The
Leaf
Sycamore High School Student News Magazine Volume 2 | Issue 8 | April 24, 2015
You’ve got a friend in me... Photo courtesy of Sophia Wiedman
THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APR. 24 | SHSLEAF.ORG
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[ inside this issue ] The Leaf
Sycamore High School 7400 Cornell Road Cincinnati, OH 45242 Adviser Cheralyn Jardine Photographer McDaniel’s Photography About us Professional memberships: • Columbia Scholastic Press Association • Journalism Education Association • National Scholastic High School Press Association • Ohio Scholastic Media Association • Ohio Professional Writers (National Federation of Women Writers) • Quill & Scroll International Journalism Honorary
Natalie Brinkman Spotlight Lauren Shassere Staff Writers Jordan Baker Hannah Clark Taylor Close William Coleman Meghan DiGiovanna Sydney Evans Meredith Gottliebson Charles Harte Emilie King Riley Kurtz Beverly Liu Jack Loon Melinda Looney Zachary Milliken Joshua Patterson Esther Pittinger Madeline Schramm Luke Tenbarge Max Torem Emily Tyler Leah Wallihan Neil Yejjey Ben Young
Photo courtesy of William Truncellito
[ news ] 2 | Superintendent Dr. Adrienne James retires
2 | employee of the week 3 | organizations of terror increase influence 4-5 | digging for advances in medicine
[ opinion ] 7 | dresscodes restrict freedom and responsibility 8-9 | misconceptions of the blind 10 | analysis of issues regarding immigration
[ a&e ] 11 | video games increase agression 12 | zombies take over mass media
[ cover story ] 13-16 | unqiue pets provide purpose and happiness to SHS students
[ feature ] 17 | male prom fashion
18-19 | tiger moms prove less punishing
[ fun&games ] 23 | riddle, wordle, dots, sodoku
[ sports ]
24 | girls lacrosse works for repeat win at state 25 | boys tennis strives towards state title 26 | gymnastics ends on a strong note
[ spotlight ] 27 | Noah Pittinger, 12
20 | introduction to SHS prom 21 | study on nature of siblings 22 | school stress causes unhealthy teens
editors’ note
Executive Editor-in-Chief Caroline Gao executive managing editor Anna Zhou Print Editors-in-Chief Brooke Landrum Elizabeth Rickert Elijah Zawatsky Web Editor-in-Chief Caroline Bruns Harsimran Makkad Leaflet Editor-in-Chief Orion Schlosser Zoe Schlosser Social Media Director Ben Ruskin Associate Editors Jenna Bao Lauren Kurtzer Managing Editors Sydney Evans Beats Editors Adhiti Chundur Kamaria Walton Galleries and Videos Ben Brynjulfson-Reardon Leaflet Designer/writer Emily Chien Infographics Max Fritzhand Rujula Kapoor Business Manager Web Master Broadcast Editor-in-Chief Sarah Horne news Jacob Englander Sports David Wetheim Hannah May FEATURE Maddie Marsh Amy Deng A&E Claire Lefton Opinion Nathan Zhang
The animals we share our lives with are something that we all have in common, whether it is our love for the pets we have or our desire to have one to call our own. Whether it is a dog, cat, rat, rock
or chinchilla they hold a special place in our hearts. In this issue, we designated our cover story to unique pets and the SHS students who own them. Our writers discussed the ins and outs of
owning extravagent pets. We hope to expose our readers to the world of SHS’s fabulous furry friends and the ones who care for them. -Brooke Landrum & Elizabeth Rickert
[ news ] THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APR. 24 | SHSLEAF.ORG
Legacy: Lauren saxon
print editor-in-chief
T
he news of Dr. Adrienne James’ retirement spread quickly. Many students, staff, and parents were stunned. But, as the news spread, so did words of respect and gratitude toward Dr. James’ contributions to the district.
Her Journey
Surprisingly enough, Dr. James was not always a teacher. After obtaining an education degree in college, James went into retail, managing a store. “I started to substitute on my days off and realized I really do love teaching,” James said. After attending night classes to get her elementary teaching certification, James began teaching third grade at Maple Dale Elementary. James taught third grade for around seven years before becoming assistant principal, then principal of Blue Ash. She was then promoted to assistant superintendent of academic affairs, and finally became
“
Always strive for more. Reach for the stars. You’ve done a great job you have a good foundation.Make something of it. I think we are in a good place, and I am looking forward to hearing continued success from Sycamore. -Dr. Adrienne James, superintentent
Dr. Adrienne James closes 32 years of service
superintendent of the district nine years ago. In total, James has spent 32 years in Sycamore.
Looking Back
With the end of the year approaching, James reflected on her SHS career. When asked what she will miss the most from her job, James’ answer was instantaneous. “The students,” James said. “My favorite part of the job is going and visiting in the schools and watching students learn. I love when students come up to me and share some of their latest accomplishments or just to say hi. I love that relationship.” While James admitted that she will not miss those late nights and early mornings determining snow days, she will miss her team at central office, and most things about Sycamore. Additionally, James took a very humble approach when asked to recall her greatest accomplishment in her tenure as superintendent. “I really feel that the accomplishments are not just my accomplishments. Great things have happened because of the teamwork that we have,” said James.
That being said, James decided our last great accomplishment was hiring our new high school principal, Doug Mader.
Moving Forward
One of James’ personal hopes is also to stay involved in Sycamore as a volunteer, without interfering with the new superintendent Mr. Frank Forsthoefel. “I love this district. There are so many great things happening that I still want to be part of,” said James. Although she will no longer be superintendent, James has great aspirations for the district in its upcoming years. “When I first became superintendent, I remember announcing that I wanted this district to be a destination placea number one school of choice,” James said. “We’ve got to keep improving. I hope that the district and Mr. Forsthoefel carry that same drive that there’s always something better, something more, that we can do for our students, staff, and parents.”
THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APR. 24 | SHSLEAF.ORG
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Terror organizations unite Fear spreads across the world jenna bao staff writer
B
oko Haram is known for its hatred for western education, frequent suicide bombings, and the abducting of over 200 girls in 2014. Now, the Nigerian terrorist group will also be remembered for their allegiance to another deadly group: ISIS. On March 7, 2015, an audio clip featuring a man believed to be Abubakar Shekau, Boko Haram’s leader, pledging allegiance to ISIS and calling on Muslims everywhere to do the same was released on the organization’s Twitter account. “[ISIS] has been garnering power and Boko [Haram] needed to join the strongest group. And Al Qaeda is not the strongest any longer, so it makes sense for them to get another major media exposure to join,” managing director at security and geopolitical risk firm GlobalStrat, Olivier Guitta said to NBC. Boko Haram was founded 13 years ago to create a Muslim state in Nigeria, which is currently Muslim in the north and Christian in the south. Since Shekau took over, the group has become more violent with bombing campaigns on schools, churches, and government buildings. The group has been showing ISIS’s influence for months. Boko
Two refugee women forced to flee their homes in north eastern Nigeria after attacks by the violent Islamist militia, Boko Haram, who fled to Fuga village, central Nigeria, hoping to make a new life. Women were forced to convert to Islam. Photos courtesy of Robyn Dixon/Los Angeles Times/ MCT.
Haram did not previously have any online or social media presence, but they formed an Arabic Twitter page on Jan. 18, 2015 and have been releasing organized propaganda similar to ISIS’s since. The new use of technology and professional graphics, design, and use of multiple languages show help from ISIS’s media operatives. Furthermore, Boko Haram’s latest video showed the beheading of two Nigerians resembled ISIS’s attention-grabbing beheading videos. While it was the first to be posted online, multiple others were sent directly to journalists.
Employee of the Month Our employee of the month was UC Intern Daniel. Daniel is an extraordinary young man who displays leadership skills and always takes initiative at his work sites, which include P&G, UC REC Center & Good Samaritan Hospital.
Boko Haram has spent recent years showing dominance in northern Nigeria, but has begun attacking Nigeria’s neighbors, Cameroon and Niger. Experts believe they may need ISIS’s military aid and funding or that they may be doing it for propaganda purposes. “[ISIS has] an image that it’s projecting to its followers of a growing entity — this growing mythical Islamic state… Joining with Boko Haram gives it that very valuable publicity,” counterterrorism expert Dr. Afzal Ashraf said. As for ISIS, Boko Haram could give them a boost in recruitment and publicity. ISIS has also previously accepted allegiance from jihadists in Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and Nigeria. “As long as this myth of a state continues there’ll be lots of people who are attracted to them… If we just sit and watch this, it will grow. We’ve got to stop it at its origin,” Ashraf said.
THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APRIL 24 | SHSLEAF.ORG
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New dirt-y breakthrough may serve as ‘game-changer’ for medicine
Harsimran makkad staff writer
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ature is teeming with creatures and wildlife that have yet to be discovered. Millions of undiscovered species are mere mysteries to mankind. That is what science is all about – discovering the unknown. What if that life-changing find is close by, say, your backyard?
The problem
In the United States, drugresistant bacteria infect more than two million people and kill 23,000 each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The only existing weapons there are against the different types of bacterial disease are antibiotics. But, with widespread use of these drugs, the pathogens have developed resistance and evolved quickly. “This reminds me of what we are learning in Biology, with the evolution of different species due to mutations and natural selection, but so much worse,”
sophomore Brooke Baker said. “I wish we could talk about antibiotic resistance in class so that more people are aware of this growing problem.” The issue has become serious enough that the World Health Organization (WHO) classified antimicrobial resistance as a “serious threat” to the world, with drug-resistant strains of diseases evolving faster than scientists can discover new antibiotics to fight them. According to a Times News article about antibiotics, UK chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies said, “Antibiotic resistance is as big a risk as terrorism.”
“Antibiotic resistance is as big a risk as terrorism.”
Digging for antibiotics… literally
With research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the German government, along with the scientific help of a biotech start-up called NovoBiotic Pharmaceuticals, Lewis and his team went digging in a grassy field in Maine. It is estimated that 99 percent of potential antibiotics cannot be grown in a laboratory, so the researchers used a newly developed electronic device called the IChip to study 10,000 different species of soil bacteria. For each species, the team diluted one gram of soil, sandwiching it in the IChip to trick the soil microbes into growing in a “natural” environment. In the end, after testing the microbes against pathogenic, or disease-causing, bacteria, 25 potential new drug compounds were isolated, including an anticancer agent.
Dirt, also known as soil, contains nutrients needed for plants to grow and is the home to earthworms. About the iChip Now, according to Northeastern University professor Kim Lewis 1. Bacteria are and his colleagues, dirt is sandwiched between the newfound source of two permeable sheets antibiotics, more specifically a of membrane, then drug called Teixobactin. inserted into the ground for two weeks to allow the bacteria to grow. 2. The bacteria is placed in a petri dish and tested against various pathogenic bacteria.
Teixobactin comes from the bacteria Eleftheria terrae, found naturally in dirt. The word teixos is Greek for wall, referring to the antibiotic’s ability to break down bacterial walls. Instead of targeting the bacteria’s proteins like other antibiotics, the drug attacks the lipid molecules created organically by the cell, breaking down the bacterial cell walls.
3. The chemicals produced by the bacteria microbes are studied for antibiotic cultures. Source: newsweek.com
THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APRIL 24 | SHSLEAF.ORG
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The Discovery and Effectiveness of Antibiotics: Timeline For the Development of Resistance Antibiotic Resistance Development Cefixime Linezolid
Gentamicin
Carbapenem Methicillin Vancomycin
Tetracycline
Streptomycin 1930
Penicillin 1940 1950
1960
1970
1980
2000
1990
2010 Source: lumibyte.eu
Teixobactin in action
The most promising of the drug compounds was Teixobactin. It successfully obliterated drugresistant Tuberculosis (TB) and staph bacteria (MRSA) in cell cultures and in mice. More importantly, none of the mice infected with MRSA and given pneumonia died or had any notable side effects. The problem with the drug is that it only targets gram-positive bacteria, such as staph, strep, and TB. These are unprotected once their cell wall starts to break down. Gram-negative bacteria, such as Escherichia coli (E. coli), have an outer membrane that Teixobactin cannot penetrate.
yet to be tested on humans. Lewis has said that the clinical tests on humans will not happen for another two years. According to the New York Times, Vanderbilt University infectious disease specialist Dr. William Schaffner said, “[Teixobactin is] at the test-tube and the mouse level, and mice are not men or women, and so moving beyond that is a large step, and many compounds have failed. Toxicity is often the Achilles’ heel of drugs.” However, this research points the way to a new approach for discovering new antibiotics.
“Hopefully, there will be enough unfound antibiotics to last us for a very long time. Otherwise, we could be leaving behind a big mess for future generations,” teacher Mrs. Mary Palmer said.
Did you know?
50 percent of prescribed antibiotics are not needed or are not as effective as they were originally.
Effects of antibiotic-resistant germs in the U.S. each year
Resistance and testing
“The good news is that Teixobactin does not target the proteins, which often mutate and evolve to become resistant,” freshman Victor Lim said. So, researchers think that bacteria will be less likely to develop resistance to Teixobactin. In fact, there have been numerous attempts to get the bacteria exposed to the antibiotic to mutate. But this has not yet happened. Scientists believe that resistance will not develop for at least 30 years. As for testing, teixobactin has
2 Million serious infections,
resulting in
23,000 deaths
$20 Billion excess in direct
medical costs
$35 Billion estimated loss in
productivity
Source: healthresearchfunding.org All images by Harsimran Makkad
[ opinion ] THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APR. 24 | SHSLEAF.ORG
Staff Editorial Cartoon by Esther Pittinger
Leafing through the masses:
Would you ever consider having an ‘out of the box’ pet?
S
Cartoon by Esther Pittinger
HS students love their pets, both exotic and commonly domesticated. No matter what species, our pets provide us with love and companionship almost unconditionally. There does need to be a line drawn, however, at which point our exotic pets become too extravagant to be sustained. Some animals being
domesticated are genetically intended to be kept as household pets. Every year thousands of animals are smuggled into the United States with the intention of becoming exotic pets. There are many dangers associated with this type of behavior. Many of these animals will be docile when young but will become aggressive as they grow older. Another danger is the ability of many animals to carry diseases that could be easily passed to their owners. While none of the SHS students we interviewed had any animals such as these, it is extremely possible to become an owner of rare and exotic animals without prior knowledge. Especially when dealing with reptiles, amphibians and fish, pay special attention to the pedigrees and genetic information of your new pet as they may not be what you were intending to purchase. We encourage all those who are looking into purchasing or adopting a pet to get all the necessary information to properly care for their pet as well as to make sure that you are indeed receiving the animal you pay for.
No , because I don’t have time to care for one. I have a horse already and I spend a lot of time caring for it. Julia Kumar, 11
Maybe if it it wasn’t too expensive and I knew how to take care of one Mr. Ashwin Corattiyil, Dean of Students
I would like having one because then I would have the company of an exotic animal; no one could replicate that. Rishi Dasgupta, 9
Yes, because how many people can say they have a chinchilla? Adam Lucken, 12
THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APR. 24 | SHSLEAF.ORG
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Decoding Dresscodes Rules for apparel limit responsibility caroline gao
executive editor-in-chief
PROS Safety Environment Discipline
CONS Limited Freedom Excess Expenditures
Enforcement
Dress Codes Source: http://news.fresno.edu/
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In contrast, the atmosphere that hile walking around the SHS creates by allowing students school, people notice a to responsibly express their sense variety of clothing that of styles creates an overall more students wear: jackets, positive experience. vests, shorts, leggings, and more. “I think that allowing students Although many other school more freedom with the dress code districts enforce a strict dress code, encourages individual personalities SHS gives students the ability to to shine. At the same time dress in a responsible way that students should dress expresses personality. “I appreciate how responsibly,” sophomore “I appreciate how we have the ability we have the ability Anais Cabello said. The dress code to dress however we to dress however ultimately sets up the want without getting yelled at for revealing we want without tone for the atmosphere a shoulder or wearing getting yelled at around school. Allowing students to leggings. We are for revealing a decide on individual treated like adults and it makes us feel shoulder or wearing styles not only fosters creativity but also makes more responsible and leggings” individuals feel more cooperative,” junior comfortable. Cassidy Harris said. “I remember at the junior high Many schools have banned that a lot of us got yelled at for what students from wearing leggings, we wore. I think SHS has helped spaghetti straps, and denim shorts. us mature in letting us decide on This creates not only a sense of what we want to wear and what is tension between the administration appropriate,” junior Emma Burge and students but also develops the said. feeling of limited responsibility and freedom.
THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APR. 24 | SHSLEAF.ORG
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Blind enslaved to expectation Benjamin Brynjulfson-Reardon staff writer
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here are millions of people in the world with ‘disabilities’, one considered the most frightening to acquire, is blindness. The inability or low capability to ‘see’ the world around them. Blind people, are not to be looked down upon. They are just as intelligent as a seeing person, several even more so. But, because of the social consensus and how society works, the expectations of them from seeing persons are often low. Seeing people expect the blind to need to be guided and helped. “Most blind kids hear a lot of negative talk. ‘Don’t do this, don’t do that, don’t move. No, here, let me help you.’ The message you get, if you’re blind, is you’re intellectually deficient, you’re emotionally deficient, you’re in all ways deficient.” creator of flash echolocation Daniel Kish said.
285
million people in the world are visually impaired
percent of all blindness is preventable or curable
38
percent of working age adults with significant to complete vision loss were employed in 2012
million people go blind every year.
26
80 7
percent of blind American students, ages 21-64, have less than high school graduation schooling
million are blind
39
outlook and thoughts of his ability throughout the entirety of his life. If this can be ignored, and he is kept Whether through society, education or pushing forward at a young age, he people, the blind are being drowned in will be able to expand and grow. While empathy. Help is appreciated, but blind gaining independence. people are being pushed aside for being This is one of the best ways for him ‘less’ and being unable to secure their to learn self-sufficiency. There are own safety. even blind specialists who are blind The life of a child born with blindness themselves, and teach how to move is affected severely by the seeing. The using echolocation or flash sonar. seeing’s expectations and actions can Jim will fall, run into things, but its limit what a blind person can do, more the chance to fall, and learn from it so then their actual blindness. that will help him. Otherwise, he will Example: stay on the arms of others his entire There is a child born life. named Jim. He has Schooling: optic nerve atrophy, There are three general which is the cause for schooling options; home 12 percent of all legally school, public school, and blind cases in children. private school. Each have After birth, the choice their pros and cons. to let him move about Public and private freely without constant schooling normally redirection will dictate incorporate specialized his mobility and programs to help with independency for the mobility, career path, and rest of his life. independency. Personality is a large part of Private schools specialized development; a child can be for blind will put more time into adventurous even if blind. teaching skills needed to live as a blind His parents decide how much individual, but will likely cause less interaction Jim will have with other ability to cope with large groups of children, causing confidence after seeing people. interactions with others while making Home will offer a more comfortable it easier to integrate into a public environment, but not much beside school with other children. that in terms of education. However this is not common. Of the three general paths of Many parents are too scared for their education taken, they intersect back children when they lack sight. regardless of education acquired, to Parents worry about their safety and the job market of course. ability, thinking them unable to do like Those that are employed, are often a seeing child. In so, more is done for working at menial jobs such an them, decreasing independency. manufacturing. These jobs are often Jim, like most unseeing children, given by the blind associations. will inherently start to click with his According to the World Health tongue, clap, or stomp to test out his Organization, every minute a child surroundings with sound. somewhere in the world goes blind People and schools have been known and with all this information, the hope to tell parents that the noises are is that the seeing will seek new ways ‘socially’ unacceptable, as they bother to aid the blind instead of removing those that can see. independency for safety. Other children, and adults will The blind are not lesser, they are just as likely tell him what he can and cannot proficient as a seeing person. They just do. He will be faced with a negative need the chance to show their abilities.
“My biggest
barrier is people, especially sighted people ”
THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APR. 24 | SHSLEAF.ORG
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Q & A with Cincinnati association for the blind and visually impaired: Q: Do you advise specific ways to help blind children be independent. Do you allow unrestricted movement and exploration, or rather have a guide with them at all times? A: “Each and every child is unique, we wouldn’t do the same thing for any two. Of course we encourage independency. A lot of children we work with have multiple disabilities besides blindness. We have to take many things into account.” Q:If someone was to suddenly become blind, while still having their job open to them. How could you help? A: “Every case is unique, say he had computer job, we could teach adapted computer skills at their work place to help them keep their job. If he was a cab driver, we wouldn’t be able to help with that. We give Support skills like adapted computer ability or mobility. The Bureau of visually impaired deals more with specific careers.” Q: With child services, what sort of education would you advise new parents with blind children. A: “We work with kids since birth, we want all children to learn at the same level. Blind kids should be able to go to school with seeing. We teach the alphabet through brail and offer support. We teach the family to describe everything they do. You have to describe what you’re doing otherwise they (the child) won’t know how things are happening.” -Poverty in Blind population (all ages)-Employment of the blind-
79% above
31% under poverty line
38% employed
62%
unemployed
-Number ofstudents49.3 million total through kindergarten to 12th grade
99.98% other .12% Blind
-Education of the Blind26%-less than highschool education 11.9%-bachelor’s degree or higher
29.1%some college education
32.3%
high school diploma or GED
Image by: Benjamin B-R
Cost of Sympathy: A kind man whilst wandering came upon what he believed to be a butterfly cocoon, out of curiosity; for he had never seen the wonder of metamorphosis in person before, he carefully took the cocoon to his home. After some time, the man noticed a split in the cocoon, and wriggling as its frail inhabitant tried to escape its miniature prison. He felt dismay as the creature struggled to escape its confinement, so the man widened the crack with a knife to release the creature. It fell, fell to the ground wriggling and writhing, its wings small and disfigured, underdeveloped. It soon stopped moving as life left it before the man’s eyes. The man’s wish to help had removed the struggle of escaping the cocoon which would have strengthened the butterflies wings, and instead, he had doomed it.
THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APR. 24 | SHSLEAF.ORG
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Initiating immigration discussion Students become educated on hot button issues Taylor Evans staff writer
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he issue of immigration is not simple and it is not simply solved. The students of the contemporary Hispanic studies (CHS) are studying just this “We’re exploring immigration into this country because it’s such a huge deal. We are also learning to be more sensitive toward the topic, because there are immigrants that we go to school with every day,” senior Molly Gearin said. One controversial issue the United States faces, regards undocumented immigrants within our borders. The policies the government may enact concerning undocumented immigrants will affect over 11.5 million people. “We need to try to understand the reason why people come into this country, because often times it is out of desperation,” Spanish teacher Ms. Meredith Blackmore said. On Nov. 7, the CHS classes had a guest speaker, Ricardo Ugas, a student at Miami University. He shared his experiences in the U.S. as well as what his life was like in a turbulent, violence-torn Venezuela. His stories shed light on how life in Venezuelaa is spent: navigating riots in the streets, avoiding teargas and fire bombs. The height of the conflicts in the country was spring of 2014.
“My family really wants to come to the U.S., too, because the quality of life there is so bad,” Ugas said. Ugas and his mother came to the U.S. when he was 14. He is in constant fear of what is happening to the rest of his family.
“I belive in the American dream, because I believe there is still an opportunity to give your family a good quality life” Students also had the chance to listen to former SHS student Laura Mendez. She shared her personal experiences about going to high school and college as an undocumented immigrant and the challenges of living under a system of limited protection. The most memorable thing Mendez told classes was that even though she is from another country, her home is the United States. Currently, she is attending the University of Cincinnati but is fearful for what will happen to her after she graduates, as no plans are in place for her afterwards. The classes have watched several movies depicting the desperation of people and lengths they will go to come to the United States. The frightening thing is that the majority of immigrants coming
from Latin American countries are children in search of their parents. These kids face poverty, gangs, violence, drugs, and most terrifying, the “Beast,” trains that immigrants typically take into the US. “It’s not like people wake up one morning and decide to come to the U.S. It’s much more complicated and difficult than that,” Blackmore said. The purpose of the unit on immigration is to put immigration into perspective and give students a better understanding of such a pressing issue. “I’ll admit that before, I was a person that thought immigrants were coming into our country and taking our jobs and all the stuff the media is telling us, but now I understand that the issue is much more complicated and that these people sacrifice so much to come here,” senior Melody Freeland said. Students know that the issues they have discussed will still be extremely relevant in their lives. Now they believe they can participate more actively in what is going on in the world. “One of the biggest takeaways is that people can’t be illegal, but actions can. Calling people illegal aliens is really dehumanizing to a very large group, and really contradicts American values,” senior Elli Gibson said.
[ column ]
[ a&e ] THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APR. 24 | SHSLEAF.ORG
April showers bring summer blockbusters
BEN COHEN
staff writer
‘To play or not to play?’
Studies show link between video games, agression But other experiments done on a Luke tenbarge staff writer
KATHRYN tenbarge
I
web editor in chief
n Grand Theft Auto V, which was released in 2014, the people holding the controllers take on the roles of criminals who kill police officers, civilians and gang members. The game made 800 million dollars on its first day of being sold. According to Time Magazine, 90 percent of children in the U.S. play video games and 90 percent of the games they play include mature content and violence. The question researchers ask is if participating in fictional violence produces real violence. Some studies give evidence to there being no correlation between rise of violence in video games and youth violence rates. According to The Guardian, a 2014 experiment at The Stetson University in Florida showed an inverse relationship between those two factors. “Video games depict violence only to sell video games, never to promote violence. But I don’t personally think video games cause people to become more violent,” senior Griffin Ramsey said.
more personal, subject-based level show that kids do become more aggressive after being exposed to violence in the media, especially in video games. “Psychological experiments have shown that there is a potential link between the things children see on a screen and the way they act, especially in terms of aggression and interacting with other people,” said AP Psychology teacher Mrs. Tiffany Stewart. Children do not have the sophisticated moral systems of judgments that adults have. When a mature person plays a mature video game, they are able to compartmentalize the justification of violence into a part of their brain that is separate from how they live their real life. “I have neighbors who were five and six and I came over to babysit while they were playing video games and they hit me with bats. It left bruises,” junior Amanda Peck said. Not everyone who plays violent video games will become a violent person. But studies are beginning to show that you can take the kids away from the violent video games, but you can’t take the violence away from the kids.
Now that the dreary months of bad movies are coming to a close, ahem “Fifty Shades of Gray” ahem, we can move on to these upcoming months that offer a fair number of movies that you have been anticipating ever since first seeing that BuzzFeed article about them. Starting out the summer blockbusters is “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” There is not really much more to say about the movie that you haven’t already read about on Tumblr or seen in one of the abundant trailers that have already been released. Following “Avengers” in the Marvel’s Superhero genre is “Ant-Man” which tells the origin story of a lesser known superhero named, you guessed it, AntMan. Sequels and reboots are also rather abundant this year. “Pitch Perfect 2,” “Ted 2,” “Insidious 3,” and the aptly named “Magic Mike: XXL” will each be expanding their universes, no innuendo intended, this summer. The reboots are even bigger. “Jurassic World,” “Terminator Genisys,” and for some reason “Poltergeist” are each taking on their predecessors with mostly new casts and new stories for new generations. So in other words, this is clearly the summer of originality. Speaking of originality, Disney is making yet another movie based off of one of their theme park attractions which in this case is “Tomorrowland.” The movie could be very good, but I am still disappointed that they have yet to make a horror movie based off of their “It’s a Small World” ride in which people are tortured by being chained inside a boat and forced to listen to creepy puppets sing “It’s a Small World” for a whopping 13 minutes. Scary stuff, I know. Sure there are more indie or lesser known films that you could watch this summer, but America likes the mainstream so why change, that would be simply un-American.
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THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APR. 24 | SHSLEAF.ORG
Z O M B I E S : an un-dead phenomenon
U
2009
1968
1932
ZOMBIE TV AND MOVIES THROUGHOUT HISTORY
that some cows can become infected with. Mad cow disease attacks the cow’s nervous system and can cause them to lose complete control of their mind and bodies. The infection causes the cows brain to literally rot, and is normally caused by eating contaminated food. Some people are concerned that if there was a human version of mad cow disease, it could cause some type of apocalypse. “This whole idea of bovine disease affecting humans seems far-fetched, but it would be crazy,” said sophomore Jacob Speigel. Right now, this human form of mad cow disease does not exist, so there is no need to worry, zombie cows will not be attacking anytime soon.
2010-Now
in almost every apocalypse situation. One of the most recent a&e chief television shows to integrate ahhhgsgg: one of zombies is “The Walking Dead,” the most common beginning in 2010. vocabulary words for Although the show is about zombies. As one of zombies, “The Walking Dead” the most famous horror movie characters refrain from ever genres, the undead race has using the word zombie. Some been sweeping the nation in an alternate names used for the exciting rampage. undead characters are walkers, The zombie originates from biters, roamers, monsters, as ancient African legends; the well as others. legend is commonly seen in “I have been watching ‘The South Africa. The Africans Walking Dead’ since the very believed that witches could beginning, it gets better every “zombify” a person by episode,” said junior Max Weiss. possessing their dead body. Although zombie movies may The legends are not as widely seem like a crazy fictional story, believed in recent times. some members of society may Today, some would disagree. Mad cow disease, also consider the zombie to be a known as bovine spongiform commercialized item, used encephalopathy, is a sickness
ben rUskin
[ cover story ] THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APR. 24| SHSLEAF.ORG
Pets, of all shapes and sizes, change lives
Photo courtesy of Maggie Pustinger
14
THE LEAF |FRIDAY, APR. 24 | SHSLEAF.ORG
'It's a zoo in here' Students share unique pet stories KATHRYN TENBARGE web editor-in-chief
CAROLINE BRUNS
L
staff writer
ions and tigers and bears and... snails? Hedgehogs? Goats? SHS students are known for their diversity, but our differences go beyond ourselves. Here in the building we have a "No Pets Allowed" rule, but once we get home, our students go, well, wild.
Why does Leah Brod breed snails?
As a senior, Brod is eagerly preparing to attend Kent University next year. She has to pack all the necessities, including bedding, school supplies and fish tank materials. "I know I can't take all of my snails with me. I think I'm going to bring my balloon molly fish for sure but there's just too many snails for my dorm room," Brod said. Her obsession with snails started during sophomore year, when she bought her only surviving goldfish. "At first I just had two snails that I got from the pet store. I didn't think they would mate, but one day a bunch of eggs appeared at the top of the tank, attached to the sides," Brod said. Within days, the eggs started to hatch and down floated baby snails in tiny shells.
"They got really big really quickly. And then the babies started having babies. I have three fishtanks in my room now," Brod said. Each tank houses a fish and a plethora of snails. Brod is currently keeping her treasured goldfish, a beta fish and her most recent adoptee, a balloon molly fish. However, her original snail parents have since passed on. "The mom snail used to climb out of my tank and go across the desk to plop onto the floor. She did that twice while I was at school. But she's dead now," Brod said. The snails are a more costly venture than one might think. Brod has to stock up on tank filters, which have to be changed periodically, as well as fresh food for the snails. "They love to eat spinach. And they eat the other fishs' poop. But the problem is that the snails poop even more. And then I have to vacuum the gravel," Brod said. She claims her room has not started to stink, at least not yet. But she is working on a way to put her snails to good use. "I sold my first snail for two dollars and right now they are available for 25 cents to a dollar, depending on the size of the snail. They also come in different colors like white and purple," Brod said. In the event that she is left with (literally) handfuls of snails at the end of the year, she is planning to
store them in a friend's outdoor pond. Apple snails, as they are called, can live in a variety of water conditions, as long as the correct pH level is obtained. But Brod has one warning for anyone who is interested in purchasing her snails. "You can't eat my snails. If you eat them, you'll die," Brod, a vegan, said.
Why does Alfie the hedghog have an Instagram?
Freshman Katelin LeBlanc is no stranger to the popular social media site Instagram. But recently, she has started a new, peculiar type of fan account. One could even call it prickly. "My friend made an account for her dog that was getting a lot of attention and I started looking at hedgehog accounts, because I knew I was getting one soon. Some of them had thousands of followers," LeBlanc said. Her hedgehog, Alfalfa, is named Alfie for short. His middle name is Leo, after both his zodiac symbol and the ninja turtle Leonardo. "I refer to him as my child. And then people are like, 'What? You have a child?' And I'm like no, it's my hedgehog," LeBlanc said. The Instagram account (alfie. the.hedgie) showcases moments from Alfie's daily life, including his luxurious living space.
THE LEAF |FRIDAY, APR. 24 | SHSLEAF.ORG "I wanted to make him a hotelstyle home and hang it on the wall, but hedgehogs can't walk downwards because they'll fall over. So I cut holes in plastic tubs and he can walk around in them," LeBlanc said. Hedgehogs have very specific living conditions. They hail from Africa and thus require a room temperature between 72 and 80 degrees at all time. "At one point I was giving him a bath in my tub and he started chewing on my bath bomb. I freaked out because hedgehogs are so sensitive and took him to the vet. But it turned out okay because it was from Lush and they use all natural ingredients," LeBlanc said. Alfie's online presence has given him a wide range of followers who interact with his persona, which is carefully crafted by LeBlanc. He even has an online "voice" he uses to answer fan questions. "Alfie's favorite color is light blue. That's pretty important," LeBlanc said.
Why does Mr. Wittman keep goats in his backyard?
Mr. Kevin Wittman is best known at SHS for teaching social studies courses. But in his neighborhood, he might be best known for his goats. "The smallest one is a Norwegian Dwarf mix and he's very inquisitive. Sometimes he jumps the fence and goes to see the neighbors. That freaks them out because at first they think he's a dog. But he's a goat," Wittman said. His son first obtained the goats to show them at fairs. But instead he want backpacking, leaving Wittman to take care of the unusual pets. "I've had them for about four years now but they're fun. They might get sold down the street if they don't stop jumping over the fence, though," Wittman said. They may be trickier to care for than a dog or a cat, but Wittman assures that their daily care-taking is not that difficult.
15 "I have to feed them and clean out their pen, plus trim their hooves and de-worm them every once in a while. But that just involves putting medicine in their food," Wittman said. He referenced the goats as being "goofy" little creatures with odd habits. "Every morning they do a little parade. They like to stay in the sun so they'll follow it around the yard every day. You can watch them go around in circles," Wittman said. The goats are welcome in Sycamore Township, where they can be kept in residential backyards. From the dawn of time, humans have enjoyed close familial relationships with animals. While the standard for pets may be cats, dogs and maybe the occasional fish, there is no limit to the different types of companion animals. SHS students take that message to heart, spreading love to creatures that crawl, walk, fly and swim.
Match the pets to their owners 1 Hank
MARTIN GONZALEZ
junior
Dandelion
3 leo
B
Elizabeth rickert
C
junior
4 bear
JOSEPH AHN
senior
D
RAE NOURIE
freshman
Answers: 1C, 2D, 3A, 4B. All photos courtesy of students and teachers.
A
2
16
THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APR. 24| SHSLEAF.ORG
What kind of pet would suit you best? Start
Are you looking for a pet you can play with?
yes
Is your family going to help you take care of your pet?
yes
NO
NO Do you have experience with taking care of pets?
Guinea pigs, rabbits, etc.
NO
yes
Any small furry animal would make the perfect pet for you. They are fun to play with and easy to take care of if you have to do it by yourself. Notable examples: chinchillas, rats, ferrets.
Fish, turtles, etc.
Creatures that live in a tank are great for first-time pet owners. A fish is generally considered to be the ultimate starter pet, but other water creatures work too. Notable examples: pet rocks, salamanders.
Snakes, lizards, etc.
Reptiles and other exotic animals are popular among seasoned pet owners, but they can be a bit tricky to care for- and yet, just as rewarding as a furry friend. Notable examples: frogs, chameleons.
Dogs, cats, etc. A large mammal would be a good fit for you and your family. They are great companion animals, and everyone can pitch in to help take care of them. Most people have this kind of pet. Notable examples: farm animals (pigs, horses, goats).
THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APRI.24| SHSLEAF.ORG
Male Fa s h i on A d v i c e
‘Unlocking tuxedo secrets, one button at a time’ Caroline bruns staff writer
eLI SEIDMAN-DeuTscH webmaster
Jacket Slim
Sometimes referred to as “skinny”, this fit has been trimmed in all areas, as well as being shorter in length.
Modern
An updated fit with a refined shoulder, waist and armhole.This is more trim than the classic, but not as trim as the slim.
Outfit essentials The Bow Tie
It is very popular and available in many colors and prints. Good for work and special occasions.
Corsages
The key to picking out the perfect corsage is knowing what your date is wearing. You will want to match the flowers and the ribbon to the color of your date’s dress. If you are not sure what will match, choose white.
Classic
This has more room in the shoulders and body. This is the most traditional of the three styles, and fits all size ranges.
The Neck Tie The latest trends in ties are popular for all special occasions. These ties come in a variety of prints and can showcase your personality. For prom, your tie should match your date’s dress.
Images by Brooke Landrum, Eli Seidman-Deutsch, Caroline Bruns and President Tuxedo.
[ feature ]
18
THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APR. 24| SHSLEAF.ORG
TIGER MOMS: caroline gao
executive editor-in-chief
Anna zhou
D
Asian-Americans share their stories
executive managing editor ifferent ethniticies often experience various stereotypes. Stereotypes about Asian-American parenting are characterized by discipline and laser-like focus on achievement and performance. “I think that some Asian parents are really hard on their children, but my parents are not extreme. They make me get good grades and I played piano for eight years but they let me hang out with friends and do fun things,” freshman Kaitlyn Jiang said. Attentive research has found that successful Asian-American students have parental support and put in the dedicated work, just as successful
students from any other culture. But, when unreasonably high standards and an overpowering work ethic are paired with emotionally unsupportive parenting, Asian-American students are more likely to suffer negative effects, just as the children of distant parents from any other culture. “I think that tiger moms do really mean well, but their methods aren’t exactly compatible with the way that a lot of teenagers think. My parents sometimes have a tendency to venture into tiger territory, but they also know how to relax,” junior Katherine Dunn said. Additionally, it turns out that the parenting style described in the book of Amy Chua, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom, is not very common among Chinese-American parents.
[“] Anita Pan, 9
I think there are “tiger parents” in every race, but the most severe tiger parents are Asian. Asian parents tend to expect the best from their children and push them past their limit. In second grade, I got a 2/100 on a timed multiplication test. When my mom out, she made me memorize my multiplication tables every morning while I was eating breakfast. When I didn’t improve, she didn’t let me go to a friend’s birthday party, and I had to stay home and practice more multiplication tables.
Chinese-American parents are more likely to be faithfully involved with their children in a firm, reassuring, but overall positive way. Only when too much pressure to perform enters the picture do Asian-American kids suffer loss of self-esteem. The greatest chance for having successful kids is leaving behind cultural stereotypes and focusing on the best practices of all high-achieving households. Parents should have high expectations and communicate them clearly. Parents should also be aware of what their children are doing at school, and maintain that they make their greatest effort on assignments and schoolwork. Parents can set a very high standard and still come through with a hug and a word of reassurance when their child falls short of expectations.
I think that “tiger parenting” is definitely more in Asian cultures. I remember in elementary school, my mom had to keep telling our neighbors I had to practice violin instead of play outside with them. The strictness in our house lessened as we got older though, which I appreciated in comparison to some of my other Asian peers. I think the tiger parenting was good for me when I was little. I’m glad I am musical and athletic, but also independent now.
[“] Jessica Wei, 11
Asian parents appear less punishing than portrayed
[“] Jonathan Weng, 12
To some extent, I think it’s unfair to label Asian parents as “tiger parents” because the Asian parent-child dynamic and cultural values are very different from those of Western society. However, stereotypes usually have a bit of truth to them, and I would agree that Asian parents tend to have stricter and more traditional attitudes towards their children. In elementary school, I used to make a lot of silly math calculation errors, so for a long time I had to do math problems on Saturday morning instead of watch cartoons.
THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APR. 24| SHSLEAF.ORG
19
ASIAN AMERICANS
Percent saying being Asian helps, makes no difference, or hurts in... Admission to school & college 61%
20%
helps
no difference
EDUCATION
12%
hurts
39%
Finding a job 62%
19%
helps
no difference
12%
hurts
Getting a promotion 14%
61%
15%
helps
no difference
hurts
19 percent
of Asians consider themselves very different from typical Americans
percent of people say Asian-American parents put too much pressure on their children
percent of people say American parents put too much pressure on their children
9%
1 in 2
Asian Americans in Higher Education
of Asians say they have personally experienced discrimination in the past year
53 percent
U.S. Population
(53 percent) Asian immigrant adults 18+ say they speak English very well
49%
Asian-Americans
WHAT DEFINES ASIAN AMERICANS
Asian-American Identity
28%
14% of
Asian Americans describe themselves as American
70%
Indian
53%
Korean
51%
Chinese Filipino
47%
Japanese
46%
Vietmanese
26%
18,205,898 TOTAL U.S. ASIAN AMERICANS
THEY MAKE UP 5.8% OF THE TOTAL U.S. POPULATION
1.5
85.7%
of Asians are high school graduates
51%
of Asian adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher level of education
million businesses are owned by Asians
21.2%
of Asians have an advanced degree
49.1%
of Asians 16 and older work in management occupations Source: Pew social trends
THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APR. 24| SHSLEAF.ORG
20
when where 8time pm to
Saturday May 16th 2014
oasis country club
11:30 pm doors close at 9:30
prom tickets : $35 per person
theme : Enchanted Evening
after prom
after prom tickets : 12 am - 4:30 am
THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APR. 24 | SHSLEAF.COM
21
You can’t pick your family BROOKE LANDRUM
spotlight chief
Adler’s Theory n the late 1800s and early 1900s Alfred Adler was a world renowned psycologist. Adler
I
spent the majority of his career studying siblings and came up with harsh traits he believed all siblings had.
Power Hungry Conservatives First Born
Overly Competitive
Middle Child
Perfectionist Only Child
Spoiled and Lazy Youngest sibling
Most common jobs $ Government Engineering
First Born
Law enforcement Education
Technology
Middle Child
Medicine
Only Child
Retail
Art
Youngest sibling
Random facts Middle children tend to be the most faithful in relationships.
Every astronaut who has entered space was an eldest son or daughter.
84% of US house- 5.5% holds are open to adopting more than one child.
of SHS students have had a sibling in the same school.
Only children take the most financial risks with their money.
18% of US families have only one child.
Youngest children tend to have the most nightmares.
70%
of siblings with special needs siblings will become their primary caretaker.
22
THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APR. 24 | SHSLEAF.ORG
(Un)healthy teens
Lauren kurtzer feature chief
Teens who do not get enough sleep have damages to:
The average school start time is:
8:00 a.m.
• Physical health • Education Experts recomend that • Mental health schools start at: • Ability to drive safely “Insufficient sleep in adolescents [is] an important 8:30 a.m. public health issue that significantly affects the health and safety, as well as the academic success, of Academy of our nation’s middle and high school students” American Pediatrics statement
Freshmen 15: Definition : The freshmen 15 is the belief that freshmen in college gain on average 15 pounds during their first year away from home. Students on average gain three to ten pounds in their first two years of college.
Causes:
Students are free from home and parents for an extended period of time. It is the first time students can eat what they want when they want. Also, high school athletes may not be as active in college because mandatory daily practices in high school become optional exercises determined by students in college. Stress and stress eating tend to increase. As teens get older, metabolism also changes and decreases.
Do not stress eat or eat a large amount of food while watching TV or studying. Eat slowly, chose healthy foods, eat at regular times and do not skip meals. Also, instead of soda, have water or milk. When snacking, have healthier snacks like fruit and vegetables. Use the vending machines as little as possible or not at all.
Sources: theatlantic.com, National Institute of Health, and kidshealth.org
Dos and Don’ts:
[ fun&games ]
RUJULA KAPOOR fun & games chief
THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APR. 24 | SHSLEAF.ORG
Wordle
Riddle Which is the word in English that has nine letters, and remains a word at each step even when you remove one letter from it, right up to a single letter remaining. List each letter as you remove them, along with the resulting word at each step.
?
2 One
Answers: ‘Startling’ start by removing ‘l’, which makes it ‘starting’, then take away the ‘t’, making it ‘staring’, and so on - string; sting; sing; sin; in; and, I.
i him
Dots
Answers: 2 faced, 6th sense , two in one , an eye on him
Sudoku 4
6
8
7
5
1
5
2
7
3 9
9 8
8
3 9
9
1 6
2 3
2
8
4 3 9
5
6
Instructions: Your goal is to make more squares than your opponent. To begin, choose two dots, and draw a segment between them. You and the opponent will alternate turns from that point on. Whenever a box is drawn, one point is scored and the person who scored the point gets a free turn. Whoever has the most boxes in the end wins the game.
[ sports ] THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APR. 24 | SHSLEAF.ORG
Elijah Zawatsky sports chief
Lauren GLynn
ROAD TO STAT
Tennis, lacrosse teams striving
leaflet editor
T
he cheers. The numbness. looking forward to,” Murphy said. The exhilaration. These are Despite the incredibly tough just a few of the many things schedule and the loss of eight the girls on the Varsity senior starters, the Lady Aves are Lacrosse team remember about confident in their ability to produce winning the State Championship another astounding season. last season. “As state champions, it’s different “[The day we won State] was from last year because everyone probably one of the best days of my doubts us. We lost eight senior life. It was just really exciting that starters last year so no one believes we actually won. We had put in so we have the talent to win it again much time and effort, and it finally or even come close. Our team has paid off,” senior Madeline Locke potential to be better than last said. year’s team and we can’t wait to The team is coming off what was show everyone how wrong they arguably their most successful are,” Murphy said. season in team history. Along with the state title and a perfect record, 2014 graduates Kara Marth and Ashley Bonnoitt were named Division I first team players, and Locke was named a Division I second team player. The team will face many challenges in their attempt to, as senior Brittany Murphy puts it, “win another state championship and be the first team at Sycamore to win two in a row.” There are only four returning starters: Murphy, Locke, and juniors Sydney Pattison and Liza Fitzgerald. In addition to the April 24th @ Upper Arlington W 18-1 April 7th Vs. Anderson challenge of having a April 25th Vs. New Albany W 12-3 April 11th Hannigan Galipault relatively low number May 2nd @ Glenbrook South (IL) W 7-2 April 11th Vs. Olentangy of returning starters, May 2nd @ Hinsdale Central (IL) W 14-10 April 14th Vs. Summit the team will also May 4th Vs. Ursuline face Mt. Notre Dame, W 13-5 April 16th @ Mason Upper Arlington, and W 14-3 April 18th Vs. Thomas Worthington May 5th @ Springboro New Albany on three May 7th @ St. Ursula W 11-9 April 23rd @ Mt. Notre Dame successive days, from May 8th Vs. Sacred Heart (KY) Apr 23 to 25. May 9th @ Worthington Kilbourne “Upper Arlington, May 21st Regional Finals New Albany, and Mount Notre Dame May 29th State Semi-Finals are all huge games May 30th State Finals that the entire team is Infographic by Elijah Zawatsky
Great start Strong finish
W Win
@
Away Game Vs. Home Game
THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APR. 24 | SHSLEAF.ORG
TE PART TWO
g toward back to back titles Alex Wittenbaum sports chief
A
fter claiming the first Ohio Tennis Coaches Association (OTCA) Division One State Team Title in school history in 2014, the Varsity A tennis team is back on the courts and off to a hot start for the 2015 campaign. Returning starters from last year are seniors Deepak Indrakanti, Nakul Narendran, Alex Wittenbaum, Aditya Venkitrarama, junior Alex Taylor, and sophomore Noah Stern. Class of ’14 Mustafa Ahmad’s spot on the team will be taken by sophomore Regis Liou and freshman Nathan Zhang. “Ahmad was extremely clutch for us last season. When we needed him to win, he did. However, I am still confident that we are one of the best teams in the state without him,” Indrakanti said. The team opened the season with their annual spring break trip to Northern Ohio. They took on St. Ignatius (pre-season ranked third) and Massillon Jackson (preseason ranked sixth). “It was cool to travel as a team up to Cleveland. Even though we played our first two matches, we treated them as if we are already in mid-season form,” Venkitarama said. Notable matches throughout the season come against Toledo St. Johns (pre-season ranked second), Cincinnati Country Day School (defending Division Two State champions), and Louisville St. Xavier (defending Kentucky State champions). “We are excited to test ourselves with the tougher matches throughout the season. They motivate us to practice harder and with a greater purpose,” Taylor said. Important results so far include the defeat of St. Ignatius 4-1, Toledo St. John’s 5-0, Upper Arlington (ranked second in Ohio) 4-1, and most notably defeated Cincinnati Country Day School 4-1, avenging their only loss in the previous season. They have so far maintained a perfect record 13 matches into the season.. Follow @aves10s on Twitter for post-match scores and updates.
25
[ column ] Keeping Up with Kurtzer
LAUREN KURTZER
feature chief
As I began writing my column for this month’s issue, college basketball’s one-and-done players seemed the most pertinent and obvious issue at hand. However, when news broke that Lauren Hill had passed away, my focus completely shifted. My first reaction was simply wow, what an amazing woman and another life taken too soon. Despite her diagnosis, I and many others were not prepared for this day to come. You could see her incredible impact through social media when many ESPN big names such as LeBron James, Devon Still, many major media outlets, the NCAA, and WNBA teams posted on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and so on. The Cincinnati Enquirer described her influence on America perfectly; “She was everyone’s daughter,” and deservingly so. Everyone’s daughter reached millions and lived out an empowering story that did not let cancer define her. Hill embodied the quote of the great Stuart Scott; she did not lose to cancer, but “Beat cancer by how you live, why you live and the manner in which you live.” Everyone has been affected by this awful disease; we see its lasting and powerful impact on patients, family, and friends. She did not let it get in the way of living her dream of playing college basketball and then worked to spread the news of DIPG and pediatric cancer; she never stopped, and her efforts live on. May cancer not be a reason someone is gone too soon and Apr. 10 be always in America’s memory. May number 22 live on, and every day, may you always pass on an act of kindness and live life to its fullest, no regrets. May we all work to beat cancer. Hill’s story makes my idea about one-and-done players seem meaningless.
26
THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APR. 24 | SHSLEAF.ORG
Gymnastics springs out of season
Ellen Martinson staff writer
T
he SHS gymnastics team is used to flying solo. The two team members, junior Sierra Whittemore and senior Molly Gearin were forced to compete as individuals due to a lack of fellow team members. The duo traveled to Cincinnati Country Day every day for practice, traveling to the same meets as the team under the same coach. “I’m really going to miss it because gymnastics isn’t a sport that you can just go out in your backyard and do,” Gearin said. Whittemore will compete as an individual next year unless another member joins. “It was great to have [Gearin] guide me through my first year on the team and be a role model in the gym,” Whittemore said. The two finished their season at District’s in March after acquiring several top twenty finishes in a field of over 150 athletes. If you are a gymnast with some previous experience and are interested in joining the team, contact Whittemore.
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[ column ] Seventh Inning Stretch DAVID WERTHEIM
opinion chief
Opening day. The one day in Cincinnati when thousands of students play hooky, workers take off, and baseball becomes the most important thing in everyone’s lives. This year, I was able to attend the game and festivities. The Findlay Market parade was truly spectacular. People of all ages lined the streets to get a glimpse of the heroes of the 1990 World Series and countless other personalities, such as Cincinnati radio legend Jim Scott, who marched in the parade. Fans then began to migrate towards the ballpark, where they could munch on a Queen City Sausage, or party on the Bud Light stage. The streets were so packed that it took my father and me 15 minutes to cross through the crowd. After a beautiful national anthem, the game finally started. As always, rain began to fall, and the game was delayed in the sixth inning. Most of the fans did not seem to care, because the stands were still packed after the short delay was ended. That is what I love about Opening Day. It is a fresh start. The Reds host the 2015 All-Star game this year, so they obviously are trying to ramp up the fan experience. The fans enjoyed the game, especially since the Reds won. The Reds are the only team in the MLB that is guaranteed a home series to start the season, and they always make the best of it. The 2015 Opening Day crowd was the largest regularseason crowd in the history of Great American Ball Park, which opened in 2003. So why not join in? Head downtown and watch your Redlegs. They have started off on the winning track, so there is no reason not to go down and take in a ballgame.
[ spotlight ] Noah THE LEAF | FRIDAY, APR. 24 | SHSLEAF.ORG
Jacob Englander
Staff Writer
F
ourth quarter may mean crunch time for underclassmen, but for seniors, it signifies an end to their Sycamore careers. This rings true for senior Noah Pittinger, who looks back on his own high school experience with a new perspective on the adventure. “I’ve learned that I enjoy variety within a structured routine- that was an important consideration moving forward for college and potential careers.” said Pittinger. Clubs, a good part of any SHS’s student’s life and a requirement for National Merit, are a big part of Pittinger’s life. Pittinger is an avid garden club member. “It’s more meaningful to be in one or two clubs with strong participation and leadership
Pittinger
How to: high school
rather than many with weak participation,” Pittinger said. Pittinger also is in Marching Band. Pittinger plays the clarinet, and quite well according to his peers. Pittinger also wants students to know that you should take what classes you are nterested in, not what looks good. “They see thousands of applications like that. Taking other classes shows you’re not only there for academic studies, but also to be part of a community,” Pittinger said. So,make sure to mix it up, and have a good four years. “So talk to other people. Not just superficial stuff- really challenge yourself to get a feel for who they are, what they believe, and why they believe it. Get as many perspectives as you can on.” Pittinger said.
Advice for freshman
Q&A with Noah pittinger Q: If you could give your freshman-self advice, what would you say? A: My advice to myself would be, don’t try to restrict yourself to one group. You’ll find more happiness in expressing different sides of yourself with different people. Q: Do you think you have learned about yourself during your high school career? A: A lot of people just see school as a mandatory use of 7 hours. They don’t appreciate that, especially in Sycamore, we have a lot of different programs and classes where you can try to learn about yourself. Q: What do you think about the way people approach high school classes? A: There is nothing I dislike more than saying that you should take a class because it looks good to colleges. If a person is just taking a course to look good for college, they’re not really helping themselves with finding their interests, and they’re not being genuine to themselves.
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