wilson has become really close with on the team is Camron Brogan. “Since me and him run the point guard position together, we became very close and he has been my mentor throughout the season teaching me what to do,” Wilson said. Another person Wilson said specifically makes a positive influence on him is Caydan Snyder. “Someone who always pushes the team and is always positive is Cayden Snyder. No matter what, win or lose, he is always energetic and has such a positive spirit,” Wilson said. Wilson explained that Snyder’s positive outlook often helps them win games or keep going after not performing the way they think they should.

The girls on the basketball team have played with one another for so long and that has allowed them to get really close with each other. Reid has been playing with a lot of the same girls since she joined the team in eighth grade.“I don’t really look up to the girls on the team because we are all equals,” Reid commented. The girls on the basketball team view each other as a family. Reid said that the players all push each other to get out of their comfort zones and help each other learn what they need to do to be successful both as individuals and as a team. Reid also said that playing basketball has strengthened and created so many of her relationships with people. “I have gotten closer with my sister, Emma Egan, and Selena Grenado,” Reid said. Reid said her favorite thing about the season was that she

Both the head coach and assistant play a big role in preparing the players and organizing the team. “Coach Couch is an amazing guy who cares deeply for all of his players,” Wilson

Sam Wilson passes the ball to his teammate while playing a season game at Desales. He was the only freshman who spent time playing for the Varsity team. “It is really amazing to share this experience with the older guys on the team and I look up to them a lot,” Wilson said. Photo: Mia Maguire

Lilly Reid dribbles the ball up the court to the goal during the regional final game at Valley High School against Butler. Reid has been playing on the Varsity team since she was a freshman. “The girls on the team are so close we are like a family. None of us really look up to each other because we are all so close and work together,” Reid said. Photo:

got so much closer with her sister since they played together. She said discussing things in practice and planning different plays has helped them work well together. Reid said Egan is another player that she has grown close to because of her positive attitude. Egan is always pushing other players to do their best and give it their all, but she understands everyone is going to have bad and good days.

Another thing Stallings thinks is important is making sure the girls work together as a team. “We share in everything we do. In all of our successes and all of our failures,” Stalling said. He said that him, the girls and the assistant coaches all take responsibility for what happens in games and work to get better. Blaming one another will not bring them closer together or build them forward as a team. Stalling also gives every girl a chance to be a team captain and have a leadership role with the team. “I pick two or three different captains for each game. It all comes back to that shared responsibility,” Stallings commented. He said this keeps from a couple of girls always telling the team what to do and instead they are all taking turns leading and helping one another which creates more of a tem aspect.

Reid is very close to her coaches and so are the rest of the players. “The coaches love us like their own children. They are more than just a coach and are involved in our lives in countless ways,” Reid explained. Reid said the coaches take time to know them outside of basketball and really care about how the players are feeling. She said there is so much trust between the coaches and players that helps bring them closer and depend on each other, which is what makes them work so well together.

One thing Reid and Stallings agree on is that the trip to state really brought the team closer. “I had a different feeling coming home from Lexington that I did the year before. We had a team that could really win it,” Stallings said. He said getting to go to Rupp Arena again was an amazing experience that always brings the players closer, but that he thinks it was an eye opener for the girls and made them have confidence that if they go next time, they can win.

Chris Stallings, the head coach of the girls basketball team at Bullitt East, has been coaching at the school since 1986. Stalling says that he has not only had an influence on the girls he coaches, but that they also have an influence on him. “I have probably become more understanding,” Stallings commented. He said that when he first started coaching, it was more about how many wins and losses the team had, whereas now, he takes what these girls go through outside of basketball into consideration. Stallings said overtime he has come to realize that a lot of the players he coaches have bad days with family and friends that can affect their mood at practice that he may not know about, and he tries to always remember that when someone may be struggling.

Ultimately, the most important thing to Stallings is the relationships with the girls. “The best thing for me is getting to build those relationships with the girls in highschool that I can carry on,” Stallings said. He said he always checks up on his players after high school and loves when he gets invited to important events in their lives like weddings. Stalling said this is part of how he has changed over his years of coaching. He went from being only about results, to now realizing that good results are what they want, but not everything. The relationships they can carry on throughout their lives are more important.

One way Stallings tries to keep it fun for the girls and at the same time bring them together is by doing things out in the community or going on fun trips. “We do little things like carving pumpkins and donating them to one of the businesses. We have gone snowboarding and have taken trips to watch games at Rupp Arena,” Stallings explained. Stallings said he thinks that there can be pressure put on these girls because of the record the school’s basketball team has and he likes to do things to make sure it stays fun for them too, whether it is a trip somewhere or just playing games in practice.

The adults in our lives can influence us in drastic ways and shape the person we become, but the younger kids can have just as much of an effect on the older people they look up to. No matter your age, you can always be influenced positively by the people around you.

Under Pressure by dane bunel As you continue to follow the crowd, you might find yourself lost in it. To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment. The ugly reality is that peer pressure reaches its greatest intensity at just the age when kids tend to be most insensitive and cruel. When discussing the effects of peer pressure and substance abuse, a lot of people wonder, how strong is the link? In many cases, children and teens feel an intense pressure to fit in. They will behave and make decisions based on what they think their peers want them to do. If your child thinks that taking drugs or drinking alcohol will raise the respect their peers have for them, there’s a good chance he or she will try it at least once. Peers can influence their friends in supportive or destructive ways when it comes to drug use. In various circumstances, social pressure can be applied that may prevent people from using certain types of drugs, persuade them to not use any drugs at all, or encourage them to misuse all kinds of drugs. Graphic by Dane Bunel, “All Eyes On Me” is a representation of the chapter in every teens life that is overwhelmed by peer pressure, lack of self confidence and social anxiety.

Bullitt East Senior Caleb Mayes had a little first hand experience to those affected around him, sometimes it even being himself.

A review of addictioncenter.com shows that peers have a greater influence on adolescent substance abuse than parents do. Peers can encourage friends to use drugs and alcohol or tease them for being afraid to try them, which can lead to the initiation of drinking and drug use.

“When you’re growing up, the thing that seems normal to you is to try and relate to your buddies as much as possible. It took me all the way up until present day to figure that out.” said Mayes. “Growing up in Mt. Washington, the small town stigma gets to you, even at a young age. There’s no higher ups to be inspired by, everyone is kind of on the same pedestal. Which I think is why kids are so easily peer pressured into smoking and drinking. It’s what they see, therefore being in a small town, they feel it’s the only thing they can do.” said Mayes.

Alcohol use is more acceptable and popular than illicit drug use, even if it’s underage. Illicit drugs are more heavily linked to illegal activity and consequences coming from outside the social group. The perception of consequences can interrupt peer pressure’s ability to push someone into an extreme activity, which could reduce the chance that people give into pressure to try more extreme drugs. Certain kinds of peer pressure not only lead to hazardous short-term behavior, but they can plant the seeds for long lasting, detrimental habits.

Peer pressure can influence teens’ choices about a lot of things. Addiction center research shows that, when making a decision, teens think about both the risks and rewards of their actions and behaviors--but, unlike adults, teens are more likely to ignore the risk in favor of the reward. But the question still lies, what are the best ways for coming up with a solution?

Teens who see their peers leading joyful, healthy lives while making good choices are more motivated to do the same thing. While peer pressure and drugs in teens can lead to negative outcomes, peer pressure is also a powerful tool to be used during recovery. You don’t have to take part in drug activities to show your worth when your worth as a human being hasn’t even been molded yet.

In a current day atmosphere where there’s a lot of comparing and contrasting, us as human beings sometimes forget to pay attention to how we feel. If something in your gut seems off, there’s a good chance that your feelings of discomfort are correct and not just myths. At the end of the day, it’s your own authentic life that comes before anyone else, and whether you decide to fall under peer pressure or not, understand your own values as a person.

There is no problem with making excuses for yourself. A white lie in this sense would be necessary, especially if your health and future depends on it. If you, or someone you know, is experiencing pressure from their social group to try drugs and are finding it difficult to say no then it is better to seek help in the early stages. Remember, addiction always begins with the first use, so prevent the first use from taking place.

The effects of peer pressure can be beneficial or negative. The most common entity for negative peer pressure is the entity of drinking and smoking.

The Pressure’s On Hare believes peer pressure, “starts with just a natural influence of other people, but I think there’s a level from the outsiders, to try to persuade that person to do something, that they might not be comfortable with.” “I think for high school, probably the most common (forms of peer pressure) would be breaking rules, doing drugs, having sex, cheating on tests; things that you know you shouldn’t do, but you want to find a shortcut, or you want somebody to do your dirty work for you, and so that’s kind of what you’re trying to achieve.” There are many different things that can cause students to want to peer pressure other students.

by brodie curtsinger Not only negative. When people hear peer pressure, it is typically viewed as something negative, but it can also be positive, in some cases. Peer pressure seems to be common, when it comes to a certain age group. Health Teacher Dona Hare teaches about peer pressure to her students. Peer pressure can be both positive, and negative, depending on the situation.

Hare believes that people’s wants to not want to be alone are what pushes other students to want to peer pressure each other. “I think it’s because nobody wants to do things alone, because of risk, or because of getting in trouble, or because of insecurity. They just don’t want to do things alone. They want comfort from others,” Hare said, “I think if you look at society, there’s definitely ways where people can encourage, and influence others, to do positive things, because it seems like that’s the ‘norm,’ or that’s what everyone else is doing. I don’t think that’s as common though, as negative peer pressure” Hare does believe that there is such a thing as positive peer.

Peer pressure seems to be something not too uncommon, especially with teenagers, with it peaking at around age 15, and declining after such. According to Temple University Psychology Professor Laurence Steinberg, “Teens get better at setting boundaries with peers by age 18.” In other words, as a teenager, you are more likely to be affected by peer pressure, although, when you become an adult, it is less likely to actually affect you. There are many different kinds of peer pressure, and those different kinds include spoken, unspoken, direct, indirect, negative, and positive.

Hare believes that it is common for students to come to her, if something had happened to them, involving peer pressure. “I think so (that students come to her commonly about things involving peer pressure). The nature of my class, we do talk about a lot of real world things, and so it’s just kind of natural to apply those to our class content. Plus, I’m a pretty open and honest person myself, so, I think so,” Hare said, “I think I would address the influencer, myself, because there’s always two sides to

According to cvdapc.org, negative peer pressure is when an, “individual can easily adopt dangerous habits.” According to parents.au.reachout.com, positive peer pressure is “when someone’s peers influence them to do something positive or growth building.”

Someone being peer pressured into smoking, while other people are choosing not to be peer pressured into smoking. Peer pressure, according to Oxford Languages, “influence from members of owne’s peer group.” “It starts with just probably the most common (forms of peer pressure) would be breaking rules, doing drugs, having sex, cheating on tests; things that you know you shouldn’t do, but you want to find a shortcut, or you want somebody to do your dirt

a story. I think with young people, sometimes their perspective is maybe different from others, and so maybe an easy conversation of, ‘Why this isn’t a good thing? What are you trying to achieve by this?’ could fix the situation.”

Junior Peyton Isenberg was peer pressured into disliking her manager. “My coworkers tried to pressure me into disliking a manager, based off their assumptions,” Isenberg said, “No (she no longer believes that her manager is a ‘bad guy’), because I’ve learned my manager is a really nice guy, and we get along great.” Isenberg does not continue to still believe this, but it did take her two weeks to stop believing that her manager was a bad person.

The difference between influence and peer pressure, according to Hare, is how people allow themselves to be influenced, but not so much with peer pressure. “I think influence is how a person allows themselves to take other people’s thoughts, and ideas, into consideration. Like, I might be influenced by a friend or family member, to be more healthy, because they’re making that choice, and they’re working really hard at it. So, I’m encouraged to get on that bandwagon. But peer pressure, I think, is more negative and I think it’s more of them trying to persuade you, more than just offering information or offering an example; they’re trying to persuade you,” Hare said.

Isenberg felt pretty guilty, as she was being pressured into that thing by her peers. “It made me feel guilty, because at first I was going along with it (not liking him),” Isenberg said, “I wouldn’t consider them anything, to me now. They were just people I worked with, and left it at that.” Isenberg would just consider the people that actually pressured her into that thing, as just co-employees.

Hare has a few tips on how to prevent peer pressure. “You have to be, first of all, confident in speaking to other people. You have to give a rationale. A lot of times, that’s why that’s not for you, that’s not something you agree with or that’s not something that you choose to partake in; and you have to communicate assertively, so that your friends or people around you aren’t going to try to keep pushing, and keep persuading,” Hare said, “I think it’s a really good topic, because I think sometimes, we even peer pressure ourselves with our judgment and we look at people around us and what they’re doing or maybe what we think they’re doing. Then, we internalize it and sometimes, that’s not accurate; especially social media, people portray this pretty picture of themselves in their lives and a lot of times it’s not true. Then, you have other people who see that like, ’Oh, well, I should look like that,’ or, ‘I should be like that,’ and you’re kind of peer pressuring yourself with false information, and I think we have to be really cautious of that, especially in high school.” Hare believes that social media plays a big role in peer pressure.

Isenberg does feel as if that experience did make her stronger, in following their own beliefs. “I realize now, only my beliefs is what I should believe,” Isenberg said, “Being influenced is just copying the behavior of someone else. Peer pressure is being pressured by many people to do something that isn’t part of your character.” Isenberg feels that there is a difference between influence, and peer pressure. Isenberg does believe that positive peer pressure is a real thing. “Yes. Positive peer pressure can occur when friends convince you to not try things, such as drugs or drinking,” Isenberg said, “I’ve been peer pressured in the past, but nothing severe, like this.” Isenberg does feel as if she has been peer pressured before this incident. Senior Ian Anderson was peer pressured into him losing weight. “I was bullied a lot my sophomore year (about his weight). So,

t a natural influence of other people, but I think there’s a level from the outsiders, to try to persuade that person to do something, that they might not be comfortable with,” Health Teacher Dona Hare said, “I think for high school, ty work for you, and so that’s kind of what you’re trying to achieve.” Photo: Brodie Curtsinger

I decided to put the fork down, and lose 30 pounds,” Anderson said, “I currently still watch what I eat. I will never go back to the old me; I’m much happier and healthier now.” Anderson continues to still do this positive action, to this day.

someone to do something they don’t want. However, people can benefit from negative peer pressure, if they learn to say no, and gain confidence from doing so. Following your own morals and ideas, is empowering,” Anderson said, “I have been negatively peer pressured on numerous occasions. One of the first, that comes to mind, is people asking me to hit their vape. Although I didn’t give into this pressure, it’s extremely negative, and an issue with adolescents in today’s society.” Anderson does feel as if he has been negatively peer pressured before.

Anderson felt kind of apathetic, as he was being pressured into that thing by his peers. “Honestly, during these circumstances, where I’ve been negatively peer pressured; I stayed pretty apathetic the entire time. I’m secure, and have my own morals that I don’t go against,” Anderson said,

Anderson does feel as if that experience did, in fact, make him stronger, in following their own beliefs. “You are absolutely stronger staying true to yourself. If you let a high school ‘nic-addict’ b**** you around, you’ve got some soul-searching to do,” Anderson said, “I’d say that a person who is peer pressuring you, is up front, and more direct; whereas someone who influences you, tries more to persuade, instead of forcing an idea or activity, on you.” Anderson feels that the difference between influence and peer pressure is the amount of how direct that person is.

“I’ve got a really good friend group. So, the majority of the time, it’s been just flat-out peers.” Anderson considers the people that pressured him into this, as just flat-out peers, at the time. Anderson sees negative peer pressure as a very wrong thing. “I think negative peer pressure is wrong, but can have some benefits. It’s obviously wrong in the sense of, someone’s pressuring

January 2019

April 2021

Two-years-old photo of senior Ian Anderson, when he was overweight. Anderson had been peer pressured into losing weight, which he sees as a positive experience for him. “You are absolutely stronger staying true to yourself. If you let a high school ‘nic-addict’ b**** you around, you’ve got some soul-searching to do,” Anderson said. Photo: Ian Anderson

Current photo of senior Ian Anderson, showing how much weight he has lost. Anderson has been on quite the journey, between these two photos, with him losing around 30 pounds. “I was bullied a lot my sophomore year (about his weight). So, I decided to put the fork down, and lose 30 pounds,” Anderson said, “I currently still watch what I eat. I will never go back to the old-me; I’m much happier and healthier now.” Photo: Ian Anderson

Shoes for Days by demani butler

Good shoes will take you to great places Keeping up with the new shoe trends can be hectic, but shoe influences such as your peers, celebrities, mentors, or family members can make it easier to keep up. As you look around in your school, in a store or just outside, you’re likely to see someone with a pair of shoes that you have too. In a recent poll out of 200 people, 74% say that on a daily basis, they spot someone with the same shoes as them or the same shoes as people around them.

Shoes vs the music industry

Shoes vs School

The main reason for this is because everyone shares influences whether they realize it or not. “Celebrities have influences on shoes because you see a lot of them wear certain shoes creating a trend effect that causes people to want to wear them,” sophomore Carson Herron said. When you look at your favorite singer, rapper, or musician you get inspired by them, you notice everything they do. “It’s hard to be different when everyone looks up to similar people. I like to be different and not like others to influence them to take interest in the shoes that I wear,” freshman Jaden Smith said.

You are likely to hear someone say “that’s so basic” or “everyone wears those” on an average school day. That’s because almost everyone bases their style on one another. “My shoe style comes from college and the people I hung around,” teacher Abigail Phillips said. Your peers really do play a part in who you are. “I look around and look at what shoes people are wearing based on their outfits. In schools like ours people dress the same and act the same, which says everyone has a taste in shoes based on who they are around or consider an influence,” senior Mandy Brainer said.

Shoes vs Sports

Positive influence of shoes Your peers really do play a part in who you are. “I look around and look at what shoes people are wearing based on their outfits. In schools like ours people dress the same and act the same, which says everyone has a taste in shoes based on who they are around or consider an influence,” senior Mandy Brainer said. Shoes are everywhere, influences are everywhere, students, teachers, celebrities, sport players, and many more. Look around and count how many similar shoes you see and try and guess what the influence of the shoe is.

Within sports, you see great players doing big things and you notice their style. Lebron James wins a championship wearing his own brand of shoes influences middle school, high school, and college basketball players to buy them and play basketball in them. “Seeing someone I consider my influence, such as Tyler the Creator, wearing a specific shoe is important to tell whether I will take interest in a shoe,” sophomore Jackson Silliman said. “My favorite shoes out right now are air max 95’s because I saw celebrity Jack Harlow wear them making me want to purchase them,” Silliman said. Music videos and commercials of people you know, force you to look at them and what they’re style looks like at that moment. “Shoes become basic when friends get influenced by each other. They take interest in one’s style and buy them, producing a shoe effect,” sophomore Asher Sadler said.

Giving Up on Social Media We don’t always realize how much social media is affecting us and when we do it can sometimes be alarming to see how much it has. “The big thing that led me to delete social media was the concerning screen time getting higher and higher every hour. I realized that I was procrastinating things I wanted to do because I had other forms of entertainment on a screen that required less effort,” Price, a student who has taken part in a challenge to delete all social media apps like Instagram and Snapchat for six months, said. When she had social media, she began to realize that she was staying up later and focusing less and less on school work that needed to be done. Once she realized how bad this was for her mentally, she ended up deciding to give up social media to try to fix these bad habits.

by natalie mcgarry Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, oh my! Social media apps have taken over our lives and we don’t always realize the influence that it has on us. Social media is something that we’re so used to that we don’t even realize how toxic it can be to our thoughts. We also don’t always realize how bad it can be on our mental health because of everything we see on these apps. Once we realize how bad these apps can be for us, sometimes it’s good for us to take the next step in trying to fix these problems by limiting ourselves, such as sophomore Lyndsey Price did.

Giving up social media seems almost impossible sometimes because we are so used to getting on it without even thinking about what it’s doing to us. Sometimes we’re addicted to it where we can’t think of going even an hour without checking our Snapchat or others will use it as a distraction from other problems people are having in their life now, but for others the best thing is to try to give this up. “You don’t have to be in a perfect place mentally to delete your social media, I wasn’t, just somewhere where you will use the time to do good helpful activities that help you rather than self harm or such,” Price said.

Social media is something we usually see in our daily lives either by someone checking their Instagram for how many likes they have on their latest post or sending a Snapchat back to someone. We see it so much that, sometimes, we don’t even realize what kind of influence it is having on us until it’s too late and then we’re addicted to it. “I got handed too much freetime with it and I was scrolling for hours with that freetime without even realizing what I was doing,” sophoThere has been a small rise in the idea of deleting social media. Most people couldn’t last long but sophomore Lily Newton has more Lily Newton lasted for a few months and is still going. “I’ve learned to live more said. Newton is in the moment and in my life, rather than looking at someone on a screen for hours,” Newton said. someone who used to be very active on social media but is now trying to fix that problem. Many people can relate to this, feeling like they wasted time on their phone when they could have used their time for something more productive. Scrolling through social media can make hours feel like minutes but that’s not the only way social media can affect us.

Realizing the bad habits that social media has created in your life and trying to fix those by either using it less or deleting it all together is a big step. “I’m not saying that deleting social media will solve all of your problems because it won’t. It just allows you to do other activities to help get yourself through whatever else you’re struggling with, but it won’t solve all of your problems because it wasn’t the cause of all your problems,” Price said. Even if you delete social media, you’re still going to be influenced by other things like the people around you, both negatively and positively, but this can be the first step in helping fix your mental health or even accomplishing your goals.

Mental health is something that we always need to take care of but it’s hard when you’re constantly seeing unrealistic and perfect lives being posted on Instagram. “I used to compare myself to other girls or boys I saw on Instagram and just really wasn’t secure in myself because of it,” Newton said. The things people post can either be edited or have a filter to look “perfect” and make your life seem boring and even disappointing. It can affect how you look at your friends, your body, your actions and even your life. Social media can become addicting to be on which makes you procrastinate and focus on less important things while you might need to get something else done.

As people delete social media, it’s easier to get off your phone and for your screen time to go down. Lyndsey Price, someone who deleted social media after she had some friends do the same, had her screen time go down immensely. “The big thing that led me to delete social media was the concerning screen time getting higher and higher every hour,” Price said.

No Body is Perfect

(From left to right) Melanie Martinez, Lizzo and Billie Eilish stand in a line, holding the “Stop Body Shaming” pins. These 3 celebrities are a big part of the body positivity movement. Through songs, statements and social media posts, these 3 have spread positivity to their audiences.

by kyleigh reeves The perception of perfection isn’t always what it seems.

Whether you are underweight, average, or overweight, there will always be someone who wants to comment on how you look. However, many people try to uplift others with positivity but sometimes it goes too far. “Body positivity has definitely become a trend.. I’m glad it’s getting attention, but it’s getting attention for the wrong reasons,” junior Tara Davis said. However, Davis feels that this movement should be to encourage yourself and others, not because it’s popular.

There will always be ups and downs when it comes to how we see our bodies. Everyone is expected to be perfect in someone’s eyes, but perfection is something that is impossible to achieve. Anyone of any size can struggle with their body image, but not many people tend to realize that. Our bodies are something that we should be grateful for. “It fights for you everyday.. just give grace to that,” said personal trainer Keileigh Sweeney. As a personal trainer at the Blairwood Tennis, Swim & Fitness Club, Sweeney has seen many of her clients come in who aren’t confident in themselves. She sees how some personal trainers around her treat their clients and wants to change that for hers’. “Some of these older personal trainers will use words such as ‘fat’ or some things like that, and I feel like that is not socially acceptable anymore to be calling anybody fat at all.. I think it can be harmful because then it is demotivating,” Sweeney said.

Passive aggressive comments can lead to discouragement in one’s body. “(I hope to see) people making less passive aggressive comments like ‘I love that you’re promoting being plus sized and wearing that,” junior Shelby Hatter said. The choice of words being used can bring someone down on how they see themself. “Body positivity is great because people feel more comfortable with themselves.. but skinnier girls get more praise, which makes others feel worse about themselves,” Davis said. Some believe 25

that plus sized people should be the ones to promote body positivity more than those who have an “average” weight, but this movement is for everyone of any shape or size. “Promoting happiness and loving others is never overused in my opinion,” Hatter said.

form of body dysmorphia; including celebrities. However, not many people realize that what they say about those with a higher popularity can still affect them. Lizzo, for example, is a well-known celebrity who is vegan and works out almost everyday. But, because of her body, she is shamed. She is a huge part of the body positivity movement and makes sure that others know they are beautiful no matter their shape or size. “I think that she (Lizzo) is the embodiment of body positivity,” Sweeney said.

The negative comments of “I guess I won’t eat today” after seeing what someone posted, can also affect the poster whether you’re aware of it or not. “People are always making compliments that also project their insecurities onto others,” Davis said. This form of body shaming is something that can make someone feel worse about themselves, even if it wasn’t meant to be harmful. “It can make the person who made the original post feel like they are promoting bad health or are too skinny,” Hatter said.

“Every single body is different and how it functions is different.. Bodies are not all designed to be slim with a six pack,” Lizzo said on her tiktok. With that being said, Billie Eilish has been told that the clothes she wears are not “flattering” for her and that she hides her body too much. In her lyrics of “Not My Responsibility,” Eilish mentions that she sees their disapproval and the judgement. “Though you’ve never seen my body, you still judge it,” Eilish said.

Everyone, especially women, are constantly being picked apart for their bodies. The perception of perfection is something that is unrealistic in achieving. Social media is something where photoshop is a huge use in influencers, which can give their followers a wrong idea of what their body should look like. “I think people are harder on themselves based on people online when the people online don’t even look like themselves in real life,” Sweeney said. “Body shaming is like a huge domino effect,” Davis said. The beauty standards of everyone can cause multiple people to feel negative about themselves.

By belittling others with words about their appearance and flaws, the standards of beauty become too high for people to handle. “There’s some comments that people might say that they probably don’t mean for it to be body shaming, but most of the time people know they’re doing it and they mean it,” Davis said. The societal standards that people want to see aren’t something that should be normalized. Body positivity is for everyone of every size. Society’s standards on how someone looks are something that we shouldn’t view as normal. “I think we’re on the right track to everyone accepting different body types being a normal thing,” Davis said.

A pin stating “Stop Body Shaming”. The store Hot Topic sold these pins, promoting body positivity to their customers. This pin is shown throughout many of the graphics of this article.

Your body type doesn’t determine your health. “You can be 110% healthy and be at a higher body fat percentage and that’s completely normal. It is completely normal to have stretch marks. It is completely normal to just have what society thinks as imperfections,” Sweeney said. Health looks different on everyone.

“(I believe people body shame) because of their own insecurities or because of the societal standards they believe should be enforced,” Hatter said. Hatter believes that instead of discouraging people based on their appearance and weight, the judgement you hold can be kept to yourself. Bringing people down doesn’t make anything better.

Health isn’t only physical. Mental health is something that can be affected harshly through body shaming. Social media is a popular place for people to be picked on or praised for how they look. “Anyone could post a picture of themselves and get comments hyping them up and comments bringing them down.. It’s really hard on someone’s mental health and you have to be mentally strong to be able to handle it,” Davis said.

The body positivity movement refers to the claim that all people deserve to have a positive body image, regardless of what society thinks. This movement is all about building confidence, accepting, and loving yourself and your own body. Everyone has their own flaws and insecurities, and that is perfectly normal. Whether it’s over stretch marks, loose skin, weight, or anything else, in the words of Lizzo, “Your body is YOUR body,” treat it with care.

Someone’s health is determined by whether or not your body can take care of you. “Being healthy means being able to do the things you love in a body that you love as well,” Sweeney said. She believes that doing what makes you feel good is what makes you a healthy person. These days, it seems like almost everyone struggles with some

Trust: The First Step to Influencing by mia maguire

Pictured: Second Lieutenant Paige Young along with her fellow soliders in Iraq. Date

In the military, trust is important for every aspect of being successful. It is just the first step of influencing others, making it possible to motivate groups of people and in the military, complete missions. Between the men and women of the military, trust and respect for one another is something they build from the ground up. As a female in any branch, gaining respect is a concept that has to be worked towards.

Young grew up in an Army home and wanted to serve her country her entire life following in her father’s footsteps. During highschool she was a part of JROTC along with other female students. “He [her father] encouraged me as long as I was an officer and went to school first,” said Young. Because of these factors she grew confidence in her capabilities.

Trust: Defined by the Webster deployed in Iraq, she “She told me to walk around with a knife in my boot, While Dictionary as an assured reliwas an officer. “I was 21 and in not because of the people we were fighting, but ance on the character, ability, charge of 60 dudes, overseas, strength or truth of someone because of the men that I was working with and it making their training plans, or something. It is something making sure they were safe, blew my mind,” said Young. that makes up every part of our like everything I was in charge lives, makes it possible to build of. It was a rude awakening.” bonds, relationships and have But being outnumbered by confidence in yourself. In the men did not seem to have military, trust is something that could mean life or death. much of an effect on Young. “I think it made me a lot more confident. Just having that comradery, it’s crazy … I do not know According to Page Young, Captain in the US Army National what I would do without that part of my life, it has really shaped Guard, “It is the most crucial part of the military.” Young went who I am,” said Young. to the University of Louisville where she got her ROTC scholarship. She went straight from college to her first deployment in With Young being around so many men, it was easy for her to Iraq in 2011 and has been serving in the military since. “If you pick out women she looked up to. Some words of advice she redon’t have trust and you don’t trust the people in charge of you, ceived from a female captain made her realize she was a little unthe people below you, it’s toxic. It can change everything. . . And prepared for her deployment. “I am like ‘Oh my God, she is so it’s quick, it can happen very quickly, like one lie, one embellishcool, I want to be like her’ and the one thing that she told me… ment, one training disaster, any misuse of trust or fraternization is when you are over there you have to watch your back from or anything like that can impact the unit like crazy. It can make these men. And I’m like, ‘What are you talking about’ because I stuff, just like, stop,” said Young. still had this like ‘Ah, I love this’ ... I don’t want to say in denial 27

Young never had personal experiences with this issue and felt that the men that she worked with trusted her, and she could reciprocate that trust in return. “I think that trust was built over time. Like when I got to the new unit I was twenty one years old. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. It’s really trial by fire. Learn because you’ve got really good guys that have been in your unit for a long time and have been doing it for a long time. They see you up there and they realize that she really wants to figure this out, she wants to learn, and they help you, and they coach you, and they teach you, and they see as long as she gives a crap they are going to break their backs for you. So it really took guys that have been on for twenty years, showing me the ropes, showing me how to do things the right way and not having an ego. That’s probably the biggest thing that made people trust me more than anything else. I didn’t come into it like ‘I know everything’, ‘I’m only ten and I’m in charge of you,’ no, I was super humble. I told them straight up I have no idea what I’m doing, but I want to learn. I know how to do an operations order, I know how to make training plans, but that’s about it. Help me to make you guys better and I think that helped out tremendously with trust. They realized I wasn’t some jerk just coming in and telling them what to do. So that helped out a lot. It’s important to not be egotistical and just have some humility,” said Young.

Pictured: Newly Commissioned Second Lieutenant Paige Young, graduating from the University of Louisville, date.

but I was not prepared. But the way sexual assult, rape, all that stuff was so prevalent especially on deployment, she really kind of like made me hold on to some of the trust that I was really freely giving all of these men because I was just like we are all on the same team, I trust everybody emphatically, and she’s like no, don’t put your trust out there too quickly because sexual assult and rape in the military is huge. She told me to walk around with a knife in my boot, not because of the people we were fighting, but because of the men that I was working with and it blew my mind,” said Young.

The experiences that Young has had has changed her life for the better and encourages everyone who is considering the military to join. “There was a girl who was a specialist in my unit and she would look up to me and say, ‘I think I wanna be an officer’ and I always really encourage people to be officers just because of the respect factor, especially as a female. Now, I look at things the way my dad told me just because I’ve never really been enlisted. I didn’t live that kind of life, but knowing it’s good stress. It’s good stress to be in charge of people and just being a leader, it’s such an honor. It’s given me ten of the best years of my life. I love it. I wouldn’t change it for anything and I encourage everybody to do it, it’s awesome,” said Young.

According to the Battered Women’s Justice Project, “Nearly 25% of women veterans who seek health care services from the Department of Veterans Affairs report experiencing at least one sexual assault while in the military compared to slightly more than one percent of male veterans. Women who enter the military at younger ages, those of enlisted rank, and those who experienced sexual assault prior to entering the military, appear to be at increased risk of sexual assault while in the military.”

Pictured: Second Lieutenant Paige Young and her fellow soliders in Iraq,

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Livewire is a 32 page newsmagazine and accompanying website that is updated daily. All content is generated by student journalists at Bullitt East High School in Mount Washington, Kentucky. The Livewire operates as an open forum following the guidelines laid out by the Student Press Law Center which our staff presented to the Bullitt County Board of Education. The staff appreciates your patronage and, as a public forum, encourages any feedback or submissions you care to offer. Letters to the editor must be typed and submitted via email, to Mr. Steinmetz’s mailbox or directly to room 606 within one week of the publication to which you are responding. Letters will not be censored, but must be deemed appropriate according to staff policies to be published. In order to be eligible to appear in the magazine, all letters must be signed and verifiable. Names may be withheld upon request, but must be submitted with the original letter. The Livewire is printed by aPrintis Printing Company. Its website is hosted by Student Newspapers Online. Bullitt East High School 11450 Highway 44 East, Mount Washington, Kentucky, 40047 (502) 869-6400 30

Livewire Vol. 12 Issue 3 May 2021

Articles inside

Trust: The First Step to Influencing

No Body is Perfect

Giving Up On Social Media

Shoes for Days

The Pressure's On

Under Pressure

Influencing The Future Generation

When Parental Influence Extends Into Other Components of Life

Homeschooling Affecting Students in a Variety of Ways

The Science Behind Influence

Teacher of the Year

Staff Members Saying 'Goodbye' To Long Careers

Staff Editorial