Chronicle 21.5

Volume 21 Issue 5 | William Mason High School | 6100 Mason Montgomery Rd., Mason, OH | 2.2.24 Photo by Becca Hunter “Saving the Shelves” see page 2 513-800-5881 Free, 24-hour online course when purchased with 8-hour in-cars course raysdriving.com SHORT WAITING LIST! SELECT MASON HS PACKAGE WHEN ENROLLING

New cozy space for books encourages reading Aimee Liu | The Chronicle After years without a place to check out a book, Mason’s new Little Library has opened in Z203. Mason High School (MHS) Campus Supervisor Tracy Zimmaro came up with the Little Library after finding out the Learning Commons was going to get renovated and she needed somewhere to keep the books “Production and demolition [in the Learning Commons] got started a little earlier than we expected,” Zimmaro said. “I wanted to make sure all the books were saved, so I contacted the English department and they got a space for the books.” After moving all the books to Z203, which was previously a computer lab, Zimmaro said custodial staff helped her find shelves that were not being used, and she began to work on the Little Library, organizing and alphabetizing all the books. With furniture that she found, Zimmaro said she started to create a temporary space to house everything that was previously kept in the Learning Commons, including fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels and DVDs. “It’s a pretty decent space, and it’s made up of bookshelves, some tables and rolling carts,” Zimmaro said. “I put signs for the alphabet, so now it’s all organized and if someone were to want to go pick out a book, they would know it’s done by author.” While MHS has not had a school library since the original library in the Learning Commons was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Zimmaro emphasized the importance of offering students a place to check out hard copies of books. She said that although there was an electronic option during COVID, a lot of students prefer to have a physical book in their hand. “What we’re going towards is an actual library,” Zimmaro said. “We have a Little Library now, and when the Learning Commons is renovated in the fall of 2024, we will have not only the books that we have in the Little Library, but hopefully new releases and students will be able to check out books.” Honors English I and Creative Writing teacher Amanda Bross said that she places a huge emphasis on independent reading in her classroom, and that it is imperative for students to have a place to get books. “My students read at the beginning of every bell, and accessibility to books is what is going to ensure that they’re reading, especially for more reluctant readers,” Bross said. “For students who maybe don’t know what to read, just being able to go to a space where they can access physical books is really important.” For her students that may begin the school year dreading the idea of reading every day, Bross said helping them find books that work for them has helped them get excited about reading. She said she has seen the impact of reading extend further than academics. “Developing that reading stamina is one of the academic reasons, but reading also just makes you a better person,” Bross said. “It makes you more empathetic, more understanding of other people’s stories, and it just makes you a better citizen of this world. In addition to encouraging reading and offering books for students to check out, the Little Library also hosts The Write Place, a center where students can go to receive peer feedback on their writing. Junior Write Place consultant Lydia Strousse said that she has enjoyed the new location, and that the electronic devices students now often read on may not work for everyone. “I think having this collection of books is a really powerful tool because you don’t always know what you want to read, so you can just browse on through,” Strousse said. “It’s really important to have this backlog of books for kids to read.” With fairy lights, lamps and arm chairs, Strousse said that fostering an inviting atmosphere was a huge focus when creating the space for both the library and The Write Place. Having a designated space to both check out books and get writing help, Strousse said she hopes to see more traffic in the library. “Sometimes it can be a little nervewracking to ask for another pair of eyes on your writing, and we wanted it to be as friendly and cozy as possible,” Strousse said. “The environment is very warm and inviting, and it’s the perfect lighting for mellow reading.” Bross said that although classroom libraries are important, the cozy atmosphere and dedicated purpose of the Little Library will hopefully encourage students to utilize the space and go in to read. “We’re excited to have that space where we can take students beyond our classroom libraries,” Bross said. “I think that change of scenery, looking at some different books is going to be really valuable.” Even for a semester while the Learning Commons experiences renovation, Zimmaro said that the fact she could create a Little Library to allow students to check out books speaks to the school’s adaptability. “I feel like Mason is a huge proponent of change and just adapting to [it],” Zimmaro said. “You just have to roll with things, even if it’s a little library, and make the best of what you can.” Although many of the logistics like when students can access the library are still being discussed, Zimmaro said that she just hopes to support the space and help students continue to have access to books. “My role is just to help and be there for whoever wants,” Zimmaro said. “I’m a big proponent of reading and literacy and I want students to be able to have access to books. Not everyone has a library card or a way to get to the library, so this is a nice alternative for people who don’t have that access.” Photo by Aimee Liu Sophomore Ava Dattilo, senior Evan Terribilini and junior Lydia Strousse read and work in the new Little Library in Z203. 2 Februrary 2, 2024 Photo by Aimee Liu Books sit on alphabetized shelves in the Little Library.

3 February 2, 2024 From six feet apart to six feet in front of cameras, the William Mason High School Marching Band seniors have come a long way during their time in band. Following a successful beginning to the season coming in sixth place at the Bands of America Grand National Championships, the William Mason High School Marching Band was invited to perform at the 2024 Rose Parade. The annual New Year’s Day celebration run by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association features flower-covered floats and showcases worldwide marching bands. The Class of 2024 marching band seniors started their band experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic under many safety precautions, so the opportunity to travel to California and perform for a crowd has been especially meaningful. Senior Clayton Oldham said it was an immense privilege for the marching band to attend the Rose Parade, as only 21 marching bands were invited this year, including bands from Costa Rica, Japan and Sweden. “It was a great honor because we did it once back in 2016 but being able to be invited again for the 2024 one was honestly incredible,” Oldham said. “It’s a thing that many programs around the country would strive for but never get the opportunity.” As the sole senior in the saxophone section, Sammy Smith said the experience of discovering Mason would be attending the Rose Parade was particularly special. During a post-practice meeting, Smith said the band directors announced that for the second time in Mason history, the band was invited to march in the Rose Parade. “[The band directors] had a giant Amazon box,” Smith said. “They tipped over the box and a bunch of roses fell out and we all got a fake rose to take home. I still have mine in my room as a memory.” Senior Color Guard member Cassie Suttmiller said it was exciting to march with cameras so close. With the unique challenge of tossing flags around camera equipment, she said marching in the Rose Parade involved a lot of quick decisions to best perform on camera and was overall a very fun event. “It was very action-packed and there were a lot of experiences that I [otherwise] would have never gotten,” Suttmiller said. “The actual Rose Parade, it's crazy. You start marching. and then there’s people and huge stands and you can’t see anyone’s faces.” Considering the COVID-19 restrictions that were in place his freshman year, senior Christopher Stackpole said his band experience has changed a lot over the years. Stackpole said that in 2020, both the introductory mini band camp and three-week-long band camp were altered due to COVID.v “The mini band camp we did was completely online,” Stackpole said. “We would get on our computers and we’d have to log into a Zoom call and the directors would be trying to corral everyone into getting the right things. It’d be kind of chaos.” In retrospect of her freshman year, senior Cora Grim said her introduction to marching band was unusual with the necessity of Zoom, social distancing and frequent maskwearing. “We didn’t have all of our normal performances and competitions,” Grim said. “We didn’t have Grand Nationals at all. But [the directors] still made it a really special year for us because we were able to go to Lucas Oil Stadium and do a performance there.” Despite the challenges the current seniors faced throughout their four years, Suttmiller said there has been a significant amount of positive change for the band as a whole from her freshman year to now. She said the band has grown both in skill and in number, especially with the color guard doubling in size from last year. “Looking back, it’s actually insane,” Suttmiller said. “We’re doing all of these really hard movements and really hard choreography and the band and guard have grown so much together.” Though this year’s seniors may have had an unconventional band experience, Oldham said they did not let the limitations of COVID define the success of the Mason Band. He said that his freshman year, the band got to spell out the Mason ‘M’ at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, and closed out their senior years doing the same in California. “This year, we ended off at SoFi stadium doing the exact same thing, which is really cool,” Oldham said. “We’re the only group of people that got to start it with an ‘M’ and end with an ‘M’.” Grim said she remembers the collective excitement that came from finding out she would get to close her time in the band with the Rose Parade after such an eventful four years. “After [the directors] made that announcement and we were cheering, my friend ran up to me and yelled, ‘You get to go out with a bang!’,” Grim said. “She was really excited that I get to end my senior year with such an amazing experience.” Stackpole said his time in band has evolved a lot over the years and has had a very interesting progression. “I don’t think anyone besides the senior class has had a band journey quite like this,” Stackpole said. “Starting with masks, then renting out your own football stadium, and then going to [one of] the biggest parades in the world.” Although her freshman season was strange, Suttmiller said ending with such a trip and getting to attend such a prestigious event was an amazing way to close out her band experience. “We got to make up for the time that we lost and all of the experiences we missed because we went to the Rose Parade,” Suttmiller said. “That’s not something that a lot of people get to do. It was really special.” Band forms M-set at Lucas Oil Stadium in 2020. Band forms M-set at SoFi Stadium in 2024. Photo contributed by William Mason Marching Band Photo Crew Kendall Davis | The Chronicle The band marches in the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. Photo contributed by William Mason Marching Band Photo Crew Photo contributed by William Mason Marching Band Photo Crew FROM COVID TO CALI Seniors reflect on time in marching band

4 February 2, 2024 New courses incorporate Big Rocks into proposals Shrija Shandilya | The Chronicle Four new courses, ‘The Science of Well-Being for Teens’, ‘Perspectives on Sports and American Culture’, ‘Leadership, Public Policy and You’ and ‘Queen City Studies’ are being introduced to Mason High School for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year. These courses went through an extensive approval process as they are required to fit the district’s three Big Rocks, Culture, Personalized Learning and Inclusive Excellence. AP Psychology Teacher and Hope Squad Advisor Alex Beurket pioneered a new course, The Science of Well-Being for Teens, based on a popular course at Yale taught by Dr. Laurie Santos. that meets the Inclusive Excellence standard. As part of the proposal, Beurket had to demonstrate how the district’s focus area of Inclusive Excellence would fit into the course. “It’s going to inherently require people to reflect on their own life and be honest and evaluate,” Beurket said. “It’s going to be very mental health centered regardless of people’s own experiences, it will be based on just general health.” Beurket hopes this course will provide students with resources they would otherwise not have had access to. “I’ve had students that are first generation immigrants tell me that their family doesn’t talk about mental health,” Beurket said. “This is an opportunity to teach that from a research based, scientific lens to people in all cultures.” Beurket said this course will uniquely help with inclusions due to its scientific focus on what living a better life entails. He said that when people heal themselves they are more likely to be kinder to others. “When you as an individual feel good about yourself and are living a healthy life, you’re more likely to treat other people well and to be inclusive as a result,” Beurket said. Mason City School Board Member Ian Orr said there is an extensive process to getting a new course approved. Teachers have to take time to explain how the course fulfills the School Board’s standard of Inclusivity and hear feedback from a Student Achievement Committee. “Staff members that propose a course come and they give a presentation of what the curriculum will be and there’s an entire block that the staff member must fill out to talk about how the course is accessible and inclusive,” Orr said. Orr said that this standard is working as the new Food Science course had been an example of a course providing diverse learning opportunities. In this course, students experience cultures around the world through food. “What speaks to diverse cultures more than sharing food,” Orr said. “Each team or group has to have a recipe they’ve contributed to the recipe book and students get to have this very broad cookbook that spans the world.” Orr said that Mason as a district aims to extend inclusivity in courses beyond just having diverse course material. “We want to make sure there are courses that are inclusive to gender, sexuality, race and identities but also perspective and learning styles,” Orr said. “We are at our best when we have courses offering that students of all abilities, genders, races, and identities can see themselves and access.” To further this, Orr said that the system of analyzing courses through an inclusive lens is progress and though it is not perfect, it allows changes to be made as necessary. “It’s our sincere intention to have a framework that reflects Inclusive Excellence,” said Orr, “Areas where we are unable to have that are an invitation to be held accountable and then we have to make changes.” Associate Principal Tina Drake, said that the goal of implementing inclusive learning is to broaden students’ worldview. “They need to be able to show how our learners will be able to see not only themselves but other people within the resources of the course,” Drake said. Drake said that inclusivity is an important value as it gives students the tools necessary to be prepared for life after high school. “It gives students an opportunity to experience education that includes everyone and different demographics,” Drake said. “Those are just skills that we need to make sure we’re focusing on helping people be good humans.” Though the application of inclusivity initiatives will vary from course to course and look different for carrying subject areas, Drake said a consistent component will be expanding education to create unique classes and learning opportunities for students. “A common amongst all content areas would be trying to pull elements from various ethnicities, cultures, and backgrounds to create exposure that aligns with subject matter,” Drake said. She said that because of increased awareness of other perspectives students will encourage students to be more accepting of different cultures. “It all comes down to education,” Drake said. “People will learn to understand and empathize with each other and accept each other.” Drake said the district aims to not only talk about inclusivity initiatives but make sure they are enacting actual plans to ensure the standards of Inclusive Excellence are met. “We are being very intentional,” Drake said. “In order for it to not just be a buzzword we need to follow through and make it part of everything.” Photo by Shrija Shandilya Mason City Schools Board of Education meets on January 23 to discuss recently approved courses and how to they fi t into the district’s educational mission and three Big Rocks.

Februrary 2, 2024 5 Girls create supportive environment while promoting dress stores Allie Keim | The Chronicle Mason High School (MHS) girls find encouragment at local dress stores while learning the basics of creating content and promoting a product. Sophomore Kellie Boyle began modeling for Bridal and Formal Club Dress (BF Club Dress) in October 2022. Boyle gained interest in her modeling position after being scouted by the owners while she was searching for a homecoming dress. Every month Boyle selects dates to go into the store to specifically focus on creating content for social media while wearing the garments. “[Going in] we figure out what content we want to get depending on the different brands and different dresses,” Boyle said. “Sometimes we shoot [the content] ourselves or I’ll have a friend help.” These dress stores utilize multiple social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, as a prime tool for marketing their dresses. Models and representatives working for the stores repost themselves wearing dresses to attract new customers. Through her time as a model, Boyle has learned many skills in creating content to help captivate customers. “Lighting definitely matters,” Boyle said. “When filming we try to have [the setting] out in the lobby where there are different mirrors and [components] that show the different parts of the dresses. I have learned to make a clear background so you’re accentuating the look of the dress.” Senior Lucy Medland works at Kotsovos Prom as a stylist and saleswoman. Her position requires her to communicate directly with customers searching for prom dresses. Along with helping store patrons, Medland helps photograph models on shoot days and is constantly marketing the products. “I try to promote the dresses because I love when people come in and tell me that they saw me on their social media accounts,” Medland said. “I love taking pictures, making TikToks of the girls and then I repost those. ” Having a job at a dress store has allowed Boyle to work with girls all around the Cincinnati area. Boyle said that she is grateful for her ability to meet new people through her position. “There are about 25 girls that are doing [modeling at BF Club Dress] and from schools all over,” Boyle said. “And I just get to know so many different people that do so many different things and it’s just nice to get to connect with girls of all ages.” Sophomore Elise Tong is a model at Kotsovos Prom and has similarly gained connections with other models through her job. Tong said she recognizes the significance of being surrounded by encouraging women when modeling. “Modeling for Kotsovos has been such a good experience because everyone there is so excited to see everyone and their dresses,” Tong said. “I like when all of us girls come out in the dresses and we’re all just so excited to see what dress each person is wearing. At Kotsovos, the environment is so supportive.” These local stores hold a variety of dress styles and brands, making them an accessible place to find a suitable school dance dress. As a bonus to holding a position at a dress store, the girls get the benefit of gaining an insider into the incoming dress trends. “I get a discount on my dresses and I have already picked my prom dress for this year,” Medland said. “That’s kind of the difficulty [of my job], a lot of dresses come in that I like but I already got mine. But all of us just love seeing all the new styles that are in stock.” Medland’s job requires her to serve customers and help them find the perfect dress, but going beyond that, she has developed relationships and continues to keep in contact with past customers. “Some girls don’t really feel the prettiest in dresses and when we really find a dress that they absolutely adore, just seeing them so happy just makes me happy when they feel pretty,” Medland said. “I know then that I did my job. Whether they buy or not is really not a big deal. It’s whether or not we allow them to feel pretty.” Photo by Allie Keim Senior Lucy Medland, working at Kotsovos Prom store, showcases one of the dresses to a potential customer. Photo by Allie Keim Senior Lucy Medland organizes and sorts through the various dresses at Kotsovos Prom.

6 February 2, 2024 Questions? [email protected] APPLY ONLINE AT MayersonJCC.org/Camp WORK AT CAMP AT THE J! POSITIONS AVAILABLE: • Counselor • Specialist IDEAL QUALIFICATIONS: KEY BENEFITS: • 16 & older • Enthusiastic • Team player • Hourly Pay • JCC Membership • Creative •Good with kids • Previous camp or other childcare experience • Advocate Counselor Questions? [email protected] “Camp jobs offer invaluable skill-building, leadership training, and enrichment opportunities that can’t be found anywhere else!” - American Camp Association

February 2, 2024 7 Chron Questions If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you want to go on your honeymoon? “I’d like to go to The Bahamas because it’s warm and beautiful like my girl would be.” “My perfect honeymoon would be spent hiking with my wife so I’d like to go to the Black Canyon.” Zane Alsabbagh “My ideal honeymoon is in Greece to visit all of the historic locations.” “I would choose to stay in Dubai for the beautiful scenery and shops.” “I would propbably go to some place in Italy. Near the ocean sounds ideal but defi netely somewhere with good views and good food too.” “I would go to The Bahamas because I love the beach and it’s so pretty.” “I would travel to California because you get a nice mix of mountains and beach.” “I would go to Turks and Caicos Islands because it’s so beautiful and the scenery is great, plus I love the beach.” Hudson Pitcock | The Chronicle With Valentine’s Day approaching on February 14, reporter Hudson Pitcock checked the pulse on Mason High School students to see their ideal romantic travel destinations. Celine Alkayed Brie Goetz Ahmeen Garnett Tobi Oladapo Kate Ryder Abby Slife Henry Cooper

Drew Hoffmaster | The Chronicle The dream of giving students a collaborative innovation space is finally becoming a reality within Mason City Schools (MCS). After ten years of planning and work, the remodeling of the Mason High School (MHS) Learning Commons, formerly the media center, has begun. MCS is turning the Learning Commons into what they are calling a Dream Center. Once complete, the Dream Center will include a maker space, esports lounge, performance stage and library. The Cosmic Cafe will move into the space. The remodeling also extends outside of the center, as parts of the B-pod will be remodeled this summer, converting locker space into flexible student seating. MCS’s goal is to finish the Dream Center before school begins next year, with a tentative date to finish by August 7. The Dream Center is not going to be the only one in the district. Currently, the Dream Center in Mason Early Childhood Center is complete, but plans have been made to start on Dream Centers in the other schools. The evolution of the Learning Commons into the Dream Center is a reflection of advancing technology. MCS Superintendent Johnathan Cooper said that having a huge library is not needed anymore with students being able to easily access information and texts through online services, including schoolissued Chromebooks. “The first yea [the district] brought me over, the Learning Commons was just transitioned from a library to adapt to the times,” Cooper said. “In the last few years, with the same spirit, we wanted to make a collaborative space.” Cooper said the goal of the MHS Dream Center is to be a space for students that is run by students. MCS’s goal is to use the space to give students opportunities to learn skills and experiences needed to grow to be more independent and successful. “Students will have ownership in [businesses and areas in the Dream Center] that are designed by the staff and teachers,” Cooper said. “The Dream Center in the High School is gonna be the premier model of what we want student experiences to be.” The hope for the space is to also promote student collaboration. The current plan is to have the space open to the public for people to use during afterschool hours to connect. Cooper said the details on how the public would enter the space but the administration is excited to see how it will work out. “With all of these amazing programs in [the Dream Center], the space becomes really engaging, a wonderful place to kind of connect with everybody,” Cooper said. According to the MCS Public Information Officer Tracey Carson, the cost of the project was approved on October 24, 2023 for $2,079,000 by the school board. The funds for the project are coming from the sale Western Row Elementary for $6.5 million in 2020, and unused money allocated by the state during the height of the Coronavirus Pandemic. “We didn’t have to go to the taxpayers because our boards in the past have been very mindful,” Carson said. “We’re very fortunate that we’ve had a long-time commitment to pay as we go and to do stuff wisely.” These Dream Centers are a part of the district’s Journey to 2030 plan initiative, which is intended to help MCS innovate for the future. According to Carson, the Dream Center will let the district continue to improve every student’s education long-term. “We’re investing in [our students], making sure that our students have extraordinary experiences and opportunities,” Carson said. “With this, we are not just investing for today but also for 20 years from now.” Carson said she wants the Dream Center to be a resource for students to be able to explore their creative interests. The Dream Center will present students with these opportunities through the MHS’s Experiential Learning Program, Cosmic Cafe, and Maker Space. “We want everyone to pick whatever path is right for them,” Carson said. We really want kids to have a lot of robust opportunities that interest them which is why we are having things like the Marker Space and Esports Lounge.” Planning this experience for kids has been challenging, MCS Chief Operations Manager Todd Petrey said he has had to work closer with the staff and students on this construction project for the school than any project before. “We’re really driven by the students,” Petrey said. “The ideas of how the [Dream Center] will be broken down has been done with students and staff. In the end, our goal is to deliver the product that staff and students want.” The construction of the Dream Center aims to be able to uphold the usual Mason quality. Petrey said that keeping up the quality has been difficult. Still, he has been working closely with the construction crew, electrician, and community to ensure the quality while guaranteeing the safety of students. “Things have been better after COVID, but we are still struggling to companies to do the work is more challenging than ever before, and of course doing the work while kids are still at school takes a lot of work. We want to keep the kids safe and not hinder their education.” Even though the construction has been difficult, Petrey said he is excited to get to see the final product. He feels it will be interesting to see the unique ways staff and students use the Dream Center. but now students learn by hand and experience. (Continued on page 9) 8 February 2, 2024 Behind the scenes of the Learning Photo by Drew Hoffmaster The current middle of the Learning Commons where a nice seating area is projected to be. Visuals by Becca Hunter

(Continued from page 8) “Part of the ultimate goal is to deliver something that engages the kids, so they want to be there,” Petrey said. “[The Dream Center] gives them an outlet they can enjoy, plus get their work done while exploring other areas. I can’t wait to give what kids will need to be prepared for the future.” The Dream Center was designed to reflect modern methods of learning. Vice President of VSWC Jim Voorhis said 20 years ago students used to learn from books and worksheets, but now students learn by hand and experience. “There is no such thing as independent collaborative learning now,” Voorhis said. “[Students] now learn using new technologies and a lot of hands-on on-type things which is why there are a lot of maker space-type spaces, coffee shop areas, and work opportunities.” All of these opportunities and increasing material and labor costs have caused the cost of the remodeling to be $2,079,000. Currently, anything MCS builds has a projected cost of $400 per square foot. The remodeling is a little cheaper, being about $150-250 per square foot, because the renovation did not expand the building. “Since it’s the community’s money, we do not pay for more work than necessary,” Voorhis said. “We make sure, [the community] is getting the lowest deal.” The project is also still being planned out as it progresses. Voorhis said they could not plan out furniture yet because companies may not make the same type once they are finished, and the crews may run into timeline issues. “Although everything is scoped out and planned, there’s always something that happens,” Voorhis said. “The walls did not frame out like it was drawn, so we have to meet and look at how we can change that while still keeping the aesthetics of the project.” The high school’s administration is excited about the finished product. MHS Assistant Principal Brandon Rompies said he thinks the space will serve as a cool alternative place for students to get work done during the school day. “Teachers and students are looking for [collaborative workplaces] for students to use,” Rompies said. “You walk in the hallways and you see kids out in the hallways hoping for different things. There should be a space where people can collaborate, done in the spirit of innovation.” Junior Kieran Niska is excited by the remodeling of the Learning Commons into a Dream Center. He said he is excited about the brand-new opportunities the Dream Center presents, especially with the Makerspace and Library. “I think the [Dream Center] will be a cool place to hang out because it has a library,” Niska said. “I never really got to use the middle school library, and the addition will finally give me a chance.” To sophomore Lily Altier, she likes that the school is gathering all of these amazing features into a place that will be accessible to students easily. “[The Dream Center] will be a nice spot for everyone to chill and do multiple things at once,” Altier said. “Everyone will be doing different things all together. Everyone will have some many cool things to do.” Students, including Junior Alex Olegnowicz, can get excited about how the Dream Center will present students with a safe place to meet up during after-school hours. He said he is thrilled to see this new addition to the school. “I think the ability for students to get together during after-school hours and work on projects together while having access to high-quality equipment and technology is a great idea,” Olegnowicz said. “It will allow students to capitalize on time after school.” February 2, 2024 9 Photo by Drew Hoffmaster Todd Petrey and Jim Voorhis Photo by Drew Hoffmaster. Visuals by Becca Hunter The current right side of the Learning Commons which is projected to house the Esports Lounge and Cosmic Cafe when construction on the Dream Center is completed after this summer. Commons renovation into Dream Center

10 Februrary 2, 2024 Showcasing Talents For a Cause The National Honor Society (NHS) staff strives to continue their annual tradition of celebrating Mason High School (MHS) students and staff and their hidden talents. Megan Lee | The Chronicle “Something we are doing differently this year is having a game show,” Tartabini said. “We’ll be picking people from the audience to participate and answer live trivia questions.” This year, NHS is using the talent show to raise profits for Lindner Center of HOPE, a local mental health clinic. NHS President Jacob Tartabini said that NHS has made the talent show into a tradition, but they are also hoping to bring something special to the audience this year. Senior Jo Sander, one of the Emcees for the talent show, said the show gives students a chance to showcase their skills that may not always come to mind. Sander said participants are encouraged to display any talent important to them. First place winners NoteOrious perform their cover of “Nobody Love.” Rishika Jeyaprakash asks questions to participants in her trivia game show, Minds of Mason. “NHS does a great job of letting [students] showcase those talents that may not be shown in their daily life,” Sander said. Priyanka Yenugu sings a cover of “Love.” The Comet Skippers perform a jump rope routine. Sritanvi Devineni dances with the Gajdi Jawani team. Photos by Megan Lee, Shrija Shandilya and Akshay Vadlamani Jacob Tartabini and Riya Koul announce the winners of the talent show. Dr. Jen Mott performs the trick of swallowing fire. “Our future is really to grow as a club and to involve more organizations,” Tartabini said. “I also hope that we’re able to have a wider outreach in our community too, so hopefully we get more ticket sales, and they can turn that back to our community and help support them more.”

February 2, 2024 11 2024 Seniors LITTLE RASCALS/513-573-3510

12 February 2, 2024 Akskay Vadlamani | The Chronicle In the haze of rising concerns, the undeniable truth about the perils of vaping has cast an unsettling cloud over today’s youth. E-cigarettes, also known as vapes, are battery-powered devices that heat a liquid into a vapor that can be inhaled. The vapor may contain nicotine, the addictive drug in tobacco, flavoring and other chemicals. Although the sale of such products in Ohio is prohibited to persons under 21 years old, many students still find access to them. Vapes often come in a variety of flavors and form-factors, making them appealing and easy to conceal for the current generation of young adults. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 11% of adults ages 18 to 24 years old use e-cigarettes. From 2017 to 2018 alone, there was a 10% increase in adolescents using e-cigarettes. Although the long-term health effects of vaping are still being studied, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that in addition to nicotine, which is highly addictive and can harm brain development, the chemicals that e-cigarettes produce are linked to lung disease, heart disease and cancer. The recent increase in the usage of e-cigarettes has brought with it an idea that students who engage in vaping may simply be bad students or kids who make uninformed decisions, but there is often more nuance as to why a student may decide to begin. Many factors, whether emotional, environmental or social, tend to influence the choices that a student might make. PEER INFLUENCES A junior at Mason High School (MHS) began vaping when a group of friends peer pressured them into trying it. From that point onward, the student said they were caught in a cycle of vaping until pictures were taken of their group using vapes in a prohibited location and cops caught them. The student said that after being confronted by the cops, their parents had a personal conversation with them and they stopped vaping from that day on. The student also said they experienced seeing one of their friends go through a similar situation. Their friend was introduced to vaping through a romantic relationship, and after a while, became reliant on the vape due to the nicotine content. The student said their friend realized the adverse effects of vaping on their health, like shortness of breath and increased coughing, but that they could not stop immediately due to the addictive nature of the activity. For the student, it was a difficult experience watching their friend continue to engage in a dangerous activity. Ultimately it was the student’s decision to stop worrying about factors they could not control, even if it meant that they had to watch their friend go through their own challenges. The consequences of vaping affect students in many different ways, whether it be physical, emotional, or social. In any case, the struggle with vapes often becomes more than just a bad habit, but rather a shared negative experience in which all students involved experience hardship. MANY CONTRIBUTING FACTORS Although many students are introduced to vaping through peer pressure in friend groups, there are many other reasons students across the nation have decided to begin vaping. With the increase of mental illness, with one in five U.S. adults experiencing mental illness, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, many students see vaping as an escape or a quick solution to their problems. Students also view vaping as a way to maintain certain desirable body weights or as an effective way to combat insomnia. A senior at MHS attributed their start to vaping to influences at home and their mental state when they began. The student grew up in a household where smoking was relatively normal, and they said that this developed a familiarity with nicotine that translated to vaping. Another significant factor that led the student to vaping was the insecurity they felt with their body. After doing online research, the student found that vapes were supposedly effective appetite suppressants, which led them to start vaping. Students, teachers, administration grapple THE RISE OF Visual by Alisha Verma Continued on page 13

These students are not alone in their exposure to vaping, paralleling a national trend among young adults. Despite the fact that the activity is illegal for high-schoolers and prohibited on school grounds, MHS administration has still had to combat students carrying e-cigarettes in school. ADMINISTRATIVE APPROACH MHS Assistant Principal Dan Distel has witnessed the rise of vapes firsthand. Distel said that despite the initial struggle to identify how vapes look and their effects on students, the overall approach to preventing the abuse of such products in school has remained the same as when cigarettes were dominant. “I don’t know that our approach changed necessarily,” Distel said. “We weren’t very educated, and oftentimes things would be confused for being USB chargers. This resulted in us having to just kind of relearn a little bit about what this product specifically is.” Regarding the disciplinary process for vaping, Distel said that MHS administration operates on reasonable suspicion, which means that if a teacher believes that a student may be in possession of a vape on school grounds, they have the right to report them to administration who will meet with the student and take appropriate action. Distel said that this approach has helped regulate inappropriate usage of vaping on school grounds. “We certainly have seen where kids have had some significant addiction issues,” Distel said. “Families respond really well when they are provided the information about what this stuff is, and there are resources out there that can help you with addiction, regardless of what kind of addiction it is. DANGERS OF THE RISE IN VAPING Stores that sell vapes have become widespread, and due to the products being marketed towards young adults, some vape stores have placed themselves strategically in areas where there is school traffic. This has given many students easy access to vapes, especially due to the lack of identification enforcement at these stores. Students have also begun to sell vapes themselves through online platforms like Snapchat. A senior at MHS got their first vape on Snapchat, and for the year they vaped, they described their experience as an on-and-off relationship that led to a detriment in their health. The student said they saw many of their friends spend thousands of dollars on vapes with the mentality that the negative effects of vaping are insignificant compared to the disasters occurring in the world. The senior also said that the greatest threat of vaping is not the vapes themselves, but the addictive habits vapes perpetuate. The student said that even if students did not experience direct health issues after vaping, it sets up patterns for potentially dangerous habits and makes students more vulnerable to worse addictions in the future. Health teacher Gary Popovich has been teaching at Mason since 1993, and has seen both the downfall of cigarettes and the rise of vapes. Popovich said that the educational system, while important, can only do so much. With all the available information online regarding the risks of vapes, Popovich said that students who want to try vaping will only stop once they realize the harm for themselves. “Unfortunately, most kids think they can’t be hurt, but it only takes that one time,” Popovich said. “You learn through life experiences, and sometimes the way you learn the most is to live in it.” Popovich also emphasized the greater difficulty that students today face navigating their lives due to the multitude of dangerous drugs that are in easy marketable forms, just like vapes. Popovich attributed the danger to the ignorance that a student could demonstrate when making a decision regarding whether to use something they do not know all the details about, leading to possible irreversible consequences. “It’s so much harder for [this] generation to grow up,” Popovich said. “You’re exposed to danger because you have so many more options, and most of the options can be more lethal and can become deadly.” SUPPORTING STUDENTS AND FAMILIES Distel said that despite vapes being widespread amongst adults and youth today alike, the illegality of them among teenagers is something that cannot be ignored. However, he also emphasized the importance of understanding the various root causes of students choosing to vape. Distel said he believes that administration should focus their efforts on supporting kids and families who have been affected by vaping. “For kids under age, those things are explicitly prohibited in the law,” Distel said. “When families are saying, ‘Hey, I need some help, I think my kid has a much bigger problem than I realize,’ that becomes where we try to come alongside and give parents some support and say ‘Hey, here’s some resources for you. Here are some things that have been effective for some families, here’s how we can help.’” February 2, 2024 13 VAPING with consequences of rising e-cigarette usage Continued from page 12 Infographics by Alisha Verma. Page design by Aimee Liu.

14 Februrary 2, 2024 teacher feature club shoutout why? transportation station valentine’s day bingo 47.1% 52.9% this or that? chron catalog Q A scan to ask a why? for next month! scan to answer a this or that? for next month! Why is scheduling earlier this year? Associate Principal Tina Drake - “So schedules go live on August 1st, [which] caused us to have to move the timeline up so that counselors would have time to work on class conflicts and to finalize everybody’s schedules before they went live so that they were as accurate as possible for students and families. Do I anticipate it moving up earlier? I don’t. We made a huge shift this year, to hopefully meet that August 1st deadline.” It was our family’s first car and currently it has 420,300 miles. The car has been in my whole life. The heat doesn’t work, the radio doesn’t work, and the lights don’t work. We hope we can have it for two more years so my brother can learn how to drive with it.” English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher Chloe Allman “I can’t imagine being a teacher now without having been student teaching. I felt like student teaching was the most challenging thing I’d ever done, but it was the most rewarding. I wanted to learn from really great teachers, so that’s what initially brought me [to Mason] and then the people, the culture, the students, everything kept me here and this is where I want to stay while I’m a teacher.” Senior Audray Mix 2003 Toyota Camry College Football Pro Football Can name the movie with the famous quote “inconceivable!” Know someone with a February birthday Has read or watched Heartstopper Free Is going to space buy flowers Free space Attending a Valentine’s/ Galentine’s day party Wear red/pink on Valentine’s Going to buy chocolate on sale after Valentine’s Can name 5 rom-coms Get three in a row to win! “It’s been months of work to coordinate getting acts to perform in the show, getting staff members to perform in the show, booking spaces,” Tartabini said. “Each year we choose a different charity event to fundraise for this year, we’re raising money for the Lindner Center of HOPE to support mental health awareness in our community. We do it because it’s something that showcase not only our Mason High School students and staff members and their talents but also to help our community members in other ways through the charity organizations.” National Honor Society (NHS) President Jacob Tartabini on the annual NHS talent show

February 2, 2024 15 entertainment by 21 Savage american dream Mean Girls yes, and? British-American rapper 21 Savage released his third studio album american dream on January 12 to immense mainstream success. The album follows the struggles the rapper has faced to achieve the “American dream,” exploring themes regarding his childhood and his public persona. The tracklist starts out with 21’s mother outlining her own challenges and her aspirations for her son. In this spoken word intro, the rapper’s mother lovingly describes her sacrifices and the choices she made in order for her son to “live free in his American dream.” The track is a sweet opener to the album, smoothly leading into the catchy “all of me”. Doja Cat’s feature on “n.h.i.e” revived what would otherwise have been a less notable track. Her hushed vocals and snarky ad-libs provided a bit of levity when paired with 21’s signature monotonous delivery. “dangerous,” however, overstays its almost four minute runtime. Sandwiched between the touching “letter to my brudda” and sharp rhymes of “née-nah,” the track fails to hold its own against some of the better songs on the album. The standout track on american dream is the gloriously grimy “redrum”. Opening with a lush, melodic sample from Elza Laranjeira’s “Serenata do Adeus,” the song has a unsettling atmosphere through its stark contrast with 21’s brutal depictions of violence and allusions to the 1980 horror classic The Shining, the source for the song’s catchy chorus. 21’s unapologetic violence paints a vulgar, yet exhilarating picture of the gang activities that marked his youth. “dark days” is an beautifully emotional close to the album, diving deeper into 21’s psyche as he enjoys the mainstream fame he’s been chasing throughout the album. The track is the rapper at his most vulnerable. Beneath the strong facade showcased in the rest of the album, he “still cr[ies] when nobody [is] around.” Despite its flaws, american dream is an entertaining and thoughtful journey through the life of one of the best-known rappers today. album review movie review single review by Nishka Mishra by Allie Keim directors: Samantha Jayne & Arturo Perez Jr. by Ariana Grande by Megan Lee Page design by Alisha Verma 3/5 4/5 4/5 Since the original release of the hit movie Mean Girls in 2004, characters like Regina George and Cady Heron have had a massive impact on the worlds of teenage girls. The film was then adapted into a Broadway musical in 2018. Now, 20 years later, the musical adaptation of the original film premiered on January 12, updating the story to appeal to a new generation of teenagers. The remake, while conserving the original story line, now features musical numbers from the original Broadway show. Musical numbers like “Meet The Plastics” and “I’d Rather Be Me” further the plot in a fun and engaging way. Overall, the movie did a great job at merging characters and music to create a fluid storyline. Though the musical side of the story was what made the new movie so engaging, some of the added humor was overbearing. Part of what makes the original 2004 film so appealing is its sarcastic humor. The new adaptation relies too much on the original script for its humor, making comedic moments feel forced. Despite this, actors Reneé Rapp and Angourie Rice do an excellent job of keeping the snarky relationship between Regina and Cady from the original film alive. Overall, the remake does a great job paying homage to the original, but ultimately left fans feeling unfulfilled. John Berry’s Claudine mixes a heartfelt romance featuring lovable performances with astute commentary on the socioeconomic landscape of 1970s America. Having not released new solo music since her 2020 album Positions, Ariana Grande’s newest single “yes, and?” is her comeback to music amidst media turmoil. The single explores empowering themes of self-love and indifference towards her critics through a danceable, poppy beat. Throughout the song, Grande tackles negative media attention head on, letting the world know that she is going to live her life the way she desires. Lyrics such as “don’t comment on my body, do not reply” are very refreshing to hear in response to today’s social media landscape. “yes, and?” is the amazing resurgence of Grande back into the music world and the perfect teaser for her upcoming album Eternal Sunshine, coming out March 8. After listening to “yes, and?” fans should feel excited for Grande’s future musical output. retro recommendation By Alisha Verma Claudine (1974)

16 February 2, 2024 Sabirdjanov pins down 100th win at Mason Invitational Sabirdjanov celebrates his victory Camden Paeltz | The Chronicle Photos by Camden Paeltz On January 13th, the annual Mason Wrestling Invitational took place. The invite consisted of some of the top high school wrestlers in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. To accommodate the needed space, the arena at Mason Middle School annually transforms into a wrestling arena. Four mats are set up for matches occurring simultaneously. The unique atmosphere draws the team’s largest crowd of the season. Representing Mason in the 132-pound weight class was Senior Marsel Sabirdjanov. Sabirdjanov managed to pin all of his opponents before the third period even started, securing himself a first place for his weight class. Sabirdjanov also celebrated his 100th victory while at the Mason Invitational, a major high school wrestling milestone that very few reach. Senior Samer Sherman finished third overall for the 106 weight class, only losing to the first and second-finishing athletes. Sherman flipping his opponent in the first round of the tournament Sherman throwing his opponent back to the mat

February 2, 2024 17 Athletes express team unity through hairstyles Mitchell McMillen | The Chronicle When sophomore Colin Keough steps onto the ice for the Mason High School hockey team, he and his teammates are sharing more than just a jersey. Keough and several of his teammates don long-flowing mullets. Keough acknowledges his mullet fits a stereotype, but chooses to embrace the identity. “I chose my hair because when you watch any hockey movie, that’s the hairstyle you see,” Keough said. “That’s the stereotypical hairstyle for most hockey athletes. It gives me a sense of commitment to the game.” Legendary NHL figures including Wayne Gretzky, Jaromir Jagr and Barry Melrose have helped cement the hairstyle into the fabric of hockey culture. Hockey players even coined the term “letty”, short for lettuce hair, to describe hair flowing out of the back of their helmets. Hair is often seen as a reflection of a person’s identity and sense of self. Personality, cultural upbringing, and religion can all be conveyed through hair. Sports provide means to further the use of hair as a form of expression. During competition, athletes are limited in expression as certain uniforms must be worn and speech is limited. Mullets are popular amongst athletes in sports like hockey and lacrosse because hair can flow out of the back of helmets and be easily visible. Keough said his hair allows him to feel more unified with his team and the hockey community. “With everyone having some letty it does give me a sense of team pride,” Keough said. “Knowing that I am not alone with my hairstyle and that there are thousands of other kids with the same hairstyle as me.” Every year, the Mason High School boys swimming team bleaches their hair entering the postseason. The tradition goes as far back as 20 years ago when Coach Sullivan joined as head coach of the team. Senior swimmer Tyler Houpt said swimmers from across the area and even the state have joined in on the tradition. “From what I understand it’s been going on forever,” Houpt said. “A lot of teams do it, not just Mason. All of the GMC does it and of course the state too.” Houpt said that by seeing his teammates and fellow swimmers with the same hairstyle, he feels a sense of unity. “It adds to the swimming experience by uniting us all because we’re all very individualistic,” Houpt said. “It installs a team and a sport in general because, as a team, we all go together to bleach our hair. Everyone’s bleaching their hair together so you can recognize, oh they swim.” Many sports require head coverings like helmets or caps, but athletes in those sports have not let that prevent them from having fun with their hair. Houpt believes that wearing swim caps during competition doesn’t hinder the team’s shared hair color and sense of togetherness, instead, it furthers it. “The idea that we cover our hair while we swim makes it very much like you’re one team,” Houpt said. “The idea to bleach our hair is to look very similar as well. By bleaching our hair, we’re still part of that one team, one mentality that we have when we’re in the pool.” Photo contributed by Tyler Houpt Tyler Houpt displays bleached hair at 2023 OHSAA swim and dive championships. Photos by Owen Hurrle Juniors Max Kennedy (#14) and Kieran Rodway (#2) let their long hair fl ow on the ice for the Mason Ice Hockey team.

18 February 2, 2024 MHS Comet Cadets leaders teach military values Taylor Murray | The Chronicle With camo pants and combat boots, Miguel Castro and Tony Haun are eagerly teaching their peers about pride, perseverance and patriotism. Junior Miguel Castro, founder and current Commander of the Mason High School (MHS) Comet Cadets, transferred to Mason in 2021 and was surprised to find a lack of military involvement programs for high schoolers. His previous school had a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC), a high school program sponsored by the United States (U.S.) Armed Forces in which participating students are taught by ex-military instructors about citizenship, physical fitness, military drills and U.S. history. Castro said he wanted to bring a way to gain military experience to MHS, since there was no JROTC program, and founded the MHS Comet Cadets to provide students the opportunity to learn about the U.S. military. In their meetings, Castro and the other student leaders of the club give presentations about different military systems. Helicopters, the history of combat and the history of tanks and the army are just some of the topics that have been covered at their weekly meetings. They also practice drill formations and are looking at implementing a physical test, although they will need authorization before making that official. The club recently received a grant from Student Government for color guard equipment such as flags, helmets and drill rifles so that they can perform color guard ceremonies known as “Presenting the Colors” at Mason sports games, where the American flag is presented prior to the national anthem. “[The club] is really to educate other people about the military as a whole, and to further our aims to present and educate others about [presenting],” Castro said. Castro said his end goal is to join the Air Force. One of his uncles was in the U.S. Army, another uncle served in the Mexican Air Force, and his father was an Army ROTC. He said that their service inspired a passion for the military, prompting him to want to share those values with his peers. “I want [my peers] to be future leaders - in their classes, in their personal lives and in their futures,” Castro said. “[I also want] them to be more patriotic and have a better understanding about our government and military.” Tony Haun, a sophomore and Vice Commander of the MHS Comet Cadets, has been a part of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) for a few months, along with Castro. CAP is a non-profit, federally funded volunteer organization that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the US Air Force. Haun said he has always had an interest in the military, so he wanted to take whatever steps he could to prepare himself to join their ranks after high school. Haun said his goal in helping to lead the Cadets is to give students a similar opportunity as they would have with a JROTC group — to grow as leaders and as communicators. Haun said the club is continuing to evolve and expand every day, and he hopes that with more opportunities comes more students to learn the values of the military. “Obviously, there's no obligation to join the military, but that's one of the big ideas and we just want to see people better themselves,” Haun said. “We have a focus on health, both mentally and physically, and we want to prepare people to go out into life.” Photo by Taylor Murray Mike Jordan, Miguel Castro and William Collins mount the club’s new American flag onto a pole, prepping their equipment for a future color guard presentation. Photo contributed by Mike Jordan (From left to right) Valerie Louderback, William Collins, Miguel Castro, Elizabeth Stitak, Gavin Dunn and Tony Haun pose with their newly acquired color guard equipment.

February 2, 2024 19 1-800-GO-GUARD nationalguard.com About Us The Ohio Army National Guard is made up of more than 11,500 Soldiers from all across the state. Guard members come from every walk of life, ready to put on the uniform at a moment’s notice to protect their families, neighbors, and community. Unlike any other branch of service, the Army National Guard focuses on the Citizen-Soldier, which emphasizes that dedication to service begins at home. Guard members train so that they will be ready if their community or their nation needs them. Ohio National Guard Scholaship Program The Ohio National Guard pays for up to 100% tuition at public Ohio colleges for up to four years. Those attending private insitutions are also eligible for funding at the average cost of state colleges. Guard members are eligible for the ONG scholarship as soon as they enlist, as long as they remain in good standing. For more information on the Ohio National Guard Scholarship Program, including application, deadline, eligibility and more, please visit: www.ong.ohio.gov/scholarship_index.html Contact Us SGT Andrew A. Noland (513)-330-3849 What is ONGSP? The Ohio National Guard Scholarship Program (ONGSP) is a state-funded scholarship program for individuals who enlist, extend, or re-enlist into the Ohio National Guard. This educational program is only off ered by the Ohio National Guard. No other branch of service off ers this program. This program exists through Ohio Revised Code 5919.34, which means it is statefunded and not subject to changing federal budgets. Let’s Talk Money The ONGSP pays up to 100% of the total instruction and general fee charges of Ohio public colleges and universities in pursuit of an undergraduate degree. The ONGSP will also pay the average cost of Ohio public college tuition and general fees towards approved private or proprietary degree-granting institutions of higher education. Let’s Talk Eligbility Each participant with a six-year enlistment is eligible for four years of scholarship as a full-time student. Participants with a threeyear enlistment are eligible for two years of scholarship as a full-time student. Members are eligible for benefi ts upon enlistment. Participants must remain enrolled for a minimum of three credit hours per term in a degree-granting program. Talk to a Recruiter to learn how part-time students use ONGSP. *Certain eligibility requirements may be subject to change Eligible universities include but not limited to:

20 February 2, 2024 Camden Paeltz | The Chronicle Photos by Camden Paeltz On Friday, January 26, Mason Swimming and Diving hosted Lakota East and Lakota West for their annual senior night meet, honoring 19 seniors. Both Mason teams won with the girls scoring 161 points and the boys scoring 142. The Comets return to the pool to open the postseason on Saturday, February 3, as they host the Greater Miami Championship meet. Mason swim and dive team celebrates seniors Freshman Corrine Hartmann holds the pike position during a dive. Senior Tyler Houpt swims the butterfly on his senior night. The Comets cheer on a teammate during a turn. Freshman Samyak Ramchandre swims the butterfly. Sophomore Dinith Dabare swims backstroke. Senior swimmers race in the senior-parent relay, a special senior night tradition.

Februrary 2, 2024 21 Substitute teacher by day, stand-up comedian by night From the art of stand-up to the classrooms of Mason High School (MHS), substitute teacher Alex Schubert practices connecting with different audiences. Alex Schubert has been doing stand-up comedy since 2012. As an aspiring fulltime comedian, Schubert began his career performing at local comedy centers in Cincinnati at the age of 19. “I started writing jokes in high school to pass the time when I got home from school,” Schubert said. “The moment I left high school, I knew I wanted to do [stand-up], so I just started doing open mics almost immediately after I left high school.” Drawing inspiration from professional comedians as a high schooler, Schubert said he knew that stand-up comedy was his dream occupation, but also knew of the challenges that accompanied pursuing it. “Stand-up comedy is one of the hardest art forms,” Schubert said. “You’re by yourself with a microphone with [the audience] staring at you.” Having worked with the IMPACT Innovation program, a program to provide adults with autism with employment opportunities at the University of Cincinnati (UC), Schubert said he enjoyed working with people. He decided to carry that interest with him to substitute teaching at Mason High School (MHS) alongside performing stand-up comedy. “A lot of comics just have normal jobs,” Schubert said. “So I [teach] during the day and do stand-up at night. [Substitute teaching] has been awesome. I’ve gotten to meet so many really cool kids. ” Pursuing his passion for stand-up, Schubert said he majored in Communications at UC to hone his public speaking skills as a stand-up comedian. Schubert said that his strengths have always been focused on writing, an ability that is important in stand-up comedy. “Right now I call [stand-up] my “jobby,” Schubert said. “Sometimes it’s my job, and sometimes I’m at an open mic just to work stuff out for fun. Stand-up is a long grind. You hope you get lucky, which is a long ride, but it’s also a ride to get better. ” Aside from performing his passions on the stage, Schubert said that stand-up provided him with [work ethics] that have helped him in other aspects of his life. “It’s best to not be afraid of [failures], and learn from them when they do happen,” Schubert said. “No matter what you do, whether it’s comedy or not, you should always strive to get better.” Schubert has been substitute teaching since January 2019. Schubert said that stand-up comedy has allowed him to build connections with students. “One thing I encourage kids to do, because of stand-up, is to have a passion outside of their typical daily life,” Schubert said. “It’s a great way to make friends as an adult when [they] meet people with common interests.” Schubert said that the flexible nature of both substitute teaching and comedy has proved useful to him in furthering all of his diverse interests. Performing in multiple cities outside of Cincinnati, Schubert said he has enjoyed the unique opportunities stand-up comedy provides him. “Stand-up is my excuse to travel anywhere in the country,” Schubert said. “I can go to basically any big city in America and find places to perform and, if I’m lucky, get booked on a couple [of] shows.” Schubert said that the lessons he has learned through stand-up comedy have translated beyond the stage and to the classrooms he helps teach. “Anytime I get a chance to talk to a kid one on one I ask, ‘What makes you happy?’” Schubert said. “If it’s music, poetry or art, pursue that. Have a passion outside of your daily grind.” Photo contributed by Alex Schubert Alex Schubert performs stand-up comedy in front of an audience. Elina Bishoyi | The Chronicle

22 February 2, 2024 The Chronicle’s Policy Connect with the Chronicle: In most of the entertainment industry, there are evident standards for female and male characters. Women are intended to be beautiful, calm and ditsy, while men get to be heroes and warriors. Although the industry has still developed a scene of iconic female characters, it is easy to be blindsided into believing the scales are equal. Take the Golden Globes, a critically acclaimed film award show that many fans respect and value. 2024 host Jo Koy received major backlash for a joke aimed at “Barbie” that was widely considered disrespectful and reductive. Koy praised the script of Oppenheimer, a male-dominated film and one of “Barbie’s” main box office competitors, for its adaptation of a Pulitzer Prize-winning book. In the same line, Koy criticized the “Barbie” adaptation by reducing the film to a superficial reference to her body. For an industry that seems to want to recognize and celebrate diversity, the happenings of the Golden Globes are rather embarrassing. Similarly, at the 2024 Critics Choice Awards, the song “I’m Just Ken” performed by Ryan Gosling in “Barbie” won the award for Best Song even up against “What Was I Made For?,” which was written originally for the film by Billie Eilish and encompasses the film’s introspective essence. Both songs are nominated for Best Original Song at the upcoming Academy Awards, with “What Was I Made For” winning many precursor awards including the Golden Globe. In contrast to the poignant self-reflection of “What Was I Made For?,” “I’m Just Ken” focuses on Ken’s struggles in the world of “Barbie.” Gosling was noticeably surprised after his Critics Choice Award win, and Eilish’s defeat was viewed as a controversial snub by many. Instead of creating a culture war over the merits of both songs, can both be celebrated for their contributions to the film? The character of Barbie has been a source of women’s empowerment for decades, but the film now establishes the reality of being a woman in modern-day society. It encourages women to strive to erase the stigma around being confined to a specific set of character traits. Yet the message of the movie continues to be disregarded. In January, a final list of Oscar nominations was released for recognition of the film industry. “Barbie” was one of ten nominees for Best Picture, but star Margot Robbie and director Greta Gerwig were noticeably left out of the five nominees for Best Lead Actress and Best Director, respectively. Robbie, also a producer on the film, and Gerwig, also co-nominated with her partner Noah Baumbach for Best Adapted Screenplay, not only brought the character of Barbie to life but also created a box office hit that completely transformed the meaning of girlhood for the audience. Ryan Gosling got a nomination in the Best Supporting Actor category, prompting many to compare the nod to Robbie and Gerwig’s snubs. If nominated, Gerwig would’ve paired with Justine Triet, nominated for “Anatomy of a Fall,” and marked the first time multiple female filmmakers were nominated for Best Director. Instead, Triet stands alone in a field with four male legacy filmmakers. “Barbie” advocates for lifting female voices in maledominated institutions, yet the nominations send an opposing message. Robbie and Gerwig both missed out on what are considered loaded Best Lead Actress and Best Director races, while Gosling has been considered a lock for a nomination in Best Supporting Actor since the film’s release. Comedy films like “Barbie” are rarely recognized at the Academy Awards, especially in major categories like Best Picture and Screenplay. Gosling, a largely comedic performance, was rewarded for his role in the film, while Robbie and Gerwig’s parts were passed up by more traditional dramatic performances and filmmakers. The Academy, and other awards bodies, have a history of overlooking comedic performances and films, particularly from women. While Gosling’s nomination did not prevent Robbie or Gerwig from being honored, it does shine a light on Hollywood’s varying views on the comedy genre. So while we have improved at representing men and women in the entertainment industry, recent events highlight the clear gap that still exists between how far we will go to recognize them. Whether it be in “Barbie” or the real world, we need to have respect for women and that comes from celebrating and honoring the work they do every day to advocate for themselves. Barbie and the irony of Hollywood Staff Editorial Green text message bubbles. Lightning chargers. Different operating systems. These are just some of the differences between Apple and Android devices. People always want to be trendy. To be trendy in 2007, people were rocking the newest fashion trend, low-rise jeans, or using Microsoft Vista. In June 2007, the first iPhone came out, and people flocked to it immediately. In October 2008, the first-ever Android phone, the HTC Dream, came out. Since then, people have debated which type of device is better, and the iPhone has won. According to Business Insider, 87% of teens said they own an iPhone and 88% said their next phone will be an iPhone. To me, this is concerning. Why is the battle so one-sided? As an Android user, I feel it is just as functional as any Apple product. Android devices all use a type C charger, an SMS messaging system and a Linux-based operating system that users can edit, while iPhones used lightning chargers until the recent iPhone 15, iMessages and a standardized iOS operating system. Although both phones have similar features, I believe that the iPhone is more popular not because of the device itself, but because of modern-day consumerism and the need to fit in. According to the University of Chicago, modern-day consumerism is defined as attaining goods and services beyond the necessities for a traditional display of one’s status. Many people view iPhones as a symbol of wealth, which I attribute to how Apple frames their devices to consumers as more exclusive and “trendy.” Because others have an iPhone, I must need one too, even if the phone itself is no better than a cheaper alternative. People want to be trendy because it makes them feel like they fit in with others. No one wants to be the odd one out, wearing, drinking or eating something no one else is. I feel that way at times with my Samsung S10, especially when people dread adding me to group chats. iMessage forces a completely new group chat to be made every time an Android is added and makes any Android user’s text bubbles a shade of green that many of my friends have complained about. I see people constantly being ridiculed over these slight inconveniences or hear sly comments being made about people just because they use a different phone. I get it, people want to fit in with their friends. But a phone is a tool. It should be looked at for its usefulness, not just for having different colored text bubbles or group chat features. Much like other products, people should not just focus on using and wearing the trendiest products, but instead on the features and what each product truly offers them. I hope we as a society can eventually overcome this mindset and can move past our intense desires to use and buy items just because they are trendy. Drew Hoffmaster | The Chronicle My take on the Apple vs. Android debate @mhschronicle facebook.com/ mhschronicle @mhschronicle mhschronicle.com The Chronicle is the official student newspaper of William Mason High School. The Chronicle promises to report the truth and adhere to the journalistic code of ethics through online and print media, a, informing and engaging with Mason’s student body and the surrounding community. The Chronicle is produced by students enrolled in Journalism I, II and III. Editorials reflect the staff ’s opinion but do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the school administration or the Mason City School District. The Chronicle is published monthly. Call 398-5025 ext. 33103 for information regarding advertising in The Chronicle. The 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 off in room C103 and must be signed. The Chronicle is a member of The Columbia Scholastic Press Association, The National Scholastic Press Association, Quill and Scroll International Honorary Society for High School Journalists and the Ohio Scholastic Media Association. Contact Information The Chronicle William Mason High School 6100 S. Mason Montgomery Rd. Mason, Ohio 45040 (513) 398-5025 The Chronicle Staff Editor-in-Chief Andrew Little Managing Editors Aimee Liu Alisha Soni Business Manager Nishka Mishra Business Intern Ali Sami Staff Designers Becca Hunter Alisha Verma Staff Writers Elina Bishoyi Kendall Davis Drew Hoffmaster Aybika Kamil Ruhi Kaneria Allie Keim Megan Lee Mitchell McMillen Taylor Murray Camden Paeltz Hudson Pitcock Shrija Shandilya Akshay Vadlamani Srinidhi Valathappan Advisor Dale Conner OPINION

February 2, 2024 23 Inclusivity is a term that has spearheaded many conversations in the past years, from executive board meetings to the sphere of Mason High School (MHS). Here, students and staff work to facilitate conversations of inclusion and belonging with the aid of the diversity, inclusion, and equity (DEI) principles. By using diversity, equity, and inclusion as focus points, MHS works to create a space where all students feel welcomed and supported. To some students, these conversations may be just another ‘pledge’ that the school is making to some lofty goal. But to many students, these conversations are vital to their education and development throughout their high school years. For students with disabilities, development issues, and different socioeconomic backgrounds, it ensures that they will be welcome in spaces, a right that every student is entitled to. According to Mason City Schools Inclusive Excellence website, “every child deserves to believe that they belong in our schools, and that their learning community cares about them.” These goals have been carried out through teams like IE and clubs such as the Muslim Student Association (MSA), Hindu Student Association (HSA) and the Black Student Union (BSU) which work to create a student support system. There are also a handful of community wide events like Taste of Mason and Window & Mirrors celebrations which help people share their stories and culture. But these conversations of inclusion can impact a Comet beyond MHS. Having grown up in a school system that focuses on inclusion, students are better equipped to advocate for inclusive measures in college and at work. Having worked alongside students that are different from themselves, they are better equipped to collaborate with colleagues from different backgrounds and empower diverse voices to speak up. Rather than relying on a short diversity training to encourage an inclusive mindset, MHS students in the real world can facilitate these conversations in an authentic setting. Inclusive settings not only make students more prepared for the extremely diverse world, but it also makes them more aware of all cultures, more empathetic to people that are different to them, and more open-minded to a diverse range of perspectives. At the end of the day, it is crucial to realize that the lessons of inclusivity learned at MHS can lead to a whole shift in acceptance and empowerment in the community. As second-semester seniors, we find ourselves at a crossroads where the infamous “senioritis” tends to creep in, stealing away our motivation and leaving us with a sense of restlessness. It’s a curious sensation, this tug-of-war between the allure of newfound freedom and the lingering responsibilities that tether us to the world we’ve known. However, amidst the chaos of impending adulthood and the allure of endless Netflix binges, there lies a hidden opportunity for profound self-exploration. Recently, I stumbled upon the concept of niksen. It’s a Dutch term that encapsulates the art of doing nothing—a notion that initially seemed foreign and even indulgent in a world that values productivity above all else. Yet, as I allowed myself to sink into moments of idleness, I discovered a treasure trove of insights waiting to be unearthed. Growing up in a society that glorifies busyness, it’s easy to fall into the trap of equating our worth with our level of productivity. We’re conditioned to believe that success is synonymous with constant activity—juggling academics, extracurriculars and social obligations with relentless fervor. But in the constant pursuit of achievement, we often lose sight of the most important aspect of our lives: ourselves. Senior year, with its blend of nostalgia and anticipation, offers a precious gift—the gift of time. It’s a chance to prioritize self-care, to nurture relationships and to indulge in the simple pleasures that bring us joy. It’s a time to shed the layers of expectation and rediscover the essence of who I truly am. Niksen has become my compass, guiding me back to the simple pleasures that bring me joy—the late-night conversations with friends, the solitary walks at sunset, the moments of quiet reflection amidst the chaos of everyday life. In embracing the art of niksen, I’ve come to realize that boredom is not the enemy—it’s a doorway to creativity, a blank canvas upon which the colors of imagination can flourish. It’s in these moments of stillness that I find myself most attuned to the whispers of my own heart—to the dreams that lie within, waiting to be awakened. And so, as I embark on the final chapters of my high school journey, I choose to embrace senioritis not as a hindrance, but as an invitation—an invitation to slow down, to savor the fleeting moments and to cultivate a deeper connection with myself and the world around me. To my fellow seniors (and underclassmen!) standing at the precipice of possibility, I urge you to embrace the art of niksen—to revel in the beauty of simply being. Let’s slow down, savor the small moments, and remember that sometimes, doing nothing is the best something we can do. Niksen: The Art of Doing Nothing Srinidhi Valathappan | The Chronicle Editorial Cartoon Long-Term Benefits of Talking about Inclusivity Ruhi Kaneria | The Chronicle OPINION

February 2, 2024 24 Class of 2025 JUNIORS WANTED Be one of our Model Reps: • Tons of Fun • FREE Four Outfit Photoshoot • Huge Discount off Package Too! Get More Info at elIterep2025.coM 513-779-1500 proud sponsor of The Mason Band and The Mason Chronicle