d u P o n t M a n u a l
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L o u i s v i l l e , K Y 4 0 2 0 8
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O c t o b e r 2 0 1 3
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V o l u m e 6 2
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C R I M S O N r e c o r d
B O Y M E E T S G I R L ’ S WO R L D
C E L L U L A R S C H O O L MA N U A L S I XWO R DS T O R Y
R A C I S MU N WR A P P E D
I s s u e 2
02 << CONTENTS
OCTOBER 2013
CELLULAR SCHOOL photo by Molly Loehr
03
news
07 10 15
student life
08
What’s Happening • PURP Me • Parklands Churchill Downs • New Principals
Syria • Magnet Profiles Textbooks & Funding • Theft
feature
Manual opens educational doors for its students
opinion
First Two Days of School • Satire Column Book Review • Love by Lola
rampage
Boys in Girls’ Sports • Sport Team Pulls • Profile • Schedule
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR It’s crazy to think that we’ve finished our first six weeks. We are past the point of hiding behind the excuse that we are still adjusting to how our classes go. At this stage in the game, we’ve gotten familiar with our teachers’ grading systems, how to manage our time, and at least gained a couple friends in each class. For freshmen, the hallways aren’t as scary, and for the seniors the thoughtless moments of getting turned around in the halls are far from over. Take a deep breath and relax. Remember to think about how exciting it is to be a student at Manual, where our new principal comfortably sits down to converse with us during lunch. A place where there is stress but also the times where the fun can mask how much homework we have to do that evening. This issue was a transition for many of our staff members. We had to get a feel for how each other worked, how to balance being on staff along with a rigorous schedule, and understanding what all our positions entailed.
STAFF
The Crimson Record created a mission statement laying out the goals that we want to fulfill: to inform and entertain the entire population of Manual. Every new six weeks, we would be reminded of this goal and how we could keep pushing the bar to put out the best stories for our readers. One thing that I have personally learned as an editor, a student, and an athlete, setting goals encourages us to keep bettering ourselves. It pushes us to succeed in ways we never thought possible. So as the school year continues, set goals for yourself to push and reveal strengths you never knew you had. If you have any concerns or questions, please email us at crimsonrecord@hotmail.com. xoxo, Taylor Browning
EDITOR IN CHIEF TAYLOR BROWNING • ASSOCIATE EDITOR LAUREN BOOTS • MANAGING EDITOR DANIELLE BRIDGE • WRITING EDITOR COURTNEE HALL • BUSINESS MANAGER KENDALL KEELING • CREATIVE DIRECTORS EMMA HARRIS & RACHEL HOSKINS • DESIGN DIRECTOR MEG SHANKS • PHOTO EDITOR MOLLY LOEHR • SPORTS PHOTO & SECTION EDITOR SAMANTHA KLEIN • PUBLIC EDITOR & ADVERTISING EDITOR LOGAN STEARMAN • ART DIRECTION & OPINION EDITOR JASMINE BROWNING • STUDENT LIFE & FEATURE EDITOR GABRIELL VICTOR • NEWS EDITOR KELSI EMBRY • WRITERS GRACE ROTH / HALEY COBLE / AVALON GUPTA VERWIEBE / CHRIS ROUSSELL / BREYA JONES / JACK GROSSMAN • PHOTOGRAPHERS KELSI EMBRY & ERIN WOGGON • DESIGNER JOSH JEAN-MARIE • ADVISER AMY RITCHIE
OCTOBER 2013
what’s happening:
LOUISVILLE, KY
Due to the uneven & rising temperatures within the city and surrounding areas, city officials have provided $135,000 for the study of why this is happening and how to manage it more effectively. $60,000 of the money was given from a non-profit Funders’ Network, while another $75,000 was provided by local private money matching. The research is projected to take around 18 months and will hopefully uncover the top heat zones of the city so they can be managed properly during future summer heat waves.
NAIROBI, KENYA On Saturday September 21, the terrorist group the Shabab’s, stormed into Nairobi’s Westgate Shopping Centre and opened fire killing citizens and threw grenades. There is no definite body count, due to the fact that more bodies are being found daily. It is plausible that three U.S. citizens are terrorists, since the Shabab’s recruit Americans.
6 WORD STORY At the beginning of the school year, Principal Mayes proposed a competition to Manual students to write a six word story about duPont Manual and submit them to The Crimson Record. Throughout this issue, you can find the most enticing six word stories submitted to us. Five stories have been chosen as the winners, and as a reward the students will recieve a free breakfast with Principal Mayes. These winners get the honor of eating breakfast with Mr. Mayes on October 3, at 7:00 am.
“Freshman- woah. Senior- I’m ready now.” — Jackson Hull 12, J&C
NEWS >> 03
NEW DELHI, INDIA On December 6, 2012, a female student was attacked and gangraped on the back of a New Delhi bus for over an hour by a group of drunk men. Her injuries were severe and she died shortly after. This brutal case has caused rallies and cries for justice all throughout India. On September 11, after the seven month trial, four men were convicted and sentenced to death for the rape and murder of the woman. The four men convicted plan on appealing their guilty verdict, according to their lawyer.
DANVILLE, KY On September 20, a shooting occured at a pawn shop near centre college. The shooter killed three people and the shooters identity is still unknown. Once shots were fired, the entire Centre College campus was put on lockdown for a few hours. The deceased include two men, ages 34 and 60, and one female, age 38. During the shooting there were two young children in the shop, one being a 9 year old who called the cops right after the shooting at around 9:15 that morning.
WINNERS The following five student’s have been chosen as winners of the 6 Word Story competition, earning them a free breakfast with Principal Mayes: “Mayes the phones be with you.” -Emily Zelichenok (11, MST) “Is it RED or WHITE day?” -Gabriell Victor (11, J&C) “This lanyard doesn’t match my outfit.” -Savannah Schenk (10, J&C) “New clothes, new paint. Ruined clothes.” -Grace Woodard (12, VA) “Manual dances: TURN THE LIGHTS OFF!” -Poonum Haldankar (11, MST)
“ACT scores, beat Male, duPont forever.” — Jack Lindsey 11, YPAS
04 << NEWS
OCTOBER 2013
PARK PEOPLE for the
newly opened Parklands are stirring up excitement across louisville WORDS BY AVALON GUPTA VERWIEBE | PHOTO BY MOLLY LOEHR Louisville, Kentucky. Home to a population that loves their parks so much that they would rather create a public fund to run tunnels through Cherokee Park rather than let a highway be built through it. Local realtors were found advertising Shawnee Park rather than the homes surrounding it. Yet somehow, Louisville is rated a shocking number 49 out of 50 by Parkscore. The Parkscore website claims the ranking is because of several factors, including the lack of easy access and the fact that only a small part of the city is park acreage. The newest addition to the city, the Parklands of Floyd’s Fork, might boost this rating. The Parklands contain 4000
acres (a total of 20 miles) of wide open green space for the purposes of hiking, biking, canoeing, fishing and, eventually, camping. Already the Parklands have attracted much attention for its sheer size, as well as location. Actually, locations. The Parklands stretch over Middletown, Jeffersontown, Fern Creek, and Mt. Washington. The grand opening of the two northernmost parks in the system, the Pope Lick and Beckley Creek parks, occurred September 6. The Parklands’ vast size will encompass four different parks: Pope Lick, Beckley Creek, Broad Run, and Turkey Run. Each park will be connected by many different trails and paths.
“We hope to have all the parks open by 2016, if possible,” said Ellen Doolittle, communications coordinator for 21st Century Parks, the organization in charge of the project. The hope is that the Parklands of Floyd’s Fork will become a regional destination, such as the popular Red River Gorge or Jefferson Memorial Forest, according to Doolittle. 21st Century Parks is a Louisvillebased non-profit organization that is affiliated with the National Parks Association. This is the organization’s first major project, but Doolittle said that they have already gotten requests from other states, and once they finish this project, there will definitely be
many more parks in their future. “These parks are going to be a great addition to Louisville,” said Jenna Fairneau (12, VA), president of the Manual Environmental Club. “Even though they are going to be built close to an industrial area, they are going to help to reclaim that area, and that’s what’s important.” Walking bridges, bike paths, and playgrounds are just the beginning of what is going to become a Louisville hotspot. More and more attention will be payed to the Parklands of Floyd Fork as the parks finish developing, attracting people from all over to “Possibility City.”
Green Transport WORDS BY COURTNEE HALL
Pedaling faster and faster, a biker pretends to race the cars, knowing that it is near impossible to win in the game of speed. But the biker feels victory in another sense: because of his choice to pick the bicycle over the car, he feels the world is cleaner. Though he may be only one person, he feels like he’s making a difference. According to the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA), in the first eight months of 2013, 10,605,005 electric cars were sold in America, as compared to the 274,555 sold in all 12 months of 2010. To accommodate these vehicles, the University of Louisville (UofL) Speed School of Engineering recently partnered with General Electric (GE) to install six charging stations in the
main parking garage on campus for electric cars. The Louisville Metro Government also added electric plugs to downtown parking garages. Other “green” methods of transportation have expanded as well. Bicycle lanes have been added to many main streets in the city, including Taylorsville Road and First Street. As part of Mayor Greg Fischer’s 2013-2014 budget that went into effect July 1, 28 new miles of bike lanes will be built to connect UofL to Old Louisville and to downtown this year. All of the paths can be found on ridethecity.com/ louisville. The green movement is growing, and Louisville is following in its footsteps.
“Erased Facebook account. Got better grades.” — Alexandra Thrailkill 12, HSU
Construction has begun on Turkey Run Park, one of the parks featured in the Parklands, which are scheduled to open in 2015. | Photo by Molly Loehr
“Made A’s, C’s, friends, and memories.” — Laura Daley 12, HSU
OCTOBER 2013
NEWS>> 05
PURPAlong With Me
A new non-profit organization takes Louisville by storm WORDS BY HALEY COBLE & DANIELLE BRIDGE | PHOTO BY ERIN WOGGON “Wait...PURP what?” This is the reaction of many people when someone mentions the name of the new Louisville-based movement PURP (People Uplifting Real People) Me quickly became a popular trend among Louisville high schools at the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year. The non-profit organization strives to help people find their purpose in life, come together, and help each other. “The focus is on helping others see that, no matter what physical or mental disabilities, every person has value and the need for unity,” according to the organization’s website. PURP Me spread like wildfire due to its use of social media such as Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. PURP Me’s Twitter account is constantly flooded with new information about the organization’s achievement and tweets from their 44,000 followers. The first PURP Me video was also released on YouTube on July 19, showing students volunteering, and passing out PURP Me wristbands. By September, the video had received 3,452 views. According to Jason Reynolds, one of the founders of PURP Me, the organization plans to release a new video soon that explains, in full, the goals of PURP Me and address any confusion. The organization reaches out to all
Louisvillians. Over the past few months, University of Louisville basketball player, Kevin Ware, signed autographs and attended PURP Me activities. On June 1, Ware tweeted, “new movement called purp I’m working on.” Ware is featured in all three of PURP Me’s YouTube videos. In addition to all the support, there is also a lot of skepticism about the organization and its motives. Because there is not a clear face for the organization, it is easy for people to write the movement off as a scam. PURP Me gets the word out about their mission not only through social media, but also by word of mouth and apparel advertising. On their website and app, wristbands and t-shirts displaying the PURP Me name and logo are sold. Initially, the PURP Me organization handed out the original wristbands for free to spread awareness of their cause. But people began to sell the bands for personal profit. This caused the PURP Me organization to resort to selling their wristbands as well. PURP Me organized awareness meetings at several parks around the Louisville area to gather groups of mainly teens to sell the wristbands. “Our original goal was for every one band that was sold, eight bands could be given away for free,” said Reynolds. Soon after, rumors spread that
“Mayes is the chillest principal ever.” — Kelsey Wendler 11, HSU
the teens, who were supposedly volunteering with PURP Me, were selling the wristbands at their high schools for various prices, and making a personal profit once again. “A lot of students just buy a lot of the wristbands off the website, then sell them to others for more money,” said Brennan Poole (10, HSU). “I think that defeats the message they are trying to send.” High schools prohibit the solicitation of items that are not previously approved by administration; the PURP Me bands were not previously approved. Because of the overwhelming amount of students who were, and still are, selling the wristbands for personal profit, PURP Me has discontinued the original wristband. “We aren’t even making the bands anymore,” said Reynolds. “We want kids to stop selling them. They are off of the website and everything.” PURP Me has since released new wristbands specially designed for seventeen different local Louisville high schools and five colleges that are for sale separately. Some Manual students, however, are fully supportive of the PURP Me organization. Lauren Fiscus (12, HSU) is trying to manufacture a schoolsponsored PURP Me team. “I think it’s a really good opportunity for people who don’t normally participate in service
to get involved,” said Fiscus. “It’s about both the people receiving the help and those who are giving it.” Despite the pictures of PURP Me supporters volunteering, some argue that PURP Me is a scam and only sells bracelets without acting on the values they believe in. “I think it is a terrible organization with no purpose,” said Thomas Neuteufel (12, MST). “They give away wristbands and shirts and call it service. I hate it.” Although the organization aims to connect others to their community by volunteering and building up others, many people have observed the lack of serving and surplus of “just wanting to fit in with the popular trend.” “Most people I’ve talked to don’t really care about the cause, they just want a wristband because a lot of people are wearing them,” said John Daniel (10, HSU). “I have [a wristband] because I actually want to get involved in the service aspect and live their message.” PURP Me is still a fledgling organization; its future is unknown. Where the organization will go and what it will do is all up to Louisvillians. Only time will tell if the organization will catch on and thrive or fade away as a temporary fad.
“We always have two first days.” — Brent Wesley 12, J&C
06 << NEWS
OCTOBER 2013
RACING TO MAKE HISTORY
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 139 YEARS CHURCHILL DOWNS HOSTED SEPTEMBER MEET WORDS BY JACK GROSSMAN | PHOTO BY SAM KLEIN History was made this September. Something never seen before in Louisville, Kentucky resulted in ecstatic cheers from horse race fans. Churchill Downs hosted a September Homecoming Meet for the first time in the historic race track’s 139 year history. The meet lasted from September 6 to September 29. The purpose of the meet was “to create new products for people across the country to enjoy, and to provide quality racing for more times throughout the year,” according to Darren Rodgers, a member of the Churchill Downs communications staff. Rodgers also said that the meet “gives a stable horse racing circuit in Kentucky from September to December (September Churchill Downs to Keeneland in October and back to Churchill Downs in November and December).” With the constant racing in the fall, the popularity of the sport will increase because of the amount of
opportunities to go to the race track. “Our job is to make people aware that we are here,” said Rodgers. The idea of a September meet arose in the summer of 2012. “We saw an opportunity, and are taking advantage of it,” said Rodgers. “It was something that we had considered in the past, but this is the first time we are going through with it.” Churchill Downs labeled the event the “September Homecoming Meet” because it was being used as a way to thank Kentucky horsemen. “Usually this time of year, horse owners go out of town, so we want Kentucky horsemen to stay in town,” said Rodgers. Churchill Downs believed that this was the best way to keep Kentucky horse owners to stay in-state or, more specifically, at Churchill Downs. In other words, they wanted the horse owners to come “home,” hence the name “homecoming.” Another reason that Churchill Downs decided to host the meet was
“Dressed for ID’s. Last year’s photo.” — Noah Rough, 11, J&C
to raise the amount of earnings that the winner of the race received. Earnings at Churchill Downs are high enough to compete with earnings at other tracks; Churchill Downs believed that this meet would help bring in the extra revenue that the race track needs. Churchill Downs believed that the meet could quadruple the amount of prize money to compete with other race tracks around the country. While the meet was not that much different from the traditional spring and fall meets that take place throughout each year, the September Homecoming Meet had a later post time. There was also a happy hour and increased entertainment for the September meet. Churchill Downs hosted the popular “Downs After Dark” series on September 28. The post time for “Downs After Dark” was 8 p.m. On September 14, Churchill Downs had a live telecast of the University of Louisville and University of Kentucky
football game on the jumbo television screen inside the track. On Fridays during the meet, there was a special 1:45 p.m. post time for people to visit Churchill Downs after school or work. Other post times included 12:45 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, and 8:00 p.m. for the Downs After Dark race. Churchill Downs was excited about the September Homecoming meet and was hoping for it to be a huge success financially and attendance-wise. They aimed to provide entertainment and to increase popularity of the sport of horseracing in general. Racing in September is nothing new around the world, however, it is new for Churchill Downs. Horse race lovers throughout Kentuckiana were able to take advantage and enjoy this new opportunity. Maybe this could be the start of a new Churchill Downs tradition.
“Seriously: Can I request seven words?” — Chris West, 11, HSU
OCTOBER 2013
MIKE
VS
NEWS>> 07
MAYES
STUDENTS WEIGH IN ON NEW PRINCIPALS AT MALE AND MANUAL WORDS BY COURTNEE HALL | ART BY JASMINE BROWNING
Do
you think the new principal is a good
or bad change for the school?
MALE Nicole King (12): “I don’t
think he is good or bad, I think he has a lot of good ideas for our school but he is still adjusting and getting a feel of how our school is but more importantly, how we act. On the first day of school, it was very overwhelming because he had a lot more strict
Have
rules that a few of us weren’t used to. Though as we have gone through the early school year, I think both students and Mr. Mike himself have adjusted. As a senior, he supports encourages us to cheer for our teams with respect. He has shown he doesn’t put up with bad behavior, which honestly isn’t a bad problem
MALE Kennedy Bishop
(11): “I used to think he was ridiculous, thinking he was going to come in and change everything, but he’s actually really chill. He doesn’t put up with the idiots at Male, like it’s
Why?
his way or the highway; you aren’t going to get away with it. But he clicks very well with most students. He doesn’t just care about football; he cares about all sports, but academics do come first.”
MANUAL Stephanie
at Male. The one thing he has cracked down on is people wandering through the halls. I think he will bring improvements to our school once he gets more accustom to the students because of what little I have talked to him, I can tell he is a respectable and nice guy if shown the same in return.”
you enjoyed your first month under
the new principals leadership?
Has
Why?
MANUAL Alex Ohin (12, MST) “He seems like a wonderful principal. Spending a good portion of my time at YPAS, it’s refreshing to see the principal visiting classes and asking questions. He’s very energetic and has a great sense of humor.”
your principal made any big changes
Doyle (10, YPAS): “I think he’s a good change. I’m only a sophomore, so I didn’t get to really know the old principal that well, but the whole time during my freshman year, I never heard anything about
What
is your impression of your
principal?
Personable? Strict?
MALE Cierra English
(10): “I think he’s good for Male High, somethings he doing for us is good. Teachers are getting down to the point and getting us ready for the ACT Prep.”
What
him. He seemed to just be there. Now the new principal I’ve heard much about. He seems to care a lot about his job and especially his students.”
MANUAL Hellary Zhang (12, MST) “He
seems like very personable guy and I like how he is trying to improve things around the school. I haven’t met him or anything, but most of my teachers have been pleased with what he has accomplished so far. I thought getting some of the paperwork and safety drills/evacuation requirements out of the way at the very beginning of the year was a great idea.”
is one change you would like for
already? If so, what?
your principal to make to your school?
MALE Anonymous: “There
MALE Jomiya Coleman
aren’t really any new rules yet, but old rules are being enforced more. Like, there can’t be food or drink in class, and we can’t leave the room unless it’s an emergency.”
MANUAL Curtis Lipsey (12, YPAS): “Yes,
he has. From what I understand, the new cell phone policy was Mr. Mayes’s idea. He definitely took the initiative on that. It’s a good change. Honestly, if the teacher is fine with it and students are using their phones to help with the work, I don’t see a problem with the policy.”
“I got into YPAS. Not Manual.” — Brynnan McNeil, 12, YPAS
(10): “I would like the five minutes before lunch, that he took away back. I want want them back because it makes my lunch shorter and it takes me while to get down to lunch.”
MANUAL Camilla Gallin (11,
MST): “I’d like dress code to be a little less stringent, for the sole purpose that it’s what defines the student body as it is. I get that clothes could be distracting, but those are some risks that a unique school like Manual has to take.”
“Yoga pants gone. Many are sad.” — August Wilcox, 12, HSU
08 << STUDENT LIFE
OCTOBER 2013
SYRIA
Struggles SYRIA’S RECENT CONTROVERSY CREATES A WORLD OF ISSUES
WORDS BY | DANIELLE BRIDGE
For the past couple of weeks, almost every national news station in America has centered around one single topic: Syria. Rebel activists in Syria have been fighting in Damascus, the Syrian capital, for months. The rebels’ goal is to get their president, Bashar Al- Assad, to step down because he will not produce constitutional reforms. A large amount of Syrian citizens are unhappy with the leadership by Assad, and are pushing to change the government to a democracy. On August 21, an alleged chemical attack on women, men, and children of all ages occurred in and around Ghouta, a city close to Damascus. Around 1400 people were killed by this chemical attack. Many American citizens, including President Barack Obama, believe the attack to have been ordered by the Syrian government itself. This belief is rooted in the rumor about Syria’s stockpiles of banned chemical weapons including sarin gas, which recently was discovered
Misunderstood
“Why is that girl wearing a scarf on her head? It’s 2013 and we’re in America. She’s probably a terrorist or something, Who knows. She doesn’t belong in this country.” As her palms become sweaty and her heart begins to race, the girl knows that she is being criticized against. This girl, Leyla Faqih (11. HSU), is judged daily because she wears a hijab, which is defined as the traditional covering for the hair and neck that is worn by Muslim women. Even though she was born in Yemen, she feels as though she is American. America is known as a melting pot. We seek immigrants, and immigrants seek us. But racism has always been in the American roots—even if we don’t want to admit it. Let’s go back to the seventeenth century, when Africans were used for labor and not wanted for anything else. Or when the JapaneseAmericans were forced to relocate to internment camps in the United States. Even now, there is still racism in the United States, against Middle-Eastern people and their practiced religions especially after Septemeber 11.. Being raised in America, Lela Faqih
to be a proponent of the chemical warfare used on August 21. Obama recently commented on the subject, saying, “We believe very strongly with high confidence that in fact chemical weapons were used and that Mr. Assad was the source,” according to the New York Times. Because this issue has been such a hot topic throughout the entire world, it is assumed that America will soon have to make a stand in the situation. Only the United States and France have shown an interest in following up with some sort of military action in Syria. Russian president Vladimir Putin made it clear in a meeting with Obama that a missile strike is not supported by Russia. Also, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that the Shia government of Iran and close Syrian ally, Russia, would work in “extensive cooperation” to protect Syria, according to a recent CNN article. The chief of Iran’s Quds Force unit recently spoke to media about the
THE LIFE OF A MUSLIM WOMAN AND HER STRUGGLES
(11, HSU) said, “I understand and I’m sympathetic to what happened on 9/11. I’m just as saddened by it as every other American.” Faqih has been wearing a hijab for eight years now. Muslim women don’t have to wear their hijab in front of their father, brothers, grandfather, young children, or uncles. But, they have the wear the hijab in front of anyone that they could consideringly marry—so according to their religion, they are required to wear one out in public. Faqih is taunted and teased because she wears a hijab. Stares and racist comments are said to Faqih, and some are said behind her back. “I try to contradict their preconceived notions about Muslims and the hijab. I try to be friendly and understanding. It’s just the lack of knowledge that makes people ignorant,” said Faqih. “It’s not my fault they think this. It’s the media.” The media overcovered the September 11 attacks, as to be was expected. A terrorist attack occurred and many lives were lost. But the story became overdeveloped. And along with these stories comes the people who believe that they are experts on
possibility of a United States missile attack on Syria, saying that Iran will back Syria “until the end.” These types of comments are what has many United States citizens concerned, seeing as the US just recently pulled troops out of Iran, stress is still at an ultimate high. Nadia Almasalkhi (12, MST) has family members in Syria and visited there every summer before 2010. The protests began around April of that year, and Nadia has not gotten the chance to visit again due to obvious safety reasons. The majority of her family members have either fled Syria and now are in the United States, or have become refugees in Lebanon. A few are still stuck in Syria due to lack of jobs in the US. “Syria needs strong military intervention,” said Almasalkhi. “If the US would have acted a year ago, or six months ago, it would be a completely different. We have been apathetic, and that’s infuriating.”
WORDS BY | LAUREN BOOTS
the topic, even though they are not After the September 11 attacks came conspiracies, and people thinking that every Middle-Eastern person is “out to get” Americans. “Pre-9/11, I feel like everything was good and everyone could get along. But afterwards, it was like everyone representing Islam is basically a bomb threat,” said Faqih. On September 10, I decided to wear a hijab out in public to see the reactions that people would give me, versus the reactions people give me without the hijab. I’ve been looked at differently before because I have alopecia and I am bald. When I don’t wear my wig out in public, people stare. Some people automatically assume I have cancer and ask me how long I’ve been in chemo, and some people just stare and that is all. I am not Muslim, of course. This was not for religious purposes. The reactions people gave me were intense; something I couldn’t even fathom. I had gotten stares that I have never seen before—the type of stares that you can feel on your skin and warm your cheeks. The type of stares that makes you feel unwanted and misunderstood.
No one reached out to me like they would have if I wasn’t wearing the hijab. As I walked along the sidewalk, almost everyone turned their heads. It felt as though I were literally in a movie. I can’t even imagine how Muslim women feel everyday. I can’t imagine how they even do it. They wear the hijabs so proudly, yet they get so discriminated against. It makes me sick. The world is full of misunderstanding people who are too narcissistic to even try to accept someone who isn’t similar to them. This proves that what Faqih said to me, “Media has divided everyone in the country. It’s Muslims versus NonMuslims. They’re making it between ‘them’ and ‘us’ and ‘we’ and ‘they’ to the point where Muslims are even afraid to say that they’re Muslim.” To all the Muslim women, you all are very strong. I can’t even grasp how you deal with these people who judge you so quickly. Keep being proud of your religion—it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Keep strutting that hijab, because the reactions of those ignorant people don’t define who you are—it defines what type of people they are.
OCTOBER 2013
MINGLING MAGNETS
STUDENT LIFE >> 09
IN THE
GET TO KNOW A FEW OF YOUR FELLOW CRIMSONS
WORDS BY | DANIELLE BRIDGE, GABRIELL VICTOR & GRACE ROTH | PHOTOS BY KELSI EMBRY & ERIN WOGGON
HSU
MST School, sports and homework are stressful enough for a typical Manual student, but how about adding researching an autoimmune disease to an already hectic schedule? Megh Kumar (MST, 10) has found a way to balance all of these things. During her freshman year, Kumar began researching an autoimmune disease called Lupus for her science fair project. She enjoyed it so much that today, Kumar is still researching in the labs at the University of Louisville. A branch of the disease is called Lupus Nephritis, which ultimately results in kidney failure, and Kumar is currently studying mutations of a protein that may cause Lupus Nephritis. However, with field hockey and school work, Kumar’s schedule gets pretty hectic. “It’s really hard juggling all these things. I basically work the minute I get home from school to the minute I go to sleep every school day,” said Kumar. During the summer Kumar volunteered at a hospital, and got a feel for what the medical field is like. “I liked that setting, and I realized that’s what I want to work in,” said Kumar.
VA
While most students are just getting back into the swing of things, Anthony Springate (12, VA) is hard at work. Springate is currently assembling a painting portfolio as well as a printmaking portfolio to submit to this year’s St. James Court Art Show Scholarship. “I only got an honorable mention in Scholastics for a silk screen print last year, so this year I’m working harder,” said Springate. Springate is hoping to receive the grand prize in either one or both of these categories. The grand prize for printmaking category is $2000 and the grand prize for 2-D painting is $4000. Manual students can only submit a limited number of portfolios to the contest so they jury each other and decide which works of art would be best to be submitted.
While most students are spending their summer with friends by the pool, Peyton Greenberg (HSU, 11) was spending it in Israel training for the Maccabi Games. The Maccabi Games are similar to the Olympics, but for athletes of the Jewish faith all over the world. Greenberg is a competitive swimmer on the Lakeside Seahawks swim team and tried out to compete in the Games. She spent three and a half weeks in Israel and came home with a gold medal in the 200 meter breaststroke along with two other silver medals. The prime minister of Israel welcomed the athletes, along with President Barack Obama via webcam, and Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas lit the torch. “I loved my team. They voted me team captain, and they’re all going to visit me too,” said Greenberg. Greenberg met athletes from all over that she still keeps in touch with. “It was the best summer of my life, and it was a great honor to represent our country, Kentucky, Louisville, and Manual,” said Greenberg.
YPAS Nick Struck (11, YPAS) will be taking on the role of Peter Pan at the Louisville Zoo this fall. Every year the Zoo and Meijer present The “Worlds Largest Halloween Party!” “I’m excited to play Peter Pan because I can be very energetic and really physical. We learned a lot about physical actions in theatre and I think it will really help me out with this role,” said Struck. Struck is not the only Crimson showing off their acting skills at the Zoo this fall Jada Jefferson (11, YPAS) Matthew Dant (11, YPAS), Carly Bartlett (12, YPAS) and Justice Burda (12, YPAS) will also be performing at the Zoo. The Halloween festivities will take place on October 4-6, 10-13, 17-20 and 24-27 and anyone can enter from 5-8:30 p.m.
J&C Alexa Pence (12, J&C) has received the Kentucky PTA’s Christa McAuliffe Rising Star Award in the high division level. The award is named after Christa McAuliffe, a teacher/ astronaut who died in the space shuttle crash in 1986. “I didn’t even know I was nominated until the Courier Journal called my house to get an interview with me,” said Pence. Pence was nominated by teacher Mrs. Liz Palmer (J&C). Pence was chosen because of her leadership skills and her self determination. Pence has her own magazine called “Aberrance Quarterly,” the first issue of which was published this summer in the Highlands for free. Read more about Pence and her award on the Courier Journal website.
“Too much work to get sleep.” -Luke Gibson 10, HSU
“Does anyone actually know the creed?” -Olivia Renfro 11, YPAS
10 << FEATURE
OCTOBER 2013
CALLING C in the
WITH A NEW CELL PHONE POLICY ON THE WAY, COULD A NEW ERA OF LEARNING BE IN THE FUTURE? WORDS BY CHRIS ROUSSELL & BREYA JONES | ART BY EMMA HARRIS | PHOTO BY SAM KLEIN The Jefferson County Public School Board passed the new cell phone policy on September 9 as a trial. Principals from Manual, Ballard, Seneca, Iroquois, Southern, Fairdale, Valley, and Waggener high schools headed the proposal.. The new policy suggests that students should be able to use their cell phones during lunch, between classes, and in class at the teachers’ discretion. The administrators suggested the policy because they saw that cell phones could be helpful in class. Students could use cell phones to stay up-to date on information, contact family in case of emergencies, and research information quickly in class. According to Greg Kuhn (Administration), the Manual will implement the policy after students get the waivers signed by parents. After the signed waiver, students may get a sticker to put on their ID. This is so that the administration can tell who has turned their forms in, and who can receive the privileges of the policy. Cell phones allow for information to be right at students’ fingertips. Emily Hu (10, HSU) believed that the policy could greatly benefit Manual. “You would have the ability to do research right from your desk,” said Hu. “Outside of school, it feels like we’re in the twenty-first century, but inside of school it feels like we’re still in the nineteenth.” Being able to use cell phones allows students to use their outside resources when needed. Some teachers see a way to implement the policy in their classrooms in order to help students access information easier. “As soon as we are clear on the boundaries of the policy, we will get started,” said Richard Sharp (History). Being in the back of the
“Using ‘du’ instead of ‘do.’” — Brady Ekman, 11, HSU
auditorium, Sharp is among a group of teachers that do not have immediate internet access. The quick access would allow students, especially in classes such as AP World History where topics are more complex, to research questions they don’t understand. This access to quick information could lead to a change in learning techniques and influence better class discussions. With this access to cell phones comes easier communication between parents and students. According to Krista Just (Guidance), parents often called into the office to tell their students information. Just said that the new policy would fix this situation by allowing for “immediate communication with children.” This instant communication would help parents and students be more organized, and relieve stress on both parties if there ever actually was an emergency. Not all students and teachers agree that the new policy will bring positive things. When students are given the more opportunities there is always a case of someone taking advantage of the situation. It is inevitable that some students will use their cell phones to text friends, browse the internet, and check social media at inappropriate times. For example, the students could use the cell phones in the hallways, resulting in heavy traffic and more tardies. Also, some teachers have no use for the new policy and think it is useless for their classroom because there are resources available in the school building. John Krysinski (Computer Applications) said that that there is no “educational value” for the policy on the high school level. Since half of his room is a
computer lab, Krysinski already has a large amount of internet access. With this access, Krysinski has no use for cell phones because the students do not have a need for more internet. “I don’t have a problem with cell phones, but how do you delineate between Google searches, inappropriate material, and texting your mom?” said Krysinski. Teachers are not the only people who have concerns over the policy. In fact, some students do not share the opinion of their peers. “I see it as more of a student want than a need,” said Matthew Stump (10, YPAS). Stump saw the problem that most had pointed out: students using their phone for personal reasons, such as texting, social networking, and cheating. Although there are many obvious flaws, other students have pointed some less obvious ones. “There might be more traffic in the halls,” said Neela Saha (11, MST). Saha felt that because students will be busy in the halls using their cell phones, it will take longer to get from class to class. With mixed feelings from students, staff, and parents on the policy, its one-year trial will be one to watch closely. The policy can be very helpful to students and teachers progressing them forward in this technological world of today. Or it could be abused; there is a lot of responsibility falling on high school students who use their phones often. It might be difficult for students to be able to go from using their phone one minute to getting in trouble for it the next. It will be great test to see how mature high school students can be when given freedom.
“My circadian rhythm is basically nonexistent.” — Chris Bird, 12, YPAS
CELL PHONES
OCTOBER 2013
% 9 6
eir e th l s u s nt choo ude s of st ones in h p
FEATURE>> 11
% 6 9 ve a a h nts e e d u n of st ell pho c
What do students use their phones for in school?
24%
Texting
9% Internet
21%
Other: listening to music, checking time and email
Social Media
7%
Texting & Research
22%
Texting, checking time, email and/or listening to music
15%
*260 Manual students were polled using ballot-style sheets on September 6, 2013 “...Of lofty purpose and democratic ideals.” — Emilee McCubbins, 10, HSU
“Dress code’s probably just a suggestion.” — Hailee Bowling, 12, YPAS
12 << STUDENT LIFE NO
OCTOBER 2013
YES
FINDERS KEEPERS,
LOSERS WEEPERS
WORDS BY CHRIS ROUSSELL, KENDALL KEELING & JOSHUA JEAN-MARIE | ART BY MEG SHANKS
88%
12%
DO YOU USE YOUR LOCKER?
46%
54% DO YOU FEEL SAFE LEAVING YOUR BELONGINGS IN THE CLASSROOM?
16%
84% HAVE YOU EVER HAD ANYTHING STOLEN AT MANUAL? *Poll taken from a sample of 225 manual students
Although theft is an everyday occurrence, it is one that can be easily prevented. These are some tips according to the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC). First, avoid calling attention to your valuables. Keep your phone on silent during school. If your phone rings during school hours, it may attract unwanted attention. Also, if you are listening to an iPod or other music player, tuck it in your pocket as you are walking around the hallways. This can make it less accessible and less noticeable to thieves. Lastly, do not flaunt your valuables, or brag about them to your peers. You never know who may be watching. Secondly, do not bring your valuables to school. This may seem like a very obvious way to prevent theft, but it is highly effective. If you do not put your valuables in a position to be stolen, for example bringing them to school, then there is no way they can be stolen. Also, bring only enough money for the day, and leave all the extra cash at home. There is no need to risk losing
more than you have to. Thirdly, never leave valuables unattended, which includes in vehicles and lockers. Most items are stolen when they are left alone, for example, if you leave your backpack unattended. Always have an eye on your belongings, and keep your personal items close. This translates to items in your car too. Never leave valuables in plain sight. When leaving your car for school, makes sure it is locked and both windows and doors are fully closed. Thieves know that parking lots are deserted and without security cameras during school hours, this is when they will target your vehicles. Lastly, secure your locker at all times. Make sure you, and only you, know the code to your locker, and always double check to make sure your locker is locked. This includes checking that the locker is shut from top to bottom, and spinning the dial a few times to ensure no one can crack your code. Preventing theft is one thing, but dealing with theft is another. When something of yours gets stolen, there
are always some things you can do. One of the most important things you can do when you first discover something belonging to you has been stolen, is to write down what items are missing. This way, if you do decide to file a police report, it will help the police when recovering your stolen property. Immediately after writing down a list of stolen items, contact the authorities. Make sure to have the location, time, and date of the theft. Do not wait. The quicker you report the theft to the authorities, the better chance you have of your belongings being recovered. Also, if there was anyone else who witnessed the theft, give the information of that individual to the authorities as well. The more information, the better. School is a place we generally think of as safe, and students should not have to worry about issues such as theft. Unfortunately we live in a society where bad things do happen. We just keep in mind “it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
During football practice on August 5, a thief walked into Manual’s football locker room unnoticed. The suspect of the crime is an unidentified AfricanAmerican male. The thief stole expensive items (four phones and wallets, including debit cards and driver’s licences). Ryan West (12, HSU) found help from Reese West (10, HSU), Matthew Motley (9, HSU), and George Dailey (12, HSU) tracking the whereabouts of Ryan West’s iPhone using the “Find
My iPhone” application. The players tracked Ryan West’s phone to an apartment building next to YPAS, and then contacted the police. Upon, their arrival, the police questioned West and the residents of the house. West went out and bought a lock after the incident. He said that to prevent school sports theft, “ [we just need to] keep doors locked and make sure to put locks on lockers during sports team’s practices.” Russell Rigdon (Coach & Security)
reviewed the security tape and captured a photo of the suspect. Rigdon then called a JCPS investigator and filed a police report. He said that since the theft, “Doors are locked when no one is present…and we make sure we keep an eye out for anyone that looks suspicious.” Even through all this, the thief and the stolen items have yet to have been found.
Crimson Crime
“All the time working, no time twerking.” — Andrew Livera, 11, MST
“Take pride, Crimson till I die.” — Matthew Marino, 11, HSU
OCTOBER 2013
Funding Fiasco
STUDENT LIFE>> 13
YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE BEST OUT OF WHAT YOU HAVE WORDS BY | GRACE ROTH AND COURTNEE HALL
The white screen stares back at you and the mouse continues to spin in ominous circles as the seconds tick by. Class is halfway over and you’ve only gotten through a portion of your work. Every student has experienced the frustration of slow school computers at some point in their lives. Before you know it, the bell rings and you haven’t even connected to the internet yet. In other words, “the struggle is real.” From slow computers, to lack of textbooks, as well as other needed discretionary funds, the answer seems simple: order more materials that are needed. However, the situation is much more complex than that. Every year, the budgets for each school is distributed by the district. And every year, the budget fluctuates. This is due to more than just the board witholding money. What is happening in the US government at the time affects the budgets as well. This number is based on student population at each school as well as socioeconomic status of the students (free/reduced lunch students). Manual only has about 17% of students on free or reduced lunch as compared to other schools such as Pleasure Ridge Park who has about 55% of its students on free or reduced lunch. Schools with a high percentage of students with that situation are known as “Title One” schools. These schools receive significantly more funding than schools such as Manual, which has less kids of
that socioeconomic class. The budget includes teacher salaries, so that is the first priority of how the budget is spent. “When we first get the budget, it looks like this great big number, but then you start taking money out for teacher salaries and it turns out we don’t have all that much,” said Jerry Mayes (Administration). Mayes, as well as other Manual faculty, would love to see better technology and as many textbooks as students need, but the money just does not exist. “There is five million dollars in the district right now to give to classroom support, and Manual didn’t get any of it because we didn’t meet the bar,” said Mayes. Textbooks are not a part of the school’s discretionary budget. The board of education allows each school a set amount of money for textbooks, all of which must be spent on textbooks and textbooks alone. According to Greg Kuhn (Administration), around 60,000 dollars is funded to Manual specifically for textbooks. Each textbook costs 100 dollars, so Manual can purchase approximately 600 textbooks each year. Every school year, a different department at Manual is allowed to purchase new textbooks, but only one department. Teachers put in their requests for what they need around January. Last year, the Social Studies classes were the chosen department,
“Excited to come. Prepared to leave.” - Jocelyn Porter 12, J&C
and English was the year before that. Sometimes classes have to settle for class sets rather than textbooks for each student. “Really, we don’t have enough to buy all the textbooks we need,” said Kuhn. This explains why some departments hold out-of-date textbooks, as they have to wait for the cycle to go through all the other departments before returning to theirs once again. On the other hand, some teachers request to only have class sets of textbooks, seeing as they only do a small amount of work with the textbooks. The students see this in effect every day. “I took a class last year that required a ton of extra studying, but we couldn’t have copies of the textbook because there were so few,” said Emilee McCubbins (10, HSU). But Mayes is attempting to fix part of the technological problem Manual endures. “The main reason I put in that waiver for cell phones is because I knew that the technology on many students’ smart phones is quicker and more advanced than those computers we have here,” said Mayes. (For more on the new cell phone policy, see pages 10 and 11.) Most of the money is raised separately by different magnets, through fundraising and fees. “Almost anything you see that is really cool and modern, they were not purchased by the school,” said Kuhn. Living in today’s day and age,
students often crave high tech computers and tablets. If Manual tried to get Mac computers instead of HPs, the district would fight it. The district knows how to fix broken HPs, and would not have to spend great amounts of money hiring an “Apple Genius” to fix them, as would be the case with Macs. Some students understand this and agree that education comes first over shiny new toys. “As a school, I think the budget should prioritize on things that affect the greater good, utilitarianism,” said Minsu Kim (12, MST). “New textbooks, less extraneous things that might not completely be academic, though entertainment is a fun factor in student enjoyment. It is a school first before anything else.” Some students believe that Manual’s resources, though not perfect, are reasonable. “I think there is ample funding for the school,” said Kevin Puaphan (MST, 11). “I mean we don’t need to be spoiled with technology— although it would be nice—because of how Manual’s teaching style is. I feel that Manual is funded just enough to where it needs to be to show that it’s one of the top schools in the nation.” Though both students and staff want the best of the best for the school, they have to learn to make do with what they have. Education comes before fancy computers and Apple products. “At the end of the day, the bills have to get paid,” said Mayes.
“Joined the band, never left school.” - Bethany Lillie 12, YPAS
14
<<OPINION
OCTOBER 2013
DRILLS, DRILLS, DRILLS
FIRST TWO DAYS OF SCHOOL? MORE LIKE TWO DAYS OF DROOL WORDS BY BREYA JONES
Sit down, drills. Stand up, drills. but I have to spend five hours with Pass out, drills. Wake up, drills. Sound them waiting for the next drill to be familiar? It should because that was announced. I thought that would be the the first two days of school. Two last of my problems, but of course why long, boring days with hardly any would that be true? instruction. It was absolutely absurd I was in class, finally starting to get how much downtime we were given. I a feel for things, when the bell rang. can’t believe that this schedule change This bell was the starting gun in a race actually happened. The days were full of confusion. Students and teachers of boredom, sleep, drills, confusion, and alike were running around in a state downtime. of perpetual disarray. Every time the As if the first two days of school class ended abruptly, I was caught off aren’t bad enough for students, as guard and had to scramble to collect Start writing a caption here. Captions should soon as I walked into my homeroom my thoughts and things. I could see the not have an indention. If there are multiple my teacher said flat out, “I don’t like same look on my peers’ and teachers’ photographers on a story, indicate which sophomores.” I’m a sophomore in a class photographer took this photo (not necessary iffaces. Over the course of those two full ofone sophomores, andstory). you don’t like days, I heard every teacher say, “Oh, it’s only photog on the | Photo by Name. me! Now not only do I have a teacher over already? We’ll go over the syllabus that has a dislike for my whole grade, next class.” I have never in my years
of getting syllabi had to wait until the second time I had class to go over the syllabus. The administrators said the change in schedule was to “reduce interruption.” Now I might not be in MST, but I’m pretty sure the five hours we spent in homeroom doing absolutely nothing was more interruptive than the hour it would have taken to just complete the drills. The downtime that we had took up most the day. The first two days of school are supposed to be informational, not a time to do nothing. They didn’t meet the first two days criteria, or school criteria for that matter. School is supposed to be “bell to bell” instruction, not bell to drill
DRESS TO IMPRESS? MAYBE NOT
It’s a hot August morning, and it is finally that time. The time many girls look forward to: outfit time. I comb my clothes racks and drawers, looking for something cute to wear, and everyday I come to the same realization: my options are strictly limited. The dress code at Manual states, “In order to create a serious climate conducive for learning and to prepare students for a successful transition to the business world, certain dress expectations are necessary for Manual/ YPAS student and staff.” Reasonable? Yes, schools should have some guidelines for clothing to maintain an appropriate environment; however, parts of Manual’s dress code are much too strict and don’t work for every girls’ body type (to whom most of the rules are focused). My issues with the dress code begin
with the shoulder rule. All shirts worn during the school day have to have sleeves. I understand the premise of the rule. Obviously people’s shirts shouldn’t be falling down. But why aren’t straps good enough? Shoulders are not attractive body parts; they’re just shoulders. Personally, I never look at someone and think, “Those are some fine shoulders.” They aren’t distracting, and I believe they wouldn’t interfere with learning. And even if my shoulder distracts someone, how is that my fault? I shouldn’t have to sacrifice my numerous dresses and tank tops because a weird guy is staring at my shoulder. I propose a three-finger rule. Straps have to be at least three fingers in width. This way students can wear sleeveless garments without being revealing.
“Legions of incredibly awkward MST freshmen.”— Avery Rondinelli 11, J&C
instruction with way too much time in between. Who did these days help? No one, You could make an argument for it helping the freshman get used to the school, but if I were one, I’d be more confused than anything else. In my eyes, the first two days were boring, stupid, unnecessary, unhelpful, time-wasting days that could have been spent learning about my teachers and what they expect instead of sitting in a class with a self-proclaimed sophomore-hater. I would never want to go though such an unproductive day again in my life. If this is next year’s schedule, I better bring things to do and cross my fingers so that I don’t get a teacher who dislikes my whole class.
DRESS CODE CROSSES THE LINE WORDS BY ERIN WOGGON
Here’s something else: the yoga pants rule. While some girls wear compression pants to show off their bodies, others just wear them for comfort. Sometimes we don’t have the energy or want to squeeze into an uncomfortable pair of jeans. Yoga pants are just as comfortable as sweatpants but make us look a little more put together. Some administrators would say they interfere with learning, but I would have to disagree. In almost all classes, students will be sitting down the whole block. No bodies are being displayed in tight pants through a seat. The problems don’t stop there, with a dress code that requires all pants, skirts, and dresses to be past your fingertips. There should be a certain length guideline, but this is not the right one. All shorts look different on different girls. Taller girls look like their
shorts are shorter than smaller girls’. Some girls have really long arms so some dresses don’t technically fit the dress code but look totally appropriate. Situations like this (having long arms) make even finding shorts or skirts to wear really difficult, which is a struggle in the hot first and last months of school. Most of the rules in the dress code are focused toward the girls in our school, which strictly limit what we can wear to school on a daily basis. We want to be able to feel comfortable, but also look like we actually gave an effort in our appearance. Please administrators, consider my words. I start sweating just looking at the outfit I have to wear because it’s the only thing that fits the dress code: jeans.
“Wait, I didn’t have homework, right?” — Emilee McCubbins 10, HSU
OCTOBER 2013
A WHOLE NEW WORLD (MAYBE)
OPINION >> 15
REVIEW OF CASSANDRA CLARE’S “CITY OF BONES” WORDS BY COURTNEE HALL It’s a popular trend in Young Adult novels nowadays. The character’s parent (yes, there’s often only one) has sheltered him/her for all of the protagonist’s childhood. But a strange turn of events (usually dangerous) leads to the main character discovering this hidden and/or magical world. And believe it or not, the hero/heroine soon finds his/her niche in this mystical place. It happened to Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Ethan Wate, and yes, to Clary Fray, the main character of the Mortal Instruments series. As you can see, I’ve decided to take a different route with this review; I’m not going to be as sweet anymore. Now, I’m not completely dissing the plot
idea—I am a diehard Potter fan—but the theme’s starting to lose its glamor (Percy Jackson pun. Anyone get it? Nope? Never mind then.) In “City of Bones,” Clary Fray starts out as your average teen, struggling to find her fit in the monstrous world welive in. But she stumbles upon a trio of demon hunters, just by chance. And that’s when things get crazy, and she finds out that the world she lives in is a bit more monstrous—or monster-filled—than she had previously suspected. When I put it that way, we can all see the parallels The Mortal Instruments series draws with other novels, right? “Twilight” anyone? “City of Bones” is not all bad
by lola
Women often want the fairytale. They grow up watching Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty and wait anxiously for their prince to arrive in his glittering armor. They want to be swept off their feet and carried up the spiral staircase to happily ever after. But what happened to chivalry? Why don’t men open the car door anymore? What happened to pulling out a girl’s chair for her? Or helping her put her jacket on? Many men no longer make an effort to be polite. It is like what Katy Perry sings, “If it is not like the movies, that is how it should be.” In the movies the men hold the door open for a woman, pay for her on the date, is happy to hold her hand. But in reality women open their own doors, and quite frankly men would rather grab her butt rather than her hand. It seems like the act of chivalry has come to a standstill, and gentlemen
are far and few between. Why is that? And why are women getting upset with men when they do not treat them with respect? Well, women, look in the mirror. “Ladies” are the counterpart to gentlemen. So why aren’t there many gentlemen? Maybe because there are no longer many “ladies.” Feminism is the movement that took off in the 60s when women said they should have opportunity and professional treatment equal to that of men. The problem is being “equal” to men also eliminates the man’s need to impress the woman. Many songs of the twenty-first century even talk about independent women and how women are finding themselves no longer in the home, but at the office, living their lives without being dependent on a man. According to 2012 Catalyst Census, women made up 47.9% of the workforce in 2012. So why should
“Life is hard; keep on truckin’.” — Cassondra Perkins, 11 HSU
though. Just like all these other books it parallels, it holds its own wonder and magical draw. The concept of demon hunters prowling the streets at night to keep mankind safe from a slew of wicked beasts is awesome to imagine. I honestly could not put the book down once I got past the first few chapters (coincidentally, how long it took Clary to enter this new world). My fingers were littered with paper cuts from how fast I was flipping the pages...not really, but you catch my drift. And what did I immediately do once I finished this lovely novel? Snatch up the sequel of course! It had me talking nonstop to my family and friends about it. And it had me counting down the days until the
movie came out (which I still have not seen, much to my dismay). So what I’m saying is there is a reason a quote from Stephenie Meyer appears on the cover of the novel. But that’s not entirely terrible. I would give it a shot. Who knows, you may love it. I know I have a secret love for this overdone plot line, and I assume many of you do too, whether you admit it or not. We all have that guilty pleasure, it’s much better for it to be a book than something more...well, you know. Seriously, pick up the book, get through the first few chapters and see what you feel.
a man bother being chivalrous when these women are obviously capable of taking care of themselves? The media has also changed the way women are depicted. When the show I Dream of Jeannie was released in 1965, there was huge controversy over her navel being exposed. Now, naked women or sex scenes in movies are often considered socially acceptable and normal. Is the lack of preservation of the woman’s body a part of the lack of chivalry? Whether sex before marriage is a big deal to some or not, the idea of staying pure has changed drastically over the years. A study published in Pediatrics showed that 12- to 14-year-olds exposed to the most sexual content in movies, music, magazines, and on television were 2.2 times more likely to have had sexual intercourse when re-interviewed two years later than their peers who
had a lighter sexual media diet. What does this all mean? Men are looking at women objectively, not intellectually. And women are letting themselves come off as sex symbols in the things they wear and do. So from both parties, privacy, modesty, and respect of their bodies has gone down. Drastically. Girls, to keep from coming off as an object, the best thing you can do is do what you think is right. Do not do anything because you think it is expected of you or you think that person will leave you, or even that you will be judged. Do something because you want to and are ready and that would require a mutual respect from both the people in the relationship. Respect in my opinion is the best thing for a good, fun, and healthy relationship. If there is respect, everything else will fall into place.
“Better school. Better teachers. Best life.” — Nakoma Ehrhart 12, YPAS
16 << RAMPAGE
OCTOBER 2013
JUST FOR KICKS The sun beats down the soccer field as Emina Ekic (9, MST) races toward the goal. Beads of sweat glistens on her forehead as her eyes narrow in on the weak spot the goalie has left unprotected. The crowd disappears behind her; it’s just her and the goalie. She swings her leg back as nerves bubble inside like boiling water. She has to prove herself, the upperclassmen on her team are watching. As her foot makes contact with the speckled ball, all the nerves fly away with it. The ball dances across the clear sky and into the goal, jerking the net backwards in triumph. The team of seniors and juniors watch her play with impressed looks upon their faces. Her soccer skills leave lasting impressions on Ekic’s teammates. “She is the best soccer player that have I ever met in the entire world, ever,” said Molly Schoering (11, HSU), one of Ekic’s teammates.
A freshman has all the right moves for the girls’ varsity soccer team WORDS BY BREYA JONES | PHOTO BY MOLLY LOEHR
Ekic made 10 goals in three games allowed on the field at a time and 12 at the beginning of the school year, an seniors.” impressive feat for any soccer player. If When one looks at Ekic’s family, it is she’s doing this well already, then there unsurprising that she made the varsity is a great probability of her doing well team. Soccer runs in her blood. “My in the future, whether speaking about dad plays, and he’s the one who trained rest of her years me,” said Ekic. Ekic at Manual, in credits her father college, or in as the reason she the professional first started playing league. soccer. Since the Playing lessons began, Ekic on varsity is has been playing on not new to teams and in her free Ekic, who has time. All of those been on an years of playing and Emina Ekic (9, MST) sprints toward the goal training seemed to elite squad through Male’s defense. since middle have paid off. “He school. It is new, however, to be playing took me to the soccer field and taught alongside seniors. “When I made the me how to shoot and dribble,” said Ekic. team, it surprised me,” said Ekic. “I knew “We would run the field 10 times, and it would be full of seniors, who are bleachers seven or eight. He helped starters. Rick, the soccer coach, does keep me in shape.” not cut seniors. There are only 11 people Ekic has big aspirations when it
AN EARLY START
High school sports are extremely competitive. So it only makes sense that coaches want the best of the best on their team rosters. With high school recruitment being illegal, coaches have to make do with what they can. They offer eighth graders—prospective freshman—opportunities to practice with the high school team, to attend sports camps, and simply learn about the sport program at any chance they can find. Many current Manual students were attracted to Manual for sports as well as academics. Alex Koby (9, MST) practiced with the Manual wrestling team last year as an eighth grader before joining for the 2013-2014 school year. “I was persuaded to wrestle by the coaches by saying that the hard work put into wrestling would pay off,” said Koby. “The coaches were easier on me sometimes [during practices] because I was an eighth grader.” One way that coaches try to reach
comes to her soccer future. She wants to go on to play college, and maybe even professional soccer. These dreams are what keeps her Ekic driven while playing, but this is not the only reason she plays; it’s as way to relax after school. Ekic also plays ping pong and basketball, but she said that soccer is not only the one she is best at, but it is also her favorite. The sound returns around her as the crowd goes crazy, she is beaming. She has just made her first goal on duPont Manual’s varsity team. There is not time to celebrate though because the game must go on. Still, Ekic has just enough to time to reflect on this scene that will be recreated again and again. The rest of the game is continued with a brilliant smile on her flushed face. This is where she is happy. This is where she has fun. This is where she belongs.
Manual has a magnetic attraction that pulls athletes in WORDS BY JACK GROSSMAN
out to student-athletes to increase interest of a particular sport program is by having clinics or camps over the summer. “We try to bring in as many kids as we can to camp, make it fun, and teach them some things about the game,” said Jeff Sparks (History), head coach of the girls’ basketball team. “This will hopefully peak the interest of those student-athletes interested in Manual High School.” Cory Bleuel’s (10, VA) attraction to Manual manifested when he attended a Manual baseball camp. Bleuel said, “I went to a Manual camp in seventh grade, and I learned some good baseball fundamentals.” Other than the camp, the coaches did not do anything else to try to attract him. Wrestling coach Tim Harbison said, “Most kids come to Manual for academics, (or if for sports) football or basketball; not usually wrestling.” Harbison said that he lets students know about the wrestling program by
using the video announcements to get students to workout and practice with the team. “When other coaches cut players, we have them inform the kids about wrestling,” said Harbison. First year baseball coach, Matt Timbario, believes that students should be able to choose what sport they play on their own. “If a kid is interested and comes out, I am more than willing to work with him and try to make him the best baseball player he can be,” said Timbario. “It is up to him if he is willing to put in the time and effort. Hopefully, in the future the success of the program will draw the students’ attention to want to come out [and play baseball].” The expected time for coaches to get in touch with students is during the eighth grade open house. During this time, all of Manual’s athletic coaches set up stations in the gym for eighth graders to see what sports they are interested in. At all of the stations, coaches try to attract the students to their program,
and Manual in general, by talking about their sport and handing out information. All of the camps, practices, and booths aside, the main way coaches try to increase the interest of their sport program is to pitch Manual’s prestige. “One of the great things about Manual is that, in so many ways, the tradition and success of the school speaks for itself,” said Sparks. “Having been on the outside looking in, we always knew there are a large number of students and student-athletes who will place Manual as one of, if not their top choice.” At some schools, coaches have to sell the school to the students in order to build their teams. But at Manual, the coaches have the luxury of kicking back and letting the school act as the magnet it is, attracting students from all over Jefferson County. Whether they come for academics or athletics, students seek out Manual, making the coaches’ jobs easier.
OCTOBER 2013
RAMPAGE>> 17
Braden VanMeter, (11) watches intensely as Manual field hockey battles Sacred Heart
TITLE IX, PROTECTING ATHLETES EVERYWHERE
Braden VanMeter aspires to play field hockey and puts discrimination behind him WORDS BY SAM KLEIN | PHOTOS BY SAM KLEIN
Title IX is an Education Amendment that is infamously known for helping women break into sports and no longer be discriminated due to their gender. This allowed new women’s sports to be created and more women to become prominent players and coaches. But what some people fail to realize is that Title IX also acts as a law that can protect men’s rights as well. Braden VanMeter (11, J&C) is an aspiring field hockey player that is protected by these rights stated in Title IX, due to
the fact that there is no technical male equivalent to field hockey. VanMeter is allowed to play and tryout for the girls’ field hockey team and can not be discriminated against because of his gender. VanMeter first began playing after he watched his cousin play for Seneca. “It always looked fun when I watched and I knew my aunt had a ton of sticks, so I asked her if I could have one and it all started there,” said VanMeter. What first was just an attraction to the game his cousin played, quickly became a hobby. VanMeter taught himself by watching hundreds of Youtube videos and now practices in his front- and backyard everyday to try to take in what he saw in the videos and test it out himself. VanMeter’s skills have enhanced to a greater level, and he can perform just as well as many of the girls that have been playing for multiple years. Tryouts for the Manual field hockey team were held July 15, and many of
the players were shocked that they did not see VanMeter’s face. “I backed out at the last minute because I got extremely nervous and intimidated,” said VanMeter. He knew that though he had the skills to play at the high school level, that he might not be at
{ } Some of the coaches from other schools may say that it's unfair for me to play against all girls because I'm too overpowering. — Braden Vanmeter (11, J&C)
the same level as some of the girls on the team. “I don’t play in any leagues over the offseason even though I really want/need to because they are just way too expensive,” said Vanmeter. The leagues that most of the Manual team participates in during the offseason improve skills dramatically and help the players keep in shape while not
practicing and playing for Manual. Along with the fear of not being as good as some of the players on the team, VanMeter was also scared of some of the discrimination that he might have faced while playing on a girls’ team. “Some of the coaches from other schools may say that it’s unfair for me to play against all girls because I’m too overpowering, or simply, because I’m a guy,” said VanMeter. Though he is fearful of this, he just wants to get the chance to play even if it is known as a girls sport. “I get along better with girls and I don’t fit in with the type of guys that play lacrosse. Field hockey is just better for me,” said VanMeter. Even though VanMeter let his nerves get the best of him this year, it his intention to tryout next year. “My parents are extremely supportive and don’t give me any problem for wanting to play,” said VanMeter. VanMeter just wants to play, and Title IX is going to protect that right.
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OCTOBER 2013
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FUTURE EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION IN COLLABORATION WITH
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OCTOBER 2013
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Ranked #1 in the nation for study abroad (Institute of International Education) and #5 in the nation for "Best Undergraduate Faculty" (2013 U.S. News & World Report)