Spring 2018 Spotlight Edition

SPOTLIGHT South Hadley High School’s student-run newspaper since 1919

SPOTLIGHT

Spotlight, currently in its 98th year, is South Hadley High School’s student-run, open forum publication. Students create all content and make all editorial decisions.

Inside this issue Volume 98, Issue 3 | Spring 2018

3 Juuling

4 Pre-Prom Drunk Driving Simulator

Spotlight staff Kyle Pease Erin Marx Michael Senecal Maddie Mathers JJ Solzak Victor Omojola Kenzie Roman

Advisor Mr. B-G

6 Texting & Driving

8 Career Fair

Front cover

Assistant principal Patrick Lemieux and physical education teacher Tania Chrzanowski take part in a drunk driving awareness event last month at the high school. Photo by Kenzie Roman.

Contact us Facebook: @spotlight153 Twitter: @spotlight153 Sports: @Jungleblogsh Instagram: @spotlight153 Snapchat: @spotlight1919 Email: spotlight153@gmail.com Web: spotlight153.com Phone: (413) 538-5063 Ext. 3512 Address: Spotlight Newspaper South Hadley High School 153 Newton Street South Hadley, MA 01075

2 ABOUT | Spotlight | Spring 2018

A note from the staff We are pleased to bring you the 2017-2018 spring edition of Spotlight.

As always, you can get regular updates from the Spotlight social media, listed on the left. Our Snapchat account, @Spotlight1919, is our newest social media offering, and is updated with pictures from school events and sports games.

Spotlight would love to publish your work, so if you’re interested in writing stories, please let any Spotlight staff member or Mr. B-G know. We welcome opinion pieces, reviews, poetry, artwork, comics, photography - whatever your

talent or interest is, we want to give it an audience.

We’re also happy to help you write a news or feature story if you’d like to attend a sport event, concert, or other performance. We also welcome reader feedback and editorial letters, which may be sent to spotlight153@ gmail.com.

A special thanks goes out to our advertisers and Easthampton Savings Bank for their ongoing support of scholastic journalism.

Recent ‘juuling’ trend raises concerns

By JJ Solzak The newest tread of juuling by some teenagers has caught the attention of teachers and administrators, who are concerned about the harmful effects of the practice.

A Juul is a small vaporizer, similar to an e-cigarette or vape pen, used primarilly by teens and young adults. The Juul uses small pods filled with different varieties of flavor to give it different tastes. It also has a rechargeable battery and can be used continuously until the battery or pod runs out. A typical juul costs around $35, and the pods that are needed to use it cost $15.99.

Health experts warn that there are various cons to using a Juul, as

Anatomy of a Juul

Mouth Piece A pod of flavored nicotine is put into the top of Juul and is connected to the mouth piece.

Juul Light The Juul light is a bright light that is at the center of the device to indicate if its fully charged etc.

one Juul pod contains enough nicotine to equal one pack of cigarettes.

The labs that create the Juuls have stated that the product is intended for adults, but teenagers have found a certain interest in the vaporizers, which has caused school officials to develop policies to educate students about their harmful effects.

Charging Port The Juul charges with a USB charger that comes in the box.

Students, adults share thoughts on juuling Assistant Principal Patrick Lemieux: Do you think juuling is ok?

High school students:

Experts:

“It can have bad effects on your health. I want to help those who juul to find help.”- A male junior

“As a cardiologist, I’m worried about someone who uses nicotine for a long time. Nicotine increases adrenaline levels.

Sustained adrenaline levels increase the risk for a heart attack.”

- Holly Middlekauff, M.D, professor of medicine and physiology at UCLA

“No,there are adverse effects that can negatively impact students and the teenage brain.”

“I don’t care about juuling. If people want to juul, they can.”

-A female junior

Is juuling a big problem in school?

“I don’t do it anymore, but it’s because of sports.”- A female freshman

“Juuling and vaping is more of an issue now than in the past.”

“It’s bad. Anyone caught with one should be expelled.” - A male junior

How many people in the school juul?

“If you want to do it, go ahead, “More than in any year past.”

but don’t be annoying with one or get in trouble.” -A male junior

“Nicotine is one of the most addicting substances that we know of.”

- Dr. Michael Ong, associate professor of general internal medicine and health services at the University of California Los Angeles.

Spring 2018 | Spotlight | NEWS 3

Students don ‘drunk’ goggles and drive golf carts

By JJ Solzak

The Pre-Prom Fatal Vision Impaired Driving Activity is an event held at the high school which shows the students the risks of drunk driving. Students are given special goggles which simulate being drunk, and are put in a golf cart and asked to try and follow a course made out of traffic cones. This helps students to see first-hand the dangers of drunk driving.

Picture

Staff photos by Kenzie Roman

Assistant Principal Patrick Lemieux and School Resource Officer Steve Fleming share their thoughts on the Fatal Vision Impaired Driving Activity:

Lemieux

Fleming

How did the event turn out?

“It’s always a great event. A lot of kids get the chance to experience drunk driving. When a lot of kids get together and come together for a good thing, I count that as a success.”

How did the event turn out?

“It was great. It was very busy all day. We started at 8:00 a.m., and we had a lot of students try it”

What do students get out of it?

“They get first-hand experience on driving under the influence. They also get the chance to speak to law enforcement about drunk driving and the dangers.”

Why is the event held?

“It’s held annually as a pre-prom event to help raise awareness on drunk driving.”

4 FEATURES | Spotlight | Spring 2018

What do students get out of the event?

“Several students have come up to me during the event and say they won’t drink and drive.”

Why was it held?

“This was the seventh year it’s been held. It’s a preprom activity to make kids more aware of the dangers of drinking and driving and to experience it with the goggles.”

Spotlight adheres to the MA Student Free Expression Law

“Freedom of expression shall include without limitation, the rights and responsibilities of students, collectively and individually, (a) to express their views through speech and symbols, (b) to write, publish, and disseminate their views, (c) to assemble peacefully on school property for the purpose of expressing their opinions. No expression made by students in the exercise of such rights shall be deemed to be an expression of school policy and no school officials shall be held responsible in any civil or criminal action for any expression made or published by the students.�

Your ad could be here!

Contact us: spotlight153@gmail.com or 413-538-5063 x4512

[ ThinkGreen[

Here is what you can do:

Start a recycling program at your school l Car pool l Use public transportation l Use e-mail instead of paper correspondence l

Change incandescent bulbs to fluorescent bulbs l Use both sides of the paper l Plant a tree l Buy rechargeable batteries for devices used frequently l

If every person takes one small step toward being more conscientious of the environ ment, the collective effort will change the planet.

Spring 2018 | Spotlight | 5

Spotlight Shines On is a segment where the Spotlight Media Group as a whole voices opinions about topics relevant to the high school community. These views are shared by the majority of Spotlight editors, and are selected for publication because of their timeliness and importance. We hope they help foster thought and discussion.

Spotlight encourages readers to share their opinions on these or any other issues at spotlight153@gmail.com.

Our cell phone addiction has made driving unsafe In the world today, people are constantly using their cell phones. Some of the time their usage is unnecessary and can potentially be very dangerous, especially while driving.

According to the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society journal, “cell phone distraction causes 2,600 deaths and 330,000 injuries in the United States every year.”

So many people are permanently injured as a result from using their cell phones while driving. Many people

die or are seriously injured for such a reason. Those who call or send text messages to someone while driving are at risk every second they are distracted from the road. Not only is the driver using the cellphone at risk, but they may cause injuries or death to any other innocent drivers on the road.

Texting while driving in Massachusetts is against the law. Penalties in the state of Massachusetts include a 60-day license suspension for adults, and a 180-day suspension for those who have

their Junior Operator’s License.

The penalties involved with using your cell phone while driving are not worth it. Not even what one thinks is the most important text or call is worth getting your license suspended or the risk of injury.

Eventually, Spotlight hopes that people will realize that using their cell phones while driving is dangerous, and the consequences could be terrifying and permanent.

Teachers should phase ‘busy work’ out of the classroom Busy work: the bane of all students’ existence - the most worthless of all jobs one may be forced to do. Although some teachers thinly disguise this work as “supplementing material” or “important side information,” the fact that they assign it without a good purpose is inexcusable.

How does a teacher expect a student to care about their work if they don’t care enough about what they are assigning to make it exciting or interesting? A teacher’s job is not only to teach their students, but to also make the subject something the students want to learn about. All too often, teachers 6 SHINE ON | Spotlight | Spring 2018

follow their own predetermined plans, rather than plan around their students’ needs and interests.

The best classes are the most mentally stimulating; of course many students would argue the best classes are the ones in which they do nothing.

However, if given the choice between a classroom activity - like a discussion or an interactive lecture - or a worksheet, those same students would likely choose the former.

Students typically learn more efficiently when given visual materials, likewise, they will learn more efficiently if the information presented to them

is found interesting. Oftentimes information that must be learned is not interesting, and the only way to ensure students learn these uninteresting necessities is through interactivity.

Teachers may argue busy work is perfect for keeping kids in line for a substitute, but doesn’t this suggest a lack of trust between a class and its educator? If a class is mature enough they should be allowed a more interactive learning experience even when their teacher is out.

Spring 2018 | Spotlight | 7

Photos by Kenzie Roman

2018 Career Fair

LIFE TALK: The annual high school career fair features working professionals from a variety of occupations who volunteer their time to speak with students about what they do for a living.