Chronicle 19.3

Volume 19 Issue 3 | William Mason High School | 6100 Mason Montgomery Rd., Mason, OH | 11.19.21

“A Man for All Seasons”

See pages 12-13

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

Illustration by Becca Hunter

2 Feature November 19, 2021

Religious student-led groups serve to combat feelings of isolation

Izzy Gaspar’raj | The Chronicle said he assumes is likely because of his which is why he said he chose connect interested in learning about the Bible.
Three clubs at Mason High School involvement with the Mason Inclusion time as the segment of the day to lead a Goetz said that, for a few years, there was
(MHS) are serving as places of religious Club. Oliver said he is interested in learn- Bible study. a Hindu student that regularly attended
security for students. ing about Islam because it is different these meetings just to become more
The Good Book Club, the Fellowship from his own faith, thus widening his life “The purpose of Connect time is to al- aware of religions other than their own.
of Christian Athletes (FCA) and the perspective. low students to relax, let their hair down As a practicing Christain, Goetz said
Muslim Student Association (MSA) are a little bit and be among like-minded this group has helped him further and
all religiously-affiliated clubs at MHS. “I do not have a lot of knowledge people doing like-minded activities,” continue his Bible literacy and thinks
They are places for students to gather about [Islam],” Oliver said. “It’s an insecu- Rapp said. “For some, that is getting that Bible literacy is important for all
with peers of a common religion or for rity of mine as a co-advisor. Sometimes I together and discussing or enjoying be- Christians. According to Goetz, it was
those wanting to learn more about the feel like I’m not qualified, [but] students ing able to be a part of [a group of] other a Bible study that his family started 16
featured religion. Regardless of possible have been educating me about their people who are like-minded in their years ago that began his personal jour-
debate regarding the existence of these religion.” faith.” ney to finding a deeper connection with
clubs in public schools, they are allowed the book. He hopes that the Good Book
as a result of the Equal Access Act, which Oliver said he has loved being a part Rapp said he wants students of similar Club helps bring that to high school
allows religious clubs in public high of these meetings and the learning that beliefs to have a place to gather and students.
schools when they are student-initiated the students have helped him to experi- that students should be able to carry “People say, ‘in the Bible, it says such
and not part of the school curriculum. ence. In a high school with a population with them all important parts of their and such,’ but Bible literacy has declined
Providing comfort and a sense of belong- of over 3000 students, he believes that it identity, just as in non-school settings. quite a bit over the course of decades,”
ing, these groups serve as safe, connect- is important for the MSA to exist so that He said he feels there is significance in Goetz said. “Even a lot of Christan kids
ed spaces for their participants. Muslim students can know they have a allowing students to express themselves who regularly attend church aren’t
English teacher Andy Goetz has been community among their classmates. as they truly are, not having to leave any particularly literate about what’s in the
the advisor of the Good Book Club at part of their life out. Bible.”
Mason since 2009. As to why religious “It lets Muslim students know that This lack of overall Bible proficiency
clubs are allowed, he said that he recog- they’re accepted by the school district,” “For some students, their faith is a very is why Goetz said that The Good Book
nizes that MHS is a place of learning and Oliver said. “The school administration key part of their life,” Rapp said. “To have Club was started, as the few kids who
that anyone should be allowed to take on lets them know that…[they] want to have to leave that at the door when they walk began it were “just curious about” what
the academic endeavors of many differ- them around.” into school seems disingenuous to me.” was “really in the Bible.”
ent topics. Malik said that his religion is one that
“We’re an educational institution,” Like Oliver, senior and MSA co-presi- Senior Ashley Robey is a member of is not usually viewed well by the general
Goetz said. “We ought to be able to hon- dent Zaman Malik loves the community the FCA as well as on the cross country public, which adds to the vitality of
estly take out all sorts of different kinds feeling the MSA brings him and other team. Similar to Rapp, she said she feels having the MSA at MHS. Malik said that
of ideas and put them in the middle of members. As a Muslim student in a pub- that integrating religion into one’s iden- the MSA is somewhere where he knows
the room.” lic high school, he often misses some of tity and not having it be a separate entity he will have an accepting community
Contrary to his title, advisor of the his five daily prayers, which are practices is essential. around him, which in turn
that Malik said are a vital part of an makes his school
MSA and Inter- Islamic individual’s life. “I think [more time discussing faith] a safe place.
vention Special- is important because a lot of people see “Knowing
ist Hakim MSA meetings provide time to pray your religion as separate from your life,” the fact that
Oliver is of together as a group, which sometimes Robey said. “When you get to integrate there is an
Christian can act in place of some of the missed it into your school, that’s really cool. It Islamic club
faith. Two prayers. Being in a group that shares doesn’t have to be two separate things, it at Mason
years ago, many of the same beliefs and rituals, Ma- can be one thing.” High School
he was ap- lik said he feels that the MSA is a place and this is [one
proached by to unwind for him. In such a large school, it is a common of] the biggest
two students experience to have difficulty making high schools in
to be the “[This is a place] you can call home friends and finding connections. Many the state,” Ma-
advisor of in a place that might seem stressful for different clubs, including religious clubs, lik said. “It’s
the MSA, you,” Malik said. “[It’s] a place where you provide this asylum. In a similar fashion home.”
which he can go and relax. There are no require- to Robey, Rapp said he finds importance
ments; no agenda for the day.” in bridging a connection between a
school setting and a religious one.
Also working to provide a welcoming
space, Spanish teacher and cross country “If they are truly going to be a fol-
coach Tom Rapp is one of the advisors lower of Christ, that’s 24/7,” Rapp said.
of the FCA. He also sometimes holds a “That also happens at school, not just a
Bible study during Connect Time. He church, not just a group meeting on a
agrees with Malik in that a gather-
ing with those of the Wednesday night.”
same faith The Good Book Club is
tends to be similar to a church’s
a relax- Bible study
ing set- group in that
ting, it is open to
everyone

Illustration by Nishka Mishra

November 19, 2021 News 3

Online versus paper learning serves Illustration by Alisha Verma
as a dilemma to students, teachers

Bradyn Johnson | The Chronicle working on a Chromebook, she encounters some
hardships that could be avoided if the task was
As schools around the world begin to imple- given on paper.
ment one-to-one technology programs, teachers
are faced with the dilemma of distinguishing “When I’m typing something I constantly
when to use paper versus technology. make mistakes, but if I’m writing on paper I can
just write anything,” Godbole said. “It just flows.”
Teachers at Mason High School (MHS) are
implementing effective ways to keep students Although teachers and students alike enjoy us-
engaged in learning with and without the use ing paper methods at times, many find advantag-
of technology. Although teachers have differing es to learning and engaging through online ma-
opinions as to which method is more effective for terial. Because technology is no longer a stranger
their students, they are united in the common to students, teachers are using technology as an
goal of helping their students succeed. outlet to appeal to their student’s learning styles.

It is not uncommon for chemistry teacher Government teacher Danielle Lyons said that
Mike Jordan to find himself contemplating how the amount of accessibility that takes place when
his course material is being accessed by his stu- working on a Chromebook increases efficiency
dents. Though unexpected in the modern world, within her students when teaching her subjects
Jordan said that he often concludes that using material.
pencil and paper guides students down the cor-
rect path for deeper learning. “I can distribute a lot of things and a lot of
information at one time and it gives [students]
“I don’t think that [being on a computer] is lots of access to different resources, right at their
the best way for students to remember things,” fingertips,” Lyons says, “It helps the students to
Jordan said. “The act of writing something down be able to navigate on their own and always have
helps students understand the material and helps [assignments] where they can find [them].”\
them remember it.”
Because paper can sometimes make students
According to Jordan, in chemistry classes, feel as if they are cluttered and disorganized,
work must be shown to receive credit, and writ- teachers have begun to turn to online platforms
ing formulas and compounds “can help students to appeal to their students. Lyons said she be-
understand the steps of an equation as well as the lieves that sometimes overloading students with
full extent of a lesson.” papers causes things to get lost in translation, but
utilizing technological methods can leave her
Students are expected to derive chemical students with a more organized way of learning.
equations as well as draw chemical compounds,
which may pose a hurdle on any online platform. “You give them all these papers and all this
Jordan said that he feels that requiring students stuff and they just get inundated and they don’t
to write down their work on paper helps them to know what’s really important,” Lyons said. “You
better understand the material. have to hang on to all of that and stay orga-
nized.”
“In chemistry, you have to write a lot of stuff
down and it helps to work out problems,” Jordan Some teachers and students are finding that
said. “And as long as you’re taking those notes paper copies are not always the most reliable op-
and writing them down somewhere, that’s what’s tion for their particular learning. They can some-
going to help you learn.” times be presented with dark images, unreliable
quality and misspelled words, while technology
Even though most teenagers are well-versed
in the realm of technology, not all prefer to serves as an easy fix to those issues. Lyons said
complete their work electronically. Sophomore
Shveta Godbole said that she prefers the paper that the dependency on technology has allowed
strategy as she believes it is effective and caters
more to her style of learning. for her to have better quality resources that she

“It’s easier to see the work I’m doing,” God- uses for her student’s learning.
bole said. “It’s easier for me to visualize so I can
remember it more.” “The paper copies were not very good, they

Flipping back and forth between tabs and couldn’t see some of the intricate details of the
correcting misspellings sometimes serves as an lithographs, or paintings,” Lyons said. “And so
annoyance to some students in their attempts to actually giving it to them electronically has al-
complete a simple task. Godbole said that, while lowed them to critique it better.”

No matter which method is utilized for learn-
ing, teachers agree on one thing, which is help-
ing their students the best they can.

4 News Novemeber 19, 2021

New language club provides alternate approach to learning English

Aditya Thiyag | The Chronicle opportunities to practice speaking English to be another base of support for the many
Learning a new language often consists of like American people do.” diverse students who walk through the halls
intense grammar and writing practice, but of Mason,” Ramirez said. “[It’s] another way
one club is bringing an alternate approach Li said that her desire to speak English to make sure that no one slips through the
to teaching English. “like American people” stemmed from her cracks and a place where everyone can learn.
Speakeasy is a new tutoring club at Mason inability to understand native speakers “in a Interacting with people from other countries
High School that emphasizes conversation traditional class.” Since native speakers, ac- is an invaluable experience in and of itself.”
as a method of teaching Mason’s English as cording to Li, do not “speak like internation-
a Second Language (ESL) students. Taking al students”, she said that she noticed a large Speakeasy’s approach is relaxed, but it is
place during Connect Time on Wednesdays, language barrier that prevented her from far from disorganized. While ESL students
Speakeasy is an entirely optional route for “connecting with native English speakers”. are encouraged to chat leisurely and work on
non-native speakers to use in order to learn To rectify this, Li turned to Speakeasy as a homework, tutors make rounds around the
English. Junior and club leader Raquel location to safely practice her English. classroom to clarify language that students
Ramirez said that Speakeasy was born out of have difficulty with. Li and Watanabe both
her desire for a club that encouraged Eng- Li was not alone in seeking this type of said this tutoring method drastically im-
lish learning in a low-stress manner. environment. Senior Ayane Watanabe is proved their English understanding.
“By providing a place to practice speak- a Japanese native who joined Speakeasy
ing where students don’t feel the stress of to practice her speaking skills. She met Li “I was working on college stuff and [Wata-
talking to a teacher or grades, they can make during a Speakeasy connect session. Despite nabe] sat in front of me working on her
mistakes without fear,” Ramirez said. “Feed- having some prior English knowledge, Wata- homework,” Li said. “And a club member
back is a very important part of learning a nabe said she believed that practicing her just explained the definitions of the words
language and speaking with a peer can help speech during Speakeasy sessions drastically she struggled with and taught her to remem-
ESL students learn vocabulary related to improved her English skills, also crediting ber those words. Walking us through like
things that they are personally interested in.” her newly formed friendships. that helped.”
This low stress environment attracted the
attention of many ESL students, one of them “I learned English grammar when I was However, Speakeasy members’ meticu-
being senior Ziyu Li. After moving to Mason in Japan,” Watanabe said. “But when I have lous instruction is not why ESL teacher and
in 2018 as a native Chinese speaker, Li said to speak, I struggle. But only by talking to Speakeasy advisor Lynsey Pun believes that
that as someone who is still learning Eng- [Li and other] friends, [did] my English skills the club has started to gain traction within
lish, she believes that Speakeasy’s speech- evolve.” the high school. Pun instead said that she
centric approach is beneficial in creating an saw the camaraderie forming between the
authentic learning experience. Watanabe said she still struggled with members and that the club’s ability to bring
“When I’m in other speaking English after speaking to Li and people together was its primary reason for
classes, I just do other Speakeasy members, but firmly be-
my work by lieved in its benefits. its success.
myself,” Li said. “ESL students are deal-
“I don’t have “For me, there is no easy way to learn a ing with the same
a chance to second language, but I think it’s easier ups and downs
talk to other to learn by doing something practical,” as other teenag-
people a lot Watanabe said. ers, but it can be
and there amplified by the
are still lan- The added benefit of forming feelings of be-
guage issues. new relationships was something ing culturally
But when Ramirez strove for when originally different from
I’m with the founding the club. In contrast to a their peers,”
speakeasy traditional ESL classroom environ- Pun said.
students, ment where the focus is mainly “Speakeasy
I have on schoolwork, Ramirez said she Club is
more wanted to establish a sense of another
community within the school for place
non-native English speakers. She for stu-
dents
believed that Speakeasy’s ca- to feel
sual atmosphere was perfect safe.”

for fostering that com-
munal feeling.
“The club is meant

Illustration by Allison Droege

November 19, 2021 News 5

Nationwide supply difficulties force cafeteria staff to make difficult choices

Aimee Liu | The Chronicle the next in a plastic container.” Photo by Aimee Liu
Choosing an entree and two fruits There has also been a shortage of Rachel Tilford serves food from the kitchen to support the students of MHS.
or vegetables is all it takes to receive a
free lunch at Mason High School. The regular reusable plastic trays. Coupled their costs and they have to raise their Tilford said she has also found joy
task of providing students with these with a labor shortage in the dish room prices,” Tilford said. “We handle these in seeing more community mem-
well-balanced lunches at no charge has that has made it difficult to keep up finances directly. We pay for all of our bers, specifically Mason parents, get
been increasingly difficult for Mason’s with cleaning, the nutrition depart- staff, we buy all of our food supplies involved by helping work the cafeteria
nutrition department. ment has been forced to use weaker and we maintain all of our facilities, so lines.
Across the nation, schools have disposable foam trays. This adaptation when we take a price increase from our
experienced issues providing afford- with trays reflects the general efforts suppliers, we have to cover it within “It’s good to have our community
able lunches for students while still that Tilford and Brunswick have had our operation.” rise to the challenge,” Tilford said.
maintaining nutritional standards. A to make this year. Tilford said the vari- “We have a high success rate with our
national labor shortage fueled by the ous shortages they have experienced Brunswick, who has worked in staff, so it says a lot about our Ma-
COVID-19 pandemic--a lack of produc- have required quick adjustments and Mason for 11 years, said she had never son community, finding people that
tion line workers and delivery truck alternatives. before seen a force majeure letter or have a time off in the middle of the
drivers--has led to a supply chain crisis, had to deal with companies suddenly day to work with us. We are serving a
increasing the difficulty of the task of “If we can’t get what we’re looking raising their prices. lot more meals, which we’re thrilled
feeding thousands of children daily. for, we just have to make easy fixes about. For us, it’s just a labor of love.”
Rachel Tilford, the Child Nutrition and find something else,” Tilford said. “I had never even heard of [force
Supervisor for Mason City Schools “The day before orders come, we’ll find majeure letters] until this year and This love for what she does and pro-
(MCS), said she has felt several effects out all the things that are not com- we’ve had at least six or seven of them viding the best for students is evident
of this economic turmoil. Tilford over- ing on it and we look at what’s going come through,” Brunswick said. “It just in Tilford’s daily life. She leaves her of-
sees the effort of providing students to be a problem. If there’s something shows that this is a pretty rare situa- fice and goes out every day, usually to
with their lunches, from working with coming up on the menu that’s on the tion. It takes a pretty big event to make Mason Elementary Childhood Center,
food distributors to preparing food to list, we work to try to find a substitute this large of an impact.” to help serve lunches. According to
serving it in lunch lines. MCS relies item.” her, it is “one of the most fun envi-
primarily on Sysco food service in However, through all the stress, ronments to work in,” and she loves
Cincinnati for their supplies, but due Substitutions that Tilford and chaos and frustration that comes with participating in the “beautiful chaos”
to the national circumstances, Tilford Brunswick have had to make include navigating unemployment and supply that is an elementary cafeteria.
said the company has had many issues chicken nuggets instead of tenders and shortages, Brunswick has chosen to
efficiently distributing their supplies. turkey sausage patties instead of links. find some positives in her situation. Although this year has brought
“From just one order, there is a Pizza has taken the place of calzones Following issues with unemployment about many new and unexpected chal-
whole list of out-of-stocks, and we get and goldfish crackers have replaced in lunch lines, she and the rest of the lenges, Tilford said she has put a lot
three deliveries a week,” Tilford said. dinner rolls. Brunswick also experi- lunch staff partnered with students in of effort into making sure that all her
“We’re having a hard time getting a lot enced issues getting fruit like peaches the Work Study at Mason High School, students are well-accommodated. She
of our items. It does cause a headache; and pears, so she turned to applesauce a program designed to provide practice hopes students see the work that she
we’ve had to jump through a lot of and then to juice cups. Though these with vocational and employability and the rest of the nutrition depart-
hoops.” alternatives are better than serving skills to individuals with a variety of ment put into getting high-quality
In recent times, Sysco has often nothing, she said that there are still a abilities, to carry out certain operations lunches onto their trays.
lacked necessary items like certain lot of missing products. in the cafeteria.
food products or disposable paper “We care about the dining experi-
food trays. As a result, Tilford said she “There’s a kind of trickle effect with “The Work Study kids have been a ence of our students a great deal,”
has had to turn to other distributors, suppliers,” Brunswick said. “Every- great help for us,” Brunswick said. “Do- Tilford said. “We want to know if we
complicating the process of getting body’s trying to buy the same things ing some of [those tasks] like getting can do something better and we’re
lunches served. and you end up having to serve a food onto trays so we can roll it around constantly working on improvements.
“We’ve had to order from Amazon different product. Fortunately we have and restock when we need to has I always want every student to feel like
and find online suppliers to help us other distributors for backup supplies been helpful. It was just another great they are welcome to come to us for a
find [certain] items,” Tilford said. Spe- to get us through, but our out-of-stock resource for us.” meal.”
cific items include hamburger patties, lists, which last year were usually one
which are manufactured by a com- or two items, have been like three
pany that, according to Tilford, “lost whole pages for just one order.”
about 40% of their staff,” leading them
to “stop making certain products.” The MCS nutrition department,
Therefore, Tilford said that MCS has which is made up of a team of six, is
had to find another supplier for their “completely self-funded,” according to
hamburgers. Tilford. Although separate from the
MCS Child Nutrition Assistant district’s general funds, Tilford and her
Supervisor Janelle Brunswick spends team still prioritize maintaining excel-
much of her time working with repre- lent service.
sentatives from different food distribu-
tors to attain the items needed to get MCS typically enters a cooperative
food onto trays. Since distributors often bid -- an agreement where multiple
do not have everything Brunswick buyers negotiate lower prices in one
needs, she has had to work with several interaction -- with other school districts
companies and settle for what distribu- to secure food pricing for the whole
tors do have in stock. school year, but companies have
“There’s a paper, plastic and foam recently begun taking force majeures.
shortage right now so food items may These legal clauses permit them
come in different containers,” Bruns- freedom from liability of previous con-
wick said. “This week it might be in a tracts in cases of extraordinary events,
food tray, but next week in a bowl and such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tilford said that these unprecedented
price increases have drastically compli-
cated the financial aspect of her job.

“As food companies experience a
very high demand with a shortage
of products and have problems with
external price increases, it impacts

6 Feature November 19, 2021

Seniors face debate over applying test-optional for college

Evelina Gaivoronskaia | The Chronicle think it should really matter,” Thomas said. “I familiar with the feeling of stressing over test

High school students are more than just a so I am focusing on the academic and athletic scores as they reach high school. Senior Unique
statistic.
rewards I have gotten.” Boyle remembers her nine-year-old self look-
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, select
colleges have announced that the submission Besides focusing on individual awards, some ing up colleges to find out what scores they
of American College Test (ACT) and Scholastic
Aptitude Test (SAT) scores is optional when students choose to focus on their individual wanted. Her focus on her scores stayed with
applying to college. Mason High School seniors
are taking advantage of the new regulations growth in high school. Instead of focusing on her throughout middle school and high school,
by not sending in their scores and focusing on
their other accomplishments besides their abil- a two-digit ACT score, senior Bekah Botkin which left her feeling like she focused on the
ity to take a test.
has perfected her college essays intending to wrong activities.
Senior Luke Thomas remembers taking the
ACT for the first time and thinking that he highlight the progress she has made in the past Boyle felt that measuring one’s “intelligence”
“would never use [the ACT] in the real world”.
He noticed that the test was not designed to four years. on a test score was inherently unfair. She
show how smart a student was, but rather how
good they were at taking tests. As she wrote her essays, Botkin learned that a couldn’t help asking “What about those kids

Thomas feels that the ACT does not reflect person’s growth is a more significant way to as- who don’t have time to study for another test?
everything he and his peers have learned in
high school. Thomas has many friends who sess one’s “college readiness” than a test score. What about the kids who can’t afford to pay
“aren’t the best test-takers, yet they are the
smartest people [he] knows.” Because it doesn’t Botkin believes that it is unfair to force teenag- for the tests that are not administered by the
represent his full knowledge, Thomas believes
the test should not be a crucial part of his ap- ers to make big decisions about their futures school?”
plication. and take big tests like the ACT. She hopes to Boyle believes that test scores should be seen
see schools move away from standardized test-
When Thomas looks at his ing in the future. as a boost to an application and should not
younger friends prepar- harm someone’s chances of getting into col-
ing for the ACT, he Since standardized testing starts as early leges. Despite being satisfied with her score,
remembers his as third grade, students are Boyle does not want the number to be the main
younger self reason she gets into college.
preparing to
take it. His “There shouldn’t be that pressure on a young
advice to
the younger kid,” Boyle said. “They shouldn’t constantly
students is
to “take it worry about test scores. They should live in the
once, just to see
what you can get, present because the seniors are not lying when
but don’t stress
about it”. Today, they say that high school goes by in a flash.”
Thomas is focused
on highlighting Since ACT and SAT scores are no longer
the achievements
that show off his required, Boyle feels that “a weight[has been]
other achievements
such as the classes he lifted off [of her] back”. Now, she is focused
has taken and the sports
awards he has received. on demonstrating her passion and drive

“My score would help if through the classes she has taken. In-
it was outstanding, but I don’t
stead of providing plain numbers, she

can convey “what inspires [her] and

what [she] wants to do in the future”.

New rules around the college ap-

plication process allow more free-

dom for students to demonstrate

their full potential. Although there

is still pressure on students to submit

their best scores, it will ultimately be

up to the students themselves to

decide what aspects of them-

selves they want to portray

to colleges.

“You’re allowed to tell

[adults] that you don’t

need pressure put on

you,” Boyle said. “You

are allowed to think for

yourself and decide the way

that you are going to handle

your life.”

IIllulussttrraattioionnbbyyAAllilsisoonnDDrrooeeggee

November 19, 2021 Feature 7

Gifted students learn to tackle high school burnout

Ava Yungbluth | The Chronicle ority complex in a way,” Sachdeva said. “I just went built up, Sachdeva said that gifted kids felt like they
through life feeling [like] I was smarter. I didn’t were starting at square one as they simply “never
A candle starts by burning brightly, but eventu- have to put in as much effort into a lot of things learned how to struggle in school.”
ally, a candle burns out. that I did.”
“Kids who had to face [school struggles] at a
In elementary school, the CoGAT [Cognitive Abil- Students take on more pressure when they feel younger age have been able to prosper and become
ities Test] is offered to students and can potentially like they are smarter than average. If a student so much more successful in school,” Sachdeva said.
pronounce them as ‘gifted.’ The test determines and places a mental label reminding them what they’re “They learned how to handle those [challenges] at a
sorts out children that think and process informa- supposed to be, life seems off when they struggle to younger age while they still had the time to mature
tion in a more unique way. These students are then be that person. Freshman Khusbu Patel was in the and grow in their learning experience.”
placed in a class that takes place during the school’s ACT program and has recognized that high school
intervention time, called ACT [Academically and is a different ballgame when it comes to academic Gifted kids who tend to overschedule themselves
Creatively Talented]. The activities that take place challenges. Many gifted students, like Patel, get into have little time to set balance and take a step back
in this class revolve around creative thinking, a state of frustration and confusion and they won- for mental health. In many cases, stubbornness
problem-solving, and teamwork. der why they aren’t succeeding as much as before. takes over and students tend to avoid asking for
help. The thought process may go over something
According to fifth grade ACT teacher, Mary Chap- “It’s always like we’re the ‘smart’ kids,” Patel said. along the lines of knowing they’re supposed to be
pell, a common trait in gifted students is enjoying “And then the second you take a hard class and this perfect, gifted kid, so they shouldn’t need help.
a wide variety of interests and talents in pursuit. A you’re like, ‘this is hard.’ You’re [just] not really Chappell wants gifted students to know that part of
student may be juggling baseball, marching band, used to being challenged.” creating and finding balance is taking that first step
and robotics all at once. However, this trait ties and asking for help.
into another common trait, perfectionism. These Sachdeva compared the learning experiences of
students not only want to participate but also excel kids in the gifted program versus kids who were “I think you need to examine what your school-
in each of their pursuits. not. While students who weren’t in the program life balance is,” Chappell said. “I think as you get
thrived with the study skills and learning strate- older as a student, you need to begin to advocate for
“Gifted kids, in particular, are way over-sched- gies they had yourself and talk about what it is that you need.”
uled,” Chappell said. “ They put that added perfec- already
tionistic piece into it. [They] know that [they] want After breaking down the barrier of “asking for
to do well and want to achieve as high as [they] help,” Sachdeva has found a way to come back
can.” from the feeling of burnout. This opened a new

Gifted students are known to be rapid learners doorway to restarting the way she thought about
who can put information and thoughts together learning as she created ways to study and boost-
quickly and efficiently. They thrive with memori-
zation, applying logic to problems, and challeng- ed her mental health by talking to people who
ing themselves. Most of the time, school comes could help.
easier to gifted students, leading them to never ”Sometimes I have to realize that
develop proper study habits at a young age. Se- I have other strengths that
nior Seiya Sachdeva recalls having to take a step don’t apply to every-
back and “put in that extra work and take that thing.” Sachdeva said.
extra time to understand the material” when she “I realize that I can’t
reached high school. always be the
smartest person
Sachdeva, like many other gifted students at Ma- in the room.”
son High School, was put into ACT at a very young
age. She felt she was “naturally smarter“ and didn’t
need to bother with learning how to study or put
significant amounts of effort toward education due
to her progress in the gifted program.

“I [felt I] had [a] superi-

Photo contributed by Maya Rao Illustration by Allison Droege

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8 November 19, 2021

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10 Feature November 19, 2021

Photo contributed by Morgan Archiable TAKING A DIVE

Adrenaline-pumped seniors take leap from 10,000 feet

Alisha Soni | The Chronicle activities. With that influence surrounding her whole
life, she developed a love for
Entering adulthood gives Mason seniors a chance
to take a dive as they strive to check items off of their adventure that led her to make the jump just shortly
bucket lists. after her 18th birthday.

For many adrenaline junkies, skydiving creates “I’ve been a big outdoors person my whole life,”
a wild rush that some Mason High School (MHS) Galloway said. “I’ve done adrenaline [activities before]
like rock climbing and ziplining [so] I’m willing to try
students dream of one day experiencing. To anything. When my dad went skydiving, my mom did
them, leaping out of an aircraft and falling it once [too], we had this agreement that I was gonna
14,000 feet is their first ideal step in adult- go. ”
hood.
When senior Morgan Archiable’s 18th As an inexperienced first-time diver, Galloway
birthday rolled around, it had opened selected the option to tandem skydive. With this type
the door to skydiving, something she of skydiving, a professional instructor was strapped
had not been permitted to do before to her back using a harness. The instructor held full
becoming a legal adult. Besides the other control, allowing Galloway to experience the extreme,
activities she can try as an adult, she uses first-time thrill of skydiving without having to rely on
her recent birthday to fulfill one of her life herself alone for safety. With that free from her mind,
goals. she focused on what may seem like a daunting task
“I love things like roller coasters but I’ve to most: the jump. Galloway said she didn’t feel “that
always wanted to experience something nervous” as she was about to jump.
more,” Archiable said. “I was turning 18
and this was the start of a new part of “Those guys [the instructors] know what they’re do-
my life, so I wanted to jump out of a ing,” Galloway said.” The only thought that I had was,
plane.” ‘If Indiana Jones fell from a plane in a raft, why can’t I
Despite some hesitance from her just do it with a parachute?”
mom, Archiable had scheduled a jump in early
September. She had expected to feel any sort of For Galloway, the immediate fall delivered a thrill-
nervousness prior to the jump but was excited ing, instant rush. After less than a minute of intense
the entirety of the time. The initial descent freefall, the parachute was pulled and the skydivers
from the aircraft was such a strange feeling floated back down. In total, descent from the aircraft
for Archiable as the abrupt pressure had to the designated drop zones was only a couple of min-
made it seem as if she was not falling. utes. When they safely reached land, the divers were
Archiable had especially enjoyed the finally geared down. Even with the intense wind and
view, being able to see everything from pressure, Galloway found everything about the experi-
down below her. ence rewarding.
Similar to Archiable, senior Au-
drey Galloway has always had “The view is amazing because everything was so
a thirst for adventure. At teeny to me,” Galloway said. “You feel like you’re al-
a young age, her parents most on top of the world.”
encouraged her to par-
ticipate in various outdoor Both Galloway and Archiable can check off their sky-
diving goal, with the result of having greatly enjoyed
their experiences. In addition, Archiable has purchased
and planned for another jump this coming April.

“Skydiving is a strange experience but I loved it,”
Archiable said. “It’s very eye-opening and I would defi-
nitely recommend it because it’s such a cool thing to
say you got to do.”

November 19, 2021 11

12 Feat

A MAN FOR A

Teacher Timothy King spends tenure instilling

Risha Chada | The Chronicle started with just a few Lake Erie, and we idolized our Alaskan cous-
kids, students that King ins,” King said. “My aunt gave me a book called
Timothy King may be the longest-tenured remembers teaching. Words of the Wild and I liked to read that book
teacher at Mason High School (MHS), but his Even with the experience while camping.”
compassion for his students has more than stood King has, he said he still remembers one par-
the test of time. ticular student that caused a butterfly effect in King said he wishes for students to understand
the ‘90s. An African American student “single- his love of nature when they leave his class,
While King has taught at the school for handedly [caused] change,” as King said, offering hopefully working to preserve the environment
decades, MHS is not the same school it was insight previously unknown to Mason, leading to as much as they can. In the single year King has
when he first began his career. As new people, a more accepting school environment. with each class of students, King strives to create
new clubs, new cultures and new mindsets a bond between his students and with nature.
flooded the school, King adapted to every wave Students such as that one sparked change Though some classes may take a test-based ap-
of change that he experienced. King not only not only in the school, but also in King. Over proach to learning, Words of the Wild encourag-
adjusted to Mason’s continuous change, but he his years of teaching, King has been impacted es students to cherish nature’s whimsical beauty.
said he embraced it, growing to love the school’s by the thousands of students that have walked King said he appreciates a quote by Harvard
vibrancy. through the halls of MHS and helped him grow Professor E. O. Wilson, in which he states that
as a teacher and a person. With each new class of you must teach science “from the top down” to
“I love [Mason], never for one second have I adolescents he encounters, King said he aspires garner student interest.
been bored here,” King said. “Teaching [here] is to continue his learning.
fun and exciting, and [high school] is just a time “[Teaching] the deer first, or
of life when everybody is just so enthusiastic and “Every time I have seen a student thought the tree, instead of
not yet cynical and discouraged.” of as ‘unsuccessful’ turn it around or show an
interest in something they just prove that every
Demographics throughout Mason have shifted single person has something to say,” King said.
dramatically since the 1990s, fostering more “I realized everybody in this class has something
inclusivity in recent years. That shift to- to offer and it’s my job to help them discover
wards a diverse population what that is.”

Words of the Wild, a class entirely created and
taught by King, has become a rite of passage for
many seniors. When King created Words of the
Wild in the late 1990s, his inspiration stemmed
from his childhood, wanting to provide his stu-
dents with a look into his own positive experi-
ences. With his father’s love for hiking and his
mother’s fishing, it was almost inevitable for
King to grow up with a love for nature.

“My mother’s family had a cottage in Canada,
my dad’s side of the family had a cottage on

ture 13

ALL SEASONS

g kindness, environmental appreciation in MHS

starting with cells and math, creates a connec- watched grow into their career after previously
tion with nature’s beauty and hooks people in,” being a student of his.
King said. “Then, we tend to take care of the
things we love.” As it was with the class Little was in and with
every class since, King has done his best to craft
Through this method of connection with the bonds between his students and create an unfor-
natural world, King has watched his students gettable classroom-spanning connection. King
excel as they move beyond his classroom. In the said it is these connections that make more and
time King has taught at Mason, more than a few more people start to care, rather than only one
of his previous students have come back to their person working toward a cause.
former high school as teachers. King said he ad-
mires everyone he had once taught who are now “What I try to do is model love, kindness and
teachers themselves and loves seeing his own patience for those that need it,” King said. “It
passion for teaching emanated in their teaching. sounds corny, but by the end of the year, my
goal is that we all feel a sort of admiration for
“I could go on and on about the different [cur- each other.”
rent teachers] I’ve taught and how great they
are with kids,” King said. Teachers such as Darin King has been a pillar of the school for de-
cades. Whether it was as a teacher, coach, mentor
Little make the list or club advisor, he helped foster the crucial ap-
of people who preciation many Mason students have for nature.
King has After his years of teaching, King said that any-

Illustrations by Allison Droege one
who contem-
plates a career in
education should focus
on what is truly important.

“Find something you really want to
teach and keep it simple,” King said. “We always
try to make it harder than it is, but the study of
teaching is just love and patience.”

As someone who has been helping students for
nearly 40 years, King said he understands the
pressures young people face. Instead of dismiss-
ing it, King said he hopes kids will acknowledge
what they personally want for their futures,
rather than what they are expected to do.

“Learn who you are, because having a vocation
that gives your life meaning and that you actu-
ally love can just change your life,” King said.
“Forget about the money. Forget about what your
parents say. Work hard to find your talents.”

14 Entertainment November 19, 2021

Brooklyne Darby used Mason wrestling coach Nicholas Maffey is read-
her skills in wheel-throwing ing Chosen Suffering by Kirsten D. Samuel and Tom
Ryan. Tom Ryan is the Ohio State Wrestling coach.
to create a mug using As an All-American college wrestler he embraced
elements inspired by the his fair share of “chosen suffering.” It wasn’t until
he and his wife Lynette, suffered the sudden
ocean. death of their five-year-old son, Teague, that
they encountered “unchosen suffering.” In
this fire they found their faith and a process
to push through the pain. Tom’s passion is
to transform ordinary lives into elite cham-
pions. Maffey reccommends this book to
those who “are looking to achieve an elite
mindset.”

Evelina Gaivoronskaia | The Chronicle

The days are shorter and the nights are
colder. To match the upcoming fall aes-
thetic, Victoria Makarenko dresses up in a
dark and warm outfit. Her outfit features
black ripped jeans, through which the
black fishnets are visible. Besides adding
warmth, they add a mystifying atmo-
sphere with the bat design that can be
seen peeking through the rips. Makaren-
ko’s classic black Dr. Martens are a per-
fect simple, yet noticeable shoe choice
for the outfit. On the top, Makarenko
layers a translucent purple tank top with
a black long-sleeve shirt. The tank top not
only adds color to the all-black outfit but
also complexity with its gentle flower pat-
tern. The silver jewelry of the crystal cage
and a chain pull the rough and tender
undertones of the outfit together, balanc-
ing the beauty and decay of fall.

Rager Teenager by Troye Sivan Sometimes by H.E.R. Time Of Our Lives by Pitbull ft. Neyo Love on the Radio by Matthew West
Shameika by Fiona Apple Bones by Maren Morris and Hozier Heat Waves by Glass Animals This by Darius Rucker
Ugh by BTS
Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land by Patience Cover by Chris Cornell Live Like You Were Dying by Tim McGraw
MARINA

November 19, 2021 Entertainment 15

a month of music

ALBUM REVIEW Review by Aditya Thiyag Review by Isabelle Paley ALBUM REVIEW
Taylor Swift’s re-recording of a majority
An Evening with Silk Sonic Red (Taylor’s Version)
by Silk Sonic of her discography is a monumental feat by Taylor Swift
for her career as an artist.
5/5 4.5/5
The rerecording of Red, the perfect fall creates a clarity that was not heard on
Pop king Bruno Mars and musician make up for it with arguably Mars’most heartbreak album, combines Swift’s 2012 the previous album. With heart-wrench-
Anderson .Paak linked up to produce an powerful vocal performance to date, lyrics with her 2021 voice. Swift merged ing lines such as“You called me up again
album of the year contender. vulnerable verses from .Paak, and both of her country roots with songs such as just to break me like a promise”fans can
their vocals entwining during the chorus “Everything Has Changed”and modern revel in the perfect song about loving
An Evening with Silk Sonic clocks in at over twinkling and snare heavy produc- pop with“We Are Never Ever Getting and learning. A longer chorus, three new
a concise 31 minutes, but the amount of tion. Back Together”to create a perfect blend verses, and a new ending expand on the
variety packed into this runtime is absurd. of the two genres. original four-minute song to craft a ten
Segueing from love ballad to disco While no glaring missteps are present minute masterpiece detailing Swift’s
jam, none of the 9 tracks feel like filler, a throughout the record, Mars feels some- The nine new songs on the album are whirlwind romance with actor Jake Gyl-
welcome breath of fresh air in an era of 20 what out of place during the faster paced from a group Swift has labeled as“from lenhaal.
song, hour long albums. songs. On“777”, the pop star’s contribu- the vault”tracks.“Nothing New”featuring
tions felt less significant compared to Phoebe Bridgers has created excitement The changes made on the re-recorded
Both Mars and .Paak wear their 70’s .Paak’s raps. Examining the opposing side, as Bridgers is the first female artist who songs were not all positive.“Girl At Home”
influence as a badge of honor through- Mars tended to dominate slow jams like has collaborated with Swift to sing lyrics receives an unnecessary change in pro-
out the project. Funk legend Bootsy “Leave The Door Open‘’with his authori- instead of just backup vocals. The line duction with the addition of background
Collins narrates the album, sprinkling in tative voice, reducing .Paak to ad libs dur- “How can a person know everything vocals and drums in the chorus that can
an extra bit of personality in a similar vein ing the chorus. However, these nitpicks at 18, then nothing at 22,”alludes to throw listeners off, as it takes away focus
to DJ Drama in Tyler, the Creator’s“Call don’t diminish the record’s quality in the another song on the album,“22,”to cre- from the lyrics and puts more emphasis
Me If You Get Lost”. Outside of Collins, the slightest, and I commend them both for ate a diverse perspective of Swift in her on the production. But a majority of the
album only has one feature from soul art- each trying something new. twenties. songs still get revamped while staying
ist Thundercat on the sensual“After Last true to the original. Simple changes such
Night”, who bolsters the nostalgic style It would’ve been extremely easy for A fan favorite,“All Too Well,”gets a as the higher-pitched voice in the line
crafted by the horns on the track with a Mars and .Paak to coast off of their critical- makeover with a ten-minute rendition. “I don’t know about you but I’m feeling
catchy bassline. ly acclaimed previous work, but the duo The addition of lyrics such as“You kept 22”in her song“22”subtly changes
reinvented themselves with this album, a me like a secret but I kept you like an one aspect of the song while allowing
It’s impossible to understate how celebration of two consistently versatile oath,”brings a fresh perspective on the the message to still be discernible by
much pure charisma the duo exude. .Paak artists and the entire R&B genre. failed relationship. Swift’s mature voice listeners. The variety in the tone on the
injects life into average lines like“Float like album creates the perfect soundtrack
a butterfly on every single track,”on the Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak didn’t for getting over a heartbreak or the best
song“Fly On Me”with confident, brag- just step outside of their comfort zone songs to“dance around the kitchen in the
gadocious delivery. His rap roots shine this year. They waltzed out of it and left refrigerator light.”
here, speedy flow meshing well with the the door open, inviting listeners into a
more up-tempo production that can be disco world that I don’t see myself leaving Throughout the 2 hours and 11-min-
found in .Paak’s solo work. Callbacks to for a long time. ute album, Red has allowed fans new and
Mars’previous work additionally manifest old to experience a classic Taylor album
themselves here naturally within the while also leaving them wondering what
project. The emotional centerpiece of the project Swift is going to work on next.
album,“Put on a Smile’’, is reminiscent of
Mars’“Versace on the Floor”, and albeit
lacking the 80’s synth that made the
2016 track so enticing, the pair more than

ARTIST by Della Johnson Mitski Miyawaki has released some of the
SPOTLIGHT most heart-wrenching music imaginable. Her
discography is stocked with tearfully symbolic
records, her lyrics striking yet often sung
softly. Often using her work as an emotional
vessel, Mitski has lamented over concepts

such as the treatment of people of color in America

and the perceived societal role of women. To add to

her already impressive musical lineup -- putting five

albums out since the year 2012 -- Mitski has recently

released two singles off what is presumably her newest

project. Her first, titled “Working for the Knife” chan-

Be the Cowboy Puberty 2 nels consumerism-driven frustration yet still conveys a

(2018) (2016) theme of repressed emotion, similar to that of

her first album, Lush, and, to be frank, most

of her works. Excitingly, her newest singles

seem to continue her sound experimentation

that was seen on her most recent album, Be

the Cowboy, breaking with her classic piano

and acoustic guitar instrumentals in favor of

Bury Me at Retired From Sad, New synth and drums. With a nearly sold-out tour
Makeout Creek Career in Business on the horizon, it is clear that Mitski plans to
(2013) continue far into the future to devastate her
(2014)

mitski thousands of fans, in a good way.

Page Design by Della Johnson

16 November 19, 2021

AmaZING
grace

Photo by Aditya Thyiag
(From left to right) Grace McKay, Addison Stephens, Naina Kaur, Ashley Robey, Carlie Condit, Kennedy Rader, and Advika Sumit stand on the podium after placing first at
the Southwest District Championship on October 23, 2021.

Junior Grace McKay leans on faith in return to competitive running

Abby Waechter | Managing Editor after being diagnosed was if I was “It was a huge shock that I was able to eventually finishing first for the
going to be able to run through my to run as well as I did this season,” Comet’s at the state final.
Assisted by Divy Bose and Savannah Libby treatment,” Mckay said. “They told McKay said. “I was really thankful
me to not get my hopes up, and that and trusted in God so that this season Dan McKay said that every time he
Ten months ago, Grace McKay was the [upcoming cross country] season would happen for me.” saw his daughter defy the expectations
diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. would probably be for more fun than set by those around them filled him
On November 6, 2021, she was Mason’s anything.” Throughout her life, the McKay with an overwhelming sense of pride
top finisher at the cross country state family has relied heavily on their faith. in her.
final. After finishing chemotherapy, After her diagnosis, the McKay family
McKay was determined to test her leaned further into their faith to help “To see Grace up there on the po-
Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is a type of limits going into the 2021-2022 cross sustain them through Grace’s journey. dium reminds me of the effort from
cancer that affects the body’s lymphat- country season, as she had already Grace’s father, Dan McKay, who is her and the whole community of her
ic system, which is part of the immune missed running during the 2020-2021 also a teacher at Mason High School doctors and all of those who fundraise
system, and usually are indicated track season. (MHS), said that throughout her treat- for Cancer Research,” McKay said.
through the growth and forming of ment, they continued to practice the “Her whole story comes together in
masses on a person’s body. According “I was motivated when I was done meaningful ways of their faith. that moment when she stands up there
to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Soci- with treatment to get back into run- on that podium.”
ety, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma typically is ning without any interruptions,” “During her treatment, we contin-
the result of a change to the DNA of McKay said. “I didn’t care how hard it ued to pray daily and read Scripture a As Grace began to shatter her expec-
a lymphocyte, which is a type of white was going to be, I just wanted to do it.” lot to really focus on not being afraid tation of running to simply get into
blood cell, and is also “one of the most of what was in front of us,” McKay shape for senior season, she and her
curable forms of cancer.” Despite both doctors and her parents said. “We focused on living each day, family began to attribute a majority of
telling her not to expect much out of relying on God and putting our trust her successes to their faith in God. Dan
In early January, McKay noticed a her junior season, McKay managed in him to get us through it.” McKay said that Grace’s progression
“small lump” on her neck, which con- to not only become one of the var- in the 2021-2022 cross country season
sequently resulted in numerous visits sity team’s most valued runners, but When McKay started the 2021-2022 served as proof to him that faith never
to her doctor’s office, and eventually she also shaved 44 seconds off of her cross country season, expectations fails.
to her diagnosis on January 25, 2021. best time from 2020. McKay said that were set on primarily using the season
Concerned for numerous reasons fol- she was happily surprised with her to build up her endurance after her “We read so much Scripture about
lowing her diagnosis, McKay said that performances over the course of the treatment in preparation for her how God keeps his promises and has
she wanted one aspect in her life to 2021 season given that she went into it senior season. With every meet, McKay He good plans for you,” McKay said.
remain constant, running. with an open mind set on building her shocked her coaches as well as her “So every time she races, it’s proof
strength back up again. parents in every aspect from finishing right in front of us, God’s promises
“The first thing I asked my doctor
were delivered.”

November 19, 2021 Sports 17

CHRONICLE SPORTS SUPERHEROES

ottbhrheoicrleCttrcaethrdmrealauierepmengatneCsdewottrnaisttdakihilimatnltegaotoffthfiurters1h9tbde:0ois7f--.or

Savannah Libby otfshcui1hrp5zade:o5mr2oapmJtsiaeoeprsndetreshhydhteeyiopXGputalMiamCceed

ffhiosrereCrearosotCdiogchooSnmaewhpneaplCntCanrowshyomntaapohetmseinteonlpslosi.eatontdHhnrDeesetrihtshpictepohr.sitct Andrew Little

HaaentdfiietmnxlhipetsesdrrhweaesstdoutsfhraNniivejtdnagueetiinscsehhoasgtimi.rVosxyol1etf0tnwhssd-taocepoyvortlurehoarretacnoaaeopanrafamrne1n52t.

Divy Bose Sean speidel

Illustration by Alisha Verma. Page design by Abby Waechter

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

18 Sports November 19, 2021

chronicle all stars fall sports coach of the year

At the conclusion of each sports season, the Greater Miami Conference (GMC) Rapp won his third state championship rid-
selects All-Conference teams for each individual sport based on althlete’s season ing his team’s depth rather than one domi-
performances. The Chronicle, however, has determined our fall sports selections nant athlete. Talk to anyone in the running
for an All-Chronicle team. community and you will immediately see
just how respected Rapp is. Even his
competitors can’t help but root for the suc-
cess of the GMC’s Coach of the Year.

tom rapp | Boys cross country

Shyla Aggarwal | Girls Tennis Zach Cochran | Boys soccer Jayna Searles| Girls Soccer

Aggarwal became the first Comet to win the Zach Cochran was dominant between the goal- Searles is a complete player at all phases of the
singles state championship in addition to an un- posts from start to finish. In 18 games, Cochran game for the Comets. She led the Comets to
defeated regular season. She put together one of saved 64 shots with almost a 90% save rate. a GMC and Southwest District Championship.
the best individual seasons ever from a Comet in He only allowed nine goals all year and shut She was a first team GMC selection, Division 1
any sport, and proved she is not just a top player down opposing teams with a clean sheet in 13 Southwest Ohio First team, and second team
in the state of Ohio, but the entire nation. games and led the Comet’s to Districts. Division 1 All Ohio. Searles is also a Bowling
Green State University signee.

Timmy Hollenbeck | Boys golf Brooklyne Darby | Girls volleyball Aiden Amshoff | Boys cross country

Timmy Hollenbeck was a commanding force on Darby led the Comets to nine GMC victories and Aiden Amshoff has been an outstanding runner for
the golf course all season. His stellar performanc- 15 wins overall. With a season total of 242 kills and the boys cross country team. He earned GMC run-
es included shooting five-under-par at the GMC 688 passes, she was unstoppable. Her powerful ner of the year, finishing first in the GMC champi-
Championships, and earned GMC player of the spikes struck fear in her opponents and opposing onship and leading the team to a win with a perfect
year. He averaged a 37.50 on the season, guiding coaches voted her GMC Player of the Year. Her score. The senior also brought the team to victory
the team to its second straight GMC championship leadership was apparent in each game, helping the in the state championship, where he finished with a
and a sixth-place finish at the state championship. Comets take their sixth consecutive GMC title. time of 15:45.1, earning all state honors.

Skyler Horn | Football Ally Madden | Girls Golf Alex Deroussel | Boys cross country

Horn was the Comets most consistent player, Ally Madden dominated her golf season, lead- DeRoussel came alive at the state champion-
maintaining a commanding presence all season ing Mason as one of the best teams in the state. ship running a personal record of 15:40, good
at center. He stepped up on the defensive line Averaging 37.57, Madden guided her team to enough to earn a spot on the All-Ohio team and
when called upon using his size and strength win their second consecutive GMC Champion- finish first for the Comets. After finishing as the
to record several tackles. Helping to lead his ship as well as earned GMC Golfer of the Year. vital fifth man at the GMC Championship, Der-
team to the playoffs, Horn added intensity and oussel stepped up in the ensuing postseason.
strength into the Comet line-up.

Contributing Writers: Andrew Little, Sean Speidel, Savannah Libby, and Divy Bose. Page design by Abby Waechter. Photos courtesy of Mason SID.

November 19, 2021 Sports 19

Cross Country obtains perfection, sweeps GMC Championship

Sean Speidel | The Chronicle

Achieving perfection is not a simple feat. Photo contributed by Tom Rapp
On October 16, 2021, the Mason boys cross country
team made history. The first five runners to cross (from left to right) Braeden Fedders, Isaac Schacleiter, Brady Messer, Alex DeRoussel, Aiden Amshoff, Keith
the finish line in the Greater Miami Championship Neuburger, and Jerry Xu celebrate a sweep and their GMC title
(GMC) were Comets. This gave Mason the first-ever
perfect score in the GMC championship. With extra encouragement from Rapp, DeRous- run for the team and not just to set personal records.
Cross country meets are scored by assigning points sel passed the final runner on the straightaway and Junior Keith Neuburger said that he uses the strong
to the first five finishers of each school, and the team crossed the finish line in fifth place, securing the first team dynamic as motivation to finish strong while
with the lowest total score wins. The runners’ indi- perfect score in GMC championship history. DeRous- racing.
vidual scores coordinate with their finishing place- sel said that he was glad that he was able to contrib-
ment. For example, first place would earn their team ute to making history as well as supporting the team “I just think about my teammates and how they’re
one point and second place would earn their team with his performance. all depending on me,” Neuburger said. “I use that to
two points. When one school has the top five finish- find extra strength and push to the finish line.”
ers, they earn a perfect score of 15 points. “It just felt good that even though I wasn’t having
In preparation for the GMC championship, the Ma- my best day I could come through, and the team got The unprecedented perfect score at the GMC
son boys did not run the weekend prior. This allowed the sweep,” DeRoussel said. championship reflects the team’s chemistry as they
the team to be well-rested and ready to compete. have proven to work well together beyond the GMC
Head coach Tom Rapp said that the runners resem- The team trains hard, running up to 65 miles a championship. The Mason boy’s cross country team
bled “salivating dogs” because the boys were eager to week; however, junior runner Isaac Schachleiter said went on to win the Ohio state title on November 6,
run and were “starving for competition.” that the training is only one part of the story. The 2021.
As the varsity team of three seniors, three juniors, cross country team’s camaraderie gives them an extra
and one sophomore approached the race, their edge. Rapp said that the relationships the boys have
strategy was to run as a pack. Senior Aiden Amshoff formed with each other have boosted their perfor-
started off pacing Mason’s top five runners at 4:50 for “Coming into the year, we worked on building mance to a new level, allowing them to compete not
the first mile. With one kilometer left, the first four from the bottom up and really building a love for just as individuals, but as a team.
Mason runners had expanded their lead and were set each other and the sport of running,” Schachleiter
to finish first through fourth, but Senior Alex DeR- said. “A willingness to fight for your teammates goes They wouldn’t be as good as they are if they didn’t
oussel had been passed by three opposing runners a lot farther than fighting for yourself.” have each other,” Rapp said. “They just play off of
and dropped to eighth place. each other really well. You have to feel a little magic
It was crucial for DeRoussel to make a comeback The boy’s cross country team has a special bond sometimes, and that there’s something special about
in order to secure Mason’s perfect score. With only with one another. They have adopted the principle to your team if you’re going to be really, really good.”
500 meters left in the race, DeRoussel had one more
runner to pass in order to ensure that the Comets
would earn a perfect score. DeRoussel said that he
had to push himself to his limit and pass the last op-
posing runner to secure a sweep.
“Coach Rapp was standing there when the Lakota
West guy was the last guy I had to pass,” DeRoussel
said. “[He] said ‘that’s the sweep, and remember what
they did to us last year.’”

Rapp was referring to the 2020 GMC championship

in which Mason lost to Lakota West, the eventual

2020 state champion. The tough blow to the Comets
in 2020 served as motivation to the team in the 2021
GMC Championship.

Graphic by Alison Droege

S tat e20 Sports November 19, 2021

CHAMPION

Junior Shyla Aggarwal
becomes first Comets
singles tennis champion

Defeats familiar foe to claim title Photo contributed by Carol Lehman

Shyla Aggarwal defeated Anthony Wayne’s Lily Black to win the Ohio High
School Athletic Association Division State singles tennis championship.

Andrew Little | The Chronicle the final match a year later brought emy in the second round 2-1 (4-6, 6-2, Aggarwal was able to come back in
back memories of a narrow defeat. Ag- 6-4), Aggarwal went on to beat Tess the next two sets with hard-earned,
Some teams are synonymous with garwal lost the first set 4-6, paralleling Bucher of North Canton Hoover in but convincing victories and become
winning. The Mason women’s tennis her 6-7 loss a year earlier. Aggarwal the semi-finals 2-0 (6-1, 6-1), securing a a state champion. Seconds after the
team is one due, in part, to Shyla Ag- said that she got off to a slow start, second finals appearance. final point, rain began to pour down.
grawal. but took a more carefully crafted ap- Aggarwal said that her teammates
proach in the last two sets. Aggarwal said that she used her continued encouragement and sup-
On October 23, Aggarwal, a junior victories as a confidence booster and port throughout the match helped get
for the five-time reigning state cham- “In the first set, I was being impa- used them as momentum going into her through the long match.
pions, became the first Mason Comet tient. I was going for things that I her final match.
to win the singles championship. She shouldn’t have, and that’s why I kept “That definitely helped me finish
defeated Anthony Wayne’s Lilly Black, missing,” Aggarwal said. “It was still “I was pretty nervous, especially af- the next two sets,” Aggarwal said.
who is also a junior, in three sets (6-7, pretty close, but the next two sets I ter I got my draw and saw that I could “[The win] felt really good. I was super
6-3, 6-2) in the state finals. kind of just got that together. potentially lose the second round,” relieved and really happy. Celebrat-
Aggrawal said. “But I just thought ing with the team and knowing that
Black and Aggarwal were familiar In the 2020 finals, Aggarwal lost to ‘you have to control what you can’ and everybody was there to watch me and
opponents as they competed against Elizabeth Pendergast, a senior from that definitely helped me.” I was able to make them happy was a
each other in the semi-finals of the St. Ursula Academy, in three sets (6-4, really good feeling.”
state tournament in 2020. Aggrawal 2-6, 7-5). As a sophomore, Aggarwal Aggarwal lost a tight first set to
won 2-1 (3-6, 6-3, 6-1). As the two often went into the tournament with the ap- Black 6-7 in what would become one As a junior as well as a state cham-
face each other in both school and proach of making it as far as she can, of her longest matches of the season, pion, Aggarwal’s athletic journey is
off-season tournaments, they have but not necessarily expecting to win. with many rallies of up to 25 balls. Ag- not yet finished. After becoming the
developed a friendly relationship in After Pendergast graduated, Aggar- garwal said that head coach Mike Reid first Comet to win the singles title,
their time together. Aggarwal said wal said that she shifted her mindset helped her identify her opponent’s Aggarwal is now focused on repeating
that because of a loss to Black over the towards winning. flaws early in the match so that she her feat and helping lead the team to
summer, she was a bit tense heading could recover in the next two sets. their sixth straight title. Aggarwal said
into the state finals. “My expectation was winning state. practicing with the same effort and
That was my goal all season,” Aggar- “[Black] was a little bit different purpose that allowed her to become a
“I lost to [Black] over the summer in wal said. than most other girls I’ve played all champion in the first place will help
a tournament,” Aggarwal said. “That season,” Aggarwal said. “[Coach Reid] her in her quest for state title number
made me a little bit more nervous Although she went into the state helped me realize that I needed to two.
because I didn’t know if I could beat tournament as a top seed, Aggarwal expose her weaknesses and wait until I
her this time.” was placed into a bracket with several get like an absolutely perfect ball that “I think it’s just gonna be the same
of the athletes favored to win the I know I can hit a winner on to win thing,” Aggrawal said. “Practicing with
Aggarwal finished as the state competition. After narrowly defeating the point.” the purpose of trying to win again.”
runner-up in 2020, and her return to Amara Brahmbhatt of St. Joseph Acad-
By adjusting her aggressiveness,

November 19, 2021 News 21

Found poems displayed in MHS lobby exemplify inclusive excellence messages

Tanya Keskar | The Chronicle guide was released, reflecting the recent her goal has been to be more inten-
focus on inclusive excellence in the tional about creating “Safe Spaces” for
Mason High School (MHS) staff be- school district. Roberts said a goal of students, putting up stickers that display
the found poems was to create a posi- the status in classrooms. While these
came poets as they captured the essence tive relationship between students and actions may seem small, they are aimed
teachers. at letting students know that there is
of inclusive excellence through power- someone in the building they can talk
“I think it's valuable for our students to, helping contribute to creating an
ful prose. to see the adults that they are amongst inclusive culture at the school.
as learners,” Roberts said. “They're
On the October Professional Develop- engaged in their own personal growth. “As a counselor, it's something that is
Our teachers are imperfect human already ingrained in the work that we
ment Day, students had a day to guide beings who are learning and growing do,” Pay said. “I'm trying to create an
along with everybody else in our com- inclusive and equitable environment,
their learning while the MHS staff had munity in our society.” making sure that our students feel safe Lillian Wang
in the building, making sure that their Junior
the opportunity to reflect on Inclusive Through this experience, the staff voices feel heard.”
had the opportunity to share their work Aaron Roberts
Excellence (IE) in the school district by with the students of MHS. MHS Guid- Junior Lillian Wang had the opportu- Learning Experience
ance Counselor Megan Pay composed nity to write a found poem for viewers
composing found poems. A found poem a found poem based on the IE guide to take inspiration from. One of Wang’s Designer
with counselors Sally Clark, Phyllis Bell teachers connected her to the Learn- Shawna Parkinson
is an art piece created entirely by words and Linda Dumstroff. Pay said that she ing Experience Designers after hearing Learning Experience
valued the time focused on reading and about her experience writing poetry.
and phrases from a specific piece of text. reflecting on the IE guide. Designer
“Poetry is usually where I start my Megan Pay
These poems are displayed in the MHS “Sometimes I get so caught up in the ideas,” Wang said. “It’s really a very Guidance Counselor
hustle and bustle of things that some- emotional process, and connecting that
lobby for students and staff to continue times I don't take a step back,” Pay said. to the IE guide, reading through the
“I appreciate that it allowed for space IE guide as a student, it felt so good
to take inspiration from. for us to just sit and absorb and then put knowing that teachers were working
it in our own words.” hard to make sure that Mason is a place
Shawna Parkinson and Aaron Roberts where all students can grow, thrive and
Pay said that she appreciates this achieve their own definition of excel-
are Learning Experience Designers; focus for teachers to incorporate IE in lence in life.”
the district.
they play big roles in organizing profes- Wang’s poem is centered around the
“As a community, we’re growing idea that ”your story matters” -- that idea
sional learning for the staff at MHS. in multiple aspects,” Pay said. “We’re that every student should feel valued
growing in numbers; we’re growing in and supported.
Parkinson said that this professional de- diversity. We’re being intentional about
creating more inclusive workplaces for “‘Your Story Matters’ is such a big
velopment day was focused on helping our students and staff.” part of Mason, and I really want it to
become an even bigger part of Mason
staff implement inclusive excellence Over the past year, because I think each student deserves to
Pay said that know that they are valued and that they
principles in the school environment. have the ability to become whatever
they want to be,” Wang said. “It made
“We’re all committed to the work of me both valued and very proud to be a
student at Mason.”
everyone feeling like they belong and
Wang said to create this inclusive
they're part of our community,” Parkin- environment, individuals have to focus
on connecting with and understanding
son said. other people.

To foster this community of accep- “You have to open your mind,” Wang
said. “[You] also have to open your heart.
tance, Mason City Schools has estab- Feeling and understanding as a person,
having that empathy.”
lished three “Big Rocks” that guide the
Parkinson said these poems reflect
vision of the school, which are culture, the staff voice of Mason High School,
and the effort put towards cultivating an
inclusive excellence and personalized inclusive culture at the school.

learning. Detailed guides have been in “Every time I walk by those found
poems, I stop, pause and look again,”
development for all three rocks, and Parkinson said. “It really just makes a
statement that this is who [we] are.”
after over a year of develop-

ment, the IE

Graphics by Nishka Mishra

22 Opinion November 19, 2021

It’s time to Staff Editorial
decompress
A message to Mason voters

Isabella Gaspar’raj | The Chronicle Dear Mason voters, we’re proud of We want to progress and we are tired
you. of going back in time.
The Tombow Fudenosuke calligraphy pen was the gateway
to finding my calmer self. Despite this being a non-presidential As students, we cannot help but
election year, you showed up. Despite question everything. A few weeks ago,
About two years ago, I got my first calligraphy book and your views on the city, you showed we were in a position where we truly
calligraphy pen. Though I like to show others my calligra- up. Despite your obligations, you still had to question our council members’
phy work and I am proud of it, the root of it is that I love showed up. intentions.
writing beautifully, and it calms me down. Calligraphy
helpsed me tune out the world around me and take my This year, Mason had some of the And that’s a position we never want
mind off of my worries to only focus on the slow, curved, highest voter turnouts in the area. to be in again.
writing of the alphabet. Calligraphy helped me make my
head a blank slate, free of things I should be worried about. Our city has indeed been through a This isn’t a matter of whether some-
lot lately. Aside from our local elec- one leans left or right. This is about
We often get caught up in the huge workload of our tions, Mason has made national head- standing up. And you, Mason voters,
classes as well as extracurriculars that take up lots of our lines. you stood up.
time, and this takes away any free time for simply relaxing
and giving our brains rest. In fact, we are encouraged to fill Despite all the political slander that Keep it going. Keep taking perspec-
up our schedules so that colleges will choose us over any has gone on within these past few tive into account and keep voting with
others. We’re pushed to our breaking points with honors and weeks, our community has persisted. empathy. We all want what is best for
AP classes, having to use every free minute, even during the this city.
school day, to finish our homework in hopes of maybe get- As a community, we elected those
ting 7 hours of sleep. we believed in. We chose leaders who The city council can enact all the
we thought would handle initiative bans they want, but it did not stop the
I encourage anyone and everyone to find their own so- with care instead of recklessness. We sea of voters in Mason this year. And
called “boring” task. It can be calligraphy or writing prac- stepped outside of our political bound- we don’t foresee it stopping voters in
tices like me, or maybe coloring, folding laundry, reading, aries to understand that political power the future either.
anything. Having an activity like this that doesn’t become lies within rationale, not a party.
your main passion is important because when a talent of As voters, you have just inspired the
yours becomes serious, it can cross over into the realm of a This election season, Mason voters youth. You’ve motivated us to do what
stressor. chose to stand behind reason. We im- our government teachers preach-- to
mersed ourselves into our city’s politics get involved in our local politics re-
I know many of us are continually bogged down by their and asked our leaders questions. Those gardless of our stances or ages.
next upcoming test, waiting on edge for their grades to flux, who responded were the ones we stood
and wondering how to fit in their pages of homework into behind. We attend the council meetings and
minutes they don’t have in their day. Even so, I think picking speak at them. We read the agendas.
up a new practice and making time for it can cause you to So much more lies ahead of the City We create clubs dedicated to immers-
recognize that you have the power to slow down. My “bor- of Mason. We are an up-and-coming ing ourselves in local government. We
ing” practice has helped me grow by de-stressing, and I hope community that is rich in potential. even volunteer at polling locations.
yours does that for you, too. The city council’s job is to further And when we reach age 18, we will be
Mason’s enriching community, to help ready to vote.
everyone prosper.

The Chronicle’s Policy Rebecca Hunter Isabelle Paley

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

The Chronicle is published monthly.

November 19, 2021 Opinion 23

Making my Editorial Cartoon
choice

Bradyn Johnson | The Chronicle What did you gain from defending two

Being a black teenage girl in a predominately Entertainment wealthy, successful individuals online? Defend-
white high school has made me look at life through ing individuals who have no idea who you are?
a different lens. I had to become strong enough to
be comfortable in my skin. And with the stereotypi- industry, please Defending individuals who were fully educated
cal black jokes to the culturally insensitive actions do better of the consequences of their actions? Defending
that made me feel uncomfortable, I always found individuals whose actions led to the death of chil-
myself wanting to escape the socially awkward
diversity faux pas. And with my High School career Aditya Thiyag | The Chronicle dren younger than I am and a cinematographer
coming to an abrupt halt I find myself looking to-
wards my future opportunities that involve college. Entertainment is never worth your life. who protested for better working conditions until
This topic comes with the inevitable question: which In the past month, two entirely prevent- she lost her life to them?
college should I attend? And with this I am met with able tragedies took place; the fatal shooting of
two choices, one option would consist of attending cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the film I understand being empathetic. I was initially
a PWI, which stands for a Predominately White Insti- empathetic towards Baldwin for accidentally
tution, and another is to attend an HBCU, which is a
Historically Black College and University. set Rust and the crowd crush that resulted in 8 killing Hutchins as well as towards Scott because

Unfortunately, I am new to this whole college confirmed deaths and over 300 injuries at Travis I believed that both were oblivious to the horrors
thing. Ultimately, when I choose a place that I want
to go to, I want to be a part of the majority for once. Scott’s Astroworld Festival. occurring behind the scenes. But reading about
Thankfully I have a mother that attended one of
the top HBCUs in the country, Hampton Univer- The internet was frenzied to address the root their past transgressions, about Baldwin’s igno-
sity, which is located in Virginia. Throughout my
years of being a kid, my mom has slowly but surely cause of the events. Who was to blame? Propmas- rance of the crew’s protests, and Scott’s encour-
implemented the idea of applying to an HBCU, but
I always seemed to turn her down because I wasn’t ters for rushing through gun checks? Assistant agement of those who sneak past barricades and
sure about what I wanted at the time. She often
shares the pride she feels being a graduate of a directors for ignoring blocked exits? Venues, for “rage”, it becomes significantly more difficult to
school that celebrates diversity, reinforces the learn-
ing of black history, and promotes their students in prioritizing profits over human lives and sealing empathize with either. I’m not asking for either
their endless pursuit of any profession they love. She
would always tell me to give Hampton a try, and I 50,000 people in with metal gates to asphyxi- to be treated apathetically but to instead recog-
would tease her and tell her I didn’t want to go to
the school she went to. But now, I seem to constantly ate and get trampled for hours on end? Or the nize the importance of holding those in charge
question myself. Do I really want to spend another 4
years being a part of the minority once again? frontmen of the two events, Scott and Baldwin accountable for showing blatant disregard for the

When I’m researching different schools I often themselves? safety of those they lead.
find myself typing two words: diversity demograph-
ics. And when I scroll down I see that there is a There was so much blame to go around that it No one is saying that either killed individu-
limited number of minorities, and for a second it
catches me off guard. didn’t take long for individuals to begin defend- als with malicious intent. But both are wholly

I am in the process of researching schools and ing those in charge of the venues, labeling those responsible for the deaths and injuries that took
really trying to hone in on what is important to me.
I know that my love for writing and my pursuit of placing blame as cruel or dispassionate. place, and an apology on Twitter isn’t going to
being a journalist will drive my decision. However,
of secondary importance is my desire to be in an But to fans of Scott or Baldwin that are defend- cut it.
environment where my culture is celebrated and not
appropriated. ing either, or maybe both, I have a question. Don’t let this system take a step back, empower

Essentially what is important to me is being What did you gain? it to leap forward.
able to choose a school that caters to my intended
profession, and fosters my desire to be included in
something bigger than me. And as of now, I am still
unsure of what lies ahead.

November 19, 2021 24