Edition 15.7

Vol. 15, Issue 7 | William Mason High School | 6100 Mason Montgomery Road Mason, OH | 3.19.18

thechronicle

Students voice
sentiments following

Parkland shooting

see story page 2

Photo by RyanD’Souza

2 Cover Story March 19, 2018

Students join in nationwide protests aimed at reforming gun control laws

Kaitlin Lewis | Staff Writer Photo by Ryan D’Souza, Tanner Pearson
Students rally in the new gym on March 14 as a part of national student-organized protests in aftermath of Parkland shooting.
AAsia Porter | Editor-in-Chief
ge is nothing but a number MSD who has not shied away from vo- On March 14, Mason High School and were given a brief list of the biparti-
to these student activists. calizing her sentiments about the need joined schools across America in a walk- san bills currently in Congress. Much of
Students nationwide have for gun control. out designed to get Congress to take ac- the emphasis was focused on encourag-
been channeling their frus- tion on gun reform laws. Walking out, ing students to vote this fall, and voter
tration into political activism after 17 “I watched her video and what she however, does not equate progress, as registration booths were available dur-
students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas had to say, and it really inspired me noted by senior Jillian Finkel who said ing all lunch bells on Wednesday.
High School (MSD) in Parkland, Florida because it made me realize that us the voter registrations and educating voters
were shot and killed. The Valentine’s youth can really do a lot,” Collins said. on all proposed solutions is key to chan- The students, however, are hoping to
Day shooting marked the fifth school “I never really put it that way with all neling frustration into action. spark conversation beyond the walkout.
shooting to occur in 2018. News and the other shootings because Sandy Organizers are working to host an event
social media blew up, keeping users Hook, we were young, but after watch- “The last thing we want is for the off-campus at a later date that will wel-
updated on the conditioned of those ing her and the big impact she had on walkout to be students walking out come three speakers including Michelle
critically injured and the rising death everyone, it made me realize that we re- then walking back in, feeling like they Mueller, a member of the single-issue
toll. ally can make a difference and change haven’t (been able) to advocate whatev- group Moms Demand Action, Ethel
In response to the Parkland shooting, people’s minds.” er cause they feel best meets the needs Guttenberg, who lost her granddaugh-
students across the nation started speak- of gun violence prevention,” Finkel ter to the Parkland shooter, and Aftab
ing up about their views on gun reform, Survivors of the shooting were not said. “Beyond just registering them, we Purvea, who is running for Congress
and many are taking further action hesitant to act on their opinions and want to make sure they know what the in the district. Jegol hopes the speakers
than sharing their opinion online. feelings after the Parkland shooting. issues are and what they’re going to vot- can help to emphasi the importance of
One movement was prompted by Vocal leaders, like Gonzalez, encour- ing for. That way, they have this idea of youth leadership and activism.
the Women’s March Youth EMPOWER aged students that their voice is not gun violence prevention fresh in their
group, who called for students, teach- overlooked or unheard, like junior Zara brain, not just in the initial aftershock “We hope that the speakers will spark
ers, and administrators to participate in Kabir. of tragedy, but going forward.” more civic engagement and will create
a national walk-out on March 14 at 10 more dialogue within our community,”
a.m. for 17 minutes, in commemoration “Usually you see parents take on that The walkout took place in the new Jegol said. “The issue is an issue that
of the 17 lives lost at the hands of the role, but this time around you saw the gym, and for 17 minutes students not only transcends, but also overlaps,
Parkland shooter. Interested in par- students,” said Kabir. “They were angry, were read a poem from a victim of the into race, geography, culture, etc. This
ticipating, Senior Kaleb Jagol set out a they were wanting change in Congress, Parkland shooting, heard from a fellow shouldn’t be an issue that tears us apart,
message asking for any Mason student and seeing that take root in Parkland Mason student junior Nathalie Schick- rather, bring us together.”
who would like to join him in organiz- inspired the movements for students endantz, whose brother is a survivor of
ing a walkout for Mason High School. across the nation to follow their lead the Sandy Hook shooting back in 2012,
The board behind organizing is now and demand change.”
made up of several students, freshman
to senior, along with others not on the
board to help with the production and
spreading the word. Senior Ivan Mer-
cado is among the board of students
who reached out to Jagol to help with
the walk out.
“Before, I didn’t know how to get
involved, so when I saw the opportunity
from Kaleb, I was like, ‘Why not?’” Mer-
cado said. “I was just tired of seeing the
same thing happen over and over again,
and there was nobody doing anything it
was just ‘thoughts and prayers thoughts
and prayers.’ It was starting to annoy
me that there was nothing I thought I
could do myself that would make an
impact.”
This mindset of being too young to
make a difference, however, is gradu-
ally being proven to be nothing more
than that, a mindset, rather than fact.
Junior Annabella Collins said her
primary inspiration to get involved was
the testimony by Gonzalez, a senior at

(Left to right) Senior Ivan Mercado,
juniors Annabella Collins and Zara Kabir,
and seniors Kaleab Jegol and Jillian
Finkel are just a few of the student orga-
nizer’s for Mason’s walkout

March 19, 2018 News 3

Student entrepreneurs score first at UC shark tank competition

After success at “Shark Tank” high schoolers team up to launch safe delivery start up

Nathalie Schickendantz | Staff Writer Guadinado and Yegu’s logo for ano and Yenugu decided to take the Juan Carlos
Don’t let their age fool you. These their company. idea another step forward. Gaudiano,
junior
young businessmen want their tions, make it interactive and then at The two students worked with
competitors to know that they’re not the end we would branch off into our lawyers designated to form company Pranav
going to let their age stop them from own groups and work on what we dis- startups. Gaudiano and Yenugu were Yengu,
entering the business world. cussed,” Yenugu said. “The professor at a disadvantage being high school freshman
would come around and provide each students, and thus, not having yet
Mason High School junior Juan group with contacts and how to reach stepped into the business world; how- Photos by Nathalie Schickendantz
Carlos Gaudiano and freshman out and look over pitches.” ever, this did not stop their company
Pranav Yenugu are in the process of from becoming a reality.
developing their company SafeDeliv. According to UC, the launch pro-
gram is one of the most prestigious They sought out help from lawyers
SafeDeliv is a small device accom- programs and demands a lot from the to help with financials and legal is-
panied with an app, making mail and individuals admitted. After learning sues. Gaudiano said after speaking to
package delivery safer. the key steps of entrepreneurship, the a lot of people the idea was liked and
program expects students to grow that sparked our pursuance of it.
Gaudiano and Yenugu pitched in communication skills and inter-
‘SafeDeliv’ on November 18 at the act with leaders from companies in “We went to a lawyer who’s in
University of Cincinnati’s LAUNCH Cincinnati. charge of helping startups in Cin-
shark tank competition. After winning cinnati, and he basically helped us
first place and a 1,000 dollar prize, Yenugu said the program not only make our company an LLC, which is
the students continued their business teaches the basics of forming a start- basically making the company legal
journey by creating a company. The up but simulates what was learned. in the states,” Gaudiano said. “We are
business startup program at the UC currently working with patent lawyers
is highly competitive, electing only “He also had guests come in and to help us patent our idea.”
students with high academic achieve- introduced us to leaders from big
ment and leadership ability. companies in the area,” Yenugu said. The two young men decided to
“We spoke about accelerators which disregard age and create a business
After nine weeks of preparation, are programs that help with funding whilst continuing to work with UC
Gaudiano and Yenugu finalized their and moving your progress forward.” along college students.
winning pitch. Everything taught by
the mentors has to be applied by the After receiving first place, Gaudi- The program pushed the students
individuals in their shark tank pitch. to create a product that would benefit
society Quan said after hearing posi-
The pitch was held in a full-packed tive feedback the product has pros-
room with investors listening in on pect and therefore should be pursued.
the the student’s business plan. The
program is small and personal, en- “SafeDelivi focuses more on a
couraging collaboration in an effort safety and notification aspect of how
to develop a business plan. Yenugu you receive your mail and packages,”
enjoyed the responsive aspect of the Gaudiano said. “It adds safety to
program with direct access to Dr. whatever is being delivered to your
Dalziel, the professor. house, whether that be important tax
information, college letters, or small
“How it was usually structured is he packages from Amazon.”
would talk about something, ask ques-

DOES YOUR GROUP NEED APPAREL?
LET US DO THE HARD WORK FOR YOU

4 Feature March 19, 2018

‘Mental Health Awareness Team’ directs effort for policy change

Alekya Raghavan | Staff Writer It was after our most recent tragedy of different corners of the school,” Cui bad shape. That’s the same thing that
that a lot of Mason kids really, really said. “These aren’t the people you typi- happens with mental health. People are
Most students at Mason High School started speaking up. I want to not only cally see hanging out together but we pretty far down the road when they start
will spend their days in increments of stop it for people who are there already, come together for this. Along with the to get help and the outcomes are not
seven, with a different set of 30 other but create a chain reaction where every- support of 1N5 representatives as well nearly as good.”
students every hour. What they might body is willing to speak about it and is as, I believe we’re getting into contact
not know is that, according to the Cen- willing to find solutions for it.” with a couple nearby hospitals, we’re Unsatisfied with Mason’s reaction
ters for Disease Control and Prevention, going to introduce our ideas to ad- to its student’s mental health issues,
at any time, up to five of their class- Senior Josh Mullins, who created a ministration. I know that they’ve done senior Trenton Borders wrote an Op-ed
mates may be suffering, silently, from a Change.org petition following Novem- hope squads, which is a great a start, for The Cincinnati Enquirer, which was
mental illness. ber’s tragedy, is also the founder of but it can’t be the end. School, where published on their website in January.
the Mental Health Awareness Team we spend the majority of our days, is Titled, ‘A teenager’s perspective on how
Student Assistance Coordinator (MHAT). Mullins brought to the table the first place to start (making a differ- to tackle the problem of suicide’, the
Megan Cameron said the stigma sur- individuals who had, in the past, been ence).” piece associated Mason’s nine succes-
rounding mental illness is what keeps outspoken about mental health on sive suicides with the school’s “failure
children quiet. In effort to change this social media. According to Mullins, the Another one of MHAT’s goals is to to pursue meaningful change”. Borders,
reality, the district has coined a new group has two main objectives. integrate the programs from 1N5 into who rallied for change in the best way
term; brain health. MHS. 1N5, named for the statistic that 1 he knew how, is happy to see movement
“I saw that there was a need for peo- in 5 individuals live with a diagnosable in the right direction.
“Mental health has a big stigma to it, ple to have a voice in the school when mental illness, is an organization built
and realistically there is more to it than it comes to issues surrounding mental to educate and empower the public “I’d been talking to students who
just the mental portion of it,” Cameron health and what suicide prevention about mental illness. The founder, Nan- were trying change things about the
said. “‘Mental’ is often associated with looked like,” Mullins said. “Through- cy Miller, uses evidence based programs school’s response to mental health,”
getting locked up in mental hospitals out the course, we learned that there’s and data to create a workable plan for said Borders. “I knew some of them
and never coming out again until you holistic mental health education that’s schools. Miller said her program targets were concerned that not enough was
are fixed. We really want to change that needed in this school. Two of (our initia- schools and students because it is im- being done and that they weren’t get-
stigma to it really is a brain issue. Some- tives) are: mental health education sur- portant to identify and care for individu- ting enough of a response. I knew that
thing is going on in your brain where it rounding holistic views and the creation als with mental illnesses early on. one of the best ways to mobilize change
is impacting your daily functioning at of a student board that ideas are run was to draw public attention to it, and
school and at home.” through to make sure they authenti- “By the age of 14, 50 percent of so I wrote the op-ed. Communication
cally connect with students.” mental health issues will have surfaced. is something else that I wanted to see.
The district partners with outside By the age of 24, 75 percent will have I wanted to convey that more should
agencies and professionals to find bet- Cui said the members of MHAT aim surfaced. So the earlier you can get be done. And I feel like more has been
ter methods of care and therapy for to use their passion to work with admin- somebody into care, the better off they done.”
students needing mental health help. istration and make change at the high are,” Miller said. “The normal time
MindPeace, a Cincinnati organization school level. frame it ten years. It takes ten years Miller said she is optimistic about
striving for the access to quality mental to get serviced and that’s just unac- change because of the attitudes of Ma-
health resources works with “We’re a bunch of people from a lot ceptable. Imagine if you had a heart son students.
Mason City Schools and Solutions condition and it took ten years
to ensure the needs of students to get service. You’d be in very [Continued, page 5]
are being met. MindPeace works
as a facilitator of discussion and
resources for the district.

“Solutions is our biggest partner
in terms of therapy aspects and
some preventative measures,”
Cameron said. “MindPeace is there
to bridge the relationship between
outside agencies and schools. It
is just another way for us to kind
of get around the table and talk
about what different schools and
agencies are doing.”

Junior Megan Cui, who has
been very outspoken about the
importance of mental health, said
spreading awareness and under-
standing of what mental illness is
will help create solutions.

“I think a big problem is that
not everyone understands exactly
what mental health is and what a
solution to mental health entails,”
Cui said. “Just hearing some of the
stories that fellow students have
gone through or seeing what hap-
pens on the news, it’s really clear
that we can’t just let this thing go.

March 19, 2018 Feature 5

Students push for destigmatization of mental health in district

[Continued from page 4] stems from more than just a deep care Mental Health Programs adopted in
for their peers. It’s personal. Mason City School District
“What we know is that the students
are not afraid of this conversation like “My family has struggled with some Mason High School Solutions Community Counseling
the adults are,” Miller said. “They are mental health illnesses like bipolar, SBIRT,
tired of what’s been happening and the depression, anxiety,” Mullins said. “I’ve
status quo at Mason and how things had to learn how to take care of people Problem solving meetings,
have been done in the past. I feel very in my family, and I’ve seen my friends
confident that that is what’s going to struggle with taking care of people with Peer mentoring.
change it, going forward.” [mental health illnesses]. I want to see
that change.” Parent Anxiety Training,
Despite their faults, social media and
the internet have been important tools Cui’s personal experience has shown Parent Brain health and academics training,
in spreading awareness about mental her just how hard it is to deal with
illness for the students at MHS. Junior mental illness by yourself. She said the Staff QPR, Parent QPR,
Hannah McCollough first became realization that sometimes you need
involved with MHAT because of their help is what motivates her to reach out SOS in all health classes
use of social media to speak out about and advocate for change.
mental health. Comet Conversations.
“You’ll get a lot of really demeaning
“After the tragedy we faced in No- comments sometimes about how you Mason Middle School Solutions Community Counseling
vember, I tweeted something about how just need to be happier, stuff like that.
our school needs to be addressing this It’s really, really damaging,” Cui said.
and how this shouldn’t be happening,” “These are the people you grew up with, (school based therapy).
McCollough said. “Following what hap- these are the people that have shown
pened, I had seen very little response to love to you your entire life. So you start Positively Male (Self-esteem for boys), Club
it, particularly on social media. It had to wonder, ‘maybe it is all my fault’.
been more than 24 hours since people That was one of the biggest things I Choices (Social Skills), Club Courage (Anxiety group),
found out about it. I was frustrated, so struggled with. How can other people
I tweeted what I was feeling. I, first of just live through this life and be so chill Voices (Self-Esteem for girls), Fernside and Cancer Family
all, honored who she was, and second, about it when I’m trying to get through
said that there should be some kind of it and it’s so hard? Realizing that maybe Care groups, Problem solving meetings, SBIRT
change in how the school was address- you just need an extra boost of help,
ing mental health. That was kind of my which is completely valid, that’s kind of Parent Anxiety Training, Staff QPR, Parent QPR,
first initiative towards creating a con- what changed my life and what I hope
versation because I felt it was lacking.” will change other people’s lives.” SOS in all health classes, Counselor in- class lessons,

For some of these students, passion Comet Conversations.

Mason Intermediate School

Solutions Community Counseling
Relational Aggression groups, Ophelia girls
groups, Anxiety groups, A Brush of Hope, Fernside, Can-

cer family Cares, Problem solving meetings.
Parent Anxiety training, Parent QPR, all 6th
grade SOS, AWARE Lessons, all staff trauma training, Col-

lege planning night, all staff training on brain health and
academics.

Western Row Solutions Community Counseling
Elementary School Problem solving meetings
Parent Anxiety training

In Class Lessons on Bullying
Mindset lessons for 3rd grade

Big Brothers and Big Sisters
Whiz Kids

Backpack Program,
All staff trauma training.

Mason Early Childhood Solutions Community Counseling
Center Lunch and Recess groups

Parent Anxiety training

Kindergarten teacher anxiety training

College Night

Watch Dog Dads,

Mentoring,

Paws Program (kids read to dogs),

In Class Lessons on Bullying- led by counselors

Mindset Learning classroom, responsive classroom

Graphic by Ryan D’Souza
Illustrations by Alekya Raghavan
Information compiled by Delaney Turner

6 Feature March 19, 2018

It’s not just about the cookies for these Girl Scouts

Giving back to “For our Bronze Award we raised Photo by Andrea Hefferan
community a money for the animal shelter,” Palermo Mason High School students who still participate in their local Girl Scout Troops. From left;
priority for area said. “Then for my Silver project we sophomores Christine Giberson, Lauren Stacy and Sophia Palermo.
Girl Scouts made a mural at the middle school.
So over by the band room right there more now, but it’s not worth it for us to learn a lot about wildlife and it was
Andrea Hefferan | Staff Writer is a giant mural, and it was a contest overall because you have to sell so really cool. But it’s not just cookies, a lot
that we had. We had students submit many cookies to be able to do anything. of it goes back to the community.”
When it comes to Girl Scouts, these different designs. We said to create a Our troop does a garage sale. We’re
girls have been troopers. mural on what (they) think the Mason selling stuff for a day and we raise over Though Girl Scouts is typically seen
Middle School represents. And we had 1000 dollars, which is way more than as a group for young girls, staying
By high school, many girls have quit the winner come in and she painted it selling Girl Scout cookies could get throughout high school is something
the group and moved on to other activi- with us.” us.” Stacy does not regret. She encourages
ties. However, some are still a part of it other girls to follow her path and con-
and have no intention of quitting. From The greatest honor one can receive Sophomore Lauren Stacy said their tinue Girl Scouts or even join a troop if
daisy to senior, the girls from Troop as a Girl Scout is the prestigious Gold troop uses what they make from raising they have never been a part of it.
48045 have stuck through Girl Scouts Award, which are preceded by the funds to have learning experiences and
thick and thin. Silver and Bronze Awards. Palermo is help the community. “I think that a lot of people should
determined to get hers soon and plans stay with Girl Scouts or join Girl Scouts
Sophomore Christine Giberson, who to create a project that would help the “The money from (the garage sale) because even if you’re older I think
has been a Girl Scout in both her home school. we use to fund our troops and that’s you should come into it because there’s
state of Arizona and here in Mason, en- how we raise money so we can buy so much you can learn from it,” Stacy
joys all of the outings they have which “For the Gold Award you have to do things, like how we bought the food for said. “There’s so many things I wouldn’t
she otherwise would have no means of something everlasting in your commu- (our service project),” Stacy said. “Nor- have known if I hadn’t been in Girl
doing. nity,” Palermo said. “I know our school mally a lot of that goes back into the Scouts. And we have this big sisterhood-
does something called MPOWER Hour community, or it goes with us for our -we’re all super close; everyone in the
“I really like (Girl Scouts) because it and it’s been mostly business. I want to trips and camping trips, a lot of learn- Girl Scout community is like a big fam-
gives us someplace to get connections do one for science and math and get ing experiences we do with that. We ily. I just think that everyone should be
and go do things,” Giberson said. “They different engineering people in because went to a wolf reservation and we got in Girl Scouts; all the girls.”
have a lot of opportunities for Girl I love engineering and I love those
Scouts--special opportunities to go do MPOWER hours. It’d be cool to have
certain things. We have a big list of all people come in and talk about that and
of these things that we’re going to do, show different opportunities to people
and being in Girl Scouts, they are more in the school. High school is a time to
likely to say yes to you doing a bunch be exploring stuff about yourself and
of activities and they have special what you really like and this is a great
things for you to do.” way to do that.”

Much of what Girl Scouts do goes While some people may think all Girl
back and benefits the community. Scouts do is sell cookies, Troop 48045
Sophomore Sophia Palermo said her does not participate in this tradition
troop likes making a difference by do- in favor of having a garage sale. This
ing service projects that are a little out helps them raise more than selling
of the ordinary. cookies would, according to Palermo.

“We don’t sell cookies because right
now Girl Scout cookies cost four dollars
to sell,” Palermo said. “Our troop only
gets 75 cents per cookie box, which is

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

Mason’s Sixth Man

Saturday, March 10, the Mason Comets girls basketball team captured the regional
championship in a 54-51 win over Lakota West. The Comets played with incredible
energy on the court while students in Mason’s infamous “Black Hole” student sec-
tion provided the energy from the stands. Chronicle photographer Tanner Pearson
captured this incredible photo of the “Whited Out” Black Hole as they attempted to
distract the Firebirds on the court.

March 19, 2018 7

8 Feature March 19, 2018

Profit to be made off eSports
gaming competitions

Jacob Brase | Staff Writer

With a few bucks and a comput- with marketplaces where you
er, anybody can make money. can put your skins for sale, and it
directly translates to real world
In the world of gambling, it is money with only like a 10% tax,”
very rare you hear talk of bet- Quigley said. “You can either get
ting on eSports, or professional bitcoin or paypal. I would cash out
video game matches. Despite it to my paypal, then that money
not being a mainstream gambling goes directly into my bank ac-
technique, the eSports gambling count.”
market is projected to be worth
over $30 billion by the year 2020. Players and gamblers hold their
In more simple terms, there is a skins on Steam accounts, which
lot of money to be made betting Quigley called “The Xbox live for
on video games, and almost any- computers.” The worth of a skin is
one can do it. dependent on how rare it is, or how
hard it is to obtain. If players don’t
Unlike fantasy football where get skins by buying them with real
professionals are physically money, they can purchase a crate,
facing off, eSports are video game where you have a small chance of
professionals who play against winning a valuable skin. Opening
each other online. Fans of these Crates is a form of gambling by
matches bet on the outcome, and itself, but in this instance you pay a
win various amounts of money much smaller amount in exchange
depending on the odds. for a small chance of winning
something significant.
Ryan Quigley, a junior at Mason
High School, said he was shocked Quigley often purchased crates
at how easy it is for people to in hopes of obtaining something
gamble this way. valuable, and when he finally won
a rare skin, he said it was pure
“All of the sites have zero ID luck.
checks; there’s no verification
whatsoever so basically anyone “I had a .003% chance of win-
can do it,” Quigley said. “Just put ning this skin, but I did somehow.
money in your account, buy some I still to this day have no clue how
skins and you’re ready.” it happened,” Quigley said. “It was
an AWP Dragon Lore skin which
The actual money being ex- is worth $800 in real money.”
changed when gambling on
eSports are called ‘Skins’. Skins are Quigley said this was one of his
virtual goods video game users best experiences with skins, but
will buy to make their guns look the actual gambling on eSports
a certain way in video games. The matches can have consequences.
monetary value of a skin is solely
dependent on how rare it is, or “There’s a lot at risk when you’re
how hard it is to obtain in a game. gambling in eSports. When you’re
betting on whos going to win a
Quigley said it was rather single game, you always have a
simple to translate skins to 50% chance of loss,” Quigley said.
real world money. “You’ll have those win streaks, but
you’ll also have those really bad
“There are third party websites periods you lose a bunch of mon-
ey, Greed kills you in the end.”

Despite his many positive expe-
riences, Quigley said eSports gam-
bling will never reach as many
people as other popular gambling
venues.

“There is money to be made,
but it’s not exactly reliable,”
Quigley said. “I don’t think
this type of gambling will ever
be mainstream.”

March 19, 2018 9

10 March 19, 2018

March 19, 2018 Feature 11

trending now

Disposable cameras making a comeback through new app

Luke Hutchinson | when they are taken, adding requires the picture to be that disposable cameras usu-
Online Editor randomized glitches and taken right away from the ally insert. The default stamp
streaks of light. Senior Abi- app. The random nature of sets the year to 1998 – a small
Grab your disposable cam- gail Eaton said she enjoys the the edit means the user runs detail that stands out about
eras; it’s time to party like it’s app because it saves her time a risk of having to take mul- Huji – but users can change
1998. with photo editing. tiple photos before getting it to 2018. While senior Kai-
the best take. Senior Makayla tlin Helkey appreciates the
Huji Cam is a free app that “It’s a really easy way to Archer said this makes her vintage mark, she said she
mimics the look of a Fujifilm just take a picture, and it edits pictures feel more genuine. prefers the present-day label.
Quicksnap disposable cam- it for you,” Eaton said. “I like
era. When opened, the screen the vintage look that the app “I think it adds to the thrill “It’s cool that it puts the
of the user’s smartphone gives you. You don’t have to of not knowing the outcome date in the corner like old
transforms into an analog worry about things like expo- of the picture,” Archer said. VCR-type lettering,” Helkey
camera with a small view- sure and contrast because it “It’s more realistic and said. “There’s an option to
finder. There are two ways to does that all for you.” unpredictable, which fits my stamp the year at the bottom
take photos: squint through personality.” as 1998 or 2018, but I tend to
the viewfinder, or zoom in to Unlike other available leave it 2018 because I like to
have a larger display. filtering apps, Huji does not Huji attempts to make ev- stay current with a past vibe.”
allow the user to upload ery photo feel memorable by
Huji develops pictures pictures to edit, but instead adding the classic timestamp

Kaitlyn Helkey, senior Abigail Eaton, senior

“I downloaded it and started taking “I like the 90’s look a lot, and I try to
pictures of my shoes, my cat, stuff like keep that aesthetic up on my VSCO,”
that, and it made them look really cool,” Eaton said. “I got a lot of Instagram
Helkey said. “Now everyone is using it, likes on pictures edited through HUJI,
but I still think it looks sick.” but I also get a lot of direct messages of
people asking what app I use with the
little vintage numbers on the bottom.”

Olivia Amburgy, senior Alex Martin, senior

“The trend right now is this 90’s sort “I use the app a lot to take pictures of
of style,” Amburgy said. “Kids in this my girlfriend and her friends,” Martin
current generation who may have been said. “I think that as more people use
born in like 1999 would rather go back it, it will become overused and not as
there because this generation isn’t as unique.”
good.”

Graphic by Ryan D’Souza
Photos by Luke Hutchinson

12 Feat

BEING TRACKE

Marli‘s iPhone Lexy‘s iPhone Victor‘s iPhone

6 minutes ago 2 hours ago 1 day ago

Parents’ invasive use of tracking apps causes

Lauren Serge | Staff Writer sible. cific transportation routes taken within to see where I am. I think she uses it
Junior Lylia Hyden maintains a con- the last month. to prove a point and catch me in the
As digital communication has widened, wrong.”
worries of parents have intensified. With nected location with her mother and Sophomore Marli Tabor utilizes
the development of location tracking sister and said the functions of the Life360 upon request of her mother as While Nelson believes her parent
apps, teenagers are faced with paranoia app contradict the supposed freedoms well and said the invasive features do does not consider her reliable, Hyden
as their privacy is under observation. granted once reaching the level of ma- not allow for much privacy. feels the tendency her mother has
turity associated with her generation. to track her location is driven by her
Through the Find My iPhone app, “When you download it on your impulse to worry. Hyden said she real-
senior Lexy Nelson location is con- “I feel like being tracked takes away phone, it has access to your location izes this impulse but is concerned that
stantly being shared with her mother. a lot of opportunities,” Hyden said. at all times and is constantly updating,” her mother, and other parents alike, in
Nelson explained that the app is “I don’t want to act like I’m an adult Tabor said. “They can tell where you’ve an effort to subdue this worry for her
formatted similar to a map, allowing the because I’m 16 years old, but then gone--like a recent map, what time you child, is not allowing her, and other
navigator to view where an individual is again, I am my own person, and I’m old left, and your top speed if you drive.” teenagers, to learn from encountering
located. enough to know what’s right and what’s her own obstacles and making her own
wrong for me.” For many parents, the decision to decisions.
“Everywhere I bring my phone, it download a location tracking app is
shows I’m there,” Nelson said. “The In 2008, an elevated family network- focused on the perspective of safety; “I see why my mom does it; I know
app is labeled with your number and ing app, aptly named Life360, was however, for teenagers, the purpose she’s just trying to make sure I’m safe,
name, and you can tap on it, and it’ll created. The advanced features of this seems to be centered around a sense but, kids are also going to be kids and
show you where someone is, and if application drew a larger audience, of distrust. Nelson said the motive that just want to have fun sometimes,”
they’re moving, it’ll show you where for the app records meticulous data, influenced her mother to download the Hyden said. “With a parent constantly
they are going.” including location-specific notifications app was skepticism. watching you, it’s kind of hard to live
such as arriving at the grocery store or out your teenage years and make those
The app can be linked across a fam- work. “Often, she assumes I’m lying and mistakes. We have to learn from those
ily as long as its members each have that I’m trying to get away with some- mistakes, or else, when we’re an adult,
iPhones. With the navigator in control, Life360 then stores the data for up to thing,” Nelson said. “ I can’t do half the and we encounter them, we aren’t
they are able to monitor the locations 30 days, allowing parents to reference things my friends can do because my
of the users and can decide whether or their children’s whereabouts and spe- mom is always on the phone checking
not to allow their location to be acces-

ture 13

ED “

e THEY CAN TELL WHERE
YOU’VE GONE, WHAT TIME YOU
LEFT, AND YOUR TOP SPEED

”

s concern among students

Design by Jacob Brase

going to know what to do because we house and caught, the lie took an impactful toll on easily understood when teenagers
weren’t prepared.” I’ll put it in her mailbox or her backyard her decision. realize the deeper reasonings that drive
and I’ll go somewhere else instead.” them. Nelson said the inclination to dis-
Regardless of the intention, students “My mom showed up at the friend’s approve of location tracking is merely a
concur being tracked by their parents In most cases, if users disconnect house that I was with, and she was natural part of being a teenager rather
often evokes feelings of paranoia. Ta- their location, the navigators will be really upset with me,” Hyden said. “I than a protest on safety precautions.
bor said her personal insecurity is what notified.This poses as an obstacle for wasn’t allowed to hang out with that
compels her to hold a heavy opposition many teenagers to escape from the friend for a long time after that inci- “We are going to have different
towards tracking. constant surveillance. dent.” views than our parents because we are
growing up with it,” Nelson said. “But
“It’s like when you’re driving and you “Sometimes I do turn my phone on Despite many aims to bypass the if I were a parent, I would probably be
haven’t done anything wrong, but a airplane mode so she won’t be able networking, students still recognize doing the exact same thing just to make
cop passes you, and you feel nervous- to see where I’ve been or where I’m tracking poses its advantages. sure my kid is doing what they should
-that’s how I feel with the app,” Tabor going,” Tabor said. “Right now, I’m be doing and that they’re actually safe.”
said. “Even If I’m not doing anything grounded from my car for everything Sophomore Victor Herthel was re-
wrong, I still get nervous knowing she except school or work, and a couple cently put on a Life360 family plan after While there are many struggles in
has it.”Because many students regard times recently I’ve turned it off just to receiving his license. enduring location tracking, Nelson
monitoring location as an invasion of take simple errands or take a friend said the strongest solution is learning
privacy, Nelson, and other individuals, home.” Herthel said the protection of the app to tolerate the consequences that go
often attempt to evade the software and is reasonable as its main purpose is to along with it.
mislead her parents as to her where- While typically honest with her ensure the safety of teenagers.
abouts. mother, during freshman year, Hyden “I think at some point, you have to
attempted to attend a party while still “It doesn’t really bother me that much accept that you’re not going to get
“If I ever want to get away with some- preserving her connection through the because I really don’t have anything to away with everything you want,” Nel-
thing, or if I want to hang out without app. She had informed her mother of hide,” Herthel said. “I understand those son said.”There’s an extent where, no
worrying about it, I’ll leave my phone at her legitimate location, but neglected who feel the need to pause their loca- matter how hard it is, you just need to
the place I say I’m going to be,” Nelson to notify her when she went driving at tion, but I’ve never had the urge to do let it go.”
said. “I’ll say I’m going to my friends an objectionable time. When she was it. I think it’s really beneficial especially
when it comes to safety.”

The perspectives from parents are



March 19, 2018 Feature 15

Krekeler, Tang take home ‘Gold
Key’ awards in photography

Ria Parikh | Staff Writer “Now I try to see a lot of things from Photo by Grace Tang
different angles with different lighting. “Hide and Seek”, Grace Tang’s Gold Key photo, is a portrait of sophomore Josephine Sim.
Every picture tells a story. I try to see how many variations of one
Sophomore Grace Tang and senior thing I could get in a picture.”
Stephanie Krekeler won Gold Keys in
the 2018 Scholastic Art and Writing Krekeler has also been taking pictures
awards. Gold Awards are granted to en- since she was young, and she said her
tries that qualify in the top one through inspiration for pursuing photography
five percent. came from seeing pictures in magazines
Through her photography classes, – like National Geographic – and want-
Tang said she was able to apply her ing to follow in their footsteps.
interest in taking pictures and hone her
skills to improve her work. “You see pictures in magazines and
“When I was growing up, I was you’re kind of interested; you want to
always interested in how things looked,” do that too,” Krekeler said. “In National
Tang said. “I was always taking pictures Geographic, you see people taking
on family vacations, and when I saw pictures of animals and stuff, and you’re
that (MHS) had a photography course, like, ‘I want to go there.’”
I signed up for it. There was always
something fun and interesting going “A Reach Away”, the picture Krekeler
on. I just wanted to work with that and was awarded a Gold Key for, was taken
take pictures.” with her iPhone. The photograph fea-
Two fundamental styles of photog- tures the MHS band during a concert.
raphy are portrait and landscape shots. After taking the photo, Krekeler said
Tang won her Gold Key with her first she edited the picture on a computer to
ever portrait photograph named “Hide make it eligible for the contest.
and Seek” that featured sophomore
Josephine Sim. Tang said she chose “It was when the band was up in
pictures to submit depending on their Toledo for the competition, and we
originality. were doing some character work,”
“Some qualities that I wanted to Krekeler said. “The whole show had a
include in the pictures were uniqueness, world out-of-bounds theme, so we were
something I had never really seen done reaching up to the sky and I thought it
before,” Tang said. “When I was select- was really cool, so I snapped a picture
ing the pictures, I was looking through behind a couple people, and then I went
all of the pictures I had taken in the into (Adobe) Lightroom and edited a
Photo II class, because we have different little bit.”
units such as motion, portrait and depth
of field. I realized that my portrait ones When choosing her pictures, Krekeler
were the best.” said she favors images that have an
Despite the success of her portrait overarching story beyond the page.
photo, Tang said she is more experi-
enced with landscape pictures because “There’s just so much behind it,
of the time she spends traveling. and it’s such an odd image to look at,”
“I mostly have landscape pictures Krekeler said. “You kind of wonder what
because I have done so much traveling was happening at that time. Why are
in the past year,” Tang said. “I’ve been to all these people reaching up to the sky?
New York, I’ve been to China, I’ve been You just want to know the story behind
to Chicago, I’ve been to Washington it, and that’s what I think is interesting
D.C. recently, and I feel like there was about it. You can look at it and think
just a lot more for me to work. This a million different things, and any of
picture was actually the first time I tried them could be true.”
portrait photography, and I guess it
turned out really well.” The quality of a picture does not
Paying close attention to detail is im- rely solely on the cost of the camera
portant for pictures that will be judged. that took it. Krekeler said she takes
Tang said choosing to view things from most of her pictures on her phone for
a photographer’s perspective helped convenience, but this does not deter her
her explore aspects of ordinary places from turning them into award-winning
that can be ignored by the everyday pictures.
observer.
“Before, I always took pictures from “For the longest time, I’ve been trying
where I stood: I just saw something to get a nice digital camera, but they’re
and just took a picture of it,” Tang said. really expensive,” Krekeler said. “To get
a really good photo, it’s all about light-
ing and the set-up of them all. You just
have to take those artistic principles and
apply them. You can take really good
photos on your phone, but you can also
take really bad ones. I just depends on
how you use it.”

16 Feature March 19, 2018

Increase in Percentage of Americans Viewing 100% Graphic by Ryan D’Souza
90%
podcast listeners 80% Networks
70% Podcasts
proves radio is not 60%
50% 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017
finished yet 40%
30%
Alex Lisa | Staff Writer 20%
10%
We thought video killed the radio
store, but the once-dominating field 1999
of entertainment may be making a
comeback. “Some people don’t want to have to “Radio tried to hang on for a while the precedent of lasting for a half hour,
watch their entertainment all the time,” with online radios, but I personally like or an hour, and you can pause it and
Podcasts have become the modern Boucher said. “I actually listen to the to choose what I’m listening to,” Little come back to where you left off, it is
equivalent to radio, despite only being Night Vale podcast when I do other said. “For a lot of people who listen to much easier to explore a concept. The
open to the public eighteen years ago. things, like I’ll do it instead of reading, music, they’ll make playlists, but I’ll fact that it’s accessible on our phones
The term “podcast” was used because I just lay there with my eyes closed and listen to podcasts when I’m working has let it grow.”
they were originally only available on listen to it. When I need to take a break out or when I’m home alone.”
ipod devices, but they have since spread from homework or something, when I Boucher agreed, saying that the
to the iTunes store, YouTube, and apps need to relax, podcasts help me relax In the past, Little has used podcasts thought behind a podcast is much
such as Pandora and Spotify. While more than tv shows do, because they’re for the last unit in his class, in which he more interesting to listen to than what
they are nowhere near as popular as less sensually demanding.” teaches students how to build their own makes up a typical news of sports
television shows, they have officially histories. update.
surpassed the use of radio, and viewer- Advanced Placement United States
ship is growing at an average rate of 21 History teacher Darin Little said he has “I came across the Tim and Brian “I’ve been listening to the Night
percent every five years. The reason for also grown to appreciate different pod- Knight podcasts when I was reading Vale podcast for about two years, and
this resurfacing of audio-based enter- casts and prefers them to other types of and talking to people about leadership I like the ideas behind it much more
tainment may at first seem similar to media because of their accessibility. strategies, and since we used to have a than television,” Boucher said. “The
nostalgia, according to regular viewer bit of a lull at the end of the year, I fig- podcast spends its time talking about
Wrynn Boucher, but he said the true ured I could give (the students) an op- abstract concepts. A desert community
reason is different. portunity to have a bit more personal where an outside government controls
of a project,” Little said. everything, and those inside aren’t
supposed to know, but they do. The hy-
Another teacher has found a way pothetical explanation ‘everyone must
to use podcasts in the classroom on a be mourned when they die. If someone
consistent basis. AP Spanish teacher dies and there’s no one to mourn them,
Rodney Stewart said podcasts allow his it’s assigned to a random person, which
students to have immediate access to a is why you’re sad for no reason.’ Things
means of bettering their communica- that don’t have to do directly with real
tion in another language. life because they’re clearly fiction,
but make you think about your life
“In the earlier Spanish classes, stu- anyway.”
dents improved their speaking, conver-
sation skills with listening recordings, Another reason Boucher prefers
but I think podcasts are more interest- podcasts, and thinks the idea of radio
ing for them,” Stewart said. “They’re survived through podcasts, is because
more engaging, I mean they’re meant of the potential for personalizing them.
for entertainment, and students can
use a specific podcaster to find another “A character in the Night Vale pod-
they might like listening to. Ultimately, cast is Cecil Palmer, he’s sometimes the
it gives them the option to make this a one talking ‘to’ the audience, and he
somewhat regular outlet to listen and has no finite description, like you have
learn, without being required to do it in no clue what he looks like” Boucher
the classroom.” said. “And it’s really cool, having a
character that can be any color, any
While availability plays a large part description, the emphasis is put on his
in podcasts’ popularity, what some personality. That way, everyone who
would argue is a larger factor are the listens can picture things a different
specific ideas that can be explored bet- way, and it becomes your story. That’s
ter in a podcast than in another form something I love about listening as
of media. Little said he enjoys podcasts opposed to watching. When you watch
over radio or music because of the po- something, they tell you what things
tential they have for depths in ideas. look like. But Cecil won’t look the same
to me as he does to you, Night Vale’s
¨A podcast picks an idea and goes town setting will look and feel different
into it, instead of what a lot of radio to me, no one person’s experience is the
stations do where they have a general same as any other person’s.”
topic and they branch out with it,”
Little said. “The fact that a podcast has

March 19, 2018 Sports 17

sports

1WE ARE #

Mason Swimmers Capture State Championship

The Third time is a Charm, pg. 18 A Hall of Fame coach, pg.18
Influential Freshman, pg. 19
The replacements who stepped up, pg. 19

The Dynamic Leadership Duo, pg. 18

18 Sports March 19, 2018

The Championship Season

‘18 State Champs: The leadership factor

Bloebaum, Thomas lead Comets to elusive title

Joey Deaton | Staff Writer together a state title team. Photos by Tanner Pearson
Seniors Lauren Thomas and Allison Bloebaum “Our team camaraderie last year was good but it
had stood on the state podium with their team Senior swimmers Allison Bloebaum and Lauren Thomas
twice before. However, they were displaying a dif- wasn’t great and we knew to be state champions we
ferent color: silver. had to be great,” Bloebaum said. “I think that and
After finishing runners-up in 2016 and 2017, keeping a really positive attitude throughout the
Thomas and Bloebaum led the 2018 squad, one whole year no matter the adversity.”
loaded with underclassmen talent, to a first place
team finish at the state meet. Bloebaum said that it was crucial to reinforce to
Thomas said she and Bloebaum began interact- the team that this was a team sport, and not like
ing with the team long before the season started. club competitions.
“Allison and I brought them to my house way
back in September and we told them what we “I knew that we were really going to have to drill
wanted the season to look like and how much we it into them that this is a team season,” Bloebaum
needed them,” Thomas said. said.
“And I think after last year it really showed that
we needed strong leadership and building upon “This is not something like club where you’re
what Ashley (Volpenhein) and Caroline (Wolf) had just focused on your times and your place. You’re
done, and that was really instrumental to our win.” trying to get your hand on the wall so you can get
Bloebaum added that she believed the team those points for the team and I think trying to get
chemistry had to be outstanding in order to put that into their head was really what we were try-
ing to do and I knew that every single one of those
girls on this team, no matter what age, could get to
state in all of their events. It was just getting that
mindset into them that they could.”

‘18 State Champs: The coaching factor

From no pool to a state championship for hall of fame coach

When head coach Mark Sullivan Eric Miller | Sports Editor have. Mainly it’s due to the fact that we here, because my kids all went here.
came to Mason High School there Mark Sullivan has been the girls developed the pool. It’s Kevin Costner. To say at the time 15 years ago that we
was no pool. Fifteen years later swimming coach at Mason high school If you build it, they come.” were going to be this competitive and
Sullivan led the Comets to a state for 15 years, but when he first started win there was just no way. I knew we’d
championship. coaching the Comets in 2003 there was With the development of Mason’s be competitive, but to have that dream
one glaring thing missing from the Natatorium, Sullivan said the growth of winning down the road was pretty
Mason aquatics program. There was of the program took off from there. amazing.”
no pool.
Before coaching at Mason, Sullivan “It’s really been crazy,” Sullivan said. Sullivan said every Mason swimmer
was the head coach at Sycamore High “When I first came here I joked with and coach from the past 15 seasons has
School. The competitive dynamic the kids that I used to take my own van played a vital role in the program cap-
between Mason and Sycamore has to transport the kids up to State. Now turing their first State championship.
changed quite a bit since Sullivan was between the boys and girls we’re taking
leading the Aviator swim program. between 15-18 kids per year. Within the “The win goes back to the Ashley
“The biggest issue at the time when I last ten years or so we’ve been top ten Volpenhein’s, the Zoe Thatcher’s,
was at Sycamore and we were compet- in the state, so obviously the program the Maureen Sullivan’s, the Danielle
ing against Mason, was that our JV has grown incredibly over that time.” Jansen’s of the world. I feel like every
at Sycamore used to compete against alum has played an important role in
Mason’s varsity,” Sullivan said. “They Sullivan guided the Sycamore girls stepping in this direction. I’ve heard
had a couple really strong kids but not team a state championship in 1992, from a lot of alumni that are pumped.
the volume of kids that we currently so he knew what it took to be a state I think each one of those kids and the
championship contender. All the way coaches that have been a part of the
back in 2003, he didn’t think the Com- program for those years should all
ets program could get there. have a piece of that championship.”

“There was no way,” Sullivan said. “I
was very happy to be offered the job

‘18 State Champs: The motivation factor

Runner-up finishes in back-to-back years leads Comets to State title

Eric Miller | Sports Editor in 2017 and helped the Comets get to the at the end of the 2017 campaign helped champion),” Grau said. “It didn’t really
For the Mason girls swimming team, top of the hill in 2018. Grau said captur- motivate the Comets for their State hit me at first until later. And I was like
the third time truly was the charm. Af- ing the team title in 2018 is even more championship season. ‘Oh my gosh we’re state champions.’ It
ter finishing as State runner-up to Upper satisfying after coming up short a year just feels amazing.”
Arlington in 2016 (by 10 points) and 2017 ago. “Because we were runner-ups and we
(by 16 points) the Comets captured their worked so hard to win last year,” Wall Wall echoed Grau and said that finally
elusive first team State championship by “It took much more work,” Grau said. said. “We were extra motivated to win capturing the state title was a great
45.5 points over North Canton Hoover. “We really had to try harder, train hard- this year.” feeling.
Juniors Leanna Wall and McKenzie er, we really had to step up our game.
Grau both swam on the runner-up team We had to be excited and get everyone Grau said that the feeling of standing “It was just amazing,” Wall said. “And
pumped up.” on top of the podium with her team was it showed that all of the hard work that
unmatched. we did finally paid off.”
Wall said the loss to Upper Arlington
“It’s pretty amazing (to be a state

March 19, 2018 Sports 19

The Championship Season

‘18 State Champs:

Unfinished Business

Swimmers (from left to right) McKenzie
Grau, Allison Bloebaum, Leanna Wall, Lau-
ren Thomas and Harna Minezawa were all
members of the Comets 2017 state team
that finshed runner-up to the Upper Arling-
ton Golden Bears. All five returnees played
a key role in leading the Comets to their
first team state title.

‘18 State Champs: The replacements

Two Comet swimmers step up when late scratch forces them into emergency mode

Joey Deaton | Staff Writer until the day before until Coach Sullivan the state title. I also think because our Junior Harna Minezawa and freshman
When junior Leanna Wall was told me that I was going to replace her.” team right now is so close like a family, Tiana Anchrum.
scratched from the State finals due to an it helps us get through the tough times
ankle injury, freshman Tiana Anchrum According to Minezawa, replacing a and push each other when we need it.
and junior Harna Minezawa were ready swimmer of Wall’s caliber fueled her in That’s what helped our team grow and
to replace her at the 2018 OHSAA State her performance at the state meet. do what we did at state.”
Swimming and Diving Championships.
Wall, a regular competitor in four “I felt like I had a job to do just as well After finishing in second place con-
events, played a vital role in the Comets’ as Leanna or even better,” Minezawa secutive years, Minezawa was relieved
regular season and postseason success. said. “I felt a lot of pressure and nerves after earning Mason’s first state champi-
Anchrum found out she was replacing but I think that helped me succeed at the onship in school history.
Wall less than 24 hours before state. end.”
“When we went to (state), Leanna was “It honestly feels so amazing,” Mine-
already hurt,” Anchrum said. “We had a Ever since the start of the season, Mi- zawa said. “I just remember all of us
general plan of what was going to hap- nezawa and the Comets had an all-or- crying last year and I could just feel the
pen if she couldn’t swim, but it wasn’t nothing mindset. devastation in the girls voices from get-
ting state runners up for the 2nd year
“The team effort that we put in this in a row, but this year we had different
season was tremendous,” Minezawa said. tears. It was the best feeling ever.”
“We did a lot of team bonding and prep-
aration to have our focus on winning

‘18 State Champs: The young guns

Freshman step up to score valuable points to propel Comets to championship

Bryan Hudnell | Staff Writer “Freshman-wise, we were all just trying to
support the team. We weren’t expecting to
(Left to right:) Freshman swimmers Kiana and Tiana Anchrum and Reese and The 2018 Comet swimmers were lucky do much, but then after, knowing we did
Ashley Lugbill were immediate varsity contributers for the state champion Comets. enough to have four freshmen swimmers, really well, it was great. The seniors have
two sets of twins in fact, to contribute for helped a lot. They were always supportive;
them at the state meet. they were always rooting for us.

Reese Lugbill said that the freshmen Senior Lauren Thomas said having
wanted to come in and help the team as freshmen was an advantage, as they came
much as possible. in with a fresh perspective.

“We just wanted to help our team out,” “I think we had the upper hand with
Lugbill said. “We knew they were so close having freshmen because they came in
to winning (last year), so with four of us, with not a lot of pressure,” Thomas said.
we knew we could help them be the best “After being state runners-up the past two
we could, so we went in with a good at- years and having these fresh faces com-
titude.” ing in and not knowing what it was like to
get second and just to have an expectation
Tiana Anchrum said there was an ex- to win was so crucial. Every meet it was
pectation of a title, but that she wasn’t just like ‘I’m going to touch the wall first;
expecting to be part of it as a freshmen. I’m going to get my hand there before the
girl next to me’, and it wasn’t about what
“Coming in, we all knew we were just we were at the end of last season and it
going to do fine and were probably go- was just about that meet.”
ing to be state champs,” Anchrum said.

March 19, 2018 Sports 20

BEAST MODE NUMBERS

CHRISTOPHER 3 STRAIGHT YEARS MASON
GIRLS SWIMMING HAS LED
DONATHAN THE GMC IN EVERY EVENT

43-1 RECORD ON THE 5 GAMES OF 20+ POINTS FOR
SEASON SENIOR FORWARD NOAH
PEDELTY
25 PINS
85.1 FREE THROW
STATE RUNNER UP, GMC, PERCENTAGE FOR JUNIOR
SECTIONAL & DISTRICT SAMMIE PUISIS
CHAMP AT 145 POUNDS

LED COMETS TO 48 POINT
WIN AT THE GMC MEET

PREGAME PLAYLIST MAKING SOME NOISE

CHRONICLE PACEY
CAMERA
CAUGHT YA ! NAJDUSAK

You never know when a STATS
Chronicle photographer
might be around ! 34-5 record, 12 pins

DAMIAN

SAUER

STATS

206.8 average, 279 high

Staff Photographer SADE
Tanner Pearson caught
sophomore guard Megan TUCKER
Wagner heading for the
basket in a tournament win STATS
over Beavercreek
8.7 points per game,
2.3 assists, 2 steals,
12.2 post season
points per game

NEWSWORTHY

Mason girls basketball junior guard Sammie Puisis was recently named Division I Associated Press Southwest District
Player of the Year and Ohio Division I First Team All State. Puisis is averaging 17.6 points per game, shooting 89.8% from
the foul line, 6.0 rebounds per game, shooting 44.2 % from the three point line, and averages three steals per game.

stats and rankings as of March 14

March 19, 2018 Opinion 21

Staff Editorial

to the editor Parkland shooting calls for reinterpretation
of Second Amendment

The second amendment grants citizens the right or for protecting their family, a gun is a gun, and it
to bear arms; however, it is time to re-evaluate the can have fatal repercussions if used improperly or
statute of limitations surrounding these words. irresponsibly.

On February 14, Nikolas Cruz entered his former On February 5, a report was made that Cruz had
high school, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High threatened to shoot up his school in an Instagram
School in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 students and post that featured Cruz holding guns. This report
faculty. The event unsurprisingly sparked the de- was not followed properly, which is one of the
bate of gun control and whether Congress needed many factors that allowed the Valentine’s day
to reform the regulations surrounding the topic. shooting to occur. He should not have been able to
Many argue that guns are not the problem, rather get the guns featured in his post in the first place.
the person carrying it. In that case, let’s forego
discussion about AR-15s for a moment and take a Not everyone should own a gun. While the sec-
look at Cruz’ past. ond amendment is just that, an amendment, it can
be limited without infringing on law-abiding and
In 2002, at age 3, Cruz was diagnosed as being responsible gun owners’ rights to own their gun.
developmentally delayed. It is worth noting that a The first amendment is limited. Just because citi-
delay in development as a child does not equate to zens have “free speech,” they can not shout threats
catastrophic impacts, so this alone is not enough to or post them on social media. Just because we have
say Cruz should not have been allowed to purchase “freedom of expression” does not mean we can
the murder weapon used during the Valentine’s day show up to school half naked. These are limitations
massacre; however, the red flags are far from over. that are widely accepted because they are recog-
nized to be for the good of the American public.
In August of 2012, Cruz was suspended for fight-
ing at Westglades Middle School, that school year, Not allowing people with violent and mental his-
the Washington Post reports Cruz had 26 disciplin- tories such as Nikolas Cruz’ would be for the good
ary incidents added to his record, which boils down of the American public. Whenever a tragedy such
to about three infractions a month. On January 15 as Parkland happens, we brush off the uncomfort-
of the following year, Cruz’ mother called Brounty able topic, attributing the event to mental illness
County police, reporting her son had thrown her and the shooter’s own personal issues, yet we never
against the wall after she took away his Xbox. address those issues. The fact that Cruz legally
In her report, she informed police that her son acquired the gun that was then used to murder
suffered from anger issues and ADHD. The next innocent men, women and children means some-
school year, Cruz then left Westglades and trans- thing is broken.
ferred to a school for students with emotional and
behavioral problems, the school providing psychi- The Constitution says we have the right to bear
atric services. arms, but the Constitution also says we have free
speech, yet we can not shout “fire” in a crowded
Before Cruz ever stepped foot into high school, room. The Constitution says citizens over the
he had been identified as an individual who suf- age of 18 can vote, yet convicted criminals do not
fered from mental illness and was in need of psy- enjoy this same right. For the sake of victims from
chiatric support. This does not make Cruz any less Columbine, Sandy Hook, Las Vegas, Parkland and
of a citizen or individual; however, a person with his all other lives lost at the hands of gun violence, the
disciplinary and emotional history both in and out law needs to say Nikolas Cruz and those alike can
of school disqualifies him from owning a gun. not be allowed the rights provided by the second
amendment to their fullest extent.
A gun is made to do harm. Regardless of how the
owner chooses to use it, whether it be hunting, war,

The Chronicle’s Policy

The Chronicle is the official student The Chronicle is published monthly. The Chronicle is a member of The The Chronicle Staff Online Editor Bryan Hudnell Freddie Wilhelm
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mediums. Visual Design Editor Jacob Brase Ria Parikh the Chronicle:
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Mason City School District.

22 Opinion March 19, 2018

NCAA in desperate need of change in Editorial Cartoon
regulations defining amateur status
Trump admin struggles to keep officials

Bryan Hudnell | ther their education by obtaining a he refused to demonetize his You- Athletes still should not have
Staff Writer degree; not to dribble a basketball Tube channel. If De La Haye chose contact with agents or professional
or throw a football. However, this not to reference his status as a teams, but a
The Federal Bureau of Investi- logic is thrown out the window student-athlete or depict his football
gation is currently investigating when the NCAA, a non-profit skill or ability, he keeps his scholar- player should be allowed to sign
more than 20 College Basketball organization, profits roughly a bil- ship and his channel. The question a simple autograph if their name
programs for potential National lion dollars every year and athletes that the NCAA needs to answer is is valuable. If they have put in the
Collegiate Athletic Association rule receive no compensation for it. what is harmful about something work necessary to have their signa-
violations. Schools that are under simple like a YouTube channel? ture worth a few hundred dollars,
investigation include: Arizona, The argument that student- If anything, it brings publicity to then they should be awarded for it.
Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, North Car- athletes are paid in education fails UCF and college football while also This does not hurt the quality of the
olina, Texas, Michigan State, and to recognize that the NCAA is a allowing De La Haye to be more game in anyway, and players can
University of Southern California. requirement to achieve the goals financially secure. still support themselves while they
of the top athletes. College is a pit are on campus.
To dive deeper into the report, stop for the NBA and NFL, which Notable athletes that have been
a wiretap was also discovered of both have requirements that play- investigated for receiving improper The NCAA has been accumulat-
Arizona head coach Sean Miller ers must be a certain number of benefits include Cam Newton, ing wealth at the expense of unpaid
allegedly discussing a $100,000 years out of high school. This is Reggie Bush, Dez Bryant, and A.J. labor for far too long, and enabling
payment to star prospect DeAndre only a small portion of student- Green. Bush had to give us his 2005 more lenient amateur regulations
Ayton to secure his commitment to athletes, but these are the ones we Heisman Trophy where he rushed would be a step in the right direc-
the university. hear about the most in regards to for 1,740 yards and 16 touchdowns. tion in solving that.
compensation. The NCAA tries to erase memo-
College Basketball is a mess. With rable moments in college football
scandal after scandal, it has become Sure, going overseas is an op- history as a form of punishment to
increasingly obvious that there tion for players to be paid and not these athletes that have made them
needs to be a great deal of reform suffer being broke in college, but millions in revenue.
to help avoid problems like this how many 18-year-olds do you know
from happening again and it all that would rather go to a foreign
comes down to one simple solution country and live by themselves
for not just college basketball, but than go to a college in the US? The
collegiate athletics as a whole. NCAA is the best option for many
student-athletes, and it knows it, so
The NCAA needs to redefine it continues to use student labor for
their definition of amateurism. profit.

On their website, the NCAA Another argument against paying
defines amateurism as the “bedrock players is that it would change the
principle” of college athletics and is landscape of the NCAA to include
“crucial to preserving an academic only the top sports for only a hand-
environment in which acquiring a ful of schools that can afford to
quality education is the first prior- pay such players. If the NCAA paid
ity”. By agreeing to participate in a players, it would have to pay not
collegiate sport, it is required that only men’s basketball and football,
all athletes to be certified as ama- but also women’s lacrosse and
teurs or else they can not play. men’s cross country. The idea that
compensation would have to be
The whole idea of amateurism equal throughout the entire NCAA,
is to make sure that the student- from Division I basketball to Divi-
athlete is taking care of his or her sion III rowing, is completely off
responsibilities in the classroom. the mark.
It allows them to focus on their
education instead of any potential Not all people get paid the same,
outside distractions. These distrac- and whether you like it or not, that
tions include signing an agent, is not going to change with a pos-
having contact with professional sible NCAA pay-for-play system.
teams, and accepting money from Women’s hockey is not going to
endorsers. shell out the same amount of mon-
ey that football will because they
On the surface, this logic makes make significantly less revenue.
sense. People go to college to fur-
Even if the NCAA wants to avoid
paying players salaries, they should
allow their athletes to use their own
likeness to make money. In Au-
gust of 2017, University of Central
Florida (UCF) kicker Donald De La
Haye lost his scholarship because

March 19, 2018 23

24 March 19, 2018