The Bruin- April 2019

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Staff Editorial

625 Broad Street Wadsworth, OH 44281

Bruin Staff

Editor-in-Chief Marraya Youngblood News Editor Anna Bowling Art Editor Jacob Brown Features Editor Olivia Porpora Sports Editor Jacob McDermitt Online Editor Kaitlyn Setera Business Manager Jacob Loguidice Social Media Manager Kylee Baranek

Staff Writers Stanley Bingham Brooke Burton Patrick Chamier Lauren Conley Jillian Cornacchione Richie Dietrich Logan Egleston Kyia Frank Jessica Hermann Hannah Hines TJ Lockwood Matt Moore Morgan Porpora Halle Schaeffer Seth Smalley Emily Thompson Abby Witcherman Anna Wolfinger Adviser Eric Heffinger

At the start of our teenage years, we are constantly told to act as role models for the younger children around us.

We are the hands that help sculpt the future, yet how are we supposed to do that when crucial programs are being cut?

The loss of Big Brothers Big Sisters is upsetting and shocking to not just Wadsworth High School, but schools across the country.

There needs to be greater emphasis on the importance of mentoring programs for young, impressionable children. Programs like these place a greater responsibility on teens and give elementary students the vital support they need.

While there are multiple groups focused on pairing students together for group work and influence, BBBS was a highly successful program with a strong foundation. The

program’s positive impact on the community has led to a greater sense of unity among old and young peers.

It is a great shame that a highly renowned charity group had to defund such a program.

While United Way is starting their own group, they have left many volunteers, staff and children disappointed.

This program was central to Wadsworth with many of its volunteers starting at their freshman year until their senior year and the littles spanning from third to sixth grade. We can only hope that another solution comes to Wadsworth quickly and can accomplish what Big Brothers Big Sisters did.

At the end of the day, no matter what comes to replace this program, the importance of Big Brothers Big Sisters is unmatched and the impact it has made on students is everlasting.

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Inside the Bruin 10

15

13 April Students of the Month Anna Callow, 12

Nathan Dietrich, 12

Tyler Anderson, 11

The end of the school year is quickly approaching, and The Bruin will be starting another promising year in the fall. The new editorial staff for next year will be announced at the fine arts assembly on May 2nd. Be there to find out!

Editorial Policy

Kiersten White, 11

Front By: Created by Marraya Youngblood & Jacob Brown Photo taken by Mrs. Csaky during a performance of “The Little Mermaid”

The Bruin is a monthly publication produced by the Newspaper II and Newspaper III students at Wadsworth High School. The Newspaper I class produces the May issue.

The staff will do its best to inform the student body and the community of intra-school, community or national events that affect the student body.

This paper provides on-the-job training for the staff members. All decisions are

made by the staff members with the advice and suggestions of the adviser.

The school administration works closely with the staff to ensure accuracy. We, as the students of journalism, hold the same rights and the same responsibilities as professional journalists as we strive for professional standards. These rights include the right to print any material that is not libelous, obscene or excessively disruptive to the school process.

The Bruin will not discriminate against anyone on the basis of religion, color, creed or sex. The staff members accept full responsibility for everything appearing in this publication. The staff strongly encourages students to express their opinions through the letters to the editor column, which is printed every month. The staff also encourages the members of the community to express their opinion as well. Space permitting, all letters will be printed.

We reserve the right to edit or omit any portion of any letter because the staff accepts the responsibility for the contents of the paper. All letters must be signed, but the name will be withheld upon request.

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Big Brother/ Big Sister loses United Way funding

BY ABBY WICHTERMAN

Throughout the years, Wadsworth High School students have had the opportunity to volunteer for the Big Brother/Big Sister (BBBS) program. However, after this year the program will be discontinued due to a lack of funding.

The program offers elementary students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade one on one mentoring with a high school student.

BBBS is a national program that has more than 360 affiliates.

It began in 1904 with the goal of keeping young boys and girls from getting in trouble. Since then the program has prided themselves on improving the lives of children in their communities.

Erik Shipe was the former Site Based Program Manager for BBBS. His job was to recruit bigs and match them with their littles. Before the cuts, he was working directly with Wadsworth volunteers.

“The mission ties into the idea that every person can achieve success in life,” Shipe explains.

“Sometimes we all just need a good friend to talk to and get help from. I think each little just enjoys knowing that they have someone who has their back, who listens to them, who doesn’t judge them, and who enjoys spending time with them.”

The students who are enrolled in

the program can come from many different backgrounds. Often times littles have a difficult home life or struggle in school, and they need a positive role model in their lives.

The program has witnessed improvements in the children involved. It has resulted in 52% less students skipping school and 96% of littles enrolling in college after high school.

Natalie Pavick, 11, is a mentor for BBBS. She has been in the program since her freshman year.

“I joined because I think it’s important for younger kids that don’t have as good of a life at home or at school to have someone to look up to,” Pavick stated. “I think it’s important for them to have a healthy relationship outside of their family and that they have someone to talk to.”

Senior, Jenna Skinner, is also a volunteer for BBBS. It is her first year participating in the program.

“I love it because my little is the sweetest thing I’ve ever met,” Skinner explained. “I know how much she looks forward to it every week.”

The program was previously funded by United Way, but they have cut funding due to the creation of their own mentoring program.

The cut in funds not only effects the students involved, but BBBS employees also had a cut in the hours that they were allowed to work.

“I was bummed out upon hearing about the cutbacks,” said Shipe. “I

Gas Tax Rises by 10.5 Cents

had no intentions of leaving any time soon and I miss the programs everyday.”

Though BBBS is no longer a Wadsworth High School program, students will still be able to receive mentoring through the new United Way mentoring program.

61%

of littles are first generation college students hours provided mentor to littles

10,083

69%

of littles improved grades

BY MORGAN PORPORA

Ohio’s transportation director stood before the State senate transportation committee laying out the necessity for an 18 cent gas tax increase. Because the department of Transportation’s budget is being crunched by a multitude of things, the need for the increase is vital to continue the repair of roads throughout Ohio and begin new construction projects.

Ohio Transportation Director Jack Marchbanks has previously said that $67 million is raised a year from a penny a gallon increase.

An 18-cent increase could bring Ohio $1.2 billion in new tax revenue. Former Gov. Bob Taft, previously raised the gas tax twocents a year for three consecutive years, beginning in 2003. Before the increase became an idea, a 28 cent tax, that is currently in place, proved to no longer be adequate for the needs of the committee.

While increasing the price of the tax, the department hopes to be financially stable enough to fund road improvement projects.

Because of a plethora of things such as inflation, the house denied

the 18 cent increase, instead shutting the bill down and asking for other solutions.

“With a 64 percent rise in the gas tax in mind, the senate is sensitive to how this affects our everyday citizens and we are exploring all alternatives to an increase in taxes,” said senator Rob McColley.

Denying the bill did not solve the issues at hand for Ohio roads, leaving the transportation director proposing an increase 10.5 cent. Making the total gas tax 38.5 cents, and 46 cents for diesel.

“Seeing this tax increase is irritating,” said Lindsey Massie, 11. “The reason they are increasing it is to fund road projects, but our roads seem to always be under construction with no actual end.”

Following the introduction of the tax, Governor Mike DeWine is asking the Ohio General Assembly to allow the motor fuel tax to increase each year with inflation.

The tax increase will go into effect in July, making Ohio’s new 46 cent tax of diesel the fifth highest in the nation.

96%

of littles enrolled in college

Plane Crash In Ethiopia Following a plane crash in Ethiopia that killed 157 people, president Trump, called it an “emergency order of prohibition,” grounded all Boeing 737 Max planes.

“We are supporting this proactive step out of an abundance of caution,” Boeing

After the plane crash, governments unsure of if

CEO Dennis Muilenburg said in regards to the plane crash. “Safety is a core value at Boeing for as long as we have been building airplanes and it always will be. There is no greater priority for our company and our industry. We are doing everything we can to understand the cause of the accidents in partnership with the

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

this style jet is grounded, with or when it will go back into the air.

investigators, deploy safety enhancements and help ensure this does not happen again.”

Along with Boeing airlines, Ethiopian Airlines have always been held in high regard. It maintains a good reputation and it operates a high remarked aviation school. Along with Boeing, it may have also sustained a serious blow. Many Ethiopians think Boeing is to blame for the accident of the Ethiopian Flight 302. Some have even began to mistrust the manufacturer, worried that it may try to use its power to strong-arm a developingworld airline as the crash investigation continues.

BY MORGAN PORPORA

Wadsworth should see a

62%

revenue increase

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Memes: a culmination of expression, information and community

BY RICHIE DIETRICH

Every new generation has their own trends and styles that impact and influence society. From silly bandz to fidget spinners, each one of the children in this generation has experienced countless fads. Yet one trend seems to be sticking around year after year-- memes.

First coined in 1976 by Richard Dawkins in his work The Selfish Gene, the term meme is defined as “a unit of cultural information spread by imitation.” Despite the confusion of many, these short jokes have quickly risen to fame and popularity.

The modern day meme came to light around the rise of Facebook, with random characters such as Bad Luck Brian or the Troll Face memes became a leading internet sensation.

Memes have different purposes from displaying a lighthearted joke to spreading real news with a humorous twist. Nobody can deny the unity a meme can create. For many, they act as an outlet of humor, but behind the jokes are meaningful messages

that allow people to laugh at serious situations rather than focusing on the negatives.

At Wadsworth, students have taken to Twitter to create memes about everything ranging from “Dr. Chill” and snow days to our parking lot issues. Memes have allowed students to relate in ways they never thought of.

This online craze expands past the United States.

Countries worldwide have taken part in this meme mania.

Italian foreign exchange student Nicole Persone said that even her friends back home are a part of the trend.

“I think they are funny when I can actually understand them because sometimes they’re about stupid things we do, but are too scared to admit, so we joke around instead,” said Persone, 12.

The humor of the current generation is nonsensical and, honestly, quite unique. We laugh at things that do not make sense, but the fact that memes do not make sense is the same reason why we laugh at them.

At times, memes can even be educational. Some of the most popular meme pages on Twitter and Instagram

The thing is, the reason Stefánsson was able to receive all of that money was due to the fact that his character Robbie Rotten is a meme. His online popularity made it easy for people to help the cause.

Memes have the power to save lives and PHOTO COURTESY OF TWITTER This meme is most popular among high school bring people together. students on twitter. Its commonly used to share They also can show the their constant confusion during school. opinions and feelings of are filled with humorous different amounts of people. information about some of “A meme is so useful the largest events in history. because it can be connected to Memes are the most versatile so many different scenarios,” tool for spreading information said Noah Porter, 12. “I think online. memes are so popular because Memes are weird, they our generation has learned to are used to spread jokes and connect through a few short make people laugh, yet still words and a picture.” hold great significance.

Even after major world In October 2016, Stefán events and catastrophes, Karl Stefánsson (Robbie people across the globe have Rotten from the children’s quickly rallied together in television show Lazy Town) support memes can also help announced to the world that make light of a dark and hard he was diagnosed with bile situation. duct cancer. Within days, Most recently, individuals people all around the world have created challenges were coming together and aimed at picking up litter donating money to the cause. and cleaning up our oceans.

The money that was raised Memes are able to do more helped Stefánsson to prolong good than bad when those his life by another year and a involved are passionate and half. care about the issues. Working

Kermit the frog, is a popular face on social medias for a symbol of drama.

together can create a powerful force, connected by memes.

Past generations have been known for many different things, but our generation will be known for our meme culture. As ridiculous as it may seem for those who do not understand the internet has allowed this generation to connect across countless amounts of different platforms.

Memes can spread information, but they can also spread fake news. Jokes that arise from a single creator have the potential to misinform a whole population. However, it is up to the audience to discern fact from fiction.

Apart from their potential destruction, memes can also spread laughter, joy, confusion, and lastly a message. Memes are humorous and nonsensical in nature. Sometimes they are flat out dumb and have no point, but they never fail to make children laugh.

Gavin, famous for his relatable faces, is all across social medias, but especially Twitter and vine.

The surprised Pikachu meme, left, became a popular reaction photo spread across all social media sites.

Spider-man, usually seen with his clone, comes from a TV episode dating back to 1967.

The Evolution of Modern Memes British scientist Richard Dawkins coined the term ‘meme’ in his book ‘The Selfish Gene’

GIFs were soon after introduced into memes, bringing even more to the comedy offered.

The emergence of Facebook and the ability to spread information through the click of a button brought upon a massive wave of lighthearted memes.

People began to see the influence that memes have, and some formats became vessels for real-world change and expression.

2015, onward

January 2006 - 2008 1976

2019

August 1st, 2003 The creation of MySpace the introduction to sharing photos online helped to bring forth a wave of comical expression, through memes.

2011 - 2014

Meme formats like Bad Luck Brian became wildly popular

Websites like Reddit, iFunny, etc. brought another wave of new humor over the course of a few years.

Meme formats, such as the Drake format became massively popular and modern memes became more popular.

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Postcards From Spring Break OBEE

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PHOTO COURTE

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PHOTO COURTE

PHOTO COURTESY OF TYLER COTTRELL

Page by Emily Thompson

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MARVEL MOVIES HAVE ALREADY BEEN RELEASED

32,000

COMICS HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED WITHIN 70 YEARS

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$18.5 N BILLIOTHE

GROSSED IN GLOBAL BOX OFFICE

UP NEXT ON MARVEL’S CINEMATIC FULL AVENGERS ENDGAME TAKEOVER...

STORY ON PAGE 15 ENDGAME PROMISES TO BE MARVEL’S GREATEST HIT

THE FILM IS PROJECTED TO EARN $200 TO $250 MILLION ITS OPENING WEEKEND

MANY FANS HAVE STARTED TO SPECULATE IF THIS WILL BE THE LAST MOVIE FOR THEIR BELOVED CHARACTERS.

-COLLEEN HALLAS, 12

LETS SEE WHAT MARVEL’S BIGGEST FANS HAVE TO SAY...

“I’M ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT’S REALLY INTO CHARACTER RELATIONSHIPS. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE TONY AND SHURI TALK ABOUT SCIENCE.” -TAYLOR PAPP, 11

“THIS IS THE FIRST MARVEL MOVIE THAT MYSELF AND OTHERS HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS GOING ON” - VINCENT LOBELLO, 12

PAGE BY MARRAYA YOUNGBLOOD

“HONESTLY, THIS IS MOST OF MY CHILDHOOD COMING TO AN END... CRAZY,”

THE WORLD WILL BE WATCHING WHEN IT PREMIERS APRIL 26

PAGE BY OLIVIA PORPORA

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Sebastian the Crab, played by Brendan Phillips, 11, and Scuttle the Bird, played by Katy Andrews, 11, dance and sing “Kiss the Girl” along with their sea creature friends as Ariel and Eric sit in their boat under the stars.

Ariel, played by Lauren Claxton, 10, and Prince Eric, played by Nick Beiser, 11, sit under the stars as Ariel hopes Eric will kiss her and break the spell.

Flounder, played by Gabe Currens, 12, poses after the mersisters sing “She’s in Love,” when they suspect Ariel is acting suspicious.

The electric eels, played by Ellie Nicolas, 12, and Carter Fraser, 12, smile as they swim around Ariel, convincing her to sign the deal with Ursula.

King Triton, played by Alex Hartshorn, 11, sings about missing his wife who had passed away.

Ariel, played by Lauren Claxton, 10, sings Ariel’s signature tune at the beginning of the musical.

The Chef, played by Abe Haprian, 11, smiles and holds up his fish as he sings about how much he loves to cook seafood.

PAGE BY ANNA WOLFINGER

PAGE BY ANNA WOLFINGER

Ursula, played by Abby Dadich, 11, belts “Poor Unfortunate Soul” as she tries to convince Ariel to give her voice in exchange for legs.

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Lady Grizzlies look to repeat as league champs

BY JESSICA HERMANN

This spring the Lady Grizzly softball team is looking to have another successful season in hopes to clench another Suburban League Championship.

The girls traveled to Disney over spring break in order to compete against some of the best teams in the country. This led the team to believe they can win the Suburban League for the second straight year.

Last year there were five seniors on the team and with the loss of that many girls there are big shoes to fill. This year there are seven seniors on the team and they act as captains and will lead the rest of the team. Because of this change the girls must trust and believe in one another which is important to head coach Mike Schmeltzer, Sr. “They are a very close-knit group of kids,” said Schmeltzer Sn. “They have very nice chemistry. They have each others backs and they encourage one another. They are just a very good group of kids.”

One senior, Corynn Rench,

agrees saying the comradery and friendships is one of her favorite parts of playing on the softball team.

“The one thing I enjoy most about being on the softball team is that I get to be with my best friends ever,” said Rench. “We have a great program here and I’ve stuck with it because softball has been a passion of mine for my whole life and it’s something I never thought about quitting. We

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROGER SMITH

Corynn Rench, 12, gets a hit in a doubleheader victory over Highland last season.

are a really great team that can do anything we put our minds to.”

All of the girls that graduated all played in the same infield position. This means that the team will have to completely re-organize due to such a drastic change, but they are still optimistic about this season.

“My hope for this season is to win the Suburban League like last year and hopefully go undefeated,” said Rench.

Part of that optimism is due to the fact that the Lady Grizzlies traveled to Florida. The team went to compete in the Walt Disney Classic in Orlando and played on the ESPN fields. This yearly tournament has some of the most elite teams in the country competing. It was their first experience against such talented competition. The trip provided a unique opportunity for the team to learn new skills to help them more games in as the season continues.

“I researched the teams we played and they were extremely good,” said Schmeltzer Sr. “Two of them have been past state champions. We knew it was

Wrestling finishes fifth at state, will return four state placers

BY JACOB MCDERMITT

The Wadsworth wrestling team finished 5th at the state tournament this year. They had six wrestlers place and out of those six, four of them will be back next year.

Despite a slow start to the season, the team finished the year strong. They won both the Suburban League and sectionals before finishing second at districts

which qualified the team to states.

“I am very proud of this team,” said first year head coach Clay Wenger. “All of our guys, from the varsity guys to the freshman were a great team. I am really proud of them, really pleased.

We were knocked down a couple times but they kept bouncing back.”

The team was led by senior Michael North’s 3rd place finish who wrestles at 145 pounds.

PHOTO BY STEVE MOORE

Freshman Mason Brugh finished 4th at the state tournament at 106 pounds. That is the highest finish of a Grizzly wrestler that will return next season.

He was also recently named Suburban League Wrestler of the Year. Fellow senior Luke Baughman finished 5th wrestling at 138 pounds. While that pair will be near impossible to replace, the team does have four underclassman wrestlers that finished at states. That success will be a huge part of next season’s push for another top five team finish.

“The more often you can get down there and be in that big atmosphere and on the big stage prepares you for the following year,” Wenger stated. “I look forward to those guys coming back. We are going to expect them to lead the way, which they will. It is big to have had them down there.”

At the state meet, freshman Mason Brugh finished 4th at 106 pounds, sophomore Landen Hacker finished 4th at 120 pounds, junior Dom Loparo placed 5th at 160 pounds, and sophomore Jon List finished 8th at 170 pounds. Loparo, after his

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROGER SMITH

The Lady Grizzlies celebrate during a close 4-5 home loss to North Royalton this season on April 8.

going to be elite competition. We hope that what we learned and experienced in Florida will carry over to the league this year.”

The players were excited for the trip because it gave them a rare chance to grow on the field and bond as a team as well as having the chance to leave the state.

“Since this was the first time going to Florida ever I was very excited to be apart of this amazing experience,” said Rench. “I made

a lot of amazing memories with my teammates and my friends.”

The girls have a strong defense mentioned Schmeltzer Sr., believes that this is the way they can control the field and the game.

“In softball, you have to play excellent defense or you are not going to be successful,” he explained. “Last year we won a lot of close games. We will define this team the same way. I feel we are very solid defensively and hopefully that will carry over.”

PHOTO BY CLAY WENGER

The six wrestlers that qualified for state before they departed for Columbus. From left to right: Landen Hacker, 10, Mason Brugh, 9, John List, 10, Michael North, 12, Dom Loparo, 11, and Luke Baughman, 12.

second straight state trip, knows the effect the experience can have on each individual and the team as a whole.

“It’s more momentum after you’ve been down here,” said Loparo. “We brought six kids and placed all six. I think that says something.”

However, it is not just those four that are giving Wenger his confidence in next year’s group.

With being in such a good place, he believes that they will continue Grizzly wrestling success.

“I am very excited about what

we have returning. It is more than just those four state placers,” said Wenger. “Mikey Lewarchik, we have some good freshman coming in, and Hunter Griffin, and just a really good core group next year so I am very excited.”

He knows that they have the work ethic and resiliency to continue the tradition.

“The tradition of winning the league, I have been around it forever. It is important to me to keep that. The guys put the work in and they do as asked of them so I am very proud of them.”

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Construction hinders early baseball season

BY LOGAN EGLESTON

With weather already a scheduling problem for spring sports in Northeast Ohio, the Grizzlies’ baseball team faced a more difficult challenge this season.

The baseball field’s backstop, which is located right behind home plate, went under construction in early March.

“The driving reason is safety

for those outside of the baseball field,” said Wadsworth High School Athletic Director Brad Musgrave. “The goal is to stop as many foul balls as possible from reaching the track during practices or meets, and the softball outfield.”

The planning began in the fall of 2018, when the site was surveyed.

Originally, the backstop was a simple fence about 20 feet high.

The new backstop will feature

PHOTO BY LOGAN EGLESTON

The 2019 varsity baseball team. The team consists of four sophomores, four juniors and eight seniors. As of April 9, the team has a (9-1) record overall, and a (2-1) record in the Suburban League.

40 foot tall poles along with a netting. This backstop is made of fencing and padding. In addition, it is being moved forward about ten feet.

The initial construction work began in February and was scheduled to be done by March 1. Due to a number of reasons, the date was pushed back and the new completion date was set for March, 23. Unfortunately, completion was then further delayed because of complications with machinery. The project was completed by the first conference game of the season, which was on April, 1.

The baseball team had three scheduled home games that they were unable to be play on the field due to this backstop construction.

Some of these games became away games, while others were played at AC Field, the home site for the freshman team’s games.

On top of the already missed home games, the project might have long lasting effects that have the possibility to cost the team even more games. There

PHOTO BY LOGAN EGLESTON

This is the view from behind home plate at the Grizzlies baseball field. The short black poles will be the height of the chain link bottom of the new backstop. The taller black poles will hold the netting that will extend up forty feet high and about 90 feet down the baselines above the dugout.

are noticeably deep tire tracks near the dugouts on both side of the field in foul territory.

Unfortunately, these tire tracks are slowing the draining process in throughout the field. Although the construction marks are inevitable, it is something that will continue to limit the number

of games that are able to be played on the field.

Even without the comfort of a familiar on-site field, the Grizzlies’ started out the season (9-1) and hope to continue to carry that momentum throughout the rest of the season and into the postseason.

Hometown hero LeBron James will miss the playoffs for first time in 14 years

BY STANLEY BINGHAM

With the Lakers being eliminated from the NBA playoffs, LeBron James will have more time to rest in the offseason than he has in well over a decade.

His first appearance in the playoffs was with the Cleveland Cavaliers was during the 200506 season. He has made it to the conference semifinals every year since then. In 2011, he started his finals streak by making it to 8 consecutive NBA Finals, during which he won 3 rings and 3 Finals MVP titles.

In July 2018, Akron-born James left the Cleveland Cavaliers for a second time and signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. On December 25, when James injured his groin, the Lakers were two games out of first place in the Western Conference. The strain proved to be severe and the four-time MVP missed several weeks causing the Lakers to fall out of playoff contention.

“Going to L.A. was really his only option,” said Dylan Hoffman, 11. “After dropping 51 points and still losing Game 1 against the Warriors last year in the Finals, the series was over and his days in Cleveland were numbered.”

James’s first season with the Lakers was reminiscent of several of his past seasons. In 2007, 2015, and 2018 with the Cavaliers, James carried teams with limited

PHOTO BY JACOB MCDERMITT

James played for the Cleveland Cavaliers from both 2003-2010 and 2014-18. He is the franchise leader in games played, points, rebounds, assists and steals.

talent to the NBA Finals.

James also led the Cavs to the finals in 2016 and 2017.

They prevailed once in ‘16 by overcoming a 3-1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors. James led with three straight victories, a pair 41 point outings, and a tripledouble in a decisive game seven.

This year James, in his 16th season, was the sole All-Star on a Lakers team which has not won a playoff game since 2012.

However, his season was cut short due to a hard fall in a game against Golden State. The team was able to clinch the victory with a 26 point win. This injury caused him to miss a significant amount of games.

“Obviously those 18 games that he was out hurt with them, it’s kind of a wash,” said former teammate of James, Dwyane Wade. “You can’t even really talk about him not making the playoffs, because of that. They were the fourth seed when he went out. It’s unfortunate.”

The Lakers, playing without their best player, went 7-11 and

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVE MITCHELL

LeBron James rises up for a fastbreak dunk against the Miami Heat on November 18 in South Beach. He scored 51 points in a 113-97 win. He was a member of the Heat for four years from 2010-2014, winning two championships in that time span.

dropped to tenth place in a matter of weeks. In addition to this, trade rumors that included nearly the entire roster were reported to have ruined team morale.

“Magic Johnson should have done more to keep the trade talks quiet,” remarked Philip Bebesi, 11. “It ended up destroying the team chemistry and LeBron was the only player mature enough

to handle all the problems that followed.”

In the midst of this, James maintained an impressive season average of 27 points, 8 assists, and 8 rebounds. However, the Lakers were unable to make up the ground they had lost. Due to this James will have a longer time to recover and bounce back for the upcoming season .

12 S potlight

THE BRUIN

A pril 2019

Bruin Staff

Logan Egleston: Entrepreneur

BY SETH SMALLEY

Junior Bruin staff writer Logan Egleston: Multisport athlete, amateur rapper, business owner.

Logan Egleston has many personal qualities that have shaped him today. He plays varsity football and baseball, he has created his own image for himself in his rapping career , he created his own podcast and he even owns his own car washing business.

Egleston’s podcast “Power Politics,” which features his

opinions on current events and political issues. He talks about bills, what legislation Congress is passing and executive motions.

“The podcast is just kind of fun because it is a medium for me to express my opinions, but it’s not really a slant either direction politically,” said Egleston. “I have a lot of material already recorded and am excited to share these conversations soon.”

One of the biggest parts of Egleston’s life is his career as an amateur rapper. He started rapping because of an Instagram contest hosted by Damian Lillard, an NBA

PHOTO COURTESY OF LOGAN EGLESTON

Egleston doing some detail work for one of his customer’s cars over the summer.

Egleston started this business the summer of 2018.

player for the Trail Blazers, called Four Far Friday that began in 2014. In fact, Egelston even won the contest in its early days.

“It was really awesome to see someone as famous as Lillard acknowledge me for my rhymes,” said Egleston.

Today, he has his own SoundCloud page on which he has released multiple extended plays. His most recent EP, “Stoic Tapes,” was a long time in the making.

“I spent quite a while on Stoic Tapes and have to say I’m very proud of the finished product,” Egleston said. “I hope that my music can reach as many ears and minds as possible because I really put a lot of thought into what I want to say before I do. It is a true passion of mine and I am blessed to have had the chance to share my voice with others.”

Egleston hopes to continue his education after high school and pursue a degree in political science or history paired with pre-

PHOTO COURTESY OF LOGAN EGLESTON

Egleston’s two full length albums, OverEazymoneysniper and Stoic Tapes, are available on SoundCloud.

law. He wants to build a political career for himself after practicing law by possibly becoming a trial lawyer.

“Politics has always been a passion of mine and I hope that my life will be led down a political path so that I may leave my mark on the world,” said Egleston.

Egleston also runs his own car wash and detailing business.

He and his friend and business partner, Trey Shaffer, 11, opened WWB (Wadsworth Wash Boys) the summer between their sophomore and junior years. They made a good profit for a summer job and enjoyed the work.

“We charged less than a traditional car wash which I think helped us a lot,” said Egleston.

“If you go to a traditional car wash in town, it is around $14 for a wash and wax where all they do is spray your car with water, while at WWB, we charged $10 for actually hand scrubbing and personalized service. It was really just a great experience.”

Egleston is also a leader of the students here at WHS. He was just elected to be the Student Body President for the 20192020 school year.

Egleston is a multi-talented individual with a bright future ahead whether it be rapping on the big stage or giving a speech in the courtroom, he is sure to find success.

K aitlyn Setera: Dancer

BY SETH SMALLEY

Senior Bruin online editor, Kaitlyn Setera, has been involved in many activities throughout her career at Wadsworth High School. She has participated in Key Club, Interact Club, mentoring, drama, cheer, Color Guard, Winter Guard, Homecoming Court and dance.

Setera has many interests, but the most prevalent in her life is dance.

Through the years, dance has always been a passion of hers.

She started dancing when she was three years old and has not looked back since.

“As soon as I could walk and talk I was dancing and I fell in love with it instantly,” said Setera.

Growing up, Setera moved ten different times and lived in five different states including Ohio, Georgia, Virginia, Tennessee and Florida.

Through

PHOTO COURTESY OF KAITLYN SETERA

Setera holds a trophy and poses with the rest of the Winter Guard team after having placed 3rd in OIPA’s State Championship on March 30.

all of these changes, dance was one of the aspects of her life that kept her grounded.

“With all the moving we did when I was younger, dance was an escape from all of the chaos and it has always been a constant in my life,” said Setera. “Even when I felt alone, I always had dance.”

Setera’s love of dance keeps pushing her to new heights. She has been offered a scholarship to dance at Ohio University next year and plans on attending.

“It’s crazy that I’ve been offered this opportunity because I would have never imagined dancing in college, much less getting a scholarship for it,” said Setera. “I am so grateful I get to pursue my passion and love for dance further than I ever expected.”

Setera is also a member of color guard and winter guard.

Her dance background lead her to these activities and she attributes much of her success in guard to dance.

“Dance has really helped with guard,” said Setera. “It

has helped me become a better dancer and has improved my solos.”

Many of the other activities Setera is involved have to do with volunteering. Volunteering is another major passion she has because she values helping those who are less fortunate.

“I volunteer because I can and want to help make a difference in the community by putting others needs above my own,” said Setera. “Helping those less fortunate is a necessity for

PHOTO COURTESY OF KAITLYN SETERA

Setera strikes a dance pose in her pointe shoes for one of her senior photos.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KAITLYN SETERA

Setera stands outside of Ohio University on one of her many visits down to Athens.

me and I think it should be for everyone because in the end a little goes a long way” After high school, Setera plans on double majoring and pursuing degrees in both Physical Therapy and Dance.

She also plans on attending medical school to become a physical therapist.

THE BRUIN

A pril 2019

S potlight 13

SPOTLIGHT

T.J. Lockwood: Boy Scouts

BY PATRICK CHAMIER

Senior Bruin writer T.J. Lockwood is varsity athlete for both the tennis and basketball teams and is also a Boy Scout working toward his Eagle Scout Rank. The Boy Scouts of America is a large part of T.J.’s life.

Boy Scouts perform civic duties throughout the community which help promote leadership and character. T.J. began as a Cub Scout where he completed character building and teamwork skills and activities. Cub Scouts have to be within the grades kindergarten through fifth and have to be at least ten years old.

Once the Cub Scout reaches the age requirement, he can become a Boy Scout.

After years of being a Boy Scout, T.J. is working on becoming an Eagle Scout. Only about four percent of Boy Scouts

PHOTOS BY T.J. LOCKWOOD

Bingham,” said T.J. After he graduates, T.J. plans on attending Brigham Young University in Utah and is looking into studying either Business or Biology. Also, his older brother and sister also attend BYU. He also plans on doing a two year mission trip through his church.

During the mission, they go to an area that is in need. They are assigned to do service within

their church and the community they are assigned to.

“My experience with Boy Scouts will be especially useful during my mission with BYU,” said T.J. T.J. is finishing his senior year with memories from the 4 years of both tennis and basketball, 2 years being on the Bruin staff, and many years spent as a Boy Scout.

T.J. Lockwood (left) drives to the hoop for a lay-up against North Royalton.

On the right, T.J. starts a game with a serve.

become an Eagle Scout.

To make it to this level, a scout must be a leader, complete high levels of community service, and have scout spirit. One must also reach all of the requirements before he turns eighteen.

“I have been in Boy Scouts since I was around eleven years old, I was also a Cub Scout when I was eight,” said T.J. when asked about his experience. “We would go camping and go on bike

trips as well as help around the community.”

The service around the community ranges from the environment to helping schools and local government. This includes picking up litter around the city, performing flag ceremonies and helping set up for special events.

“My favorite part of Boy Scouts is camping out with my fellow Scouts, especially Stanley

PHOTO BY T.J. LOCKWOOD

This is a photo of the bench Lockwood made for his project located at trolley line trails at the Wadsworth trailhead.

Marraya Youngblood: KODA

BY KYLEE BARANEK

Statistics show that over 90% of all deaf parents have hearing children. These children are known as Kodas. The word KODA itself is an acyronym, standing for “Kid of a Deaf Adult”. Koda is a hearing family member of someone within the deaf community.

Marraya Youngblood is in such a position. Her mother is hard of hearing and her father is completely deaf in both ears.

For Youngblood, it is difficult

for her to describe what it has been like being raised by deaf parents because that is all she has ever known.

The main thing that has been viewed as a challenge for Youngblood has been the fact that her parents cannot hear her speak, creating a language barrier between them.

She learned how to sign before she learned how to speak because it was easier for her parents to communicate with her. They began teaching her signs as an infant.

This lead to her being able to sign

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARRAYA YOUNGBLOOD

Marraya Youngblood poses with the koda campers and staff on the Koda camp grounds this past summer.

the alphabet before speaking it.

“Learning how to read was a little difficult. My parents would put subtitles on the TV and mute the sound,” Youngblood said.

One thing that truly makes Youngblood feel as if she can truly feel part of the deaf community is by volunteering at camps for other Kodas. The camp is free, funded by a grant to raise awareness about the struggles of being a Koda. All children of deaf parents are able to attend.

“A lot of the times it can be so sad. These kids will come in and share their stories. Some of them are so heartbreaking. I have never had to deal with bullying, I’ve had kids make jokes and ask stupid questions, but I’ve never gotten made fun of for it. These kids have tears streaming down their face because other kids don’t understand and they don’t even understand it themselves. So it’s a safe spot for kids who might feel alone due to these circumstances they can’t even control,” said Youngblood Youngblood has attended this camp as a camper and a volunteer

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARRAYA YOUNGBLOOD

Youngblood poses with her mom, dad, sister, and niece at the beach.

for a total of seven years. The volunteers are there to act as role models; showing the kids how life can be when you stay on the right path. By going to this camp as an eleven year old, she started to feel less alone.

“I felt alone my first time at this camp until we were pulled into Koda time. I learned that there are so many different types of Kodas. There are Kodas with one deaf parent, two deaf parents, and even deaf siblings. There were

even Kodas who didn’t know sign language just like me. It was the first time I felt like there was someone else like me out there,” she mentioned.

Before living in Wadsworth Youngblood lived in Boardman, Ohio and moved to Wadsworth in seventh grade. The Youngbloods moved to Wadsworth as her father had received a job offer closer to here than Boardman.

Now she is involved in many school clubs and activities such as student council, HUDDLE, international club, recycling, and The Bruin. She is also on the executive board of NHS. She also attended by Buckeye Girl’s State, program where students can learn more about government by participating in a student version.

While participating in all of these extracurriculars Youngblood also takes rigorous classes which has helped her earn a scholarship to The Ohio State University. Youngblood plans on majoring in PPE, a philosophy, political science, and economics merger major with hopes on becoming a corporate lawyer.

14 A ds

THE BRUIN

10% of Your Diet

A pril 2019

• Half of what your Blood Needs 46% Vitamin B6 for blood formation, 21% Iron to prevent anemia and make iron from plant-based food available to your body

• Half of what your Brain Needs 58% of Vitamin B12 for brain and nervous system function

• Half of what your Body Needs 50% of “complete” protein, 46% Niacin to fight cardiovascular disease 44% Zinc, 43% Selenium antioxidant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, 21% Phosphorous

*3 ounce steak = 160 calories of a 2,000 calorie per day diet

RK BEEF

Phone: 330-618-4068 Email: randykilbride@msn.com Location: 920 Johnson Rd. Wadsworth, Ohio 44281

PHOTO BY JAKE LOGUIDICE

E ntertainment 15

THE BRUIN

A pril 2019

Avengers: Endgame looks to end an era

BY ANNA BOWLING

As one of the most wellrecognized film companies within today’s society, it is no surprise that the end of a 10 year process within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or MCU, will come with a lot of anticipation. Beginning with Iron Man in 2008, Marvel brought forward a new generation of heroes. They experienced many supernatural struggles of typical superhero storylines, but also introduced new societal conflicts such as the use of technology in a changing world.

The MCU has put in over a decade of work into making their universe one of fan enthusiasm and popularity. The connection of events between movies and the way the universe has been tied together has kept drawing people in and encouraged them to continue to go see the movies.

This movie is the grand finale for the majority of the characters that have been around since the beginning. With multiple contracts running out, many fans have speculated that this may be the last movie that will feature characters such as Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and Chris Evans’s Captain

America in major roles.

“I’m excited to see how Marvel plans on tying up the loose ends from Infinity War as well as the franchise as a whole,” said Colleen Hallas, 12. “Honestly this is most of my childhood coming to an end, it’s crazy.”

With the official trailer surpassing 20 million views, it is clear that Hallas is not alone. Many have been anxiously awaiting the release since it was first announced that the final showdown with the major villain Thanos would have two parts.

To protect the surprise of the big ending, directors Joe and Anthony Russo have kept it a secret from even the actors. They have only released the first twenty minutes of the film for critic viewing and have filmed fake scenes and altered trailers to keep fans guessing.

“This is the first Marvel movie that myself and others have no idea what is going on,” said Vinnie Lobello, 12. “Even the directors have said that no one has guessed the correct ending. The only prediction I have is that the good guys will win in the end. I don’t know how that will happen, but that’s what I think.”

While the movies have had

a major impact on the lives of fans, the MCU has also greatly changed the lives of the cast members. Downey Jr. has said that the cast is “unbelievably close” and that the five of the six main Avengers (himself, Evans, Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow, Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye, and Chris Hemsworth’s Thor) have even gotten tattoos to match their characters and each other. Mark Ruffalo opted out due to his fear of needles.

Fans will also be interested to know that Endgame will be the last MCU movie that will feature a cameo from the iconic Stan Lee. Lee passed away in 2018 but his scene for this film was already recorded.

Endgame, which has a run time of just over three hours, is predicted to make between 250 and 300 million dollars opening weekend.

When Endgame tickets

went on sale, multiple websites selling those tickets crashed from being overwhelmed by the number of people trying to buy them.

Fans are looking to the end of this MCU era with a sense of unity and excitement. The Avengers movies have impacted many different ages, bringing a sense of community within the fandom. No matter the outcome of Endgame, fans will continue to support their favorite characters till the end of the line.

Bruin April To-Do List Decorate Easter eggs

alk w a e Go tak creek er at Silv

Park

Take a trip to the IX Indoor Amusement Park

Spend a night at the Blue sky Drive-in

Go see t h new Ave e ngers Movie: Endgam e

Jam out to the new Khalid album, “Free Spirit”

BY MATT MOORE

Food and Moore

Students, spring has finally arrived. That means spring sports like baseball and softball are in full swing and the track team is up and running. There is no better way to enjoy a ball game than with an ice cream cone from Wadsworth’s own Bidinger’s.

Every year, Bidinger’s opens at the beginning of March and the city of Wadsworth rejoices. Students go to bids after home football games in the fall or between games at the sand volleyball pit. Traditions like these are part of what makes Bidinger’s so well known.

Bidinger’s is most well known for their perfect soft serve ice cream cones but there are some secret items that people can order at the window. Flurries with both brownie bites and cookie dough bites and the ice cream sandwich with crunch coat are sneaky little items that are not on the menu but will be made upon request. They are a perfect little snack for a hot summer day.

Of course an ice cream shop would not be complete without the charming employees. Everyone is welcomed with open arms and a pretty smile.

Bidinger’s ice cream is a Wadsworth tradition that everyone knows about and supports. It is simply the best ice cream eating experience I have ever had. Five out of five paws hands down.

PHOTO BY MORGAN PORPORA

Graphic by Brooke Burton

16 S peakout

THE BRUIN

A pril 2019

What are you doing to make it through the end of the year?

“Focusing on finals.”

Lance Neffenger, 10

“Really using academic lab to my advantage.”

Kendall Kraft, 12

“Eating Reese’s peanut butter cups.”

Mrs. Rowe

“Doing my work ahead of time.”

Kade Miros, 9

“Trying my best to stay focused in class.”

“Looking forward to getting out of here.”

“Getting as much sleep as possible.”

“Starting Senioritous a grading period early.”

Hailey Barfuss, 11

Clay Barker, 12

Rachael Robinson, 10

Elena Vukovic, 11

“Focusing on nothing.”

“Dreaming about my vacation.”

“Not doing any work after I got accepted into college.”

Ben Moskos, 12

“Talking to my friends to keep me sane.”

Shelby Fisher, 9

Matt Burdell, 9

Olivia Vukovic, 10

”Talking to my friends at lunch.”

“Crying.”

“Waking up five minutes before school.”

“Gave up years ago.”

Alex McKnight, 9

Lindsey Massie, 11

Mason Currens, 10

Sarah Faber, 12