June 2017 Edition

Wauwatosa West High School • June 2017 • wauwatosawest.com

W E ST SID E

STORIES

West Side Stories Tosa West

/wauwatosawest

@wauwatosawest

@wauwatosawest

Wauwatosa West High School • June 2017 • wauwatosawest.com

WEST SIDE STORIES

STAFF

Advisor Chris Lazarski

Print Editor-in-Chief Rick Sear Featured Reporters Abby Barbeau Christopher Fossell Olivia Greener Max Herteen Sarah Holmer Rayna Klatt Alea Poehls Nadiyah Salawdeh Ellie Sear Gaoyeeng Vang Photography Annika Noorlander Print Layout & Design Rick Sear TW Today Anchors Adam Fendos Michael Green Paris Howell Simon Ng Jomari Ross Jade Tanjung

OUR PHILOSOPHY

West Side Stories (WSS) believes that it is essential to preserve the freedom of the press in order to preserve a free society. Therefore, WSS will resist all attempts at censorship and will serve the best interests of the students. WSS will be guided in publication by a concern for the truth, will strive to provide a comprehensive account of events in the school and community, will strive to be a leader of student opinion through its editorials, and will be an open forum of the exchange of comment and criticism. WSS’s editorial page will take stands on important issues, will help protect the rights of students, will support groups seeking the betterment of the community, and will serve as a constructive critic. Columns and reviews will be signed unless there is a consensus of opinion among the WSS editors. Copies of the complete WSS editorial policy are available upon request via email.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters are accepted from all readers. Editors have the right to edit for length and obscenity, but will not alter the original meaning of the materials. All submitted letters must be signed. Please submit letters to our email address (listed below), or at the Journalism Office, Room 267. If there is no one there, slide your letter under the door.

CONTACT US

Email: westsidestories@gmail.com Web: wauwatosawest.com Twitter: @wauwatosawest Facebook: /wauwatosawest Instagram: @wauwatosawest YouTube: West Side Stories Tosa West Snapchat: wauwatosawest Journalism Office: Room 267

TW Today Production Staff Chris Bravata - Lead Rick Sear - Lead Sterling Heit Chris Paasch Teresa Toohill

Cover art by Rick Sear

MEME CONTEST: BEST SUBMISSIONS

ANNA SMITH, SOPHOMORE TYLER FRIESEKE, SENIOR

BELLA KNUTSEN, SENIOR ZAKYIAH WEBB, JUNIOR

ABOUT THE MEME CONTEST During the 2016-2017 school year, West Side Stories editors decided that a fun way to engage the student body would be to issue a school-wide “Meme Contest.” While the submissions are not memes in the traditional Internet sense, the medium provides students a concise way to express their opinions about the student life and school events. All submissions were reviewed by editors and were intended as lighthearted banter. We hope you enjoy the results and encourage you to give us feedback by emailing westsidestories@gmail.com.

wauwatosawest.com • PAGE 3

Caption by RICK SEAR Photos by ANNIKA NOORLANDER

SCHOOL NEWS

FIRST IN LINE: Senior Jade Vue was the first student to receive the Global Scholars Certificate. “When you become a Global Scholar, you learn to actually connect with people who are different,” she said. “It’s all about connections and coming together.” Vue certainly won’t be the last, though; the Global Scholars Program is rapidly growing in popularity among rising underclassmen.

WEST OFFERS GLOBAL SCHOLARS CERTIFICATE TO LANGUAGE STUDENTS If you’re in a language class, you may or may not have heard about the Global Scholars Certificate. This certificate and program is a special opportunity here at Wauwatosa West.

The program is run by Spanish teacher Catherine Muñoz. However, one is not just handed the certificate when they graduate. Students have to complete eight book reflections (or four other reflections, which could be on art, music, or film, along with four book reflections), four consecutive years of one world language, four credits of courses with global content (e.g. Global Studies, AP Art History, World Literature, etc.), 20 hours of global service learning (volunteer work), 6 reflections on intercultural experiences (e.g. the Multicultural Fair), and an annual self-reflection.

This workload seems a bit intimidating, so why would students even want to do it in the first place? “I wanted to experience other traditions,” Global Scholar Student Natasha Forrest explains.

“There really is a focus on multiple cultures; maybe not just the one that the student takes,” said Muñoz.

Heidi Hegwood, a US History and Global Studies teacher at Wauwatosa West remarks, “We only have the perspectives of what we know, and by expanding our perspectives and by expanding what we know about other cultures, [we expand as people].”

“It gives you the chance to A) get credit for things that a lot of students already do, but B) it opens more doors for exploration on global issues,” Muñoz says.

PAGE 4 • wauwatosawest.com

By ELLIE SEAR

The Global Scholars Program could also be useful for a job resume or college application. “We’re integrating a bunch of different cultures ... into America’s melting pot, and being able to acknowledge and accept and understand other cultures is a very important part of being successful within our nation, within our globalized society,” Hegwood argues.

Forrest puts it bluntly: “I would recommend being in the program because of the cultural experience and apparently it looks really good on college applications.​” The Global Scholars Program is here and waiting for the next wave of students to join. As Hegwood says, “Being able to view different cultures is amazing on how much you can expand and learn more about you, by learning more about other cultures.”

SCHOOL NEWS

NEW STAFF REFLECT ON

By GAOYEENG VANG FIRST YEAR

A VIEW TO THE FUTURE: A future-planning resource currently available to West students is the Career Center. Above, Career Center Coordinator and Class of ‘71 Alumna Barb Lauenstein works with senior LeRoy Coleman over lunch. “My favorite thing about West is seeing the success of students,” she said, “and the places they go.” Lauenstein will be retiring this year after working at West for over 22 years.

WISCONSIN MAKES ACP NEW REQUIREMENT

By CHRISTOPHER FOSSELL

Starting next year, all 6th through 12th grade students in Wisconsin will be required to create online digital portfolios on the career exploration and student resource web site Career Cruising. The Academic and Career Plan (ACP) will be the place students upload significant assignments and events they complete throughout their academic and non-academic career.

According to Wauwatosa West Guidance counselor Sarah Weiler, “[It is] a requirement for graduation now. So, basically, it’s an ongoing process [in] grades six through twelve where kids are developing their own self-awareness, their own strengths, weaknesses, passions; who they are.”

Students will begin creating an online compilation of all of their achievements and activities that help to define who they are and what they enjoy. For example, a student interested in pursuing art would be able to look back on his or her notable pieces in middle school or early high school as a sort of road map to mark progress and growth as an artist.

Ideally, student portfolios will give the student some kind of guidance regarding future career choices.

“The theory is, you can select a career that has some connection to your passions and your strengths, you’re probably going to be successful and hopefully happy,” said Weiler.

The portfolio will contain more than academic information; students will document work trips, community service, and volunteer experiences are also valuable things to put on the portfolio.

The guidance department hopes the portfolios will be a way for students to present and share their high school experience with their peers, family and community members.

“The ultimate goal...is to have seniors… presenting their portfolio to either other students, community members, parents,” Weiler explained. “And then they might pick out the [experiences] that were the most influential and meaningful to them.”

Teachers are being encouraged to identify possible assignments students can contribute to their Academic and Career Portfolio.

“One idea is to have [something] in the financial literacy requirement...whichever one you choose, you’ll have to do a project that will look something like [planning out a make-believe college path],” said Weiler.

This activity will give students of all class levels an idea of what higher education might look like and what majors are offered by different colleges. It will also give students a preview of what college finance looks like, especially tuition. This would leave concrete ideas in students’ heads about what college is really like and how to start preparing for it. It will also make a valuable addition to each student’s portfolio.

Overall, this program looks to be an exciting one -- something extremely valuable for underclassmen and another thing to look forward to in the 2017-2018 academic year.

The 2016-2017 school year has brought new classes, students, and teachers to West.

These new teachers have many of the same experiences as students trying to fit in into a new work environment.

One of the new teachers is Rachel Szurek, a choir teacher at West and Whitman.

“The school is very open environment,” she says. “Teachers say hi to other teachers, and even students acknowledge teachers, making it a friendly environment.”

Another newcomer is Sarah Timmler, a Biology teacher at West. Even though she has busy days, she finds many aspects of her job to enjoy. “The students and staff are fun to talk to and help me to do things better,” Timmler said. “Whenever you’re working with people, whether...it’s a job, sports, clubs, [or] in classes, if you like the people you work with it makes the job way better.”

Taylor Molitor, a Tosa West Spanish teacher, just finishing his second year of teaching, also complimented West’s environment. “I really like the support we get from administration, and I am constantly surprised by how invested students are in the school and in their teachers,” he explained.“Students ask me about my life way more than I thought they would.”

Even though the new staff find their jobs enjoyable, being a teacher is certainly not easy.

“Having around 140 students means a lot of grading I have to do,” said Timmler. ”And during the school day there isn’t much time to grade the papers...since I’m planning and getting ready for the next day.”

“Struggles of being a first-time teacher are that you have to work so hard to develop any kind of rhythm as a new teacher,” Molitor said. “You are never sure exactly how long a lesson is going to take a class of students. Maybe you planned for an activity to take 35 minutes, and it takes an hour, or you planned a 25-minute activity, and it takes 5 minutes.”

Despite these difficulties, all the new teachers are ready and excited for next year.

“Next year I feel more excited...because now I know what to expect and what the music program here at West is about,” remarked Szurek. “[I have] a clear vision [about where] to take these music students.”

Overall, Molitor feels that “teaching this year has been great. I have a much better grasp of the building, of staff, of students, and I know what I am teaching now. I have a full plan for the whole year, and I always know where I am headed.”

Molitor also noted that the most important part of being a teacher is being yourself. “Being a teacher is a million times harder if you are always acting or performing,” he said. “Be yourself, and trust that students will be OK with who you are.”

A YEAR UNDER HER BELT: West’s new choir teacher Rachel Szurek (pictured above) is one of a number of first-time teachers to join West this year. “The whole year has been amazing,” she said. “I couldn’t have imagined what it would be on the first day of school.”

Photos by ANNIKA NOORLANDER, Captions by RICK SEAR

wauwatosawest.com • PAGE 5

STUDENT FEATURES

By SARAH HOLMER and RAYNA KLATT From corporate advertisements to anti-establishment logos, chromebooks at Tosa West have become a sticker-decorated show of the inner workings and thoughts of their students. Since the chromebooks have been introduced at West in 2013, the school has given students their blessing in adorning these covers with any sticker they would like, as long as it’s school-appropriate.

According to Wauwatosa West Computer Specialist Brian Mickens, the school does not care about chromebook stickers because the students will be given their chromebook back and get to keep them after Senior year. These stickers can reflect the student’s personality or could be merely for decoration. Each chromebook sticker tells a story: from trips with friends to working presidential campaigns, the stickers hold more meaning than simply keeping a chromebook from being boring.

Both Nadiyah Salawdeh and Eileen Reetz, seniors at Wauwatosa West, have chosen stickers that reflect their political beliefs and interests. For Eileen, her favorite sticker is the seal of the Supreme

Court of the United States. Those who know Nadiyah know that she is very involved in politics. Her use of stickers expands past her chromebook. She frequently puts stickers, like an RBG “End Citizens United” one, on her water bottle as well.“ I love RBG,” she said. “It’s sad that my free ‘End Citizens United’ sticker is gone”.

Caitlin Nelson, a junior, likes to use her stickers to promote what she is involved in. She is involved in Young Life and would also like to add a sticker from her workplace, BelAir. Nikki Holmer, a sophomore, has some interesting stickers displayed on her chromebook. “You’re Probably a Douchebag” is her favorite one. “I like to see people’s reaction,” she said. “The sticker is a song by Dan Rodriguez and I even got it signed by him!” Dan Rodriguez sings at Summerfest and Nikki loves his music.

Bella Palazzari, a freshman, likes to display her “colorfulness” through her stickers. She receives her stickers through the mail after emailing companies to send her stickers. This is an easy way to get free stickers!

STUD EN T FAVORI TES COUN TRY MUSIC

HALL OF FAM E

ays a side of me “I do not like country music at all and it portr that is not true.”

SUPR EM E COUR T OF TH E UNI TED S TATES

EILEEN R EETZ

B ELLA PALAZZARI

PATAGHOIPNPIIAE" "FISH

sic.”

e I’m ba

“Becaus

Photos courtesy of AP Seminar, Graphics by Rick Sear

PAGE 6 • wauwatosawest.com

MAIN TH EM E:

COLORFULN ESS

STUDENT FEATURES

COLECTIVO VAN

“With p

urchase s or ran d pickups at Tivo” om

MICH AEL GR

EEN

JADE GRIPPE

k t bac eren e of ff i d ind m have y all hey] rem e.” e h T “ t on es...[ ve g stori places I’

YOU'R E PROBABLY

A DOUCH EBAG

“I like to see pe ople’s reactio ns.

It’s a song by Dan Rodrigue z and I even got it sign ed by him!”

NIKKI HOLM ER

N LIN CAI T

DORA

TH E EXPLOR ER

like the “I like Dora. I has to message she .” send

JOURN EYS “I regret Journe ys & Chill; it’s kinda weird .”

ALEC SHLIAGDOHWHTUWNOTEORSD) (FROM

d.” d he is my moo

e show an “I really like th

N ELSO

AND

CHILL

wauwatosawest.com • PAGE 7

STUDENT FEATURES

WHAT MAKES A GREAT TEACHER?

by MAX HERTEEN

One of the age-old questions in education is that of teaching styles. What makes a great teacher? Do students learn better with more hands-on experiments or are they better off with more focused individual work? Here are some opinions from current Tosa West seniors on what makes a good teacher:

“I think a good teacher is someone who can make abstract concepts interesting and, more importantly, relatable. Someone who can empathize with their students while at the same time instructing them. It’s a fine line.” -Adam Fendos

“It is important that a teacher has the ability to stay composed and deal with everything, no matter how badly students or schools treat them.” -Dan Toohill

“I believe that a good teacher is someone that wants to impact the next generation. They should also want to help students understand the material fully.”

-Tremaine Hawthorne

“A good teacher should be able to explain and expand in-depth when there isn’t a full understanding, but it’s most meaningful when a teacher can connect to students outside of the classroom.”

-Cole Seabrook “A good teacher understands that not all students learn the same way.” -Jack Garder

“A great teacher is someone who is engaged in their students’ learning and wants to see their students improve; someone who encourages students to have tough conversations with each other so that they can grow in their community; someone who is generally kind overall.” -Clarence Diogo

“The most important traits a teacher can possess are knowledge, commitment, patience, equity, confidence, and control.” -Simon Ng

“A good teacher is someone who works to see growth in a student and not the end of a workday.”

-Max Karpfinger

Teacher graphic courtesy of Freepik.com

Although students had different responses to this question, there is a clear bottom line on what most students find important. Students consistently cited patience and the ability to connect as key traits a teacher must possess. While all of the students interviewed clearly want a teacher who understands their craft well, it was just as important to them that the teacher was relatable and committed to individual personal growth as well as academic success.

PAGE 8 • wauwatosawest.com

Photo by ANNIKA NOORLANDER

STUDENT FEATURES

PICTURED ABOVE: Clare Jennings (left) working with attorney Mark Young (middle) and fellow TA Nadiyah Salawdeh (right) at an American Public Policy - Special Emphasis class practice session for the Nationals-level We the People constitutional law competition PICTURED BELOW: Clare Jennings phone banking for the Feingold 2016 senatorial campaign

SENIOR PROFILE: CLARE JENNINGS Senior year can be stressful for many, what with college applications, scholarships essays, and making plans for life after high school. Wauwatosa West senior Clare Jennings is no stranger to these struggles.

However, one of the many reasons that she stands out from her peers is her certainty about her future. She will be attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is planning on majoring in Political Science with a certificate in International Relations.

Next year won’t be Clare’s first time stepping into the world of politics, though.

During the summer before her senior year, she worked with the Wisconsin Democrats, supporting several campaigns by calling houses, knocking on doors, and getting out the vote.

“More than anything else,” she said, “talking to people about the topics that I was passionate about proved to me that any level of involvement in politics can change the course of our entire nation.”

Other than her experience during the 2016 election, Clare said the American Public Policy - Special Emphasis class at West “got me really interested in politics and the Constitution and that kind of pointed me towards becoming a lawyer.”

She has already thought about the type of law she wants to study (either immigration or intellectual property law). In the next 10 years, she says that she sees herself working in Washington D.C. -- either in a law firm or for a politician -- because, even though she is fascinated by law, she says that her “dream job would be working for a politician on Capitol Hill”.

But Clare, just like most of the seniors at Wauwatosa West High School, has college on the brain more so than future jobs.

As far as what she is most excited for, Clare says, “I am excited to move away from home and not have my parents to fall back on … maybe that is a fear too, I’m not really sure”. Other than being away from home, she says that she is most excited to experi-

By NADIYAH SALAWDEH

ence the environment and people at Madison, but that her biggest fear is that the grading system at West has not prepared her for next year. She laughs, saying, “they don’t have retakes in college and I heard that homework counts.”

Despite her fears, however, Clare says, “I am excited to start (as cliche as it sounds) a new chapter of my life.”

Photo by NADIYAH SALAWDEH

wauwatosawest.com • PAGE 9

STUDENT FEATURES

E XC E R P T S FROM

SENIOR ESSAYS

By ABBY BARBEAU and OLIVIA GREENER

For most seniors applying for college and scholarships, the personal essays they write can make or break their applications. Unlike the rest of an application, the essay is unique to each student and thus it is often a huge factor in whether or not they are accepted into a college or given a scholarship. We asked 5 seniors to share with us their best personal essay, how they wrote it, and their advice to future seniors who are beginning the essay-writing process.

Sarah will be attending the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in the fall. The following is an excerpt from her essay for her “Who Wants to be a Teacher” scholarship application.

SARAH HOLMER

“Since I have started volunteering at my former elementary school, it has become evident that this is exactly where I want to be in my future.

The children I have worked with manage to brighten my smile everyday. I am immediately greeted with a sea of smiling faces and a swarm of hugs, capable of improving any day. Beyond their contagious smiles, these students are always eager to learn new things. They take their learning seriously and strive to find out more information. Their curiosity is something I strive for and continue to admire.”

HER PROCESS:

“I wrote out all of my essays roughly to get my ideas down and then I worked with my mom and older sister to polish them off.”

ADVICE TO FUTURE SENIORS:

“Give it time. Good essays are not going to be written the night before they are due. Get your ideas down and then discuss them with someone to revise and make it the best it can be!”

Andjelika will be attending the University of Virginia next year. The following is an excerpt from her Common Application essay, which is sent to a number of schools.

“Some may perceive two suitcases or a limited palette as a restraint; however, I see it as an opportunity. My parents prove to me daily that small steps guided by determination can create masterpieces. As I study their progressing masterpiece, I take note of my own blank canvas. I realize that I am a seventeen year old girl who doesn’t come from much, but with a diligent hand, I am also Picasso.”

HER PROCESS:

“For my writing process, I wrote multiple outlines with varied topics. Then, I eliminated some of them- choosing the topic I felt most strongly about. I wrote a rough draft and shared it with many friends, adjusting the essay to their critiques. When I looked over it a few times on my own and was satisfied, I shared it with a few teachers and asked them for their opinions.”

PAGE 10 • wauwatosawest.com

ADVICE TO FUTURE SENIORS:

ANDJELIKA MILICIC

“Definitely take time on your essays and get a head start on them.

Write about a topic that resonates with you; it will make your essay genuine and you won’t feel as forced. Lastly -- and maybe most importantly -- yes, it is a stressful process, but remember that it is stressful for you and those around you! Make sure that you ask the people that you’re considering to review your work a few weeks ahead of time because everyone will generally be asking all at once. This will eliminate any unnecessary stress. Good luck!​”

STUDENT FEATURES Rayna will be attending the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in the fall. The following is an excerpt from her University of Wisconsin-Madison application essay.

RAYNA KLATT

“While the bulk of Wisconsin wailed about the oncoming snow, their whining was met by a single squeal of happiness. That unassuming force of happiness came from a child, and that child is me. As a young child, when the first sign of those white flakes dotted the sky, I would rush to my front window and gaze with awe as my world was blanketed with a clean, white sheet. I was often overwhelmed by a feeling that I can only describe as pure, untainted joy.”

HER PROCESS:

“Once I actually started to write the essay, I just went with the flow. After that, I reviewed the essay with a teacher, made a few changes, and submitted it. I tried to not look at it as this big overwhelming project and just tried to tackle it all at once.”

ADVICE TO FUTURE SENIORS:

“Go with that feels best. Don’t write about experiences that never happened or try to think of something just because you think the college will like it. Write about what feels natural, and since it will come naturally, the essay itself will turn out better.”

Michael will be attending Dartmouth College in the fall. The following is an excerpt from one of four essays required for his Dartmouth application.

“Complaining about one’s poor circumstances is easy, and although doing something positive and overcoming those circumstances is hard, it is ultimately worth it. Being successful even though you are Green is even sweeter because it did not come without a struggle. It is not easy being Michael Green, it will not be easy to be a member of the Big Green, but it is who I am and what I want to be.”

MICHAEL GREEN

ADVICE TO FUTURE SENIORS:

HIS PROCESS:

“I wrote a rough draft without any concern for a word limit, so that I could get all of my ideas out there. Then I would wait about a week, and looked at my essay with fresh eyes and edited it. Lastly, I had 2 of the teachers in the English department edit my essays (one for conventions and one for which of my ideas properly addressed the prompt).”

“Teachers will be able to edit your essays more carefully if you send them to them in the summer, rather than during the school year when everyone wants a second opinion and they are swamped down with school work. Take your essays seriously! Often times college admissions officers spend around 10 minutes reading your ENTIRE application. Make sure that once they complete your application they know your best qualities that will make you a necessary addition to their incoming class.”

Jenna will be attending the University of Northern Michigan in the fall. The following is an excerpt from her essay for Tosa West’s “Trojan Way” scholarship.

JENNA SCHROEDER HER PROCESS:

“To me, success is being happy with what you have achieved. I feel like I have succeeded more than I ever thought I would. I came into high school a shy girl and will walk out a confident young woman who knows what she wants in life. Looking back, I’m not a 4.0 student who has all the money and popularity, but I’m so proud of what I’ve done these past four years, and that is my measure of success.”

“When I wrote my essays, I would type them out and then give them to my dad to read and look over. He’s the English guy of the house so I always go to him to make sure that I’m writing properly.”

ADVICE TO FUTURE SENIORS:

“Don’t stress too much about [writing essays]. Everyone has to do it, and really the more you do it, the more you practice, which means you get better each essay that you write.”

wauwatosawest.com • PAGE 11

JUST THE FACTS

FEELING STRESSED AT TOSA WEST

By ALEA POEHLS

Finals week is here and students are panicking. If you’re feeling stressed, you’re not alone. Many Tosa West Students are stressed out, too. According to an emailed survey of 73 students, 70.8% of the students said school stresses them the most. 71.2% of these students also said stress had a negative effect on them.

Everybody deals with stress on a daily basis. People of all ages worry and have anxiety about challenges yet to be faced.

Stress occurs especially in school. People of all ages struggle with it, but it is still not fully understood.

Stress is caused by stressors. Whether it is due to changes in the environment, fears, major life events, continuous problems, or responsibilities it causes panic in the human mind. Too much stress creates minor and/or major effects on people. According to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, effects on the body are examples such as headaches, muscle pain, fatigue, and sleeping problems. Common moods are anxiety, restlessness, less focus, being overwhelmed, irritability, anger, and depression. Behaviors include but are not limited to overeating/ undereating, anger, drug/alcohol abuse,

and social withdrawal. Psychology teacher Padi Kong defines stress as: “the dread before a test or something that is wrong.

It interferes with your daily life.” A multitude of teens in the survey felt the effects of anxiety, sleep deprivation, procrastination, irritability, and lack of focus.

Based on Your Amazing Brain (a website created by At Bristol and funded by Wellcome Trust, a leading biomedical charity), your brain has a scientific reason that causes you to stress. Originally, human brains had a “fight or flight” survival instinct in lifethreatening situations. Through time, humans have evolved to keep this quality but use it to respond to all kinds of potential “threats”. During “fight or flight”, the brain sends nerve signals to the adrenal glands so they can dispatch adrenaline. Parts of the brain recognize adrenaline and produce cortisol (a stress hormone). Cortisol is admitted whenever the threat seems hazardous. Dangers include life-threatening ones and non-serious day-to-day actions. Too much stress results in hurting the immune system and killing brain cells. Stress also increases the risk of getting a heart attack, according to Your Amazing Brain.

Stress can be seen as both positive and negative. Here are a few responses explaining how people feel about stress: ♦ When asked where stress is most prevalent, junior Meghan Schmidt said, “I think a better question is where do I not find stress in my life?” ♦ Jalen, who is a sophomore, said, “Stress is good. You won’t get the full life experience without it. It makes you think and work harder.” ♦ Geometry teacher Tyler Banh said, “Teachers and students have different kinds of stress but at the same time have the same levels of stress.” ♦ An anonymous senior wrote in the survey, “A moderate amount of stress actually improves performance and I agree with that. Obviously, one needs to know what is considered ‘too much stress,’ [so] there isn’t a straightforward ‘negative’ or ‘positive’ answer to your question.”

While too much stress can affect your body, moods, and behavior, it can also save human lives in deadly situations. It helps motivate students to strive to complete

their goals. Stress is a human instinct of survival that occurs in the mind. Students should get help learning strategies to cope with their stress. Stress should be moderated in adolescence lives.

Wauwatosa West has its own stress club, where students can take a break to relax from reality for a moment. Club advisor Elizabeth Krubsack describes her club: “Students can come and try out different stress-relief techniques. That could be coloring a mandala (a cosmic drawing whose name means infinity in Sanskrit) or starting an art journal, learning about and practicing mindfulness, or checking out apps that help people understand the connection between their heart rate and their mood.” Club meetings are every Thursday during lunch in Room 211A in the library.

If you need more information about stress or ways to reduce stress, check out the AsapScience YouTube channel. It offers great visuals and advice on various topics.

Stress is one of the topics represented thoroughly.

BY THE NUMBERS HOURS OF HOMEWORK PER NIGHT NUMBER OF STUDENTS

NUMBER OF STUDENTS

SELF-REPORTED STRESS LEVELS

STRESS LEVEL (1 is lowest)

Percentage of students who think that school is the most stressful aspect of their lives

71%

PAGE 12 • wauwatosawest.com

HOURS OF HOMEWORK

19%

Percentage of students who have heard of Tosa West’s Stress Relief Club