The Chatterbox - Apr. 29, 2016 - CX.13

Volume CX, Issue 13

The student news publication of Walnut Hills High School

Friday April 29, 2016

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ISABELLA PITTMAN/CHATTERBOX LOGAN WALTERS/CHATTERBOX LUKE WARREN/CHATTERBOX LEE WORKUM/CHATTERBOX 2ND PLACE PHOTO COURTESY OF KATHERINE COLEMAN

Collage by Augusta Battoclette, ‘17, SENIORS Isabella Pittman and Veronica Victa

NEWS

APRIL 29, 2016

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SECTION EDITOR: HALI LANIER

CINCINNATI, OHIO

Happy Birthday, Rome! A toga celebration

Matthew Youkilis, ‘19 The Romans and Carthaginians come to the battle line, preparing for the signal to begin their epic fight. When the signal is given, they pelt their enemies with every object they can find, trying to gain the upper hand and lead their side to victory. The battle rages on, intense, both sides thinking they are beginning to overcome their foes until they are hit…

With foam balls. Foam balls that were actually slingshotted across the high school gym by teachers wearing togas (the Romans), and students who want to pelt their teachers (the Carthaginians).

These festivities were in celebration of Rome’s birthday, generally recognized as April 21. However, scholars are unsure whether Rome was founded in 752 B.C. or 753 B.C. The celebration also included elements such as Little Caesar’s pizza during lunch and students and faculty wearing togas to school.

However, there was a reason to the festivities beyond just wearing togas. Assistant Principal Kathy

Restle, who organized the event, said, “We’re trying to celebrate the classics. Because that’s what the heart of our school and what our classical education is about. We thought this is so important to us.

Why not have some fun celebrating Latin?”

And many students did appear to have fun. “I like it because we get food, and we get to pelt teachers with balls,” Lia Shapiro, ‘18 said. “I think it was entertaining to watch people dress up in togas and walk around the building wearing them.”

SENIOR Alex Foley was in charge of the music that played during the “battle” in the gym and participated in it. “I think it’s a really good way to incorporate the traditional culture of our school with a fun, spirited way for us to get goofy and have fun,” Foley said.

Although Toga Day was a great event for Walnut, it could have been even better if rain had not poured in during it. The event was planned to be outside in the “Coliseum” (North Stadium) and include water balloons instead of balls.

LUKE WARREN/CHATTERBOX

Alum Kendall Fitzgerald, ‘14, fires the sling shot as the opposing Carthaginians students attack.

“I’m disappointed because we wanted to be outside. These slingshots go 200 yards with water balloons,” Restle said. “But I think it was fun. We’ve got a lot of stress with testing and everything and AP tests coming up...so it’s fun to have some fun as a school.”

Restle also said that administration is considering having another

Crowning the Court of 2016

event later in the spring with the slingshots and water balloons.

Nevertheless, Toga Day was a very interesting, fun celebration to add to the school calendar.

Most students enjoyed seeing their friends and teachers dressed up in

Student Congress election results Walnut’s future leaders Executive Board

President: Adam Sella Vice President: Lilly O’Toole Secretary: Elena Kaufman Tech Manager: Pavan Yaddanapudi

Class of 2017

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHASE DAVIS

ALLIE BERDING/CHATTERBOX

On the left, prom prince Chase Davis, ‘17 and princess Kamala Nelson, ‘17 stand wearing their royal crowns. On the right are SENIORs DJ Benson and Bea Newberry. prom king and queen. Juniors and seniors voted for prom court in their English classes before the event.

Ibrahim Munir, ‘19

best, the guys in suave suits and the girls in fancy dresses. One of the main events of the night was the announcement of the prom court winners. This year, a new voting process was used, similar to how the student congress elections were done. Seniors and juniors voted for prom king, queen, prince and princess through Blackboard in their English classes.

There were many nominees for the four positions. Nominees were chosen by being voted in by a club or sport they participate in. Clubs and sports such as Model UN, The Chatterbox, Jewish Culture Club, basketball, The Rembrancer, FCA, cheerleading and People for Ani-

“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.”

This is one of the famous lines from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the basis for the theme of this year’s prom. Prom was held at the Cintas Center, and was covered in ornate, Shakespeareanthemed decorations. The theme was chosen because prom was on the day of Shakespeare’s 400th anniversary of his death. It may have also been influenced by English teacher Kelsey June, who was the advisor for the event.

Everyone came dressed their

mal Welfare all nominated a senior or junior for prom court. There were six nominations for king, six for queen, two for prince and four for princess.

In the end, SENIOR DJ Benson was crowned prom king, with SENIOR Bea Newberry as his queen. Chase Davis, ‘17, and Kamala Nelson, ‘17, won prom prince and princess. The night was filled with extravagant decorations, creative dancing and colorful outfits and seniors got to enjoy their last dance of high school in the company of friends, and it was a dance to remember.

togas and getting Little Caesar’s pizza during lunch. The event seemed to achieve the goal of combining classics and the traditions of Walnut with a very enjoyable experience.

President: Ashwini Kamath Vice President: Natalie Grober Secretary: Meggie Garry Treasurer: Madhulika Kastury Representatives: Bea Baker Tye Cobb Diamond Donaldson Kyndal Fletcher Brianna Jones Rahul Patel Maria Ramsey Natalia Sezer Amur Shannon

Class of 2018

President: Sarvani Vemuri Vice President: Isaac Smitherman Secretary: Aly Holland Treasurer: Eva Mazzola Representatives: Arushi Agrawal Sabine Hanson Sloane Harris Jacob Hilton Alexis Mack Pilar Verhaak Molly Wimberg Kendall Young

Class of 2019

President: Bengy Mitchell Vice President: Zuri Williams Secretary: Maham Usmani Treasurer: Iris Borgert Representatives: Shelby Ewing John Garry Nick Robertson Anidya Soni Nuha Syed Anna Walters John Weissmann Matthew Youkilis

Class of 2020

President: Emmanuel Gebremeskel Vice President: Alma Russell Secretary: Maaz Usmani Treasurer: Matthew Eggers Representatives: Kellen Newman Esme Wright

Class of 2021

President: Yousuf Munir Vice President: Joseph Moliterno Secretary: Peter Godsey Treasurer: Abigail Jay Representatives: Natalie Borgert Elliot Brandicourt Kit Fixler DISCLAIMER: Brianna Jones, ‘17, Nick Robertson, ‘19, Maham Usmani, ‘19, Pavan Yaddanapudi, ‘17 and Matthew Youkilis, ‘19 are members of The Chatterbox

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 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 informa-

tion 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.

SARAH DAVIDOFF, ‘13

The Chatterbox Editorial Staff Alexandra Berding, Editor-in-Chief

Isaac Stephani,

Managing Editor of News and Features

Maddy Fixler, Managing Editor of Student Life

Avery Samuels, Managing Editor of Opinions

Augusta Battoclette, Managing Editor of Design

Luke Warren, Managing Editor of Photography

Swede Moorman, Business Manager

Lela Robinson, Video Content Manager

Pavan Yaddanapudi, Online Content Manager

Samantha Gerwe-Perkins, Adviser

Dawn Wolfe, Adviser

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SUN’S Keegan Sullivan, ‘18

With long school days and busy evenings, many Walnut students find it hard to exercise due to a lack of time and energy. It can also be difficult if one doesn’t like traditional types of exercise.

“Fourth quarter is when I break down.

Teachers try to cram everything in. It’s just very tiring. I’ve been here three years and it happens every year. It’s very overwhelming and I just don’t have the energy to keep up with my exercise,” said Abby Hutzel, ‘19.

This type of sedentary lifestyle tends to lead to an unhealthy future. So how can one get up and get active, especially if they hate traditional sports?

• If one is looking for something new to try, roller derby is a great option. Although those under 17 can only join Cincinnati Junior Rollergirls, Cincinnati CityBeat called it the city’s “Best Alternative to Little League!”

The mission of the Cincinnati Junior Rollergirls is to bring together girls of diverse backgrounds, body types and abilities and help develop their overall fitness and health, selfconfidence, teamwork, sportsmanship and leadership skills through the sport of flat track roller derby. There are 3 different levels of contact based on ability, so don’t worry about skating skills

STYLE & CULTURE

SECTION EDITOR: ELISE FRITTS

out, fun’s

and too much contact.

• If roller derby doesn’t sound like fun, Whole Song exercise might be a better fit.

Designed for music lovers with limited time, these exercises are intended to be done in one song. It gets you off the couch, even if just for a little bit. You can design your own exercises to your favorite song or get ideas on the internet.

• A new trend is “exercise drinking games.”

During these games, every time a specific thing happens, the player completes an exercise. For example, if one is watching Friends, every time Ross and Rachel fight, do 10 squats. Or while watching Grey’s Anatomy, every time someone cries, do 10 pushups. When watching Gilmore Girls, do 20 lunges every time someone drinks coffee... And so on.

You can make these up yourself for your favorite shows

• Yoga is a common exercise choice for all who dislike working out. There are many different kinds, like Hatha, which is best for beginners; Vinyasa, which is best for intense exercisers; Iyengar, which is best for those who are detail-oriented; Ashtanga, which is best for perfectionists; Bikram, for amateurs (get ready to sweat!); Hot yoga for those who like to sweat but don’t like the

or find ideas online.

Pinterest is a social media platform that has lots of these ideas. Another trend is to exercise on commercial breaks.

APRIL 29, 2016

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OUT traditional Bikram sequence and many others. It is great to help one slow down and breathe while still getting a great workout.

• Kayaking is great for your arms and works different muscles than many other kinds of boats like canoes. Kayaking is a great exercise because it can be relaxing, draw you out to nature and you can go at your own pace. You can choose how many miles you’d like to go and any distance if you choose to kayak on a lake. One can kayak on any body of water be it a large pond, river, lake, creek, sea or ocean. If you don’t kayak enough to own one, they are easily rented in many places.

• Get back to childhood by heading to the playground and hopping on a swing. Swinging for an hour burns 200 calories, according to Live Strong. It can be more fun than traditional sports and it makes it easier to chat or clear your head than many traditional activities. It is an activity the whole family can do.

There are also many different exercises you can do on a swing like sitting on the swing and repeatedly drawing your knees to your chest. So head over to the local playground and get swingin’!

CHRISTIAN MOHR/THENOUNPROJECT.COM

Join our #fitfam Alexandra Berding, ‘16 Katie Chase, ‘16

SENIORS Allie Berding and Katie Chase (writers) showcase their fit lifestyle.

Here, they demonstrate two yoga poses.

ELISE FRITTS/CHATTERBOX

Fashionably fit

“Exercise”: a word that, to some, means a good way to let out energy and feel great, but to most is a death sentence. According to the Center for Disease Control, only 24% of teens aged 12-15 in the United States engage in moderate physical activity daily. As lovers of being healthy and happy, the two of us decided we would try different types of fitness and review them here. We decided on methods of fitness that anyone can try, whether you’re an athlete or typically a couch potato.

Boxing (Allie): I went to Cincinnati Fitness Boxing and went to their “Fitness Boxing” class. Unsure of what to expect, I grabbed my water and went in, only to come out sore for a full week after. This is a circuit workout that combines cardio and strength, as you rotate stations doing different sets of exercises, such as push ups, ropes, and of course boxing with a trainer. Overall, the workout was a blast. By the end of the hour, I was toast and could not feel my legs from all the squats and jump roping we had been doing. I will definitely be returning to do this workout again, as I could feel myself getting stronger after just one class.

Running (Allie): I am not typically a runner. I tend to stick to spin class and yoga because I find the idea of running to be monotonous and miserable. However, I said I would review different workouts and run-

ning is the most popular way to workout in the world, so I knew this was one I was going to have to suck it up and do. I turned up my music and ran for thirty minutes in Eden Park. I was a little bored throughout this workout. The phrase “mind over matter” definitely applies to running; I knew I could do it, I was just bored. To improve this workout, I would go with a friend. This would have motivated me more and would have made it more fun and interesting.

Spinning (Katie): CycleBar is a premium indoor cycling studio that offers a wide range of classes from the classic ride to the theme ride, and I’ve been several times. No matter your age or fitness level, you can find a class that is right for you. The instructors really push you and motivate you to do your very best, but they never push you to the point of pain. They have the studio bumpin’ with hit music and music videos which motivated me even more.

Yoga (Katie): Yoga is a great way to relax and unwind. A typical session includes stretching, breathing exersizes, postures and poses, and meditation. It’s a perfect respite from stress. Yoga is offered all over Cincinnati: Move Your Hyde, Modo Yoga, The Yoga Bar and The YMCA are just a few of the places that offer classes for all experience levels. If you’ve never done yoga, I suggest you try it. It makes you feel open and stressfree, no matter what level you may be.

Elise Fritts, ‘16

Can fitness be fabulous? Most fitness trackers can be identified from across the room with clunky designs, usually worn around the wrist, that favor functionality over fashion. Jawbone, Garmin and Fitbit are a few companies that may have found out how to make fitness trackers fashionable.

Jawbone Up2: Ranging from $67 to $100 (depending on model and color), the Up2 is one of the cheaper options when it comes to fitness trackers. But with the cheaper price, you give up some key features.

The Up2 tracks steps, distance traveled and calories burned, but is missing a heart rate monitor or GPS. In terms of style, the Up2 is certainly one of the sleeker options. It has no display, so it appears more like a trendy bracelet than a fitness tracker.

Fitbit Alta: When it comes to fitness in style, the Fitbit Alta took a drastic step away from the clunkier designs of other Fitbits.

The Alta is slimmer and has a good sized display. There’s also the option to switch out the band for more stylish options such as leather or metal. At around $130, though, the Fit-

bit Alta is a little pricey. With the price does come some extra features. Aside from counting steps and calories burned, the Alta can also receive text and call notifications when synced with an Android or iPhone. It can also track your sleep and you can set a silent alarm that supposedly allows you to wake up peacefully.

Garmin Vivosmart HR: At almost $150, the Garmin Vivosmart HR is certainly one of the pricier options. While the band itself is clunkier than both the Alta and the Up2, it’s still much less obvious than other fitness

trackers. Its simple design makes it look less like a fitness tracker and more like a digital watch. The Vivosmart does the basics, but also tracks your daily activities, heart rate and sleep. It can also receive phone notifications.

But the one defining quality it has against the Alta and Up2 is that it’s waterproof.

Depending on what you need, any of these three options could be perfect for you.

Whether price, looks or functionality is what you’re looking for, you can choose what fitness tracker is right for you.

FINE ARTS

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SECTION EDITOR: VERONICA VICTA

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Earth Jam 2016

Emily Glazer, ‘17 Veronica Victa, ‘16

Chalk Drawing

LUKE WARREN/CHATTEBOX

Students watch the chalk drawers and mingle in Blair Circle. On Earth Day, a number of clubs such as KIVA, Modern Abolitionist Movement, Health Nuts, Chinese Culture Club and Backpacking club have tables in the circle itself to raise awareness on their clubs and objectives during this event.

Earth Day What is it?

—An annual, worldwide event on April 22 in which events across the globe celebrate and advocate sustainability and environmental protection.

How does Walnut celebrate?

—On Earth Day, Blair Circle is filled with booths of environmental clubs such as Backpacking Club and Recycling Club and events such as tie-dying.

Anything else?

—Walnut also has live music featuring school bands such as The Agoraphobes and The Black Ties. In the past, there have also been food trucks.

Every Earth Day at Walnut, half of Blair Circle is cordoned off to let 12 teams of four students draw chalk designs on the side walk in celebration of Earth Day. Ten high school and two junior high teams are chosen to participate in the competition. According to Art teacher Catherine George, they are chosen by a panel of various judges with connections to Walnut’s art community. They choose designs based on the color, craftsmanship, design, composition and originality.

The event was started by AP Art students in 1981 under the guidance of retired art teacher Wylie Ferguson. Now, the event has grown into one that all at Walnut can and do participate in—46 high school and five junior high teams entered designs in the competition this year.

The winners, sophomores Sarah Tengen, Grace Masur, Nick French and Nina Riber, called their drawing of bright lion standing in contrast with a black background, “A Roar of Colors”. Masur said that they chose a lion “because it...represents courage and unity among people...that’s also where we got different colors because it’s about diversity.”

The second place winners, sophomores Katherine Coleman, Olivia Reblando, Jason Hipskind and Leo Magoto, drew a ballerina in a full, colorful skirt surrounded by equally colorful designs. The

team called it “Our Inner Ballerina.” The designs, according to Coleman, represent thoughts.

The third place winners, juniors Jessica Kavinsky, Isabella Geeding, Morgan McHale and sophomore Grayson Somer simply called their drawing “Girl with Bubbles.” It is a design that stands out for its use of bright colors.

Junior high winners, 8th graders Anna Fan, Ava Martin, Iris Locatos, and Marissa Lipp drew “Mechanical Heart,” a half mechanical heart surrounded by cherry trees. Locatos said, “the whole idea is that...it represents what will become of us if we keep polluting.”

The other designs were also impressive. SENIORS Giselle Coleman, Elise Fritts, Claire Grant and Zoe Smith quirkily titled their design of English teacher Dawn Wolfe surrounded by flowers “Wolfe-y Kahlo.” SENIORS November Hardy and Sidney Edwards and juniors Hannah Burmeister and Emily Stein created a forest underwater.

Juniors Piper Womelsdorf, Olive Frank, Imani Shabazz and Deven Frison drew a regal elephant. SENIORS Skylar Coleman, Jocelyn White, Madisen Jones and Mackenzie Jones drew a bear looking at mountains. Freshmen Maggie Fricker, Sarah Grace Smith, Caroline Smyth and Ibrahim Munir designed an intricate and dramatic picture of a woman.

SENIORS Ila Beinhart, Sam-

mi Zimmer, John Backers and Sam Krimmer drew a “Robot in the Wizard of Oz.” Sophomores Lauren Goss, Jaylin Cook, Regan Anderson and Sydney Rhone, inspired by Willow Smith designed a black girl in front of the earth.

A team of 8th graders, Sabrina Hordinski, Megan Adam, Ellie Stanton and Allie Keller drew a simple butterfly with a bright background.

Chalk Drawing, from 1981, has always been a friendly competition — although there are winners and prizes, it is the fun of it, especially in the midst of testing season that people join for. Masur said, “I didn’t realize that Walnut did anything artistic– I thought it was all tests!”

This year, by the end of the day, the rain had stopped drawing and ruined several designs. A couple teams persevered through it–the team of “ Robot in the Wizard of Oz” came prepared with a tent and finished their robot.

The third place winning team, “Girl With Bubbles,” equipped with a tent, tried to finish their drawing but the rain made it too difficult. So, the team laughed as they instead spread chalk-water all over themselves and anyone nearby. McHale said, “We [made] the best of a bad situation,” Chalk Day was over, but the infectious giddiness that Earth Day has brought Walnut was not– there’s plenty of fun to be had in the rain.

Car Smash What is it?

—What it sounds like: people pay a dollar in order to hit a car with things like baseball bats and sledgehammers. Students cheer as more as the car is destroyed: “I am a fan of destruction,” said Fletcher Guttman, ‘19.

Why???

—It’s an eccentric event at Walnut but its one that makes for a great stress relieving fundraiser just weeks before AP Exams.

The Student Congress Executive Board introduced it last spring.

Earth Day & cars?

—“It’s a great thing for Earth Day because it’s smashing something bad for the environment,” –SENIOR Ben Leonardi, Student Congress President.

DISCLAIMER: Style and Culture Section Editor SENIOR Elise Fritts and News and Features writer Ibrahim Munir, ‘19 both participated in Chalk Drawing. Pictured above are Fritts, Fine Arts Section Editor and Photographer Veronica Victa and Bella Pittman.

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SECTION EDITORS: JOSEPH GLANDORF AND VANESSA MOORE

APRIL 29, 2016

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Unplugged: life off the grid

Vanessa Moore, ‘16

When I decided to go a week without my phone, I suspected the experiment would end in one of two ways: either I would denounce technology and cell phones all together, move out West, and send the occasional postcard back to civilization, or I would be found curled up in the corner of some dark room, clutching a phoneshaped object in withdrawal. The experiment ended less dramatically than any of these scenarios. However, I did experience elements of both throughout the week.

I consider myself a moderate phone user; I am not on my phone nonstop, but I usually keep it within arms reach. I would certainly not consider myself a technophobe, but I began to wonder how much extra time I would have in a day if I just turned it off. And then I imagined how much extra time I would have in a phoneless week! Surely I would have time to finish the stack of half-read books on my desk, run a marathon, open up a small business, and who knows, maybe even finish all of my homework before first bell! I didn’t want to be too ambitious, though.

Slightly regretful and extremely anxious, I decided to go for it. Before the week began, I gave myself a set of rules: the phone is to be turned completely off and to remain in my car’s glove compartment (for emergencies) for the duration of the week. No phone included no social media (sigh), and non-emergency use of a friend’s phone counted as cheating. Many of us have experienced life without a phone from being grounded, “misplacement,” or accidentally leaving it outside before a snowstorm, only to find it the next day, cold and unresponsive. But this was different; I was voluntarily forgoing my phone to see what would happen. Would life be better unplugged?

Before the week began, I had to tell my friends that they would have to find more creative ways to contact me for the next week. I received several “whys?” and blank stares, but I assured everyone that

Pictured above, writer Vanessa Moore reluctantly gives her phone away for a week.

I would be checking my email. I woke up on the first day extremely confused; there was nothing on the charger next to my bed and an unfamiliar alarm had jolted me back to consciousness. I had to physically remove myself from bed to turn off the alarm. This was probably the hardest moment of my entire week.

I definitely struggled the first two days. Classes seemed to move so slowly. How was I supposed to “check the time” on my phone with no phone? What if I needed to look up the definition of a word?

Using a dictionary is just so... archaic. I hated awkwardly standing by someone’s locker with nothing to look down at. What was I supposed to do, make eye contact with people in the hallway as I waited for my friend?

Then I remembered Snapchat.

I would have to give up all of my streaks. Every. Single. One. (This realization was only mitigated by the fact that I had recently lost a 180-day streak.) As ridiculous as these concerns seem (are), the reality is that we live in a techno-centric world. Going from being connected 24/7 to not being connected at all is hard. Modern communication relies almost exclusively on the use of texting and social media.

ISABELLA PITTMAN/CHATTERBOX

ISABELLA PITTMAN/CHATTERBOX

I was surprised by how lonely I felt in the first two days. Even though I was spending the same amount of time around my friends, it felt as if I was spending more time alone. Towards the middle of the week, I began to miss my phone less. Although communication was harder, every interaction seemed to hold more value. I had to actually seek someone out and talk to them in person if I had something to say.

Conversations became more meaningful because of the added effort that went into starting them.

I was worried about missing important information, but I found that if someone really needed to talk to me, they too would find a way.

Even with communication being slightly more challenging, miscommunication became a non-issue. I could say exactly what I wanted to say in the way I wanted it said, because I was talking to people faceto- face. Gone were the worries of text misinterpretation, the ambiguity of a delivered message, or the anxiety of a read-receipt.

Without my phone, I became more observant. Moments of quiet inactivity were no longer fulfilled with picking up my phone and finding entertainment through social media; I spent more time thinking. I started to actually enjoy

the disconnection. I liked not having to reply to texts, or use social media to assuage boredom. I was a lot less stressed out. The world seemed to slow down; everything felt less urgent. By the end of the week, I didn’t even think about my phone anymore.

I would be lying if I said that I didn’t have moments of frustration, but I enjoyed the week as a whole. I began to realize how often moments are curated for Snapchat, or how un-candid Instagram really is. Being disconnected meant being unable to keep up with everyone, which was honestly such a relief. Without a phone, I noticed things more, observed my surroundings—smelled the roses, as they say. I didn’t end up running a marathon, or starting a small business, but I did have more time on my hands.

When the time came for me to retrieve my phone, I wasn’t excited about it. The phone just felt like a weight in my hand. I thought for sure that this reunion would be the best moment of my life. Instead, I turned it on and felt disappointed.

I glanced through several hundred texts, laughed at a dozen people’s snaps, but I didn’t miss anything.

Nothing happened that was an emergency; the world did not stop

spinning while I was living off of the grid. I think that is a common misconception that we have, that living without our phones for a while is dangerous, that not being connected 24/7 is a social faux-pas.

I was surprised to find that this was not the case.

This challenge turned out to be one of the most rewarding things I have done this year. Turning off a phone seems so simple, but the effects were unanticipated. In the days following the experiment, I was worried about how quickly I reattached myself to my phone, but as a whole, I find myself using it less now. I realized that it is going to take a conscious effort on my part to decide how connected I wanted to be, but I am always up for a challenge.

Are you interested in experimenting with life unplugged?

UNICEF has teamed up with Giorgio Armani and S’well to create the Tap Project. This challenges people to stay off of their phones in order to donate water to children in less fortunate countries. How does it work? Five minutes without touching your phone equals one day of clean water for a child in need.

Maddy Fixler, ‘16

be conducive to learning. Clothing is a means of expression, among other things, but a house of learning is no place for offensive slogans and derogatory messages. What I take issue with is the clear doublestandard that is perpetuated by sexist codes.

For every rule addressing men’s dress, there are two addressing women’s. Are our bodies more shameful? Are we more sexual by nature? According to the rules set forth in our student handbook, we are.

Just as school is no place for offensive messages, it is also no place for the unwarranted sexualization of teenage girls. By condemning our bodies as “distracting,” we are reduced to objects existing purely for the pleasure of others. The standards enforced by the dress code suggest that when I dress in short shorts, my male classmates

and teachers will be diverted from learning. I am taught that I am worth less than my brain, that I am worth only my body.

Let it be said that my idea of comfort and empowerment is different than other students affected by the dress code. While I enjoy wearing shorts, someone else may like long pants. However, the dress code has no place telling me which type of student I should be.

I ask – no – I demand to not be sexualized without my consent.

My body is my own, and I do not walk the hallways looking to tempt other students away from learning.

I dress for my education. When I am discouraged from expressing my own version of comfort in school, I understand that my education is less important than the education of those I am supposedly distracting. Dress codes are worthwhile. Just not more so than me.

Find out more at <https://tap.unicefusa.org>.

The dress code: sexist by design?

As summer – and with it, the end of the school year – approaches, hemlines travel upward and necklines travel downward to meet them. It only makes sense –– when the sun shines so hotly that stepping outside for a few moments leaves you soaked in sweat, clothes tend to show more skin.

In any society, there are rules, both written and unspoken, that dictate what body parts are appropriate to show when. In school, this is no different. From spaghetti straps to booty shorts, the Walnut Hills dress code outlines what students can and cannot wear.

I don’t disagree with the idea of dress codes. Regulations create order, and order combats chaos.

A school without order would not

PEANUTS

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SECTION EDITOR: ALLISON MEIER

Teaming up for academic success Piper Peanut:

CINCINNATI, OHIO

Finishing the school year strong Dear Piper Peanut, The last few days of school are coming up and I am freaking out over exams and end of the year projects! Do you have any ideas for how I can manage my time?

Sincerely, Stressed-Out Stacy Dear Stacy,

HANNAH BUNDSCHUH/CHATTERBOX

Four students hold hands in the cafeteria. Teaming helps pull students and teachers together to their high school experience and reduce stress.

Emma Farrell,‘18 This school year, the seventhgrade teachers have tried something new: teaming. Teaming is a program where the core subject teachers all work together with students to avoid conflicting schedules, such as test or project due dates.

Its goal is to help students transition into high school and to see if this new technique improves the learning environment. This program will hopefully bring less stress to students.

This year is the “pilot” year, or first year that 150 seventh-grade students were chosen to participate in this program. The teachers involved are both new and old to the school and to the teaming program. Teaming does not only benefit the students involved, but also the teachers.

History teacher Alaric Harris said, “I am a huge advocate for teaming. As a teacher it’s really very beneficial for me when I’m able to talk to other people about how

things are going with kids.”

So far, it has been a very good way for teachers to connect with their students.

Each week they have a meeting to discuss what has been going on. They are able to discuss if they have any challenges with a student and they also give feedback on how they might solve any issues.

Harris has had several situations where he was unable to get through to a student.

After bringing up this situation at a team meeting, the other teachers were able to give their input on how to solve this problem. This proved very helpful to Harris, and can be very helpful to new teachers such as English teacher Mallory Kessen. She said it was very helpful for her to get to know her students better.

“For me being a new teacher it’s been helpful in terms of having a group of people across departments,” said Kessen, who fully supports the program. “Unfortunately,” Kessen said, “We haven’t had quite as much support as we really

need and it’s been a little bit challenging in terms of having students who are in some people’s classes but aren’t on the team.”

Kessen believes that this would be a great program for seventh to ninth-graders.

However, when AP classes begin this would become much more difficult to handle. “The reason I don’t think teaming works at [tenth-, eleventh- and twelfth-grade] is, when you start to have AP classes that’s also when students have more of an idea of who they are and they have more of an idea of what they want to go into and how they can best study,” she said.

Kessen also believes that it’s been a great way to help with the transition to Walnut. “[It has been great for] the seventh-graders who are brand new to Walnut, and Walnut is such a different school than any other elementary school. . . [It’s] essentially their first year of high school. It’s been instrumental in trying to help them transition and become part of the Walnut culture and feel like they’re succeeding.”

E-flats in office

HANNAH BUNDSCHUH/CHATTERBOX

The cartoon depicts two students in a debate to represent their peers as class president. This year, several of Walnut’s current seventh graders took time out of their lunch to compete for a spot on next years Student Congress.

Hannah Bundschuh, ‘18 Like many schools, Walnut Hills has allowed a student council to represent the upperclassmen for several years now. However, only this year was the idea of including seventh and eighth-graders introduced.

The idea occurred when representatives for Student Congress noticed that there were some issues that they needed the younger students to give opinions on. That was when they began speaking with

Principal Jeffrey Brokamp and the junior high counselors on instituting an eighth-grade section into the student council team. They were given the OK, and began work immediately on recruiting current seventh-graders.

For many junior high students, this will be their first year getting involved in Student Congress. A lot of them don’t even know how a student council functions or how they can get involved as well.

Destyni Hummons, ‘20 said “[I] would have liked to know how it

worked and [its] function.”

Hummons also mentioned that being involved during eighth-grade would help prepare them for the upper levels of student council.

So far, this decision has received lots of positive feedback. Student Congress President SENIOR Benedict Leonardi said, “All the students who wanted to involve themselves were all very passionate and got into it for what seemed like the best intention, that is, improving their school.”

The end of the year is always a struggle for every student in the building, but it is especially difficult for the younger students who may not be used to the hectic exam season that Walnut has to offer. Yes, senioritis has fallen upon many students in the past, even those not yet seniors, but it’s important to not fall victim to this. There are many ways to keep calm and collected for these last few weeks before the oh-so anticipated summer vacation!

First things first; do not wait until the last minute to study for those exams! You might think that you can do a glimpse over the weekend, or cram all of that information into your head during the hour study period beforehand, and come out scotchfree. However, it doesn’t come that easy! Make sure you start preparing several weeks in advance. This may be two or three for some people, and for others it may even be worth it to start months in advance. But whatever the case may be, designating an hour or so per night to one specific subject will definitely help in reinforcing the material you have been learning the past semester.

Another reminder is to not play the matrix game! Even if you received an A both semesters in a class and aren’t too worried about this grade, you should still try and do your best to do well on the exam. As much as it may seem like school is only put into place to test your memorization, the real reason you walk through these halls everyday is to learn the material and receive

a good education. Besides, some of the material you learned this year may resurface in the next, so making sure that this stuff sinks into your mind now will help prepare you for you classes next year!

Remember to take breaks in between studying, as a lot of the stress you’ll get comes from over pressuring yourself and cramming too much. This is why it is helpful to start studying weeks in advance - trying to relearn up to seven classes of material in one night or a one hour study period is not healthy.

When it comes to end of the year projects, it is important to remember to plan out your schedule. As appealing as it may be to continue putting it off until the night before in favor of hanging out with your friends or playing a video game, you’ll thank yourself later if you get a head start on it. Try and mark off on your calendar which days you want to devote to getting notes and materials, and which days you want to designate for putting your final product together, and stick to these dates so that it doesn’t come piling up on you.

It will also make sure that the final results are presentable as opposed to a big mess that reveals just how little time you spent on it.

Yes, the last few weeks of school are the most hectic, but it’s relatively easy to remain calm and collective if you remember to stay one step ahead of your work and on top of everything that school throws at you.

Sincerely, Piper Peanut

WHHSCBOX.COM

CINCINNATI, OHIO

ARCADE

APRIL 29, 2016

PAGE 7

SECTION EDITORS: TARA SALES AND OCTAVIA CARMEN-HOUSER

Cincinnati Crossword Sarah Hansen, ‘17

Across 2. Recently developed commercial area on the side of the Ohio River.

5. The Cincinnati Zoo is located in this community.

8. Marathon that takes place in May of each year—airborne sows?

12. The original moniker of Cincinnati, meaning “city opposite the mouth of the river”.

13. One of the nicknames of Cincinnati, referencing the city’s hog-packing heritage.

15. Cincinnati’s professional baseball team, one of the oldest in the country.

17. Who dey?

18. Ludlow Avenue runs through this neighborhood.

19. Current mayor of our fair city.

Down 1. This neighborhood, adjacent to Clifton, is home to a namesake chili parlor.

3. This neighborhood along Short Vine Street is in close proximity to the University of Cincinnati.

4. This community is frequently described as hip and artsy, and has a large LGBTQ presence.

6. The Harriet Beecher Stowe house is located in this neighborhood that shares a name with this school.

7. A relatively wealthy area of Cincinnati, whose namesake square is a popular after school destination.

9. Cincinnati professional hockey team, another name for a tornado.

10. This Cincinnatian culinary staple is served by establishments like Skyline and Gold Star.

11. Yet another sobriquet for Cincinnati; the ______ City.

14. This mostly commercial area shares its name with a famous sharpshooter named Annie.

16. A downtown area currently undergoing massive gentrificaAcross tion efforts.

2. Recently developed commercial area on the side of the Ohio River.

Color Me Sudoku Brianna Jones, ‘17

5. The Cincinnati Zoo is located in this community.

8. Marathon that takes place in May of each year—airborne sows?

12. The original moniker of Cincinnati, meaning “city opposite the mouth of the river”.

13. One of the nicknames of Cincinnati, referencing the city’s hog­packing heritage.

15. Cincinnati’s professional baseball team, one of the oldest in the country.

17. Who dey?

18. Ludlow Avenue runs through this neighborhood.

19. Current mayor of our fair city.

Down 1. This neighborhood, adjacent to Clifton, is home to a namesake chili parlor.

3. This neighborhood along Short Vine Street is in close proximity to the University of Cincinnati.

4. This community is frequently described as hip and artsy, and has a large LGBTQ presence.

6. The Harriet Beecher Stowe house is located in this neighborhood that shares a name with this school.

7. A relatively wealthy area of Cincinnati, whose namesake square is a popular after school destination.

9. Cincinnati professional hockey team, another name for a tornado.

Color following: Black: B 4-5, C 3, C 6, D 3, D 6, E 4-5, F 7, G 4-6 Yellow: A 3-7, B 2-3, B 6-8, D 2, D 7-8, E 2-3, E 6-8, F 2-6, F 8, G 2-3, G 7-8, H 2-8 Blue: C 2, C 7-8, I 2-8 Brown: C 5 Color of your choice: A1-2, A 8-9, B1, B9, C 1, C 9, D 1, D 9, E 1, E 9, F 1, F 9, G 1, G 9, H 1, H 9, I 1, I9

Congratulations to

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

A B C D E F G H I

The Walnut Hills High School Class of 2016

APRIL 29, 2016

PAGE 8

SPORTS

SECTION EDITOR: KRIJN SCHWARTZ

WHHSCBOX.COM

CINCINNATI, OHIO

The Rise of Rugby

PHOTO BY CHRISTY KOSMAN

Pictured above is the Walnut Hills Eagles rugby team competing against the Lakota Jets. Both teams are in the midst of a line-out, also known as the restarting of a play.

Aaron Espelage, ‘18 “I am expecting great things from this team. We will make it deep into the playoffs and hope to play for a State Championship” Joshua Hanauer said. Hanauer is the head coach of Walnut Hills club rugby team. This is Hanauer’s fifth season as the team’s head coach and each year the pro-

gram has improved. Hanauer said, “When I was an assistant coach we would have eight players at a practice and win one or two matches a year. We rostered 29 [players] this year, average 25 at practice and were moved up to the next division because of our winning record in 2015.” In that season, the team experienced the most success of any year in the program’s history. “Last season, we struggled early, but fin-

ished up Regional Champions and were only beat by Avon Lake in the Semi Finals.,” Hanauer said.

This season the team is already 4-1, with their only loss being against Lakota. Before losing to Lakota the team had yet to even be scored upon. Shutting out their first four opponents is quite a feat, and Hanauer expects his boys to get right back on track after the tough loss.

Coaching rugby is more to Hanauer than just a game. He said, “I believe that the game of rugby mimics life in many ways.” Hanauer hopes that through rugby, he can make an impact on his players’ lives. “The players that have come through our program have learned something about themselves, and about teamwork, adversity and respect” He said. “Rugby is unique”, as Caleb Huffner, ‘19, said, “It’s something new, it’s a combination of soccer, football and lacrosse.”

The increase in players through the years can be attributed to how much rugby has grown at Walnut.

“I definitely want to play rugby for the rest of high school” Huffner said. That’s a testament to how successful this program has become.

“I got into [rugby] because a friend suggested I play with him, and so far it’s been a lot of fun,” Huffner said.

The Rugby team is a club affiliate of Walnut Hills, but has fully adopted the Walnut influence. “The club does a good job of carrying the Walnut name, considering that not all the kids on the team are from Walnut Hills,” Athletic Director Tom Donnelly said. Donnelly sees it as, “another opportunity for kids to learn and respect teamwork, competition and dedication”. Whether you hear it from the coach, the A.D., or the player, the message remains the same: Rugby is here at Walnut Hills, and it is here to stay.