A Year in Review
Table of Contents 4 - Student Life 5- Editorial 6-7 Photo Spread 8- review 9- Sports 10- 13 Pop Culture 14 - Feature Story A Year in Review - Page 2
Letter for the editor Tis year has been amazing, I’ve made so many new friends, tried new things, and done so many things I would’ve never thought of. As a Freshman starting high school this year I was very unsure about how I would ft into the culture here. Now, at the end of the year I feel like I have found my place at Berlin. Tis issue is dedicated to all the people who have helped me this year, from friends to teachers. While freshman year is ending,I am excited to see how I will spend the next three years here at Olentangy Berlin. While I am ecited about the next chapters of my life its important to remember the little moments that make your year much more fun. Sincerly, Jenanii Gopinathan A Year in Review - Page 3
“I want to leave a lasting impact on students,” AP teacher Tyson Porter said. While history may seem like a tedious subject, it’s life for AP teacher Tyson Porter. Porter teaches a variety of classes AP World History, AP European History, AP Government, Sociology, World Religions, and a Self-taught AP Human Geography course. History has been a passion for Porter since college. He majored in English, History, and Education at Akron University, Mount Vernon University, and Ohio State University and then began to teach at Clintonville and coached girls’ soccer there. He soon heard about Berlin from the boy’s soccer coach there, and he later transferred to Berlin and soon began to teach AP courses at Berlin. “I wanted to be able to push kids[teaching AP courses],” Porter said. While not in the classroom he also enjoys to indulge in philosophy. He even runs a Philosophy club in Berlin afer school. “It’s the answer to everything [Philosophy],” Porter said Some of his favorite history topics are Middle Eastern History and Russian History while some of his favorite AP classes are AP Literature and AP European History. While Porter is a history teacher, he is also interested in English. Some of his other career choices would be a University professor or a writer. Students ofen describe him as a teacher who wants the best for his students and someone who takes pride in seeing his students succed. Tough his teaching methods can be seen as “mean” and “cruel” most students agree that he is a great teacher in his own way. “I really love Mr.Porter as a teacher and I’m going to miss him when he goes to Liberty. But no matter what he really lef a lasting impact on me.” Aditi Kampe ‘27 said. Porter’s biggest advice to students is to not look at high school as a college resume builder. He stresses that students should participate in the clubs and classes they are passionate about and to not take them just for college. “Don’t put so much emphasis on the classes you take. You don’t have to take 10 APs to be successful,” Porter said. Passion becomes Career Tyson Porter stands with his birthday cake. This year he turned 34 years old. photo courtesy: Sasha Makorova ‘27 A Year in Review - Page 4
If you’ve been paying attention to the news lately, you would have seen the recent controversy surrounding TikTok and the new TikTok ban implemented by the government. Many lawmakers are suspicious of the app’s ties to the Chinese government and concerns about users’ data being stolen. “Tis app is a spy balloon in Americans’ phones” that is “used to surveil and exploit Americans’ personal information,” Rep. Micheal McCaul, a Texas Republican who is a chair in the House Forgein Afairs Committee, said Saturday before the lower chamber passed the bill. However, many people see this as an unconstitutional bill because it blocks citizen’s free speech rights. Even the company has vowed to go against the bill and called it “unconstitutional”. Te company has also insisted that they have “invested billions of dollars to secure user data” and that they have kept their platform free from outside manipulation. Many small businesses also depend on this app. Small businesses that aren’t able to aford traditional ads or marketing can rely on TikTok to get the word out about their product and even get infuencers to promote their product. Even bigger corporations like Duolingo and Quizlet use TikTok to expand their audience. Tis ban will ultimately lead to the fall of these businesses and tax revenue loss for the government. TikTok can also raise awareness of events or people around the war. TikTok gives people a platform to talk about war like the confict going on in Ukraine and the Palestinian-Israel confict and to promote GoFundMe for people who need money to escape their countries, pay for their medical bills, and more. But most of all TikTok is a place of collaboration and sharing, sharing recipes for chocolate chip cookies, sharing theories about Taylor Swif’s new album, sharing a new hack for curling your hair, and sharing playthroughs of the new Fortnite update. Tis ban is something that will limit our freedom of speech and expression and it should be challenged every change it gets. Why TikTok Shouldn’t Be Banned A Year in Review - Page 5
Columbus is a beautiful city that has so many wonderful places to visit. But if you’re looking for a place with stunning scenery to do graduation photography, homecoming photos, prom photos, etc. look no further than these beautiful sites in Columbus. 1. Whetstone Park/ Park of Roses Tis park is one of the largest municipal rose gardens in the U.S. Tis gorgeous 13-acre park has over 11,000 elegant rose bushes and specialized gardens. Tis park has fve gardens the Main Rose Garden, the Heritage Garden with turn-of-the-century roses, the Earth-Kind Rose Garden, the Herb Garden, and the Perennial Garden. Te rose garden is also part of the 149-acre Whetstone Park in the Clintonville community. Tis park includes athletic felds, the Whetstone Shelterhouse, open-air shelters, and more The sun sets on these beautiful rows of roses. This is just one of the fve rose gardens that Whetstone Park has. 2. Scioto Mile Te Scioto mile has more than 175 acres of beautiful parkland stretching along the gorgeous Whitter Peninsula. You can also view the vibrant Arena District as you traverse along the area. Te Scioto Mile also goes through a system of parks like the Alexander AEP Park and the Bicentennial Park. You can also go to the Milestone 229 restaurant, the Priscilla R. Tyson Cultural Arts Center, and the Scioto Mile Fountain. The sun sets on the Whitter Peninsula nest to the Scioto Mile. The bridge also connects to the Bicentennial Park. Top Ten Places for Photography in Columbus A Year in Review - Page 6
3. Topiary Garden (Deaf School park) Located in the downtown Discovery District, the Topiary Garden Park sits where the Old Deaf School Park used to be. Te Topiary Garden is a living recreation of George Seurat’s famous post-Impressionist painting, “A Sunday Afernoon on the Island of LaGrande Jatte”. Its gorgeous ponds and beautiful bushes are a great background for your photography dreams The Topiary Garden has many beautifully shaped bushes. The Topiary Garden in Old Deaf School Park is the only public park of its kind 4. Schiller Park Schiller Park is the second largest park in Columbus City and was established in 1857. It has over 23.45 acres of green with basketball courts, Floral Displays, Gazebos, Playground, a pond, a tennis court, a walking trail, and Athletic Fields. An impressive statue of Schiller decorates the center of the park. In 1891, it was re named Schiller park after the famous German poet, Friedrich von Schiller. 5. Hayden Falls Park Hayden Falls is located in Griggs Nature Preserve and is on the West side of the Scioto River. It has a gorgeous view of the falls on its Boardwalk and overlooks that were constructed in 2006. It also has a nature Preserve and a Woods & Wildlife Area. The beautiful waterfalls of Hayden Falls cascade down a clif. Many endangered species also grow on the sides of these clifs A Year in Review - Page 7
6. Goodale Park A beautiful Victorian Village surrounds Goodale Park which is the oldest park in Columbus. Te park’s main attraction is its view of the Columbus skyline with the beautiful Scenic pond and a charming gazebo of its historic park. The sun shines down on the open green area of Goodale Park. Goodale Park is the oldest park in Columbus. 7. Sharon Woods Metro Park Sharon Woods Metro Park has a beautiful scenic lake and many stunning trees that look gorgeous during any season. It also has a mixture of forests and felds with towering oak, hickory, and beech trees. It also has a 3.8- mile loop for runners The colors of fall lighten up Sharon Woods Park. The park also contains an 11-acre lake. 8. Antrim Park Antrim Park is a 122.62-acre park surrounded by a nice lake and the Olentangy Greenway Trail that can be used for running, walking, biking, or skating. Its also has some great facilities like the Antrim Shelter House and Athletic Facilities like Athletic Fields, basketball courts, Pickleball Overlays, and a lighted Tennis Court Boys play around in the water as the sun sets. The park is even open until 11 pm A Year in Review - Page 8
9. Kelton House Museum & Garden Te Kelton House Museum & Garden was built during the Victorian Era and incorporates elements of the Greek Revival and Italianate styles and was also part of the underground Railroad. Te Kelton house ofers house tours, educational opportunities, and venue options. The Kelton house still stands since 1852. It was mostly known for being a safe place on the underground railroad. 10. Chadwick Arboretum Chadwick Arboretum is an extensive green reserve located within the 1,600 acres of Te Ohio State University main Campus in Columbus Ohio. Te scenery there is beautiful and is perfect to take pictures in. The Bloch Cancer Survivors’ Plaza exemplifes one man’s campaign to celebrate life while fghting cancer. It was built thanks to a $1 million gift from Richard and Annette Bloch. A Year in Review - Page 9
Are you a fan of shows like Bridgerton or movies like Pride or Prejudice? If so, the Movie Little Women is a good ft for you. Released in 2019 and written and directed by the director of the Barbie movie Greta Gerwig, Little Women is based on the popular book from the 1860s about the lives of the 4 March sisters. Told from the perspective of Jo (Saoirse Ronan) who is the second oldest sister, she tells the story of her sisters Amy( Florence Pugh), Meg ( Emma Watson), and Beth (Eliza Scanlen) who are determined to live life on their own terms. Tis classic story occurs during and afer the Civil War in Concord Massachusetts. During the movies we see the sisters bond together through plays, parties, and making friends like Laurie (Timothee Chalamet) who catches eyes for Jo and also gets to know each sister and their ambitions. Te oldest sister Meg is responsible and creative, Beth is musical and kind, the youngest Amy is a creative painter and Jo is a creative writer which creates confict between Jo and Amy. However diferent life events cause the sisters to separate and the story switches from the present and the past throughout the whole movie. Tis movie is comforting and emotional while grappling with the issues of growing up, money, and love. Te diferent places in the movie are reminiscent of movies like Pride and Prejudice and other emotional historical pieces. It’s also interesting to see how the sisters difer from each other, while Meg falls in love and marries Laurie’s tutor (James Norton) knowing she will lead a poor lifestyle, Amy is more mindful of the economic consequences of marriage and Jo rejects marriage altogether. Overall the movie was beautiful and sweet while still captivating viewers’ attention and interest in the plot. Tis is a great movie to watch with family, friends, or on your own. I’d give this movie fve out of fve stars for the impact its had on me as a viewer and for the plot. Little Women Stirs Emotions A Year in Review - Page 10
While Berlin ofers a large variety of extracurricular sports and activities, for some athletes, wrestling is their favorite sport. Led by Coach Kasser, the Girls Wrestling Team continues to have a strong 23-24 season. “I really like the team and the environment,” Rebecca Endeshaw ‘27 said, Te team recently won 32-30 in its meet against the Olentangy Braves. Te girls give their teammates encouragement from the sidelines as the matches go on. Te upperclassmen and the freshmen work together to create a positive environment where everyone can thrive despite the diferent skill levels of the team. “Wrestling has been a great way for me to get stronger and learn self-defense skills. It’s also really fun,” Endeshaw said. Te team trains together every day with drills, new maneuvers, and weightlifing. Te team also has its own set of traditions. While doing jumping jacks, the team will spell out “WRESTLERS ARE GREAT” and give each other a claws-up afer their jumping jacks. “It [wrestling] means a lot because I learn life skills while having fun,” Gargi Uskaikar ‘27 said , another freshman wrestler on the team. With only one month of the season lef, wrestlers start to set goals for the end of the season. Some wrestlers just want more pins and some are focused on trying to advance to regionals or states. “I hope to get three more pins by the end of the season,” Endesahw said. While wrestling can get competitive, the team ultimately sticks together and forms a great friendship. “My favorite thing about wrestling is the friends I have made who are like family,” Uskaikar said. Wrestling Team Spreads Positivity The girls wrestling team stands together for a team photo. Four girls on the team were able to make it to pre-reigonals and Chole Tompkins ‘25 qualifed for states. A Year in Review - Page 11
Hello and welcome back! Today I will be talking about one of the most beloved book-to-movie adaptations, the Hunger Games Trilogy. Fans of the franchise love the actors, costumes, plot, set, and visual design of the movies, and with the recent reinvigoration of the fanbase afer the new Hunger Games movie the franchise has only gotten bigger. 1. Te Cast One of the most praised decisions of the flmmakers was the casting of the main characters Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) as well as other characters like Gale (Liam Hemsworth). Teir likeness to the book characters is uncanny and the actors put a lot of efort and passion into playing these characters. Tis passion made the acting natural and fun to watch. For example, the actor for President Snow (Donald Sutherland) wasn’t originally cast as President Snow until he wrote a letter to the director of the flm Gary Ross to convince him to cast him. Tis kind of dedication to their characters really sets the flm apart. You can read his full letter here Other actors like Elizabeth Banks who played Efe Trinket, Stanley Tucci as Ceaser Flickerman, and Woody Harrelson as Haymitch also put on astounding performances and brought the comedy and heart to the movie. 2. It stayed true to the source material Another thing that fans liked about this adaptation was how much it stuck to the source, unlike other book adaptations like Percy Jackson and the Olympians. While some plot points were changed like Peeta’s leg being bitten of and replaced with a prosthetic one, and how Katniss got her mockingjay pin, the importance of other side characters was toned down, and some aspects of the plot were changed. However, the movie still keeps the heart and soul of the story throughout the flm. Te movie even adds some additional scenes that enhance the story and the message, like the added President Snow scenes. Scenes like the reaping ceremony and the actual scenes in Te Hunger Games were executed well and brought a clear understanding of the characters and the Capitol to show what our world could come to. 3. Te Message Can Still Be Applied To Real-Life Te ultimate message of Te Hunger Games was trying to refect what humanity was willing to do to exert and gain power and how far we are willing to go with “entertainment”. Tings like survival reality shows really show how close we as a species are to a real-life Hunger Games. Some things in the movie can also be in real life. For example, the extravagant outfts that citizens of the capitol wear throughout the movie can be seen being worn by celebrities at galas and high social events. Te movies also serve as commentary on how people in places of power can corrupt generations upon generations. With propaganda and misinformation on the rise in our world, these things can control how we think and act. Katniss sparks a revolution Overall the Hunger Games movies and books have inspired a generation of readers and viewers to be rebellious and smart about the world around them. It showed them how much humanity is willing to survive and stay on top at the expense of other people. Tese movies do a great job of porThree Reasons the Hunger Games Were a Great Book Adaptation A Year in Review - Page 12
Celebrities pose for the cameras on the Met Gala red carpet. Many celebrities have been underfre for their “insensitivity” to other less well of people. Credits: gettyimages Hunger Games stars smile for a picture together. The series won nine MTV awards and nine People’s choice awards A Year in Review - Page 13
Te war in Gaza rages on a new war on the internet seems to be appearing just as quickly. Afer the 2024 Met Gala, many people on the internet have been blocking celebrities who haven’t been showing support for Palestine. Celebrities like Zendaya and Lana del Ray have been under fre for their silence. TikToker HayleeBaylee has also been under fre for a TikTok video she posted at the Met Gala with the sound “Let them eat cake” which was seen as insensitive to the people who are currently starving in Gaza. “I feel terrible for the people of Palestine, they’re starving, have no access to clean water, and no one is paying attention to them. Celebrities with big platforms should be using them to bring attention to this genocide,” said Aditi Kampe ‘27 . Many people have started creating celebrity block lists. Tese lists contain celebrities who haven’t spoken or donated about or to Palestine. Tese celebrities include Lana del Ray, Taylor Swif, Bad Bunny, Beyonce, and more. “It’s hard to block them but this is the only way they’ll listen. While they’re going to parties that cost thousands of dollars while people in Palestine are sufering,” said Tanvi Velivela ‘27 Some Celebrity blocks have worked. Afer many people started blocking Lizzo, an American rapper and singer, the singer began posting about the war in Gaza and asking people to donate money to the cause. However, other people are bashing celebrities for coming in too late. “While I think it’s nice, that celebrities are fnally paying attention to the war, Tey’re months late when they could’ve done something in the beginning,” said Abhinaya Rajan ‘27. However, many other celebrities are speaking up about Palestine. Celebrities like Gigi Hadid and Pedro Pascal have been showing their support front the beginning. Rapper Macklemore has also spoken out and released a song called “Hind Hall” about how people should pay attention to the genocide in Palestine. “It’s time for the people to conduct what I want to call a ‘digital guillotine.’ A ‘digitine,’ if you will,” said TikTok creator @ladyfromtheoutside, who kicked of the movement with her viral video. “It’s time to block all the celebrities, infuencers, and wealthy socialites who are not using their resources to help those in dire need. We gave them their platforms. It’s time to take it back, take our views away, our likes, our comments, our money.” Viral TikToker HayleyBaylee poses on the red carpet. This outft and her viral video caused lots of contreversy all over social media. cresdits to NBC News/Getty Images. Celebrities Are On the Digital Guillotine A Year in Review - Page 14
Ikea Captures Consumer’s Attention Furniture is a staple in any home, and theres no better place to buy it than the most well known furniture store in the country; Ikea. Ikea is a Scandinavian chain selling ready-to-assemble furniture, plus textiles, lighting & home decor. Its blue and yellow color scheme is instantly recognizable and iconic. Te frst U.S store opened in 1985 and soon took the world by storm. Its easy to assemble furniture quickly gained popularity along with its stunning showrooms. I’ve always been a huge fan of Ikea, since the age of fve I’ve loved walking around the vast showrooms of Ikea and meticulously looking at each setup. If you’re anything like me when I was a kid, my favorite thing to do was pretend I was actually living in the showroom, from pretending to cook in the kitchens to playing in the bedrooms. Even as i’ve grown up, I can still appreciate the beauty and detail that these showrooms are. However, some people may not apreciate how large Ikea itself is, its easy to get lost while shopping but there are always helpful arrows and maps to help you navigate the store. Another amazing thing about Ikea is the food. Whenever my family and I shop at Ikea we always start of with a meal from the restaurant. I personally love the plant balls and the veggie balls that they serve. Teir desserts are always amazing too and the atmosphere is always really nice. Ikea’s atmosphere has always felt very welcoming and unique, its something you wouldn’t get at your typical American store. From the Swedish words on all the furniture, the pictures of Sweden on the walls, and some of the design choices of the furniture which helps customers feel calmer and more inclined to buy items. Another thing that helps with their sales is the layout of their store. As a kid, walking through Ikea felt like one big adventure from the entrance to the exit. With all the showrooms being on the top foor and the warehouse with all the furniture being on the bottom foor, customers are more likely to look through all the furniture and buy more instead of just coming to buy a specifc product. While some people think Ikea furniture is hard to assemble I think the instructions are pretty clear and easy to understand. To this day one of my favorite things to do is help my dad assemble Ikea furniture. Ikea’s furniture is well made and durable compared to other furniture from other stores. One of the things I like about Ikea is how their furniture feels modern but not too modern to the point where it doesn’t look like it belongs in a home. Overall, Ikea is defnitely one of my favorite places to shop. From the furniture, the food, and the store itself it defnitely deserves the popularity it has. I would give Ikea a 5/5. A Year in Review - Page 15