March 2024

CLICK! FLIP! STREAM! March 2024 THE COURIER Volume 16 Issue 5 2840 E Orange Rd, Lewis Center, Ohio, 43035 The Evolution of Modern Media TAKE ROLL SCENE DIARY OK

2 MARCH A D S DESIGNER | MAKENNA SHRAGER

TABLE OF CONTENTS STAFF EDITORS TAYLOR GOUDIE | WRITING NICK WOOLARD | WRITING MAKENNA SHRAGER | DESIGN KARI PHILLIPS EDITORS IN CHIEF ADVISER MARCH 3 AVA VALENTIK | NEWS & CULTURE ADAM WELCH | SPORTS & COLUMNIST MOLLY SULLIVAN | OPINION LUNA PEREZ DELGADO | FEATURE ABI WYKOFF | COPY EDITOR NATALIA FAVILA INACUA | BUSINESS NATHAN STATEN | BUSINESS CAROLINE ALBERT | PROJECTS AUDREY SELSOR | DESIGN & PHOTO LILLY WOOD | DESIGN & PHOTO VALENTINA URBAEZ | COLUMNIST MALAK CHAHBOUB ZION CLIFTON CHAYCE GIDDENS LINCOLN HAKE MIA HARRINGTON ELLA KIRK ABBY KUILAN SHIV MAJMUDAR MACKENNA MILLER REEMA MOHAMED RAFIQ HIYA PATEL REBEKAH RICHTER SAVANNA SMITH TOC DESIGNER | MAKENNA SHRAGER CHECK OUT THE COURIER’S ONLINE SITE! ALL YOUR FAVORITE WRITERS AND DESIGNERS GO DIGITAL. SCAN THE CODE WITH YOUR CAMERA TO BE TAKEN DIRECTLY THERE! COVER DESIGNER | MAKENNA SHRAGER 3 P. 12 P. 6 P. 9 P. 19 P. 23 P. 25 Adding Onto AP Click! Flip! Stream! Catch a Chance Standing on Business I was Lovin’ it Bad Apple

STAFF EDITORIAL the downfall of children’s tv WRITER THE EDITORIAL STAFF | DESIGNER HIYA PATEL S T A F F E D I T O R I A L 4 MARCH . EDITORIAL STATEMENT The Courier is the official student-produced medium of news and information published by the Advanced Newspaper Journalism students of Olentangy Orange High School. The Courier has been established as a designated public forum for student journalists to inform, educate and entertain readers as well as for the discussion of issues of concern to their audience. It will not be reviewed or restrained by school officials, adults or sources prior to publication. The content of The Courier is determined by and reflects only the views of the student staff and not school officials or the school itself. The Courier will not publish any material, determined by the staff or adviser, that is libelous, obscene or disruptive to the school day. The adviser is Kari Phillips. Readers may respond to The Courier through Letters to the Editor. Letters may be mailed, e-mailed to thecourierstaff@ gmail.com or dropped off to room 2213. The staff asks that submissions be 300 words or less and contain the author’s name and signature. Editors reserve the right to edit or withhold publication of letters. The Courier strives to uphold the Canons of Professional Journalism, which includes accuracy, impartiality, etc. Therefore, major errors will be corrected in the next issue. Distinction will be marked between news and opinion stories. Long gone are the days of “The Backyardigans”, Dora teaching kids Spanish, and the child music geniuses the Little Einsteins. Instead, we’ve traded in those gems for shows like “Cocomelon" which some consider as a newer term, “brain rot”. But do shows for children seem dumber now, or are we just older and recognize the childishness? Writer, Sujay Utkarsh from Carnegie Mellon’s The Tartan newspaper said that childhood media is indeed getting dumbed down. In Sujay’s search, he went down two rabbit holes: one being a binge of childhood classics that he grew up on and the other being the current younger generation’s enjoyment. Sujay found that the shows he watched as a kid still held up and could clearly identify the issues being addressed in shows like “Good Luck Charlie” and “Courage the Cowardly Dog”. However, Sujay described the newer shows as flashy with an eccentric tone. Sujay even said they make the viewer think they are too stupid to understand deep points. We have to agree with Sujay’s opinion. Shows targeted for younger audiences don’t hold the same volume that they once did on audiences. When we were little, even our parents found enjoyment in shows like “Good Luck Charlie”. The production companies also seem to agree that shows from the early 2000s are better quality than newer material being put out. With reboots being spewed out in recent years, “That’s so Raven” “ICarly”, and a recently announced new “Wizards of Waverly Place” series, which went into production earlier this year. While views might increase from the audience getting to see familiar characters again, nostalgia bait can only support the aging audience that is now in their early to mid 20’s rather than nine years old. We believe companies like Disney and Nickelodeon should use old shows as models on how to make fresh content for the new generation rather than simply just revert back to the old show entirely and expect young kids to resonate with characters they’ve never even seen before. However, many production companies are also just pivoting to shows that aren’t cable centered, and release on streaming platforms rather than time slots throughout the day. As a result, younger audience focused shows on streaming have less quantity of episodes, but higher production costs. We can see the difference when looking at old Disney Channel shows that focused on the same set each episode, compared to Disney’s new Percy Jackson series, which sees the characters in various locations in its eight episodes. It’s unclear if we will even have cable television in future decades, as streaming continues to rise, but we, as a staff, encourage production companies to use the old cable shows as models for the themes that transcend time. We don’t support reboots of previous shows but original storylines with similar themes. Children shows shouldn’t dumb down and actually explore plot lines and issues that they can enjoy rather than flashing colors and songs for 22 minute episodes.

PROMOTE POSITIVITY E D I T O R I A L tips for a great mindset WRITER TAYLOR GOUDIE | DESIGNER HIYA PATEL MARCH 5 . POSITIVE POSITIVE POSITIVE POSITIVE Bad days–everyone has them. Some days it can feel impossible to drag oneself out from a negative mind. However, actively working on maintaining a positive mindset can make all the difference in preventing stress and upsetting feelings. In day-to-day life, it’s easy to slip into a mindset containing negative thoughts of oneself, worries about a situation or the future, etc. With just a few simple tips, people can start to shift toward a more positive mindset. One of the biggest sources when it comes to stress, and one that makes me especially upset, is negative self-talk. Often, I will pick myself apart so much and start to feel awful about myself. Working on decreasing these negative thoughts about myself have helped with my happiness. Each day, instead of thinking of all the things I did “wrong”, I try to focus on at least one thing that I was happy with today. Progress in life isn’t always going to happen instantly, but trying to focus on little successes each day can help with being at peace with the current progress. This is very relevant when it comes to things such as sports or the arts. People often compare themselves to one another, and it can lead to thoughts wondering why they aren’t as good as someone else or why they can’t just be better. Instead of repeating those thoughts and beating oneself up about it, try replacing those thoughts with how you are unique and what you bring to the table with your sport or art. People aren’t meant to be the same, so constantly comparing can lead one down a negative path. As someone who does dance, I often find myself getting really in my head and doubting myself. I used to constantly tell myself I was executing skills poorly and that I’m not good enough to be successful in the future. However, I learned that continuing to say awful things about myself in my head puts me in a poor mood and distracts me from working hard and improving. I expect perfection from myself, but realistically that’s just not possible. So, focusing on the good that is happening can help me get out of my head so that I can focus on growing and having fun. Plus, not everyone will be your biggest cheerleader in life, so everyone should be their own personal cheerleader at least. Negative mindsets can severely disrupt making progress in life. Negative thoughts can completely ruin a person’s mood, which can create a lack of motivation for anything. Remember why you do what you do. It’s hard to have growth with a negative mind, so trying to reduce those thoughts can create improvement in life. Especially as a senior in high school, it’s not hard to find myself and my peers stressing about the future and worrying about not being successful or achieving the things they wish to achieve. It may seem silly or cliché to say not to stress the little things, but it’s true. People need to take each day one at a time, and what is meant to happen will come. People need to give themselves a bit more grace in life. Humans are not meant to be perfect creatures. Mistakes are going to happen, and bad feelings may bubble. Be nice to yourself, though, and happiness in life will come. Negative feelings are feelings; you can’t stop them. But what you do to push through them and keep going is what matters most.

ADDING ON TO AP N E W S college board’s new classes WRITER CAROLINE ALBERT | DESIGNER MIA HARRINGTON I n 2022, College Board announced that it was creating two new courses that would be available to some schools starting in the 2023-24 school year. Those courses were AP PreCalculus and AP African American Studies. At the high school, this school year was the first year that AP Pre-Calculus was available for students to take while AP African American Studies might be available to students in the upcoming school years. Both classes open many opportunities for students to receive more credited hours towards their college education as well as learning about these topics in an in-depth way. For instance, AP Pre- Calculus “has given students a chance to obtain college credit for a math course that previously wasn’t an option,” Math teacher Marisa Hilvert said. “Honors PreCalculus was a rigorous course but had no grade advantage or college credit option, and it is also proving to be a good stepping stone for AP Calculus.” At the high school, this AP course replaced Honors PreCalculus, meaning that there were not a lot of difficulties with adding this class to the curriculum. However, teaching some things has “been a bit challenging because there are not as many resources out there in terms of lesson material or exam preparation” for the class, according to Hilvert. A big part of any AP exam is not only knowing the material but also knowing how to complete the multiple choice and free response portions of the exam within the allotted time. To teach this, many classes will look at data from previous years to better understand how to take the test, and because this course is so new, educators do not have that data yet. “We are looking forward to having one year under our belt and seeing what develops after the first administration of the exam nationwide in May,” Hilvert said. So far, there have been no concerns with the class and the content itself. However some people do not see the point of making this an AP course. Scott DeRuiter, a precalculus and computer science teacher, said that precalculus is typically a high school class. Even though the class is offered at the college level, DeRuiter said it is more appropriate to offer at a high school level, and therefore makes him question College Boards motivation behind the course addition because it is probably going to be a big money maker, according to El Estoque, a high school newspaper out of California. On the other hand, a couple more concerns have arisen with the AP African American Studies course. Many of those concerns were raised by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and others with a similar view. The College Board released a draft last year outlining what it had in mind for the course and from this DeSantis and others with a similar view believed that this course was indoctrinating students. However, since the draft was released they have made some changes, according to the US News. Once the College Board released the official curriculum, a lot of the subject matter that raised concerns in Florida and with other conservatives was no longer included. The board released a statement saying it did not change these parts of the curriculum due to political backlash but because of the input of professors and long-standing AP principles, according to the New York Times. Despite the backlash, many other people are excited about opportunities this course can give to students. “There are so many positives to adding a class like this. For one, it enriches the cultural value that the school has to offer to the student body, obviously to African Americans, but it also spreads cultural awareness to all other demographics,” Librarian and Black Empowerment Club Adviser Austin Nunn said. The course has many opportunities for students to not only learn more about African history but also conduct a research project. In addition to the four main units the course focuses on, students will spend at least 15 class hours working on a course research project. At first the College Board had its own idea for this project. However, after receiving feedback, its officials realized that a lot of students have many ideas and interests in certain topics that they would like to learn more about, and this project is a way for them to do so, according to the US News. One of the main reasons why some students are interested in this course is because it covers a portion of history that is typically not currently taught in high schools. “There is an equity issue with these topics where people are taught so much of certain aspects of history and then we leave out huge chunks of others. So, I think that this provides an opportunity to fill that gap and I think that there are a lot of students who want that gap to be filled,” Nunn said. Overall, both of these classes offer great opportunities for students to not only receive credited hours for their college education but also to be able to learn about these topics in an in-depth way that has not been done before. 6 MARCH .

FLOODS IN CALIFORNIA N E W california’s extreme weather crisis S WRITER CHAYCE GIDDENS | DESIGNER MIA HARRINGTON | PERMISSION TO PRINT EBSCO As of late, California has been experiencing some strange weather patterns since the beginning of February, resulting in countless floods, mudslides and extreme storms; these conditions are very life threatening, and it is affecting the lives of many. Historically, California is known for its problematic weather, a lot of times being wildfires due to the dry, Mediterranean climate. Atmospheric rivers play a big role in the state’s current crisis, and they’re forcing highways to close down and stranding vehicles. According to The Washington Post, big cities like Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Francisco have seen more than eight inches of rain alone, Los Angeles being the highest with 12.56 inches of rain in only this month. “It’s [atmospheric rivers] a generally newer term that they are using, ‘they’ referring to meteorologists, but it’s mostly to describe the immense amount of water vapor that’s present in the atmosphere. So what tends to happen as to why it would be found more prevalently along the West Coast is because of its proximity to the Pacific Ocean,” AP Environmental Science Teacher Jessica Timmons said. “The Pacific Ocean deals with this weather pattern right now called the El Niño, and we think it’s triggered by volcanic eruptions that occur in the Southern hemisphere because the volcanoes erupting obviously emits carbon dioxide but they also emit sulfur dioxide and water vapor, and those things are greenhouse gasses, so it increases warmth on our planet, which then increases evaporation rates.” El Niño and La Niña are climate patterns that break normal patterns, according to the National Ocean Service, that not only affect California but also worldwide weather. “And the Pacific is huge, so there is a lot of water that then evaporates from the Pacific – and then the way the earth rotates, the wind blows from the west to the east. That’s why weather patterns move across our country from the Westside to the Eastside because it has to do with how the earth is rotating and the Coriolis effect,” Timmons said. When talking about the Earth’s climate, a common concern to some is global warming and how shifts in temperatures and weather have been becoming more long-term. It changes things like the ozone layer, severe storms, ocean rising and plenty other factors. “When we talk about warming the planet, when we talk about some of these El Niño and La Niña and weather patterns that seem to be more common, that disrupts the natural order of the ocean currents, which then makes a change to the atmospheric movement of air,” Earth and Space Teacher Kevin Jamieson said. “As far as how that influences global warming, you see more frequent strange weather events like extreme droughts and extreme rainfalls because of that. It is not consistent because there is so much variability due to the increase in temperature in the climate.” While California Gov. Gavin Newsom said these floods are life threatening, there are still counties that are doing all they can to support their water and irrigation recovery, according to ProAg. Referring to global warming and how it’s negatively impacting California, deforestation, which is the act of clearing forests for more things like cities and agriculture, also makes serious changes on the state’s land and how it reacts to the current flooding and storms. “More forest fires that also accelerate warming because of the carbon dioxide that is emitted from the burning of the trees coupled with evaporation rates, more precipitation, more flooding; it’s called a positive feedback loop,” Timmons said. “It seems to be, as the planet continues to warm, we are going to see more extreme weather variability,” Jamieson said. “As far as what we can do, it’s very limited to change that, unless we talk about finding ways on how to capture greenhouse gasses and get them out of the atmosphere; that’s pretty much all we’re going to be able to do unless they start talking about solar shades which now scientists are trying to bring up the idea that we can reduce the amount of solar radiation.” MARCH 7 . Photos of floods across California due to excessive rainfall as heavy storms hit the state.

OLENTANGY STORM S P O R T S district’s special olympics team WRITERS NICK WOOLARD AND ELLA KIRK | DESIGNERS ELLA KIRK AND TAYLOR GOUDIE | PERMISSION TO PRINT OLENTANGY SPECIAL OLYMPICS students to help make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible. “OSSO Storm has a volunteer roster with approximately 100 contact names on it. We also have a roster of about 35 peer volunteers who are students from Olentangy Schools and other area schools that help out at our events,” Gardner said. Alongside the competitions hosted by the program, there are also many athletes on the team who participate in regional and state tournaments. “We just wrapped up our State Winter Games 2024 competition for swimming. We send quite a few athletes to the State Summer Games at Ohio State for Bowling, Powerlifting, Gymnastics and Track & Field. We also compete in the State Golf Tournament in the fall,” Gardner said. In the end, the Olentangy Storm aims to provide every student and alumni with the same athletic experiences. The program provides exercise, joy and friendship to all those with intellectual disabilities in the district. “It is a wonderful program that allows our students to stay active and make lifelong friends,” OSSO volunteer Lynne Merkowitz said. “It is important for all people to have access to sports. It makes people feel a part of a community and stay fit.” During all four seasons of the year, a storm is brewing throughout the district. Students, staff and parents alike work together to form the Olentangy Storm: the Olentangy Schools Special Olympics (OSSO) team. OSSO is a program designed to give students above eight years old, and affected by an intellectual disability, the opportunity to participate in Olympic-type sports, according to the district. “Storm is our mascot name chosen by the athletes in late 2021. We then worked to develop a logo and have spirit wear,” OSSO Local Coordinator Fran Gardner said. OSSO was formed in the spring of 2019, originally only having two sports. Now, the team has seen exponential growth over the past five years. “When OSSO Storm started in 2019, there were about 20 athletes. Now, we have over 150 athletes competing in our program,” Gardner said. Out of these 150 athletes, two of them are current students at the school, as well as multiple alumni. As well as the participation growth, Gardner and her colleagues have worked to greatly expand the types of competition that the team competes in. While in 2019 they only had two sports, the team now participates in over 11, according to Gardner. “I took over as the Local Coordinator in August 2021 coming out of the pandemic and have worked at adding athletes, sports and volunteers to our program,” Gardner said. “We currently have all four seasons of sports.” Examples of these sports are soccer, flag football, gymnastics, powerlifting and track and field. An important part of the team is the volunteers that work alongside the athletes. The team uses parents, teachers and 8 MARCH . 8 6 4 2 1 3 5 7 Olentangy Storm althletes at St. Charles for a basketball game on February 21st.

CATCH A CHANCE S P O R T S a glance at the nfl combine WRITER SHIV MAJMUDAR | DESIGNERS ELLA KIRK AND TAYLOR GOUDIE S prints. Long jumps. Cognitive tests. MRIS. Those things are not from Navy Seal Bootcamp, but the tests America’s best football players must go through to play on the biggest stage in the world. The NFL combine is held every offseason. Potential draft picks go through vigorous testing to determine if they are ready for the NFL. The tests are intrusive, unforgiving and difficult. This year, the combine started on Feb. 29 and ended on Mar. 3, according to ESPN. The combine is held every year in Indianapolis. Teams descend upon the city, in search of the perfect draft pick. Teams scout players based on their current needs. A team that needs a quarterback will watch QBs, and a team that needs. better defense will pay attention to defensive ends and cornerbacks. Like every year, there is lots of new talent to see. “I look for players that have strong skill who are also determined to play the game,” senior Aparna Metta said, a Bengals fan. Fans have different opinions on which players show the most promise at the draft. Recognizing talent is only one part of deciding which players will stand out in the league. Every fan sees promise in different players. “This year’s draft class is loaded,” sophomore Jakob Ames said, a Browns fan. “I’m looking forward to watching Caleb Williams, Marvin Harrison Jr, Drake Maye, Jayden Daniels, Romeo Odunze and Michael Penix Jr.” Other fans have different premonitions about who will be the next big star. “J.J. McCarthy is definitely someone that most fans are looking at, especially after his incredible season,” Metta said. The combine started in the 1980s, when scouts looked at players ready for the draft to see what their abilities are. Nowadays, the combine is about physical fitness but also puts a large emphasis on health, according to the NFL. Doctors examine the players’ mental and physical condition. Both are immensely important for men who play at the highest level possible. “It shows how the players perform under pressure on the big stage and gives you a deeper look at the players’ abilities before draft day,” Ames said. Over the years, the draft became a televised event. Many fans see it as a showcase for players. They take note of who has the fastest 40- yard dash, the highest jump and the heaviest deadlift. The event attracts a decent number of fans. Taking place a few weeks after the Super Bowl, the combine is a chance for fans to get a sneak peek at the next generation of stars. “The combine is important to NFL fans because it is a look into how teams are looking into players while preparing for the draft,” senior Ethan Kuhn said, a Cowboys fan. What happens in Indianapolis is a preview of what will happen in America’s most popular sports league for years to come. It is a glimpse of the talent a fan’s team could be lucky enough to draft, the talent that will one day play in front of thousands of screaming fans. The road to football glory goes through the combine. For players, it is a brutal test to pass before they go to the big leagues. For fans, it is a brief look at real-life superheroes, trying their hardest to get to the next level. MARCH 9 . NFL COMBINE 10 20 30 40 50 40 30 20 10 10 20 30 40 50 40 30 20 10 “The combine is important to NFL fans because it is a look into how teams are looking into players while preparing for the draft,” senior Ethan Kuhn said, a Cowboys fan.

FROM THE SIDLINES C O L U M N the issues with us soccer COLUMNIST ADAM WELCH | DESIGNER SAVANNA SMITH The United States were eliminated from the 2022 Fifa World Cup 3-1 by the Netherlands. A country with more than 300 million fewer people completely dominated the states in the round of 16 of the World Cup games. How is this possible though? However, it’s not just the United States however. India, which has a population of over one billion people has never qualified for a World Cup. China, also with a gargantuan population, lacks in soccer quality compared to other Asian countries. So why is it that countries like Uruguay and Croatia that don’t even combine to comprise ten million people, dominate at the international scale. This imbalance in ability across countries comes down to our youth players. The Castro Valley Soccer Club in California, has starting prices of $1,200 for U8 players and a raised price of $2100 for U11-U12 players. Club soccer is simply an impossible reality with families who come from low income levels if they must pay over $2000 dollars a year to watch their 11 year old play a sports game. These prices for playing at a higher level than a local league have shut off many kids continued interest in soccer which could correlate to how Americans perform at the International level. It’s not just the price to play though, both Europe and South America have more competitive leagues than America. In fact, most rising soccer stars all want to take their talents to Europe. But what’s wrong with the US’s domestic league, the MLS? While the “problem” with the MLS can’t be addressed in one word, there’s many clear identifiers to why it is a lackluster league compared to its European counterparts. One of the reasons could be its relative new age compared to international leagues. The MLS’s inaugural campaign was in 1996 and has since had only under 30 seasons of competition. Another reason why the league’s quality isn’t nearly the top is because of the players playing in the league. Many European fans have coined the MLS as a “retirement league”, for former soccer legends. David Beckham who is one of the most recognized names of the sport of soccer was one of the first soccer heroes from abroad to join the MLS, with the Los Angeles Galaxy. Since his arrival in 2009 a plethora of soccer icons have had tenures for teams including the likes of the Los Angeles Galaxy, DC United, and New York Red Bulls, according to Goal.com However, in recent years, the United States has made significant strides in getting its national team to the top level. Nearly all of the starting team members featured in the 2022 Qatar World Cup plays overseas in Europe to fully develop their potential, and the team has recently announced a new state of the art training facility in Atlanta, Georgia. From not even qualifying for the 2018 World Cup games after a loss to Trinidad & Tobago, the US progress is clear. But, it still leaves unaddressed gaps in our youth development however. Many starters on the national team are not homegrown and have switched nationalities to represent the United States, with names such as Folarin Balogun, Antonee Robinson, and Sergino Dest. With the United States only two years away from hosting its first World Cup in 32 years, the nation will be seen on an international spectacle to showcase whether it is truly ready to compete with the best in the world. 10 MARCH . Latest rankings in men’s soccer 2024 according to FIFA World Ranking.com 1. Argentina 6. Netherlands 2. France 7. Portugal 3. England 8. Spain 4.Belgium 9. Italy 5. Brazil 10. Croatia

MARCH 11 A D S DESIGNER | SAVANNA SMITH

CLICK! FLIthe evolution oWRITERS TAYLOR GOUDIE, VALENTINA URBAEZ, ADAM WELCH | DESIGNER LILLY WOOD 12 C O V E R MARCH I n most recent years, one of the biggest connectors across the globe is what is found in the media. Whether that is music, literature, or even movies, these pieces of media are able to bring together different people from all sorts of different backgrounds because they typically portray certain aspects of one thing: humanity. As one of the biggest connectors between humans and their ability to convey expressions through melodies and lyrics, music continues to change and grow as the years pass. One of the prominent indicators of music changing over the years is the format in which music is listened to. Physical music, such as cassette tapes, vinyl records and CDs, are on the decline as streaming has taken the forefront for people’s listening source. “We build our own personal lists of favorite songs on streaming services, listen from anywhere, play on any device and still get exactly what we like. The idea of playing an entire album or set of songs by one singer used to be what listeners did–you played 12-14 songs of your favorite band in a row on their newest CD/album/record/tape,” Choir Teacher Cherie Brooks said. “Now, it is all about an eclectic mix of music that you curate yourself based on what you are currently influenced by: TikTok, YouTube, your friends’ taste, etc.” Though some people still collect physical music, the vast majority use streaming like Apple Music or Spotify. According to IFPI, about four in five people listen to music via streaming. Social media, primarily TikTok, have had effects shaping the way that music is perceived, listened to and advertised. “TikTok has changed the music game for everyone. Singer/songwriters can promote themselves and get heard if they go viral, without a label, without big money. They can do things their way instead of following a contract or being told by a label how to dress, how to act and even what to sing,” Brooks said. “Having services like TikTok and YouTube has allowed artists to be way more creative and truer to themselves and still get heard by people.” As music has become easier to access than ever before, it has come with many trends rapidly going in and out of taste. “Some popular trends in music right now would be genre fusion, collaborations and a really big one is the production value of concerts,” Above The Noise member and senior Christina Anderson said. “Concerts have become more and more exciting and entertaining due to the glamor that is being added to every artist’s tours recently.” The music industry is constantly evolving and growing. As different people enter and exit the industry, it affects the music in which people get to hear. “Music keeps changing, and the changes are happening faster and faster as we are more and more connected. When we hear different kinds of music, it impacts how musicians create and perform. The more we hear, the more our own creations change and are influenced. I would call that kind of change really positive,” Brooks said. Music is a huge part of life for so many people. Music releases are often seen as huge events. Hearing music live is also very important to a lot of people, and it brings in huge amounts of money. According to Gitnux, the live music industry is expected to have reached $65 billion in 2023. “Music makes people feel less alone, and I think that’s what a lot of people are looking for,” Anderson said. “There are a million songs out there describing a bunch of feelings and experiences and that we as people can relate to and feel heard. It also brings a sense of connection and community like no other!” One of the issues many artists have with the shift to streaming is the lack of proper pay for their work. According to Ditto Music, Apple Music pays its artists about $0.00783 per stream, and Spotify pays its artists about $0.00437 per stream. “I do not think streaming services fairly pay artists. Artists will push back, and the way they are paid will be changing in the next several years,” Brooks said. As music continues to change and evolve throughout the years, there will still be many positive and negative effects that come with the changes. Music is a huge part of society and connects people. “Music is a uniquely human expression, tying us to one another emotionally, and allowing us to be independent from one another, all at once,” Brooks said. “It is the breath of our souls.” Music is not the only way for people to express themselves and key lessons and warnings about humanity. Literature is another massive form of human expression that has brought people together for thousands of years. However, with the increase of short term media, this form of entertainment has increasingly become less popular. People took myths, and found science and used old tales as ways to navigate life. Literature in particular has provided a record of what people have done and what is born from creativity. It has rung true throughout the student body that many would rather not spend their school time in a book or crafting an essay. That kind of rejection may stem from the source rather than the students themselves. “Teachers should either give students a choice in what they read or pick a book that

P! STREAM! f modern media MARCH 13 C O V E R they think will interest their students. When teachers teach a book just because they have always taught it, it may negatively impact students’ desire to read. Especially, if it is an outdated text that holds very little relevance to current student life,” AP Literature Teacher Tyler Williams said. The idea that books can be more than just tools for analysis is a difficult argument to make though when that is typically all they’re used for in schools. The act of creating art through reading and writing is typically not seen as valuable as the act of inspecting a book. “We over-analyze literature, so it’s not just entertainment anymore, and it feels like work. I feel like books and their original intent were meant to be entertaining in the same way film and TV shows are. We focus so much on the analysis of them that we lose the human connection and the ability for people to see themselves in literature,” CP9 and CP12 English Teacher Elizabeth Stringer said. Public demand for media and entertainment has included the work of books just as it has for film, tv and music. Through the power of adaptations, readers and non-readers can be connected to the same story. “Social media creates a global community of book lovers, so you’ll have people across the world reading the same book as you at the same time. Having access to so many of those people’s opinions gives new perspectives and lets people reflect on their own reading, Stringer said. Though creating a new kind of community through the internet is a valuable aspect of social media, the negative effects may outweigh what people are trying to build. “Social media has an overall negative influence on literature. It distracts us, shortens our attention and lessens our ability and desire to dig into a text and really think about it and its deeper implications,” Williams said. “People are too used to getting immediate answers and opinions on topics through social media and do not have to really sit with a text and ponder the possible deeper meanings.” Over the past decade, trends in books have changed rampantly due to social media exposure. The growing value in books as a whole is being discussed online and authors may be able to use those conversations to their advantage. “Social media has impacted books in such a positive way because apps like TikTok have given authors the attention they deserve and fostered a love of classics in an entirely new generation,” senior book lover Hallie Whisler said. Parade.com found that some of the most popular genres of books right now are fantasy, romance and young adult fiction. Though it can be argued that a stream of fantastical entertainment is unproductive, it’s through fiction that people find the most human stories. “I think about the Sarah J. Maas fantasy books and see all these people on social media cosplaying, creating art and taking her words as inspiration. So that it’s not just the books themselves anymore; it’s about the world the readers have created,” Stringer said. Culture and tradition are passed down through word of mouth or writing. Storytelling is learned and a uniquely human characteristic that became a massive tool for progression. “I learned to love books through my mother, and I think that’s how most kids learn to love literature; through a relative who encourages them to read and to truly understand it,” Whisler said. Books offer a wide variety of contributions to society and aid in the development of people’s intellect and help further their understanding about the world around them. “Books are essential for sharing knowledge and educating individuals, fostering intellectual growth and critical thinking skills. They serve as a medium for preserving cultural heritage, traditions and stories for future generations to learn from and appreciate,” Williams said. Even with the outreach books have had across the world, young people have increasingly begun to shy away from reading as a whole. “The shares of American 9 and 13-year-olds who say they read for fun on an almost daily basis have dropped from nearly a decade ago and are at the lowest levels since at least the mid-1980s, according to a survey conducted in late 2019 and early 2020 by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP),” according to Pew Research Center. In addition to reading, certain genres of film, another major form of human expression, has also been increasingly less consumed. This is partially due to a huge “So that it’s not just the books themselves anymore; it’s about the world the readers have created,” Elizabeth Stringer said.

12 C O V E R MARCH influx of superhero hero movies that some argue is taking away from other types of film. Movies have captivated audiences around the world for over a century. From stunning animated movies to intense live action thrillers, everyone can find comfort in a film. In the last five years audiences have been exposed to the abundance of superhero flics. Spiderman, Batman, and various other superheroes have crowded cinema screens. But some genres of film are being swallowed up by the mass screenings of Marvel and DC pictures. “With all the superhero films, other great films like Lisa Frankenstein and Orion in the Dark don’t get much in the box office and go straight to streaming, which most people don’t sit down and watch as many people think,” Senior Hannah Ferrara said. However, Ferrara is not the only person who has noticed the increase in this type of movie. All-time great director Martin Scorsese controversially called superhero movies non cinema and more like theme parks, according to the New York Times. The comments, expectedly, caused outrage amongst diehard superhero fans and comic book lovers, but it does uncover a need to explore the origin of Scorsese’s comments. Only 53 movies have ever passed $1 billion at the box office, and 15 of those consist of the superhero genre, according to yahoo.com. In fact, seven of the 15 have been released in the last five years. Thanks to the cultural phenomenon of the “Avengers” saga in 2018-19, a lasting surge in superhero films swept the globe. As a result of the box office boom, many local theaters filled the majority of their showtimes with these superhero films, and thus, many smaller Indie projects and even larger scale drama productions were overshadowed at theaters. “A lot of indie animation films are actually very beautifully done and entertaining to watch either with a big group or on your own. Like the BoxTrolls by Laika Studios, Over the Moon that is currently on Netflix and especially this Netflix film called Nimona,” Ferrara said. Despite these superhero films dominating the box office, junior Colton Eirich, who previously worked at Marcus Theaters, said in his tenure of working at the theater, only 10 percent of showtimes were superhero slots. Colton also said superhero movies aren’t ruining cinema because they bring in so much profit to theaters. “They are the biggest reason why people show up, so if superhero movies went to strictly streaming it would definitely be a big problem,” Eirich said. This has shown heavily in “movie’s biggest night”, with the Academy Awards, or the Oscars ceremony. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the committee that judges the Oscars, has long pandered to the more drama-esque, with little recognition First radio was invented 1901 1927 First television was invented First computer invented 1979 Data taken from University System of Georgia and Our World in Data.

MARCH 13 C O V E R to superhero movies for its most prestigious awards, and the ceremony has therefore taken a major hit in ratings. The awards ceremony only had 10 million viewers in 2021, staggeringly low, next to its ratings which were in the 40 millions in the early 2010s. The American drama “Nomadland” took home the holy grail best picture award that year. However, “Nomadland” only produced $39 million at the worldwide box office compared to “Spider-Man No Way Home’s” $1.9 billion worldwide box office, which released that same year, according to the New York Times. Viewers would think that the movie labeled “the best of the year”, wouldn’t have one billion fewer dollars produced than just one heavy hitter in Marvel’s catalog. However, in defense of “Nomadland”, audiences were still hesitant to return to theaters due to the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown in 2020 from March to July. Due to “Spider-Man” coming out in the last month of 2021, it generated more audiences because of the longer gap since Covid. The movie also extended its theatrical release run into 2022. But another view on this topic can exist. Junior Vince Francisco said superhero movies and dramatic films can co-exist together, and one isn’t trying to shove the other out the door. Over the past year, Francisco’s statements have shown immense truth, with the case of best picture front-runner “Oppenheimer” by esteemed filmmaker Christopher Nolan. Not only is “Oppeneheimer” a dramatic biopic about famous American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, but the audiences also crowded theaters to see the movie with the movie making just shy of $ 1 billion at $ 953 million dollars at the worldwide box office. In fact the superhero genre was only the third highest grossing movie of 2023, with “Spider-Man Across the Spider Verse”. “Barbie” took home the number one spot in America, with “The Super Mario Bros” movie coming in at second. A similar trend with another year without a superhero flic taking the No. 1 spot could carry over into 2024. As of right now, Marvel Studios has only slotted one movie to release this year with “Deadpool 3”. Now that the DC universe is being completely revamped, there will be no official DC superhero movies in 2024. Warner Brothers will only be releasing “Joker Folie à Deux’’ this year, which is set apart from the main DC movies. It would be a shame to lose such creative vision by shutting out certain voices in the world of cinema, but hopefully going into future years superhero movies and nonsuperhero movies can both thrive jointly. Music, literature, and film are all forms of entertainment, but more importantly of human expression. Because of this, these types of media, along with many others, portray humanity, allowing people from all different backgrounds to connect. At the end of the day, media is not only for entertainment, but for learning more about humanity and through that, connecting people that might not otherwise. was 1983 Internet was invented Social media was introduced 1997 .

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T H E S C E N E MARCH17 THE SCENE WRITER & DESIGNER AUDREY SELSOR Senior Taanishi Gulati paints Henna on classmate's hand. "I chose to participate in the multicultural fair because I thought it was a great opportunity to make learning about culture fun. The hands-on experience, such as getting your Henna done, makes it interesting and more enjoyable," Gulati said..

MARCH TO GRADUATION T R E N D I N G upcoming senior events WRITER AND DESIGNER NATALIA FAVILA INACUA 18 MARCH WELCOME TO GRADUATION EXIT May 19th IMPORTANT DATES APRIL 2 & 3: Cap and Gown Distribution APRIL 24: OOHS Senior Academic Achievement Awards APRIL 26: Senior Breakfast & Superlatives APRIL 27: Prom @ Valley Dale Ballroom MAY 6: District Senior Academic Achievement Awards MAY 14: Last Day for Seniors & Senior Exams MAY 15: Senior Clap Out & Picnic May 17: Mandatory Graduation Rehearsal MAY 19: Graduation @ Schottenstein (12pm)

STANDING ON BUSINESS F E A T U R E a deep dive into deca WRITER NATHAN STATEN | DESIGNER NATALIA FAVILA INACUA | PERMISSION TO PRINT DUA RAHIM DECA. Distributive Education Clubs of America is an international non-profit organization that partners with schools and universities to teach students real world business. The school’s DECA program started in 2009 and is a cocurricular course offered at the school through the Junior and Senior Marketing classes. The students, alongside Business Teacher and DECA Adviser Teresa Gellenbeck, run the school’s store Fort Orange and sell school merchandise at school sporting events. There’s no required prerequisite for taking Junior and Senior Marketing, but it is highly recommended to have taken prior business classes. This is Gellenbeck’s second year teaching and running the school’s DECA program. Alongside junior and senior marketing, Gellenbeck also teaches Entrepreneurship as a single semester elective. “I love the real-world business connections! Students gain valuable business management skills by running our schoolbased enterprises, leadership and collaboration skills through DECA officer positions and confidence, time management and public speaking skills through competitions,” Gellenbeck said. The school’s DECA Co-Presidents for the school year are Vyom Bhatt and Sierra Toot, who were elected by Gellenbeck at the end of last year. “My proudest accomplishment this year is exceeding overall sales compared to last year,” Bhatt said. DECA has gained double the revenue this school year than in the 2020-2021 school year. “I’m most proud that under my leadership we’ve been able to increase our chapter membership by 35 percent, and we have 25 members competing at DECA States, the most in school history,” Toot said. Students who qualified for states include Brooks Hamilton ‘25, Andrew Lowery ‘24, Colin McNamara ‘25, Adam Welch ‘25, Claire Jenkins ‘25, Audrey Reynolds ‘25, Sierra Toot ‘24, Kaden McClary ‘24, Carver Gibson ‘25, Liam Hoffman ‘25, Klaus Diem ‘24 and Brady Farren ‘24. “DECA offers unparalleled opportunities to network within the business world. DECA also provides practical experience and helps develop essential and invaluable skills that students use for the rest of their lives,” Toot said. DECA doesn’t have a prerequisite course, but students must be either juniors or seniors to apply to become a member during the next school year. “The people who would enjoy DECA the most and would be able to get the most out of it are the type of people who are hardworking, determined and want to have fun while learning,” Bhatt said. Competitions are a large part of DECA, and they take place on the district, states and national levels. “My favorite part of DECA is competing in competitions at Easton for districts, Columbus Downtown for state, and California, this year, for nationals,” Bhatt said. DECA competitions are usually all-day events that host multiple schools’ DECA programs at a neutral site. “You dress up and go to where the competition is held. When it is your turn, you present in front of a judge either your role play or your written event. Then, judges can ask you questions,” junior DECA student Ellis Appiah said. Not every student competing in a DECA competition is participating in the same type of contest. “There are three main types of DECA Competitions: RolePlays, Written & Presentation Events and Online Challenges. DECA Role-Plays involve students simulating real-world business scenarios, Written & Presentation Events require participants to research and present comprehensive business plans and Online Challenges assess students’ knowledge in various business-related subjects,” Bhatt said. Alongside different types of events at competition, there are also different career clusters for events. “Competitive events that are grouped into career clusters: Marketing, Hospitality and Tourism, Finance and Entrepreneurship. Within these clusters, students can choose to compete in individual events or team events,” Toot said. Nationals is the highest level of competition for DECA students, and a student must first pass districts, then pass states in order to make it to nationals. “At DECA nationals, the ultimate goal is to win DECA Glass, which is awarded to the top three national finishers in each event. At nationals, we strive to learn as much as possible to take it back and improve our chapter,” Toot said. Even though Bhatt will be continuing his education at OSU, he still has high expectations for the students and DECA program next year. “We also hope that juniors will be taking over leadership positions next year and will be able to get experience so that they can help manage the program and hopefully take even more people to Nationals in Orlando and win more glass,” Bhatt said. MARCH 19 . senior Kobe Sharpe uj nior M aithreyi Murali Manohar and senior Ava Ongaro

UNITING THE NATIONS F E A T U R E omun summit overview WRITER NICK WOOLARD | DESIGNER LINCOLN HAKE | PERMISSION TO PRINT APARNA METTA Every year, more than 400 future leaders meet for a weekend of public speaking, debate and most importantly, fun. This club is the Olentangy Model United Nations. Olentangy Model United Nations (OMUN) is a club that aims to give Olentangy students the opportunity to grow their research, debate and public speaking skills by hosting a three-day mock summit of nations, according to OMUN. “OMUN is a district-wide club that meets to hold a summit of nations each year, which functions as a mock UN,” former secretary-general and senior Janhavi Kavedia said. “This club is also primarily student-run, so student officers throughout the district organize and plan the summit each year.” According to Kavedia, the officer body is comprised of 19 students from every middle school and high school in the district. While the officers do not get to participate in the debate, they have a larger role in making sure that the whole year runs as smoothly as possible. “There is so much planning that goes into the summit that sometimes goes unacknowledged,” former Assistant Secretary General and senior Meghana Boda said. “From the moment the summit ends, officers almost immediately dive into planning for the next year’s summit, and it’s honestly commendable.” This year, the officer body decided to completely revamp how the summit looked compared to previous years. Compared to the past year’s summit, there were a lot of new ideas and activities implemented into the weekend. The summit was held Feb. 9-11 at the Columbus Athenaeum downtown. In past years, the club has held it at the school, along with other locations scattered around the Olentangy district. “The biggest thing that went well about the summit this year was the fact that we were able to host it off-campus again, unlike last year when it was held at the school. All of the delegates (students) got to present their resolutions to the group, participate in a dance, cultural karaoke, a cultural showcase and so much more,” Kavedia said. Overall, most of the delegates said they enjoyed the summit, with some even saying it was their favorite of all time, according to Kavedia. With the end of this year’s summit, comes the excitement for the summit next year. After this year, there is a completely new officer body ready to start the work toward the 2025 summit. “I hope the club will continue to expand in numbers in the future. I also want to work towards eventually making the summit overnight, even if it means that it would have to be after I graduate,” General Assembly President Caroline Mohler said. Mohler is a senior at Liberty and was chosen as the new president for the next year. Overall, while the summit this year was a success, there were still many things that need to be improved upon. Many delegates enjoyed their time, but also found a few things that need to be fixed. “I really enjoyed this year’s summit, and I loved the new location. I loved interacting with other countries delegates in trivia and crisis, and I loved that we got a chance to do it all in the formal setting of the Athenaeum,” an anonymous delegate said. But the delegate also mentioned problems with the food offered, as well as the hygiene of the location. One of the biggest problems that many found with this year’s summit was the food options offered to delegates. Many people with certain food restrictions were unable to eat a lot of the meals offered. There wasn’t a lot of good food for vegetarians. Accounting for the fact that probably half the OMUN population is vegetarian, I feel like there should’ve been more vegetarian options available for them options for them,” another anonymous delegate said. “Also, for snacks, they should order more cheese pizza next time, rather than pepperoni or just order cheese because there are many people who can’t eat pepperoni.” With this, the new officer body is using advice from the past officers, as well as the delegates, to make sure that next years’ experience is better than before. “It is really cool to experience so many people from so many schools collaborating at one event. I’m also excited to make this year the best summit yet,” Mohler said. 20 MARCH . Model UN President Senior Nick Woolard gives speech. 2023-2024 Model UN Officers after summit.

CHASING CHAMPMAN F E A T U R E brooke’s cross country career WRITER LUNA PEREZ | DESIGNER LINCOLN HAKE | PERMISSION TO PRINT MAKENZIE NORDQUIST & MACI GERBOTH Brooke can see the finishline. However, her legs are burning and shaking, seemingly about to buckle beneath her. Her whole body screams, telling Brooke she can’t make it even one step farther. Despite this pain, she continues racing to the finishline, where all her months-long training is rewarded. Sophomore Brooke Chapman runs both track and cross country for the school. She currently holds two school records in track and cross country despite only being a sophomore. As a freshman, Chapman placed fourth in the 4x400 meter relay and sixth in the 800 meter event at the 2023 OHSAA State Track Meet. This school year, Chapman placed fourth in the OHSAA Cross Country Meet and 12th at the NXR Midwest Regionals for cross country. Though Chapman has only been competing at the high school level for two years, her running journey began long before. Chapman knew early on that she wanted to try running as her main sport, following in her family’s footsteps. “Going into middle school I knew I wanted to try running because my brother ran cross country for a year and I always heard stories of my uncle running when he was in high school,” Chapman said. Therefore, Chapman’s running career began in the middle school cross country team in her seventh grade year. Since then, she found new friendships and inspiration across the sport. “My biggest inspiration is my teammates, current and past. They inspire me every day and continue to push me and make me a better runner. My old teammates, who are now running in college, also inspire me by seeing them run and how hard they work,” Chapman said. Though Chapman mostly speaks of her teammates’ hard work, her discipline does not go unnoticed. Science Teacher and Head Track Coach Adam Walters witnessed Chapman’s hard work and its results over the past two years. “I would describe Brooke as hardworking. Her strongest quality is her willingness to compete and always try her best,” Walters said. Although it’s clear Chapman has a lot of love for running, she is also aware of the challenges that come along with being an athlete. “I’d say one of the hardest parts of running is the mental side of it and pushing myself to be the best I can,” Chapman said. Like Chapman, many athletes also struggle with mental strength while competing. But off the course, Chapman also faces the challenge of being a student as well as an athlete. “The hardest part about being a student-athlete I would say is just managing my time between practices, meets and schoolwork,” Chapman said. Despite various challenges and stress in her daily life, Chapman remains positive and approachable. Walters experiences her positivity as both an athlete and a person. “Brooke is a very positive and coachable athlete. As a person, she is funny and likes to have fun,” Walters said. Chapman claims that she can remain positive because of support from her family, coaches and teammates. “I get a lot of support from my friends and family, and I am so thankful for it. I love it when I see them at my meets and can hear them cheering for me. it means so much to me. My teammates and coaches are also so encouraging and supportive, and they make running more fun,” Chapman said. With all determination, discipline and encouragement, both Chapman and Walters have big expectations for the future of her running career. “A goal I have for the rest of high school is to win a state championship in cross country or track. I would also like to go for a couple more school records,” Chapman said. Walters is confident that Brooke will see lots of success in her future, and he hopes to witness it as her coach. “I just want to see her continue to improve and grow as an athlete and person. If she stays healthy, she’ll be able to be a multiple-time all-state athlete and with a little luck maybe a state champion,” Walters said. Brooke is focused on crossing the finish line for her sophomore year track season and maybe even winning a state championship. MARCH 21 . Sophomore Brooke Chapman runs at 2023-2024 Berlin Bear Dash. The 2022-2023 girls cross country team at 2022 District meet.

HOME AWAY FROM HOME C U L T U R E people’s favorite places WRITER ABI WYKOFF | DESIGNER ZION CLIFTON Home and school (and for some, also work) are just about the only places people spend their time. While these are such vital places for many, it is still important to have another place to find comfort and seek a sense of community that may not be as evident in other places. Finding one’s third place is a different task for each person, as each person has a unique place where they seek comfort. “Your first place is where you live, your second place is where you work or go to school, and your third place can be virtually any location that doesn’t fall into the first two categories. Coffee shops, parks, bookstores, churches and community centers can all function as third places,” according to today.com. Home and school or work, while often providing places of comfort and productivity, may struggle to produce the sense of community that is vital to one’s social health. “From a sociological context, we learn about norms and values and kind of just how to be a human in the world through interactions with other people. So, third places give an additional social context for people to learn about what’s appropriate and just to make connections with other human beings,” Sociology Teacher Leslie Hosgood said. These social hubs are considered very important to one’s social wellbeing, especially in a society that is growing increasingly separated, according to today.com. “That can be very important outside the home and outside the workplace; you can connect with other people. And that can enrich your life as well as the lives of others,” Hosgood said. Not only functioning as a platform for socialization, but also as a sort of distraction, third places have become a way for many to escape the troubles that are bound to occur within one’s life. “Some people might have free time and really be able to soak in the advantages of third places both for socialization but also just as a place to lose stress especially if their home or school or work life isn’t the best,” sophomore Ari Zavarella said. Third places are characterized as locations that facilitate social interaction outside of the people you live or work with. They are places where people encounter frequenters of a space, as well as potential new connections, according to today.com. “Third places are important as they provide a space away from family and school. This space should be somewhere where an individual feels comfortable and can destress without the pressures of schoolwork or housework looming over,” sophomore Samira Kandhari said. Today there are many different types of spaces that can serve as third places. “As an adult, going out to bars and restaurants is probably the main way I would go to connect with friends,” Hosgood said. These places could also vary between different types of people and different ages. “For me, a third place to hang out would be at a restaurant or a coffee shop, where you can get food and also just chat at the same time,” sophomore Aiden Tang said. For some, their third place varies throughout different experiences in their lives, for example, having another person in one’s life, like a child. “As a parent, I take my daughter to places like the library, the Franklin Park Conservatory and places like the zoo. But then as an adult a lot of hanging out often revolves around having a meal together,” Hosgood said. Others tend to find their comfort within a sport. “I’d say my third place is lacrosse, both school and club. While it is technically at school, it really doesn’t feel like that as it’s set up to feel like a family and a supportive place just as a third place should. If I’m not at home or school, I’m likely playing lacrosse, and I use it as a break from the others as it’s so different,” Zavarella said. No matter where someone finds their comfort, third places are vital places to foster social connections and strengthen connections. 22 . MARCH

McDonalds: the No.1 fast-food chain in the world. Based in the United States, the quick service restaurant was founded in California in 1940 by brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald according to foodydata.com. Since 1940, McDonalds has been standing strong with its golden arches and familiar menu items. Over time, these restaurants have woven themselves into the fabric of society, evolving and adapting over the years. “I have been working at McDonalds for some time now, and in the past years I have seen more changes than ever before. Most of the changes happened due to Covid but ended up working out well and sticking,” McDonald’s employee Kahi Powell said. One of the biggest company changes happens to be with what they’re known for most: their menu. Amidst the fan favorites like the Big Mac and Chicken McNuggets, there lies a host of retired food items that can evoke some nostalgia and curiosity among patrons. “Honestly, one of the things I love most about McDonalds, and fast food places in general, is the fact that their menus are always changing. It mixes things up and keeps it new,” McDonalds lover Sarah Miller said. McDonald’s has a history of introducing and retiring menu items based on customer preferences, seasonal offerings, and market trends. Although no longer available, these items remain ingrained in the memories of loyal patrons and enthusiasts alike. “There are some items I remember from when I was young that my parents would get us all the time, that are no longer available. I wish big companies like that would circle back around and try to bring back some older items-even if they have to change them up a little,” Miller said. One such item is the “McPizza,” introduced in the late 1980s as an attempt to tap into the pizza market. Despite its initial popularity, the logistical challenges of serving pizza in a fast-food setting led to its eventual retirement according to soyummy. “Even though a lot of popular items have been taken off the menu, we still have customers come in and try to order them all the time. Apps like Tiktok and Instagram get people to believe that either certain items exist, even though they don’t, or that retired items are coming back, which is usually unlikely. It’s best to get all your information like this from employees, the app, or commercials on TV,” Powell said. Although it was popular at one time, the menu item unlikely to be brought up on social media is the McSalad Shakers. Introduced in the early 2000s, McSalad Shakers were salads I WAS LOVIN’ IT C U L T U R E a mclook at old menu items WRITER AVA VALENTIK | DESIGNER ZION CLIFTON MARCH 23 served in a plastic cup with a domed lid. Customers could shake the cup to distribute the dressing evenly. Despite initial popularity, they were eventually phased out. “From what I’ve heard, the salads we used to serve years and years ago were never too great. Some people loved them, but most couldn’t imagine going to get fast food and ending up with a salad instead of fried chicken or a burger,” Powell said. As McDonald’s continues to navigate the evolving landscape of fast food, the memory of its retired menu items shows its journey of culinary experimentation and adaptation. While some items may be gone, they live on in the memories of customers, reminding us of the ever-changing nature of dining culture. Mclobster McPIZZA Mc-SPAGHETTI .

PROBLEMATIC PARKING O P I N I O N the school needs more spots WRITER REBEKAH RICHTER | DESIGNER MACKENNA MILLER A student leaves their house at 7:50 a.m. to get to school by 8:05 a.m. When they get to the school parking lot, there’s no parking left for them in the main parking lot. Then they drive to the overflow parking lot and yet again find no parking. Their last resort is the baseball parking lot. By this time, it is 8:03 a.m., and it is a seven-minute walk into school. They then receive their third tardy and get detention after school. Attendance secretaries tell students to get to school earlier in order to not receive a tardy. After three tardies, they receive a detention, although most of the students who receive these tardies get to school with plenty of time to park and walk inside if there was parking available. There is not enough parking available for students in close proximity to the school. Students who drive and also have a late arrival experience this lack of parking on a day-to-day basis. In the beginning of the year, the school had plenty of parking where if students had late arrivals, they could park closer to the school. It is when the underclassmen start getting their licenses at the end of December that the parking lot gets really overcrowded. If there was enough parking, fewer students would be receiving as many tardies, and because there would be more parking spots students would have no reason to be late. Many students have found loopholes to the rule in the winter months and have figured out that a tardy is still a tardy whether a student is a minute late or 30 minutes late. If a student knows they are going to be tardy, they will just leave school and get back 30 minutes later because it is no different. A solution to this overcrowding problem in the parking lot is to stop selling parking passes at the end of the second quarter. Students who have their license before this time would be able to drive to school, but others would not. This solution would help to solve the problem of not enough parking and too many students being tardy. The school now has 761 parking spots available to students, teachers and staff. Olentangy High School has 867, Olentangy Berlin has 881 parking spots and Liberty High School has 1,081 parking spots, according to the Columbus Dispatch. Out of every Olentangy high school, Orange has the least amount of parking spots. This is due to the fact that the school was built on a wetland. So, adding more parking would simply not be an option. In order to combat this problem, school officials can stop selling parking passes to students at the end of the first semester. Historically, during the first couple of years the high school was open, sophomores had to wait six months before they were able to get their parking pass and drive to school. Most sophomores get their license and parking passes through winter break or in the beginning of the year in the months January and February. Stopping the selling of parking passes or even making sophomores wait would not be that much different from what has happened in the past. Seniors do have seniority and have their assigned parking spots. The same should happen for juniors. Juniors should have seniority over sophomores and should have the rest of the main lot that isn’t filled with reserved spots and the overflow lot to park in. The sophomores should have to park in the baseball lot. The school could also give everyone a reserved parking spot at the beginning of the year and once they are out of parking spots they stop selling them. This would help students better plan for making it to school on time. If limiting parking passes isn’t possible, the administration could propose building their parking lot up and creating a parking garage due to the lack of space available for parking. This would help students be on time. Parking is a major problem for many students and is causing many tardies and detentions. 24 MARCH .

BAD APPLE O P I N I O N a vision into the future WRITER REEMA MOHAMED RAFIQ | DESIGNER MACKENNA MILLER App icons were floating in my kitchen, and I clicked through my messages, without even moving my fingers, only my eyes, all while cutting some apples in my kitchen, still seeing my surroundings and reading my texts. That is what a user of the latest Apple Vision Pro would experience. This new piece of technology was released on Feb. 2 for $3,302.00, according to the Apple Store, and is taking the media world by storm, in both good and bad ways. The Vision Pro, contrary to popular belief, is not a traditional VR device, and it has a wire connecting it to the charger that users keep on them. I find this highly outdated and defeats the purpose of most of Apple’s te chnolog y. A p p l e is well k n o w n for its AirPo ds a n d M a g s a f e c h a r g e r, w h i c h are both wireless, so it’s confusing that it came out with a VR that has a wire. The wire is also not too subtle, and if the user were to wear the Vision Pro in public, the wire is obvious as it’s dangling from the user’s face to wherever the charger is. The overall look of the Vision Pro tends to look like scuba diving goggles, and it seems to attempt a sleek look, but I just don’t see it. Overall, the design looks a little cheap and doesn’t give off the usual sleek look that Apple is known for. H o w e v e r, Apple did stay true to its sleek wire look, and the wire that connects the Apple Vision Pro to the charger block does, in fact, look like the usual sleek Apple look. However, what the Apple Vision Pro has achieved is groundbreaking in the VR field. Until now, I haven’t seen a VR that keeps one’s surroundings, while projecting apps. Most of the VR helmets that have been popular over the years have been simulations, t a k i n g users to roller coasters, concerts or even space. The Apple Vision Pro is more like an iPhone or an iPad but on someone’s face. The Vision Pro uses its own VisionOs operating system, as well as basic Apple apps, all while projecting this in users’ real time location, according to iMore. The VisionPro also uses an eye-tracking system to know what users will click before they “click” it in the air, by tracking eye movement instead of fingers. This feature is cool, and as far as I know, has never been attempted in a VR headset before. However, it comes with a lot of flaws, especially in the case of watching a movie or show and figuring out how to skip to a certain part of the movie or show. While it may have some drawbacks, overall, the device is a cool new system. While the Apple Vision Pro has a lot of groundbreaking technology in the VR headset field, this technology will help cultivate more lazy behavior. Many Americans are already more dependent on technology, pulling up their phone calculator to do simple mental math, or just depending on phones for minor tasks. The Apple Vision Pro, being eye controlled, makes things even easier; now people don’t even need to move their fingers, just their eyes. While this may seem cool, in the long run it would lead to more media consumption and dependency on technology. Overall, I would not personally buy the Apple Vision Pro. It is severely overpriced; while I do understand that it implements many innovative features, it also is tacky and impractical. Wearing the Apple Vision Pro in public seems more like setting oneself up for social embarrassment, instead of looking cool, like one would seem with a new iPhone. The battery and connecting wire also seem impractical to have dangling around while trying to relax, and the ever-lingering fear that the user might damage the wire or the battery block. The Vision pro is also the catalyst for even more human dependence on technology, which is also harmful. So, I would personally pass on the Apple Vision Pro, as it is very clearly in its Beta stage. MARCH 25 .

ABSURD AWARDS O P I N I O N the silliness of award shows WRITER TAYLOR GOUDIE | DESIGNER MALAK CHAHBOUB 26 Flashing cameras. Red carpets. Glambots. Winners. Losers. Snubs. All of these descriptions encapsulate the experience that is witnessing award shows. Hollywood has so many different award shows every year for various purposes, but the general public tends to take them a bit too seriously. Award shows are not these perfect, classy events that they may seem on the surface. They’re filled with mistakes, controversial moments and a whole bunch of other silliness. There have been falls, streakers and slaps; award shows have seen it all. If TikTokers and influencers are attending all the award shows now, it’s time to accept that they are less classy now than they once were. For starters, there have been a couple occasions in which the wrong winner has been announced, with the mistake later being caught. This causes so much chaos, confusion and hurt feelings. For example, Steve Harvey announced the wrong winner for Miss Universe in 2015, and “La La Land” was falsely named Best Picture at the Oscars instead of “Moonlight” in 2017. Mistakes are a part of life, but it is really cringe-worthy and gives second-hand embarrassment to watch announcers realize that they have announced the wrong winner and try to fix it. One of the craziest award show moments that really show how insane they can be was when Will Smith walked on stage at the 2022 Oscars and slapped Chris Rock in the face because of a comment Rock made about Smith’s wife. Rock made a comparison between Jada Pinkett Smith and Demi Moore in “G.I. Jane”, even though Pinkett Smith struggles with alopecia. This slap created quite the uproar online, with many memes and comments made about it. The public discussed for days to weeks who was in the wrong in this situation. The internet loves drama, and award shows have plenty of it. MARCH One of the biggest issues surrounding the conversation of award shows is the hypocrisy people have. For a recent example, people loved to whine about how it was “rude” of Taylor Swift to announce her album when accepting her Grammy but were perfectly fine with Beyonce releasing a song in the middle of the Super Bowl. Make no mistake about it; this is not Beyonce shade, and she is an amazing artist. The point is that they both announced/released something new in the middle of huge events, yet people only found an issue with one of them. Truthfully, I see no problem with either of them doing what they have done. Swift was accepting her own award; she can say what she wants. It doesn’t take away from any other artists’ wins of the night. It’s not like she went up on stage during someone else’s acceptance speech to talk about how she thought another artist should have won…like Kanye did to her. The public can take awards very personally as well. In 2020, Billie Eilish swept the Grammys as a newer artist and took home some of the biggest awards. This had people outraged and many people online expressed how they thought Eilish shouldn’t have won. People need to calm down and let the young artist celebrate her wins. I know people will be sad if who they wanted to win doesn’t, but they should not be taking it out on the winners. Honestly, award shows just need to be taken less seriously by the public. Yes, these awards surely are meaningful to the celebrities winning usually, but they’re still just a bunch of rich celebrities at events together that are also used for attention. It can be sad to not have a favorite celebrity or media that does not win an award that might’ve felt deserved, but an award doesn’t signify the only value of a project or artist. .

STAYING CURRENT C O L U M N positive progress in climate change COLUMNIST VALENTINA URABEZ | DESIGNER MALAK CHAHBOUB I t seems that as every year follows the next, and the world continues to dig its heels deeper into the most persistent environmental issues. Climate change, pollution, deforestation and extinction are just a handful of human made contributions. Even so, little spotlight is shined on the groups that have and are currently making progress with the health of the planet. It has been established that the idea of a “carbon footprint” was marketed to the public by Big Oil in order to pass blame to the consumer. But even the smallest steps toward individual improvement add up to see real change. Making the switch to renewable energy has led to massive improvements through using public transportation, carpooling, using energy efficient appliances at work and in homes. By slowly reducing the reliance on fossil fuels, people can slow the rate of our current warming. The UN has recognized international groups in their efforts to restore broken ecosystems, according to the UN environment program. The Trinational Atlantic Forest Pact involves Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina and hundreds of organizations are tasked with creating wildlife corridors, securing water supplies and have restored 700,000 hectares of land. The Abu Dhabi Marine Restoration program’s goal is to restore seagrass beds, coral reefs and mangrove forests to further protect the dugong population. Not only that, but this will also improve the overall biodiversity of their waters and boost local economies. By preserving biodiversity, people can slow or even reverse extinction and keep ecosystems balanced. The Great Green Wall for Restoration and Peace aims to restore savannas, grasslands and farms through Africa and slow the desertification process that would threaten communities. These are a handful of initiatives actively working toward environmental peace. There are others that target bodies of water and pollution, mountain ecosystems, islands and coasts. Whenever faced with inevitable doom scrolling, people begin to lose faith in the potential to improve. By feeding into that feeling of hopelessness, it discredits what thousands of people are working for. Governments are taking steps to reduce single-use plastics and soon-to-be landfill material. Through efforts to ban disposables, progress comes out of promoting recycling and composting programs as well as a push to buy sustainably. We are making strides in promoting sustainable agriculture and food practices. Farmers can work to reduce or eliminate pesticide use by holistic means and reduce the reliance on fertilizers. By encouraging sustainable practices, people protect the foundation of all living things that are found in the soil microbiome, ensuring a healthy and sustainable food supply for future generations. Companies are also actively investing in new forms of green technology and innovation to combat environmental challenges through the workspace. Waste management technologies play a big part in this effort. Groups are active in raising awareness and educating the public about environmental issues and the importance of protecting the planet. By using environmental education in schools, supporting environmental advocacy organizations and encouraging individuals to take action to protect the environment in their daily lives, it fosters a global community of people ready to take action. MARCH27 w it h v a l e nt i n a .