Inside
THE PRINTS
SYLVANIA FALL FESTIVAL
WHEN TO QUIT TRICK-OR-TREATING
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT: DAVIDSON BAKER
The Wizard of Oz cast premiered at Sylvania’s Fall festival October 16, along with other Northview organizations.
What age should teenagers ditch the costumes and candy?
The next hit artist could be walking the halls at Northview, waiting to be discovered.
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THE STUDENT PRINTS Sylvania Northview High School
5403 Silica Drive Sylvania, Ohio 43560
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Volume 86, Issue 2
Teachers protest Issue 2
Stand Up for Sylvania group rallies against SB 5 Jennifer Deng
October 25, 2011
A‘mol’ther way to learn about chem Amanda Binz
Co-Editor-in-Chief
Staff Writer
Chemistry teacher Andy Roth is typically content residing peacefully within the haven of his science classroom. However, last Thursday, Mr. Roth, accompanied by several other Northview and Maplewood teachers and supporters, trekked to the corner of The Hill where Silica and Monroe Street meet. For two hours after school, dozens of teachers congregated in groups around Sylvania - totaling five groups at five separate intersections - to protest Issue 2. “[The protest was] supposed to be a rather solemn, dignified protest against Issue 2 by the professional teachers, firefighters and police, municipal employees - all public employees,” social studies teacher Perry Lefevre said. Issue 2, titled the Ohio Collective Bargaining Limit Repeal, was created in response to a petition to repeal Senate Bill 5, which takes away the possibility of collective bargaining for health insurance and pensions by public employees, according to Mr. Lefevre. Collective bargaining is the ability for groups of people – generally in the form of unions- to negotiate working conditions together. Thus, the passing of Issue 2 would take away the right of collective bargaining from public employees ranging from firefighters to teachers. “Legislators don’t have a firm grasp of what it takes to be a teacher,” Mr. Roth said. “They just pass economic restrictions on us that they aren’t willing to take themselves.” The protesting group, organized by Timberstone teacher Diane Friedman, called its movement Stand Up for Sylvania. Sylvania teachers and community members were invited to join. “I’m out here to support my family more than anything. I’m protecting the kids in the classroom,” art teacher Ryan Creech said. “It’s not necessarily about my pension or my medical. It’s not about that. It’s more about the classroom environment. I think if Issue 2 passes, the learning environment will drastically change for the worse, usually for kids that we teach.” Mr. Lefevre, who once taught outside of Sylvania, affirmed Mr. Creech’s hypothesis. “I’ve taught where I didn’t have collective bargaining rights, and I’m a much better teacher today because I have some say in working conditions,” Mr. Lefevre said. “Sylvania schools have really benefitted; it’s a product of the relationships that we have with the administration and the community.”
6.02 X 10^23. Most people see this as just a number, but to the students in Chemistry at Northview, this is more than just a number - it is Avagadro’s number. It is a mole (abbreviated mol), or a specific measurement of atoms. Students that are not in chemistry may not know what a mol is, but they no doubt have seen students walking around dressed up in costumes the past few days. Each year, the National Mol Day Foundation chooses a theme for Mol Day. Chemistry students dress up and create animal moles of their own in accordance with the theme. Previous years’ themes include holidays, movies, and movie villains. The official theme this year, chosen by the NMDF, was “Moles of the Round Table”. Because of the lack of variation available for students, NV teachers chose to broaden the theme to include all historical figures; students dressed as musicians, painters, and past presidents and walked the halls of the school, going to classes dressed as famous people. However, each famous person must have a play on the world ‘mole’, in accordance with mol day tradition. Some creative mole day ideas were Vincent Van Mol, Mola’s Ark, Molchael Jackson, Mount Rushmol, Mol Western (Old Western) and more. “Mol Day is a different and awesome way to boost your grade and get a day off from class,” junior Lauren Yurjevic said. Mol day is celebrated nationally October 23 from 6:02 a.m. to 6:02 p.m. every year. Due to the fact that Mol Day fell on a Sunday this year, some students celebrated October 21 or 24, while others are celebrating today due to class schedules. Mol day for chemistry students means many things: a free day in class where they participate in challenge activities, getting creative with costumes, designing moles of their own out of felt materials, and holding competitions to judge the most creative outfits. “The [measurement of a] mol is a crucial concept and sometimes abstract or intimidating, so having fun with it encourages students to not fear it,” chemistry teacher Jennifer Crosley said. Designing the moles is also a huge part of the mol day competition. Students create a mole animal in accordance with their theme. The moles are simple to design because teachers provide students with a template for the moles, although students are free to change the size of the animals if they wish. Moles are made out of creative materials such as colored felt, glitter, and props that tie in to their themes. “Last year my group did Dormol the Explormol,” senior Andrea Binz said. “We didn’t win [overall best mole], but it was still fun to make it. My favorite part was the little backpack we put on the animal.” Challenges in the activities earn points, and there are winners in the each competition. Competitions are class wide and individual, and winners receive special prizes. Students tend to get extremely involved with this day, as it is one of the few days a year where they are encouraged to be as creative and outlandish as possible with their outfits. Chemistry teacher Ms. Crosley also encourages students to go crazy by awarding extra credit for the most interesting outfits. “I’m a native A-mole-ican! Plus I’m the most spirited person at Northview. So I’m totally going to win,” junior Katie Dorsey said before the competition started.
Photo by Jack Melick
Photo by Jack Melick
WITH SIGN IN HAND and rain bearing down, Northview staff members Jodi Hess and Terri Seal-Roth stand outside on Monroe Street waving at cars as they pass by. Teachers from all the schools in Sylvania stood around the city on Thursday from 4:30-6:30p.m. to raise awareness about Issue 2. Ohio consistently places in the top 10 states in terms of educational standards, despite the fact that it has the eighth lowest starting teacher pay in the nation, according to social studies teacher Mike Czerniakowski. Mr. Czerniakowski attributes Issue 2 to the Republican party - namely, Ohio governor John Kasich. “He’s the impetus behind it,” Mr. Czerniakowski said. “It’s passing because we have Republican representatives in the House,
Senate, and government. They can do what they want without resistance. It’s horribly political.” Currently, the two separate parties are failing to come to a compromise, according to Mr. Czerniakowski. “Democrats brought up a provision, but the Republicans threw it out; it’s a ‘you got us, now we’ll get you’ situation,” Mr. Czerniakowski said.
See Page 3, Issue
SWAT enhances school spirit
Photo by Jack Melick
THE SPIRIT SQUAD, SWAT, was created to generate more spirit at all NV sporting events. SWAT members seniors Annie Babcock, Katie Pizza, Miriam Justinger, Skylar Rose, Brittney White, Natalie Forrester, Shannon Ford, Brooke Silvernail, Sara Meehan, Taylor Sparks, Kelly O’Connell, Victoria Figliomeni, Chelsey Mason, and Shelby Rieger dressed up in pink for breast cancer awareness at the Napoleon game.
Morgan Hawley Features Editor
When you hear the acronym SWAT what do you think of: Special Weapons And Tactics? A group of Northview students are trying to change what people think of when they hear SWAT. SWAT is now referred to as the “spirit squad” at NV, Spirited Wildcats Are Tight. This group is open to all grades, and everyone
OPINIONS
is encouraged to participate and dress up on spirit days. The group was started by Assistant Principal Ms. Melissa Schotter who wanted to see more spirit at all sporting events at NV, not just football games. “Students came to me and expressed that they wanted a spirit squad. I helped them organize it, but let them take ownership,” Ms. Schotter said. There will be monthly meetings to go
over what themes are at each game. There is also a Facebook group for the NV SWAT team to inform those who cannot make it to the meetings of what was discussed and decided at the meetings. The group also serves as a reminder for the events every week. The SWAT page is used to conduct polls and share ideas about all the different themes. “It is super important to be involved with your school and support all the teams. SWAT
Top Halloween costumes
COMING UP
5 7 9 12
Is it acceptable for teenagers to break away from their parents’ religion?
FEATURES
A&E
See Page 3, SWAT
10/27 Choral Concert 11/03 Marching Band Concert 11/16 Trans-Siberian Orchestra 11/17 Fall Musical
SPORTS
Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country win NLLs