2023 Fall Pilot Newspaper

WISCO PILOT Vol 30 no.1

Articles by and for students

October 2023

MILE AFTER MILE: WLHS XC

by Terry Cai Wisco has a powerful sports program. Many of the teams in this program perform well enough to make it into the state competitions on a regular basis; cross country is one of them.

According to head coach Mr. Lueck, cross country is a sport that involves running and endurance on all types of terrain—but is this all?

Is there more to it? Runners Henry Schapekahm, Joey Gu and head coach, Mr. Lueck, helped answer this question.

This is Schapekahm’s third year as a cross country runner at Wisco. He has been

running for the majority of his life. Starting in second grade, cross country became important to him. Gu is a sophomore. Just like Schapekahm, he started running at Wisco during his freshman year. Although he was not sure about cross country at the start, after a year of running, it’s safe to say that enjoys cross country so much that he was willing to run on a hot and humid day in Shanghai, China in July!

Coach Lueck teaches history at Wisco. Running has always been a passion of his, and thirty-two years ago, when he was still an undergraduate (continued on page 2)

Photography provided by Mr. Lueck

In This Issue...

P1: Cross Country P2: Cross Country P3: Step Team P4: APUSH P5: AI & Writing P6: Fall Fun/Clothes

P16: Taylor Swift P7: The Dance of Birds P17: Wake Up Call P8: To Grow a Brain P18: Maze P9-10: Homecoming Photos P12: Movie Review/Hoco Poll P13: Remember Wooden Pencils?

P14: VPs’ Book Picks/Day for the Dark Knight P15: New staff

Jesus, Savior, pilot me

Vol 30 no.1

Articles by and for students

October 2023

MILE AFTER MILE: WLHS XC Photography provided by Mr. Lueck

(continued from page 1)

at University of Wisconsin, Madison, he decided to become a teacher.

Combining the two, he decided that he would dedicate, at least a decent amount of his time and energy, to coaching cross country in the future, and it has turned out to be a triumph.

When discussing cross country, both Gu and Schapekahm emphasize one thing---practice. This is the only way to become a good cross country runner. Schapekahm said that practice not only helps you to increase your stamina, but it gives you experience on how to allocate your stamina and breath control, which is a crucial part of cross country. The team usually runs thirty-five to fifty miles per week, with an average of six to eight miles per day. They usually have more rigorous workouts twice a week distancing seven miles.

However, with such a hard training schedule, it still varies person-toperson on how soon one can get used to the intensity of cross

For example, it only took Schapekahm a couple of weeks to get used to the intensity of the practice; however, for Gu, it almost took him the entire year.

Sometimes the coaches will make personalized training schedules to help individuals reach their full potential.

One key part of Coach Lueck’s coaching that left a deep impression on both Schapekahm and Gu is that he’s always pushing them to their limits. Coach Lueck describes his coaching style as encouraging. He wants to build the concept of team because cross country is an individual sport.

Thus, if every runner has the idea of a team on their mind, they won’t be prone to giving up so easily.

When they get tired, they can focus on the fact that they are not just running for themselves, but they are running for the team.

During practices, there will always be a coach with the team.

Sometimes it is Mr.Hernandez or Mr. Moldenhauer running with the team or Mr. Lueck chasing them on a bike. Gu thinks by doing this, the coaches keep them structured as a team, and it encourages the runners to work together. Coach Lueck feels that under their supervision, the practices are always very efficient.

Perhaps a common misconception about running is that the only part of the body that needs to be strong is their legs; however, building abs is crucial as well. Schapekahm thinks it is the key part of cross country. Gu describes building abs or core work, as the runners call it,

as one of the most essential parts of training. Coach Lueck explained that when one is running without a strong core, a lot of the weight and pressure will be transferred onto the runner’s back and hips, which can cause soreness and fatigue. The core workouts are usually led by Coach Hernandez. He is a good and energetic role model for the runners.

Coach Lueck thinks that if the runners can keep up with Coach Hernandez, who is in his 40s and is very healthy, it will make them very healthy as well.

Almost all Wisco sport teams are like a small family. Cross country is no exception. Schapekahm describes this feeling as great as they always have good conversations and fun running together. Gu loves this bond of brotherhood. He, too, feels that the coaches are the pillars to this entire process. He can talk to them about all of the questions and difficulties he has on his mind. Both boys’ answers truly reflected Coach Lueck’s main idea of coaching the team.

For this year, the team’s goal was simple: going to the state championship again. Coach Lueck explains that because there are a variety of new guys on the team, their overall performance could be unpredictable. However, Coach Lueck thinks that the new members have trained very hard, which is great for both the team’s future. Speaking of which, on Saturday, the boys cross country team finished in 4th place at the WIAA Sectional Meet.

Senior Stephen Miller battled his way through the final mile and qualified for the WIAA State XC

(continued on Page 3)

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Vol 30 no.1

Articles by and for students

October 2023

WISCO SPOTLIGHT: THE STEP TEAM

by Javon Robinson experience with being a part of the first team and how it’s been for her.

“I really love the creation of the team and everything it means. Coming into high school freshmen year, my friends and I knew we wanted to create something new and leave our marks at Wisco. When we debuted, we started with something really small.

Our program consisted of one simple routine and nine girls. However, that small thirty-second performance grew into a full routine at pep rallies, football games, and even basketball games. By this time, we had a larger team, and we had reached a bigger accomplishment by putting together the first ever Black History Program at Wisco. I personally quit dance for step because I felt I was making a bigger impact with stepping at Wisco. We brought something completely new to the table and expanded on the diversity and culture Wisco had to give.”

(continued from Page 2)

Championships next weekend in Wisconsin Rapids.

As for personal goals, Schapekahm hopes that he can become a better leader and be able to push himself harder mentally, while Gu hopes that he can perform to the best of his ability and work with the team more.

Despite already being a large team, all of the three interviewees gave advice to those who might want to join cross country. Coach Lueck admitted that the work needed to succeed is going to be enormous.

However, he still recommends talking to the runners already on the team. They will say that it’s worth it to join cross country. Schapekahm additionally stated that joining the team can help form new friendships.

MILE AFTER MILE: WLHS XC

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Photography by Ms.Grzanna

The term “stepping” has been around since the beginning of the 1900s and was developed and popularized in historically Black colleges and universities. This stylish form of dance involves percussive movements, singing, chanting, and speaking. During the 2021-2022 school year, teacher and coach Mrs. Shakirah Cousins started a step team at Wisco. The team has performed at various events throughout the past two years, ranging from football and basketball games to a remarkable debut in the first Black History Program. The Step Team has added diversity to our extracurriculars as it provides a safe space for people to be themselves and show their cultures.

This is another way for students to share their faith and express themselves through an extracurricular.

One of the captains of the team, Amirah Manyfield (25’), gave her

The Step Team plans to only grow bigger from here. They are hoping to compete and maybe even travel.

Catch the Step Team during basketball season performing at the sidelines and as well as at halftime!

Gu explained that there are a couple good jokesters on the team, and that can bring a lot of fun to the team.

Along with that, Gu and Schapekahm provided a couple of tips for the newcomers. One of them was that they both recommend finding someone of the same level to run with to build your talent.

Cross country is not just 10 miles of running that serve as the main components for cross country; it’s also all the behind-the-scenes work, the team spirit, and the friendships established between the runners.

How does it feel to run 10 miles?

Well, it feels tiring, obviously, but at the same time, it feels happy and fulfilling.

Vol 30 no.1

by Hope Larabee

What exactly is “APUSH”?

APUSH (Advanced Placement U.S. History) is a college level US History class that students can take in high school. In doing so, it gives students the opportunity to earn college credit by taking an extensive exam.

This year is Mr. Moldenhauer’s second year of teaching APUSH. Mr. Moldenhauer continues to develop the course. He said, “I know what it takes to be successful, so I’ve been changing a few things up. I’ve been using advice from past students as well to do better this year.”

He said that the hardest thing to do as a teacher for this class is the correcting. Correcting is tedious because of how many points are on most of the writing assignments, which make up a sizeable portion of the grade in this class. Because of their value, he knows just how important it is to take the time to grade correctly so that the students can get the best grade for their efforts. Something different about this year’s APUSH classes is that there are now three sections of APUSH instead of two, meaning that there are over seventy students taking this course, contributing to a higher amount of written work.

When asked what his favorite memories were about his first year teaching APUSH, Mr. Moldenhauer described the class April Fool’s prank. “One day all my students got a funny detention on the same day. I didn’t catch on right away until I got a detention,” explained Mr. Moldenhauer.

Besides this, Mr. Moldenhauer said, “I also loved the APUSH picnic at the end of year too. I especially liked the hot dog eating contest that Kon Knuppel won. I think I should have won; he won due to having a big mouth.”

Additionally, Mr. Moldenhauer gave some insight to success in this class. He explained that the key to success is to put time and effort into the work. If a student wants to take this class and is willing to put in the time, he has no doubt that he/she will succeed.

His favorite thing about teaching history is that he gets to interact with teenagers. He also likes to see teenagers grow up and improve in his classes. He enjoys teaching history because it helps students develop the skills to help them think better about the world and people.

Oliva Hermanson, a senior, took this class last year. She said that she took APUSH because challenging herself academically like this looks good on college applications as opposed to taking regular U.S. History, and she found it was more fun than she expected. She said that the greatest challenge she had while taking this course was the LEQ (Long Essay Question) and the DBQ (Document Based Question). They were very different from assignments

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October 2023

Photography by Hope Larabee

WHAT IS APUSH?

Articles by and for students

she had done before, and she had to get used to the formatting.

She has some advice for those looking to take APUSH in the future. She recommends watching the Heimler videos before each unit. (Heimler is a history teacher who makes videos to help all sorts of students in regards to their AP history courses.) Mr. Moldenhauer had his class watch them at the end of the all of the units as a final review, but watching them ahead of time will give students a better understanding of the importance of each topic in the unit.

When asked about her favorite memories, Oliva said, “My favorite APUSH memories definitely come from sitting on the couch during class with my friends. One specific thing though would be when we pranked Mr. Moldenhauer with fake DTs. That was a good laugh.”

Lastly, she remarked about how awesome she thinks Mr. Moldenhauer is. She mentioned that Mr. Moldenhauer’s biggest quality is his sense of humor. He appreciates good jokes and makes class fun every day. While he moves fast to cover everything, he makes sure to keep his sense of humor.

Vol 30 no.1

AI & WRITING: AN OVERVIEW

by Mason Marrari “In the digital age, where technology is rapidly advancing, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a game-changer in various industries.

Among its many applications, AI has significantly impacted—” Would most audiences have deduced that the previous sentences were generated by a robot?

Just a brief excerpt from the essay crafted by AI (specifically, Ask AI), the earliest components of this article were made effortlessly in seconds.

With this sort of technology having been available for the last several years, writing as a whole has been forever altered. Between education and creativity, the presence of AI among writers has been an obvious impediment to normalcy.

When did AI generated texts start to become more prominent? The earliest forms of AI emerged in the 1980’s within spell checking programs, but AI’s potential to generate content came to fruition in the 2000’s.

Generating sports statistics for StarSheet, AI had shown only a fraction of its potential.

Correspondingly, a couple years later, Grammarly also incorporated similar methods that WLHS can see in full force today, as the student-loved website can detect numerous aspects of writing ranging from the usage of a passive voice to blatant plagiarism.

More than a decade later, AI remains a strong source—both for positive and negative things, especially within schools. To illustrate, the usage of AI within educational institutions has skyrocketed, thus, enabling the students to rely on the works of a

Articles by and for students robot rather than the fruits of their own labor. In a recent survey conducted by BestColleges, it was found that out of a thousand college students surveyed, 43% of them have used an AI generator for their assignments. In addition, another one thousand college students were surveyed by Intelligent.com, 30% admitted to using an AI generator for their assignments as well.

What’s common about these surveys? Released in late 2022, Chat GPT was the main source of how these students were generating their essays. When inquired if AI generators have become a problem for education, WLHS English teacher Mrs. Goede stated, “It could be if [AI] is not taught as a tool that can be useful, but it can’t replace your own thinking.” Mrs. Goede explained that one of the ways teachers across the nation have combated the improper usage of AI generated texts is by informing their students what is allowed and what is not. Toward the beginning of the school year, Mrs. Geode provided her students with a list of guidelines regarding the usage of such applications. Included in these guidelines were appropriate ways that AI tools could be used, such as its use as a means to further understand a topic or as a source of information to be properly cited.

Instead of using AI to bypass reading a text or creating an essay, “AI can be used to support your work but not be your work.” (Before using AI generators for a class, check with your teacher and their guidelines regarding the allotted specific usage.)

Moreover, another way teachers have fought against AI is by using AI detectors. As stated by Mrs. Goede, “There are several detectors online that we can put students' writing into if it seems suspicious, and they give a probability whether or not a student used AI to write it.”

October 2023 One of the aspects that makes an A I-written text stand out is its lack of humanity. When asked if creativity will be threatened by AI, Mrs. Goede responded, “Oh yes; that’s what scares me the most. The way I can tell that it's a robot is that an authentic voice and tone is off.

That’s when I know when I should run it through a generator; when it sounds souless to me.”

Besides education, there are other areas that AI has been and could be incorporated in. Take businesses for example; some companies such as Allstate Insurance have been using AI generators to compose efficient responses to their clients. For businesses that do not employ AI generators to communicate with clients, oftentimes tools similar to Grammarly are used to help their human writers construct the best version of their emails. One possible place where AI generated texts could be explored is within novels.

AI generation has already proven to create stories and characters. If there are people curious enough to see how advanced AI becomes, perhaps there will be novels sold commercially that are completely crafted by AI. Both a friend and a foe, the usage of Artificial Intelligence has exponentially increased during the last several years. Will experts be able to predict AI’s potential in the near future? As Leonard I. Sweet phrases it, “The future is not something we enter. The future is something we create.”

Teen Group Article 2

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AI & WRITING

Vol 30 no.1

FUN *FREE* THINGS TO DO THIS FALL

by Luke Carlovsky Free things are attractive to everyone. Let’s face it; we’re all broke high school kids, and we need something fun to do without spending too much money! Here are a few options for all of us to enjoy.

1. The Milwaukee County Zoo often has free family days--the next one is November 4th. Visit the zoo’s website and look for upcoming events. Though admission is without cost, there is a small parking fee… but it’s still a steal!

2. To get some exercise, jog, bike, or scooter down and around the Milwaukee lakefront: it’s over three miles long!

3. Numerous public parks and nature preserves are scattered throughout the city. To find one that suits you, simply use Google Maps. Take a walk and enjoy God’s creation!

4. The Milwaukee Public Museum is free on the first Thursday of every month, if you want to see fossils, historical replicas, and butterflies, go there.

5. Did you know that Milwaukee is home to the Basilica of St. Josaphat?

Located in the South Side, this Basilica is more than one hundred years old! St. Josaphat is a polish style cathedral with a magnificent interior, making it one of the most beautiful locations in Milwaukee.

Articles by and for students

October 2023

FALL WARDROBES byTeen My’Dayjah Williams Group Article Cooler weather is approaching. This means that fall attire will 2 soon be worn. In order to achieve the trending fall style, you will need a head-turning wardrobe, and these tips below will help you accomplish this.

First and foremost, to set a steady foundation for attire, you will need some type of comfy fall shoes. The numerous options include the following: leather heel boots, Uggs, Converse, Balances, fall colored Nikes, Jordans, girly heels, and—if you’re more into trendy things—Adidas Sambas.

In order to stay warm you need a jacket. One trend is to get a red or brown coat or jacket! Specifically, a great option would be to invest in a high-caliber leather jacket. Not only are they long-lasting, but they are perfect for shielding yourself from the wind and cold of autumn.

Other elements to be put into consideration are jeans and cargos.

Lighter colored jeans incorporated with tannish colored hoodies and Uggs would make a great fall combination.

Flannel patterned skirts could be utilized as well, especially if they are blended with a knit sweater on top and corresponding shoes such as loafers, which emanate a chic, preppy look.

Other things to think about include fuzzy socks, hoop earrings, and ribbons, which can complement an overall outfit. To create your dream fall wardrobe, start a Pinterest board with all the outfits you can imagine. Soon fall fashion will be prevalent throughout the halls of WLHS!

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Articles by and for students

October 2023

THE AVIARY: THE DANCE OF BIRDS

by Angelina Tran

P

assing under the tropical leaves is a western parotia, a member of the birds of paradise. His feathers are a stark black among the greens of the earth, with iridescent golden-green breast shields under his head.

He flicks his eyes, scanning his stage: a small forest grove littered with twigs and foliage. This won’t do for this little bird—because he is to put on a spectacular dance.

Immediately, he pecks and tosses each debris away.

Every morning, it is a vital chore—especially if it is to attract a mate. A curious female landed on a branch above, peering down for a closer look. This is it—the chance for him to impress! She will expect his choreographed dance to be perfect.

He opens with a bow.

Flashing his eyes yellow, he opened his wings into a cone. With a swirl and whirl, he begins dancing. His footwork guided him throughout his dance floor in mesmerizing patterns. Back and forth in arching motions, bobbing his head and sidestepping. He has all the moves!

As bizarre as it sounds, the western parotia is one of many birds that have mating dances. The world of birds grows more and more interesting with moves across seven continents! Some majestic, some strange, many straight-up impressive.

The western grebe, a waterbird with a long white neck and black wings, may hold the title of the most romantic courtship dance.

The ceremony starts with graceful duets where they mimic each others’ head movements, reaching behind to preen their feathers, but the main part hasn’t started yet.

The pair faces forward, preparing for the crescendo of their dance.

ia rot Pa rn te

Th eW es

T h e W estern G re bes They take off , not with flight, but with their feet, as if gliding on the water itself. Sprinting up to twenty steps per second and slapping against the water surface with their splayed feet, the love birds stride.

Droplets fling up, splitting off between the two as if they’re breaking through a wall of water, towards the horizon and the shimmering sun.

Most animals that can walk on water are generally small like insects. This makes western grebes the largest vertebrae that can “walk” on water.

If defying gravity with your soulmate isn’t romantic enough, I’m not sure what is.

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Articles by and for students

October 2023

THE AVIARY Many of you have gone hiking, kayaking, or have traveled somewhere far in the wilderness. Upon looking up to the skies, some of you may have seen the bald eagles swooping in with boldness. Their dance proves to be a love in the air—literally.

While mid-air, the pair fly into one another and lock each other’s talons.

And they drop.

Spinning downwards in a dangerous spiral.

A tumbling cartwheel, holding on while the world reels around them.

This ritual is often called the Cartwheel Courtship Flight. They go hurdling down the earth together and then let go at the last possible moment.

However, sometimes they don’t, thus resulting in a fatal crash. (Luckily, this is not a common occurrence!)

The ritual, though risky, determines whether a potential partner is fit for the rest of their lives together. Adolescent bald eagles take their time to learn this cartwheel maneuver, often finding it hard to free fall like that, yet there is a beauty in danger that strengthens these bonds.

As flamboyant as the tropical parotia, graceful as the water grebe,

T he B

al d E a gl

e

or daring as the spiraling eagle, the hope of finding love awaits in every corner .

Even though we cannot perform these extraordinary feats, we ourselves can still bond through a simple dance. Whether it be family, friendship, or romance, there is always meaning in every connection.

TO GROW A BRAIN

by Ryan Parker and Angelina Tran

G

rowing a brain in a lab sounds like the works of science-fiction, but surprisingly, scientists have been doing it for years!

According to the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, one of the latest brain models has neurons on the cortical side connected to the spinal motor and then to the muscles. Imagine three blocks connected by neuronic pathways.

By putting a light stimulus on the cortical side, scientists could observe the muscles twitching! It was the first time that brain organoids demonstrated the ability to control muscle movements - a huge leap forward in the realm of neuroscience.

While these artificial models aren’t perfect, they help us understand how the human brain develops and works, Originally, and give us valuable insights into the organoids diseases and disorders (i.e. stopped growing after schizophrenia, autism, etc.). reaching a certain size Scientists study these things by because they couldn't get enough looking at brain organoids - miniature nutrients. To combat this issue, organs which resemble the brain, but scientists developed a new method are detached from any larger called Air-liquid interface - allowing the tissue to organism. access nutrient-rich liquid below and oxygen above.

By collecting skin cells and biologically re-programming them, scientists are able to create stem cells which then can grow into neuron cells.

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Articles by and for students

HOMECOMING SPIRIT WEEK PHOTO Gallery Photography by Diego Bervera and Ms.Grzanna

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Vol 30 no.1

Articles by and for students

October 2023

HOMECOMING SPIRIT Pep Rally PHOTO Gallery Photography by Ms. Grzanna

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Articles by and for students

October 2023

TO GROW A BRAIN

Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean that brain organoids can’t become more complex as time goes on. Humans are always advancing! What if we can store memories? If we ever successfully do so, there will be future implications. This has led many people to believe that regulations must be drawn.

Looking at the neural networks, we can actually see how they fire electrical signals between one another. These cells seek out and connect to each other, sending special patterns in order to communicate.

However, growing mini-brains hasn’t come without controversies. For example, can these organoids be sentient? Well, no—or at least not yet.

These brains don’t have blood flow and are pea-sized. They only have a couple of million neurons—whereas the human brain has over 80 billion neurons!

Imagine that.

These organoids can’t interact with the outside world either, which makes the process of learning not possible because it relies on feedback.

There’s a great variety of exciting research about neuroscience. People have realized the computational potential of fungi because of how similar their electrical signaling is to neurons. Or how, at the University of Florida, rat neurons have been connected to a computer and trained to fly a simulated plane.

The world of molecular biology is incredibly complex. There are many things we don't know yet—but we will get there eventually.

God’s creation is so amazing and complex; just as Psalm 139:4 says, we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

PILOT STAFF Co-Editors-in-Chief Mason Marrari Frank Quan-Pham Assistant Editors: Anaya Britton Brooklyn Dressler Sarah Lin Makayla Wendl Advisors: Mrs. Becker Ms. Grzanna

Staff Writers: Anaya Britton Terry Cao Maelee Darling Tommy Doerr Luke Carlovsky John Gehl Hope Larabee Anna Ogenoff Ryan Parker Javon Robinson Angelina Tran My’Dayjah Williams Staff Photographers: Diego Bervera

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WRITERS’ MOVIE REVIEW

by Luke Carlovsky and John Gehl If you haven't seen the movie Mama Mia, you’re definitely missing out. With Homecoming 2023 having passed, it’s a perfect time to give our thoughts on the movie and whether or not it’s worth a watch.

Immediately, something I noticed while watching the movie for the first time was the amazing soundtrack. ABBA’s music fits perfectly with the plot of the movie.

My personal favorite song is “Dancing Queen.” It’s bound to get stuck in your head. The cast is also star-studded. Amanda Seyfried, Merryl Streep, and Pierce Brosman all work together perfectly to deliver a movie that will keep you hooked from the start.

Free of spoilers, here is the general plot: On the island of Kalokairi, a girl named Sophie is about to be married. However, she wants her dad to be part of the wedding, yet she has never met her dad. She has to invite three men, any of whom could be her father, to the wedding.

She hopes that as she spends time with the three men, she’ll figure out who is actually her father. That’s when the drama ensues… Because the movie has a great soundtrack, a talented cast, and a solid storyline, we, a sincerely trustworthy source…give Mama Mia a solid 7/10.

Articles by and for students

October 2023

HOMECOMING EVENTS: WHICH IS THE BEST? Teen Group Article

by Anaya Britton 2

“Mr. Wisco is the best Homecoming event!” Well, that statement is debatable; some think Powderpuff is the best Homecoming event.

Although some might disagree with that statement as well. Nevertheless, it is difficult to decide which event is actually the best. Additionally, it’s hard to say since all the events are different from each other. For instance, Mr. Wisco was a fun contest between senior boys, and the Powderpuff Game was a flag football game pitting the junior and senior girls against each other. It is generally hard to slap THE BEST on top of its name. Recently Pilot sent out a poll to the student body to get students’ opinions on which event they think is the best.

Pilot first asked, “Which is the most enjoyable Homecoming week event?”

Answered by 171 students, nearly the same in percentage, Mr. Wisco, the Pep Rally, and the Homecoming Dance led the five categories. This is not shocking since these are all events that have a lot of student participation. For example, during the Pep Rally, students cheered, yelled, and stomped their feet in school spirit.

During Mr. Wisco, students got to sing along to songs, laugh, vote, and interact with the students performing on stage. Similar activities occurred at the Homecoming Dance too. All of these events are a chance for students to have fun.

(continued on Page 15)

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Articles by and for students

October 2023

REMEMBER WOODEN PENCILS?

by Tommy Doerr Think back to your grade school days, the days of limited homework, recess, and, perhaps, wooden pencils. Do you remember those times when your pencil tip broke?

Then you sharpened it, and it broke again? When you had a stressful test, and you found yourself gnawing on the end of your pencil, savoring its satisfying cellulose? Or when your eraser was depleted long before the rest of the pencil? Those were the good old days...

But those days are over. According to a poll of 180 Wisco students, in grade school, 21% of students’ favorite writing instrument was a wooden pencil. Now, in high school, only 7% favor wooden pencils. Users of mechanical pencils, on the other hand, increased from 56% in grade school to 71% in high school. There are reasons for this change. Mechanical

pencils are very useful. They are always the perfect length, never shortened by a sharpener. If the lead breaks, we just push a button and new lead appears. In fact, if you get the SenseMatic Plus Automatic Pencil from Ticonderoga, you don’t even have to press a button. It will do the work for you! Also, if your mechanical pencil is refillable, you’re doing the environment a huge favor!

According to Pencilnet.com, the mechanical pencil is indeed lowering the need for manufactured Cedarwood for pencils. Instead of buying a new pencil whenever you run out of lead, you’re able to just buy the lead.

Are the tradeoffs worth it? Does this mean that the mechanical pencil is superior, and we should forget our old friend, the wooden

Student Poll about High School vs. Grade School Usage

pencil? No! You’ll never find a Mandalorian or Moana themed mechanical pencil, nor will you find a mechanical pencil looking like your favorite woodland creature or sea turtle. Not to mention, most mechanical pencils are only primarily used for writing, and aren’t meant for art. Why waste money on a pencil that isn’t necessarily applicable for multiple functions when you can spend less on a wooden pencil that is? Data given by Writersneed.com declares that the average amount of money spent on one wooden pencil ranges between 50 to 60 cents; meanwhile, the price for one mechanical pencil ranges between 3 to 5 dollars. There is a truly recognizable difference!

While mechanical pencils are great, don’t forget about wooden pencils; they are very useful as well.

Fun Facts!

Cedar is the most commonly used wood for pencils The usual amount of times a typical pencil can be sharpened is 17 Prior to pencil sharpeners, the only way to actually sharpen pencils was by using a blade or sandpaper Each year, an astounding 14 BILLION pencils are produced annually.

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VPS’ BOOK PICKS

by Maelee Darling Everyone knows the Assistant Principals, Mr. Hopf and Mr. Whiteside, whether it’s for being really funny or for enforcing the dress code. What if they were known for their amazing book picks too?

It probably comes as a surprise to no one that Mr. Whiteside’s top book choices are motivational/help books as he encourages people to build the best version of themselves. Even though Mr. Whiteside never shows bias, his own book still made his top three list. Without further ado, here are Mr. Whiteside’s favorite books: 1. #ChampTalk by C.L. Whiteside 2. Ego Is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday 3. Burn Your Goals by Jamie Gilbert and Joshua Medcalf Mr. Hopf, on the other hand, seems to enjoy stories a little bit more. However, he does still have some ‘good for the brain’ books as well. His picks are well-rounded, and there’s something for everyone to enjoy. If you would like some good books that are Assistant Principal approved, you should check out some of Mr. Hopf’s favorites:

Articles by and for students

October 2023

DAY FOR THE CAPEDCRUSADER Teen Group Article

by Mason Marrari 2 Out of the 365 days on the calendar, some are reserved to celebrate significant holidays such as Christmas and Easter. Other days are reserved in the same manner each year, but for smaller celebrations. Some of these include June 7 (National Dog Day), August 26 (National Doughnut Day), and September 16 (National…Batman Day?) Yes, you read that correctly; there’s even a day for Batman too. Also on September 16 is National Dance Day and International Red Panda Day, Batman Day has become a recent tradition for many fans.

Ever since his debut in 1939, the caped-crusader has undoubtedly become one of the most popular comic book heroes of all time.

Because of billionaire-vigilante’s popularity, the first official Batman Day was established in 2014, mostly to commemorate 75 years of the bat-themed superhero.

What did Batman Day 2023 include? First, an event called

1. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton 2. Teach Like Your Hair’s on Fire

by Rafe Esquith 3. The Pact by Lisa Frazier Page, George Jenkins, Rameck Hunt, and Sampson Davis

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Batman Unmasked was held in the UK, making this really an international day. Held between September 15--17 in London Batman Unmasked was a pop-up museum event that featured all sorts of creations used in Batman movies ranging from the authentic batsuits to even some of the vehicles. In addition, Warner Bros. had screened Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy in select movie theaters across the country. Besides this, numerous types of new memorabilia were released such as collectible items and apparel. Even Amazon participated in the festivities as they promoted various Batman-related items for Batman Day. Lastly, comic book shops across the country gave away free copies of previews and famous reprints to their customers.

Batman has been an iconic pop culture star for several decades.

Will Batman live on throughout generations to keep having a National Batman Day? Only time will tell.

Vol 30 no.1

Articles by and for students

October 2023

FUN FACTS ABOUT: MRS. TRISSEL

by Maelee Darling WLHS. One of her favorite things about her job is that she has the opportunity to attend chapel on a daily basis, which allows her to become closer to God. Likewise, as a commons supervisor, she gets to know students in all grades. A piece of advice that Mrs. Trissel has for the students is, “Don’t pull out your phones and then ask to go on them.”

Finally, one of Mrs. Trissel’s favorite sayings is, “What is right is not always popular, and what is popular is not always right.”

Welcome to WLHS!

Photography by Mrs. Wenzel

A new face to the WLHS family, Mrs. Trissel serves as a commons supervisor. Prior to WLHS, Mrs. Trissel graduated from West Allis Central High School. Following this, she held a variety of positions. She has worked at Target, fast food restaurants, and as a receptionist, Mrs. Trissel has had numerous different experiences within the workforce. However, the position she served in the longest prior to her service at WLHS was as a hairdresser. Mrs. Trissel is married with three girls, Ellie, Maddie, and Olivia, who is a sophomore at

HOMECOMING EVENTS: WHICH ARE THE BEST? (continued from Page 12) The second question that Pilot asked was, “What events do you plan to attend?”

According to the votes, the Homecoming dance was the most anticipated, followed by the Homecoming Football game and Mr. Wisco.

Although the Powderpuff Game involves participation as well, not as many students planned on attending this event. Perhaps this was just because it is an event that mostly involves juniors and seniors and not the

entire student body.

While the data shows that Homecoming Dance had the largest amount of votes, there is no legitimate way that Pilot can determine which event is truly the best. As stated earlier, these events were very different from each other, attracting different audiences.

Besides, it can be strictly up to the person that attends, and their opinion may differ from another person attending the exact same festivity.

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Pilot’s last question was “What type of event would you like to see in the future?” Everyone who responded had the chance to bring up their ideas. These responses consisted of ideas such as movie nights and bake sales. Other creative ideas submitted included a student vs. teacher basketball game and class competitions centering around activities such as soccer or rock-climbing. Perhaps more of these activities will be incorporated in the future.

Vol 30 no.1

Articles by and for students

October 2023

HOW TAYLOR SWIFT “SAVED” THE ECONOMY

By Anna Ogenoff Photo taken on 6/3/23 at Soldier Field

Taylor Swift is a household name all around the world. The famous music star has written ten albums and introduced countless hit songs within them. Her debut album, called Taylor Swift, came out in 2006 when she was only sixteen years old! Over the years, her music has grown and changed with her. Her music genres range from her early country days to her newer pop hits. Midnights, her newest album, came out in October 2022. This album was a huge hit, and to go along with it, on November 1, 2022, she announced the Eras Tour.

The Eras Tour is a combination of all of her albums’ music put together to create one magnificent show. Swift’s last tour was for her album Reputation in 2018. There were more to come; however, COVID-19 shut down any plans for those. Instead of forgetting about the albums released in that past time and subsequently moving on, Taylor Swift did something incredibly smart. She decided that she would not just do a tour for one album, but go back and revisit all of her previous albums, making her new shows last over three hours!

Astonishingly, the Eras Tour might be one of the most impactful tours of all time. Ever since the first show was played in March of 2023, the economy has been changing. To help pinpoint how this tour helped the economy, let’s narrow it down to three main sections: tourism, business sales, and job opportunities.

Tourism increased significantly in each of the cities visited throughout the entire tour since people came from all over the country to see her performances.

Profits, such as those seen from the increased usage of public transportation, were made passively by every city that Swift visited.

Lauren Vanlandeghem (‘26), who experienced the Eras Tour in Chicago, explains,“I found out after the show that the amount of revenue Taylor Swift brings to each city is the equivalent of hosting a Super Bowl. I definitely believe that because we had a hard time even finding a hotel room. She definitely has a big impact on the economy in all the cities she performs in.

Similarly, business sales, whether made in major clothing stores or even local businesses, skyrocketed.

People bought Eras Tour outfits and friendship bracelet kits to prepare to watch their performance.

This was just one way that her concert increased business sales.

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Also, local businesses such as restaurants and hotels made a large profit based on the touristic needs such as dining and lodging.

Finally, job opportunities for the Eras Tour became abundant.

Positions requiring security guards, background dancers, concession workers, and janitorial staff were in high demand. Taylor Swift paid her employees collectively around $55 million for their services on the tour plus generous bonuses.

Overall, Taylor Swift’s effect on the economy has been massive. Not only has she created an influx of tourism, business sales, and job opportunities, but she has also donated millions of dollars to multiple charities over the years.

Taylor Swift’s generous heart made her fame and popularity extraordinarily important to the economy and her supporters.

Vol 30 no.1

Articles by and for students

WAKE-UP CALL

by Ryan Parker A certain phenomenon has been noted online as of late. So far, there’s no scholarly, or peerreviewed dissertations documenting it, but those who have experienced it can attest to its existence with certainty. Half-seriously, a name has been ascribed to this occurrence, stolen from a term which describes those who suffer severe stress under warlike conditions: the thousand-yard stare.

Unlike those who develop this trauma response from long periods of sustained fear, however, the socalled ‘thousand-yard stare’ which has gained traction online is far from rare. It’s happened not mainly to soldiers, but to high school students, who realize upon waking up that they will do the same things today as they did yesterday, and will do the same things tomorrow as they did today. This realization quickly expands beyond the boundary of a few days until the entire rest of the school year appears like it will undoubtedly be an endless series of repetitions that have already grown dull. The students’ eyes glaze over. Another day seems impossibly boring.

Another eight months seems straight-up impossible.

The term ‘thousand-yard stare’ is applied to this sensation for a simple reason: it often lasts for upwards of five minutes. It is not a fleeting thought which enters the mind of a student for a moment and disappears. It is so intense of a realization that the student is stalled, sitting upright in their bed and staring at a wall until they realize that they need to get ready.

As soon as they start to get ready, though, they’re reminded why they came to their realization of how repetitious their life has

become in the first place. They get dressed. They brush their teeth.

Perhaps they take a shower, eat breakfast, exercise, or finish their homework. Before school even starts, most high schoolers are already busy, either with responsibilities at home or work from school they have yet to complete, and those who are fortunate enough to not have to deal with either of those stressors often busy themselves by thinking about how busy they’re going to be sometime later.

This vortex of worry is not a fun cycle to get stuck in, but it is a cycle that has become increasingly well-understood, unlike the sparse amount of studies relating to the aforementioned ‘thousand-yard stare.’ (Who would’ve known that a niche internet joke would be referenced in so few of the articles in Scientific American?)

Although considering everyday life to be humdrum is an outlook generally associated with and pencil pushers who repeat the same dull tasks over and over again, thinking of life in such colorless terms can appear in any person who does the same thing for long enough. For example, students who are frequently

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October 2023 saddled with large work loads may find themselves bored, even though they have plenty of things to do and plenty of reasons to do them.

Instead of committing themselves to this work, they’ll go on autopilot, dissociating from the outside world as a way to internally avoid how occupied they are. This, when combined with a schedule that is planned down to the minute, leads to near-constant stress for busy students who are well-aware that, for most of their obligations, they’re under a time constraint.

Besides just completely giving up (an alluring prospect), how does one deal with such a tense situation?

According to an article in The Huffington Post, the solution may seem impractical: small changes, little disruptions of the daily routine.

Try sitting somewhere different during commons or lunch, working through your homework at a different time, writing in a different colored pen--all of these are things that alter the daily schedule just enough. They help students break out of the monotonous routine of waking up at six o’clock in the morning, going to school, coming home, doing homework, and going to sleep. A total overhaul would do more to destabilize a student’s life than set it straight. To achieve any feasible goal of improving a worklife balance, it is best to start small.

Such little things can make a huge difference.

Vol 30 No.1

Articles by and for students

October 2023

Help the squirrel find the acorn!

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