Volume 20 Issue 8 | William Mason High School | 6100 Mason Montgomery Rd., Mason, OH Volume 20 Issue 8 | William Mason High School | 6100 Mason Montgomery Rd., Mason, OH | 4.14.23 4.14.23 “Confi dence in Culture” See page 2 Photo by Laurel Wang
Laurel Wang | The Chronicle As prom season approaches, some Mason High School (MHS) students are redefining the dance floor as a runway. Many MHS students are looking to deviate from the Western-style dresses typically found at prom. Instead, students are looking to their cultural heritage for some inspiration to diversify their school dance look and represent their unique history. Senior Tanvi Reddy is wearing an Anarkali suit-style dress with a dupatta, a form of traditional Indian clothing. An Anarkali suit incorporates a long, tunic-length top and a slim, fitted skirt. A dupatta is a long, shawl-like scarf worn to complement the dress. In past years, she has worn Western-style dresses to celebrations and weddings but wanted to showcase her heritage specifically at prom. “Originally, I did want to go with a Westernized dress,” Reddy said. “But as I was looking, I was like, ‘I don’t feel like me.’ And for senior year, I wanted to have a dress that felt like me, so I can not only feel like myself but also represent my culture.” Like Reddy, Junior Diya Pandhi is also wearing an Anarkali suit-style dress as an homage to her Indian heritage. Her dress is a dark Prussian blue with silver sparkles. Such dresses are usually worn to celebrations, like Garba, a traditional dance. For Pandhi, wearing a traditional dress goes beyond paying homage to her culture. Choosing cultural clothing was a sustainable option that also helped her save money. Pandhi initially brought the dress for a wedding but thought prom would be a good opportunity to re-wear the dress. “Between AP exams, school fees, and tickets, there are a lot of costs around this time of year,” Pandhi said. “If you have something that fits well and looks really pretty, I might as well just make use of it and save $200 on a [new] prom dress.” Senior Rachel Yang wore a qipao, or cheongsam, a form of Chinese traditional dress, to Homecoming this past fall. She echoed Pandhi’s sentiment that choosing a qipao, which she was gifted, was a sustainable choice alongside being a fashion statement. “A dress is gorgeous, but you only wear it once,” Yang said. “After the event, you basically don’t use it again.” Yang was inspired by seeing others show off their culture by wearing traditional clothing to MHS formal events in the past. Following their example, she felt confident to wear something that deviated from the typical prom dress. “I know a couple of people that [wear cultural clothing] every year,” Yang said. “They made me feel more confident about wearing traditional clothes because I wasn’t the only one doing this ‘weird thing’ where I wear a Chinese traditional dress or something.” Reddy said that she also gained confidence about what she wears as she has matured throughout high school and would like to wear traditional clothing more in her everyday life. Although wearing her cultural clothing is a deviation from typical Western everyday wear, Reddy feels comfortable expressing herself through her clothing. “I used to feel insecure about [wearing traditional clothing] because it was ‘weird’, but now I’m at the point where I don’t care about what anyone thinks about how I dress,” Reddy said. “Dressing how I want is definitely a confidence thing. As I grew up, I found myself more, and I’m able to express myself without feeling anxiety.” Pandhi said that she hopes wearing an Anarkali dress at prom will positively represent Indian culture. To her, clothing could help subvert negative stereotypes about Indian culture by celebrating culture instead. “I feel like Indian traditions are often put down,” Pandhi said. “I haven’t really seen anything [on social media] that’s positive, and a lot of people are ashamed because there’s a lot of stereotypes. So I think wearing cultural clothing would kind of demonstrate how beautiful Indian culture can be.” Prom dresses provides unique opportunity to show culture 2 April 14, 2023 Graphic by Alisha Verma
April 14, 2023 3 New StuGo constitution creates big changes Alisha Soni | The Chronicle Mason High School’s (MHS) Student Government (StuGo) has rewritten the rules of leadership with their ratification of a new constitution. StuGo is one of the largest clubs in MHS and is in charge of planning and organizing school events, including Homecoming, Pep Rally and Kids Count. The function and structure of the organization are governed by its written constitution, but after a growing awareness of the need for changes, StuGo successfully ratified a new constitution at their Constitutional Convention on March 15, 2023. Major changes included the removal of titles in elected class officers, new attendance requirements and the requirement for student body leaders not to hold other major school leadership positions. In the past, it was customary for the constitution to be revised annually to better suit the club’s needs. However, due to issues with timing and the pandemic, the process of getting these changes to the constitution approved by the General Assembly, the general members of StuGo, has not happened in the past several years. Senior Urja Mehta, student body president of StuGo, has held a position on the executive board for the last four years. Mehta said that although they were able to implement these changes this year, she had witnessed and been a part of the past conversations regarding altering the constitution. “It wasn’t us who proposed [some of] them, but we’re the medium to deliver the change,” Mehta said. StuGo’s student body and executive board held frequent meetings to open the floor to any ideas about changes that could be made to the constitution. In the previous version of the constitution, candidates running for class officer did not run for a specific position. The positions are assigned by the number of votes; the highest number is elected president, the second highest is the vice president, then secretary and then treasurer. Mehta said that the new constitution eliminates this system of assigning specific titles. “We wanted to see a better representation within Student Government of the entire class or the entire school itself,” Mehta said. “A lot of Student Government is a popularity contest, but we’ve been trying to eliminate that as much as we can. The big thing I’ve learned, at least from my four years, is it doesn’t matter what position or title you have, but it matters what you do with that position or title.” The student body and club advisors will now conduct interviews with newly elected class officers and sort them onto a board headed by a student body member: the management board, the PR/social media board, the finances/grants board and the attendance board. Senior Devarth Patel, student body secretary, said that these interviews focus on figuring out a person’s interests rather than using an arbitrary number of votes to assign a class officer their role in the organization. “Based on the interview, based on what your strengths are, we can kind of gauge where you want to be so we can put you on the board you want to be,” Patel said. “We’re getting rid of positions to prevent popularity contests.” Another major change to the constitution is that class officers cannot be president or president-equivalent of certain major MHS clubs, including all language national honor societies, National Honor Society (NHS) and Students Involving Befriending Students (SIBS). Student body members should not have any president, captain or board member leadership positions in any clubs that may interfere with their responsibilities to StuGo. Lead StuGo advisor Jeff Schlaeger said that these changes are to prevent students from overcommitting themselves as leaders, while also helping to diversify the student leadership at MHS. “Why are we going to hire someone that [is] president [of the] three [big clubs] when there are so many great kids who want to lead?” Schlaeger said. “We need to give others an opportunity. You don’t know how much time [leading] takes up until you’re doing it, and I think to be the president of multiple organizations is a lot.” StuGo also introduced new changes for their general members. MHS students may now join StuGo through a formal application process at the end of the first semester as midseason members. Midseason applications were created because students would frequently miss the deadline to apply for StuGo, but would still want to participate. Additionally, members of the Student Body cannot be a chair of a committee, which are a specific group of people who plan and organize an event, such as the homecoming parade or Kids Count. This role is one of the main roles of class officers. In the past, student body officers would often end up carrying the workload of the committees while having to fulfill their student body duties. With the new draft of the constitution created, the entire StuGo club had the opportunity to preview and propose amendments before their March combined business meeting and Constitutional Convention, where all of the StuGo members met to discuss the changes and vote to pass the new constitution. Freshman Sahana Srikanth, freshman class secretary, said that the executive board has been focusing on getting general members more involved in the club. Before and at the convention, StuGo members could write down any suggestions or thoughts about the changes, and this feedback was considered by the StuGo board. “Telling people that we want their input on the constitution shows that there’s a balance between what execs do and what general members do,” Srikanth said. “We really want to incorporate every single voice in Student Government to promote for the better in the future.” Freshman Eliana Charpentier is a general member of StuGo. She suggested modifying the proposed constitution to include an attendance requirement, which is something the board then changed based on Charpentier’s feedback. Members will now face a mandatory year of probation from the club if they fall below 25% attendance to monthly meetings. Although this change caused some debate, it was ultimately put in place to ensure that official StuGo members are taking part in their duties. “I was really glad because I feel like [in] student government, only a limited amount of people would add an amendment,” Charpentier said. “But I’m glad that [the board] did hear them out and think them through and discuss it.” When the general members of StuGo voted on the proposed constitution, it had a high vote of approval. Patel said that even with feedback and consideration, it will face scrutiny from the general public, but these changes will create positive adjustments for the future. “[Rewriting these rules] was a lot of pressure because you’re changing precedent and creating new precedent,” Patel said. “A lot of these issues can be remedied if we make changes to the constitution, so that’s what we did.” With all of the new changes and alterations made to the constitution, the previously 16-page document increased to 19 pages. Mehta said that all of these changes will better suit what the club needs. “What we’re trying to do is make sure that [changes to the constitution] happen every year,” Mehta said. “I’m hoping they keep doing it and keep doing it and eventually by 2030, 2035 Student Government is at the peak for what the people need that specific year with the new constitution. I’m excited to see what the legacy I leave behind in the future holds for Student Government and Mason.” Infographic by Alisha Verma
4 April 14, 2023 Holi Holi is a two-day celebration in the Hindu religion. On the fi rst night, Hindus light a bonfi re to celebrate the triumph of good over evil. On the second day, participants throw powdered colors on each other, dance to music and eat food to celebrate love and new beginnings by commemorating a story of two Hindu gods. Holi is celebrated in accordance with the Hindu lunar calendar, falling on March 8 in 2023. The local Sri Sai Baba Temple of Greater Cincinnati celebrated Holi this year on March 26, 2023. The Mason Hindu Student Association (HSA) held a booth at the Holi event with food and Mason High School (MHS) students participated in the event. Graphics by Becca Hunter “Holi is all about new beginnings. It’s a very fun and colorful way to embrace our culture so far away from home. Going to Holi here makes me feel like I am connected with all the people who celebrate it and allows me to have a great time with friends and family.” - Harshini Arjala, MHS junior “[I] understand the true signifi cance of the stories that were shared generations through my family.” - Haile Mistry, MHS junior “Holi creates a unity of love and friendship [between] the various cultures in India. It's just celebrating life with everyone no matter where they are from.” - Hamsa Tadpatri, MHS junior and HSA executive “I view Holi as a chance to erase the bad and look at life in a new perspective, and the colors and festival itself is a time to just have fun and enjoy yourself. ” - Vikrant Chachare, MHS junior and HSA executive Graphics by Becca Hunter embrace our culture so far away from home. Going to Holi here makes me feel like I am connected with all the people who celebrate it and allows me Junior Hamsa Tadpatri sells homemade Indian sweets at the Hindu Student Assocation booth. Holi participants do a choreographed dance while playing with powdered colors. Junior Simarpreet Singh is at the MHS Hindu Student Association booth purchasing packets of colored powder to play Holi from junior Anokhi Kulkarni. Juniors Haile Mistry and Harshini Arjala celebrate Holi by playing with powdered colors. A large crowd of Holi participants play with powdered colors and dance to Indian music. Holi participants dance and throw colors on each other. Elina Bishoyi | The Chronicle A closer look at Photos by Elina Bishoyi
Drew Hoffmaster | The Chronicle Tell students, they forget; teach students and they remember; collaborating with others, students will learn. Over March 11 and 12, 2023, Mason High School’s (MHS) Teacher Academy students attended Educators Rising, a convention hosted at Capital University for students across Ohio interested in teaching. Students competed in a myriad of competitions to encourage their exploration of the teaching profession, including giving a creative lecture, creating and executing lesson plans and participating in a mock job interview. MHS’s Teacher Academy has been attending Educators Rising for the last seven years. This year, junior Haylie Wagner was one of the 11 students who chose to attend the convention. She wants to be a teacher because she loves working with young kids and has always been told she has a personality for teaching. Wagner chose to attend the convention without competing to watch the events and interact with other aspiring teachers. “I was a little too nervous to compete,” Wagner said. “But after seeing everyone do something, I think it’ll be a fun experience to compete next year.” Wagner said that it was captivating to see how much effort students from other schools put into their competition events. She said that she values being able to gain different perspectives on teaching from her peers. “I definitely think that being able to speak to others about teaching, even if it is just people I’ve already met, really helps me learn,” Wagner said. “I think it’s very inspirational to be able to learn how to [teach] before you go into a classroom and get thrown in front of middle schoolers or high schoolers.” Over 42 different schools attended the convention, and while watching events or during downtime, Wagner said that meeting students from other schools at the convention was the best and most memorable part of Educators Rising. “A lot of us had different and unique stories,” Wagner said. “Some of us wanted to be a teacher because we wanted to touch kids’ hearts. Hearing all of this was the most inspirational thing ever. It made me just fall in love with teaching even more.” Senior Will Olabiyi went to Educators Rising to compete in Creative Lecture, an event where he wrote and performed a speech on an assigned topic: student connectedness after the pandemic. He felt that he was able to build upon his ability to improvise, a necessary skill in teaching. “This will help me when I am older and teaching in front of 20 to 25 different kids,” Olabiyi said. “I know that I can not just freeze up in front of students. I have to do my best and improvise.” Olabiyi said that he was originally nervous about presenting in front of a large audience. From presenting his speech and then watching many other students do the same, he learned that he did not have to worry so much. He said that he noticed that many students were nervous, but that did not get in the way of their performance. “You don’t need to be so nervous about teaching,” Olabiyi said. “After a couple of sentences, I was like, okay, I can do this, I know what to say.” While at Educators Rising, Olabiyi talked and listened to students from other schools. He said that he noticed the variety in teaching methods across schools, which helped him appreciate his experiences with personalized learning at Mason. “[Students] were meeting me for the first time and I was telling them what I think,” Olabiyi said. “It kind of felt like something that teachers do now. That is why [teachers] want kids to be able to understand things in their own words.” Educators Rising allowed junior Ihina Das to come out of her shell and get used to the social aspect of teaching. Leading up to the convention, Das said that she spent many hours preparing to compete in the Rising Moment event, where students prepared and presented a speech about what inspired them to want to teach. “I was hesitant to go and compete because I’m not used to doing stuff in front of judges,” Das said. “I’m really an introverted person, so I thought it was really cool when there was an event called Rising Moment. It really fits my personality.” Das said that preparing for her event made her realize that teaching is not easy. She, however, did not let this hold her back from competing. “Sometimes, you got to take adversity in life and embrace it,” Das said. “This leads to confidence, which you got to have to show kids in your class you know what you are doing.” Das is already planning to attend next year’s Educators Rising convention. She wants to compete in different events to expand her experiences and continue to learn more about teaching. “Thanks to [Educators Rising], I now know that if you don’t try something, you will never know what the outcome can be,” Das said. “[Educators Rising] was a good experience because I got to meet so many different students and learn more about a profession I am interested in.” April 14, 2023 5 Aspiring teachers compete at education conference Haylie Wagner Junior Will Olabiyi Senior Ihina Das Junior
6 April 14, 2023
Divy Bose | The Chronicle Chess is back in play. Dating back to the sixth century, the game of chess has been played around the world. Today, the game of chess is still being played, but not in the traditional way. Now, chess is able to be played on online platforms such as Chess.com for convenience and entertainment. Chess.com has gained popularity because players are able to invite competitors to play from their phone or computer. Being able to access a game like Chess from a computer at school is what makes Chess.com so appealing to students. Sophomore Anvit Kamineni said that after getting his work done in class, he can easily pop up a web browser and join a game with his friends. “Online chess is so much more relevant than the board game because we can access it by a click of a button,” Kamineni said. “Even if we can’t have our phones out in class, I can still easily play chess on my computer with my classmate next to me.” One benefit of the online chess format is the adaptability it provides for new players. Since chess involves strategizing and planning the next move, students who are not familiar with the game can learn how to play online. Sophomore Will Riva said that Chess.com displays rules and instructions for any new players. “Chess has evolved so much that Chess.com provides the resources such as live streams, articles, and even step by step instructions on how to play,” Riva said. “I know how to play the game, but it is nice to have those assets so my friends can actually play with me properly.” Even with technology taking over the game, the complexity and difficulty of it remains the same. Riva said that the game has stayed so relevant today because of the challenges that come with it. “There’s a lot to the game itself we haven’t learned which is why I think it’s so appealing,” Riva said. “The game is not solved yet and never will be.” As the game is passed down generation after generation, Senior Jake Rupe said that playing chess online boosted its popularity due to the convenience of the app. “Instead of watching the same television shows over and over again, I can just play chess with my friends for entertainment, but it’s only fun when you’re actually good at it,” Rupe said. “I would lose terribly game after game until I eventually taught myself how to play the game well.” The online chess format also allows students to analyze past moves and offers tips to improve their strategy. Riva said that playing online allows more room for improvement since he gets to go back and see his past mistakes in each of his games. “A lot of people analyze the order that they move their pieces in since that is what really impacts the game,” Riva said. “Learning how to navigate through certain openings and which work causes a lot of people to go back and rework their own strategies.” Though Chess.com is just an online version of the board game, it is still just as competitive. Kamineni said that even if it is just a game, winning is a priority. “I have to beat them for my own sake and bragging rights,” Kamineni said. “I assert my own dominance in the game and a win is a win in my eyes.” Similar to video games, spending hours honing technical skills in a game of chess leads to more competitiveness when playing against friends. Rupe said that even if it is just a game, winning is so much more rewarding because everyone has spent time learning the different moves and improving their strategy. “Even though I’m not that competitive, my friends can get into pretty heated fights about whether they deserve to win or not,” Rupe said. “I spend an hour or two a day playing chess and it’s even better when I win against one of my friends.” Even with the Chess.com app becoming so popular, some prefer the traditional way. Riva said that since he has started to teach people how to play chess, playing on a board is much more simple. “I always have a chess set on me that I can whip out and teach people how to play,” Riva said. “I’ll always think that actually seeing the pieces and the board gives a clearer [idea] of what the next move should be, especially when you’re learning.” Getting to watch and be a part of tournaments through Chess.com with their friends or games on social media is what propelled the online platform even further. Riva said that Chess.com gained a lot of attention after their app launched, making it easier for beginners to start playing. “It’s the number one ranked game that’s downloaded because of how convenient and easy to learn the app is,” Riva said. “It’s such a good thinking game that the app deconstructs really well with articles and puzzles that help people get better at the game.” April 14, 2023 7 Online format leads to surge chess in players Graphic by Alisha Verma
8 April 14, 2023 If you were to p rompose to someone, Ellie Saylor | The Chronicle If you were to p rompose to someone Continued on page 9
April 14, 2023 9 how would you do it? Ellie Saylor | The Chronicle Continued from page 8
10 April 14, 2023 MHS Fashion Club hosts second annual Thrift Shop Josie Lorenz | The Chronicle The Fashion Club is teaching students to recycle and repurpose unwanted clothes. The Mason High School (MHS) Fashion Club held its second-ever student-run thrift shop on March 16 during student lunches. Similar to a real thrift store, the shop included racks and tables full of jackets, skirts, and other accessories donated by MHS students. MHS Fashion Design teacher and Fashion Club advisor, Silvia Cattini said the idea was sparked by the need for funds for the club. “The shop was a way to raise funding while also being a sustainable choice,” Cattini said. “We are promoting our club and cause, but we also are spreading the word of recycled fashion.” Student event organizer and sophomore, Ayesha Ahmad and her peers came up with the idea of a thrift shop to not only raise money for their cause but to additionally promote sustainable fashion around the school. “We thought of starting the thrift store to help put old clothes to new use and repurpose them,” Ahmad said. “It is really cool to walk in the hallway and see clothes that used to be yours being worn by another student.” The planning for the event began in early December. The board of students had to pick out a date that was optimal for student engagement while also giving the team time to prepare. Ahmad said they gathered donations a month in advance and promoted the shop via social media. “We used Tiktok and Instagram to spread the word more online,” Ahmad said. “We wanted to creatively promote the thrift store.” Ahmad said that the club gained a surplus of new members from the previous thrift shop. With new hands on deck, the club met any time they could to prepare for the thrift shop. Ahmad said that the new members’ main jobs were to organize and sort different clothes that were handed in. Clothing that is mass-produced and considered low quality is called fast fashion. Ahmad knows that teenagers will often turn to fast fashion when looking for affordable clothes, which leads to extreme waste both in the production process and the disposal of the clothes. Ahmad said she hopes the thrift shop can directly combat this. “We want clothes to be cheap and accessible while also being sustainable,” Ahmad said. “We have the clothing at cheap prices to help students achieve sustainability.” Freshman Aanya Patel spent her lunch period searching for new clothes with her friends. She said she was excited to see the resurgence of past trends around the school through the array of secondhand clothing. “It’s really cool to see older styles coming back and people trying new things,” Patel said. “I think it’s nice to see other [people’s] clothes on new people, finding a new home.” The clothes donated to the shop came from students of all grades, genders and backgrounds. Sophomore Madison Day went to the thrift shop in hopes of finding new and interesting styles she could express herself in. She said she enjoyed looking through all of the different pieces provided from all across the school. “I have a hard time finding things that I like when normally shopping,” Day said. “I really like going to these thrift stores where I can look for things that maybe aren’t currently in style right now. There is a lot of variety.” The thrift shop actively provides students with experience in sustainable fashion, marketing and business. With the shop becoming a new addition to the club’s agenda, Cattini is taking it as a growth and learning opportunity for both her and the club’s leadership. “Advising this club is teaching me a lot,” Cattini said. “First, how to relate and cheer for the leadership of the young people who will become future leaders. It is also teaching me how to observe and step down from the teaching role and trust these kids. They are doing beautiful things.” Cattini has high expectations for the future of the fundraiser, hoping it can bring the student body together. She views the shop as an opportunity for students all across the school to involve themselves in sustainable fashion and the club itself. “My hope is that this is going to be an event that everybody is looking forward to,” Cattini said. “The entire school community is involved. I’m really glad that it is going beyond the club.” Ahmad cannot wait to see the shop rise in success over the future years. She said she is grateful for the opportunities it has provided to her and her fashionista peers. “This experience really sticks with you,” Ahmad said. “It’s a learning process and I cannot wait to see the shops improve over the years.” Photo by Josie Lorenz Freshman Wyatt Adkins browses through a clothing rack at the MHS Thrift Shop.
April 14, 2023 11 @lrpseniors L R P L R P Li t t le Rascals Photography 513-573-3510
W e lcome to April Foolishnes s! 12 April 14, 2023 April Page Design by Izzy Gaspar’raj c ! ome t You Matter Vests and Chess April Video produced by Benny Farbstein Video produced by Camden Paeltz Video produced by Wil Riva Videos produced by Freshmen Lauren Billhorn, Joss Bumiller, Sienna LaRocca and Sophia Mullins Mac and Cheese: Fork or Spoon? Which fashions need to go away or come back? Kids in t h e Hall Continued on page 13
April 14, 2023 13 Foolishness Continued from page 12 Page Design by Izzy Gaspar’raj Keeping time with Tyler T he Magic Man T h g Go to the Pine Affata to’s Advice Video produced by Benny Farbstein Video produced by Benny Farbstein Video produced by Drew Vaughan Foolishness Video produced by Nathan Derrick and Tristan Neuhaus Mic’d Up Video produced by Lily Haller
14 April 14, 2023 Results taken from Google Form poll with a sample of 14 responses. Graphics by Allison Droege. Page design by Izzy Gaspar’raj.
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16 April 14, 2023 sports Sean Speidel | The Chronicle After a dominant season and the highest state finish in school history, the experienced Mason boys bowling seniors are leaving behind a distinguished legacy Riding an experienced varsity team consisting of seven seniors and one junior, the team found constant success on the lanes this year. With five bowlers, all seniors, averaging scores above 200 the team notched their first-ever undefeated regular season and a fourth-place finish at state. Senior Aiden Hunt said that their experience playing together allowed them to build up to their best-ever finish at state as seniors. “We know everybody’s strengths and weaknesses,” Hunt said. “We know how to play to those strengths and know who should go when there’s a certain shot to throw at.” Playing together for so all of high school, many of the bowlers have grown long-lasting friendships with each other. Seniors Ogden Nijakowski, Caden Graham, Aiden Hunt, and Jack Riley will all continue to bowl together in college for Wright State University, and Timmy Hollenbeck will be playing on its golf team. Ogden Nijakowski said that the friendships the team has made have helped to both improve their game and unify the team as a whole, and hopes that camaraderie continues on the team after their graduation. “I think we really showed underclassmen that team chemistry is everything,” Nijakowski said. “We all became pretty good friends.” After qualifying for the state tournament for the first time last season, the team was determined to win it all this season. Senior Aidan Hunt, the 2022-23 Greater Miami Conference Bowler of the Year, said that many people thought Mason’s journey to the state tournament last year was lucky and that they wouldn’t get back. Hunt said that he was happy they were able to exceed expectations this season. “We went into the season with people thinking we were overrated, and that state was just a one-time thing for us,” Hunt said. “It was cool to go out there and show them that we were still one of the best teams in the state.” Exceeding their finish the year prior, the Comets placed fourth in the state tournament falling to Beavercreek in the semi-finals. Hunt said that the team gave it their all and even though they fell short in the end, they were proud of the season and careers they had making school history. “I think we left everything out on the lanes,” Hunt said. “We all had our moments of execution where we could have done better, but in the end we got unlucky and that’s just what happens.” The senior class formed a tight-knit friend group as they progressed through high school. Senior Jack Riley said that the playful banter and competitive energy made the sport unique and allowed for great team chemistry. “We love to go at it with each other and have some friendly competition,” Riley said. “I think some inside jokes come out of that.” Senior Timmy Hollenbeck joined the bowling team to keep himself busy during the winter sports season and did not know what to anticipate. Hollenbeck said that his experience with the bowling team surpassed everything he initially expected, and formed a family within the team. “I didn’t really have high expectations going into bowling,” Hollenbeck said. “Breaking numerous records and winning tournaments were some of my favorite moments on the team and I wouldn’t have expected that when I started playing.” Even though many of them will continue to bowl in college, the seniors on the boys’ team will always cherish the memories they made throughout their high school career. Nijakowski said that the bonds they formed on the team made the experience special and will far surpass their time on the lanes. “With how close our group is, it doesn’t really feel sad,” Nijakowski said. “I’m still going to be friends with these guys even though the season’s over” Impactful senior class leads bowling to historic season Photo from Mason Sports Information Director Mason’s varsity bowlers (from left to right) Aiden Hunt, Jack Riley, Ogden Nijakowski, Timmy Hollenbeck, Jake Price, Kyle Brackenridge, Josh Steffen, and Caden Graham celebrate winning the team’s fifth consecutive Greater Miami Conference championship. Paving new lanes Photo by Camden Paeltz Senior Caden Graham, the second leading scorer in the GMC, bowls in a home match.
April 14, 2023 17 FOX'S NUMBERS 35 1ST 35 Andrew Little | Sports Editor Sophomore Alisha Fox was a standout for the Comets softball last year and is off to another scorching start to the year. She is starring both on the mound and at the plate, leading the Comets in runs batted in and pitching in 35 of 36 innings. Fox has demonstrated power as a batter hitting two home runs in her first six games, Mason’s only of the season so far, and tied for the Greater Miami Conference lead. Her six RBIs are the most on the team as well. Her clutch hitting helped the Comets win their first game of the season against Siegel in Tennessee. She hit a home run and a double, knocking in four runs. Fox also pitched a complete game to seal the victory. Pitching as Mason’s ace starter, Fox is second in the conference in innings pitched and has started every game thus far. Her 35 strikeouts rank third in the GMC. In a recent game against Princeton, Fox threw 12 strikeouts in five innings as the Comets defeated the Vikings 11- 1. She allowed no earned runs and added two base hits and an RBI as a batter. STUDENT ATHLETE MONTH Comet Zone’s Student Athlete of the Month selected by The Chronicle Sports Staff. Photo by Savannah Libby. Graphic by Allison Droege. Page Design by Izzy Gaspar’raj FOX'S NUMBERS Andrew Little | Sports Editor a standout for the Comets softball last year and is off to another scorching start to the year. She is starring both on the mound and at the plate, leading the Comets in runs batted in and pitching in 35 of 36 innings. as a batter hitting two home runs in her first six games, Mason’s only of the season so far, and tied for the Greater Miami Conference lead. Her six RBIs are the most on the team as well. Comets win their first game Statistics last updated on April 8, 2023
18 April 14, 2023 Williams looks to cement legacy for Mason girls wrestling Ali Sami | The Chronicle In her first three years with the sport, Haley Williams has already made history for Mason wrestling as a three-time state qualifier. Williams, a junior, joined the team as a freshman in the girls wrestling program’s first year. She was one of Mason’s six state qualifiers that year. Williams said her success has reaffirmed that she made the right decision joining the team, and motivates her to continue to reach new heights. “Ever since I started wrestling I’ve loved the way it made me feel,” Williams said. “Wrestling drives me to do even better since I’m now highly ranked.” Girls wrestling is one of the fastest growing high school sports in the country and has seen major developments since Williams started the sport three years ago. The Ohio High School Athletic Association added it as a sanctioned sport for the 2022-23 season. This allowed the state to host the first official OHSAA girls wrestling state tournament. More teams in the state are starting teams as a result of the decision, increasing the difficulty of a road to state. Williams knew she wanted to play a sport for Mason when she entered high school. At first, she planned to join the swim team. Her older brother, Bryce, was on the varsity wrestling team. Because of him, she was recruited to join the newly created girls wrestling team. Williams said that she had not initially thought of it as part of her athletic future, but is glad that she opted to try it out. “I went to the wrestling practice room one day to see my brother and a coach pulled me aside,” Williams said. “He asked me if I wanted to try wrestling, I gave it a shot and it ended up sticking.” Williams has qualified for the state tournament in all three years of her career, the most of any Comet. Williams credited her success to her coach Wayne Black, who has mentored her. “We’re really close,” Williams said. “As much as wrestling is a physical sport, it’s also a mental sport, and Coach Black and I have worked really hard to get where we are.” Along with the competitive environment, Williams immediately felt at home with her teammates, Williams cited several of her older teammates, 2022 graduate Brynn Clark, and current senior Tanushree Upadhyay, as driving forces in the team’s growth and her development as a wrestler. “I love my teammates. Williams said. “Brynn pushed me so much last year when I got tired at practice, and Tanushree also helped me a lot because we helped each other.” After finding success early in her wrestling career, Williams realized she could do something groundbreaking for the team. Williams said she spent a lot of time in the offseason training to allow her to compete at an even higher level as a junior and in the sport’s first OHSAAsanctioned season. “Last year specifically and over the summer I put in a lot of work to get where I am,” Williams said. “I went to a camp eight hours away and didn’t see my family for a week, and that camp was really hard but it paid off in the end.” Now that Williams has established herself in the sport, she is looking towards cementing her legacy. Williams said she plans to take on more of a leadership role as a senior and wants to help more of her teammates take their next step and make state tournament runs. “My goal for myself this [upcoming] year is to place top six at state and hopefully lead all my teammates to state as well,” Williams said. Photo by Savannah Libby Haley Williams battles to make a move against her opponent in the OHSAA girls wrestling state tournament.
April 14, 2023 19 MHS athletes use club sports to pursue next level athletics Aimee Liu | The Chronicle Commitment goes far beyond school for athletes hoping to pursue collegiate sports. Club sports offer student-athletes the ability to play their respective sports at a more competitive level and play in front of collegiate coaches and recruiters. While high school sports give athletes the opportunity to play for and represent their school, additional involvement with club sports is known to be crucial in the college recruitment process. Sophomore basketball player Madison Parrish plays with Legends U, a highlevel travel basketball program based in the Midwest. She said she has been playing with various clubs since sixth grade to prepare her for higher levels. “It’s really fun going from playing with people at your school to playing with people from other schools all around the country,” Parrish said. “You get to travel with people who are like another set of family and also great basketball players.” Parrish’s schedule with Legends includes working out during the week and attending practices each weekend. She said that club basketball takes place mainly in the summer and starts following the high school basketball season. Practices with Legends are usually held in Columbus or Toledo, and last for either three or six hours. Parrish said that with this level of commitment, it is important that she maintains other aspects of her life as well. “It is a lot of time that I’m putting in, so my family and I make sure that we still have time for me to be a normal kid,” Parrish said. “Even though it’s a club team and it’s outside of school, I’m balancing my social life and making sure academically I’m doing well.” Junior Mark Rutherford committed to Auburn’s baseball program when he was in eighth grade. Rutherford played with The Prospect Lab (TPL) in Alabama where a scout for the Atlanta Braves who had gone to Auburn helped him get in contact with the school. He said that playing on travel teams in the summer is an important chance to “show off who you are” and to “get looked at by colleges.” Compared to a school team, Rutherford said that summer ball allows him to focus on more personal goals, rather than a team goal. He said that although training can be tiring, he has fun doing it. “With summer ball it’s about me having a good year, not winning state, for example,” Rutherford said. “It’s a lot on my body every day, but it’s the most fun because I’m doing something that I care about,” Rutherford said. Aside from working toward personal goals, club sports are also important because of the exposure they offer to athletes who hope to pursue playing their sports beyond high school. Parrish said that being at the right events and playing well is important for setting up her future. “[Playing on a club team] gives me a little push into playing at collegiate level basketball with the right staff and support system for me,” Parrish said. “I can really get the exposure to coaches that I would like to play for.” At club tournaments, there are often college scouts from around the country watching. Parrish said that she is continuing to try to get as much contact with these coaches as she can going into the summer. She said that playing in front of them is a great way to build connections, and being able to showcase her talent and hard work at such events is also quite rewarding. “It’s very eye-opening because I’m really playing in front of people that I’d hope to play for in the future,” Parrish said. “I feel like we all have the same goal of being elite-level athletes in college one day, and it’s just amazing that I have come so far.” Parrish said that playing on this higher-level field has also helped shape her into a young adult. She said that keeping track of times and schedules and focusing on herself has given her a feel of what playing basketball in the future may be like. “There’s a lot of responsibility because you have to be on time and have the leadership skills that you’ll need in the future in collegiate-level basketball,” Parrish said. “It’s really helped me because if I want to play at the next level, this is what I’ll have to do.” While playing on summer teams provides great opportunities for emerging athletes, the financial aspect is also something families must prepare for. Rutherford said that he must consider what certain teams are charging and what their schedules are before deciding to commit. “My dad budgets and knows what [teams] do and where [they] go,” Rutherford said. “It takes a lot for [my parents] to schedule that out and it’s not that cheap, so I’m thankful for them to be able to pay for that.” Summer teams also require a significant amount of travel. Rutherford said that one of his parents always travels with him and they try to make the most of being away from home. “It’s fun driving, seeing new cultures and environments we haven’t been around,” Rutherford said. “It’s nice having my parents on my side, and making fun stops on the way to tournaments.” The atmosphere on club teams can also differ from that of high school teams, particularly in competitiveness. Like Parrish, most athletes in clubs are players hoping to pursue higher opportunities. “Since everybody’s competing alongside and even against each other, sometimes for a collegiate scholarship, that means people are more serious,” Parrish said. “There’s just more intensity and drive to get the goal done.” Although club basketball focuses on competition, Parrish said she has also formed special bonds with the girls on her team. Parrish has even played alongside girls who she competed against during the high school season. “Traveling in hotels with the teams and being able to bond is always fun,” Parrish said. “We usually know each other, and it’s just great knowing that everybody is elite-level skill-wise. If they’re putting in the time and effort, then I should be too.” In addition to growth and recruitment opportunities, Ruthersaid said that playing on a travel team has also given him the chance to form relationships with other high-level players. “A big part of baseball is connecting with people,” Rutherford said. “I use those moments with my team to connect with people I’ve never met before, try to learn their style of play, and build relationships.” Playing for summer teams at such tournaments with other high-level players and college scouts present, Rutherford said that it can be strange knowing people are watching him. While it does create pressure, he said that pressure usually does not bother him, knowing he has already earned his place in being there. “If we feel pressure, we’ve earned it,” Rutherford said. “Pressure is earned, not given. Of course, there is pressure, but it’s not something to dwell on because we’ve earned our spot there and to be in that atmosphere.” Photo by Kristopher Wallace Sophomore Madison Parrish shoots a 3-point shot at her practice at Ohio Dominican University.
20 April 14, 2023 Kelly expands lifelong passion for fishing into competition Andrew Little | Sports Editor Nate Kelly can often be found cheering on the Mason Comets leading the black hole student section at many sporting events, but his favorite competitive environment is on the water. Kelly has been fishing for his entire life, starting as a young kid learning from his grandfather at his pond. What began as a bonding activity has become his passion as Kelly now spends much of his free time fishing recreationally and in competitions. “[My grandpa] taught me how to fish but now I’ve stepped my game and now I’m better than him,” Kelly said. “He’s now always like ‘how do you catch so many fish?’ It’s just about having patience with and knowing what you’re doing, but you also want to have fun with it.” He started taking a more competitive approach to fishing during the COVID-19 lockdown period. Kelly had always loved to fish, but during his new free time he often spent entire days at ponds or lakes catching fish and enjoying nature. Over the past two years, Kelly has been competing in bass fishing tournaments and recently joined the Cincinnati Youth Bass team. He fishes in competitions with his teammates, also students in the greater Cincinnati area. Kelly said that his favorite part is the competitive environment but also enjoys the opportunities to take new approaches and improve. “It’s fun for a change, but sometimes it can be stressful if you can’t really find the bites you are looking for,” Kelly said. “Overall, I just take it one step at a time and have fun with it. Try different ideas and new things, and don’t stick to the same things constantly. Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone” One of the biggest thrills of fishing comes from catching a big fish. Kelly currently has a personal record of catching a seven-pound largemouth bass and is hoping to hit double-digits soon. Kelly said that reeling in a large fish is an exhilarating experience during a long day on the water. “When I catch a big fish I’m all pumped up, excited and energetic. I try not to get too excited until I get it in the boat because once I get it in the boat I know I have it.” Shifting to tournaments offers a new challenge to Kelly. He still relies on the lessons he has learned over his many years of fishing. Kelly said that he enjoys competing on the water for long stints as it requires him to maintain focus and be adaptable. “It’s a mind game,” Kelly said. “You figure out a plan and hope the plan works but nine times out of ten the plan is not going to work. You have to make a change throughout the day which is huge in fishing.” Wanting to immerse himself even further into the sport, Kelly recently started working for Bass Pro Shops. Now, he can be around fishing at work and pass his knowledge and passion to customers. Kelly said that teaching others about fishing, whether at work or introducing it to friends, is very rewarding to him. “I help people at work with how to use a bait caster and [find] some of the best baits to use,” Kelly said. “But it’s mainly just taking a couple of friends out on the boat and teaching them different stuff, and getting them lots of good fish. During the summers, Kelly spends the majority of his time fishing. He enjoys fishing in familiar waters as well as exploring new ponds and lakes. These can be close to home or out of state trips, including visiting family in New Hampshire. Kelly said that he feels a strong connection to nature when fishing which encourages him to spend as much time as possible doing what he loves. “You’re outside enjoying the weather, you don’t have to worry about people telling you what to do, and you make your own decisions,” Kelly said. “There’s nothing better than running to the lake and looking at the sunrise and coming back to the dock and looking at the sunset. There’s just something about being outdoors that is just amazing.” Kelly is still undecided about his plans after high school, but knows that fishing will continue to be a significant part of his life. He intends to continue fishing in tournaments and advance into larger competitions. Regardless of what the future holds, Kelly said that fishing has helped him grow in many ways that he will carry for the rest of his life. “Fishing has definitely taught me a lot,” Kelly said. “It’s taught me discipline, it’s taught me leadership, it’s also taught me coping skills. If I’m stressed the best thing for me to do is go outside and fish and let my mind get to something else. When I’m fishing I’m dialed in.” Photo contributed by Nate Kelly Nate Kelly shows off a largemouth bass he caught. Kelly posts photos from tournaments and his largest catches on his fishing Instagram account natekelly_fishing. Photo contributed by Nate Kelly Nate Kelly competes at Dale Hollow Lake in Kentucky for the Cincinnati Youth Bass Club.
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22 April 14, 2023 THE CHRONICLE’S POLICY e Chronicle Sta Editor-in-Chief Bradyn Johnson Managing Editors Risha Chada Tanya Keskar Sports Editor Andrew Little Technical Editor Izzy Gaspar’raj Business Manager Alexa Crociata Sta Designers Becca Hunter Nishka Mishra Alisha Verma Sta Writers Elina Bishoyi Divy Bose Drew Ho master Megan Lee Aimee Liu Josie Lorenz Taylor Murray Camden Paeltz Ali Sami Ellie Saylor Shrija Shandilya Alisha Soni Sean Speidel Laurel Wang Ava Yungbluth Advisor Dale Conner e Chronicle is the o cial student newspaper of William Mason High School. e Chronicle promises to report the truth and adhere to the journalistic code of ethics through online and print mediums. e Chronicle is produced by students enrolled in Journalism I, II and III. Editorials re ect the sta ’s opinion but do not necessarily re ect the opinions of the school administration or the Mason City School District. e Chronicle is published monthly. Call 398-5025 ext. 33103 for information regarding advertising in e Chronicle. e Chronicle reserves the right to refuse advertising it deems inappropriate for a high school publication. As an open forum for students, letters to the editor are welcome, but are subject to be edited for length, libel, obscenity, clarity and poor taste. Letters to the editor may be dropped o in room C103 and must be signed. e Chronicle is a member of e Columbia Scholastic Press Association, e National Scholastic Press Association, Quill and Scroll International Honorary Society for High School Journalists and the Ohio Scholastic Media Association. Contact Information e Chronicle William Mason High School 6100 S. Mason Montgomery Rd. Mason, Ohio 45040 (513) 398-5025 Connect with the Chronicle: Our lives are consumed with the idea that popularity earns you a spot, whether it be on the team, in the club, or in a position of leadership. The number of people who know your name, the number of followers you have or how many people you can call your friend – these social constructs have defined leadership for our youth. Having a majority of student-led clubs and activities at Mason High School (MHS), we are surrounded by competition rooted in academics, sports and leadership. Be likable. That is how you get ahead. We are engulfed in unequal power dynamics that consume our schools and extracurricular activities. We have been taught our entire lives that there will always be someone who is better, someone who fits the job better than you. This unhealthy expectation has created a toxic mindset toward the way we select leadership. Leadership should be collaborative, not defined by a single person or title. Communication and collaboration are key to creating a successful team no matter if it is a sport or a club. Student-run leadership is so important to the development of our adolescents. It teaches children, especially high schoolers the responsibilities and hardships that come with leading a collective whole. A club should not be a dictatorship or power trip used to fuel someone’s ego, we need to listen to our peers and make collective, rational decisions accordingly. You can be the person in charge and accomplish nothing without the respect of those you work with. Leadership is not a one-way street, to make change happen we must work together. While leadership positions become increasingly based in popularity due to a large focus on fully student-run activities, it is an ideal we deeply appreciate and value. The solution to ensuring students elect good leadership is not to take away the autonomy we have been given. Rather, we need to encourage students to be responsible with voting within their clubs and activities. With each upcoming club election, remind your peers to vote for the person who will best ensure the clubs’ success rather than their close friends. Prioritize action over a title. We have fallen into habits of wanting to succeed for the sake of a point on our resume, or a line on our college application. Instead of wanting a title just for the sake of the title itself, it is vital that we consider whether the applicant is truly qualified or not and whether they will have the gall to take the action required for the club, sport, or group. Mason High School has an incredibly large amount of student-run programs and clubs. Most other high schools in the area do not have a savings and loan service, merch store, and a newspaper that are ALL student-led. This has paved the way for many clubs as well and given students the ability to utilize their voices and assume responsibilities. The district, students and admin even make it a point to pride themselves on the amount of student-led initiatives that exist at MHS. With the addition of Inclusive Excellence, the administration can receive student opinions on important school decisions. There are many schools that do not give their students opportunities like this and we are incredibly appreciative of the many outlets we have to have a say in decisions and love the continuation of such measures. Popularity should not earn votes STAFF EDITORIAL Caffeine is a crutch. As high school students, we are fortunate to have seven classes each day, options for postsecondary pathways and a multitude of extracurricular activities to learn from. However, the pressures to do it all can become overwhelming. And it is that pressure that leads to becoming overdependent on caffeine. As reported by Medical News Today, 83.2% of teenagers drink caffeinated beverages daily. We have turned to caffeine as a coping method, a way to extend our mental and physical capacity past human limits, but at what cost? We forget its dangers. The Guardian reported that caffeine stimulates neurotransmitters and blocks adenosine receptors that regulate heart rate, blood flow and sleep cycles. In high dosages, it can serve to boost moods, but then leads to anxiety. These problems all exacerbate the cycle of exhaustion that initially leads us to caffeine.One drink may not be a problem. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that people 12-18 years old should not consume more than 100 mg of caffeine per day. But with Starbucks and Panera Bread, caffeine has become trendy. Whipped up into unique and colorful flavors, caffeine is a fun drink to start a day with, to have with friends – a part of our culture – and it is too easy to forget the caffeine content, have multiple drinks and have too much caffeine in a day. A Starbucks Grande (16 fluid ounces) Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino has 85 mg of caffeine. A Grande Starbucks Chai Tea Latte has 95 mg of caffeine. Mason High School sells caffeinated Sparkling Ice, with 70 mg of caffeine per can. Small amounts of caffeine are not harmful. But two drinks, even slightly more than one, already crosses the limit. Corporate culture is also trying to take advantage of the caffeine trend by over-caffeinating drinks that they can advertise to adolescents, creating a positive feeling associated with their beverage without expressly telling the consumer the amount of caffeine they are drinking. A regular-sized Panera Charged Lemonade has 260 mg of caffeine, nearly three times the recommended amount of caffeine for teens, and almost as much caffeine as a Bang energy drink, which includes a warning that they are not for people under 18. Conveniently placed next to the soda fountain, these lemonades are in fun flavors and colors such as “Mango Citrus” and “Strawberry Lemon Mint”. It’s simple to forget that the consumption of one glass will feel energy boosting at the moment but then lead to sleep disturbances and anxiety, two traits that should be avoided in high school. The chemical effects of caffeine added to the existing stresses and pressure of high schoolers only serve to further the stress and our dependence on caffeine. In the grand scheme of life, we often feel as if we have to live up to an intangible definition of success, something that is always just a little bit farther. We ignore the sacrifices we have to make to continue reaching for more, and it is all too easy to grab a coffee or an energy drink to try and force your brain to do a little bit more homework or to stay up in the morning after a late night. Our bodies do not deserve to be dependent on caffeine to function. Caffeine is a temporary bandage, a one-time solution to stay awake. We have to take action to prioritize our physical and mental health over a forever far-away definition of success. I struggle with closing my work at the end of the day to get to sleep at a reasonable time. I always tell myself that if I stretch my schedule for one day, I can get back on track, but it never happens. There will always be one more assignment, one more email, one more essay. But sleep is a necessary part of life, not an inconvenience, and I know that I need to treat it like that. We deserve to feel healthy and in control of our lives. And while it is much more complicated to accomplish in real life, the balance between stress, caffeine and sleep is crucial for our wellbeing, for now, and in the future. We can intentionally educate ourselves about our caffeine consumption and be more conscious of the rash decisions to grab an energy drink in the middle of the night, choosing sleep and health over a never reached definition of success. Let us leave our caffeine dependency and choose balance. Tanya Keskar | The Chronicle Stop using caffeine and stress as fuel to chase the unreachable @mhschronicle facebook.com/ mhschronicle @mhschronicle mhschronicle.com
April 14, 2023 23 We are killing our planet. And for now, it’s the only one we have. The planet we claim to love, value and even fight for is in serious trouble. This is the planet that has been torn apart and pieced back together in war and struggle. Our planet and its inhabitants are dying; it is time to wake up. On March 13, 2023, the Biden administration approved The Willow Project, a new oil drilling campaign based on the slopes of Alaska. The United States government will send three drill teams to harvest an estimated 180,000 barrels of oil daily for 30 years. Despite the pushback from significant environmentalists and citizens of Alaska, The Willow Project will proceed as soon as all the legal terms are set and approved. I recognize that we need oil; we need those fossil fuels to run our everyday lives – our businesses, our schools and life as we know it. But one day, the efforts to preserve the life we know today will catch up to us. We are not just robbing the earth of its natural resources. According to Open Access Government, by approving the Willow Project, our government has released a carbon bomb into the air that will kill thousands of plants and animals in the area. When will we realize that the life we know will end if there is no plan in place to protect our environment? Our government is making reckless decisions that will hurt us long after they leave office. The 260 million metric tons of carbon emissions into the atmosphere over the next 30 years. The thousands of toxic chemicals in our water supply. The constant overuse of fossil fuels sending toxins into our air. The choices we are making now will define the state of our planet in the future. Earth can not handle much more. With each oil drill and use of extensive fossil fuels, we are taking away a small piece of our timeline for the generations to follow us. We need to encourage our youth to take pride in their environment. My future kids will be raised knowing the state of the earth, the decisions that came before them and the small strides they can make to protect the state of our planet. In school, they teach us how to solve for x and apply to college, but not about what we can do to contain the excessive amount of carbon in our oxygen. The life we know is good; we are trying to eliminate poverty and protect those who do not have the income they need to live and we are protecting the rights of citizens who have fought for their place in society. It is time to focus on our environment and stand up for the only planet we have. A scoreboard does not make an athlete Taylor Murray | The Chronicle EDITORIAL CARTOON It is time to notice the destruction of our planet Megan Lee | The Chronicle Every year, Mason’s competitive guard and dance team work for hours, days on end, to make their way up through the extreme levels of competition. Mason High School’s competitive winter guard puts in between nine and eighteen hours of practice each week. The varsity dance team works ten to sixteen hours a week leading up to nationals. After all of this time and effort put into perfecting a routine or show, it baffles me that I still get into countless arguments over whether or not these conventionally female activities should be considered a sport. Do not get me wrong – I realize there are certain guidelines for something to be considered a sport, and guard may be an unconventional blend of different activities. However, even if our activities will not officially be called “sports”, at least show us some respect and call us athletes. The bruises, sore muscles and sweat that we come home bearing should be an easy indicator that guard and dance are as physically taxing as any other sport. Even in the fall season, where the color guard competes alongside the marching band, we have eight to twelve hour practices each day in the summer on the blacktop, in full sun and heat. Gong Chen, a professor at the Department of Kinesiology at San Jose University studied the differences in strength between American college-age males and females and found that women have an average of 37-68% of the muscle strength that men do. There are differences in the anatomical and muscular structure of men and women; I am not trying to argue with proven facts. Those variabilities are the reason why there are separate sports teams for both men and women – it would be unfair if we competed directly. However, even if a woman may not be able to play a sport to the same physical caliber as a man, she is still playing to her own physical limit. Both male and female athletes put in the same amount of effort, and both deserve the title of “athlete”. Anything that falls under the category of a sport, with physical exertion, skill and competition between teams or individuals, should be considered the same difficulty and held in the same esteem. It is impossible to directly compare men’s and women’s sports, given the differences in structure and players, so the simple solution is to realize that each athlete is as strong and capable as the next – no matter what activity they are involved in. I have heard too many people say that all the color guard does is “stand there waving a flag”, or that dance “cannot possibly be that hard.”. All I ask is that you see what we do each day, and the effort and skill we put into our sports. I ask that you put yourself in our shoes before you judge our capabilities. Not everyone can stand in a darkened auditorium and perform with all of their heart and energy on stage like dancers. Not everyone can stare up into the lights of a crowded football stadium and prepare to make the ten-minute workout of their lives seem effortless like the guard. Students that participate in unconventional, artistic activities may not win by having the highest number on a scoreboard, but they are still legitimate athletes.
24 April 14, 2023