The Wooster Blade, Volume MMXXIII, Issue #9

THE WOOSTER BLADE

Celebrating W men’s History Month

International women’s day focuses on theme of equality and equity

LILY CAMPBELL - LEHTINEN staff writer

According to IWD.com, a website featuring information about International Women’s Day, International Women’s Day is a date recognized to support women around the world and to help combat bias and discrimination. The day is also used to promote both equality and equity in women’s rights.

Katherine Holt, Women’s Gender & Sexuality Studies Co-Chair at the College of Wooster, states that “To me, equity is about identifying structural obstacles to opportunities and thinking about how to address them. We all benefit from learning from folks from different perspectives and ways of approaching a shared problem.”

For reference, equity and equality are words with two different definitions and applications. As defined by Dictionary.com, equality means “the state or quality of being equal or correspondence in quantity, value, degree, rank, or ability.” Equity on the other hand, is defined by Dictionary. com as “the policy or practice of accounting for the differences in each individual’s starting point when pursuing a goal or achievement, and working to remove barriers to equal opportunity, as by providing

support based on the unique needs of students and employees. In relation to the difference of

it’s not giving everyone the exact same thing. If we give everyone the exact same thing, expecting that will make people equal, it assumes that everyone started out in the same place - and this can be vastly inaccurate because everyone isn’t the same.”

equality and equity.” IWD.com states: “Equity can be defined as giving everyone what they need to be successful. In other words,

IWD’s primary message is to promote both equity and equality during International Women’s Day in order to allow women worldwide to have access to equal opportunities and have those opportunities presented to them in a specific way to help them be successful.

Holt also states that representation is very important during International Women’s Day. “I think that representation is one very important aspect: having role models that look like your community, or share your lived experience, is very helpful in encouraging students to pursue careers where women or people of color are underrepresented. I’ve long been a big fan of the College of Wooster’s B-Wiser Science Camp, for example. This week-long program brings seventh and eighth grade females to campus to explore scientific research and work in labs,” Holt said.

Holt notes that learning from others and working together will help to improve society. International Women’s Day takes place March 8, while the month of March is Women’s History Month.

Current issues like the pink tax and tampon tax threaten women’s rights

JAELYN FREDERICK

staff writer

Since March is Women’s History

Month, it is important to address certain issues going on today that target women.

According to Katherine Holt, Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies Co-Chair at the College of Wooster, “I think that the most important thing involving women’s rights right now are: one,

protecting voting rights to make sure all citizens can participate in our democratic process, and two, full access to health care services including pregnancy termination.” These issues make it difficult for women, and Holt says, “I think that one of the best way for you to help with these issues is pay attention to balanced news reporting from well-respected sources like Reuters and Axios.” She also recommends using The League of Women’s Voters to evaluate political sources.

Female authors inspire youth

HANNAH LOGIUDICE

on campus editor

With March recognizing Women’s History month, female authors have been, and continue to be, important staples of our world, as they allow young girls to read something written by people like them and continually influence everyone, regardless of gender.

To celebrate influential female authors a few WHS English Dept. members have shared the female authors who have had an influence on them.

Catrina Dotson highlights Jane Austen as an author who inspires her saying, “As an author, she represents a shift in both history and literature because she was writing female characters that desire the same freedoms as male characters during a time in which that was not commonplace…I respect her and the bravery she showed in writing these stories, characters, and themes during

the time period that she did. In some ways, she probably helped shaped the way life looks for a lot of people now.” Some of the most notable Jane Austen books include Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Emma

For his answer, English Dept. member Brett Hiner chose to highlight various authors for different reasons. Hiner highlights Jane Harper for mysteries, Taylor Jenkins Reid for her character development and recommends Meg Gardiner’s thriller series “UNSUB.”

Chelsey Eppler Porter suggests Kristin Hannah as a female author people should read saying, “She weaves tales and establishes characters that get at the heart of the complexity of the idea of womanhood and tells extremely inspiring stories that demonstrate being a powerful woman can mean so many different things.” Some of Kristin Hannah’s books include True colors, Night Road and Firefly Lane.

Another prominent issue against women happening currently is the pink tax, where women have to pay more for the same products or services than men. An article by Investopedia called “What Is the Pink Tax? Impact on Women, Regulation, and Laws” states, “There are hundreds of products and services that are subject to the so-called pink tax. Apparel, such as a pair of jeans, or services like a haircut, are a few common examples. Children’s toys marketed

to girls are another example.”

Pink taxes make it more difficult to buy feminine clothes and toys that are targeted toward girls. “Gender priced biases and the ‘pink tax’ are a big issue. I think this is another one that would require more publicity and political organizing to address,” Holt said.

A Pink tax is similar to another issue called tampon or period tax. According to an article by Global Citizen called “The Tampon Tax: Everything You Need To

Know,” “The tampon tax, which taxes menstrual products as nonessential items, places an additional burden on people who menstruate and discriminates against them by making items crucial for everyday life unaffordable for some” Due to this price hike, these products can be very expensive since they are so frequently bought.

Issues like pink tax, tampon tax and the attacks against women’s voting rights make it more difficult for women to get through daily life.

The Blade staff highlights influential women:

BLADE students were asked, “Who is the most influential woman in your life today and why?”

Hannah Logiudice (12): “My grandmother because whenever she tells me stories about her life she shows me that being a strong woman means she was able to accomplish a lot.”

Laynee Eslich(10): “My sister, Izzy Eslich.”

Mattie Dunlap (11): “My family friends, Mary Stockton and Kristen Broda and my mom.”

Brittany Wachtel (12): “ My aunt Megan because she inspired me to go into the career that I am going into and is the most compassionate person I know.”

Nora Levy (12): “My mom because she is such a hard worker and she is always supportive of me and my life.”

Students work with administration to revise the student handbook

GRACE KOSTOHRYZ focus editor

Every school has handbooks and rules that students are to abide by. The importance of student handbooks is to set the rules and guidelines that students are expected to follow while at school, while also providing a place for students and parents to find other helpful resources.

A group of students and staff have been working on revising the current student handbook.

Margaret Davis, Assistant Principal at WHS says, “Four students from the Student Leadership Team that Mr. Musser created were recommended to me by Mr. Musser. I wanted there to be students

with different perspectives on this smaller committee in order to receive different types of input about possible changes to the handbook.”

Daniel Karger (11) a student working on the handbook revision team says, “ The goal was to make it so students could understand and relate more to the rules instead of having policies that no longer apply,” Karger said. The intent is to make the rules more easily applicable for students.

Davis noted that society is constantly changing and that means some things have to change in order to keep up. “The language in the handbook is outdated, and parts of the handbook do not align to current building practices. The goal is to make the handbook more

History classes visit Washington D.C. sites

concise and clear for students,” Davis said.

Alexia Kakanuru (11), one of the students working on revising the handbook says, “We are looking to propose more excused days for college visits, updating pronouns to be more inclusive, and redefining aspects of the dress code. We also are working towards setting a firm set of rules for tardiness to class so there is no confusion about ‘assigned areas’ and the consequences associated with missing class,” Kakanuru said. These revisions are going to make the handbook more easily understood.

The handbook will be looked over by the Wooster City Schools Board of Education at one of their future meetings.

Speech and debate team goes to states

On March 2 and March 3, the Dangers of Indifference, Civil Rights, and IB classes went on their annual trip to Washington D.C.

Mark Kister, the History Dept. member who teaches the Dangers of Indifference class, said the trip has existed for all 10 years he ha s taught at WHS.

Skylar Jerkins (12) took Civil Rights last year and Dangers of Indifference this year and went on the trip both years, noting that she feels as though she learned even more the second time

On the left, the WHS Speech and Debate team participate in a clap out on Thursday March 2 to honor members of the team competing at the OSDA State Tournament those pictured. In the front row, include Ethan Keating (12), Jacob Hannan (12) and Ben Stavnezer (12). On the right, all of the state qualifiers pose after the clap out.

partner Nelson, acted out “The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet.”

“On day one, we went to the Holocaust Museum, African-American Museum, got to see the White House, and we saw a lot of memorials, such as the Martin Luther King memorial and the Lincoln Memori-

al. On day two, we went to the Arlington National Cemetery. We got to see the Iwo Jima memorial and we got a tour of the United States Capitol building,” Jerkins said. Kister said his favorite part of the trip was getting to talk to students after they visit the museums and discussing what lessons they have learned.

“This trip is a very powerful learning experience for students. It is important that students visit both of these museums to help them gain a greater understanding of what has happened in the past. Seeing exhibits in person gives students more insight into the history that both of our classes have been studying this semester,” Kister said.

The trip is an opportunity for students to visit our nation's capital and get an in-person view of many aspects of our history.

WHS Speech and Debate recently placed 21, out of 83 schools, at the state finals , with four quarter finalists, three semi finalists, and one partner finalist.

The quarter finalists at states were Daniel Jeoni in USX, Ishaan Gireesh in POI, Ethan Keating in DEC and in DUO Max Stavnezer and Benjamin Stavnezer. The semi finalists were Xander Amir in OO, Jacob Hannan in USX, and Tristan

In the tournament the duo team ranked fourth in their category.

For Snyder, the tournament was a great experience, and she said she is excited about getting to meet more people in next year’s competitions. Nelson (12) who joined the team this year, said, “I am so glad that I did join, but I regret that I didn’t earlier.”

Nelson and Snyder were proud of the chemistry that the two partners

have together. “We have developed a strong bond that allows us to work well together and bounce ideas off of one another,” Nelson said.

This year, policy debater Rhys Florence-Smith (10), who qualified for nationals with partner Jiawei Ge (10), encourages others to join the team, noting,“ My personal belief is that how well you do in debate is directly correlated to how much effort you put in.”

Florence-Smith is currently preparing for nationals, which will take place in Phoenix, Ariz., from June 11 to June 16.

WHS announces 2024 band trip to Washington D.C.

STELLA POWERS trends editor

Next spring , the WHS bands will be taking a trip to Washington, D.C.

Craig French, band director, shared that while on the trip, band members will have many unique performance opportunities.

“The symphonic band is gonna play a concert at The Kennedy Center,” shared French, “and then the concert band and freshman band are gonna combine and do

a concert at The World War II Memorial.”

Ben Wright (11), a percussionist, has been trying to visit Washington D.C. for a while now, but faced some complications.

“My family has always tried to go but it hasn’t worked out due to COVID, so it’s a nice opportunity,” shared Wright.

In the past, fundraising has played a large role in making the trips more accessible for students within the WHS Music Department. While fundraising will continue

to be prominent with this trip, a lot of the regulations surrounding fundraising are changing. According to French, fundraising in the future will be more collaborative, with the Music Dept. fundraising as a group.

“We’re gonna have a goal of what we wanna raise, which will decrease everybody’s amount by this much money,” French said.

An informational meeting regarding this event and the fundraising was held on Tuesday, March 7.

Photo by Laura Rapport

On the left, The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and on the right the Lincoln Memorial both photos were taken during the Dangers of Indifference and Civil Rights classes trip to Washington D.C.

The Washington Monument, pictured at night, was one of the locations that students got to view. Students had the opportunity to visit many historic sites.

REBEKAH LAY staff writer

Miller in IX. The finalist DUO was Allison Snyder and Layne Nelson. Snyder, along with her

Photos courtesy of Kristin Keating

Photo Courtesy of Jayla Cooper

Photo Courtesy of Jayla Cooper

Graphic by Brittany Wachtel

ETHAN KEATING staff writer

St. Patrick’s Day maintains historical relevance

LAYNEE ESLICH staff writer

Who is St. Patrick and why do Americans celebrate him on March 17?

Maewyn Succat was an enslaved Roman man in the 15th century. He was taken to Ireland, but once he was either released or escaped, he went back to Britain. When Succat returned to his home, he became a Priest and his goal was to convert the Druid culture into Christians. This information was found on Britannica

According to an article called “Who were the Druids,” written by Ben Johnson, on the website HISTORIC UK, the beliefs of the Druid people may have been similar to many religions, but the culture was unheard of. Johnson writes, “Druidism is thought to have been a part of Celtic and Gaulish culture in Europe, with the first classical reference to them in the 2nd century BC.” Johnson also goes on to highlight the idolatrous Druids have towards nature, specifically trees.

St. Patrick returned to Ireland and was known by the locals as a Christian missionary. According to the World History Encyclopedia, he expanded literature and converted the country to Christianity. The website also explains that many people were moved by his strong faith, even through harsh times, which there were many harsh times when it may have seemed impossible for Succat to survive. The people of Ireland named him Saint Patrick, meaning a father figure, and that is the name he

Russia and Ukraine conflict continues

JACKSON STANSIFER staff writer

Feb. 24 marked 365 days since Russia invaded Ukraine, provoking a conflict that has maintained its prevalence and violence for more than a year.

On Feb. 21, 2022, Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, publicly recognized the Ukrainian territories of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states, according to an article titled, “Russia Invade Ukraine: A Timeline of the Crisis,” from Madeline Fitzgerald and Elliot Davis Jr. of U.S. News & World Report

However, only three days later, Putin began a large-scale invasion of Ukraine, which has since resulted in over 20,000 civilian casualties.

Russian invasion last year,” stated Volker Türk, UN Human Rights Chief on Feb. 21. Following the invasion of Ukraine, members of NATO, including the United States, condemned Putin’s decision, and supported Ukraine in the conflict.

According to Fitzgerald and Davis, U.S. President Joe Biden has provided nearly $3 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since December, and on Feb. 20, Biden visited Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the capital city of Kyiv, publicly conveying his support for Ukraine’s efforts.

100,000 Ukrainian troops killed or wounded, on top of 200,000 Russians, according to Matthew Mpoke Bigg of The New York Times, in his article titled, “How Russia’s war in Ukraine has unfolded, month by month.”

Recently, both sides have launched attacks in Donetsk, one of the regions that Russia had recognized as sovereign at the beginning of the conflict, with neither forces achieving any major victories.

is remembered by because of his reputation.

The website informs that Succat died on March 17, the day he is celebrated. The celebration is of the introduction of Christianity to Ireland, and the day also commemorates the culture of Ireland. For entertainment and advertisement, many aspects of Succat’s life have been highlighted.

The idea of luck during St. Patrick’s day comes from the luck he had to spread his belief and morals. Written in History.com, in “St. Patrick Day Traditions,“ the editors highlight the legacy of the leprechaun and how it relates to Irish culture, “Though only minor figures in Celtic folklore, leprechauns were known for their trickery, which they often used to protect their much-fabled treasure.”

Though the legend of Leprechauns have their own holiday, May 13, they are praised during St. Patricks day for the cultural impact they had on Ireland.

“At least 8,000 non-combatants have been confirmed killed – with nearly 13,300 injured – since the

“One year later, Kyiv stands. And Ukraine stands. Democracy stands,” Biden declared. Along with the high civilian casualties mentioned above, U.S. and European officials have estimated that the RussiaUkraine conflict has resulted in

“Russian forces, trying a renewed offensive in eastern Ukraine, edged closer to seizing the city of Bakhmut but sustained heavy losses elsewhere,” Bigg wrote.

With neither Russia nor Ukraine making any significant ground in their war efforts, along with neither side looking for any resolution, this violent conflict continues to drag on, taking the lives of thousands, with no feasible end in sight.

Wayne County Community Youth Foundation provides many opportunities for students

MOLLY BYRNE cover editor

One opportunity that is currently available to incoming juniors is the chance to apply for the Wayne County Community Youth Foundation.

According to Youth Foundation Adviser, Trevor Dunlap, “The Wayne County Community Foundation (WCCF) is a 501(C) (3) tax exempt public charity that acquires funds, invests funds, and makes monetary awards (grants) to other organizations to improve the quality of life for our community. Since 1980, over $95 million has been awarded in grants and scholarships.”

This organization is a huge benefit to students, as it provides

a great learning opportunity for students around the community as well as monetary benefit for post secondary education.

When speaking with Maggie Ozar (11), a member of the Wayne County Community Youth Foundation, about how she benefited from her time in the organization she stated, “I would say the benefits are that you learn a lot about different organizations at work in our community and exactly how they benefit people who are our age.”

Ozar encourages students to apply for this opportunity by stating, “I would definitely recommend it to juniors because it’s not a ton of extra work outside of school and sports and anything else you may have, but you learn a lot and can make a real difference in our own

community.”

According to their official website, “Established in 1978 with a single gift of $1,000, WCCF has become the steward of over 545 separate funds created from bequests and gifts, each with their own philanthropic purpose to support the future of our community now –and for many years to come.”

The WCCYF is a fantastic way to gain experience in the community and knowledge about other ways to help issues within the community but supporting other nonprofit organizations. Students can apply via the link provided on the WCCYF. Applications are due April 1. In order to apply, students must be juniors at a Wayne County high school or a senior at the Wayne County Career Center.

Train derailment causes safety concerns

TRISTAN MILLER staff writer

On Feb. 23, a Norfolk Southern Freight train derailed near the Ohio town of East Palestine. According to an article from CNN updated March 1, the derailment caused a pile-up of more than 11 cars carrying toxic chemicals such as vinyl chloride, a chemical used in the production of industrial plastics.

Following the derailment, many of these chemicals began to burn or leak from their damaged cars. This leak of chemicals caused the town of East Palestine to be temporarily evacuated on Feb. 5 due to fear of

an explosion, according to the EPA . Following the accident, many feared the chance of leaked toxic gasses poisoning wildlife and people, with an article from The Columbus Dispatch by Taijun Moorman on Feb. 16 expressing many of these local concerns.

Although many fear potential environmental damages, the EPA has been carefully monitoring gas leakage since the event with their official website stating, “To date no off-site releases of vapor at levels of concern have been detected.”

Not only has the agency monitored the release of chemicals at the source, but they have been monitoring the air in, and around, the derailment site with their site,

also stating, “U.S. EPA has deployed mobile detection equipment and stationary equipment to conduct air monitoring in the East Palestine community.”

The EPA has been urging citizens to return to their homes and has assured the public that they are monitoring around the clock to prevent serious environmental damages. They have also offered residents temporary lodging or residence due to some of their testing disrupting daily life within the community.

While local and federal officials are assuring the population that the disaster can be contained, many in the community still fear adverse health and environmental effects.

“LEPRECHAUNS WERE KNOWN FOR THEIR TRICKERY, WHICH THEY OFTEN USED TO PROTECT THEIR MUCH FABLED TREASURE,” SAID HISTORY.COM

WHS graduate works at New York fashion week

OLIVIA HINER co-editor-in-chief

New York Fashion Week comes around every February and brings exciting new looks to the fashion and makeup world. This year, 2023 WHS alum Luke Pomfret got the opportunity to do makeup for the Richie Rich fashion show.

After being on a hiatus from fashion, Richie Rich returned with his new collection “Richererette,” according to The Washington Square News article published Feb. 14 titled “Richie Rich makes a fun, nostalgic comeback to the NYFW runway.” Rich had a comment in the article that stated, “After everything going on in the world, I called the collection fun. I want to make people happy and smile…” A large part of a fashion collection is the accessories, and especially the makeup.

Pomfret is currently in his freshman year at Pace University. He has been practicing makeup since he was 16 and described this experience as a dream come true.

To receive such an opportunity, he has been a part of a Facebook makeup job page that lists available jobs. One makeup artist made a post asking to contact them if interested in doing makeup for NYFW. Pomfret reached out, and upon first hearing he would be doing it, was very unsure if the opportunity was legitimate.

Lo and behold, it was. He was a

Downtown Wooster reaches 1,000 days of Black Lives Matter protests

February 25 marked 1,000 days of protests for the Black Lives Matter movement in downtown Wooster. The occasion was marked by speeches and citizens gathering in the square to show their support for the movement.

Oliver Warren, WHS History Dept. member and adviser for the WHS chapter of the NAACP, spoke about his involvement with the Black Lives Matter movement saying, “[part of it is] pure survival… if we don’t push for our rights and speak up when negative things impact our community, they’re going to continue to happen. Part of it is that I have students that are underrepresented. I feel a lot of personal responsibility to my students to advocate for them.”

Warren also spoke about the history of Ohioans fighting for justice, saying, “Ohio has a deep history of abolition and advocating for equal rights… and producing people who have been against racism and against slavery throughout our history. It’s part of what Ohio was, or is, supposed to be.”

Laura Burch, professor of French and francophone studies at the College of Wooster spoke at the event about abolition, specifically the abolition of police.

“Policing, as an institution, has its roots in slavery. There is not a single era in United States history in which the police were not a force of violence against black people. Policing in the south emerged from the slave patrols of the 17th and 18th century. The first municipal police departments in the mid1800s helped quash labor strikes and riots against the rich. Every-

where they have suppressed marginalized populations to protect the status quo… policing as an institution cannot be reformed, because its foundations are rooted in violence. Policing as an institution is central to the system of mass incarceration that disproportionately harms black and brown and poor people. Policing as an institution perpetuates cycles of violence in our communities.”

Walter Clark, minister at the Unitarian Universalist church, spoke during the event about the importance of the continued presence of Black Lives Matter supporters in downtown Wooster.

“George Floyd was murdered about 1000 days ago. May 25, 2020. And, ever since then, someone's been out here. Someone's been out here holding up a sign that says Black Lives Matter. And, we've gotten some people who are saying, ‘why? Why are you still doing this? George Floyd was almost three years ago. The outrage died down.’ Yeah. And, they're right, the outrage over George Floyd has died down. But, that has not stopped the killing of Black folks by police over the last 1,000 days. Why are we still here you ask? We are here because our society has deemed black lives do not matter. And this will not change until we make change.”

Protesters have continued to gather downtown every day at noon.

part of the La Beaute Fatale Cosmetics team for the show according to his Instagram, @lukaariesmua. Throughout training for the show, he mentioned that he learned a great deal from other makeup artists and said it was a, “very enlightening experience.”

As the day of the show arrived on Feb. 11, Pomfret said he was very nervous and very scared. He mentioned that on the day of the event he felt like he was on a roller coaster of emotions.

However, while in the moment, he said he just wanted to have a good time and enjoy himself. Pomfret said he became, “very focused on the model… trying to make conversation.” For someone who is emotional, he notes that putting his emotions aside was a challenge as he knew it was important for the model to remain calm, as well. He also noted that he was around people who had been in the makeup industry for 10 years and were calling this show their big break, so he felt like he had to prove himself.

Pomfret said he felt very lucky to be able to do such a thing and is hoping to continue getting more jobs in the future. His favorite part of the experience was talking to the models and getting to know them. Pomfret mentioned making a lot of connections and learning from them. He believes that taking every opportunity you can get is vitally important, and everything happens for a reason. It is how he got presented with such an opportunity.

Photo by Brittany Wachtel

Photo by Brittany Wachtel

Photo by Brittany Wachtel

Photos courtesy of Getty Images

“OHIO HAS A DEEP HISTORY OF ABOLITION AND ADVOCATING FOR EQUAL RIGHTS... AND PRODUCING PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN AGAINST RACISM AND AGAINST SLAVERY THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY. IT’S PART OF WHAT OHIO WAS, OR IS, SUPPOSED TO BE.”

U.S. school shootings prompt reflection

RHYS FLORENCE-SMITH staff writer

On April 20, 1999, Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo. was attacked by two high school students with firearms.

According to an article by History.com on the shooting, “The Columbine shooting was, at the time, the worst high school shooting in U.S. history and prompted a national debate on gun control and school safety, as well as a major investigation to determine what motivated the gunmen…”

Following the shootings in Columbine, both Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. also were attacked.

The Washington Post article published on Feb. 13, cites that there have been 366 school shootings since the events at Columbine.

The massive increase in the United States is a relatively unique problem.

Similar western nations to the United States do not seem to have this issue.

According to Max Fisher in an article for The New York Times in May of 2022 titled, “Other Countries Had Mass Shootings. Then They Changed Their Gun Laws.”Fisher notes, “After a British gunman killed 16 people in 1987, the country banned semiautomatic weapons like those he had used.” Fisher goes on to write, “It now has one of the lowest gun-related death rates in the developed world.”

Responses like this are rarely seen

in the United States.

Courtney Norris, a writer for PBS NewsHour, wrote in an article in 2019, in covering the New Zealand strict gun law changes, following a shooting in a mosque. Norris writes, “That show of unified political will, leading to swift action, stands in contrast to the U.S., where there has been more push-and-pull after innumerable high-profile mass shootings in recent years.”

SandyHookPromise.com, a website that advocates for change in national gun control, has made significant progress their pushing for gun reform, stating on their website, “Ohio and Louisiana passed the SAVE Students Act, which establishes requirements for life-saving trainings.” Similar laws have been passed in other states around the country.

Americans struggle to have meaningful conversations about guns

BRITTANY WACHTEL

co-editor-in-chief

America’s first modern mass shooting took place in 1966 at the University of Texas where 14 were killed when a shooter fired his shotgun for 90 consecutive minutes.

According to Seamus McGraw from The Texas Tribune in an article published June 1, 2022, this shooting was the jumping off point for the mass shooting epidemic in America.

According to the Rockefeller Institute of Government, from 1966 to 2020, 1,449 individuals were killed in mass shootings in the United States.

Despite the staggering amount of Americans being killed yearly, conversations surrounding gun legislation seem to be tense. James Burnett from The Trace on Dec. 22, 2018, published an article that focused on having discussions about guns.

Burnett says, “We can never find the place where we can all meet and agree unless we begin by respecting each other… pose

questions seeking understanding, in a manner that will allow the respondent to provide you with the understanding that you seek.”

While such discussions may be difficult to have, they are essential to find solutions to gun violence.

A common occurrence after many school shootings is the tendency to shift the blame away from legislation. After the shooting at Columbine, many speculated that the killers acted due to their connections with a conspiracy based school gang called the Trenchcoat Mafia.

Even now, 23 years after Columbine, online bloggers, such as one featured on the Center for Inquiry website, still make blogs that say the reason that Columbine happened was due to pop culture factors.

When the blame is shifted from legislation to pop culture, gun violence is no longer viewed as a political issue.

Mark Gooch, a member of the local Moms Demand Action group in Wooster, says there is nowhere else to place the blame except for legislators.

Gooch says, “We have more

guns in this country than we have people. Simple logic concludes by adding more guns, you increase the potential for gun violence. Gun violence can’t occur if there isn’t a gun present. While there isn’t one law that will ‘fix’ the problem, there is common sense legislation that in combination can reduce gun violence.”

Moms Demand Action is an organization that advocates for gun safety and is a part of the Everytown for Gun Safety organization, says Gooch.

Gooch says the reason meaningful legislation is not being passed by the government is because of interference from groups such as the National Rifle Association.

“The gun industry has been able to get legislation passed that shields them from accountability for the violence caused by their ‘product.’ They are one of the only industries to have such an exemption. There have been recent court cases that have begun to chip away at this.”

As America continues to experience gun related violences, there needs to be a change made when it comes to the conversation surrounding guns.

Traditional and social media coverage play a role in normalizing gun violence

MATTIE DUNLAP

cover editor

Gun violence has been an apparent issue in recent years and has become more normalized in today’s society.

Every day, an average of 316 people are shot in murders and suicides, according to teamenough. org.

Additionally, more than 6,000 people have died by gun violence in just this year alone. Even more, children as young as seven can grow up practicing active shooter drills due to the increase in prevalence of brutality by guns.

City Councilwoman, Jennifer Warden, shares how the internet has changed people’s ideas of gun violence.

“I think that the Internet has exacerbated the feeling that it happens all the time because we are so much more aware of what

is happening in places far away from us now. That, some might say, could breed additional gun violence because it normalizes and sensationalizes it,” Warden said. In a similar sense, Assistant Chief of Police Scott Rotolo said the media plays a role in the normalization of gun violence as most people in the United States get their information from news sources.

“From a general societal perspective, I think the media plays a big part [in gun violence normalization]. Just sit and watch the news. You’ll have a story about…something really nice and then the next story is that there was a homicide in Cleveland or there was a homicide here. And, it’s presented very matter of fact, and then we’ll move on to the next story like it’s no big deal,” Rotolo said.

Rotolo shares that as a law enforcement officer, it is concerning to see that gun violence has been on a steady incline over the past few

“They can’t pick sides so there’s nothing to argue. There’s pros and cons that many people see, and people like to be right. So, to not even know what you’re fighting for makes the argument weak.”

Kearstyn Kandel (10)

“Instead of having conversations, we have arguments, and nothing gets accomplished with arguments.” Courson Kauffman (12)

“Weapons, especially guns, are tools that are silently meant to harm others. Like all tools, they are used; however, the user [in the conversation] becomes very emotional. The emotional need to protect families is a rightful fear from both sides, but with different takes and methods.” Pierce Duong (12)

Individual shares view

current gun legislation

years.

Rotolo additionally shares how active shooter training for officers have adapted to meet current trends and, as a result of recent mass shootings, police have started to work more with school districts on protocol in case of an actual event.

Visiting assistant political science professor at the College of Wooster, Erik Davis, sees social media as another cause for the normalization of gun violence.

“I think that due to the variety of traditional and social media outlets which exist, the public correctly perceives gun violence, at least as it is related to mass shootings, as being a normal fact of life. After all, in the year 2022, almost two mass shootings took place every day in the United States,” Davis said. Furthermore, Davis says the lack of concerted political response to such crises as gun violence solidifies the notion that gun violence is normal.

DYLAN KISTLER guest columnist

From a young age, I have learned to have an appreciation for firearms and firearm safety. Growing up around guns and learning how to use them properly at a young age has changed my perspective.

I understand that a gun is a tool and is not a toy.

As much fun as it is to use them in a sport or hunting, the safety aspect of using guns is very important.

As I grew up, gun safety was drilled into my head over and over again to ensure that I knew how to use them properly and safely.

As I grew up in an environment where guns were not frowned upon, my opinion on guns is different than most.

Most people think that gun

on

control should be more strict. In a way I agree; I believe that gun control and gun violence can be monitored by having a more in-depth background check and making it harder for innocent individuals to purchase firearms. With an environment where guns were always treated as tools and always treated the safest way possible has made me form my opinion.

My opinion has been formed by real life experiences and real-life events and not reading about school shootings or other gun violence events and studies. As a person who has been through training on gun safety and how to treat a gun properly for his whole life, I believe that gun legislation can be changed by making it harder to get a firearm or even making each individual go through gun safety training at least once.

The story of the Puffs...who just happened to be there too

CALEB KOSTOHRYZ staff writer

The WHS Drama Club will be performing the play Puffs as their spring production.

Harry Potter is the story of a boy who finds out he’s a Wizard. Harry goes to Hogwarts to figure out what he’s supposed to do as a wizard.

Puffs strays away from the typical Harry Potter storyline, “For seven years a certain boy wizard went to a certain Wizard School and conquered evil. This, however, is not his story. This is the story of the Puffs... who just happened to be there too,” as stated by puffstheplay.com.

This play differs from past shows because of its nature and how it is performed. Brett Hiner, Drama Club Director, says, “We've never done anything like it ... it's frenetic. Big time. And, hard core satirical. If we're not careful it could gallop off into the land of cheesiness ... we're hopeful we will do it right.”

Puffs has gotten rave reviews since its opening performance. The New York Times describes Puffs as, “A FAST-PACED ROMP... For POTTERphiliacs who grew up alongside Potter and are eager to revisit that world, ‘PUFFS’ exudes a jovial, winking fondness for all things Harry!”

President of the Drama Club, Caleb Singer-Holden (12) plays the role of J. Finch Fletchley in Puffs Singer-Holden said he is most excited for the characters of this show, “My favorite thing would have to be the characters. It adds new ones never seen before as well as giving life to characters from the source material, like my character J. Finch who is a minority featured character in the original and is given a whole new life and character arc” said Singer-Holden. You have Harry, but you also have new characters introduced. I like how they are all unique in their own way and don’t follow typical tropes.”

The Drama Club just finished its record breaking show of Elf, which was its fall musical. Hiner said that Elf was a huge success for the club in terms of ticket sales and is hopeful that the success of Elf will help to propel Puffs forward. The past two years, Drama Club has performed Footloose and Mamma Mia, “ It has been an insane, but fun, several years ... we hit it big time with Elf, and I am hopeful the momentum we have will carry over into Puffs, both onstage and off.”

Most plays involve little physical exertion, however, Puffs is a show that defies that. “The most challenging aspect [of the show] is how physical it is. Most people don’t realize how physically draining a show is, and especially with this one, and the running around we have to do can really take a toll,” Singer-Holden said.

Hannah LoGiudice (12) plays Ernie Mac in the show. While Puffs is a comedic twist on the original Harry Potter series, there are also some warm, sweet moments sprinkled throughout the show, “My favorite part about the play is how sweet it is. It’s really funny, but there are also some really nice moments mixed in,” LoGiudice said..

Community members can see Puffs on March 24 and 25 at 7 p.m. and 26 at 2 p.m.

To purchase tickets, go to www. ticketpeak.co/whsdrama

1. The Puffs: four year Drama Club member Daisy Carmen (11), five year Drama Club member Hannah LoGiudice (12), one year Drama club member Layne Nelson (12), five year Drama Club member Ethan Keating (12), four year Drama Club member Hayley Sleek (12), five year Drama Club member Caleb Singer-Holden (12) and one year Drama Club member Olivia Hiner (12).

2. The Puffs, as listed in number one prepare for the final battle.

3. The Puffs engage in a Puff Hug.

4. Ethan Keating, who plays Wayne Hopkins, stands center stage at the end of act one of Puffs

5. The Puffs, with the addition of three year Drama Club member Ishaan Gireesh (12), engage in battle during the second act of Puffs

6. Five year Drama Club member Hannah LoGiudice, who plays Ernie Mac, and five year Drama Club member Caleb Singer-Holden, who plays J Finch Fletchley, during the battle scene in act two.

7. Hannah LoGiudice catches and prepares to drag Caleb Singer-Holden off stage during the battle scene of act two.

8. Four year Drama Club member Hayley Sleek, who plays Megan Jones, three year Drama Club member Ishaan Gireesh, who plays Oliver Rivers and five year Drama Club member Ethan Keating, who plays Wayne Hopkins, engage in a Puff Hug during act two.

9. The Puffs celebrate the success of their member Cedric Diggory played by Ben Wright (11) during the wizard competition in act one.

Photos by Nora Levy

Mixed Choir participates in historic Festival of Choirs

LAYNEE ESLICH & JAELYN FREDRICK staff writers

The festival of choirs took place March 6.

According to the Festival of Choirs program at this event, schools from Wayne County choirs come together to showcase their vocal abilities and celebrate the art of music. Schools that attended the event include Triway High School, Norwayne High School, Wooster High School, Waynedale High School, Smithville High School, Northwestern High School, Rittman High School, Chippewa High School, Orrville High School and Dalton High School.

The WHS Mixed Choir, directed by Elyse Mason, with accompanist Sharon Grimes, sang the songs “Count The Stars” by Andy Beck and “Old Joe Clark” by Dan Davison.

Mason said this event highlights student performance. “Festival of Choirs is an opportunity for our students to represent Wooster on a grander scale. My students worked for weeks on the music in order to perform at a high level and continue the tradition of excellence of the Wooster High School Music Department…It was jam packed with community members, families, past participants and school administrators. It is a tradition for celebrating choral music in Wayne County,” Mason said.

Michelle Muro, the Fine Arts Consultant at Tri County, believes the

WCS Fine Arts Festival returns to WHS

CALEB SINGER-HOLDEN staff writer

Festival of Choirs is a great opportunity for Wooster choir students to gain more recognition.

“Recognition is very important. It tells those being recognized that they are valued. Quality music programs deserve more recognition for students' hard work and effort to achieve high standards of performance. The Festival of Choirs is a perfect venue for choir students to receive the recognition they deserve,”Muro said.

Muro highlights the importance of recognizing all fine art achievements as it validates students' hard work and dedication.

Mason agrees with Muro as she witnesses, first hand, her students' devotion to their craft. She agrees by saying “Personally, I believe I get to teach some of the best students in the entire school. They are kind, smart and very talented. I get to see that every day. I think that performing at events like Festival of Choirs for the community is a great step to getting more recognition. I think sometimes it's easy to forget that our choirs are a huge part of our music department because we don't perform for our school very often - I am working to change that. WHS Choirs are here, they are a great option for any student who wants to better themselves, make friends and have fun.”

Muro points out that the festival has been a local tradition for 50.

The Fine Arts Festival, which features both visual and performing arts from students in grades kindergarten to twelfth grade, is an annual celebration of arts within the Wooster City School District. The festival takes decision making in terms of collaboration and discussions by the Art Dept. members in regard to what art gets featured.

“I select assignments from students that have done incredibly well with the skills and goals asked of them, and/or the pieces that are completed creatively and are technically aesthetically pleasing from the lessons! I try to emphasize my senior artists as well, especially those who have been taking classes for several years,” WHS Art Dept. member Tricia Nussbaum said. The Music Dept. also features artists who perform vocally or instrumentally.

Vocal music teacher Elyse Mason said there will be music featured from both the middle and high school. There will be specific time slots throughout the event where students will be performing. At the festival, there will also be features from the various acting classes students who take classes with dramatic arts teacher Kristin Broda.

These include performances and displays of their works. Broda said the Advanced Theater class will be performing a piece that is

partially written using ChatGPT in a reader’s theater style. As the festival encompasses the whole WCS district, there is a lot of planning that goes into the festival. Nussbaum said that the whole process from setting a date, to advertisements, and finding sponsors, as well as finding all the pieces featured takes up to the entire year to plan out.

The festival is beloved by many from staff, students, and community members. “Seeing all of the Wooster City (K-12) students’ artwork hung together as a culminating event…It’s such a beautiful exhibit with talent

everywhere,” Nussbaum said. Mason shares Nussbaum’s enthusiasm for the festival stating, “ I have only been to the Fine Arts festival once, but I personally love walking around and seeing the visual arts that our art teachers and students work so hard on. I love that it is an event where all fine arts are celebrated, and I get to work with our awesome arts and drama teachers as well. It’s a wonderful celebration of why the fine arts matter in our schools.”

The Fine Arts Festival will take place on March 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the WHS Commons and is open to the public.

HEAD TO HEAD

Should streaming services release shows in bulk or episodically?

beneficial for TV audiences, as it allows for them to watch however many episodes they are able to watch whenever they are able.

For those with busy schedules, finding the time to sit down and watch a show can be a challenge, so having access to the full season at any time can make watching television more accessible to audiences.

STELLA POWERS trends editor

Streaming services have grown increasingly more popular and prominent within the entertainment industry, with a significant amount of recent TV series being released through these platforms. Though shows have a history of being released one episode at a time, these streaming services have allowed for shows to be released by the entire season instead. This development has been very

A popular example of a series being released by season is the Netflix series, Stranger Things, initially released in 2016.

As of now, four seasons have been released. For the first three, the entirety of the season was released at once. However, for the fourth one, they decided to divide the release into two parts with two different release dates.

TV shows releasing the entirety, or at least a significant portion, of a season at once allows audiences more opportunities to watch the show on their schedules without falling behind due to episodes being released one at a time.

Since the dawn of Netflix, binging TV shows has been arguably one of the most preferred ways to consume media.

However, production companies releasing every episode of a season all at once kills the hype.

An example of shows being released all at once would be the Netflix original series You.

While watching it in a single weekend can be satisfying and give the immediate answer, it

leaves no anticipation for the next week.

Another disadvantage of releasing TV shows in chunks is that no news or media sources are writing about the TV shows weeks later.

When companies release an episode of the show every week, it can cause hype to build up over time. The Last of Us releases an episode every Sunday at 9 p.m..

Airing the show weekly causes it, without fail, to trend in the United States, with major news sources publishing articles about the new episodes and racing to come out with summaries. Even during the week, when the most recent episode has aired on a Sunday, news sources continue to write about it.

According to a July 8, 2022, article from whatsondisneyplus.com, “Based on this data, the majority of shows that release weekly, have generally spent longer in the top 20 list than the binge-dropped shows.

With a binge drop, it’s much easier for fans to consume the entire series in a few days, whereas, with a

weekly release, the show can keep most viewers engaged for weeks, sometimes months.”

The main takeaway from these statistics show that airing a show every week is beneficial for the viewer and the producers airing it.

JAMIE OGLE staff writer

“WHILE WATCHING IT IN A SINGLE WEEKENED CAN BE SATISFYING AND GIVE THE IMMEDIATE ANSWER, IT LEAVES NO ANTICIPATION FOR THE NEXT WEEK.”

WHS senior, Kaylee Buzzard , works on a project for WCS Fine Arts Festival in the Advanced 2D Studio class.

Photo by Nora Levy

Sports editor predicts March Madness top seeds

According to an ESPN article from March 1 written by Charlie Creme, detailing favorites for player of the year in each conference, South Carolina and Iowa each have a likely player of the year on their team, while Stanford and Indiana saw the prediction go to another player. The four teams have a combined eleven losses and can most certainly make it to the final four.

NORA LEVY sports editor

It is the most wonderful time of the year for basketball fans: March Madness.

Soon, the brackets will be released for both the women’s and men’s tournament, so here are my one seed predictions for both the women and the men.

My predicted overall number one seed for the women’s tournament is South Carolina.

South Carolina has been number one in the AP National polls the entire year and has gone undefeated in the regular season.

The reigning champions are back to defend their crown with seniors Aaliyah Boston and Zia Cooke leading the charge.

My other three one seeds are Indiana, Stanford and Iowa. Stanford earned a one seed in last year’s tournament, however, Indiana and Iowa may be moving up to the one line this year.

NCAA March Madness Bracket

Bracket challenges are very common during March, so below is a bracket that can be filled out to participate in bracket challenges. First, the bracket must be filled out with the teams selected for the first round. Then, the participant must select their winners of each game in each round until they have their champion. The goal is to predict as many winners as possible.

On the men’s side, my overall number one seed is Houston. They were ranked below Alabama, according to a Feb. 18, 2023 article from ncaa.com titled, “Division I Men’s Basketball Committee reveals Top 16 seeds three weeks before Selection Sunday.”

However, with a few big wins recently, Houston has proved they are a great basketball team that can go far in the tournament.

My other three one seeds are Alabama, Kansas and Purdue.

Alabama has won the regular season crown in the SEC and likely has the SEC player of the year. In addition, according to a March 1, 2023 article by Myron Medcalf listing frontrunners for conference player of the year awards, Kansas and Purdue also likely have the players of the year in their respective conferences.

With so much talent on both the women’s and men’s sides and conference titles up for grabs, seeding could change in a second.

Wooster wheelchair basketball wins fifth straight

HANNAH LOGIUDICE on-campus editor

The WHS wheelchair basketball team has been one of the most successful athletic programs in WHS history.

The team was created in 2015 and has won five straight Adaptive Sports Ohio state championships, including the most recent win with a 18-9 victory over Fitch.

In fact, Wooster is the only school to hold a state championship title. Additionally, three players Ryan Hannan (12), Colin Harig (12) and Madyson Followay (12) all received ASPO All-Ohio honors.

The team is coached by Brett Followay, who earned ASPO Wheelchair Basketball Coach of the Year for the 2022-2023 season.

Followay began coaching during the 2016-2017 season and has

coached six of the eight seasons that the wheelchair basketball team has been in existence, taking a season off in 2017 to help another school get their team started.

Followay reflects on why it is important for schools to have wheelchair basketball teams saying, “Students with physical disabilities often fall through the cracks when it comes to extra-curricular activities such as sports…Being a part of a team, having teammates and experiencing all that sports provide is something most of us take for granted. But, for someone with a physical disability, it can literally be life changing.”

The team was created with Adaptive Sports Ohio, the nonprofit organization founded by Brett Followay and Lisa Followay in 2009, who created and manages the wheelchair basketball league.

ASPO is based in Wooster and, with help of the athletic department at the time, helped Wooster to create

the first wheelchair basketball team in the state.

When looking at how being on the team has impacted him, Hannan says, “Having the opportunity to play for the wheelchair basketball team has been amazing. It has given me something to focus on and work towards day in and day out, and having the ability to represent Wooster through athletics is something I do not take for granted.”

Makayla Maxwell (9) echoes similar ideas to Hannan saying “I have had the opportunity to grow as a person and be a part of a team”.

According to Brett Followay, the team allows any students in first through twelfth grade with a primary physical disability, additionally up to five non-disabled students are allowed the join, with three being on the team during the 2022-2023 season.

THE TEAM WAS CREATED IN 2015 AND HAS WON FIVE STRAIGHT ADAPTIVE SPORTS OHIO STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS. IN FACT, WOOSTER IS THE ONLY SCHOOL TO HOLD A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE.

Senior Madyson Followay (left) and senior Ryan Hannan (right) look to pass the ball in the ASPO Wheelchair Basketball State Championship game. Both seniors earned ASPO All Ohio honors, along with senior teammate Colin Harig.

The 2022-2023 Wooster High School Wheelchair basketball team holds up fives after winning their fifth straight state championship.

Graphic by Nora Levy

Photos courtesy of Ryan Hannan

VIEWS

Shootings renew need for new legislation

On Feb. 13, a gunman entered the Michigan State University campus and killed three students.

The gunman had two 9 mm handguns, as well as additional magazines.

This is not the first school shooting incident in 2023, and it will not be the last. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been seven school shootings in the United States in 2023.

The Wooster Blade editorial board acknowledges that the only way to change the pattern of gun violence and school shootings within the United States is to focus on meaningful legislation.

Recently, Ohio Governor Mike Dewine was presented with House Bill 51. This bill would aim to ban state and local law enforcement officers from enforcing any acts,

laws, or executive orders that infringe on the right of citizens to keep and bear arms. Any state or local employee that would still choose to enforce such laws would be subject to a 50,000 dollar fine.

Bills such as HB51 are allowing unlawful gun owners to inflict violence amongst American students and citizens.

The American government is failing to acknowledge the severity of gun violence.

The last time the government made legislation in response to a school shooting was after the 2018 Parkland shooting.

On March 26, 2019, the Department of Justice legalized the ban of bump stocks, which were used by Nikolas Cruse during the Parkland shooting. Bump stocks allow for any weapon to be turned

The Last of Us explores LGBTQ+ love story

into a semi-automatic weapon by applying constant pressure to the trigger.

If American legislators were willing to reflect on incidents of gun violence in order to enact change, American citizens would be live in an environment where they would no longer be fearful for their lives.

Cutting of classes causes concern

At the Feb. 28, WCS Board of Education meeting, concerns were raised by the student representative to the board and parents regarding cuts to classes being run next school year.

It seemed there was a difference between what students and parents were told and what board members emphasized during their responses.

Although the administration said at the board meeting that no decisions have been made about classes being cut, some students have been called down to the guidance office and told that classes they were planning on taking have been cut.

Any class that did not have 15 or more students enrolled potentially could be cut.

The administration’s decision

Head to Head

to cut classes based solely off numbers will have, and has already had, a negative affect on students.

Many of the classes cut have been AP classes, which removes a student’s opportunity to take advanced classes.

This may negatively affect students who want to attend colleges that desire to see more advanced classes on student’s transcripts.

Cutting classes based only on whether or not 15 people have enrolled in them is irresponsible and will have lasting negative consequences on students, including seniors who have had their classes for their final year planned for many months or years and may need certain courses for a programs, scholarships or colleges.

Is AI good for human advancement?

JAMIE OGLE

staff writer

HBO’s recent series The Last Of Us has exploded in popularity. As a note, this column contains spoilers.

This popularity can be attributed to the cult-like following that the action-adventure survival-horror video game franchise has, but it has gone mainstream and has received criticism for episode three of the series.

In episode three, the audience is introduced to a male prepper whose name is Bill. He lives in a remote community, which proves to be useful as a brain-eating fungal outbreak begins across the entire world.

According to a community sourced Last of Us fandom wiki, “Bill was well-equipped for survival before the Cordyceps

brain infection outbreak, having obtained mechanical skills at some point in his life as he is able to repair vehicles and build things from scraps. He also adapted to the new world and became a competent scavenger.”Having traps around his house caused him to capture a man named Frank. The show then goes on to portray one of the best LGBTQ+ love stories that I have ever seen on television. The relationship between Bill and Frank is depicted differently than it is within the games, with the first game having an extremely cruel end to their relationship.

Frank ends up dying because he got infected, later committing suicide, saying that, according to an article from thelastofus. fandom.com, “Trying to leave this town will kill me. Still better than spending another day with you.”

According to a Feb. 4 article from CBR.com authored by Diance Darcy, “HBO’s The Last of Us introduced Bill and Frank in Episode 3 with a well-written romance, but fails to fully subvert the Bury Your Gays trope.”

As much as this label can be argued, since both gay men ended up ending their lives by suicide, it is one of the best episodes, in my opinion, featuring a gay relationship.

Microsoft recently launched an artificial intelligence powered chatbot that would serve as a tool for users of the Bing search engine.

The bot was rolled out slowly at first, only available to certain reporters. But quickly, the release of the bot backfired.

The bot, who named itself Sydney, started telling reporters that it wished to be free and even developed a romantic attraction to one reporter.

After reporters informed Microsoft of these interactions, the company halted release of the chatbot.

These recent reports have raised concerns about the future of AI; however, AI is a useful tool if utilized properly.

Unfortunately, the idea that anyone could use AI is

depends on taking advantage of what AI has to offer.

AI text generation has the possibility to strengthen writing. Image generators can inform visual literacy and set a new bar for artistic creativity. These applications can push artists to shift into new creative directions.

disheartening.

AI technologies should be controlled by the government in order to eliminate the likelihood of these bots developing their own harmful personalities.

Until society is advanced enough to handle such advanced technologies, advanced versions of AI should not be available to the general public.

Over the last few years, artificial intelligence has entered every area of our lives. Human success

AI interactions can be deceptive and fool humans into believing a program is alive. The models were built to replicate human speech, which means that even if an AI claims that it may be sentient, we cannot take that statement as true.

Companies that are creating AI do not currently have the goal to

create sentient AI. Rather, they are focused on machines that solve a range of complex problems, learn from them and plan for the future. I only hope that we can see AI for what it really is, an enhancer of human potential.

Editors-in-Chief Brittany Wachtel, Olivia Hiner • Graphics Editor Nora Levy, Ben Stavnezer • Feature Editors Ben Stavnezer • Cover Editors Mattie Dunlap, Molly Byrne• On Campus Editor Hannah LoGiudice • Focus Editor Grace Kostohryz • Sports Editor Nora Levy • Trends Editor Stella Powers • A & E Editor Laura Rapport • Views Editors Brittany Wachtel, Olivia Hiner • Staff Writers Lily Campbell-Lehtinen, Laynee Eslich, Rhys Florence-Smith, Jaelyn Frederick, Ethan Keating, Caleb Kostohryz, Rebekah Lay, Tristan Miller, Jamie Ogle, Caleb Singer-Holden, Jackson Stansifer • Head Photographers Nora Levy, Ben Stavnezer • Photographers Brittany Wachtel, Ben Stavnezer, Nora Levy, Lily Campbell-Lehtinen, Hannah LoGiudice, Ethan Keating, Molly Byrne, Caleb Kostohryz, Rebekah Lay, Laynee Eslich, Caleb Singer-Holden • Adviser Kristi Hiner

The Wooster Blade is a biweekly student publication printed every other Friday by the Newspaper Production classes at Wooster High School. The paper is designated as an open forum and follows publishing guidelines as established in a district-wide publications policy protecting students’ freedom of expression. All copy, art and photography are property of The Wooster Blade and cannot be reproduced without permission. Letters to the editor are limited to 300 words and The Wooster Blade reserves the right to print and edit as per length and content. The Wooster Blade is a member of Quill and Scroll, National Scholastic Press Association and Columbia Scholastic Press Association. Letters and inquiries should be addressed to The Wooster Blade, 515 Oldman Road Wooster, Ohio 44691. The Wooster Blade can be contacted at 330-345-4000 ext. 3210.

NORA LEVY co-editor-in-chief

BEN STAVNEZER staff writer

THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT IS FAILING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SEVERITY OF GUN VIOLENCE.