The student news publication of Walnut Hills High SchoolVolume CX, Issue 8 Friday, February 5, 2016

Inside this issue

Pep rally, page 2

#OscarsSoWhite, page 3

Men’s Basketball, page 4

Couple Goals, page 5

Overtures, page 6

The Buckeye State Blues

96% of students ac-cepted into The Ohio State University are in the top of their class.

From 2009-2014, the acceptance rate to OSU has de-creased by < 10%

of students accepted into Miami University are out-of-state res-idents The average ACT score

for Miami University is a 28

Ohio University’s average GPA for ad-mitted applicants is a 3.43.

15,491 stu-dents were ad-mitted to Ohio University in 2014: 74% of appli-

most selective

From 2009-2014, the ac-ceptance rate for Miami has

decreased by < 12%

The national average acceptance

rate for all universities is

55.5%

Between 1980 and 2012, college enroll-ment rates have gone

from 26% to 41% of the population

49.5%

10%Decision rate (75%) is higher than its Regular

Decision rate (65%).

Miami University’s Early

The

public university in Ohio is Ohio State

University

25%

Ohio public universities are easier for students to af-ford, but are becoming harder to gain admission into

Lunch Issues, page 7

The least selective public university in Ohio is The University of Akron.

The minimum GPA require-ment for University of Cin-cinnati’s DAAP program is a

3.0.36% of the

students admitted to University of

Cincinnati enroll.

GPA student strugglesNick Robertson, ‘19

As many students get their graded exams back this week, many see this time as one to reflect on the first semester. Grades have been finalized, GPAs updated, and that has caused mixed emotions around the school. GPA, or grade point average, is a sign of how well an individual is currently doing in school, averaging all of their grades together into one number. GPA determines class rank, which is how good a GPA is in a class, compared to other students’; the higher a GPA, the higher a class rank. A lot of Walnut students, especially younger ones, are still confused about GPAs and the class rank system. Many students, like Essaye Tekia ‘20, believe that the current system of information from resources like Powerschool is inadequate; “We don’t have the infrastruc-ture available [to be informed] and have to

ask teachers [about class rank and GPA].” Most other interviewed students, like John Owens ‘21,say they don’t even know how to calculate their GPAs, or access their class rank. Carlo Bronzi ‘21 says, “[There is] not enough information or explanation given to easily calculate your GPA, especially for Jr. High students.” Currently there is no way to access your class rank information for a stu-dent, forcing them to have to ask a teacher or counselor. Sam Hoover ‘17, “Frankly, it sucks, the system sucks.” One easy solution to this problem is education and implemen-tation of tools and resources into well-used sites like Powerschool, Blackboard, and the school website to inform and educate stu-dents about their class ranks. A simple tool could easily be implemented and would be much appreciated by Walnut students. GPA, however can be seen on Power-school.

How to access your GPA onlineAugusta Battoclette, ‘17

1. Go to <powerschool.cps-k12.org> and login with your username and pass-word.2. Scroll down until you see Student Dashboard on the left side of the screen and click it.3. Your screen should now say Open Stu-dent Dashboard. Click the link, which should open a new tab that takes you to your CPS Dashboard.4. Click Open Playbook Student Profile. This should take you to a page titled Play-book Student Portrait.5. Scroll down the page until you find the GPA section, which should display what yours is.

This is one way to find your GPA. The best way to find it out is to meet with your counselor and have them print out your transcript, which has your final grades for every class you’ve taken at Wal-nut, along with your weighted and un-weighted GPA, class rank and the num-ber of credits you have.

PHOTO COURTESY VINCENT PAOLO VILLANO

OHIO: JOHN WOLANIN/THENOUNPROJECT.COM

Infographic by SENIOR Alexandra Berding, Augusta Battoclette, ‘17 and Matthew Youkilis, ‘19

HANNAH BUNDSCHUH/CHATTERBOX

All inforgraphic information fron:<http://www.collegessimply.com><http://www.miamioh.edu><http://www.osu.edu><http://www.ohio.edu><http://www.uc.edu>

Walnut’s spirit shines at the pep rally

Hali Lanier, ‘ 17Pavan Yaddanapudi, ‘17 Cheers erupted Fri., Jan. 29 as grades 9-12 rallied the Men’s var-sity basketball team into the winter pep rally just ahead of their win against Withrow that night. SENIOR Nate Smith, ‘16 led the pep rally, eliciting energy from the stands. The first activity was a dance competition that pitted the SENIORS against the junior and freshman classes. In both rounds, the SENIORS swept the competi-tors with their exceptional dance moves and won the event. Following the dance competi-tion, an obstacle course took place with participants from various classes. The course involved spin-ning around a golf club, chang-ing into swimwear, and knocking down bowling pins sequentially. Yet again, the SENIORS con-quered the event leaving fellow

contenders trying to make a last stand. The pep rally is a great way to generate hype for Walnut’s sports program as evidenced by spirit week. Spirit week brought both recognition and student involve-

ment to sports through a school-based initiative. The themes for the week were Beach Monday, Twin Tuesday, USA Wednesday, Eagle spirit Thursday and Class Color Friday. This was a change from pre-vious spirit weeks when Class Col-or day was on Thursday and Eagle

Spirit day was on Friday. The deci-sion to do this created a uniformity among classes and presented more intensity to the event as classes came together to acknowledge and commend the sports program. As with the high school pep rally, Junior High got a chance to participate in their own. It was held in the Junior High gym, and incorporated activities similar to events held in the high school pep rally. However, one unique aspect of the Junior high pep rally was that it was led by Walnut’s first ever 7th and 8th grade Nut House, created by Mr. Brokamp. A dance competition was held, along with a round of Knockout and a Do It Like Me challenge. A presenta-tion of the winter sports teams was included alongside the scheduled competitions. Many students participated in the spirit week. Tor Vaz, ‘17 said, “ It gives a chance for students to

get more involved and participate in fun things like that.” Vaz went along to say “ Some people dress in what they like and it gives them a chance to express themselves.” The spirit not only reached the upper-classmen, but brought forth a lot of school pride in the underclass-men as well. When asked what she liked about spirit week, Heather Cochran ‘19 said “People can do it, and there’s a certain theme that you and your friends can do.” Additionally, students advocat-ed for minor changes in for spirit week. Some suggestions were for a random day on which students choose any outfit to wear and a group dress day which differs from the twinning day as it includes more than two individuals. Spirit week is a great way to bring the student body together and shed light on all of the great winter sports happening here at Walnut.

SENIOR Nick Barnett ‘16 leads his team in the obstacle course. He sends a ball down the court, aiming it for the bowling pins at the end. LOGAN WALTERS/CHATTERBOX

“Some people dress in what they like and it gives them

a chance to express themselves.” Tor Vaz, ‘17

The men’s varsity basketball team sprint onto the court as the crowd cheers them on, ahead of their senior night basketball game. They run through a tunnel formed by the girls’ varsity cheer leading squad.

LOGAN WALTERS/CHATTERBOX

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The Chatterbox has been guar-anteed the right of freedom of the press through the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. The administration of Walnut Hills High School is thus bound to sup-port and protect the Chatterbox’s inalienable rights as a free press. As an integral part of the Walnut Hills High School community, the Chatterbox has the responsibility to report in the most comprehensive and objective manner possible. Students, parents, faculty, and administrators

are encouraged to use this publication as a forum to express any ideas or con-cerns, whether they be personal or of local, national, or international scope. Journalists are required to work un-der established guidelines. Invasion of privacy as a means of news gathering is prohibited. Articles found to be dis-criminatory, libelous, or unnecessarily obscene (as determined by the editors or the advisor) will not be published. Finally, journalists are granted the right to keep private the name of a source from whom they received informa-

tion with the understanding that the source was to remain anonymous. The role of the newspaper advisor will be to provide counsel and criticism pertaining to the newspaper’s content and production. Although both the advisor and the administration hold certain powers regarding the Chatter-box, both must respect the paper’s au-tonomy. No student shall be prevent-ed from joining the staff on the basis of sex, race, creed or national origin.

The Chatterbox Policy Statement

The Chatterbox Editorial StaffIsaac Stephani,

Managing Editor of News and Features

Maddy Fixler, Managing Editor of Student Life

Avery Samuels, Managing Editor of Opinions

Augusta Battoclette, Managing Editor of Design

Luke Warren, Managing Editor of Photography

SARAH DAVIDOFF, ‘13

Swede Moorman, Business Manager

Lela Robinson, Video Content Manager

Pavan Yaddanapudi, Online Content Manager

Samantha Gerwe-Perkins, Adviser

Dawn Wolfe, Adviser

Alexandra Berding, Editor-in-Chief

Avery Samuels, ‘16

All 20 actors and actresses nomi-nated in the leading or supporting role categories in the 2016 Acad-emy Awards are white. This is the second year in a row no people of color were nominated. Twitter is angry––the hashtag #OscarsSoW-hite took over the internet on the nomination release date, and has continued to trend. “[The fact] that this has hap-pened two years in a row is very statistically improbable if the Os-cars were inclusive and represen-tative,” SENIOR Mouhamadou Guisse said. “Accomplishments of all people should be recognized. Give credit where credit is due.” However, not everyone feels the same way. There is also a large number of people who feel that the Oscars are already inclusive enough, and that the racial discrep-ancy is a coincidence. “If they thought that a white ac-tor was better for their talent rather than their skin color, then they deserved to win,” Evan Bond, ‘18,

said. “If the actors are nominated for skill and prowess then whoever wins deserves to win.” By definition, (the majority of ) the actors nominated are talented. However actors of color are often equally talented. Why, then, have there been no actors of color nomi-nated in recent years? The answer might lie in the demographics of the Academy itself. “[The Academy] is dominated by 6,000 white males,” Brian Swee-ney, who teaches Film Techniques and Analysis, said. “Hence the films [nominated] do not reflect society’s diversity.” To be specific, out of the more than 6,000 Oscar voters, 94% were Caucasian, 77% were male, and voters had a median age of 62 according to a 2012 survey by The Los Angeles Times. This much is true: diversity is good. It makes things more inter-esting and more representative. Al-though the lack of racially diverse nominees can be in part attributed to the homogeneity of the Acad-emy, the problem extends beyond

the Oscars. On Sept. 20, Viola Davis won the Emmy for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series. She was the first non-white winner. In her accep-tance speech, she said, “The only thing that separates women of col-or from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles

that are simply not there.” Plus, the roles that are there often lack depth. Rarely does one see a protagonist of diverse race, gender, and sexuality without the film being entirely focused on their diverse traits, and when a person of color isn’t the protagonist they are usually thrust to the side and cast in a shallow, archetypal role.

#OSCARSSOWHITE “Because there is so little di-versity in the writer’s rooms, both in gender and race, regular movies such as Grown Ups ends up casting an entirely white cast and throw-ing Chris Rock in there so they don’t look racist,” SENIOR Austin Lamewona said. “Movies have a lot bigger effect than people realize. [They have] a huge influence on kids. If, for example, a little Afri-can American girl grows up only seeing people who look just like her in positions like ‘the black best friend,’ and never in high-ranking positions like doctors, she is going to be subconsciously unaware that she can be high-ranking as well.” The people want representa-tion. #OscarsSoWhite proves that. Furthermore, this deficit of diverse representation is solvable, but it will take a major shift in the way Hollywood operates. Alumna Zoe Cheng graduated in 2015. She currently attends the University of Southern California, where she is studying screenwrit-ing. USC is famous for its Holly-wood alumni.

“This problem is so much big-ger than the [#OscarsSoWhite],” Cheng said. “The Academy cannot nominate actors of color if there are no actors cast in these award season roles. The media has a huge impact on our lives––we watch movies to figure out how to do things. As a writer, I diversify because I want to. I want to change what movies are like.” In order for there to be increased representation in the media, Hol-lywood as a whole must reform its practices. Writers and directors must be more open to diversify-ing their casts. Movies and televi-sion shows must diverge from the typical “white guy” protagonist that audiences are sick of, if #Os-carsSoWhite is any indication. The Academy has already vowed to add new young, non-white members to their voting body and to nominate less homogenous films next year. Clearly change is happening, and will keep happening as Cheng and other filmmakers who share her vision become part of the in-dustry.

“Accomplishments of all people should be

recognized. Give credit where credit is due.”

SENIOR Mouhamadou Guisse

Do you think Leonardo DiCaprio will win an Oscar this year?

Walnut’s 2016 Oscar predictions

Best PictureGrades 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 & 12: The Martian

Best ActorGrades 7 & 8: Matt Damon The MartianGrades 9, 10, 11 & 12: Leonardo DiCaprio,The Revenant

Best ActressGrades 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 & 12: Jennifer Lawrence, Joy

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Grades 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 & 12: Sylester Stallone, Creed

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Grades 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 & 12: Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Best Visual Effects

Grades 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 & 12: Star Wars

YesNoI don’t knowWho?

Two classes from every grade were randomly chosen to participate in a survey regarding personal predictions, awareness and opinions on the 2016 Oscars. The statistics below in no way represent The Chatterbox’s opinions. DISCLAIMER: Two nominees names were misplaced and not included on the original survey: Micheal Fassbender, Steve Jobs and Christian Bale, The Big Short.

How aware are you of the Oscars controversy?

Do you think the Oscars need to be more inlusive?

Very awareSomewhat awareNot very awareNot aware at all

YesNoNeutral

Augusta Battoclette, ‘17Avery Samuels, ‘16

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“Affirmative action does not yield good results. Forcing diversity with the Oscars will lead to drawing at-

tention to bad movies.”Anonymous

SHOOTING FOR STATE:MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM

For More Info:

2503 Norwood AveCincinnati, OH 45212Phone: 513-351-7768Site: ThePetSpot.comMon - Fri: 7am to 7pm

Sat: 8am to 6pmSunday: 10am to 6pm

Aaron Espelage, ‘18

“I believe we’re going to win every time we lace ‘em up” said basketball coach Ricardo Hill. Hill is as confident as ever, coming off of a 24 point victory over Withrow High School at home. The Walnut Hills High School men’s Varsity basketball team is 13-4 for the entire sea-son and 10-1 in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference. The team is in first place in the ECC and Hill believes that they could be contenders for the state title. The last time Walnut’s basketball team was this talented was three years ago, when they finished third in the 2013 State Tournament. This year, the 17 players on the team are younger than those in some previous years. “Whoever competes the hardest gets to play, and typically 12 guys see the floor,” Hill said. Abba Lawal, ‘19, is nearly seven feet tall, Lawal is in his second year in the U.S. (coming from Nigeria), and his first year at Walnut Hills High School (coming from Clark Montessori High School). “Abba is still learning the game but he has a chance to be the best ever to have come out of this school,” Hill said. Hill has high praise for all of his players: “Everyone is really unselfish this year.”

Hill coaches with a team first approach and does not tolerate selfish play. “It’s all about being a team, even if you’re not playing, you have the goal to help the team,” Hill said. The day after the team defeated With-row by a score of 59 to 35, they traveled to play La Salle High School for a game outside of the conference. Walnut fell to LaSalle High School with a final score of 79 to 44. “That’s what can happen with a young team, inconsistency can occur.” Hill is not looking into the loss that much: “Sometimes you just have to tip your cap to the other team… they were lights out, I don’t think they missed a shot.” Hill is now focused on winning the conference and defeating Milford, the team’s next opponent. One of the team’s more experienced players is Michael Davenport, ‘17. Dav-enport has been on the Varsity team since his freshman year and sees poten-tial in the young team around him. “We are still reaching our full potential and the more we play, the more we come together as a team,” Davenport said. He has felt the pressure of winning ev-ery season and this year is no different. “Every year I’ve become more comfort-able with the pressure and our attitude of winning has never changed,” Daven-

port said. He thinks well of the younger players: “Having a balanced front court and back court mixed with the play of Abba, is really helping us.” Not only is Davenport happy with the team this season, he believes Hill and the coaches are doing a great job preparing them for games this year. “The coaching staff has

SENIOR A.J. Fletcher and Corey Davis, ‘18, go up for a rebound in the game last Friday against Withrow High School. Omari Peek, ‘18, waits for a pass from his teammates. Peek scored seven points during the game, and the Eagles defeated the Tigers with a final score of 59 to 35.

prepared us well with film and pre-game scouting.” The team is focused on the conference championship, the tournament, and on their upcoming opponents. Hill wants his young team to thrive coming into the tail end of the season and Davenport believes they have what it takes.

ISABELLA PITTMAN/CHATTERBOX

KELLI STEWART/CHATTERBOXAt the Eastern Cincinnati Conference Championship at Anderson High School on Jan. 24, the Walnut Hills High School men’s and women’s swim teams had 21 swimmers place in the top five in every one of the 48 events. The men’s team placed second and the women placed third overall against Turpin High School, Anderson High School, Glen Este High School, Kings High School, Loveland High School and Milford High School. Above, swimmers compete at SENIOR Night on Jan. 30 at Walnut Hills High School. To read more about the triumphs of the swim teams, visit <www.whhscbox.com>.

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Hollywood heats up with love for V day

Katie Chase, ‘16

Valentine’s Day is just another day for those who are single. We spend the day hang-ing out with our other single friends, if we have any, or watching Netflix and indulging in chocolate ice cream and pizza. On Valen-tine’s Day and the whole month leading up to it we are constantly reminded of the fact we are single every time we walk into Kroger, Target or Walmart. The first thing you see is the great big Valentine’s section filled giant teddy bears, chocolate hearts, flowers and other little gifts for that special someone. As someone who has been single every Valentine’s Day, except for one (it was first grade, he took me on a date to Frisch’s….you could say things got pretty serious), I am here to help you get through this day with some tips: 1. Know that you are not the only one who is single and experiencing “Single’s Awareness Day.” 2. Love your singleness––take a mo-ment to think about all the benefits of being single… you don’t have to buy anyone else gifts or figure out something special to do for your bae. According to a statistic from

Single on Valentine’s Day?

Keegan Sullivan, ‘17

Ozzy & Sharon Osbourne These two have been the head of the tab-loids since the 70s. But through the physical fights with one and other, Ozzy Osbourne trying to murder Sharon Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne’s attacks on Ozzy Osbourne’s bands during performances and more, they’ve stayed together through it all. They truly are a ride or die couple. Married since July 4, 1982, this rockstar and his wife have two children together, Jack and Kelly. Ozzy Osbourne is a singer, with hits like Crazy Train, War Pigs and Paranoid. Sharon Os-bourne is a manager, talk show host, talent show judge and author.

Neil Patrick Harris & David Burtka Famous for their adorable Instagram pictures and creative Halloween costumes, these two have been married since Sep. 16, 2014, and together since 2004. A surrogate gave birth to their two children, Harper and Gideon. These five year-old twins are a huge part in the lives of both “Daddy” and “Papa.” Burtka proposed to Harris about nine years ago, and a year later Harris proposed back on Valentine’s Day. Harris is famous for his role as Barney on How I Met Your Mother and his new television show Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris. Burtka is a famous chef and actor, who guest starred on How I Met Your Mother as Scooter (Lily’s high school boyfriend).

David & Victoria Beckham These two got married July 4, 1999. They met at a charity soccer match in 1996 and have been in love ever since. They have four children, Brooklyn Beckham (16), Romeo (13), Cruz (10) and Harper (4). The family lived in what the media called “Beckingham Palace” in Hertfordshire for 15 years, until they moved into London. David Beckham was a very famous soccer player for 20 years, winning many awards and playing for seven different teams. He is now a model, well known for his Calvin Klein ads. Victoria Beckham is very busy as well as a singer Posh Spice, businesswoman, fashion designer and model. Even with their busy schedules, they manage to stay together.

Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie Brangelina has been one of the most adored couples since 2005, falling in love on the set of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Pitt had been engaged to actress Gwyneth Paltrow and married to actress Jennifer Aniston, then left Aniston for Jolie. Jolie had pre-viously been married as well to Jonny Lee Miller, then Billy Bob Thorton, but eventu-ally Pitt and Jolie found each other, marry-ing on Aug. 23, 2014. Jolie adopted three children from various countries by herself for different reasons; they were later also ad-opted by Pitt. They also have three biologi-cal children. Jolie is an actress, filmmaker and humanitarian. Pitt is an actor and pro-ducer. Both have received Academy Awards, making them ultimate relationship goals.

Will & Jada Pinkett Smith These actors got married Dec. 31, 1997. They have two children together, Willow and Jaden. Will Smith is famous for roles in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Focus, In-dependence Day, Hitch and Men in Black. Jada Pinkett Smith is known for roles in Go-tham, Magic Mike XXL, Madagascar 1,2 and 3 and The Nutty Professor. Using their considerable platforms, they’ve recently led the Oscar’s boycott. The Smiths have said they will not attend nor watch the Oscars this year. Like many famous couples, there have been a lot of rumors about their rela-tionship but they’re still going strong.

Ellen Degeneres & Portia De Rossi Easily the most famous lesbian couple, Degeneres and De Rossi have been togeth-er for 12 years. They met backstage at an awards show and have been together since 2004. After gay marriage was legalized in California, these lovebirds tied the knot in Aug. 16, 2008. However, not even their lovely wedding photos could uphold the gay marriage law, and it was overturned Nov. 5, 2008. But all marriage licenses previously issued continued to be valid. Degeneres and De Rossi are still married and living togeth-er, with no kids in their future according to Degenres and De Rossi, but a lot of pets and a lot of love.

Barack & Michelle Obama The most presidential power couple, these impressive people have been together since 1989. They both graduated from Harvard Law School and ended up at the same law firm in Chicago. Michelle Obama had just had her last year as an associate and was as-signed to mentor a new associate from Ha-waii, the one and only future president of the U.S. They clicked right away and the rest was history. He ended up asking her out and taking her for ice cream. They dated for three years and married Oct. 3, 1992 (which later became Mean Girls day). They have two daughters, Malia and Sasha, and a dog named Bo.

Beyonce Knowles & Jay Z Carter Jay Z married Beyonce on April 4, 2008. They have a daughter, the famous Blue Ivy Carter, who turned four Jan. 7, 2016. One of the most famous couples in music and Hol-lywood, Carter and Knowles consistently cover the media. Although their true meet-ing is veiled, they met through the music scene some time between 1997- 2000. For the first few years, they kept their relation-ship private while going to events together and producing/performing duets very often. Their marriage was intimate and in Carter’s apartment. They handled Knowles’ preg-nancy in the same way, frequently denying and hiding it.

Prince William & Duchess of Cambridge The royal couple, married April 29, 2011, have been a power couple around the world for years. Their wedding at Westminster Abbey was star-studded and broadcast live. The couple has been making headlines ever since, bringinging babies Prince George and Princess Charlotte into the world. Prince William and Princess Kate met at St. An-drews University and dated for a few years, breaking up for a few months before regret-ting their decision and they fell back into each other’s arms. Oct. 2010, Prince Wil-liam secretly proposed to the duchess in Kenya with his late mother Princess Diana’s wedding ring. They now live happily as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Taylor Swift & Calvin Harris Swift and Harris’ relationship started out away from the public eye. Their secret romance was brought forward to the public in April of 2015 when Harris was spotted leaving Swift’s home. They were introduced nearly a year ago by singer Ellie Goulding at the 2015 Brit awards on Feb. 25. While Swift is a famous country singer turned pop star, Harris is a DJ born and raised in Scot-land. The two have seemed increasingly serious, meeting each other’s parents and spending the holidays together.

statisticbrain.com, 53% of women will end their relationship because of not getting a Valentine’s Day gift. 3. See what’s going on in the single scene––go out to dinner with your single friends, or maybe have them over for a girly movie night or a guys game night. 4. Treat yourself––buy yourself all the food you can possibly indulge in, I suggest some brownies or a pizza… maybe even both if you are feeling like treating yourself. Papa John’s and Mama Mimi’s sell heart shaped pizza on Valentine’s Day. 5. Listen to a playlist to get you out of that funk! One of my personal favorites is on Spotify, and called “Single + Loving It” with hits such as “Feeling Myself ” by Nicki Minaj and Beyonce with many more single anthems for you to blare in your room or car. 7. If none of these seem to work, then just stay inside your house all day and don’t leave until February 15th. Who needs Valentine’s Day? Having a boo is overrated in my opinion. There is some-thing to look forward to during this holiday: 50% off chocolate and candies the next day.

Some people like to stay in away from all the romance outside on Valentine’s Day. Cuddling up with Netflix and your favorite ice cream is a good way to spend the day.

JULIA DUELL/CHATTERBOX

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The Overture Awards

Q: How long have you been singing?AD: I’ve been singing for a while, but I’ve been taking private lessons for five years. When I got involved with school choirs I realized I wanted to pursue it seriously.

Q: How did you get into the Overtures? AD: This is my third year doing Overtures, so I kind of feel like I know the ropes. I am just going to enjoy it.

Q: What did you sing for the competition? AD: I am singing “Ah, Love, but a Day” by Amy Beach and “Mein Herr Marquis” from Die Fledermaus by Jo-han Strauss.

Q: What was it like competing?AD: I think it’s really cool to see people doing the same thing as me because it is pretty unique to pursue some-thing in the performing arts. It’s fun.

Q: How did you feel about your semifinal performance?AD: I think I did well. I felt very comfortable with per-formance and I just tried to enjoy it!

Q: What are your future plans? AD: I’m going to college to get a music degree in singing and then, I’ll probably go to a graduate program to pur-sue singing professionally with opera companies.

SENIOR Anna Donnelly: Vocal Music

Emily Glazer, ‘17

ALL PHOTOS BY ISABELLA PITTMAN/CHATTERBOX

Kendall Young, ‘18: Musical Theatre

The Freshman Finalist and the Three Time Winner

Q: How long have you been in musical theater?KY: I have been doing theatre in general since I was probably five. I started classes and camp at five and my first professional play when I was eight. It was A Christ-mas Carol at Playhouse in the Park.

Q: How did you get into the Overtures? KY: First I auditioned for Walnut, but I actually didn’t make the cut--I was a runner up. So I told my voice teacher and she told me to still try.

Q: What did you do for the competition?KY: I sang “Not for the Life of Me” from Thoroughly Modern Millie and did a monologue from Bessie! The Life of Bessie Smith.

Q: What was it like competing? KY: It’s intimidating. I’m a tenth grader going against people who already won the competition. You kind of just have to be confident, which I struggle with.

Q: How did you feel about your semifinal performance?KY: I thought I did well although I didn’t make it to the finals! I was proud of my performance ‘cause I re-ally put myself out there and boosted my confidence in performing.

SENIOR Abbey O’Rourke: Vocal Music

Q: How long have you been singing?AO: I have been singing for ten years. I got into mu-sic through my elementary school music teacher. She introduced me to the Cincinnati Children’s Choir in third grade and I have been singing with them since.

Q: What was it like competing? AO: I don’t know yet, the first round of competition for voice was a private audition. This was stressful be-cause I had no one to compare myself to. The semifi-nals are open to the public and we can watch the other competitors so it is more intense. But really, I am just trying to improve my performances and expand my solo experiences.

Q: How did you feel about your semifinal performance?AO: I think I did very well. I was nervous so my mouth was a bit dry but the performance paid off!

Q: What are your future plans? AO: I am planning to major in music education and vocal performance. I have been accepted into Capital University, The University of Akron and Miami Uni-versity.

Annika Hsi, ‘19: DanceQ: How long have you been involved in the arts?

AH: Since I was 11. My parents signed my sister up and then they also signed me up, so then I just went along with it, and then over time, I came to like it more and more. IG: I have been playing the violin for 12 years now, and I got into it kind of randomly. I

just chose the instrument and after I’ve been playing for a while, I just really liked it. Q: How did you get into the Overtures?

AH: A lot of my friends, who already graduated, did it in previous years so I kind of watched and cheered for them.

IG: This is the fourth year I’ll be doing them. In ninth grade,I was intro-duced to it by Mr. Caliguri, the orchestra teacher, so I just decided to audition

that year, and ever since I really liked it and kept auditioning.Q: What is it like competing with others who have the same talents as you?

AH: Well I’ve been competing since I was little but primarily with ballet, but it’s just interesting to see the other competitors and learn from them. It is very humbling.IG: The Overture Awards are really interesting because, I know violin, but I’ll be com-peting against pianists and wind players and so the instruments aren’t really separated which is different from most competitions.

Q: What was your opinion of how you did at the semifinal competition? AH: I had a really great time performing in the semi-finals, and it was nice seeing other amazing artists perform as well. IG: I thought I had played better than the other years. And this year I was really im-pressed with the overall level of playing.

AN OVERVIEW OF THE OVERTURES: The Overture Awards are an annual high school fine arts competition in the Greater Cincinnati area in which high school artists of the highest caliber compete in for recognition and cash prizes. This year, Walnut had five students make it to the semifinals, or the top 20% of competitors. Four of these students advanced to the finals, or the top four students overall in a category.

SENIOR Isabella Geis: Violin

FINE ARTSSECTION EDITOR: VERONICA VICTA

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WHHSCBOX.COM CINCINNATI, OHIO

Lunch problems for the junior high

Seventh- and eighth-grade students chat as they leave the gym after the bell rings for class. Most of the time they leave huge messes for the janitorial staff to clean up in the few spare minutes between lunch periods.

Hannah Bundschuh, ‘18

Tall yellow walls and glossed wooden floors may make a perfect setting to play a game of hoops, but it doesn’t quite fit the description for housing the massive amounts of seventh and eighth grade students during lunch. Surprisingly, this is what the high school gym is used for between the hours of 10:45 to 11:15 a.m. every school day. This is a change in environ-ment from last year when the Ar-cade and courtyards were open for eating and many students have had a hard time adjusting, particularly with the younger kids. In a survey of 157 Walnut seventh and eighth graders, 42.68% said that they eat in the gym, 49.68% said that they eat in the cafeteria and 7.69% said

that they eat elsewhere. An anonymous eighth grader said in the survey that “the gym is too crowded and we don’t have free-dom to move around.” Similarly, Aniyah Toler, ‘20, said “[I would] like to be able to walk around at lunch. The cafeteria should be the place to go if you want to sit and eat your lunch.” However, the cafeteria seems to pose major problems among the students as well. Many of them are still confused about the trash bin situation and are concerned about the amount of garbage left behind by their peers. Kayla Bryant, ‘21, said, “People aren’t recycling as much as they should so people in the sustainability club [which in-cludes] me have to constantly tell them how to recycle.”

Other problems students face is getting to class on time after the lunch period ends. The gym is re-leased in squadrants and because of this, students in the section re-leased last tend to arrive at their classes several minutes after the bell rings. Taylor Hallser, ‘20, said, “The dismissal is a mess. I am late [to] class most days because of it.” Still, whether you eat in the cafeteria or the gym, the number of junior high students flocking the halls this year makes it hard to please everyone. Being respectful of other students and making sure that trash goes where it belongs is the first step in helping resolve the lunch time situation.

Avoiding the Effie backpack New snow in New YorkMaham Usmani ‘19 This winter may have seemed light at first, but it proved other-wise as January progressed. Due to unexpected snow, Cincinnati Public Schools had two snow days, one on Jan. 20 and the oth-er on Jan. 22. However, in New York, the after-effects of the snow lasted much longer than just snow days. The blizzard that struck toward the end of January in New York this year left behind slippery pave-ment, icy roads, a travel ban and disrupted the New York subway system. Days of school in certain districts were called off as well. Esme Wright, ‘20, is an eighth grader at Walnut Hills High School, and recalls the snowy event. “There was a lot of snow, and [New York] was freaking out about it because it was the biggest snow storm yet,” Wright said. “they told everyone not to go out on the roads, they canceled school, they said to be really, really careful and they said don’t drive.” Compared to New York, Cin-cinnati did not receive nearly as much snow. Even with the light amount of the soft, white ice, two days of school were taken off in Walnut Hills. Wright “was excited

but [thought that they] shouldn’t have had that one snow day.” But, however, she felt that the decision for the snow days was appropri-ate. Wright thought that the snow day on Jan. 22 “was okay, since we got a snow day, but we shouldn’t have had it.” But regardless of the amount of snow received in both regions, school was called off. Some students may rejoice at this news, while others may cower. ‘Snow day’ may seem like an easy term to define, but means some-thing different for everyone.

Dear Piper Peanut,

My backpack is always big and heavy from everything I put in it. Do you have any advice for what I should keep in my backpack during the day and what I should leave in my locker or keep at home.

Sincerely,

Shoulder-cramp Sheila

N o t e -books/Binders

Most teachers require you to have a binder or

folder to keep your stuff orga-nized. Bring it with you ev-eryday so you can maintain its organization and be pre-

pared for whatever you do in class.

Extra pencil/

pen This is for if you’re in a rush and need to

write something down.

Folder with extra paper

Don’t be that kid who mooch-es off of their peers every class because they’re not prepared with paper! Keeping a stack of

sheets either in a binder or in a folder will help you

be prepared for every class.

Planner

Keeping a planner with you during every class helps

you keep track of what assignments need to get done and when certain project due dates are occurring. Sev-enth graders receive free planners at the beginning of the year, however any student can pick one up for

a few bucks from the spirit shop in the cafeteria.

Pencil pouch

This one is pretty self ex-planatory, but you should always be prepared for class with writing instruments including pens, pencils,

and highlighters.

Wallet

If you buy your own lunch from the school you

should make sure to keep your wallet or some extra cash with you so you can do just that. This is a good space so it doesn’t get lost

at the bottom of the larger pouch

Esme Wright smiles as she talks about snow days. Snow days can be seen as extra time to catch up on homework, or just to relax.

MAHAM USMANI/ CHATTERBOX

HANNAH BUNDSCHUH/CHATTERBOX

Where does junior high eat?

The pie chart above shows the results of a survey of 157 Walnut Hills seventh and eighth graders. Many of the junior high students have complained about their lunchtime environments being left in a mess after the period is over.

49%

8%

43%

PEANUTSSECTION EDITOR: ALLISON MEIER

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Who is your role model and why?

OCTAVIA CARMEN-HOUSER/CHATTERBOXISABELLA PITTMAN/CHATTERBOX

TARA SALES/CHATTERBOXLOGAN WALTERS/ CHATTERBOX

“My Aunt because she battled cancer for 30 years and never

complained; it made me realize how grateful my life is.”

~Cooper Keener, ‘16

“Maia Lanier because she makes light of every situation.”

~Sydney Kitchen, ‘20

“Belal Hajhamed because he’s the livest and makes the most

money.” ~Amiene Fetwi, ‘16

“My mommy because she’s like me, just older.”~Zoe Clark, ‘17

“My mom because she’s my ride or die.”

~Juelle Walker, ‘20

Donald Newberry provides inspiration for students

TARA SALES/CHATTERBOX

I was born to perform. Nothing can stop me from doing good.

My mind is a pearl.I can accomplish anything in the world. If my mind can conceive it and my heart can believe it, then I know I can achieve it. Cause I was Born to Perform.”

Newberry said “I wrote the poem to set the tone with me and my students. I teach them that low expectations don’t work, but high expectations are good. I believe my students came into the world with a mission , so I help them figure it out.”

GUEST TEACHER/ DONALD NEWBERRY

“

ARCADESECTION EDITOR: TARA SALES

FEBRUARY 5, 2016PAGE 8

WHHSCBOX.COM CINCINNATI, OHIO

1-800-273-TALK or text START to 741-741.

Feeling helpless, hopeless or depressed can result in extreme emotional pain and desperation. Sometimes these feelings result in thoughts of suicide, but it’s important to let someone with these thoughts know that there is help and hope. If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, talk to a trusted adult or call