CVII.8 - May 10, 2013

May 10, 2013

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Walnut Hills High School

May 10, 2013

Volume CVII, Issue 8

Issue CVII.8

NEWS & FEATURES

Features Staff Graham Fowler, ‘13 Jeongwoong Noh, ‘13 Satia Hardy, ‘14

Jade K. Clark and Josh Medrano, Editors

Old building construction slowly comes to a close

Garretson Oester, ‘14

Time line shifts and modular buildings, missing kitchens and torn-down colonies, yellow walls and new recital spaces... the guttural growl of trucks and the incessant pounding of pile drivers continues on. Construction crews have 103 days left until the largest renovation project in the Cincinnati Public Schools system draws to its major conclusion.

“I only have six more moves left,” says Alumni Foundation Executive Director Debbie Heldman in reference to the logistics involved with the $67 million project to improve Walnut Hills High School over the summer to prepare for the first day of school on August 21.

But on the first day of school next year, the center section, which includes the library, the main hall, the lunchroom, and the South Wing, will be finished.

However, classrooms in the Arts and Sciences Building between the Arcade and the Forum

GARRETSON OESTER/CHATTERBOX

The newly renovated reading room, under the dome, features a reopened occulus and the original bookcases. will have moved to the modular buildings and will remain there until October. The old gym will still be closed and is slated to reopen in October. The class of 2013 has experienced this project from its inception; SENIOR Abby Ward says that, “My biggest hopes were to have an improved music and

gym space...I wished I could see it finished by graduation.”

The library crowns the newlyrenovated building. The lobby has been opened into what was the library classroom (which shifted to the old storage space) and the office space. The computer lab will be connected to the lobby, and a

Brokamp: An unintentional legacy of excellence

new circulation desk will sit in the middle. The oculus of the dome will be reopened; underneath, a terrazzo marble and poured stone floor feature black, white and a green, similar to the Rookwood reliefs circling the space. The dome will be surrounded by cream and yellow walls with gold-leaf and navy trim, housing what is now solely a reading room. The built-in wooden shelves were saved.

The main hall, one story below, will have classical light fixtures, cream crown moulding and wainscotting, and black and white floors. Another feature, due to added school security, is a new doorway which opens directly into the Main Office for visitors from the vestibule between the two door sets. The outside set will be unlocked, but the inside set will be locked, funneling visitors into the main office. All offices will be located in the main area, including guidance, grade-level offices and the Alumni Foundation. The College Information Center will return to its regular location, next

Impending budget confusion Graham Fowler ‘13

KIBRET ALEM/CHATTERBOX

At the Cum Laude Society banquet and initiation, Brokamp speaks about his experiences as a Walnut student and his pride in the graduating class of 2013.

Emily Friedman, ‘13 Along with this year’s graduating class came Jeffrey Brokamp, who, in 2007, succeeded Marvin Koenig as Walnut Hills High School’s principal.

Although this is his first time as Walnut principal, Brokamp knows his way around. “I would bounce around the school from the time I was a little kid because my dad was the principal here,” he says. “Then I went to school [here] so that’s all we ever talked about around the dinner table.”

However, it wasn’t always his plan to follow in his father’s footsteps.

“It really wasn’t an ambition of mine to come to Walnut Hills,” says Brokamp. “Circumstances just kind of aligned.”

He kick-started the renovations, but never had an outlined plan of things to change. “There’s an old philosophy in leadership, organizational leadership, where

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you really don’t make any major changes or adjustments in the first year,” he says.

However, when coming to the school, Brokamp decided to wait and see what needed to be changed, and go from there.

“There are so many things that really are urgent in schools that need decisions that you really can’t wait a year,” he says “Dirty spaces that haven’t been painted for forty years or haven’t been cleaned well, don’t make sense. Spaces that aren’t brightly lit, don’t make sense. Cafeterias with holes in the ceiling that leak, don’t make sense,” he says, describing the building pre-renovation.

Brokamp hopes the renovations give the school a renewed sense of community, although he believes this already exists.

He describes Walnut students as dynamic and eclectic. “...when I think of Walnut students I think of brightness of potential,“ he

adds. “There’s things in their life that have conditioned students at Walnut Hills to think ‘Hey, why not me?’”

Brokamp doesn’t want the renovations, or anything else, to give him a legacy at the school.

“When I leave here I want people to feel as if the school is a very high quality place where excellence is the order of the day. But that wouldn’t be a legacy. I’m just a cog in the process.”

“I know who I want to be, and I’m very very happy with who I am,” he says. “What I don’t need to be is a legacy at Walnut Hills.”

He concludes: “I think the lasting impression that I’ll have after my days are done here at Walnut Hills High School, whenever that is, would be just the continual hope and expectation that something excellent is going to happen.”

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to 2301.

Located on the first floor, the cafeteria will be transformed into a student union. It will feature multiple different table types and seating arrangements. Vending machines will be hidden in another room, and the food-service area will also be upgraded.

Teachers will benefit from the renovations as well. The teachers’ lunchroom, on the other hand, has been expanded to include a kitchen. They will have also have updated faculty restrooms. All new departmental work rooms, each with a copier, kitchenette, and workspace, will be ready. The primary work room, in the main hall, will only feature copiers and mailboxes.

The construction crews are pleased to be working on this project, with 230,000 man hours so far.

“We love working at Walnut Hills!” says project manager Joe Newton. “[It] is challenging but we are looking forward to lots of exciting openings in August and September.”

“I would be really disappointed if next year’s class was offered less AP, music, and art classes because of this crazy budget situation.” says Clare Lister, ‘14. “Any deficit will definitely have some negative consequences,” says SENIOR MK Kitzmiller.

According the Brad Smith, a Walnut Hills High School social studies teacher, building union representative and next year’s union secretary, yhis year, there is a projected 54 million dollar budget deficit. “This is way too high,” Smith predicts.

Smith postulates that a large budget deficit could cut much of what defines Walnut as a school: Advanced Placement, music and art classes. The impending 2013 district budget could mean the Walnut community loses jobs.

State law requires that school districts operate within a balanced budget; its expenditures cannot exceed cash balances.

However, according to Walnut’s LSDMC minutes, the impending budget issue’s effects on Walnut are less severe. Walnut is only required to reduce .8 Full Time Educators, (FTE.) 1.0 FTE is equivalent to 5 classes a day. In total, these cuts will come from the Physical Education Department (losing 1.5 FTE due to new gym requirements), while the arts will actually gain teachers: adding .3 FTE to the Theatre Department (stagecraft) and .4 to the Music Department (instrument tuning).

Last year, controversy arose when District Treasurer, Diana Whitt, projected a $40 million deficit and the Cincinnati Public School District held its breath until this deficit was eventually proved to be off the mark. “There was, in fact, a one million dollar surplus” Smith says.

“All this money does eventually have to be shown, but sometimes bureaucracy likes to drag their feet a little,” Smith says. There are no state funds yet because the state has not yet passed a budget and is not required to do so until June 30.

“We will always be treading water when it comes to money,” says Smith. Approximately 90 percent of the district’s revenue is state per-student allocation and voter-approved tax levies are tied to property taxes. Neither of these sources increases with inflation.

However, in the most recent budget proposal, which passed the state House of Representatives on April 18, per-pupil funding increases from $5000 to $5732.

Smith concludes that when it is all said and done, “it will always be a situation of limited funds and how to spend them.”

GRAHAM FOWLER/CHATTERBOX

Issue CVII.8

VIEWPOINTS

Viewpoints Staff Rico Blackman, ‘13 Kyren Palmer, ‘14 KeMarca Wade, ‘13 Cohen Walker, ‘13

Jaylen Hill, Editor

It’s your boy Thomas Brame Jr!

Who’s that Wally Hill?

Cohen Walker, ‘13

There’s hidden talent walking the halls at Walnut. You may not know him because he is very quiet and nonchalant, which is quite surprising given the amount of energy he puts into his musical persona.

SENIOR TJ Brame, aka “Phresh Kyd,” has been on the music scene since 8th grade. “TJizzle” was this up-and-coming star’s first stage name back in 2009. At the early age of 13 he had already recorded and produced his mixtape, Imma Alien.

The mixtape had a total of eight songs for which he created each of the instrumentals on his own.

Over the next three years, he would mature greatly in both his personality and his music. His works would be scrutinized by older hip-hop artists who wouldn’t listen to him because of what his name implied; so in order to appeal to the changing times of the more settle stage names, he changed his name to Phresh Kyd. In the next three years Phresh Kyd would release three individual mixtapes featuring fellow classmates of Steven “L.E.G.” Scruggs, Jalan “Louie Kid” Harvin, Jessie “J-Mic” Michel, and many others.

But without any labels knocking at his door, Phresh Kyd has seldom seen the limelight of stardom.

Usually music labels offer contracts that give artists studio time and do promotions to get the artist’s music distributed all across the mainstream media. Four years of music and 38 music videos later, Phresh Kyd has averaged thousands of views on his songs. The resilient artist has not completely

MICAH SMITH/FREELANCE

Phresh Kyd posing right after a performance at Riverfront park. For future performance/song updates, follow @DaKydNamePhresh on Twitter. flopped on his dreams, “I know my moment is going to come soon, all the hard work I’ve put in is going to pay off. I know it,” says Brame. “ Good things come to those who wait, but great things come to those who put in work.

It’s all about having faith, persistence and a good work ethic.”

Phresh Kyd is not only a local hip-hop artist. Yes, he is from Cincinnati and personally distributes his music, but his works have reached thousands of miles overseas in countries like Japan, Germany, the UK, France, Australia, Brazil, Argentina and the Netherlands. With hundreds of downloads in each country, his music is beginning to catch fire. Every day more and more countries are being added to the list, and sponsors are noticing his achievements. “[It] feels nice that someone likes me enough to associate their name to mine.” Recently Brame got himself a sponsor, the Ohio-based clothing company Team Official Brand, which is dedicated to going

against the grain and providing their own twist and style. “I see the ambition and the potential in him, he’s definitely going to be someone to look out for,” says CEO of Team Official Brand Mark Brown. “...Glad I got to him first.”

With sponsors interested, and an ever-growing fan base, it won’t be long until Phresh Kyd is knocking on the doors of big music companies.

At the moment he is working on an independent album entitled Please, Excuse My Steez, which he is predicting to be his most downloaded piece yet. “I’ve already been pushing this work my hardest, [this is] by far the most effort I’ve put into anything with my name on it.”

To follow Phresh Kyd’s music, like his YouTube page: Phresh1Kyd2.

Questions or comments?

We would love to hear your thoughts! All feedback and corrections for the Chatterbox should be directed to cboxwalnut@gmail.com. Written feedback and submissions can also be dropped off in Room 2307.

The Chatterbox Editorial Staff

Charlie Hatch and Jonah Roth, Editors-in-Chief Emily Friedman, Senior Managing Editor Garretson Oester, Junior Managing Editor Joe Schmidlapp, Design Editor KeMarca Wade, Online Content Manager Martine Williams, Business Manager Cohen Walker, Assistant Business Manager Page Editors Jade K. Clark, News Editor Josh Medrano, Features Editor Jaylen Hill, Viewpoints Editor Jenna Weber, Fine Arts Editor Austin Railey, Sports Editor Hannah Shaw, Style & Culture Editor Celeste Kearney and Zoe Cheng, Peanuts Editors Brandon Wagner, Arcade Editor Advisors: Samantha Gerwe-Perkins and Dawn Wolfe Illustration by Sarah Davidoff The Chatterbox Policy Statement The Chatterbox has been guaranteed the right of freedom of the press through the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. The administration of Walnut Hills High School is thus bound to support and protect the Chatterbox’s inalienable rights as a free press.

As an integral part of the Walnut Hills High School community, The Chatterbox has the responsibility to report in the most comprehensive and objective manner possible. Students, parents, faculty, and

De

Issue CVII.8

administrators are encouraged to use this publication as a forum to express any ideas or concerns, whether they be personal or of local, national, or international scope.

Journalists are required to work under established guidelines. Invasion of privacy as a means of news gathering is prohibited. Articles found to be discriminatory, libelous, or unnecessarily obscene (as determined by the editors or the advisor) will not be published. Finally, journalists are granted the right to keep private the name of a source from whom they received

information with the understanding that the source was to remain anonymous. The role of the newspaper advisor will be to provide counsel and criticism pertaining to the newspaper’s content and production.

Although both the advisor and the administration hold certain powers regarding the Chatterbox, both must respect the paper’s autonomy. No student shall be prevented from joining the staff on the basis of sex, race, creed, or national origin.

May 10, 2013

JAYLEN HILL AND BRANDON WAGNER/CHATTERBOX

It’s...Char Daston!

Jaylen Hill, ‘13 For those looking to delve deeper into the mystique that is Walter N. Hill, check <www.whhscbox.com> for his backlog of lost articles from the past few months!

Culture shock: a firsthand experience Zhendi Li, ‘15 Have you ever heard about or experienced culture shock before?

I was actually curious of what the official definition of culture shock is before writing. According to Wikipedia, culture shock is “the feeling of disorientation by someone who is suddenly subjected to an unfamiliar culture, way of life, or set of attitudes.”

Culture shock is not limited to food, clothing, transportation, language, buildings or some obvious superficial thing. Those just make the tip of the iceberg. It extends to the way people think and act, and what their traditions, values and beliefs are. It is more about things that are deeply rooted in their minds.

As an immigrant from China, I got a perfect chance to experience the cultural differences between US and China.

When my mom first told me about studying in another country, that night I was too excited to fall asleep. Certainly, it is a new life, which brings the opportunity to discover fascinating things.

Meanwhile, I also encountered some challenges in adjusting from the habits I used to have. The America I now live in is so different from the one that I used to imagine. I made tons of silly mistakes when I first came to the US, and sometimes I still make some silly mistakes. Last week at school I was running to the library, one of my classmate gave me a really weird look on her face. When I came home and ask my dad, he told me that running is considered

an uneducated behavior.

I still remember the first day at Finneytown High School, my old school. I hid in the bathroom until everyone was gone in the hallway and rushed to my next bell.

Walking the hallways between classes seriously scared me because it was crowded and chaotic. It was like a zoo for me, and I was being pushed from one spot to another by those “zoo animals.”

In China, instead of moving from one classroom to another, students have their specific classroom that we stay for the whole day. Teachers are the ones that travel from class to class.

A few days earlier, one of my friends in Portland, Oregon complained to me, and it reminded me of one time that I cooked fish for my little step-brother. I could never forget the terrified look on his face. Guess what? I didn’t cut off the fish head and didn’t take out those bones in the fish. Soon I learned that people do not eat the whole thing in America; they remove the bones. However, in my country, people enjoy the taste of the fish bone.

Learning and knowing about other cultures is a big part of my life. I think of it more like a kind of knowledge, the understanding of the world and people. Knowing more about the rest of the world expands my thinking and enables me to put myself in others’ shoes instead of being self-centered.

Learning about culture shock is an interesting thing, it can be full of laughter and mirth. However, it can also mean encountering lots of awkward things in the process.

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SPORTS

Sports Staff

Austin Carpenter, ‘13

Isaiah Johnson, ‘13 Kate Warren, ‘14

Austin Railey, Editor

‘The best is yet to come’ for Walnut sports programs Charlie Hatch, ‘13 “This could be the end of an era— write it down, it could not be clearer.” -The Vaccines Walnut Hills athletics will never be the same.

Over the last few years, the sports programs at 3250 Victory Parkway have seen a tremendous increase in competition and relevancy in the Cincinnati area. The Eagles have gone from the laughing stock of high school sports to one of the strongest members of the Eastern Cincinnati Conference.

Here are some of the reasons why the Eagles are on the “rise to the highest.”

1. If you want to have the best athletes, you need to have good facilities. No one is going to take your track team seriously if the track around the field is gravel.

And at one time it was.

Seven years ago, with help from the Alumni Foundation, Walnut set out on renovating the facilities that made the school appear as an athletic backwater.

Today, Robert S. Marx Stadium holds an impressive 2,000

KYLE CHASE/CHATTERBOX

The basketball team celebrates after their Regional Final victory over LaSalle at the Cintas Center. The win led to Walnut’s first appearance in the Final Four. spectators, with a turf field and a team made the playoffs for the House has arguably become one beautiful crimson track. first time in school history. In of the top student sections in the In December, the brand new only five years, the program had area. gymnasium and swimming pool a complete turnaround, and now 4. With Cincinnati Public opened their doors, continuing the produces players that are playing Schools switching to open enrollstrive toward the finest facilities.

D1 football. ment, students from all over will Walnut definitely has established 3. Five years ago Tom Donnelly attend Walnut Hills. home-field advantage. took over as Athletic Director, and A wider spectrum of possible 2. On his first day as Principal brought in new coaching staffs. students equals greater opportunisix years ago, Jeff Brokamp got With new coaches came more ties for athletes to enroll. Now on the announcements, played competitive teams. there won’t be investigations the fight song, and then said, The year he came into leaderinvolving the addresses of students “Get used to this.” At the time, ship, the Nut House was also or if their addresses are within the that sounded like a far off fantasy. started by a group of rowdy Cincinnati city limits.

The football team hadn’t won a seniors hoping to generate school If you have the potential game in three years. In 2011, the spirit. Five years later, the Nut to play for a school on the rise

tuition-free, that seems a lot more logical than throwing tens of thousands of dollars out at a private school hoping for a scholarship.

5. This senior class has created a legacy that has been unparalleled to any other class in recent history. For the most part, the class of 2013 has stuck together and has produced some of Walnut’s ‘golden years’ for athletics.

The men’s soccer team has become a city power; track and field and cross-country continue to manufacture great teams that consistently find themselves deep in the postseason. Men’s basketball had the best season in the program’s history, including a national ranking and the school’s first appearance in the Final Four. And of course, the academic quiz team still dismantles their competitors.

The future is unwritten for the athletics programs, and we are on the brink of something special.

Together, we are about to venture into uncharted area for Walnut Hills athletics.

And someday we’ll look back on this, and know we were a part of something special...

‘The Next Level:’ SENIORS moving on

Here today, gone tomorrow

Austin Railey, ‘13 Isaiah Johnson, ‘13

Below is a list of all the current SENIORS that will be student-athletes at their schools next year.

Although Walnut Hills is nationally recognized as a top tier academic high school, the current SENIOR class has several student athletes continuing their careers in collegiate sports.This is no easy feat.

According to ncaa.org, only two percent of all high school athletes are awarded athletic scholarships to compete in collegiate athletics between D1 and D2

schools.

This means that of the few students that do compete in high school athletics, the majority of them may not receive an athletic scholarship at all. In these spotlights are also included division three teams as well as preferred walk-ons which serve as unscholarshpied member of collegiate teams.

Walnut has had several other athletes who have competed at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) level and

will compete again this upcoming college year.The NAIA was created in 1937 and is a smaller association. It is made up of smaller 4-year colleges in the United States, and competitive levels are comparable to NCAA D2 schools.

There are equally talented players in the NAIA and NCAA Division 2 schools, and both have excellent opportunities for education and athletic achievement.

A year to remember: Walnut sports in review Austin Carpenter, ‘13 The 2012-2013 Walnut Hills school year was full of athletic memories; from the boy’s soccer team winning their second consecutive conference championship, to the volleyball team’s inspiring “Volley For the Cure” game, to the men’s basketball team making it to the state Final Four.

The football team started off the season slow with a loss to Oak Hills, but rallied back to finish the season with a 5-5 record.

“It was a lot of fun growing

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closer with all my teammates,” said SENIOR captain Eric Haas.

“We did not live up to all the [expectations], but the SENIORS are graduating with an overall winning record.”

The men’s soccer squad finished this season 10-4-4 and won the conference outright. Led by SENIOR captains Sebastian Ganz, Tre Shockley, Harrison Hildebrandt, and Adam Brown, they out-scored their opponents 45-19 this year.

The women’s soccer squad finished the season 9-7-3 and

finished third in conference. They ended the season with a strong playoff push, but fell short against Centerville in the third round.

The girls cross country team had a great season this year, having five runners finish in the top seven best times for the ECC, including the best time of 18 minutes 43 seconds by Iowa State commit SENIOR Maryn Lowry.

The men’s basketball team had a season that will go down as greatest in Walnut History. The Eagles finished the season 27-2 and were named district, sectional,

May 10, 2013

BASEBALL Sam D’Alessio- Case Western Reserve University (Preferred Walk-On) Evan Riffle- Baldwin Wallace University (Preferred Walk-on) BASKETBALL Sterling Gilmore- Central State University Ricardo Hill- University of Akron (Preferred Walk-On) Isaiah Johnson- University of Akron DJ Wingfield- Ohio University FOOTBALL D’Avon Adkins - University of Findlay Adam Brown- Hampton University Kevin DeWalt - Kent State University (Preferred Walk on) Eric Haas - Davidson College Austin Railey - Notre Dame College

ROWING Lilah McAlister - Eastern Michigan University SOCCER Linnea Kramer - Roanoke College SQUASH Ariel Cohen- Denison University SWIMMING Zach Fisher - University of Pennsylvania (Preferred Walk-on) TENNIS Emily Burke- University of Kentucky (Preferred Walk On) TRACK AND FIELD Alijah Carpenter - Kentucky State University Kelsey Cornett - Northern Kentucky University Maryn Lowry - Iowa State University

and regional champs, as well as making the first ever state Final Four appearance in Columbus this past March.

The women’s basketball came into the new conference with many of the same goals as the men’s team. The team finished with an overall record of 10-13 and Taylor Darks, ‘15, was named to First Team All-Conference.

Both the men’s and women’s swimming teams finished fourth in the ECC meet. SENIOR Zach Fisher on the men’s squad was named conference swimmer of the

year. Girl’s coach Gregory Lynch was named coach of the year and Keira Hassel, ‘15, and Brookley Garry, ‘15, were named to first team all conference.

The Academic quiz team put on a show this year as usual. They finished 14-0 while out-scoring their opponents 702-461.

The sports at Walnut Hills have been impressive this year and have set a precedent for the 2013-14 term.

CHARLIE HATCH/CHATTERBOX

Issue CVII.8

FINE ARTS

Fine Arts Staff Maggie Garrigan, ‘13 Karinne Hill, ‘15

Jenna Weber, Editor

Tyler Adams takes the stage

Mr. Peters says farewell

After 25 years at Walnut Hills, Tom Peters retires

Abrena Rowe, ‘14

“I sing all the time. I wake up singing, I love singing, I breathe singing. Singing is what makes me, me.”

Whether it is singing for the Walnut Hills choral program or for the Black Culture Club’s Talent Show, people at Walnut have heard Tyler Adams, ‘15, sing throughout his four years attending the school.

Since the age of three, Adams has been singing around his house, in his church choir and currently for Walnut. Now he is taking it a step further--to the grand stage.

On May 13 Adams will be auditioning in Denver, Colorado, for a chance to appear on the third season of The X Factor as a solo artist. He will register for the audition on May 11 and leaves for auditions on May 12. When it comes down to the actual audition, he won’t be singing in front of the judges that are seen on the show; it is a series of preliminary auditions to get to the real audition. He must sing for a panel of producers in order to get onto the stage in front of the main judges and to have a chance to be on the show.

After these auditions, Adams

Mr. Peters, the head of the theater department, is retiring after a memorable 25 year career at Walnut Hills. His last production was Our Town.

His final director’s note appeared in the program for the show.

BOB KAY PHOTOGRAPHY

Tyler Adams at a singing competition last year. He will be auditioning for X factor this month. you things that you don’t know will fly back to Cincinnati and and help you grow as a performer. continue to attend Walnut for That’s a huge thing that I’m hopthe remainder of his sophomore ing to gain from this.” year. If he progresses to the next In preparation for the X Factor audition he will fly to Los Angeles he had another opportunity lined during the summer where he will then audition in front of the main up. On April 27, Adams performed in the Sing-Out competijudges. However, if he moves on tion for the closing of the Health in July or August he will be home Gap. There he had the chance to schooled. The ultimate prize Adwin one thousand dollars, record ams is competing for is a recorda single, and open for a national ing contract with Simon Cowell’s recording artist at an exposition company, Syco Music, that totals next year. Even though he didn’t five million dollars. win Adams says, “It was a great Adams hopes that when the experience and I learned a lot. time comes and he is accepted Hopefully it will help prepare me to audition, he will move on and for the X Factor later this month be able to live his dream. If he and remind me that time restrains doesn’t, Adams feels he “can learn a lot from [the judges]. They teach are important.”

Our Town leaves a lasting impression

KARINNE HILL/CHATTERBOX

The Our Town poster hangs in the hallway. Mr. Peters’ last show sold out quickly.

Karinne Hill, ‘15 The closing of Our Town was the end of a 25 year era for the Walnut Hills theater program. The first performance of the Spring Drama marked the last opening night for director Tom Peters at Walnut.

When the audience entered the theater they were surprised to find the entire cast (except the Stage Manager) waiting in seats on the makeshift stage, creating a very casual mood. Cast members Annie Carroll, ‘15, on the flute, Jake, ‘15, on guitar and Nick Witzeman, ‘14, on piano cued the beginning of the show with a short interlude. The Stage Manager, SENIOR Katie Peters, then came on stage to describe the town of Grover’s Corners to the audience.

Peters did an excellent job with

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seemingly having a conversation directly with the audience.

Act one, “Daily Life,” was exactly what it seems it would be: an overview of the everyday life in a small, unremarkable town. This act also provided the audience with an opportunity to see the beginnings of love between George Gibbs, played by Kolesar, and Emily Webb, Anna Donnelly, ‘16, before they even see it themselves.

Act two began with another interlude, this time on the piano

by Erin Magner, ‘15. The act entitled “Love and Marriage” showed George’s and Emily’s wedding day, as well as a flashback to the day they first realized they would be together, in which Donnelly completely became a shy, uncertain young girl experiencing her first love.

The wedding morning in the

Gibbs’ house found Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs, played by SENIORS Simon Dallas and Claire Suffern, fretting over sending their son out into the world, and reflecting over their own marriage. Dallas and Suffern projected an aura of hope across the audience as they realize that George and Emily will live a happy life together.

Although both George and Emily get cold feet, Mr. Webb talks them out of their nerves.

George gently reassures Emily and the two walk down the aisle to the Wedding March, played by Maya Stockman, ‘16.

Act three, “Death and Eternity,” takes place years later in a graveyard with Emily, Mrs. Gibbs and many supporting characters from the first two acts. After the remaining living characters hold a funeral for Emily, the Stage Manager gives her a chance to relive her twelfth birthday. Despite warnings from Mrs. Gibbs and the others in the cemetery, Emily insists on going back. In a tense and moving scene, Emily momentarily becomes her twelve-year-old self again, but now notices that nobody took the time to talk to each other or value their company while they were alive. Donnelly’s pain and frustration is tangible as she laments her own ignorance and asks to go back to the graveyard.

Our Town, a classic, seemed to be an excellent choice for Peters’ last show. Its combination of surface simplicity, deeper meaning and a superb cast is sure to have left a lasting impression on the audience.

May 10, 2013

I always intend to write director’s notes for every play I direct. I usually compose them in my head in advance, but as the production gets closer there are more pressing things that need to be accomplished than writing down my director’s notes, so I put them off until the next play.

The next play comes along and the cycle starts all over again with the self-promise that I will finally write notes for my next play. This play is different because there is no “next play.”

After 25 years I have reached my last Walnut Hills production.

I know how Shakespeare’s Prospero must have felt when it came time to be rid of his books and move forward to a new phase of his life. I have many mixed feelings about leaving Walnut Hills, but the predominate emotion I am feeling is immense gratitude. There are many people I need to thank for the past 25 years.

I would like to start off with thanking David Shepherd, the former principal who hired me to teach and direct at Walnut Hills. David was the first person to share the school motto “Sursum ad summum” (rise to the highest) with me. He gave me the mission of taking the theatre program to higher levels and to go beyond the standard high school fare.

He wanted to see Shakespeare back at Walnut Hills as well as expanding our repertoire to include Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. He provided an artistic “launching pad.”

When former principal Marvin Koenig first came to Walnut Hills, he said to me, “You are the theatre professional. I will support your decisions as long as you can articulate the artistic and educational value of those decisions.” He had the rare insight not to micro-manage in areas in which he had little understanding, experience or comprehension, which allowed the theatre program to become artistically successful and intellectually challenging.

Thank you, David, for giving me the impetus to rise to the highest.

Thank you, Marvin, for giving me the encouragement and autonomy to attempt to rise to the highest.

Walnut Hills High School is blessed to have deep roots, as evidenced by the commitment and dedication of the WHHS alumni. The Alumni Foundation as well as many individual alumni have provided the theatre program with assistance, inspiration and encouragement. I feel personally honored to have been allowed to be a part of the Walnut Hills family for as long as I was. Thank you, Alumni.

I also want to mention the older alumni who always asked me when I was starting at Walnut Hills, “You do know about Frieda Lotze?” I began to pour through old yearbooks and do my research. Ms. Lotze was the teacher who established the Walnut Hills theatre program and set the high standards that we aspire to meet today. She is responsible for Shakespeare being an integral part of the Walnut Hills theatre program.

As I looked back on what Ms. Lotze had done, she became my teacher in a way. I gleaned from her that there is a clear cut way to make a strong theatre program. Just like an athlete needs to do weight training and obey a diet to become stronger, so must a theatre program. The “heavy weights” a theatre program must lift are the classics, so we do Shakespeare, Aristophanes, Moliere and Wilde. We must watch our diet and avoid the pop culture entertainment that tries to feed us Sit-Coms/ Variety Shows/Singing Competitions/Reality Shows/Celebrity Dance Offs. They are empty calories to be avoided. You cannot rise to the highest if you are content to perform the common. Ms. Lotze, even though I never met you, I thank you.

I must thank 25 years of the best students a man could have ever wished to teach and direct. There are too many to thank individually, so allow me to do it collectively. I want to thank all of you for sharing your time and your talents. I want to thank you for the high times that sustained and raised the program and for the low times that inspired us to do more and to do it better. I want to thank you for letting me get the opportunity to direct a slate of shows that would be any director’s dream. Most of all, thank you for letting me get to know each and every one of you.

Most of all I want to thank my family. I want to thank you for your support. I want to thank you for all the sacrifices that you had to make which allowed me to do a job that I cherished.

“Our revels now are ended. These our actors, As I foretold you, were all spirits and Are melted into air, into thin air: And, like the baseless fabric of this vision, The cloud-capp’d towers, the gorgeous palaces, The solemn temples, the great globe itself, Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve And, like this insubstantial pageant faded, Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff As dreams are made on, and our little life Is rounded with a sleep” The Tempest, Act IV, Scene I

Page 5

Is Proud to Support

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Peanuts Staff Augusta Battoclette, ‘17 Justeen Jackson, ‘18 Riley Taylor, ‘18

PEANUTS

Tatyana Woodall, ’17 Kendall Young, ‘18

Celeste Kearney and Zoe Cheng, Editors

Eyes,A collection Ears, Mouth and Nose of ideas to spice up your spring fashion Ears

Augusta Battoclette, ‘17

CELESTE KEARNEY/CHATTERBOX

Natalie Grober, ‘17 (left) and Ameerah Khayo, ‘17 display their glasses: fashionable and practical. a dark/light contrast of color. If all else fails, experiment with simple Augusta Battoclette, ‘17 colors such as blues or greys.

If you have brown eyes: Since Our eyes define who we are. brown is neutral, any color looks Not one person has the exact eyes great on you. To make you eyes as you, unless you are an identical stand out even more, try contrasttwin. Here are some tips on how ing colors like a pale champagne to freshen up your eyes with excitor cream-colored shimmer. For a ing eyeshadows: very dramatic look, use a charcoal grey color, which enhances the If you have green or hazel dark specks in your eyes. And eyes: Any shade of green eyelastly, use bold colors (such as shadow enhance your eye color. mint or bright purple shades) to Chocolate brown, champagne or provide a contrast to your eyes. a light lavender eyeshadows also

Eyes

work well.

If you have blue eyes: Blue eyes will pop when you color them with black or chocolate brown liner and black mascara. Try some shimmer and sparkles along with

No matter what your eye color is or what colors you use to accentuate them, remember: makeup is made to enhance your looks, not to cover them up!

Walking down the hallways, both girls and guys can be seen dangling earrings. Earrings can be one of the harder fashion finds to discover in clothing and accessory stores.

The most common earrings are silver, gold or pearl colored studs or drops (dangles). Some people you see in the halls sport a style different from that. Natalie Grober, ‘17, says that she “likes to wear dangly earrings with a cute design” or “earrings in the shape of cartoon things,” such as “animals, food, and inanimate objects.”

You can even move out of your comfort zone and try something new. If you like rainbows, try wearing skull earrings. Or if you like to play soccer, try wearing silver earrings instead of soccer balls. Stepping out of your “comfort zone” might even change your perspective of style. When she was little, Allison Singleton, ‘18, “liked Hannah Montana and had Hannah Montana earrings.”

She started wearing other styles of earrings and soon realized that she liked those earrings better than her old ones.

Earrings can be found at almost any store that sells clothes and accessories.

CELESTE KEARNEY/CHATTERBOX

Khalil Beiting, ‘17 displays his red, yellow and green earring.

Mouth

Kendall Young, ‘18

With spring colors and floral designs, a nice lip color or lip gloss would be just fine. For naturally dark lips, a bright, exotic color would be a great contrast. For light colored lips, a rich, dark shade would be divine. If you’re not into lip color, a nice lip gloss or glitter will do the trick. It’s up to you, take your pick. Whatever you choose, make sure to smile!

CELESTE KEARNEY/CHATTERBOX

Deven Frison, ‘17 shows her glamorous eye make up and hoop earrings.

Nose

Kendall Young, ‘18

CELESTE KEARNEY/CHATTERBOX CELESTE KEARNEY/CHATTERBOX

Jada Thompson, ‘17, shows her braces and glamorous eye shadow.

Isaac Clark, ‘17 shows off his earring and glasses.

CELESTE KEARNEY/CHATTERBOX

Symia Grayson, ‘17 displays her dangling earring and glasses.

Springtime is here, and pollen is in the air. What will the Eagles do to give their nose a glare? The “edgy hipster” may choose to wear a real nose ring, while someone who is sweet and soft spoken wouldn’t dare! Consider a “stickon” rhinestone for the nose to jazz up your look. But make sure you accesorize not by the book!s

Tip of the Month: Study Skills Celeste Kearney, ‘15 With the end of the school year rapidly approaching, it is now more important to manage your time efficiently. Here are some tips to help you manage the end of the school year more efficiently:

ALLISON HATCH/ REM

The 2013 Peanuts staff poses for a picture. Top row from left to right: Zoe Cheng, ‘15, Justeen Jackson, ‘18, Augusta Battcloette, ‘17, Tatyana Woodall, ‘17 and Celeste Kearney, ‘15; Bottom row from left to right: Kendall Young, ‘18 and Riley Taylor, ‘18

Issue CVII.8

May 10, 2013

1. Make a timetable. A timetable is a great way to keep track of everything you have to do every hour. You can make one by drawing a chart on a piece of graph paper or on a computer.

The timetable should start from the time you generally wake up to the time you generally go to bed.

Writing a list of things you should accomplish every hour can help you stay focused. Your timetable should include time for transportation, eating and breaks.

2. Budget your time. Force yourself to study for exams and finish your homework. It is crucial to stay on top of your work and not fall behind. Use your time efficiently so you can accomplish more work in less time.

3. Make a plan for exams.

Exams are coming up soon, so it is important to start studying.

You can make a list of topics that will be covered, then mark when you will study that topic. Study your class notes, homework, tests, quizzes and anything else that may help you. After you finish studying a topic, remember to review it so you don’t forget the information.

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SENIOR Future Plans

SENIORS May 10, 2013

The Chatterbox

Case Western Re University of Louisville Ohio Appalachian State University Drexel Unive University of Cincinnati Loyola University Chicago The Ohio State University University of Pennsylvania Miami U Kentucky State University Miami University University of Alabama Earlham Xavier University Marietta College The University of Alabama Earlham College College Ohio University DePauw University Drake University The Ohio State University at Newark Stephens College Earlham College College of Mount St. Joseph Earlham College College of Mount St. Joseph The University of Chicago Centre College Notre Dame College (OH) University of South Ala Eastern Michigan University Art Academy of Cincinnaati Columbia College Ohio U Davidson College Miami University (Oxford) Berea College Earlham Co University of Toledo Bowling Green State University Roanoke Zach Timon Vanderbilt University University of South Carolia College of Mount St. Joseph Gabriela Harney-Davila Northern Kentucky University Purd Isabel Harney-Davila Kent State University Bo Thomas More College NORTH CAROLINA Paige Swanson WestPoint Becca Juenger Appalachian State University Denison University

364 334

the size of the class of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;13 Every school listed includes all of its campuses (e.g. Ohio State University includes Newark, Marion, Mansfield and Lima campuses, etc.).

FLORIDA University of Miami Shyla Moore Aliya Siddiqi Florida Southern College Nina DesRosiers

COLLEGE BOUND

University of Chicago Char Daston

University of Louisville Marisa Lind University of Kentucky Kelsea McWilson Emily Burke

Emma Kovasckitz Davidson College Eric Haas Duke University Alexis Monroe Central Piedmont Community College Diamond Hankerson University of North Carolina Tre Shockley

INDIANA DePauw University Angelica Ortiz MAINE ALABAMA Earlham College Bowdoin College Oakwood University GEORGIA Eliza Rehard William Schweller Mariah Jackson Clark Atlanta University Maya Daly University of Alabama Aaliyah Bronston Zachary Mark Kimura MASSACHUSETTS AJ McSwain Jazmine Johnson Indiana University Massachusetts Maritime Academy OHIO Robert Maxwell Pauly Nina Price Charles Philpott Sam Schulte Art Academy of Cincinnati University of South Alabama Georgia Institute of Technology Stanford Williams Mount Holyoke College Shawntez Robertson Alex WIlson Nicholas Rahaim Purdue University Helen Bedree Henry Severding Dwight Wilson Jr. Matthew Roth Caitlin Perry Northeastern University Gabe Thomas Spelman College Destiny Woods Monica Diller Preston Thurner ARIZONA Martine WIlliams Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Michela Rahaim Baldwin-Wallace University University of Arizona Abigail Anderson Evan Riffle Jenna Malkin ILLINOIS University of Notre Dame MICHIGAN Bowling Green State University Yavapai Community College Columbia College Chicago Erin McAuliffe Eastern Michigan University Terrin Bates James Kindle Amber England Rosie Giglia Lilah McAllister Alexis Betts DePaul University Temple Covington Sidney Davis CALIFORNIA Anna Shapiro IOWA Faheemah Hughes American Jewish University Megan Koenig Drake University MISSOURI Breanna Jones Kali Cohen Loyola University Chicago Tyler Poirier Northwest Missouri State University Nia McKenney California State University Natalie Barone Iowa University Jonathan Strickland Capital University Steven Scruggs Olivia Kappers Maryn Lowry Stephens College Kessashun Arthur University of San Francisco AJ Schwartz Margaret Sheldon Case Western Reserve University David Irby School of the Art Institute of Chicago KENTUCKY Precious Adeleye University of California, Berkeley Brandon Wagner Bellarmine University NEW JERSEY Sam Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Alessio Clare Suffern Sylvie Hayes-Wallace John Butler Princeton University Jonah Raider-Roth The Art Institute of California Berea College Michael Manning Nia Simmonds Brittany Rose Barrera Caleb Coffey Rider University Central State University Centre College Thomas Heidenreich Sterling Gilmore CONNECTICUT Rachel Jarrold-Grapes Cincinnati State Yale University Caleb Neely NEW YORK Brendan Franke Lucy Hattemer Kentucky State University Fordham University Anthony Johnson Jalen Baker Greta Schneider Hannah Johnson DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Alijah Carpenter New York University Emily Hicks Howard University Northern Kentucky University Emily Friedman Matt Reis Jayla Anderson Kelsey Cornett Catherine Huang Jessica Gassett Eboni Pitts West Point Military Academy Daniel Powers Esther Nagila James Ricks III John McCormick Rawlen Williams

5

Ariel Cohen Fortis College Natasha Toddywalla Kent State University Sarah Adams Kevin Dewalt William Scharlott Kenyon College Richard Dennis Marietta College

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working Caroline Becker Miami University Katie Estep Grace Fetters Ndeye Guisse Casey Knox Danielle Miller Grace Morand Jeongwoong Noh Olivia Orso Ellie Paulsen Andrew Schmalz Kyle Siegrist Lincoln Smith Alexis Thompson

gap year

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Celeste Kearney, Josh Medrano and Martine Williams

Issue CVII.8

The Chatterbox

SENIOR Future Plans

NUM13ERS

by

W he ar re e at SEN te nd IO in RS g

the

147

Top 5 colleges with highest number of attendees

college-bound SENIORS staying in Ohio

JAPAN Ritsumeikan University Lourdes Fritts

Notre Dame College Austin Railey III Oberlin College Gabriel Montefiore Ohio University Lauren Boulding Austin Carpenter Sebastian Ganz Charlie Hatch Zach Hawk Anika Holland Kodey Jackson Michael Jones Sydney Martin Jack McCann Chas Morgan Jenna Weber DJ Wingfield The Ohio State University John Altman Amara Barakat Kylie Berning Merrill Bolan Jaymes Boney Theo Brooks Cossette Buchman Emily Cashell Simon Dallas Mitchell Eaton Lainie Eichner Graham Fowler Chandler French Kaitlyn Gilioli Peter Glotfelty Quincy Guttman Remington Hackbarth Julia Hargrove Liam Henderson Jaylen Hill Anna Kaiser Josie Kammer Nils Knobloch Laine Kolesar Ashwin Kumar Nathan Lamba Jackson Luken Caleb Lustig Alonzo Madaris Devin Magner Josh Medrano

De

Issue CVII.8

Daniel Miller Carol Newbauer Fope Okunade Danny Powell Francesca Rimer Jessica Rybolt Simon Stuard Rodney Summers Jr. Frank Sunderland Nabil Wadih Abby Ward Clarisse Wean Leah Weil Maximillian Wildenhaus Nicholas Wymer Ohio Wesleyan University Ashley Brewster University of Akron Megan Davidson Ricardo Hill Michaela Hughes Isaiah Johnson Diamond Moore James Oyewale University of Cincinnati Othman Adil Helen Ashdown Kiyah Auguste Johnathan Avant Eric Barnhart Samuel Beane Austin Black Erin Bray

4

traveling Robert Brown Jr. Kennedy Burton Elizabeth Caley Acadia Carson Heather Caudill Jared Cave Alle’na Chambers Kyle Chase Brianna Clardy Jade K. Clark Kaylin Cornist Adam Cunningham Audrey Dahl Angel Davila-Perez Laura Davis

May 10, 2013

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Jacob Dearwester Jacob Desch Liliana Dillingham Jennifer Doll Camille Douglas Morghyn Dunbar-Hubbard Jamal Eddine Da’Monica French Kaylie Ford Moses Gebremeskel Arin Gentry Kevin Gibbs Jonah Gibson Charles Goines Chloe Grund John Hagerty Jacob Harnist David Harris Jr. Charles Helton David Hendy Mark Hermann Kenya Hogan Maxwell Holden Robin Hurst Stuart Johnson Dominique Jones Muyumba Kalubi Marc Kelly Mary Katherine Kitzmiller Margaret Koch Bryce Landers Kyle Lawhorn Adam Lindley Sydne Long Jazmin Luke Cole Malott Donovan Martin Ta’Sean McClure Gardannas Meadows Mario Miller Niani Montgomery Joe Moorhouse Nene Ndome Carson Neff Zachary Nicholas Nyema Norton Victoria Obermeyer Korede Olowe Taiwo Oyadiran Katie Peters Peter Phelan Michael Poetker Jordan Posey Darian Price Kyla Price Eryc Pugh Dasha Robinson Marianne Robison Thomas Rohlfer Marcella Rose

University of Cincinnati The Ohio State University Ohio University Miami University Bowling Green State University

NETHERLANDS University of Groningen

ISRAEL Armed Services

Olivia Golan

Allie Sulam Margaret Ross Brendan Roth Iman Said Joseph Seliga Morgan Siemer Elliot Smith Micah Smith Kevin Snape Zach Stephani Fikre Tadele Satra Taylor EJ Veasley Joseph Vergara KeMarca Wade Andrea Walker Cohen Walker Tessa Ward Maria Weathersby Christopher Wilson Desmond Wilson Grace Young Raven Young Harrison Hildebrandt University of Findlay D’Avon Adkins University of Toledo Teddi Covington Noah Fetters Duane Griffith Bryanna Hardy Javier Raheem Mekaila Keeling Bryan Villeda Dorian Walton Wittenberg University Nick Schlanz Xavier University Montel Adkins Clarissa Cookingham Joe Fiorelli Stuart Holt Kayla Sanders PENNSYLVANIA Drexel University Gabriel Plummer University of Pennsylvania Zach Fisher Olivia Horn RHODE ISLAND Brown University Liliana Luna-Nelson Lincoln Smith

May 10, 2013

SOUTH CAROLINA University of South Carolina Samuel Keeney Tessa Rothfeld TENNESSEE Belmont University Megan Cabell Tennessee State University Thomas Brame Jr. Vanderbilt University Phoebe Chaiken VIRGINIA Hampton University Kaia Amoah Adam Brown Sydney Thomas Roanoke College Linnea Kremer University of Virginia Clara Smith VERMONT University of Vermont Lucy Curell WASHINGTON Western Washington University Jordan Butler WISCONSIN University of Wisconsin Bre Jeffery ARMED FORCES U.S. Army Nathan Thompson (Air Force) Andrew Beitzinger Nicholas Janes-Maye EMPLOYMENT Shanya Brewster Isabelle Farrell Amy Manning Shea Miller Markia Turner

GAP YEAR Europe Maggie Garrigan Israel Dan Steinberg Sam Isidor Ari Venick United Kingdom David Donnelly UNDECIDED Avalon Banks DonDiego Bradley Khari Burton Daniel Copper Sarah Davidoff Clarice Jones John McCormick George Menzies Olivia Minella Abby O’Connor Shontral Pope Jordan Tyson Jordan Whatley Kiante Williams Jasmine Young

4

in armed services

Page 9

Timeline

T I M E May 10, 2013

The Chatterbox

9th grade 7th Grade The Brokamp era begins.

2009-2010 Construction begins in the teacher parking lot.

2007-2008

The annual Homecoming pep rally gets rained out.

The annual Homecoming pep rally returns.

Campaigns of Democratic candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton heat up and Walnut students become very involved.

Varsity football team picks up steam by going 5-5, making it the first time in over a decade that they did not have a losing record!

President Obama signs the Health Care Bill.

Skinny jeans begin to make their grand entrance among Walnut’s girls (and some boys...)

The Walnut Hills marching band goes to London to perform in their annual New Year’s Day Parade.

Classes of ‘12 and ‘13 lead a huge food fight on the commons where new principal Brokamp gets hit with an open bottle of pop and slice of pizza; what a way to end your first year as principal!

Girls’ basketball team goes to the Sweet Sixteen in the state tournament.

Class of ’10 becomes the last class to engage in the traditional ‘Senior Run.’

8th grade 2008-2009

The student cheering section known as the Nut House is created.

Varsity football team beats Purcell Marian 10-7, breaking Walnut’s 36game losing streak, under the first year of Coach George Kontsis.

Effects of Hurricane Ike cause CPS to shut down for three days due to citywide blackouts.

Barack Obama is elected president, making him the first African-American president of the United States.

Walnut becomes the first high school to put on the production of Broadway musical Rent and original Broadway cast member Anthony Rapp makes an appearance at the last performance.

Class of ‘09 coats the walls with eggs, oils the stairs and floors, hacks the announcement speakers so the radio plays, and fills Mr. Brokamp’s office from floor to ceiling with balloons for their SENIOR prank.

Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight is made into a movie. Let the pandemonium begin!

Page 10

Abrena Rowe, Jade K. Clark, and Terrin Bates

Issue CVII.8

L I N E Timeline

The Chatterbox

May 10, 2013

11th grade 2011-2012

Walnut Hills becomes known for more than its academics when the varsity football team ends the season with an 8-2 record for the first time in decades. It also goes on to the playoffs for the first time in history.

Students begin to question if construction will ever end.

“Oh Winter, where art thou?”

Adele’s blockbuster album 21 sells millions of copies, wins 6 Grammys, and changes the face of pop music.

The hype around vampires and werewolves die down with the release of The Hunger Games movie.

Class of ‘13 causes pandemonium by wearing SENIOR shirts on the Class of ‘12’s last day of school; induces silly-string retaliations and egged-out cars.

10th grade 2010-2011

12th Grade 2012-2013

Renovations begin. Commons disappear. Mods appear. Complaints start.

Eww! What’s that smell? ...oh, the joys of going to school at a construction site/ waste management plant.

First semi-annual Walkathon raises $35,000 for the extracurricular programs.

President Barack Obama gets re-elected for another term.

The Cincinnati Reds make it to the playoffs for the first time since 1995.

An inopportune snow day causes 5th and 6th bell exams to be taken after Winter Break. Tough Luck.

A fire drill during the lunch bell?...Yep, it happened.

The faculty’s heightened concern with leggings upsets many of Walnut’s girls.

Chamber Orchestra and Wind Ensemble perform at Carnegie Hall.

Class of ‘13 leads a food fight during third lunch on the last day of the old cafeteria is open before its renovation.

Students begin to reap the perks of on-going construction when the North Wing re-opens, the new athletic/music wing and the new outdoor common eating areas open, and more parking spaces become available.

Walnut continues to make athletic history when the boys’ varsity basketball team ranks #1 in the city, #2 in the state, and #18 in the country. It also wins the city district for the first time in decades and goes on to the Final Four for the first time in history.

After many years of service to Walnut’s music and theater programs, power couple Tom and Lisa Peters retire.

Walnut hosts its first “After Prom”; say goodbye to reckless post-prom partying?

An exodus of teachers leave as retirement benefits change.

The Class of 2013 leaves behind a legacy of academic, artistic and athletic achievement.

De

Issue CVII.8

Illustrations by Brandon Wagner, TJ Brame and Shawntez Robertson

Page 11

Retirees

May 10, 2013

The Chatterbox

Farewell to the retirees of 2013

Judy Callahan

LIFETOUCH

Judy Callahan is retiring this year after 26 years of teaching various science-related subjects. She attended the St. Petersburg Jr. high school in Florida where she dropped out and got her GED, then attended the University of Cincinnati, to get her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, and her Master’s in secondary education at Xavier. When asked what defines a teacher, she said, “Love of the subject, as well as a connection with the kids. Some people have it; some don’t.” Based on her experiences, she defines Walnut students as “intellectual, they don’t like foolish people, they respect knowledge in any form, and they are very curious.”

Now she’s enrolled herself at the University of Cincinnati.

She’s in the accelerated program in nursing and is going for her masters. “I hope it [Walnut] stays in the academic place it was when I came here and it doesn’t change too much.”

KYLE CHASE/CHATTERBOX

Linda Fahrenholtz

“When students want to learn it’s enjoyable for any teacher.”

After having taught for 45 years, New York native Linda Farenholtz will still be physically active. After all, she is a gym teacher. She earned her degree at University of Cincinnati with a double major in health and physical education, and the former gymnast went on to become one of the first teachers to teach yoga in the CPS district. Fahrenholtz advised a variety of organizations and classes such as snorkelling, kayaking, bowling, and table tennis. She defines Walnut students as “the cream of the crop. It’s a school where teachers can teach and students can learn.”

CELESTE KEARNEY/CHATTERBOX

CELESTE KEARNEY/CHATTERBOX

Susan Cantey

Harrison Collier

Walnut Hills alumnis Harrison Collier graduated in 1980 magna cum laude. After 15 years of service to CPS as a district-wide coordinator and a math and science coach, Collier returned to his alma mater in 2008. “It just seemed surreal to me,” he says. He taught study skills to Effies, helping them become successful Walnut students with “a thirst for knowledge, a desire to be the best, an exceptional work ethic, a sharp intellect, and an open mind.” Collier always knew that he wanted to teach. With a French teacher at Walnut who influenced him and a BS Ed in French from Miami University, Collier also teaches the language to upperclassmen. After retirement, he plans to tutor or find a university position helping college students or new teachers.

He says, “I can’t imagine not teaching, but I guess I’m about to find out!”

“Stay out of debt, fly right, go to church, seek truth and eat your peas.”

Mathematics teacher Susan Cantey began teaching at Walnut in 1977. A lifelong Cincinnatian, Cantey attended Walnut Hills, graduating in the class of 1967; got a BA in Mathematics, BS in Secondary Education, and Masters in Math Education from the University of Cincinnati; and has spent the past 35 years teaching nearly every math class Walnut offers. During her time here, Cantey has learned that “teaching is impossible... You always feel like you could have done more.” Although she has plans to teach Multivariable Calculus to Walnut students online after retiring, Cantey hopes to be able to “relax and spend more time on my music.”

JONAH ROTH/CHATTERBOX

KYLE CHASE/CHATTERBOX

Eugene Grady

Carl Grueninger

Security guard and former police officer Eugene Grady says that he, “was in law enforcement most of my life.”

He defines a Walnut Hills student as “very smart... wellmannered... and mostly pleasant.” Since working at Walnut involves more supervising and less arresting than being a police officer, he says that “it’s a whole different ball game... but you can still do your job.” He says that his “responsibility... is the accountability of students,” but that “enforcing the rules and regulations... ain’t just our job... If everyone was doing that, we wouldn’t need very much security.”

Guidance department head Carl Grueninger is from Cincinnati, Ohio and graduated from Western Hills High School. He decided to become a teacher, because he “wanted to have a career where [he] would make a difference in the lives of people.” He taught History, Biology and Physical Science at Porter and Lyon Jr. High Schools and Withrow High school for ten years. While he was a teacher, students would often talk to him about their problems or ask his advice about school or college. Therefore, the counselors and the principal of Withrow encouraged him to go back to college for a counseling degree. In his 7th year of teaching, he went back to college and earned a Masters Degree in Counseling from Xavier University. For the last 25 years he has been a counselor at Lafayette Bloom Middle School, Gilbert A. Dater High School, and since 2009, Walnut Hills High School.

“Teaching is an art, and a great teacher’s art is determined by those who appreciate it.”

Scott Grunder Hailing from Carrollton, Ohio, and holding degrees from Ohio University, University of Cincinnati, and Dartmouth College, Scott Grunder has taught in Cincinnati for thirty years. He says that in high school he discovered that “I loved... history and decided it would be pretty awesome to make a living doing what I love.” Having taught many social studies classes at Walnut Hills including AP US History, AP US Government, History of Philosophy, Modern

—Scott Grunder

World History (his favorite) and more, Grunder says that “Teaching is an art and a great teacher’s art is best determined by those who appreciate it.” He adds that Walnut Hills students... “had a tremendous impact upon me.

Walnut Hills students rescued my career in Cincinnati an helped me to become a better teacher, coach, and student of history. It has been my greatest honor to have been a part of such excellence. Sursum ad Summum!”

KYLE CHASE/CHATTERBOX

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Jonah Roth, Satia Hardy-Gresham, Graham Fowler

Issue CVII.8

Retirees

The Chatterbox

May 10, 2013

Congratulations to the Chatterbox staff on a terrific year!

COURTESY OF LIFETOUCH

Lisa Peters

Lisa Peters has been teaching in public schools such as Amelia High School and Walnut Hills for thirty years. After moving from Springfield, Vermont, she obtained her Bachelor of Music Education from Ithaca College in New York and her Masters in Education from Xavier University. After college she began teaching Beginning Choir, Junior Choir, Senior Choir, Men’s Ensemble, Women’s Ensemble, Senior Ensemble. She was also the Children’s Chorus Director for the Cincinnati Opera and was a private voice teacher for Northern Kentucky University Preparatory Department.

She adds that “it has been very special to have had all three of my own children sing in choir with me.” After retirement she is going to continue her job as the Assistant to the Accountant at Coney Island.

KYLE CHASE/CHATTERBOX

Joanne Radice-Rahaim

Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, Joanne Radice-Rahaim always had the desire to help others. She graduated from Fairfield University in Fairfield, Conn., and went on to get her nursing degree at the College of Mt. Saint Joseph.

From her 7 years at Walnut she has learned the importance of higher education and how “at Walnut, students’ backgrounds don’t matter, as long as they are willing to work.”

There are students who frequently come in with the questionable “stomachache” that really just do not want to be at school, “But occasionally there are kids I can actually really help, and that makes it all worthwhile.” Radice-Rahaim will be retiring alongside her mother Jo Radice, and after retiring will continue working her second job as a trauma nurse at University Hospital. But with the added free time, “the first order of business is to get the house painted and take salsa dancing lessons with my husband.”

Jo Radice

(not pictured) A Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, native, Jo Radice went to work after high school and later went to school for nursing. After marrying in Brooklyn, New York, Radice took care of her three children and did volunteer work. When her children were in college, she went back to college herself to pursue a degree in art, along with her volunteer work. “I have been in social services my whole life”. Following many years of social service and pursuing her passion in art, Radice started her nursing job at Walnut. “I remember my first day, there was a line of kids down the hall and around the bend. It was a long day.” Something Radice has learned is that “you always gotta keep your cool.” Radice looks back on her experience at Walnut with fondness: “I love all the kids.”

Radice will retire alongside her daughter, Joanne RadiceRahaim, and go back to painting as well as volunteering at the St. Francis De Sales Food Pantry.

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Issue CVII.8

KYLE CHASE/CHATTERBOX

Tom Peters

“If you want to rise to the highest, you can’t be content doing the common.”

After graduating from Ohio University, with an Art Scholarship, and various other colleges, Tom Peters began acting at Clermont County Youth Services. He became a teacher because he “likes teaching kids,” and says that teens have a “creative energy... My favorite classes are the classes that have the kids who want to work the hardest.” He has taught numerous classes since 1988, including Theater, Time to Speak and English, and has directed many Walnut shows, beginning with a 1988 production of Godspell. The thing that he says defines Walnut the most is its “diversity of thought.” What are his plans for after retirement? “I still want to teach—I love to teach.”

Hats off to the graduating seniors!

Good luck and best wishes, Miram, Mark, Emma, & Talia Raider-Roth

Yearbooks can still be purchased!

KYLE CHASE/CHATTERBOX

“I became a teacher because I love to work with children.”

—Antonella “Señora” Ríos-Baker

Antonella Ríos-Baker

“I became a teacher because I love to work with children.” Before moving to Cincinnati 25 years ago, Antonella Ríos-Baker was in Puerto Rico pursuing her passion. She earned her BA in Spanish and Drama and taught drama classes for thirteen years. She then got her MA in Latin American Literature at the University of Cincinnati. RíosBaker says “a great teacher is a person who can deliver a lesson using knowledge, humor and a big sense of sensitivity to reach all kind[s] of students.” Her post-retirement plans include being a freelance Spanish translator, perhaps teaching college classes part-time and spending more time with her family. She also plans on moving to the “beautiful mountains of Colorado” with her family in two years.

While there she might be writing children’s books and plays, a hobby she greatly enjoys. “My years at Walnut Hills have been marvelous. I would like to thank everyone— students, teachers, staff, who made me feel good in this school.”

Also retiring: Robert Moliterno, Carol Van Abbema and Bruce Ellis

Beginning May 15, Seniors may purchase yearbooks during lunch in the cafeteria mod.

Beginning May 20, underclassmen and junior high students may purchase yearbooks during lunch in the cafeteria mod.

Yearbooks are $75 check or cash. Checks should be made out to Walnut Hills High School.

Jaylen Hill, Josh Medrano, Sean Wood, Jade K. Clark

Page 13

May 10, 2013

Charlie Hatch

Editor-in-Chief/2 years

Ohio University: Print/Broadcast Journalism 3 words to describe himself: Uh, um, WALNUT!!!

Jenna Weber

Fine Arts Editor/2 years

Ohio University: Public Relations and Sports Marketing 3 words to describe herself: Casually enjoying life

Shawntez Robertson Staff Writer/1 year

Art Academy of Cincinnati: Graphic Design Favorite teacher quote: “We about to get live” -Mr. Gray

Page 14

Chatterbox SENIORS

The Chatterbox

Emily Friedman

Managing Editor/4 years

NYU: Tisch School of the Arts Film & Television 3 words to describe herself: New York City

Brandon Wagner Arcade Editor and Cartoonist/1 year

School of the Arts Institute of Chicago:

BFA Studio Art/ Visual Communications Favorite teacher quote: “Who said sex?” -Mr. Herald

Jaylen Hil

Viewpoints Editor/2 years

The Ohio State University: Fisher School of Business Favorite teacher quote: “Is that ‘Swagg’ with two Gs?” -Mrs. Wolfe

Sarah Wagner and Hannah Shaw

Jonah Roth

Editor-in-Chief/3 years

Case Western Reserve University: Theater and Computer Science 3 words to describe himself: What is happening?

KeMarca Wade

Web Manager/2 years

University of Cincinnati: Biological Sciences 3 words to describe herself: Who has food?

Austin Carpenter Staff Writer/1 year

Ohio University: Broadcast Journalism 3 words to describe Walnut: Always having change

Issue CVII.8

The Chatterbox

Jade K. Clark

News Editor/1 year

University of Cincinnati: Comm. Sciences & Disorders 3 words to describe Walnut: Teachers don’t undestand

Henry Severding

Staff photographer/ 1 semester

Art Academy of Cincinnati: Undecided 3 words to describe himself: Passionate, Mellow, Adventurous

Chatterbox SENIORS

Josh Medrano

Features Editor/2 years

The Ohio State University: Social and Behavioral Sciences 3 words to describe Walnut: Came, saw, procrastinated

Isaiah Johnson Sports Staff writer/1 year University of Akron: Engineering 3 words to describe himself: Big Dog Johnson

May 10, 2013

Martine Williams

Business Manager/1 year Spelman College: Biology Favorite teacher quote: “Physics is good for life!”

-Mr. Chughtai

TJ Brame Staff Writer/1 year

Tennessee State University: Mass Communication 3 words to describe Walnut: So much work

Graham Fowler

Staff writer/1 year

The Ohio State University: Logistics Favorite teacher quote: “Do you think Taylor Swift will be mad I’m cheating on her with Beyonce?”

- Mr. Schneider

Kyle Chase Staff Photographer/1 year

University of Cincinnati: Business 3 words to describe Walnut: All gold e’rythang

Cohen Walker

Asst. Business Manager/ 1 year

University of Cincinnati: Arts and Science 3 words to describe himself: Ayeeeeeee chill out

Austin Railey

Sports Editor/1 year

Notre Dame College: Political Science 3 words to describe himself: The Justice League

Duke Noh Maggie Garrigan Staff Writer/1 year Gap Year 3 words to describe herself: Really really awkward

Staff Writer/1 year

Miami University First Year Business 3 words to describe himself: So. Very. Asian.

Honorable Mentions: Brenden Franke, Char Daston, Brittany Berrera, Terrin Bates and John Butler De

Issue CVII.8

Sarah Wagner and Hannah Shaw

Page 15

ARCADE

Arcade Staff T.J. Brame, ‘13 Shawntez Robertson, ‘13 Sean Wood, ‘15

Brandon Wagner, Editor

A Farewell to Walnut Hills

The Last Sudoku Sean Wood, ‘15

Brandon Wagner, ‘13

The objective of sudoku is to place the numbers 1 through 9 in each column, row and 3x3 box without repeating any of them. Every row, column and 3x3 box must contain exactly one of each number. Good luck with the last(and hardest) puzzle of the year! It is possible, just keep trying until you get it right.

7 1

8 6 6 2 8 1 7 4 3 5 5

9 2

7 3 9 8

5 1

LETTERS FROM THE EDITORS

Dear Reader,

Dear Reader,

First and foremost, I want to thank you for being a reader. Over the past two years I’ve been on the staff with this student newspaper, the Chatterbox has received waves of support. As a publication dedicated to providing you with the best Walnut Hills news, I hope we have represented the student body well.

When I started writing for the Chatterbox, I wondered if anyone cared about my articles and what I had to say. Today, I can proudly state that I have had over 10,000 online reads for my work, and countless more in print as well. Knowing there is an audience out there that wants to hear my voice is what motivates me to becoming a better journalist.

As students, we should be proud of our student publications. I don’t think most students are aware of how much work goes behind each and every word, sentence, or column. All of the work the Chatterbox produces, we do it for you.

And now as I head off to Ohio University in the fall to major in journalism, I know I can be proud of the work I have written, or helped produced under my terms as Editorin-Chief and Sports Editor last year. The Chatterbox, and you as an audience, have created a springboard to help kickstart the rest of my career. For that, I thank you all.

Thank you for everything, Charlie Hatch Editor-in-Chief

I began working on the Chatterbox three years ago, when the walls were grey and the Chatterbox was a magazine. Looking back now, it’s hard to believe that both the newspaper and the school have come so far in such a short time. That first meeting around a low table in the old colonies feels like it was just a few days ago, but the brand-new journalism lab that I sit in as I write this letter—one of many benefits of the renovation—tells me otherwise.

I entered Walnut Hills as a shy freshman with very little self-confidence. A year later, I joined the Chatterbox on a whim, and before I knew what was happening I was writing about synthetic marijuana, bothering SENIORS I had never met for overdue articles, and spending hours on InDesign laboring over pages that, when viewed in print, never seemed quite right. Suddenly I was doing a lot of work, and that worked appeared to be having an impact.

Thank you to the Walnut community for making it all worthwhile. Being News and Features Editor, Design Editor, and Editor-in-Chief for the Chatterbox has allowed me to grow and learn in ways I could never have thought possible. The writing, communication and leadership skills I have learned as a part of this dynamic team will last me a lifetime. I hope that the Chatterbox will continue to enjoy its first amendment rights and serve as a voice for the entire Walnut Hills community for a long time.

Sincerely, Jonah Roth Editor-in-Chief

Go Eagles!

Photographs courtesty of Shawntez Robertson,‘13 and Brandon Wagner, ‘13

SHAWNTEZ ROBERTSON, ‘13

“I think I’ll try interpretive dance in college.”

Page 16

5 2

6 6 2

4 9

In Character Arcade Edition

BRANDON WAGNER, ‘13

“I had fun drawing for all of you! Good luck next year!”

Thank you everyone who was featured in this year’s In Character! Now you can look at the ugly faces of the Arcade staff!

THOMAS BRAME JR., ‘13

“Finally—I’m in the newspaper!”

May 10, 2013

SEAN WOOD, ‘15

“I’m not a SENIOR...”

Issue CVII.8