THE PAW PRINT June 2019 • Wilde Lake High School • 5460 Trumpeter Road, Columbia, MD 21044 • Volume 46, Issue 3
STUDENTS ADVOCATE FOR MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
By Sydney Cox
When the Board of Education announced that they were having a meeting pertaining to fund distributions in Howard County, Wilde Lake sophomore Vaniya Khan knew that it was her time to speak up on an underrepresented and underfunded issue: mental health. On April 7, Khan was attending her monthly youth group, Howard County’s Teen Interfaith Initiative, when she was asked what issues facing the county she felt were particularly important. Without pause, she immediately responded that mental health resources in the county are lacking. “They wanted to pass something that would fund more resources for Howard County students who are struggling with mental illness,” Khan said. “They just needed someone to persuade them to do it.” This prompted Khan and her fellow group member, Nashrah Rahman, to sign up for a speaking slot at the Board of Education meeting on April 24. The goal of their speech was to bring awareness to the Board about mental health, and the resources needed in schools to properly ad-
According to the New York Times, 7/10 teenagers see mental health as a “major issue” in high school life.
dress these concerns. She decided that using personal experiences would be the most effective way to deliver her speech since they “Show more importance,” she said. “Statistics and facts are persuasive, but personal experience shows the reality of it, especially as a student in a Howard County School.”
The first half of the speech, spoken by Rahman, addressed the amount of stress teenagers pile on from both school and extracurriculars. When students have no one to talk to about their stress, they bottle up their emotions or turn to friends who often aren’t equipped to help, she said. Both girls made a stance that, “It is
time to abandon our ignorance and take action,” when it comes to mental health and the stigma around it. Khan’s half of the speech focused more on a personal incident she had with a friend who was battling depression. This friend was checked on by counselors, but no action was ever taken directly with the student. The
counselors did not have access to adequate resources to help, resources that could be obtainable through proper funding. Khan felt extremely nervous and consistently checked up on her friend due to the fear of losing her. At the meeting on April 24, Kahn found herself becoming increasingly anxious. However, as she stepped up to the stage, sat at the table, and faced the members of the board, she let the words of her speech carry her anxieties away. When she finished, she was met with silent applause, as to not disrupt other meetings going on and to keep the professionalism of their meeting. She pushed herself out of her comfort zone and hopefully made a positive impact. Both Khan and Rahman want funding for mental health resources to become readily available to Howard County students. “Some students can only get support from the school or their friends, since families can’t always provide for them,” she said. “Mental health is kind of an uncontrollable factor, and we aren’t really taught to deal with it, so those who need the help should have access to it.”
SMOB Organizes Forum to Destigmatize Mental Health
Attendees of the SMOB Mental Health Meeting on May 16.
By Sarah Rubin When she was in seventh grade, Trisha Reddy was told that in the United States, the biggest cause of death for teens was suicide. “This is what truly inspired me to help with the discussion,” she said, “because people around me were suffering in silence, unknowing of the variety of ways that they can receive help in our community.”
May 16, 2019 marked the date of the first ever Student Member of the Board community forum, led by current SMOB Ambika Siddabathula. Its purpose was to discuss mental health in Howard County public schools, and find ways to address related situations. As stated in the handout given to those who attended the meeting, the goal of meetings like this one is to, “Pioneer a future where there is less stigma associated with mental health.” At the two hour function, there were five stations designed to educate people on the importance of mental health and general wellness. These stations included: Stress Relieving Strategies, Friend to Friend, Resources in Howard County to Support Mental Health and Wellness, Mental Health Initiatives Led and Run by Students across Howard County, and Destigmatizing Disorders. Chris Lidard, leader of the Mental Health Initiatives station, said, “The big takeaway I hoped to instill was that everyone, no matter who you are or where you stand, can be an advocate for mental health.” Trisha Reddy, now a sophomore at Mount Hebron High School, reflects on why she thinks discussion of mental health is important. “People often have relatively little idea of the impact of having poor mental health. The consequences of poor mental health affect so much more than just mood and emotions - they affect a student’s ability to interact with others, complete school work, engage in extracurriculars, etc.,” she said. Reddy mentions that having Board of Education members present allowed the students to share their ideas, and actually make an impact. There were also other panel members who showed up, such as school counselors/psychologists, and licensed doctors who
were able to answer questions that students and parents had for them, which she felt supported a stronger understanding of mental health illness and helped to solve stigmas around it. “Mental health has always been a big topic in Howard County, and I’ve always felt like more needed to be done. When Ambika and her team reached out to me about helping to coordinate this forum, I was excited to help bring change and raise awareness for something that I felt strongly about,” said Chris Lidard, a current sophomore at Centennial High School. He participated in the forum to remove the stigma surrounding mental health. Reservoir High School junior Hunter Craig says he was influenced to help with this specific discussion because, “As a student who struggles with anxiety and has education plans set up, I strive to help those who do not have the same accommodations as myself. I was so glad that the SMOB reached out to me and seven other students in the county to plan this forum, as it’s something I have a very strong passion for.” According to a study by the Center for Discovery, “About 20 percent of all teens experience depression before they reach adulthood,” and are at risk of committing suicide. According to Ambika, something needs to change. Chris Lidard believes in having an open conversation about taboo topics. “Advocacy doesn’t instantly fix all mental illness, but it helps to remove stigma and give those that need help the resources and validation from their community to get what they need,” he said.
FEATURES For Some, Summer Vacation Leads to More Mental Health Challenges “Using school resources during summer would help me talk out my feelings better, and I would be happier.” -Sophomore Jackson Sanchez-Lopes By Susie Osborne Though summer is a time of freedom and fun for many, for others, the loss of easy access to school resources, especially in relation to mental health, can make summer seem unending. Losing the structure and support that school provides leaves some students alone with their thoughts, which can be a dangerous thing for those struggling with mental health. A Wilde Lake sophomore, who wishes to remain anonymous, often struggles with mental health issues outside of school. “Summer break is hard, because at least during school I have a support system.”
However, this student is in a disturbing majority when it comes to adolescents failing to receive the treatment they need. A 2013 study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human services found that less than half of American teens with psychiatric disorders are provided with the necessary professional treatment. The price of suitable mental health care can make it difficult to access, and the stigma surrounding treatment often forms another obstacle. Tammy Goldberg, a local psychotherapist and licensed clinical social worker, says students often struggle during summer due to stress from family, missing their friends, too much or not enough free time, and dealing with mental illness without their usual support systems. She recommends that students use mindfulness exercises such as guided meditation, journaling, strategies from established websites, and support groups both in person and online for support. She also cites Grassroots Crisis Intervention (410-531-6677), NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) (410-772-9300), and the National Suicide Prevention Hotline (1-800-273-8255) as valuable resources in times of crisis. By raising awareness of these resources, Goldberg hopes students can continue to be supported throughout the summer. Sophomore Jackson Sanchez-Lopez said that, “Using resources like these during summer would help me talk out my feelings better, and I would be happier.”
Social Media: A Double-Edged Sword By Brian Shin and Erica Knight Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and Facebook. These are just a few of the countless social media outlets used by teens that allows them to have an online platform to express themselves. Social media users log into their favorite apps hoping to freely interact with other users. However, many are met with backlash and ridicule from others online, raising the question, is social media an unsafe environment for teens? Junior Meridian McCall believes that social media can be harmful. “It glamorizes the wrong things about people,” she said, “and I think that the artificial lifestyle sold to us on sites like Instagram and Twitter definitely shows what our generation values today.” As social media platforms have grown, there have been multiple media figures, such as Kylie Jenner and Sommer Ray, who have served as powerful female influencers. Though they are supporting and expanding their own platforms, it leads to lowered self-esteem in many teens. A female junior who wishes to remain anonymous said, “Social media has been so detrimental to my mental and physical health, and it leads me to compare my image to that of so-called Instagram models. By constantly seeing these beautiful women, I am left to compare myself to an image I can never achieve. It destroys self-confidence
and leaves space for insecurity to grow.” On Instagram, a poll was assembled for 24 hours, where students submitted their answers in response to questions related to the negative effects of social media. The poll highlighted how teenagers actually view their social media platforms as they answered the question: “Do you believe social media to be more beneficial or detrimental?” The poll revealed that half of the pollers believe social media to be detrimental. The vast majority of these poll takers were high school students in Howard County, many from Wilde Lake, and it showed just how big of an impact social media can have on teens. However, junior Amari Wragg sees the benefits of social media. “Social media has positively impacted my life because I get to know more about the events that happen in local and worldwide areas,” she said. Social media is undeniably a large part of most high school students’ lives, however the more influential it becomes the more students question how healthy it is to be so connected. Media specialist Ms. Palmateer sees social media from both sides of the table. “Social media is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it’s a great platform for sharing information, but on the other, it can make students feel like they’re somehow worth less than others.”
Student Resource Officers Seek to Repair Relationships Between Police and African American Students By Aenilah Watkins On August 24 of his sophomore year, Erleans Joseph was stopped abruptly by police officers at the bus stop by the Columbia Mall. As he was roughly shoved on the deck of the officer’s car, Joseph was told he was under arrest. Without any knowledge of what he had done wrong, and a weighty feeling of embarrassment, Joseph recollects the exact moment when the officers racially profiled him, and subjected him to the most intense feeling of fear he’d ever experienced. “The cop just grabbed me out of nowhere and said that I was under arrest with no background context,” said Joseph. “I was scared, the officer was being rough, there were at least four more cop cars that pulled up, and then the officer put me in cuffs and took me down to the station, just for me to find out I happened to fit the description of a black
shirtless kid.” Police harassment has been a recurrent issue in the African American community for generations, in large part due to unjust racism and discrimination. For Joseph, his encounter hit right at home, and now he’s uncomfortable around police. Mr. Nicks, the liaison for the Black Student Achievement Program, says the history between people of color and police officers has sparked a universal feeling of trauma within the African American community. “Just a police officer in a badge can be traumatic for many black people, because it brings back memories they’ve either experienced or witnessed at the hands of police,” said Mr. Nicks. “I do fear for the safety of some of the students here at Wilde Lake, because it has become a regularity in our culture to take up an oppositional view of the police, a mentality that places them against us, and vice versa.”
In addition to police harassment, police brutality, in the form of numerous shootings, has been another subject that has sparked rage in the African American community. It has led to multiple casualties, witnessed nationwide through the scope of the media.
“Just like cops, there are bad and good teachers, and bad and good students. It’s all relative, so what a few people do wrong shouldn’t label an entire group.” - Officer Shams Due to the atrocities she has witnessed in the media, junior Alexandra Mouangue angrily comments, “I don’t feel safe in the presence of police, and I have every reason not to considering how they treat black people every day.” Junior Jordan Edmond, shares this view alongside
Mouangue, as he was recently followed by a police officer alongside his cousin in London last year. “I felt a little on edge, especially considering the fact that I didn’t do anything and the officer was still patrolling us,” said Edmond. Despite students feeling fearful of the police, Student Resource Officer, Rafeh Shams, seeks to restore and maintain a positive image of police officers at Wilde Lake. According to Officer Shams, The Student Recource Officer program provides opportunities for students to interact with police in a positive way in schools. “Just like cops, there are bad and good teachers, and bad and good students. It’s all relative, so what a few people do wrong shouldn’t label an entire group,” said Shams. Although Officer Shams acknowledges that there are tensions that need to be worked on between low income communities and police officers, she credits
Howard County for its richness in which she feels contributes to the high level of professionalism found in law enforcement. As a Student Resource Officer at Wilde Lake, Officer Shams has taken the time to reflect on the impact the Wilde Lake mentoring program has allowed her to have with her students. “I’m definitely grateful for the program,” she said with a smile. “It lets the students interact with SROs on a daily basis, where they not only get to build healthy relationships with us as officers, but as people as well.” In regards to the future safety of African Americans nationwide, Mr. Nicks advises that we all confront our fears, question our beliefs, and avoid jumping to conclusions when dealing with police officers, as well as taking the time to understand the officer’s point of view.
FEATURES Overworked and Overstressed: Past the Breaking Point
Wilde Lake junior, Sydney Lowry, stresses while reading a book written entirely in French. Photo by Preeta Singh.
By Sarah Rubin A few weeks ago, Wilde Lake sophomore Rachel Beall’s math teacher wasn’t in class for a few days, and, when he returned, there was a huge test. “I was so scared,” she said, “because not only did I not know the topic, but I had no time to study with him after-school to try to understand. I remember being on my couch, breaking down. Crying like crazy, having trouble breathing, the whole nine yards.” She was terrified. Even when she
tried to learn the math, nothing was clicking, and she went to bed still not knowing what she was doing. “Of course I failed the test,” she continued, “and I went under some of the worst stress I’ve ever had. I found myself for days afterwards spiraling about how, ‘Oh, if I fail this test, I’ll fail the class, I won’t get into a good college, I won’t be able to handle college work, and I will fail in life.’ I think that was part of the overwhelming stress I felt too, and it all sucked. I felt so hopeless, and thought that if I couldn’t handle 10th grade math, I couldn’t handle anything.” Like Rachel, many students feel the intense stress of high school, suffer from a severe lack of sleep, and have little time for almost anything besides school work. Trying to meet high expectations, students often push themselves past the breaking point, overworking their minds and bodies. The result is hallways filled with zombies, stumbling mindlessly through their day. What is the cost of this pressure? And, is it worth it? “There was a time when I had found out on Monday that I’d have four tests in one week, on top of a written essay,” said one student anonymously, “By the end of the week I’d only gotten three hours of sleep per night.”
Maddy Feldwick, a Wilde Lake sophomore, is always looking to help others, and has dealt with anxiety since seventh grade. She pushes herself to do the best she can so she doesn’t disappoint her parents - or herself. Knowing she can do well, Maddy takes the hardest classes possible, even though the immense workload keeps her up late every night. “The amount of work given in classes combined with the short amount of time for doing it made it so difficult to keep up, and made it almost impossible for me to try and get better at time management.” With dogs on her TOMS and a spring in her step, Howard High School junior Sarah Chaney also experiences the extreme stresses of school. Though her amiable personality and caring nature carries her far, it does little to alleviate the pressures she feels each day. “I was in a show, and the rehearsals were getting really constant, which didn’t give me a lot of time to focus on my school work,” she said. “I had a lot of things going on and not enough time to complete them effectively, which resulted in a lot of stress and emotional outbursts.” Though his four AP tests from the year are through, Atholton High School junior Cameron Goodwin-Schoen still feels the worries that the school environment brings. Always making sure his friends are
doing well, Cameron checks up on others whenever he can, and offers to help in any way possible. However, sometimes he has to put himself first. He said, “My English teacher set the due date for an entire 6-8 page research essay right before all of my AP exams.” Wilde Lake sophomore Veronica Stevenson said, “There was a time at the end of the quarter where every teacher was giving tests and projects to finalize our grades. I probably cried at least five times.” Each of these students is dedicated to their education, and all wish to do well and go far. Still, those who are successful prioritize wellbeing. “It’s important to work hard,” said Wilde Lake English teacher Mr. Townsend. “You should try to do your best, and you should reach for high goals, but you should never do it at the expense of your own happiness. Sometimes, you might have to let things slide.” As Rachel moves into her junior year, she refelcts on what school means. “Make sure you prioritize your mental health over anything else, because you can’t function without feeling healthy emotionally, and think about your future in a way that keeps you motivated and excited to work, cause it’s setting you up for your dream life.”
Cheating Problem Escalates as Schools Fail to Crack Down
By Rebecca Nason It’s Friday morning, the day of the test. If you get above an 85 percent you’ll pass this quarter. Otherwise, you won’t. You didn’t go to bed last night until after 3:00, when you fell asleep into your notes. This morning you studied on the bus, before first period, and in all of your earlier classes. But now it feels like you didn’t study at all. Your brain is foggy from the lack of sleep and words are jumbled. All you can think about is that 85 percent. Slowly, you pull a pen out of your backpack and start writing formulas on your arm. Modern technology has made cheating easier, with students’ phones offering almost limitless opportunities to cheat. Whether they’re “going to the bathroom,” putting the study guide as their lock screen, or simply Googling the answer with their phone in their lap, students use phones to their advantage. While some students have evolved with this new technology, others prefer more “classic” methods. Writing information on wrists, desks, and sticky notes hidden cleverly within clothing is still commonplace and no less effective. Despite the potential consequences, cheating occurs at every grade and difficulty level. A survey by the Johnson Institute for Youth Ethics found that 52 percent of American high school students admitted to cheating on a test at least once. And, according to the New York Times, cheating is getting worse, not better. With such a high percentage of students cheating, we’re left to wonder what their motivation is to cheat, and why the potential consequences of detention, suspension, and even expulsion seem to mean so little. Many students feel that the increased access to cheating is at least partly to blame for its rise. In the past, cheating took effort and forethought, but now it’s easy to spontaneously Google an answer or text a friend. Some students even feel that cheating is a harmless way to achieve the grades they want, without considering the consequences. “Cheating is just too easy,” a junior in honors level classes
at Wilde Lake said, “When you do it, you’re not thinking of the future. You’re thinking of right now and how you’re about to fail this test, and it’s cheat or get beat.” Cheating is rarely seen as an issue by students, and some even fail to see why cheating is wrong. Instead, they believe and argue that the education system is, in some way, failing them. Students will make any possible excuse to justify their actions, claiming that high stakes, their own inability to improve, and even the teachers themselves make learning impossible. A sophomore in honors classes said that, “I know that I shouldn’t do it, but there are so many opportunities to cheat that sometimes I do, and it really doesn’t seem that bad.” Still, some students argue that, instead of raising grades, cheating can actually negatively impact the entire class. A senior in AP classes is frustrated because, “When other students cheat they don’t just cheat themselves, they cheat the whole class. If they don’t get caught and get a really good grade but everyone else does poorly, the teacher isn’t going to curve the test.” Cheating is an undeniable issue at Wilde Lake. Students claim to cheat because, despite the stated serious consequences, teachers rarely catch cheaters, and if they do, there’s seldom punishment involved. “I know the consequences, but the teachers always give you a warning and then just let you off,” a tenth grader said. “At least that’s what I’ve heard. I’ve never gotten caught.” Although cheating is wrong, sometimes it’s too tempting to refuse. One freshman usually doesn’t cheat because she believes it’s wrong and is concerned about the potential punishment. However, she said, “Sometimes if you cheat it’s okay, especially if you really need the grade,” but she adds that, “If you try your best, you should get a good grade, and if you don’t, well then you just don’t.” Students like these report feeling guilty about their actions, but they thought that their grades didn’t reflect their work and left them without other options. When studying and working hard doesn’t result in better grades, students often become discouraged and resort to cheating. “I study ten times more than my friend,
52 percent of students say they cheat, according to the Johnson Institute for Youth Ethics. Photo by Bryan Shin.
but she always gets better grades than me anyway,” a sophomore said. If a student wants to do better on tests, they’re told to study more. Logically, the more a student studies, the better grades they’ll achieve. When this isn’t the case, U.S. History teacher Ms. Volpe said, “I ask students how they’re studying because it could be that the strategies they’re using are ineffective.” She recommends that students put down their phones while they’re studying. AP English 12 teacher Ms. Midgley reminds students that everyone studies differently, so what works for their friend might not work for them. You head to the bathroom as soon as you finish the test. As you scrub the writing off your arm, and ink stains your hands, you wonder if one grade was worth the risk.
FEATURES Baseball Has Strong Playoff Run, Loses to La Plata in Fourth Round
By Aenilah Watkins This year, the Wilde Lake varsity baseball team, under its new coach Mr. Frederick, went 5-16, their best record in four years. The team credits their chemistry and Coach Frederick for this turn-around. “This year was definitely different from my previous seasons because the team felt more organized,” says senior Eli Fisher, who has played for the baseball program since his freshman year. “As a team, we understood the main goal and the amount of work needed to achieve our goal of creating a foundation of success for Wilde Lake baseball.” One of the team’s proudest moments included their 4-3 win over Glenelg, the program’s first win against the Glenelg Dragons in the last five years. “We played very well that game, and even though there were highs and lows, we pulled through and worked very hard as a team together,” says junior third baseman, Kharrington Walker. Fisher and Walker both praise the high end coaching they’ve received at the hands of Coach Frederick. “Our coach is by far one of the greatest coaches I have ever had,” said Walker. “He keeps us focused and makes us work hard both in school and on the field.” Coach Frederick approached the team with high expectations, “My number one goal was to put Wilde Lake
Reliever Devin Shields, senior, pitches against Howard High School. Photo by LifeTouch.
baseball back on the map. I wanted us to be a consistent program that other schools had to take seriously.” Though the team got off to a rocky start with a six game losing streak, that all changed on March 3 when the
Wilde Lake Says Goodbye To Long-Term Staff Members
Ms. Kipping teaches one of her final lessons at Wilde Lake in stoichiometry.
By Rebecca Nason As the 2018-2019 school year comes to an end, Wilde Lake will be saying farewell to more than ten long-term, beloved staff members. Mr. Faries, Ms. Koshy, Ms. Kipping, Ms. Martucci, Ms. Bullock, Ms. Carpenter, Mr. Crouse, Ms. Busso, Ms. Pashigian, and Ms. Read will all be leaving Wilde Lake to pursue new opportunities. The list, however, may become longer over the summer, which is when teachers have to announce their departures. Mr. Wilson, who has been the principal at Wilde Lake for two years, also plans on retiring this year, after having worked in the Howard County school system for 31 years. He first became
a member of the Wilde Lake staff over three decades ago. He transferred to work at other Howard County schools before returning to conclude his career at The Lake. “I love Wilde Lake more than any other place I’ve worked, but I have to keep reminding myself that family is always more important than a job and right now my family needs me,” said Mr. Wilson. “I’ll miss that Mr. Wilson has energy and positivity every day,” said junior Penelope Choi. Mr. Wilson said he’ll miss his time at The Lake, and feels his time working here was a “blessing beyond words.” Ms. Leonard, having previously worked at Wilde Lake as a social studies teacher and assistant principal, will be assuming
the role of principal in July. Although many teachers are leaving, their motivations for doing so vary. Science teacher of four years, Ms. Kipping, said, “Everyone’s leaving for different reasons; people are retiring, people are moving, people have new opportunities.” For example, some teachers, like Ms. Busso, are retiring. Others, like Ms. Kipping, are planning on pursuing new jobs as teachers, and Ms. Koshy and Ms. Read are taking up new positions in education, outside of teaching. Although these teachers are excited to pursue new horizons, they express bittersweetness towards the prospect of leaving Wilde Lake. Mr. Fairies has been a math teacher at Wilde Lake for the past 14 years, and is planning on continuing teaching in Virginia Beach because of movement in his wife’s job. He’ll miss the diverse body of student’s he’s felt privileged to work with, and the community he has grown to know over the past 14 years. Ms. Koshy, who’s also a math teacher, said, “I’ll miss all the wonderful relationships I’ve built… and the funny, silly stories students always seem to have.” Junior Ananya Chand feels like Wilde Lake will never be quite the same as favorite teachers depart. “We’ll adapt,” she said, “but the school will feel a little more empty without them.”
team tied with River Hill 9-9, and went on to catch their first season win against Glenelg two days later. Fisher proudly acknowledges the improvement in the team’s chemistry that contributed to a strong playoff run. “At first our team chemistry lacked. The team was out of touch. In school, teammates didn’t interact and the locker room was quiet. However, as we moved further into the season and understood we shared a moral ground when it came to teamwork, we began to bond.” In their hard fought playoff run, the team defeated River Hill 5-4 in the first round, Oakland Mills 12-7 in the second, and Marriotts Ridge in the third round 6-3. The boys fell short in the fourth round when they lost to La Plata on May 17, ending their historic season. River Hill varsity baseball coach, Mr. Eckert, respectfully congratulated the Wilde Lake baseball program for their winning streak. While commenting on his team’s playoff game against the Cats, he said, “They definitely played better that day, and they deserved to win.” In light of next season, Coach Frederick hopes his younger players step up to the plate after the team lost their seven seniors, five of whom were starters. “I hope to continue building towards being a consistent program that others schools have to take seriously.”
Unchecked Drinking May Lead to Life Long Addiction By Marian Isailovic
“Drinking is fun. It helps me stay loose,” said a junior at Wilde Lake. As the school year comes to a close, he finds himself at parties almost every weekend, and sometimes even drinking alone. With summer right around the corner, alcohol is more readily available and becomes a seemingly attractive option as students have more free time to drink unsupervised. Though alcohol might not prove to be detrimental for all who drink, it can lead to a lifelong struggle for those that find themselves compulsively drinking and displaying traits of an addict. In the United States alone, about 6.2 percent of all adults suffer from alcoholism, many of whom began drinking in high school. A 72 year old alcoholic, who has now been sober for over thirty years, was able to look back on his relationship with alcohol. Having started drinking at 13, he said, “Alcohol does something for the alcoholic that it doesn’t do for other people. It made me feel different. It made me feel okay.” When he first started drinking, he didn’t understand that he wasn’t actually okay or feeling well. He knew that alcohol made everything seem better, though later realized that it was just an illusion. “To the alcoholic, alcohol triggers a mental obsession about
feeling better with a physical compulsion to drink,” he said. “In high school, I drank as much as I could, whenever I could, which eventually lead me to become an alcoholic.” Wilde Lake guidance counselor, Mr. Mazzio, says, “When you find yourself compulsively drinking: involve your parents, try and find the reason you’re drinking, and then get the help you need, whether it be AA or a rehabilitation center.” Alcoholics Anonymous, a support group where an alcoholic can get together with other recovering alcoholics, helps prevent the person from further pursuing the destructive path of alcoholism. READ THE FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY ONLINE AT WLHSPAWPRINT.COM
THE PAW PRINT STAFF 2018-2019 The views expressed in this issue are not necessarily those of the staff, the students, the administration or the school board. Letters to the editors are encouraged. The Paw Print reserves the right to edit any submissions.
Adviser................Ben Townsend Print Editor in Chief.......Sarah Rubin Web Editor in Chief...Aenilah Watkins Writers..................Sydney Cox, Marian Isailovic, Erica Knight, Rebecca Nason, Susie Osborne, Bryan Shin, Preeta Singh