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Published by The Chronicle, 2022-03-23 17:07:50

Chronicle 19.7

The Chronicle published on March 24, 2022

Volume 19 Issue 7 | William Mason High School | 6100 Mason Montgomery Rd., Mason, OH | 3.24.22

Girl’s Basketball Final
Four Coverage

See pages 2, 16, 17

An aerial view of Shadow Lake Mobile Home Village, the neighborhood Emerik Moser lives in.

Photo by Lily Haller, edited by Alisha Verma

2 Opinion March 24, 2022

COMMENTARY

Photo by Lily Haller

Thank you Girls Basketball team, and their impact night at Dayton. Support from students, alumni,
for bringing this season has extended far beyond the These Comets brought the Mason parents, and families alike, who showed
us together court. up Saturday night displayed school
community together. Not only did spirit that hasn’t been seen since 2019,
Abby Waechter | Managing Editor The end of the season had incred- students pack the stands at the U.D. and it was an incredible experience that
ible student turnouts especially at the Arena but I saw alumni, parents, and I, as a student, haven’t felt since my
“It’s just a game,” is what I wanted to Mount Notre Dame game and the teachers there supporting the school as freshman year. I missed this. I missed
say after I saw the Mason Girls Basket- regional final which, in growing well. When I looked to my left, I saw swaying to the “we ready” chant with
ball team walking off of the court in numbers, carried all the way into the my APUSH and English teacher sitting friends, for friends. I missed screaming
tears Saturday night after clawing their semifinal and state game. I normally together in the stands cheering for the at the top of my lungs for my friends
way to the State final, and losing in prefer to not sit in the student section, team with just as much enthusiasm as at an important tournament that they
overtime to the Reynoldsburg Raiders. but seeing the amount of people who the black hole had. When I looked to worked all season to get to. I missed
cared for this team, just as much as I my right I saw the sea of Mason stu- the pride felt in having the biggest, and
Looking back on it now, I’ve discov- did, made me start to find myself steer- dents–people whose names I don’t even most obnoxious student section in an
ered that this wasn’t the case. ing toward it. know, but was dotted with the familiar arena. I missed the community brought
faces of those who I pass in the hallways together by school sporting events.
I don’t know much about basketball, At the semifinal and state game, everyday on my way to class.
and I’m definitely not qualified to speak the student section turnout had qua- This “journey to state” has served as
on the intricacies of the game, but I drupled, so much so that the student It was almost as if this dose of spirit the light at the end of the tunnel amidst
have gotten to know some of the people section illuminated the University of was just what we needed to help stir up sickness, war, and uncertainty. Their
behind the jerseys. Madie Parrish is Dayton’s arena Saturday night. school spirit that hasn’t been felt since trek through the bracket of Ohio girls
somehow in French II as a freshman, before the pandemic. basketball teams has brought back a
Amanda Barnes does not go by “Man- I waited outside in a winter storm, sliver of real normalcy, and true pride.
dy,” Gabby Razzano is an incredible Bel with hundreds of students waiting to The girls who we sit with in class
Canto singer, Joy Resig looks like she get to the game an hour early so that and bump into in the crowded halls, So, players, although tears fell from
would be shy, but she isn’t, and Kyla they could get seats in the student sec- managed to rally a school of 3,600 and your eyes Saturday night, you should
Oldacre, who pulls down rebounds with tion, then moshed my way through the revive the school’s sense of sportsman- quickly wipe them away knowing that
ease, is actually a gentle giant when she doors and metal detectors just to sprint ship, spirit, and pride. you accomplished something much
walks the halls of MHS. to the bleachers and get seats for me larger than a State Championship.
and my three friends, two of which had Every single one of us at those games
These girls have personalities that never been to a girls basketball game in had fun. We experienced the thrill of You brought the Mason community
made up the starting line-up of the 2022 all of their four years of high school. a final four win to advance to a state back together.
championship, and felt the same sorrow
This seemed to be the case for many of defeat as the players did Saturday
students in the student section Saturday night in an overtime upset.

March 24, 2022 News 3

Hard work pays off for successful Mock Trial team

Divy Bose | The Chronicle

The Mason High School (MHS) Photo by Risha Chada
Mock Trial team has made it to the
State Championship after two years. Junior Sonali Dasari gives her opening statement at an online Mock Trial competition.

A mock trial team is made up of stu- weak points stronger as quickly as ing each mock trial hearing. associated restrictions, students have
dents who practice law, public speak- possible.” “The late nights of memorizing are to call in on Zoom and perform the
ing and decision making. Members case virtually, in unfamiliar territory.
are responsible for arguing a different With the ongoing pandemic, two for the feelings during the trial and While her team was on call, Dasari said
case, each one having occurred in members decided to not participate after,” Boreddy said. “I that it was an abnormal environment
history, for each competition that they in Districts, forcing the two attorneys, for the team as a whole, since they
attend. A case has two sides, includ- Chada and Dasari, to take over those know how rewarding the result can would normally compete in an actual
ing the defendant’s side, which is the roles in a matter of ten days. Team be, so my best contribution is what I courtroom.
student who is being accused, then the mentor and MHS teacher Patricia owe to my team.”
relator’s side, which is the side that is George has been coaching the team “The flow is a lot more natural in a
doing the suing of the trial. The relator for eight years, but said that she has From starting as an attorney her courtroom, rather than on a call that
is, in other words, the “plaintiff” in the never seen the leadership be this freshman and sophomore year to a can experience technological difficul-
case, which is the person who argues impressive, so motivated toward taking first-year witness, Boreddy learned how ties or people getting cut out,” Dasari
their case against the court of law. the team up a notch. to adapt to different memorization said. “It’s almost just an awkward expe-
Each side has an attorney that defends techniques to stay a step ahead. As a rience, having to talk to the attorney
their side of the case, hoping to receive “They’re just such good competitors witness, Boreddy said that she tries to on the other side of the camera when
a win for their argument. Featuring and so dedicated,” George said. “They give the best possible answers to the it could be face to face.”
cross-examinations of witnesses and know what it takes to win and they’re questions that are thrown at her, but
the ability to make accusations at going to do it.” that she can only go off of what she Being forced to adapt to unprec-
any point during the questioning, the knows edented changes has caused unique
cases are evaluated by “judges” who Behind the scenes of a mock trial stressors and various alterations in
are lawyers themselves or have a law argument, there are many sleepless “There’s no time to think and it’s the usual precedents followed for
background. nights and hours of skillful memo- nearly impossible to think clearly mock trial competitions. Despite these
rization required to become fully during the competitions we attend,” challenges, however, George said that
Since October of 2021, the MHS team acquainted with what the case consists Boreddy said. “Trusting your gut and the students on the team have worked
has been looking to the Ohio Mock of, making the title of a State Champi- instincts is always the best bet, since harder than ever, blowing even her
Trial State Championship as their on that much more rewarding. Junior letting down the team is not an op- biggest expectations out of the water.
motivation and end goal. Following the Ananya Boreddy is a returning mock tion.”
After-District competitions, the team trial member. She said that knowing “I truly could not have asked for
advanced to the regional competition. the extensive details of a case is what Just as nerves are a huge part of par- more from these kids,” George said.
In preparation for regionals, mem- majorly contributes to her success dur- ticipating in a mock trial competition, “We really do have the dream team.”
bers continued to revise and improve so is the actual setting of the event.
their cases based on the feedback they Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its
received from previous competitions.
From there, they advanced to go onto
the State Championship over Zoom on
March 9, 2022.

Junior Sonali Dasari has been an at-
torney for the team since her freshman
year. She has spent hours on end after
school working for the team, alongside
junior Risha Chada. Dasari said that
she and Chada have put their utmost
effort into their road to the state
competition by speaking with lawyers
to help advise them on where to take
their next steps in order to make their
case stronger.

“We get the feedback and revise our
case right away,” Dasari said. “Time is
of the essence, so we try to make our

4 News March 24, 2022

Ganga writes book to raise awareness

Risha Chada | The Chronicle on the autism spectrum into one cat- helped her finish the book. Through- when I was ten, [my family] traveled
egory or create a stereotype because out her childhood, Ganga visited to Texas and [Bhoomika] had this tube
Freshman Harshita Ganga has every kid is different. her cousins who lived in Texas and that we put into her mouth to give
combined her passion for writing would chat and play with them. As her [food],” Ganga said. “And I re-
and autism awareness in her quest to “I tried to stay away from describ- they grew older, however, Bhoomika’s member I would [help] put that tube
become a published author. ing [the character with autism] too health worsened, and Ganga said in and [would] play with her because
much because I felt like I didn’t want that the times they shared was one of she wasn’t in a wheelchair yet. Those
Freshman Harshita Ganga recently to describe him in a way that was the main reasons she wrote “Hidden experiences showed me that, despite
published her book “Hidden Secrets” inaccurate,” Ganga said. Secrets.”
on Amazon. After thinking about the way that other people look at
ways to increase autism awareness, One of the biggest difficulties “I remember her, she’s still the same person
Ganga decided to combine that desire Ganga faced was staying committed with the same feelings.”
with her passion for writing. Ganga to her book. With her schedule filled
said she wrote the book in part to with high-level classes and after- Photo by Risha Chada
bring awareness to autism, but also in school clubs and activities, Ganga
honor of her cousin Bhoomika, who found herself with less time to
has Rett syndrome, a rare neurodevel- dedicate to her book. In order
opmental disorder that is classified as to accomplish her goal to get
an autism spectrum disorder. “Hidden Secrets” published,
Ganga said she had to cre-
“I think I started writing it because ate a rigid schedule for
I had an interest in writing, but the herself.
main reason I wrote what I did is
because I [felt] I needed to bring a “The main problem
lot of attention to autism,” Ganga with writing a book
said. “My cousin with Rett syndrome is definitely commit-
[Bhoomika] also lives in Texas, and ment,” Ganga said. “In
because of that distance, we rarely get order to get [Hidden
to see each other, so I always cherish Secrets] finished, I
the moments that we have with each had to sit down every
other and wanted to write something day for 30 minutes and
for her.” think ‘I’m going to just
write for these 30 min-
Everyone has doubts about pursu- utes [without] getting
ing new things, and Ganga was no distracted.’”
stranger to them as she published
her book. Throughout her writing Although Ganga faced
and revising processes, Ganga said it many obstacles while writ-
was extremely difficult to move past ing her book, the experiences
worrying about how others would she has had allowed her to get
perceive this book. through it. Ganga regularly
competes in events where she is
“There were many times where I under tremendous stress to learn
kept thinking ‘this sounds nothing or memorize or complete a task
like something someone would ever efficiently and said she believes
read’ or ‘this is nothing like the books that this helped her to meet her
I read,’” Ganga said. “It took me a page goals.
long time to find the words that I
wanted.” “I knew I wanted to finish the
book and it kept me motivated to
While Ganga struggled with find- set myself a goal to do a certain
ing the right words to convey her amount every week so that I could
story, she was also highly critical of get it done,” Ganga said. “It was
herself during this process. Always the sort of stress level that I would
one to push herself further, Ganga have before competitions like Sci-
said she never felt like her story was ence Olympiad [events], and I felt
good enough. like that prepared me because I
knew what cramming the night
“At first, I was really scared about before was like.”
publishing because I kept thinking ‘I
could do better on this,’” Ganga said. More than the self-
imposed goals and
Another hurdle Ganga faced was Science Olympiad
not being able to interview her cousin competition
for the book. Left with a decision to experience,
make about how autism was por- Ganga’s love
trayed in her story, Ganga turned to for her
the scientific research she completed cousin,
prior to writing her story. Ganga said Bhoomi-
she did not want to group everyone ka, really

March 24, 2022 Feature 5

Mason student decides to run for state office
Lack of youth representation prompts political action

Tanya Keskar | The Chronicle “I’m able to influence [the commu- Brady said. “We’re just making it a goal focuses of the campaign, as Cao said
nity], gain experience and help people as high schoolers to do this, our own his goal is to address the increasing
Junior Sam Cao has decided to run grow,” Nassif said. “That’s what’s really way, which probably is going about division in the nation. Cao said that
for office. important about this campaign.” rather unconventionally.” he wants to reach out to voters on all
parts of the political spectrum and gain
Cao is running as a Democrat for Brady is also a campaign manager In January, Cao decided that he bipartisan support for the campaign
a seat on the Ohio House of Repre- on the team. He said that, before this wanted to run for office. He was and his legislation.
sentatives, representing the district campaign, he was not very involved becoming increasingly aware of the
that encapsulates portions of Butler in politics, and being on the campaign politics affecting his life and realized “I’ll reach out across party lines,
and Warren County. His campaign reach out across age groups, talk
team is composed of other high Sam Cao (center) with his campaign managers Nick Brady (left) and Adam Nassif (right). with people and work with people
school students, including juniors in the state House–Democrats and
Nick Brady and Adam Nassif, two Graphic by Alisha Verma Republicans–to reach a point of
teenagers that believe that it is very understanding,” Cao said. “As long
important for young people to get has allowed him to become much that he was eligible to run for office. as we think something is morally
involved in politics. Cao said that more invested in learning about the After gathering signatures and filing right, I think that’s what matters
politics affect everyone, regardless state of the world around him. Brady registration, Cao is on the ballot for the in the end. We can reach a point of
of how involved they choose to be said that he is very impressed that the Ohio House of Representatives elec- meeting in the middle.”
involved. campaign has been going forward rely- tion. He said that his platform focuses
ing on students rather than turning to on combating the recent increase in The support from the community
“Politics is something you cannot adults. hate crimes by increasing the diversity around this campaign has been
escape,” Cao said. “No matter what of history taught in the K-12 curricu- amazing for the team. Brady said
age you are, no matter where you “I’ve seen in these last couple of lum and increasing environmental that they have found that people are
are, it’s always going to affect you. months how much people my age and awareness. encouraged by young people work-
I think that the pandemic has been a little bit older are really able to do ing towards seeing the community
the epitome of that. We’ve seen with the resources available to them,” Bipartisanship is also one of the do better.
our government’s response to the
pandemic affecting our everyday “We’ve found that there are a lot
lives, even now.” more people interested in seeing
him go through than we originally
As a young person, establish- thought,” Brady said. “[The support]
ing credibility in the political field is not only sustaining, but it’s grow-
can be a difficult task. Cao will be ing.”
turning 18 a few weeks before the
general election and, therefore, is The primaries, the election that
eligible to run for office. While be- determines which candidate of a
ing a younger candidate is unique particular party will be on the gen-
in politics, Cao said having youth eral election ballot, are on May 3,
representation is an important as- 2022. Anyone eligible to vote by the
set, as it provides a new perspective. general election date on November
8, 2022, including some current high
“Our [world’s] youth is something schoolers, should register to vote by
that’s very empowering,” Cao said. April 4, 2022 to vote in the primaries.
“We can lead to a more just and The team is very enthusiastic about
prosperous society, where it’s built on the campaign and feels that Cao will
caring and empathy and compassion be a strong representative of the com-
for one another.” munity. Cao said that he believes that
the values of his campaign are much
Nassif said that he has been very more important than his age.
involved in the business part of the “I hope that everything that this
campaign, as he is interested in both campaign stands for transcends past
economics and politics. Through just our age,” Cao said. “Don’t judge a
various books and videos, he taught book by its cover. Don’t look at our age,
himself business concepts and the eco- because that’s not the important thing
nomics of money. Nassif said that he is here.”
thrilled to be applying this knowledge
to the campaign.

6 Feature March 24, 2022

Photo by Owen Christensen

High-school members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints listen to lesson correlating to their studies in the Old Testament.

LDS high-schoolers commit to early-morning seminary class

Izzy Gaspar’raj | The Chronicle “Or, a deep-rooted truth inside of me BYU often looks for the completion seminary class allows for a more co-
that I know that these books are true.” of seminary classes on an applicant’s hesive learning environment for the
While some are just waking up resume, and will even offer large Church as a whole.
for the school day, certain students Sophomore Eli Clayson, who has at- scholarships to students who have
are already up, studying religious tended seminary classes for two years, proof of completion. While Rose is “The Church is always encouraging
scriptures. said that due to the early time of planning on pursuing a degree in us to study with our families, but they
seminary classes, he sometimes finds Mechanical Engineering at Ohio State know that as high-school students we
From 6:30 to 7:15 each morning, it very difficult to find the energy to University, junior Lauren Nguyen has have loaded schedules and that won’t
high-school members of the Church get up in the mornings. He feels it is a “big goal” of attending a BYU col- always happen,” Clayson said. “I feel
of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints important he attends seminary class- lege. Seminary classes supply her with like seminary classes give relief from
(LDS) attend a seminary class, taught es, however, and has put into place needed credit, as well as provide her the stress of [outside] study.”
by adult members of the Church, precautions to ensure his attendance. with a community of similar-minded
in which they study the scriptures students. After three years of seminary,
of their church. These texts include “I have to set several alarms,” Clay- Nguyen now has a bedtime of 8:30
the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon son said. “I have my lights hooked “Seminary is only offered to high- p.m. to help her wake up by 6:00 a.m.
and Doctrine and Covenants. The up through my Alexa system so it school students, and in high school, for class. Nguyen said her adjusted
early-morning aspect of this class can automatically turns on in the morn- it’s sometimes hard to keep your sleep schedule has helped her be
sometimes serve to be an obstacle, but ing. [It’s] really difficult to get up at values while being with your friends,” more “refreshed” for her day and to
many are instead using it to further a that time.” Nguyen said. “Going to seminary and be “way less sluggish.” In addition, she
connection to their religion. knowing that you’re not alone and has noticed that she is often more at-
Despite the obstacle of having to that other kids have the same values tentive than her peers during the first
Senior Alex Rose, a member of the get an early start to his day, Clayson as you, then you’re not strange or an couple of bells, due to the fact she
LDS Church, has attended seminary views seminary class as an advantage, odd one out because of it.” has already been up for an hour and a
classes throughout his four years because it causes him to be more alert half before them. Similar to Clayson,
in high school. He said that in his at the start of the school day. He said In the LDS Church, Nguyen said Nguyen said that she loves having
church, the idea of “spiritual nourish- that the incorporation of seminary that there are discussions and read- seminary class as the first event of her
ment” places a focus on becoming into his daily routine has been a ings that each family is encouraged to day, as it helps her mentally prepare.
fluent in one’s religious beliefs, and healthy addition to his schedule. follow along with at home in between
is emphasized frequently. The daily church meetings on Sundays. Nguyen “The spirit that it brings in the
seminary class is a part of that “spiri- “I personally like to think of finds that seminary gives her a “better morning is such a great way to start
tual nourishment,” and is a large part [seminary] as a start-up for the day,” way to elaborate” on ideas presented off my day before the stress of having
of the reason why he goes to the class. Clayson said. “Whenever I go to that during church meetings and that she to do homework, going to school and
Not only does this “nourishment” class, I always feel a lot more energet- “finds them interesting because [she] having to endure the day,” Ngyuen
of their spirit help to maintain their ic throughout the day. And whenever really engages with them.” said. “It’s a good way to start off my
spiritual health, but it helps to sustain I don’t go and sleep in, I always feel day because it’s a moment of peace
all different aspects of their health. way more groggy and tired. I really At the start of the pandemic, and being around kids who believe
like going to class because it wakes church meetings were not able to be the same things I do because there are
“We feed our bodies, we feed our me up.” held in person, so studying scriptures not many people in school who are a
minds, but we also have to feed our within families became increasingly part of the Church.”
spirit,” Rose said. “Our faith and our Clayson said that although every- important. Though they are able to
spirit do not grow without us building one may not find the content engag- meet in person again now, seminary Ultimately, Nguyen makes room
it up somehow.” ing, it interests him, and he finds that classes continue to help students con- in her schedule for seminary classes
in addition to a community of peers nect with the scriptures more. because of the vital role religion takes
Rose said that he is encouraged by of the same faith, he feels more “spiri- in her life.
his peers and also his father to attend tually in-tune” due to these classes, Furthermore, Clayson also said that
seminary classes so that he can learn and also generally helps him feel this “extension of church” provides “Making the commitment to
more about their religion and so better afterward. a supplementary element when at- seminary and going to church, it’s
that he stays connected to the faith tempting to follow along with the important to me because it’s the most
through his adolescence. A group of universities connected recommended family discussions for important thing in my life,” Nguyen
to the LDS Church called Brigham the week. The connected content of said. “School doesn’t define who I am,
“[My dad] wants me to use seminary Young Universities (BYU) also church meetings, home study and sports doesn’t define who I am, but
to build up a testimony,” Rose said. provides these students with a com- this does.”
munity of similar-minded students.

March 24, 2022 News 7

Russia, Ukraine conflict impacts students with international family ties

Evelina Gaivoronskaia | The Chronicle and southern regions of the country. of the sanctions came from the EU, the Andrei Khudiakov
During an address on Russian state United States (US) and Canada. These Sophomore
While students go about their television, Putin claimed his reason sanctions consist of freezing assets in
everyday lives, Ukrainian and Russian for aiming to take control of Ukraine Russian banks, travel bans to and from “I am going
students are juggling issues stemming was “to protect people who have been Russia and bans on the import of Rus- through my daily
from the war in their home countries. subjected to bullying and genocide”, sian technology and oil.
but the Association of Genocide Schol- life here and
On the morning of February 24, Rus- ars has found no evidence of genocide Although the sanctions were of- I’m just thinking
sian troops entered Ukraine from the occurring in Ukraine. The genocide ficially aimed at the Russian govern- about how much
country’s eastern border after decade- claims have been brought to United ment and elites, they have affected all suffering every-
long tensions between the countries Nations’ highest court by Ukraine, and Russian citizens. After Russia was cut one there is go-
escalated. The current conflict stems Russia has boycotted the hearing, leav- off from the global bank payments
from Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s ing its reserved seats empty. system, the ruble (the official Russian ing through.”
worries about Ukraine’s decreasing loy- unit of currency) dropped to a value
alty to Russia, following the dismantle- Sophomore Andrei Khudiakov fol- of less than one US cent. The fall of - Andrei Khudiakov
ment of the Union of Soviet Socialist lows the story of his home country the ruble caused inflation of prices all
Republics (USSR), a federal union of through news outlets. Khudiakov’s over Russia and a surge of bank runs Zhasur Dzhurakulov
multiple republics headed by Russia, mother is Ukrainian and his father is as Russians rushed to convert their Sophomore
in 1991. After this disintegration, Rus- Russian, and he said that the news of currency into secure assets. Dzhuraku-
sia and Ukraine became independent the war has affected both him and his lov said that many of his Russian peers “I didn’t think
countries. parents. have felt the effect of their declining the Russian
economy on their daily lives. troops would
In 2013, however, Ukraine’s President “I was hoping it wouldn’t happen,
Victor Yanukovych rejected six bills but [Russia] put so many troops on the “I am currently talking with some of cross the border.
that aimed at promoting closer ties be- border, I knew it probably would,” Khu- my friends online and many of them I thought they
tween Ukraine and the European Union diakov said. “I was so shocked.” are saying that they feel very limited were just trying
(EU). This decision caused a national in their daily lives,” Dzhurakulov said. to scare every-
outrage among Ukrainian citizens. The invasion was as much of a shock “They cannot go to the store and buy one.”
to students of Russian heritage as it anything under a hundred rubles. It’s
Despite these events, Putin resolved was for students of Ukrainian heritage. really sad, especially because they are - Zhasur Dzhurakulov
that most Ukrainians wanted ties with Sophomore Zhasur Dzhurakulov lived not involved in the invasion at all.”
Russia. This belief fueled the inva- in Russia for the first 15 years of his life,
sion and annexation of the Ukrainian causing him to never expect his home Besides the sanctions from differ-
peninsula of Crimea in 2014. Following country to attack another nation. ent nations, many businesses, such as
this, the Donetsk People’s Republic Toyota, Apple, Starbucks and H&M,
and the neighboring Luhansk People’s “I was angry,” Dzhurakulov said. “I are pausing sales or even leaving the
Republic broke off from Ukraine. The didn’t think the Russian troops would Russian market permanently. Russian
conflict continued until the cease- cross the border. I thought they were officials claim that they will be able
fire agreements, known as the Minsk just trying to scare everyone.” to produce similar products with their
Agreements, were brokered by Ger- own companies and resources. Dzhur-
many and France in September of 2014. As Russia has continued its military akulov said he finds it funny that “all
The plan would require Ukraine to give attack on Ukraine, over two million these years [companies] did not try to
the two regions partial autonomy and refugees have fled their homes to do anything similar to [the planned
in exchange, Ukraine was able to gain escape the nearing violence. Major cit- innovations], but when it came to an
control of its border through a cease- ies in Ukraine like Kyiv, Kharkiv and extreme event, they decided to try it
fire. The agreements, however, did not Mariupol have become battlegrounds now.”
completely halt the fighting, as both as the Ukrainian people continue to
parties were reported for violating its resist Russian troops. Cities have lost Beyond the brands that provide phys-
rules, and an estimated 14,000 people power, water and heat due to heavy de- ical products, many media companies
lost their lives in the conflict. struction. Khudiakov has relatives who are also reevaluating their operations
are currently residing in Ukraine and in Russia. Facebook, Instagram, Spotify
In 2022, Putin again voiced his opin- said that his family’s priority is getting and Google are reducing the visibility
ion about the Russian and Ukrainian them out of the war zone and to safety. of Russian content, while Netflix has
people uniting. Part of his initiative suspended their streaming services
in ensuring a union was a push for a “I am going about my daily life in the country. Due to this, Russian
guarantee that Ukraine would never here and I’m just thinking about how content creators will see a decrease in
join the North Atlantic Trade Organi- much suffering everyone there is going their platform’s outreach, placing the
zation (NATO), and that NATO would through,” Khudiakov said. “It’s really country in a bubble of national media.
pull its troops from the Russian border. sad that people have to go through
Ukraine is not part of NATO, but in that. Especially coming off a pandemic, The decrease in Russian media will
2008, the country officially applied for where everyone was so united, and now not only reduce entertainment for
a NATO Membership Action Plan, a everyone is fighting each other again. those in the country, but for people
mechanism that would provide assis- That’s very disheartening.” around the world. A large portion of
tance and advice for countries wanting the content Dzhurakulov consumes is
to join NATO. Two years later, Ukraine Although Dzhurakulov has no rela- Russian-based, so the absence of it will
withdrew from membership consid- tives in Ukraine, the news of Russian leave a noticeable mark on his day-to-
eration due to the election of Russia- attacks on civilians still has left an day life. For Dzhurakulov, it is evident
supporting president, Yanukovych, who impact on him. His connection to the that the sanctions “[won’t] just affect
was later voted out in 2014. That same situation allows him to picture himself Russia, [they will] affect the whole
year, NATO membership once again in the place of the Ukrainian civilians. world.”
became a priority for Ukraine, follow-
ing Russia’s annexation of Crimea. “I would never want to be hiding in The unpredictable actions of Russian
subways for weeks, understanding that leadership have left bystanders like
Although Putin formally denied hav- at any moment a bomb might hit me,” Khudiakov and Dzhurakulov to anx-
ing any plans of an invasion, on Febru- Dzhurakulov said. “I wouldn’t want to iously follow daily news as they hope
ary 24, 2022, Russian troops crossed live a life where I would die due to the for the conflict’s resolution.
Ukrainian borders as they launched government. “
their attacks in the northern, eastern “I’m hoping everything goes back to
In attempts to discourage the con- at least a little bit of peace,” Khudiakov
tinuation of Russia’s invasion, countries said.
around the world have implemented
sanctions against Russia. The majority

8 Feature March 24, 2022

Students with multiple nationalities seek to find cultural connection

Aimee Liu | The Chronicle Mexico,” since his dad is Mexican. Graphic by Becca Hunter
Although Fuentes is not extremely con-
Students with a background in multiple “I don’t apply for US citizenship is
countries are grappling with their cultural nected to his Mexican culture, as he has lived look like the approaching, Valathappan
identities. in the United States his whole life, he said it stereotypical said that she is hesitant to give
is “cool to be able to have the option to go [to Mexican because my up her Indian citizenship.
A dual citizen is a person that is concur- Mexico] whenever I want.” Despite his lack of skin color is a little lighter, so sometimes I “There are a lot of pros and cons to apply-
rently regarded as a citizen of two different direct connection with the country, Fuentes would have to tell people that I was Mexi- ing for [US] citizenship,” Valathappan said.
countries and therefore shares rights and said that being Mexican in America has made can,” Enriquez said. “They’d be like, ‘Oh, you “But I think the possibility of having a citizen-
responsibilities to both. Dual citizens can live, him more aware of different perspectives. don’t look like that’ or would ask me ‘Did you ship in another country allows for that scope
work, vote and access public benefits in both come here legally?’ which I didn’t think was of being able to connect to your ethnicity and
of their countries while also abiding by both “A lot of racism that goes on in America something I would have to explain.” background.”
sets of laws. isn’t talked about much, like people being According to Valathappan, the diverse cul-
nonchalantly racist towards Mexican people,” Knowing that many Mexicans do come to ture of Mason has allowed her to “embrace
For senior Adriana Enriquez, who was born Fuentes said. “A lot of people talk about the United States as a result of struggles in both [cultures] without feeling an identity
in the United States and has dual citizenship Mexican people stealing jobs and bashing im- their home country, Enriquez said that “it’s crisis” or the need to “completely ignore one
in America and Mexico, the two countries migrants who have worked hard to be here very difficult” for these immigrants to have side of [her].”
have always been a part of her life. and have a better life for their family.” to answer the question regarding the legality Although she used to have experiences
of their existence in this country. with peers judging the smells and tastes of
Enriquez’s parents, who grew up as Mexi- Being able to witness and absorb the her Indian food, Valathappan said that with
can citizens, immigrated to the US for work cultures of both the United States and Mexico Along with unsolicited, offensive questions age, “people were more understanding” and
and have since also acquired dual citizenship first-hand, Enriquez said she has learned and comments about her ethnicity, Enriquez seemed to accept the existence of different
in both countries. Due to her birth in the US, many valuable lessons. She said that being has also experienced many assumptions cultures. No matter the external forces, how-
Enriquez has always been an American citi- a dual citizen, as well as being able to speak about her character, simply due to the fact ever, Valathappan said that there is a certain
zen but also obtained her Mexican citizenship both English and Spanish, has given her that she is Mexican. She said that during an comfort people must find within themselves
as a baby. Enriquez said that her journey in certain practical opportunities but also ulti- interview for a job, her manager made stereo- to ever fully embrace their cultural identities.
balancing her cultures has been an evolution. mately, a more open mind. typical comments that negatively impacted “There’s a bit of that divide, trying to pick
her. between the two [countries],” Valathappan
“When I was younger, I was trying to be “Being bilingual has definitely opened a said. “It’s like there’s a part of me that isn’t
like everyone else,” Enriquez said. “A lot of lot of doors for me,” Enriquez said. “At my “The manager was asking me if I was Mex- fully accepted [in India] because even though
the people at school weren’t in my situation. job, sometimes there are people speaking ican, and said something like, ‘Well, I believe I have citizenship there, it doesn’t count as
Moving to high school and talking to a lot of Spanish and I can help them. [Being a dual Mexicans are really hard workers because my much since I don’t live there. It does take
kids in ESL who were from different coun- citizen] has also helped me [understand] other landscapers are Mexican,’” Enriquez said. “I some work to be able to accept that there’s
tries as well helped me to know that I wasn’t people’s situations. I know that a lot of people was like, ‘how does that relate?’ I don’t think both sides and that you connect to both sides
alone. It is hard to identify myself, but I’m try- don’t have some of the privileges that I have.” that’s a comment that should’ve been made.” without letting that impact who you are as a
ing to maintain both cultures as my own.” person.”
Despite the many legal and personal Struggles with ethnicity and culture are Learning this internal balance between
Sophomore Daniel Fuentes also has dual benefits that being a dual citizen has given not exclusive to those with dual citizenship. your two cultures has also been integral for
citizenship in the United States and Mexico. Enriquez, not everything she experienced Some countries do not accept dual citizenship Enriquez. She said that although it has taken
Like Enriquez, he was born in the US and has been positive. Enriquez said that she has with the United States, so people must choose time, she feels that she has come to accept
obtained his Mexican citizenship as a baby. received and continues to hear many hurtful between their two countries. Sophomore both sides of her identity and is better off for
He said that his parents wanted him to “have comments about her ethnicity and culture, Srinidhi Valathappan, who was born in India it.
the option of being in the US or being in often based heavily on stereotypes. and moved to the US when she was a year “I think that people should embrace their
old, has decided to keep her Indian citizen- cultures,” Enriquez said. “That does take
Maya Taking down pediatric cancer, Maya style. ship. some time, but it’s gonna make you feel
Collins like your own person. Even though through
age 14 Scholarship Opportunity Beginning the process as a baby, Valathap- high school you’re just trying to fit in, you’re
pan has since obtained a green card, which is gonna fit in better if you embrace who you
Maya’s “Pay it Forward” a permit allowing someone to live and work are.”
Scholarship in the United States permanently. However,
those with green cards are not citizens and
This scholarship opportunity is open to all Mason do not share all the same privileges, like
High School seniors who have demonstrated the the right to vote or run for public office. Al-
foundation’s mission, vision and purpose. Some examples though the time to decide whether or not to
are (but not limited to) displaying exemplary life skills
such as community service, overcoming obstacles,
leadership activities, and family commitment.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
• Students attending Mason High School at the time

of application
• A high school student in good academic standing
• Must demonstrate acceptance into a post high school

academic or trade program

IMPORTANT DATES:

Interested applicants may download an application at
the “Pay it Forward” section on LiveLikeMaya.org.

Applications close - March 20, 2022
Recipients notified - No later than April 20, 2022

www.LiveLikeMaya.org | [email protected] | 513.807.3385

The Live Like Maya Foundation’s tax I.D.# is: 83-3467055

March 24, 2022 Feature 9

excitement for hire
Unique jobs offer students unorthodox workforce experiences

Bradyn Johnson | The Chronicle for animals through smaller species also played golf all four years at he believes
like armadillos, beetles, cockroaches Mason High School. Throughout this program
Without the limitation of a nine- and snakes which she handled during his time at work, and with will do wonders for his
to-five job, students at Mason High the summer months. Kanna said that help of his co-workers, future, whether that involves the golf
School have expanded the traditional through her experience at the zoo, she Materni said that he industry or not.
definition of a job to a new level. was able to learn a lot more than what was able to gain a lot “I think going into this program is
she could have in a book. of experience from going to help me open up my eyes to
From working at the Cincinnati working some opportunities out there.”
Zoo to the Four Bridges golf course, “Hands-on experience is super at a golf Materni has been unsure at times
teens are finding jobs that pertain to important to learn anything,” Kanna course as he tries to figure out his future.
their passions. Starting with part-time said. “Volunteering helps me get that in hopes However, he’s always enjoyed the
jobs, students are finding ways to experience.” to carry highs and lows of golf whether it be
tap into their professional passions it on in the scoring a hole in one or missing a
while simultaneously keeping their Kanna’s experience as a Zooteen future. close putt.
options open. Students often use jobs has not only furthered her skills as an “It’s something I’ve been passionate
as a creative outlet, a way to increase employee in the corporate world but “There has about for seventeen years of my life,
their income, or as a way to gain work has also expanded her knowledge in been a big and I want to continue that in my
experience. Teens also use part-time the zoology world. Kanna said that it influence,” career,” Materni said.
work as an outlet to understand what gives her more space to express her Materni said,
they are truly passionate about. passions. “They have
tried teaching
Junior Manasi Kanna volunteers at “I feel like it gives you a lot more me the behind
the Cincinnati Zoo where she engages opportunity and a lot more space,” the scenes that not
new visitors and works with kids Kanna said. “Not a lot of jobs offer everyone sees.”
during the summer. She additionally that.”
takes part in setting up lights for the Because Materni
annual Holiday Festival of Lights. Not only do these unique jobs was able to gain
Kanna said that she hopes to become create a pathway to interesting career some behind-the-scenes
a vet when she gets older and that opportunities, but they also open knowledge, he had an upper
becoming a “ZooTeen” has helped her up college interests. Senior Dylan hand in knowing what the industry
do that. Materni is attending Mississippi was like. Materni said that he had to
State’s Professional Golf Management comprehend all of the terminology
“I really like zoology, and this program, where he dreams of used in the business golfing industry,
volunteer opportunity does just that,” becoming a head professional at a golf whether it be what brand of club it
Kanna said. “It encourages your course. is to what material the golf balls are
interests in zoology.” made of.
Materni has tried to make his
Although Kanna’s time of working dreams a reality by working at “I basically had to memorize all the
at the zoo had little to Wowza Golf as a golf shop employee. technology on the golf clubs to be
do with caring for Materni said his favorite part of his able to communicate with people who
animals such as come into the store,” Materni said.
lions, tigers, and job was communicating with the
bears, she was customers. He was able When Materni graduates, he plans
still able to to speak the golf on attending a golf management
maintain language program to further his skills in the
a love because he industry. Although Materni is still
in his exploring phase, he said that

Illustrations by Allison Droege

10 News March 24, 2022

NHS Prom Fashion continues charitable mission

Ava Yungbluth | The Chronicle “Sharp Dressed Man.” Photo by Ava Yungbluth
Mason’s National Honors Society NHS Prom Fashion show co-chair, Senior boys rehearse for upcoming Prom Fashion Show lineup in March 2022.

(NHS) prom fashion show is making a Malani Patel, said that it was important thrilled to be in the dance, which is really said that she believes that while MHS is
comeback to ensure an amazing prom that all of Mason High School’s (MHS) exciting.” a large high school, it still maintains a
experience for all upperclassmen. clubs and activities are recognized in tightly knit community with school-wide
the show, especially some of the less Patel is passionate about the cause events like the prom fashion show.
The reign of prom fashion shows well-known clubs. With their outfits tying and said that she enjoyed watching the
ended abruptly in 2019 after the CO- together what their clubs were about, event come together over a short period. “Mason has a really great sense of
VID-19 outbreak but has returned this many students have the opportunity to Although Patel had to invest a lot of community for a school that’s as big as
year to carry on the society’s mission of show off their passions. Patel said that it time and hard work into the production we are,” Bair said. “Being able to have
charitability. NHS Prom Fashion Show is wonderful to see different parts of the of the event, she said that she looked events like this, where the whole school
Chair, senior Rachel Bair, helped put to- school coming together and showcasing at the event as a form of school spirit is able to come [together], is really great
gether the 2022 event and said that one of what they are about. that unites the school under a cause for to contribute to that sense of commu-
the most important parts of the event is the betterment of the community. Patel nity.”
helping fund underprivileged students so “It’s really nice to see every smaller as- said that helping people and getting the
that they can afford to make their prom pect of the school come together because school excited for an event are two things Patel believes that contributing to the
experiences special, aiding them there’s a lot of smaller clubs that don’t that she cares a lot about. Mason community is very important and
in purchasing prom dresses, tuxedos and get as much recognition,” Patel said. a priority. She said that a major goal of
hair and makeup services. Any leftover “It builds school spirit while also sup- the show is to give back to the commu-
proceeds from the event will go to a Bair is thankful for all of the differ- porting kids who are financially disad- nity and those in need.
student activities fund that helps Mason ent people she worked with to make vantaged,” Patel said. “It was something I
students get tickets to games and other the event possible. From collaborating was passionate about.” “We’re not using the money to build
events. Bair said that budgetary reasons with sports teams to smaller clubs, Bair up our club,” Patel said. “We want to raise
shouldn’t impede on a student having a found ways to include as many juniors Bair sees the prom fashion show as an this money so that we can help a group
special event in their lives. and seniors as she could in the planning opportunity to represent what MHS is of students. [The Mason NHS Prom Fash-
process. Bair said that her goal was to about, having a strong community. She ion Show] represents Mason’s belief in
“I think that it is really important that ensure that every part of the school had helping give back to the community.”
every student gets a prom night that the opportunity to be included.
they will never forget,” Bair said. “If it’s
a financial reason that’s going to inhibit “It’s really cool that so many differ-
someone from having that experience ent clubs and organizations and so many
then we should be able to provide for different students get so excited,” Bair
that.” said. “They’re very engaged and involved
in something that directly impacts their
The 2022 fashion show showcases community.”
three different clothing styles and
performances from school groups. The The process of setting up the fashion
first segment features traditional prom show took a lot of collaborative efforts
dresses from Dillards and tuxedos from from every person and group involved
Folchi’s modeled by a group of enthu- in the planning process. At the end of
siastic upperclassmen. Then, a special the night, fifteen senior boys closed out
performance of a Bhangra dance by the the event with their dancing finale to the
talent-show winners, Gajdi Jawani fol- song, “Sharp Dressed Man.” Bair said that
lowed by the MHS Comet Zone model- one of the most thrilling processes was
ing Mason merchandise. The last seg- putting together this traditional senior
ment has representatives of various clubs boys’ dance.
and student activities modeling looks to
promote their club in a “met-gala” style “We work to get a lot of the models,
runway. The night came to a close with a it’s been a lot of just going back and
group of senior boys dancing to the song, forth emailing, trying to get stuff set up,
but it’s really starting to come together,”
Bair said. “We have a really high energy
excited group of guys and they’re all

March 24, 2022 11

12 Feat

Online word game inspires

Isabelle Paley | The Chronicle wagon of upcoming trends. Sophomore
Sarah Lupenetti was curious about what
Whether young or old, Wordle is her friends were talking about and
proving to puzzle everyone. wanted to join in.

Wordle is an online game in which “I wanted to know what the hype was
players have six attempts to guess a five- about, so I started playing one day and
letter word once every day. With each got addicted,” Lupenetti said. “I played
new guess, the game informs the player one game and now have a 58-day win-
as to whether or not their guesses are ning streak that I am trying to uphold.”
accurate in terms of letters and place-
ment, utilizing green, yellow, and gray Conversations through social media
blocks. For example, if the goal word and friends have kick-started Wordle’s
was “SWEET,” a guess with the word popularity with new players increas-
“SLATE” would be backlit with a green ing daily. According to The Guardian,
box, then gray, gray, yellow and yellow. Wordle had only 90 daily players in No-
vember 2021. After a few months, that
Similar to how many other trends number rose exponentially, growing to
have started, students at Mason High over two million.
School (MHS) began playing Wordle
after seeing others play the game on With the increase in players, con-
various social media sites. Sophomore nectedness can be felt amongst friends
Mathew Waechter said that he started and family. Wordle’s “share your score”
to play the game due to its increasing feature allows players to text others how
popularity on TikTok. many attempts it took them to discover
the daily word, usually fostering healthy
“I started to see TikToks about the competition.
[game],” Waechter said. “All of my
friends were playing it and I didn’t want Freshman Mallory Maechum said
to be out of the loop.” that her texts are consumed with green
and yellow squares sent by family and
Wanting to understand the appeal of friends. The simple word game has cre-
a current trend and understand what ated a positive impact in Maechum’s life
people are talking about is one of the due to an increase in communication.
main reasons students hop on the band-
“I used to rarely talk to my family

Illustration by Nishka Mishra

ture 13

community among players

but Wordle gives me a reason to engage for relaxation and fun.
more in our group chat,” Maechum The popularity of the game has led
said.
other game developers to craft their
Maechum is not the only student own versions of the game. Whether
who has formed a newfound comradery players prefer a more math-oriented
while playing Wordle. Lupinetti and her game such as Nerdle (similar to Wordle,
family have started a family-wide com- but involving math and equations) or
petition to see who can get the word in a geography-filled game like Worldle
the least amount of attempts. (guessing a country based on an outline
of its shape), the spin-off games provide
“My family has a FaceBook group the same Wordle entertainment for a
with all of our families that we share more specific group. Meachum enjoys
our scores on,” Lupenneti said. “We are the different versions of Wordle because
able to share how we did that day. It’s re- she can find games more tailored to her
ally fun to see everyone engaging with interests.
each other in a new way.”
“I play ‘Taylordle’, which is the Taylor
The increase in communication is not Swift version of Wordle,” Meachum said.
the only benefit evident in Wordle’s sud- “I enjoy that there is a version where
den rise to popularity. With a new game I get to guess words relating to Taylor
daily, players often may find themselves Swift, since I’m better at that than the
learning new words and definitions. regular version.”

“[Wordle] is an easy way to feel like A simple word game has created a
I’m enriching my brain,” Meachum community of over two million people.
said. “Some days I will look at the word While being a fun conversation starter,
and ask myself, “What does that even Wordle’s popularity goes beyond just
mean?” So, I Google the definition and words by allowing players to get excited
get to learn a new word that day.” to learn new words each day.

As much of entertainment in recent “[Wordle] gets me excited to learn,”
years has focused on violence or action- Lupinetti said. “I get to learn new words
packed sequences, whether in video and definitions while having fun. And
games or cinema, Wordle’s popularity that is a rare combination to find.”
has offered a more educational outlet

14 Entertainment March 24, 2022

The main focus Josie Lorenz | The Chronicle
of this semester in
zoology has been Bowling coach Joe Riestenberg is currently
invertebrates and, reading The Killing Floor by Lee Child. The
now, the class is book follows a man named Jack Reacher
moving into verte- who goes on a trip to see the site where
brate animals. In the Blind Blake, a jazz musician, had died. Much
next four weeks, the to his surprise he gets accused of the crime
class will dissect a himself when he arrives. Reacher seeks
grasshopper, cray- help from an officer who believes him to
fish, dogfish, shark be innocent and the duo has to figure
out what exactly happened to prove
and a perch. Reacher’s innocence. Riestenberg
gives the book 4/5 stars.

Evelina Gaivoronskaia | The Chronicle

90’s trends have been making their way
back into the mainstream. Sophomore Jullian
Wu is one of many people taking note of this
comeback and applying it to their own style.
Inspired by celebrities like 90’s supermodel
Kate Moss and Lily-Rose Depp, an actress and
model who has gained significant traction on
social media over the past years. Her outfit
follows the mindset of combining simple piec-
es to create a straightforward, but still stylish
attire. Just like her inspiration, Lily-Rose Depp,
Wu sticks with an easy-going white tank top
and a black cardigan on the top of her outfit.
The bottom consists of straight-legged jeans
with a rip on the knee, a staple piece from
the 90’s. This style is popular with young
adults like Wu because it is comfortable for
day-to-day life and easy to maintain, while
still elevating the person wearing it.

Ex Factor by Lauryn Hill Industry Baby by Lil Nas X Take You Home by Thomas Rhett Champagne Problems by Taylor Swift
Freak on a Leash by Korn Birdhouse In Your Soul by We True Colors by The Weeknd People Watching by Conan Gray
Thinkin Bout You by Frank Ocean Get Down by Still Woozy Tia Tamera by Doja Cat, Rico Nasty
Might Be Giants
My Ordinary Life by The Living

Tombstone

March 24, 2022 Entertainment 15

ALBUM REVIEWReview by Savannah Libby CRASH MOVIE REVIEW The Batman
DIRECTOR: Matt Reeves
by Charli XCX Review by Aditya Thiyag

Charli XCX’s fifth studio album “Something in theWay”was one of the most understat- 4.5/5
ed songs on Nirvana’s Nevermind. Consisting of just a few
Crash is the product of a turbulent mix 3/5

of Charli’s passionate feelings about chords, Cobain’s whispering vocals, and with many fans

straying from the traditional path dur- believing the lyrics to be about Cobain’s time homeless, it

ing her music career, explaining how is a vulnerable record about a broken person seemingly

she never conformed to the expecta- struggling through their every waking moment.Which

tions set for her by Atlantic Records. is why it was an absolute delight to hear in Matt Reeves’

The opening track“Crash”contains crime thrillerThe Batman.

heartfelt lyricism, displaying synth and Robert Pattinson’s BruceWayne is a battered husk of a

catchy repetition to draw in and excite person that spends his days journaling his vigilante exploits

listeners.Though the song is monoto- and piecing together crime after crime only to leap out into

nous in the way the lyrics are delivered, the night and fight Gotham’s never ending war on crime

the intentional electronic feel to the song stark contrast to the beat, which is a step in the hopes of honoring his family’s legacy, something

lends to a tune that is enjoyable, even if back into the day and age of disco. Pattinson relays flawlessly through every guttural scream

difficult to listen to more than once. The biggest drawbacks that I have and every longing glance. His body language is what truly the neon billboards of the town square elevate themes of

The record includes more passionate with Crash are tied to the tracks“Constant sells this interpretation, since his verbal interactions with classism present and all of it is drenched in a seemingly end-

songs such as“Move Me”and“Good Repeat,”and those around him are limited.The performances throughout less downpour. Individual sets likeWayneTower revel in the

Ones,”which captured my attention. “Every Rule.”The monotonous tone the cast are all just as stellar. Paul Dano’s Riddler is a straight gothic architecture established byTim Burton three decades

“Good Ones”is a song harboring intense that is used throughout the albums up horror antagonist, Zoë Kravitz’s Catwoman is the most ago and this take on Gotham’s Police Department feels like

emotional grief, perfect for belting on a is overbearing here, and even with complex she has ever been in live-action, and Colin Farrell it belongs in an 80’s cop drama rather than a superhero tale.

long drive. Charli is able to strengthen “Constant Repeat,”being a literal loop, steals every scene that he’s in asThe Penguin. Cinematographer Greig Fraser shoots these sets with an

the track in the darkness of her vocal this quirk is not enough to save the track Every cast and crew member showcases only their intimacy unseen in comic book films for years, as every scene

tone, while also presenting contrasts from feeling less essential by comparison. best work, with composer Michael Giacchino in particular is framed and lit darkly to reflect the grime of the comics

with sudden high notes, hypnotizing “Every Rule”has a rather lack of energy delivering his strongest score since Up. From the poignant while allowing individual colors to pop, leading to genuine

audiences.“Move Me”exemplifies that that feels like an outlier compared to the strings and twinkling piano melodies of“Catwoman”to the contrast in every shot.

shift into a deeper vocality even further, rest of the songs on the album. Repetition operatic vocals and drumless instrumentals of“The Riddler”, However, the nearly three hour runtime could easily be

making it a highlight of the album.The is not a problem when Charli uses it with every piece is aptly suited for their respective characters and trimmed without any consequence and its effect on the pac-

purposeful instrumental cut-offs convey a the right synths and instrumentals that reinforces the tone of any given scene. No track exemplifies ing is exacerbated on repeat viewings.The lack of attention

feeling of isolation from the industry.The are upbeat and give a more lighthearted this better than Giacchino’s two part score for the dark knight; given to Alfred Pennyworth is another point against the film’s

song is incredibly catchy and cuts off the mood like on“Lightning.”, but when the while the first half contains a majestic brass symphony that favor. Andy Serkis’performance is nothing special and his

build-up of the instrumentals right after tracks are so blatantly boring, it’s impos- elegantly conveys the complexity and nuances of Bruce lack of screen time undermines his relevance in this universe.

she says“move me”fitting perfectly into sible to derive any sense of enjoyment Wayne, the last three minutes are a constant crescendo of And while deviations from the source material are acceptable

the pattern of cutting it off to convey her from them. two major notes, striking fear into the hearts of the audience in adaptations, including Alfred just to underwrite him is

feelings of growing up in the industry. While the album might not be Charli’s as the caped crusader does to the criminals of Gotham. disappointing.

Part of what makes Charli’s voice work best body of work, it is a fine addition to Speaking of, production designer James Chinlund worked Overall,The Batman is a display of passion intent on

so well on this album is the use of the 80s the discography of an artist that keeps with Reeves to craft the most nightmarish version of Gotham proving that superhero films can be more than just mindless

synthpop style that“Baby”and“Twice” on innovating.The eclectic mix of heart- ever put to film. Smoke rises from every pothole imagin- of entertainment. Reeves has a clear handle on what makes

show.The synths throughout the entire wrenching lyrics and synthwave pop able, the brown hues the character tick and relays it in the most visually arresting

album and the relatively fast-paced tune production makes this an enjoyable listen of the cityscape manner possible, and it’s truly inspiring to see nothing stand

make it a new playlist choice for roller that harkens back to the 80’s without illuminated by in the way of this creative’s vision.

skating.The more modernized lyrics are a being derivative of the sound.

by Aditya Thiyag ARTIST
SPOTLIGHT
Indie rock artist Indigo De Souza exemplifies put-
ting one’s soul into their music. Her dynamically by Della Johnson
complex discography offers emotional confessions
and raw vocals, often shaking with passion and
constantly contrasting her yells with softer croons,
ranging into an objectively impressive higher
register. Though dropping a few songs prior,
her first prominent release was her 2018 album
I Love My Mom, featuring her largest hit, the
snarky “Take Off Ur Pants”, alongside more
underrated tracks, such as “Home Team” and
“What Are We Gonna Do Now.” Her 2021
album Any Shape You Take boasts a more de-
veloped sound musically and lyrically, with lines
such as “I won’t be cruel when you find / That
you don’t need a girl to feel better” in the song I Love My Mom
“Late Night Crawler” and featuring pre-recorded (2018)

screams on centerpiece song “Real Pain.” Seem-
ingly always on tour, most recently as an opener
for indie artist Lucy Dacus and now featured on
the Pitchfork Music Festival lineup, it is clear that Any Shape You Take
the world still has a lot more to (2021)
hear from Indigo De Souza. indigo
de souza
Page Design by Della Johnson

16 March 24, 2022

feverfinal fourcomet country gets a taste of GIRLS BASKETBALL STATE TOURNAMENT

The Mason Girls Basketball team traveled to the University of Dayton
Arena in their quest for a state championship title. On March 11, 2022,
the Comets defeated Massillion Jackson 54-35 in the state semi-final to
advance to the state championship game on March 12, 2022, where they
fell to Reynoldsburg 63-56 in an overtime classic.

"We remembered to stay locked in
and know what we are actually here
for. It's not to play in front of all those
people, it's to do something for the
players that came before us, our fam-
ily, our coaches and ourselves.”

Madie Parrish, freshman

The team celebrates after defeating Massillion Jackson in the semifinal. Rob Matula instructs the team during
a timeout.

Kyla Oldacre scores against
Massillion Jackson.

Amanda Barnes goes up for two in
the state semifinal.

“That just motivated me more to get the job done.”

- Kyla Oldacre, senior, on student section support

Photos by Lily Haller

March 24, 2022 Sports 17

COVERAGE: A PHOTO ESSAY BY LILY HALLER AND ANDREW LITTLE

“To get to this point is a hard, hard thing to
do – to keep your game elevated the way it
needs to be. We just didn’t get it done in the
last quarter. When we needed to get it done it
slipped away from us.”

Rob Matula, head coach

Junior Amanda Barnes plays defense against Reynoldsburg. Heather Allen, Madie Parrish’s
mother, cheers for the team in the
stands.

Kyla Oldacre embraces team- Freshman Madie Parrish prepares to shoot a free throw at the State final.
mate Gabby Razzano after the
Comets’ loss in the State final.

“We just have to do our job as
Mason and represent who we are.
We worked up to get in this posi-
tion and it’s great to be here. We
are trying to get as far as we can.”

Madie Parrish, freshman

Page Design by Abby Waechter and Della Johnson

18 Sports March 24, 2022

CHRONICLE SPORTS SUPERHEROES

pslwasacopmenl'uCsiEnfnhmograrmtemelhdapaaeilytoHl1snoa0str0ahahttiBmrp1ea.ta5echtnkehofaSntMdaat-e ftitriinvhsgeteb, stoaawcwectoaciJlrtmuesaehrdekacteoatcwofyiMoic,7atonu3hfya0miwe,lnursaiihs.nlseaht-iolnuegdnd-

Sean Speidel

Divy Bose

wtiNmalaiypntmrgoteersoMnqpstuyiavbaaeaalhsitsftatiaccaltcaeeotdfmirwoehpnsrel,hriessamh-na-n. seaEmdnigd-feeixwsnphaoAlololoto,eddhtxseeicidnnMogfrioaetirg9lnhtd/age1o.in0ns2s0eftcrtpooimoinntals

Savannah Libby

Illustration by Alisha Verma and Allison Droege. Page design by Abby Waechter. Andrew Little

Chronicle sports STAFF RECOGNIZES THE HEROIC EFFORT OF SOME OF MASON’S MARVELOUS ATHLETES

March 24, 2022 Sports 19

chronicle all stars winter sports coach of the year

At the conclusion of each sports season, the Greater Miami Conference (GMC) Head Varsity Girls Basketball Coach Rob
selects All-Conference teams for each individual sport based on althlete’s sea- Matula led his Comets to a state runner-up
son performances. The Chronicle, however, has determined our winter sports finish for the second time in his career.
selections for an All-Chronicle team. Season achievements included winning
his 400th career game in the state semifi-
nals and snapping Mount Notre Dame’s 98
game win streak in the regional finals.

rob matula | girls basketball

kyla oldacre | girls basketball carl bloebaum|boys swimming madie parrish | girls basketball

Kyla Oldacre was never out of the spotlight this Senior Carl Bloebaum finished his illustrious Freshman Madie Parrish burst onto the scene
season as she was named a McDonald’s All- Comet career by winning the individual state title in her first year, starting in 28 of 30 games and
American, the third selection in school history. in the 100 Fly, setting both a state and pool re- being named to the GMC first team. Averaging 11
Oldacre led the Comets to a state runner-up and cord with a time of 45.68 after being out-touched points, 2 steals and 3 assists per game, Parrish
had 21 points and 20 rebounds in the semifinal in his preliminary race. He also was named Divi- was a key piece of Mason’s trip to the state cham-
game. As the sole senior, she was counted on for sion One swimmer of the meet at the state meet pionship game this season.
her leadership all season. and GMC swimmer of the year.

skylar horn | boys wrestling langley peterson | girls diving aiden hunt | boys bowling

Skyler Horn became a two-time state qualifier Junior Langley Peterson plunged into a personal Junior Aiden Hunt emerged as the leader of the
after placing 4th at the District Qualifier. Horn record of 442.25 in the Division one, one meter co-GMC champion boys bowling team, holding
also went 28-4 in the regular season with 20 pins, category at the OHSAA Diving Districts, plac- the highest average on the team with 216.8 pins
best in his weight class and 3rd among all GMC ing sixth overall. She managed to beat her past per game. His high score of 289 was third-best
wrestlers tournament. Horn now becomes our first record of 439.65 points and earned a spot onto amongst the GMC. Hunt also placed 43rd overall
two-time Chronicle All-Star after making it in the the State Championship podium. at the state tournament.
fall for football.

ogden nijakowski | boys bowling max plumley | boys swimming kaitlyn weitz | girls swimming

Junior Ogden Nijakowski became an underlying Junior Max Plumley capped off his season with Sophomore Kaitlyn Weitz made her name
leader for the boy’s bowling team this season. a seventh place finish in the 100-yard freestyle known this season in making several appear-
Nijakowski finished fourth in the GMC bowling at state, while getting a personal best in the ances in critical relays and individual events.
with an average of 212.2 and helped lead his relay he swam in for his team with a time of Finishing as a second place finisher at GMC’s,
team to the State Championship. His skill as an 45.97. Plumley on his progression through the Weitz continued to place as Mason’s top fin-
anchor carried the Comets through the Sectional tournament also became a GMC champion, isher in the 100 yard butterfly at the Sectionals,
and District tournaments as well. took second at sectionals, and fifth at districts. Districts, and State Championships.

Contributing Writers: Andrew Little, Sean Speidel, Savannah Libby, and Divy Bose. Page design by Abby Waechter

20 Sports March 24, 2022

Haller stays close to the game by calling the game

Senior hopes to
pursue broadcasting
career after high school

Sean Speidel | The Chronicle

From the sidelines of the University of Photo by Savannah Libby
Dayton arena to the press box on Friday Mason High School senior Ben Haller broadcasts the girls basketball regional final between Mason and Mount Notre Dame with
nights, Senior Ben Haller has turned his broadcast partner Evan Amazon.
what started as a hobby into a potential
dream-come-true career opportunity. model my broadcasting off of another From quadruple overtimes to penalty many different camera angles needed to
broadcaster and that’s just not how it kicks in the playoffs to announcing give viewers the full experience of the
Growing up in the world of sports, works,” Haller said. “You have to cater to from courtside from the University of game, but Haller is excited for the chal-
Haller always had a football or basket- your own voice and your own flow.” Dayton(UD) Arena at a girls basketball lenge that baseball presents. And hopes
ball in hand. As he grew older, he found state championship game, Haller has that his last broadcasting season for
that it was getting harder and harder Calling 100 games across all Mason seen it all. Haller said that the opportu- Mason sports will be one to remember.
to compete. Although he was not able High School sports, Haller has put hun- nity to provide courtside commentary at
to play the sports he loved, his passion dreds of hours of work into the sports UD arena for the girls basketball state Although this is Haller’s last year in
for sports never faded. Haller said that radio program. This work does not championship game was the culminat- Mason Sports radio, he believes that
he used sports radio as a way to stay a just come from the broadcasting itself. ing moment in his tenure with Mason he is leaving the program in good
part of the sports world without actually Doing the research the night before Sports Radio. hands. Haller said that because of the
playing in the games. and getting to the game early are just program’s growth in size, quality, and
part of what Haller does to ensure the “We worked very hard to get to a popularity he believes his legacy will
“Sports has always been a big part of top-tier quality of his broadcasts. Haller point where we could broadcast in a set- live on after he graduates.
my life,” Haller said. “I just got to the doesn’t always call the games as sports ting like that,” Haller said. “All our hard
point where I wasn’t good enough to radio members also direct broadcasts, work came together in that game. It was “This program will never stop grow-
keep playing sports but I still wanted to do camera work, and handle the graph- like nothing that I’ve ever experienced ing and I truly believe that,” Haller said.
find a way to stay involved” ics. While he has called 100 games he before in this industry.” “ We only had five or six people in my
has been involved in many more. sophomore year. This year we have 18-20
Over the course of his tenure with For Haller, not only has it been 100 people in the room.”
Mason Sports Radio, Haller began Over the course of his 100 games, games called, it was also 100 nights of
with radio announcing. At the time Haller has adjusted in different ways in preparation the day before, 100 equip- The sense of community on the
the program did radio broadcasts of order to modify his broadcasts. Haller ment set-ups, and 100 times calling Mason Sports Radio staff is one of the
all football games and the occasional said that he does things such as chang- a game with a fellow commentator. main reasons Haller got to notch his
basketball game. As the program grew, ing his setup or incorporating elements Haller said that these elements created 100th game. Haller said that without
Haller shepherded its transition from that the program has not used before in a surreal feeling when he broke the the togetherness of the staff, he would
radio to video broadcasting as well as order to give his streams variety. threshold of 100 games. not have been as driven to broadcast as
expanding to more sports. Although many games as he could.
radio and video broadcasts covered “I always try to experiment with dif- With the end of the winter sports
the same events, Haller said that the ferent things,” Haller said. “The prepara- season, comes the start of spring sports. “One of my favorite things about
styles of streams differ greatly. In video tion varies, there’s not one routine I do Haller said that he is looking forward to sports radio is the team aspect of it, ‘’
broadcasting, the commentary is more before every game.” broadcasting baseball and that the na- Haller said. “I don’t know if I would
of a conversation between the two hosts, ture of the game excites him. Baseball is have had the motivation to do all these
while in radio, the hosts are tasked with Over the course of his career, Haller a challenge to broadcast because of the games if I didn’t love the people I was
painting a picture of the game to their has made many special memories. working with.”
listeners. Haller said that he enjoys
radio broadcasting more because of the
challenge that it presents.

When Haller first came on to the
sports radio staff, he tried to model his
broadcasts off of some of his favorite
hosts, Jim Nantz, Kevin Harlan, and
Ian Eagle. He enjoyed them because of
their unique voices and versatility across
sports. Haller said that while he drew
some inspiration from big names, it was
very important to make his commen-
tary stand out. As Haller continued to
broadcast, he began to develop a unique
voice of his own.

“When I started, I always tried to

March 24, 2022 Feature 21

Ballerinas willing to pay high price to perform

Alisha Soni | The Chronicle ballerinas face to be perfect. Ballet is receive. Young said it is extremely
extremely precise and dancers must
For many, ballet is more than just pay close attention to detail, which important to balance time ef-
a form of dance, it is a form of self- is why Chatterjee said that many
expression that can come at a cost. ballerinas endure the mental toll fectively.
that comes with wanting to be good
Ballet is a popular type of perfor- enough. “I try not to let [ballet]
mance dance that is meant to appear
as effortless and graceful, but has “Ballerinas have a lot of perfec- get in the way of school,
been typically associated with a tionism and [commonly experience]
stigma of “toxic ballet culture.” In imposter syndrome,” Chatterjee said. but I’m not in as many
addition to the physical demands “There are a lot of times I’ll walk
of ballet, the beauty standards and into class and think, ‘I’m not good clubs as other people
body image associated with the sport enough to be here. I don’t deserve to
can take their toll on dancers. be here.’” or get a job during the

Sophomore Nina Chatterjee was In addition to the mental toll bal- school year because
first put into ballet at three years let can take, the physical exertion
old. Growing up, she has always held required of dancers is also evident. I’m at dance five days a
a passion for dancing and dedicated For sophomore Sydney Young, who
a lot of her time to learning its many started ballet at three years old, blis- week,” Young said. “But
different styles. Despite her love for ters, calluses, constant bruises and
dance, however, Chatterjee had to occasional lost toenails have become for me, [ballet] is worth
take time off from dance due to a trivial scratches that come with be-
skiing injury and, later, the Covid-19 ing a ballerina. Young has also had it because I enjoy it so
pandemic. Although she has started her share of long-term ballet-related
dance classes again, she has not injuries. After overusing her knee, much and I love the people
been able to fit ballet back into her spraining her ankle, and even injur-
schedule. ing her back, Young said that the I dance with.”
hardest part of any injury is knowing
Internet searching topics such as when to take time out to recover. The enjoyment Young feels
eating disorders led Chatterjee to
discover a link between ballet and “Knowing when to stop is hard be- while dancing with her team is
negative views of one’s own body. cause you think it’ll be fine [so] you
Unlike society’s beauty standards, just keep going,” Young said. “I’ve shared by many ballerinas. For
which popularize curves, the bal- done that when I shouldn’t have, and
let form that many dancers strive you definitely risk making things junior Sarah Schwartzkopf, who has
for is a straight, or “flat,” body, worse.”
with little to no curves. Chatterjee also been learning ballet since she
said that both society’s and ballet’s Although ballet is physically
beauty standards make refraining was three, her love for ballet makes
from comparing herself to others a straining, there is a noticeable gen-
struggle. the mental and physical impacts of
der gap in terms of dance— especial-
“There are so many things [about ballet worth it. Schwarzkopf said
your body] that you can’t change, ly with ballet. Young said that there
but you wish you could,” Chatter- that the close bonds with the other
jee said. “Then there are the things is a huge stigma around men who
that you can only change in a very dancers at her studio and the posi-
unhealthy manner [which becomes dance because ballet is traditionally
difficult] since the standard for what tive dance environment push her to
you want in a ballet body is not close viewed as a more feminine activity.
to what society says.” continue to learn ballet.
“[Ballet] is definitely overlooked as
Despite feeling the body insecuri- “I like ballet because it requires
ties that come with ballet, Chatterjee being [an] easy sport only [done by]
has had an overall positive experi- a lot of attention to detail and I
ence with ballet. While she does girls,” Young said. “Men are afraid
love ballet, Chatterjee has, however, feel like that’s just who I am,”
also experienced the pressure that to [dance] because of the judgment
Schwartzkopf said. “You get to
they might face at school. [But] it’s
express a lot of emotion through
just as hard as any other sport, so
they shouldn’t have to face that dancing and in my opinion [bal-
judgment.”
let] is one of the most expressive
Any form of dance is a time-
consuming commitment. Between forms of dance.”
school and ballet, there is limited
free time that dancers like Young Despite the influence of toxic

ballet culture, which involves

oppressive body stereotypes

and physical stress to dancers’

bodies, a positive dance envi-

ronment can contradict these

harmful effects. Sophomore Caroline

Kayea said that regardless of body

type, ballet can be fun if one has a

passion for dance.

“Everybody who does ballet [is]

their own unique, individual person,”

Kayea said. “[Ballet] is a beautiful

art form—it doesn’t matter what you

look like or what shape or size you

are. It’s just a matter of [if] you Photo contributed by Caroline Kayea
love what you’re doing. If you do, Kayea at the Youth America Grand
then who cares what other people Prix, a ballet competition, in Winston-
say about it.” Salem, North Carolina in February 2022

22 Opinion March 24, 2022

The spirit of Staff Editorial
March Madness
persists Daylight Savings Time change reignities universal debate

Andrew Little | Sports Editor After a unanimous decision made by make Daylight Savings Time permanent
the United States Senate on March 15, again?
March is one of the best months of the year. It’s finally nice outside, legislation to make Daylight Savings
we get a week-long spring break, but most importantly, we see the Time permanent has been passed to the Experts disagree on its implemen-
return of the NCAA basketball tournament. House of Representatives for further tation, but there is a near-universal
approval. understanding that sunlight increases
Even non-sports fans engage in the annual tradition of filling out productivity and that the lack of sun-
brackets and competing to see who is the most accurate. Despite my The practice of setting our clocks an light during the bleak winter months is
bracket being busted after the first two rounds I still watch as many hour ahead on the second Sunday of ev- a cause for seasonal depression in many.
games as possible, eagerly awaiting the ensuing chaos. ery March is not a new one. Originally Pushing the clocks ahead would allow
proposed in 1784 by Benjamin Franklin, for this productivity in the summer, and
There’s nothing more satisfying than nailing a cinderella pick. I its purpose was to give people an extra would, in turn, decrease the risk of sea-
still brag about having 11-seeded Loyola-Chicago in my elite eight in hour of sunlight later in the day after sonal depression. In addition, this pro-
2018 when Sister Jean and the Ramblers took the world by storm and work. However, coming at the cost of ductivity would cause economic benefits
made the final four. darker mornings, and with only a mi- and decreased energy consumption.
nority of the world’s population using
But what keeps even casual audiences on the edge of their seats it three centuries later, there has been Those in favor of keeping the time
throughout the entire tournament? Why does every basket feel conse- constant discussion and questioning are campaigning hard to preserve this
quential even when I didn’t watch many regular-season games? about its implementation. productivity. But those against the per-
manent time change are citing histori-
There’s something about single-elimination, do-or-die competition If the United States makes Daylight cal examples, such as the United King-
that brings out everyone’s competitive spirit. For a few weeks in the Savings Time permanent, starting dom’s time change in 1971, where the
year, a sports fanatic like myself gets to share his passion with the rest November 2023, our clocks will remain change failed to deliver on its promises
of the country. The madness we call the NCAA Tournament unites set an hour ahead year-round. Conform- of decreased depression rates and only
us. What other sporting event has us searching for any spare moment ing to this established time as a nation prolonged the monotony of the winter
or opening throughout the school day to watch just a few minutes of is not without its drawbacks - the time months.
Providence vs South Dakota State? change can often mess up international
travel and recordkeeping - but its larg- While we might resent those first
Spring break is an important benchmark in the school year. It’s our est issue is rooted during the winter, couple of weeks for forcing us to drive
last true break of the year. End-of-course testing is coming up. We are where the morning darkness is almost to school in the dark, researching this
on the last lap. A nice vacation south or just resting up at home for a overbearing in its duration. issue proves that there is more history
week rejuvenates and gets us in the right mindset to finish the year behind this new schedule than meets
strong. But for me, it’s March Madness that gets me ready for the final This is not the first time the United the eye. From a supposed boost to the
stretch. States has made Daylight Savings Time
permanent. After just eight months, economy to seasonal depression rates
Sports make up a lot of benchmarks in my year. The college foot- increased car accidents before sunrise,
ball bowl season coincides with Christmas and my birthday. College and thousands of complaints of students fluctuating, there is still much discus-
football and the NFL starting up in September mean it’s time for a going to school in the dark as well as
new school year. The NBA finals come just in time for the start of work commutes being shrouded in sion to be had about how this imple-
summer vacation. But above all, March Madness feels the most inter- darkness, the United States reverted to
twined with a specific time of year. Whiffing on your college football standard time in the fall of 1974. mentation will affect day-to-day life.
bowl selections is nowhere near as soul-crushing as seeing a team in
your final four suffer a heartbreaking loss in the early rounds. Which begs the question, why try to And although we might not be directly

It’s not springtime without competitions between my family, my influencing the decisions, like any cur-
friend groups, and my teams or activities. March madness is the
ultimate source of trash talk (outside of fantasy football) and noth- rent issue, there is no downside to stay-
ing beats bonding over a shared winner pick or communal mourning
over an upset. I have fond memories of spending spring break with ing educated about the topic.
my brother, dad, and grandpa watching sweet sixteen or elite games.
I pride myself in being an expert with my picks but after two rounds
I’ve given up on trying to be right and always find myself just embrac-
ing the chaos.

Whether your bracket is already busted, or your winner pick is mak-
ing a Final Four run, I wish you the best of luck in your brackets and

hope you hope you enjoy your spring break.

The Chronicle’s Policy Josie Lorenz

The Chronicle is the official student Call 398-5025 ext. 33103 for infor- The National Scholastic Press Asso- The Chronicle Staff Staff Designers Isabelle Paley
newspaper of William Mason High mation regarding advertising in The ciation, Quill and Scroll International Editor-in-Chief Allison Droege Connect with
School. Chronicle. The Chronicle reserves the Honorary Society for High School Jour- Della Johnson Rebecca Hunter Alisha Soni the Chronicle:
right to refuse advertising it deems in- nalists and the Ohio Scholastic Media Managing Editors Nishka Mishra Sean Speidel
The Chronicle promises to report the appropriate for a high school publica- Association. Shravani Page Alisha Verma Aditya Thiyag @mhschronicle
truth and adhere to the journalistic tion. Contact Information Abigail Waechter Ava Yungbluth facebook.com/
code of ethics through online and print The Chronicle Sports Editor Staff Writers mhschronicle
mediums. As an open forum for students, let- William Mason High School Andrew Little Divyana Bose @mhschronicle
ters to the editor are welcome, but are 6100 S. Mason Montgomery Rd. Business Manager Risha Chada Advisor
The Chronicle is produced by students subject to be edited for length, libel, ob- Mason, Ohio 45040 Alexa Crociata Evelina Gaivoronskaia Dale Conner
enrolled in Journalism I, II and III. scenity, clarity and poor taste. Letters to (513) 398-5025
the editor may be dropped off in room Izzy Gaspar’raj
Editorials reflect the staff ’s opinion C103 and must be signed. Bradyn Johnson
but do not necessarily reflect the opin- Tanya Keskar
ions of the school administration or the The Chronicle is a member of The Savannah Libby
Mason City School District. Columbia Scholastic Press Association, Aimee Liu

The Chronicle is published monthly.

March 24, 2022 Opinion 23

Celebrating cultures Editorial Cartoon
beyond a month

Bradyn Johnson | The Chronicle Focusing on I felt the pressure to always be on top of
what one can things while simultaneously achieving a
Out of the 12 months that make up every year, 8 of them are control state of serenity and “balance”, even when
heritage appreciation months. Black History Month just recently the list of things that high schoolers have to
ended and Women’s History Month is coming to a close. But I Savannah Libby | The Chronicle do can be unrealistically long. Throughout
find myself asking myself the same question every year. high school, many students struggle with
Balance is a concept that some people the idea of control and the toll it can take on
Why do we only limit the celebration of individual groups of grasp instantly and others struggle with for their life.
people and their accomplishments to one specific month? their entire lives.
It’s only human nature to desire control
For as long as I can remember, I only learned a limited por- Having extracurriculars, sports, a part- as it makes us feel more aware and less
tion of Native history when Christopher Columbus was talked time job, all on top of schoolwork is enough insecure. That’s also a part of the reason we
about, I rarely heard of the monumental accomplishments that to stress anyone out. And when factoring in feel fear, feel out of control. As students,
women made during the progressive era. I never learned about unfortunate life events, it can be easy for we’re used to prioritizing school work, but
the LGBTQ+ community and their fight to gain equal rights. I things to turn into a whirlwind of problems, when something like a breakup or a flat tire
only learned about black achievements in February where we especially when you try to fix everything at occurs, it can feel like the entire world is
learned the big 3: Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Harriet once. crumbling around us, and finding that bal-
Tubman. ance becomes more crucial than ever.
The problem with focusing on these un-
There are also so many other important diverse groups that controllable events is that when you do, they However, recognizing that these uncon-
I never learned about, even during the months that they were eat you alive. trollable events are a fixed aspect of life and
supposed to be celebrated, and when I did learn about them, it accepting them was the fastest way for me to
feels like we only scratched the surface. Many students, including myself, are achieve some sense of balance.
almost always in season for sports. Recently,
I understand that the origin of creating these months came I got an injury that put me out of my sport Life will never be perfect, everyone messes
from a noble place to show appreciation for all diverse groups for three months, which re-occurred after I up and things can get blurry sometimes.
and that by doing so we’ve created awareness, bridged gaps, and healed. I now have to have surgery over an Sometimes it feels like you don’t know what
opened doors to a better understanding of experiences, histori- injury that was caused by one event, causing will happen next or where to even start. But
cal and current impact. However, there are times when I find it me to be out for nearly six months. I had lost when that happens to me, I try to remind
difficult to wrap my head around why, as a progressive society, a crucial part of myself already and I didn’t myself that there is only so much I can
we aren’t able to entirely celebrate underrepresented groups want to lose it again for even longer. More control.
throughout all months of the year. We started these months to than anything, I sought to find some sem-
acknowledge these diverse groups and the historical contribu- blance of control. Maybe there was some way While it is not healthy to dwell on things
tions they made that went unnoticed by the American people. I could still participate or partake in these that are outside of our control, we all still
We’ve been “celebrating” these months for many years, but how activities. tend to do it.
can we actually do something meaningful about it?
Even if most of what comes next contains
Corporations, educational institutions, and sports and enter- stress, anxiety, and is nothing short of a blur-
tainment organizations love to capitalize off of the achievements ry jumble of thoughts and ideas, I remember
of underrepresented groups, but what are they doing other than that I can only control what I’m doing at the
creating ads?
moment.
Instead of focusing solely on celebrating women’s history
month, what efforts are you putting in place to hire more
women in leadership roles with equitable pay? Instead of focus-
ing solely on celebrating pride month, how about creating a safe
environment for the LGBTQ+ community where they can thrive
and feel included? Instead of just celebrating American Indian
Heritage month in school, how about we take the time to teach
the delicate topics of the Indigenous people? Instead of celebrat-
ing Hispanic Heritage month in entertainment, how about we
work to get more Hispanic people in leading roles in things like
movies and tv shows?

By incorporating these ideals regularly into our society, we’ll
be celebrating different cultures beyond naming a month of the
year after them.

The end goal is to get to a place where diversity is so inter-
woven in our constructs that we don’t have to relegate certain
months out of the year to appreciate the excellence of diverse
groups.

But until then, I hope we use these months as an oppor-
tunity to properly teach an organization’s history instead of
profiting from them.

March 24, 2022 24

513-779-1500

is proud to sponsor

The Mason Band and The Mason Chronicle

Hey Mason Class of 2023,
Here are some Mason Seniors from the past. Make
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test of time! BTW, we’re looking for two juniors to be
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