Celebration of Life at JMB JMB students and staff remember ten members of the JMB

family that have passed away over the past year.pg. 2

Seniors Sailing AwaySee what the Class of 2017 plans to do after graduation.

pg. 3

Prom 2017See some of the cutest “promposals” and couples from prom

2017.pg. 5

Block Schedule vs. Seven Periods

Look at the pros and cons of our traditional seven period day and block scheduing.

pg. 6

13 Reasons Why and Why NotFInd out about the controversy behind the hit Netflix Show,

13 Reasons Why.pgs. 8-9

Inside

Trenae WebsterRachel Bailey

Gillian BarrMatt DisbrowJoey McJilton

Jeremy MiddletonStephen SaboMichael Urian

Staff

Senior Issue James M. Bennett High School 2016-2017

By: Jeremy MiddletonStaff Writer

As senior year draws to a close for the Class of 2017, James M. Bennett juniors are preparing for the college application process; one that is about to start in a few short months. Preparing for the college application process can be overwhelming for students. Ally Messick, a junior at JMB, described beginning the college process as stressful, although she is hopeful after seeing people already go through the process.

“It helps to see your peers go through the process and to see them come out of it with a school they want to go to,” Messick explained.

Kristen Gittings, also a junior at JMB, explained, “I feel like I don’t know everything that I need to know about the college process. I don’t feel like I am going to be behind, I just need more information.”

Gittings, along with many other students, is determined to do everything she can to prepare herself and to receive more information about the college application process. She has started researching different colleges to figure out the schools that best benefit her, looking into financial aid opportunities, and touring college campuses to find

Students Prepare for CollegeJMB Juniors start to plan for success in the future

“It helps to see your peers go through the

process and to see them come out of it with a

school they want to go to.”

-Ally MessickJMB Junior

the best fit. There is only so much

information students can learn by themselves. Students also look to JMB faculty and staff to help them with the college process. Twice a year, JMB students meet with school counselors to define their goals and do a college search on Naviance, a program designed to help students prepare for their

future. The program is beneficial to students, but for some, the program is not enough.

“Naviance really helps kids get involved and understand the application process and what goes into it, but I definitely feel like there is [information] lacking about the application process and that there could be more student guidance [by faculty],” Gittings

said. After recognizing an increased

need in helping students prepare for college, Wicomico County Public Schools is holding a college boot camp for rising seniors to finalize their college application essays, learn about financial aid and scholarships, and learn how to be unique in the application process well

before the start of their senior year. The boot camp is followed by a college fair, in which all students in Wicomico County, and neighboring counties, can attend. The College Application Boot Camp is being held at JMB on June 19 and 20.

“I see this need in providing more support, [in providing] a little extra encouragement to our parents and students, and in giving them information at an earlier time so they have less stress at the start of their senior school year” Beth Sheller, Family Involvement Specialist in Wicomico County, explained in a video advertising the event.

Several colleges and universities are going to the college fair including Christopher Newport University, James Madison University, and West Virginia University, along with many others.

Through the boot camp, students will learn how to stand out during the application process. One way, in which students have been doing since freshman year, is by building their resumes. This includes extracurricular activities, inside and outside of the school.

“I try to do a lot of things at school,” Messick said. “[I am involved with] honor societies, band, and clubs,” all of which Messick hopes will help her in the college application process.

For all students about to make the transition to college, speak with a guidance counselor or teacher, or visit your prospective school’s website to learn about application requirements and to find the right fit for you.

PHOTO CREDIT: JEREMY MIDDLETON / JAMES M. BENNETT HIGH SCHOOL

A sign advertising the county’s college fair hangs in JMB to promote participation in the event.

Juniors: Register for the College Boot Camp and College Fair by visiting wcboe.org

and selecting the “families” tab.

PHOTO CREDIT: WWW.WCBOE.ORG

A schedule of the first day of the college application boot camp.

Senior Issue 2017 Page 2

Celebration of Life at JMB

By: Gillian BarrStaff Writer

On Thursday May 4th, 2017, James M Bennett’s Memorial Garden Committee organized a celebration of life ceremony in the Memorial Garden, located in front of the school. The honorees included Ruth T. Bennett, the daughter of James M. Bennett; Terry Blagus, a JMB alumna; Carol Eichenmiller, a former JMB science teacher; Frank Grate, a former assistant principal at JMB; Natalie Insley, an upcoming senior at JMB; David Miles, a former vice-principal at JMB; Logan Moloy, a 2013 JMB graduate; Kaye Reichenberg, a former math teacher at JMB; Chuck Smith, a social studies teacher and fellow prankster at JMB; and Morgan Taylor, a 2013 JMB graduate.

The Memorial Garden Committee is “a group committed to maintaining and enhancing the space dedicated to remembering James M Bennett family members,” explained by faculty advisor and ninth grade English teacher, Teresa McCain. The Committee started in the year 2014 by McCain.

The committee started preparations for the ceremony back September 2016.

“There was a lot of planning involved, making up the pamphlets, getting the balloons and other decorations, asking someone in relation with each of the honorees to speak on their behalf, ordering each of the bricks to be engraved, getting the roses and much more that was needed to make out ceremony a success to honor all of those who have passed on,” stated JMB Senior and lifelong best friend of Natalie Insley, Sara Messick.

McCain worked closely with this year’s president of the club, Claire Rollins, to plan the simple ceremony at JMB’s memorial garden. They agreed that planning a more simple ceremony would mean that the details of the

ceremony would be emphasized. This included the Alma Mater sung by JMB’s Concert Choir, speeches by loved ones of those who have passed, roses placed on the brick of the honorees, and balloons released at the end of the ceremony.

Many students and families attended the Memorial Garden Committee’s ceremony to honor those who had passed. Rollins stated, “We wanted to honor our classmates, as well as faculty and staff that made an everlasting impact on the Bennett Community.” Rollins feels that the memorial garden is “a beautiful way to honor those who have passed away.”

Erin Davis, an art teacher at JMB, is in charge of the Clippers Choose Love campaign. Clippers Choose Love financially supported for the cost of the bricks. The Bennett organization also helped create the program for the ceremony. Davis’ students wanted to start an organization in order to bring kindness to a world of hate. “Clippers Choose Love started in November 2015 as a response to the terrorist attacks on Paris. My students wanted to help in any way that they could, so we started doing random acts of kindness throughout our school and community. Since then, it has grown and we try to do an activity centered around kindness each month.”

In 2010, James M. Bennett Senior High was torn down because it was dilapidated. When the start of building the new high school, the layout of the school was built around the memorial garden so they wouldn’t have to tear it up and transfer it.

Jake Day, Salisbury Mayor and JMB alumnus, was the designer for the memorial garden. While Day was still attending JMB, his friend Lindsay Smoak approached him to ask if he would be willing to design a memorial for the students and faculty who had passed that their class would fund.

“I designed the garden and Lindsay and I took it to the principal, who at the time was Miss Donna Donahoe, currently known as our superintendent, Donna Hanlin. Her reaction was ‘Sounds great! Go do it.” According to Day, he believes that other principals would have reacted with a different response like “I don’t know. That sounds like a big project.” Hanlin’s response to Day was surprising and neat to have such of an experience such as that. “The committee and the funds that the community foundation [acquired] are the reason why it still looks good.”

Frederick Briggs, current JMB principal, wanted to honor each and every student and faculty member that has passed throughout the previous and current years.

“We support each other through all things. And I know it means a lot to the families that we have taken the time and energy to honor their loved one,” Briggs mentioned. When being told of Natalie Insley’s passing, Briggs emotionally stated, “I had the unique perspective of having known her when I was the principal at Mardela. Her friendly smile and infectious personality made her stand out in a crowd.” Briggs was proud to place a brick in the Memorial Garden in her name.

Messick continued saying that it has been a hard year for the Bennett community. “Natalie was such a sweet loving person who spread kindness everywhere. She went and touched so many people. It has been a tough year without her here finishing out her senior year of high school but I just keep searching for Everything Beautiful like she would have wanted!”

Mr. Briggs wants to remind students and faculty that the Memorial Garden isn’t only there to give the memory of loss, but to symbolize JMB’s commitment to the school community.

PHOTO CREDIT: GILLIAN BARR / JAMES M. BENNETT HIGH SCHOOL

Members of the Memorial Garden Committee gather in the garden after the ceremony on May 4th.

PHOTO CREDIT: GILLIAN BARR / JAMES M BENNETT HIGH SCHOOL

Here lies a brick in rememberence of Terry Blagus who was represented by Steve Grudis at the Committee’s memorial. Blagus was a very good friend of Grudis.

PHOTO CREDIT ; GILLIAN BARR / JAMES M BENNETT HIGH SCHOOL

This is the family of Logan Moloy. To the very right of the photo is Logan Moloy’s little sister, Paiton Moloy, a senior at JMB, who represented Logan Moloy at the Memorial. In her words she states, “His energy and enthusiasm towards all as-pects of life was something I think we can all admire from him.”

Senior Issue 2017 Page 3

Seniors sailing away

Jon AdamsName of school: Towson University Location: Towson, Maryland

Luke MurphyName of school: University of Maryland Location: College Park, Maryland

Chris AvanessianName of school: Union CollegeLocation: Schenectady, New York

Jacob BermanName of school: Virginia TechLocation: Blacksburg, Virginia

Name of school: Mercyhurst UniversityLocation: Erie, Pennsylvania

Grant Day

Name of school: West Virginia UniversityLocation: Morgantown, West Virginia

Larissa Wiencek

Name of school: Syracuse UniversityLocation: Syracuse, New York

Matthew DisbrowName of school: George Washington UniversityLocation: Washington D.C.

Alexis Emerson

Name of school: Salisbury UniversityLocation: Salisbury, Maryland

Thomas Long

Name of school: Vanderbilt UniversityLocation: Nashville, Tennessee

Nick Selser

Name of school: University of KentuckyLocation: Lexington, Kentucky

Anna Garlock

Name of school: American UniversityLocation: Washington D.C.

Laura Toner

Name of school: University of South CarolinaLocation: Columbia, South Carolna

Daniel Darcy

Name of school: Hofstra UniversityLocation: East Garden City, New York

Allison Foster

Name of school: Clemson UniversityLocation: Clemson, South Carolina

Loryn Weer

Name of school: Gannon UniversityLocation: Erie, Pennsylvania

Sarah Phippin

Senior SuperlativesPrettiest Smile: Loryn Weer and Grason WinterbottomBest Hair: Nicole Verbits and Ian Atchison Most Likely to Become President: Laura Toner and Jon Adams Prettiest Eyes: Lydia Marks and Adam McCulleyNext American Idol: Hailey Southern and Josh Dennis Most Athletic: Brooke Gardner and Connor BanksClass Clown: Jane Turner and Chase Owens Best Dancer: Chandler Trauger and Reed MorganHottest Import: Janat Shahbaz and Stefan Swierkosz Craziest Laugh: Kennedy Phillips and Kamel Jones Daredevil: Kayla Wells and Brandon Ashley Selfie King and Queen: Haleigh Hoyt and Josh Dennis Loudest: Addy Seagraves and Cade Hurley Best Social Networker: Alexis Emerson and Peter Gutoskey Next Einstein: Anna Garlock and Luke MurphyCutest Couple: Johnny Bishop and Maddie Clevenger Most Changed Since 9th Grade: Allison Foster and Jake LanzaMost Attractive: Sara Dennis and Grant DayNext Picasso: Emili Hibbets and Peter Lim Best Dressed: Katie Rosales and Thomas LongNicest: Alicen Siegmund and Bryce KeeneMost Chill: Hope Hare and Johnny Bishop Should’ve Been Born Blonde: Madi Robertson and Carter HousealBest Musician: Sandra Zelaya and Chris Sajadi Hottest Wheels: Lilly Adams and Alex TylerBest BFFs Girls: Anna Malone and Haleigh HoytBromance: Austin Holden and Adam McCulley Best BFFs Girl and Guy: Loryn Weer and Ian Atchison Most School Spirit: Rylee Baker and Nick SelserBest All-Around: Nicole Verbits and Peter Gutoskey

Voted by Seniors and announced at Jr./Sr. Banquet

Senior Issue 2017 Page 4

PHOTO CREDIT: LORYN WEER / INSTAGRAM

Above: Girl and guy bestfriends Ian Atchison and Loryn Weer pose for a picture after winning the award.

PHOTO CREDIT: CHRISTY BLAKE / FACEBOOK

Above: Thomas Long and Katie Rosales after recieving the award for best dressed.

PHOTO CREDIT: CHRISTY BLAKE / FACEBOOK

Above: Lydia Marks and Adam McCulley after recieving best eyes.

PHOTO CREDIT: CHRISTY BLAKE / FACEBOOK

Above: Most likely to become president, Laura Toner.

Prom 2017

Above: Ian Atchison asks Laney Marsh Above: Reed Morgan asks Paige Cropper Above: Stefan Swierkosz asks Alicen Siegmund

Above: Nick Selser asks Briana Taylor Above: Peter Gutoskey and Claire Rollins

Above: Thomas Long, Jon Adams, Jake Lanza, Matt Disbrow, and Mason Olinde Above: Nick Selser and Briana Taylor

Left: Akela Moales Left:

Ian Atchison and Laney

Marsh

Left: Stefan

Swierkosz and Alicen Siegmund

Senior Issue 2017 Page 5

Above: Jeremy Middleton and Hailey Southern

Above: Azarelle Mapp, Maddie Clevenger, Johnny Bishop, and Kamel Jones

most block scheduling teachers, with each third specified for the activities listed above.

These advantages reaped from block scheduling are extremely important to the students who want to learn and further improve their knowledge of the subject. It also creates the satisfaction for students and teachers from learning and understanding more class material over the course of a day.

“With [the block scheduling system], there is more fulfillment as a teacher,” says Magaha.

Block scheduling days do have their negatives. For example, regular classes are only half year, so there could potentially be an entire year between each level of a subject (AP classes are full year). Students who miss a day of school will be missing more material in the same amount of time. There are also 30 less hours of instructional time for teachers, leaving teachers and students alike less time to cover the material before the end of the year.

At the other side of the argument, seven-period days do have a few benefits. Students enjoy them because they don’t have to sit in one class for too long and become bored, and they get more opportunities to socialize between classes. Teachers have shorter classes to plan for, and more instructional time over the course of an entire school year.

Also, students and teachers meet every day of the year for core subjects, keeping important things like math, English, science and history at the forefront of student’s brains.

Cons of the seven-period day include a greater number of class changes (which is the most popular time for in-school fights), and a greater percentage of class time used for things like attendance and getting ready for class.

But Magaha claims the pros and cons of each system both show that the block scheduling system is the most efficient way to go.

“[The seven-period day] is easier for teachers, but much harder on students,” explains Magaha while shaking his head. “That’s not the way it should be.”

But is changing the whole way Wicomico County students have learned for the past several years worth it?

“I definitely see the advantage of block scheduling for students,” explains Magaha. “That is what’s important.”

Magaha thinks so, and so do I. It’s time for a change around at JMB, and this one can be a change that benefits us all.

Senior Issue 2017 Page 6

By: Stephen SaboStaff Writer

There are several different ways school days can be scheduled. In Wicomico County, we do things with a seven-period system; seven-periods a day, every day, for 55 minutes for every single student in high school.

It is very hard to understand why schools put their students through the tribulations of seven-period scheduling. Most schools around the country follow the system of block scheduling, either a fixed, 90-minute block schedule every day for a semester, or an alternation block schedule on an A and B day basis.

The countless benefits of block scheduling far outweigh those of the seven-period system, and it is something every county should consider, including our own.

In a four-period block scheduling system, teachers teach three classes a day, and have one 90-minute planning period. With longer class periods and a smaller number of classes, teachers have fewer students to teach, allowing them to become more acclimated to their students and their learning styles, and in addition, they get fewer papers to grade.

For students, block scheduling allows more time in class to learn, analyze, and apply the lessons gone over that day. Also, students will have fewer classes to receive homework and tests in. Over the course of a whole school year, students can get through more material in their specific subjects, including getting eight “full year” classes in per year, as opposed to the seven that we have today.

Garrett Magaha, an AP U.S. History teacher in his first year at James M. Bennett, has had years of experience with the block scheduling system.

Magaha learned under the block scheduling system in high school for four years, and later taught under the same system for an additional 13 years at Stephen Decatur High School in Worcester County. With less than a year of the seven-period system under his belt, Magaha is a huge advocate for the block scheduling system, for reasons in school and out.

First, Magaha pointed out the lack of preparation students under the seven-period system have for their schooling and careers in the future. After high school, when students are looking for jobs or continuing their education, they will no longer have 55 minute activities: the average work day is longer than eight hours, and college classes have also adopted block scheduling systems.

City University of New York claims they allow students to be “served more effectively by faculty feedback and academic support services.”

The block scheduling system prepares students for learning and focusing for longer periods of time, which is a crucial skill that many students today no longer seem to have.

Magaha explained that in his history classes at Stephen Decatur, he had enough time to lecture, analyze documents, and have a class discussion about that day’s lesson, all in one day.

He would split his classes into three 30-minute sections, which seems to be the norm for

Block Scheduling Rules the SchoolsWhy Wicomico County should adopt a block scheduling system and drop the seven-period day.

“[The seven-

period day]

is easier for

teachers, but

much harder on

students. That’s

not the way it

should be.”

- Garrett Magaha, AP U.S. History teacher

PHOTO CREDIT: STEPHEN SABO

JMB cafeteria during it’s first lunch shift. Another negative of seven-period scheduling include the absurdly short and oddly scheduled lunches students get. JMB has three lunch shifts consisting of just 25 minutes each, and starting at 10:35 in the morning. Students not have enough time to eat their lunch and socialize, and most students do not even eat because it is so early in the morning. Block scheduling allows for longer lunch shifts and free time, which gives students time to destress and prepare for the second half of their school day.

PHOTO CREDIT: STEPHEN SABO

In 1996, almost 14 percent of high schools used block scheduling, and since then the number has grown. Block scheduling not only gives students more time to learn, but it also gives them more time to get to class - an average of ten minutes between each period as opposed to the usual naverage of five - which slows down the transitions during the day and leads to less commotion in the hallways.

PHOTO CREDIT: STEPHEN SABO

Studies show that in a traditional 55 minute period, only 28 minutes were devoted to actual instruction. While this is a much lower number than the block scheduling average, seven-period scheduled classes meet every day, and for classes such as band and choir, they meet every day for a year. Concerns with block scheduling lie in that of just a half year with electives such as band and choir.

Senior Issue 2016 Page 7

My name is Michael Urian, and I’m a junior at James M. Bennett. It’s May, next school year I’ll be a senior. All of my closest friends are seniors, and will all be away at college by September. My best friend will be in Georgia by then, and that’s just too far away for my taste. Good on him and his accomplishments though. I have six classes during the day, I take several AP cours-es, and of course my Pre-Calcu-lus class is a daily struggle for me, as math has never been my strength. I’m on the opposite side of the spectrum, being much more skilled at English and His-tory, but even then my workload becomes quite difficult to balance properly at times, seeing as how I am an extremely easily distracted person. I currently have an essay and a project due in both of those classes…soon. It may be in my best interest to check those dates, but frankly I’m busy writing this editorial. Being a student in high school is not always the easiest thing in the world, as I’m sure many of you would agree. You have to worry about classes, whether it be preparing for a test, rushing to complete a project, or working up the strength to roll out of bed and actually going to school. Some of us have to face bullies every day, and no matter how degrading they are, you must continue onwards. Some of us are athletes, constantly practic-ing and grinding for the win you want so badly, all the while deal-ing with issues of doubt along the way. Some of us are performers and artists, hoping to impress and please a crowd, but at the same time are constantly questioning every decision we make. Some of us have to fight through a re-cent heartbreak, some of us have problems at home to worry about, some of us have to constant-ly worry about our grades, and some of us have to fight through our insecurities every day. And yet, we continue forwards. In the face of overwhelming stress, we often must motivate ourselves to push forwards and be the best we can. Motivation and discipline become essential to success, and their maintenance can determine whether we fail or not. However, for many of us, and in much of my recent ex-perience, discipline and motiva-tion are often seemingly evasive. No matter how many essays or applications you have due, you keep on putting them off. You de-cide you can do that math home-work tomorrow before school, and then tomorrow before school becomes during lunch, and then during lunch becomes in five minutes before the bell of your math class. You can’t motivate yourself to start, so you procrasti-nate again and again, continually pushing the deadline to its limits, only starting your project two nights before it is due. We have these procras-tination scares, barely turning in a complete project the day it’s due, and we promise ourselves it won’t happen again. Why, then, do we fail to keep that prom-ise by the time the next project rolls around? Why, do we stress ourselves and cause this unnec-essary, completely preventable obstacle again and again? Perhaps you were busy. Maybe you “had” to go to a foot-ball game, maybe you had to per-form in a band concert, maybe you were catching up with an old friend. Okay, that’s fair, that’s vi-able, but why not do it even earli-er? Maybe you just didn’t want to start it then, maybe you were too preoccupied with other assign-ments that where you had also fallen behind on in terms of time management and procrastination. I think it often boils down to laziness, and a little bit of fear. Maybe we don’t want to do those eight math problems be-cause we know we are bad math, we think it will be difficult to understand and complete, so we struggle to motivate ourselves to begin. We know we will not en-joy the process of whatever work we don’t want to do, so we drag to begin it. We distract ourselves, with social media, our social lives, and sometimes even other work that we’d rather do, all to

avoid the work that we’d do any-thing to avoid. So, how do we avoid procrastination? How do we mo-tivate ourselves, how do we get things done? There are those who listen to motivational podcasts, almost as if it is their daily dose of coffee. Finding one such podcast that appeals to you may help with your discipline problems, listen-ing to the advice given can assist you in your endeavors. Many would argue, rightfully so, that discipline originates in routine. Turn your work into part of your routine-maybe you come home from school, grab your snacks, kick off your shoes-but instead of laying in your bed on Twitter for three hours, incorporate chores or your homework into your imme-diate afterschool schedule. Start in on small things immediately to work yourself into a rhythm, and go from there. If you would like some-one slightly more qualified than myself to provide input and in-sight on this topic, then I would highly recommend Tim Urban’s TED Talk, “Inside the mind of a master procrastinator,” in which he takes an extremely humorous, genuine and honest look at pro-crastination, much of which is based on his own experiences. We silently rage at the concept of beginning the things we’d least like to do, we turn up our noses with disgust, but we cannot deny the fact that we all know we must complete it. For grades, for self-respect, for our own futures, we have to do it. And as difficult as it is, it’s that simple. You can’t do the things you really, truly enjoy and care about without doing the things you dislike as well. Unfor-tunately, that’s life. And the best thing you can do is grind it out, do the best you can, and then, and only then, you can do the things you truly care about. It may also serve you well to think about procrasti-nation in a practical sense. We procrastinate largely because it is easy to do so, because maybe, just maybe, it’s more fun to binge Netflix than it is to hammer out an English essay. So instead you waste your time watching Break-ing Bad for the third time, when you should be writing a thesis on whatever nonfiction book you selected for your advanced place-ment class. Procrastination is a waste of time. Yes, it is fun, yes it is easy, but you cannot enjoy that relaxation properly while the cloud of your responsibilities lie overhead. You feel the guilt, and finally you push yourself to begin, often too late to finsih your task as best you possibly can. Practically speaking, it simply makes more sense to be-gin your work as sooon as possi-ble-that way, you have more time to complete your work, you are under less pressure and stress, and once you have finished, you can enjoy yourself freely with little stress. It just makes more sense to avoid procrastination. In the end, procrastina-tion, robs us of ourt best potential. It takes our time, it saps our moti-vation, and causes us nothing but stress, so we must fight it. You must learn to dis-cipline yourself. It is easy to get distracted, I know, but you have to try your best to avoid that. Learn to prioritize your work and schedule, realize what is more im-portant. One way to approach this is to create small lists of things you would like to accomplish every day, scratching out every item as you comlete them. This approach can help you feel on task, efficient, and accomplished throughout the day. Build your work into your routine, turn it into a habit-you can make it feels as natural as brushing your teeth in the morning, and with that type of discipline, comes ease of comple-tion. We all procrastinate. We all have procrastinated, whether we like to admit it or not. Some of us, however, simply have dif-ficulty controlling it-and for those of us who have that problem, that habit, it will take work to break. And that work needs to begin to-day-or, to quote Tim Urban and his TED Talk, “But not like, to-day, today. Probably tomorrow.”

By: Michael UrianStaff Writer

On Procrastination and Motivation

Tim Urban, pictured in his TED Talk, here, “Inside the Mind of the Master Procrastinaor” is a blogger known for Wait But Why, in which he writes and muses on topics ranging from artificial intelligence, cryogenic technol-ogy, and satirical works on the 2016 election. Urban’s talk, filmed in February of 2016, has gained 12,872,816 total views since release.

In his TED Talk, Urban explains the concept of the rational decision maker that “lives in everyone’s brain” and the “Instant Gratification Monkey.” The rational decision maker will usually make the right choice when it comes to prioritizing their work, but the Instant Gratification Monkey, being a monkey, wants nothing but fun. So it distracts you from your work, always choosing the easy path instead of the more difficult path, which is “fun in the short term, but detrimental to the long term,” as Urban explains.

Later in his talk, Urban introduces the concept of “the panic monster,” which only ever wakes up when the deadline approaches. The “Panic Monster” terrifies the aforementioned Instant Gratification Monkey, scaring him away so that the Rational Decision Maker can do his work properly, whiile admittedly under some pres-sure.

At the end of his talk, Urban finally takes a more serious stance and approach to the topic. He displays an im-age to the audience of hundreds of dots, each dot representing one week in the average human life spans. This is used effectively to make a point to the audience about time, and how much of that time procrastination can take from an individual. This point is even further reinforced when Urban reminds the audience that “some of those weeks are already used up.”

All photos courtesy of TED.

Senior Issue 2017Senior Issue 2017 Page 8

Suicide is a raging issue with high schools and middle schools and it deserves more attention in the media.

‘Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15-to-24-year-olds, and the sixth leading cause of death for 5-to-14-year-olds’, according to American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP).

Suicide is a rarely touched subject in film and television. 13

Reasons Why, a Netflix Original show, is the first, and many newspaper sources in this country are bashing on it because ‘it isn’t getting suicide right’. It is not always caused by mental illness.

American press pegs suicides as attention seeking events if the person failed to say they were depressed or had a mental illness. The press is telling teens that bullying, sexual harassment and rape isn’t apart of suicide that it’s a life trouble that is easy to overcome.

USA Today wrote, ‘for a supposedly important discussion of teen suicide, mental illness isn’t explicitly mentioned in any of the 13 episodes.’

13 Reasons Why is about a high school girl named Hannah Baker, played by Katherine Langford, who commits suicide.

She dealt with sexual assault, harassment, slut-shaming, rumors, and rape. She left 13 tapes behind to Tony, a friend of Hannah’s played by Christian Navarro, explaining why she killed herself. Her goal was for everyone to listen to and hand off the tapes to the other 12 people who names were on the tapes. If you didn’t hand off the tapes to the next person, a copy of the tapes were going to be released

to the school over the intercom. Clay Jensen, played by Dylan Minnette, falls in love with Hannah, but doesn’t tell her. In the last episode of the show, it shows Hannah committing suicide in her bathtub. At the beginning of the episodes including rape scenes and the suicide scenes, a notice is included about graphic content for most viewers to turn away.

“I cost a girl her life because I was afraid to love her,” Clay says in the show.

From the impact of the show came criticism from mostly everyone who has watched the show. Many articles saying how it is showing young children a tutorial on how to kill themselves, showing them it’s okay to commit suicide for revenge, and that suicide is all about romance.

According to USA Today, ‘Psychologist and health professionals are warning parents that the controversial Netflix show 13 Reasons Why may be dangerous for young people who are experiencing depression and suicidal thoughts.’

But others believe that the show is showing what happens inside high school walls that parents don’t know about, showing the lack of attention for suicide, and showing the signs of someone who has the thoughts of committing suicide.

Studentprintz wrote, ‘Many parents are unaware of the atmosphere created in high schools, and the show details several issues that teens face every day including bullying, peer pressure, consent and mental health.’

Most people don’t really truly

understand what Hannah is going through in this show.

One article from Thought Catalog wrote ‘The pretty girl with all of the attention is not going to kill herself because she loses friends that do her wrong.’

No one sees that, the attention that Hannah is getting wasn’t attention that she wanted. “Well, we ALL killed Hannah Baker,” said by Alex Standall, played by Miles Heizer.

The 13 reasons presented as to why she killed herself are not the only reasons. People think that she’s blaming the people on the tapes for her overall death. She explains to the characters what they have done to her and that they need to change. Yes, they were a part of the reason she died, but they weren’t the whole reason.

She states many times that “no one cared enough” in her tapes and when Clay tried to share his love for her and telling her he is never leaving her side in a dream, Hannah responded with “Why didn’t you say this to me when I was alive?”

The show brings awareness to suicide victims and explains to people that your words really can hurt. According to Minnette, The main goal of the show is to “start conversations that we think are necessary to be had and to bring these issues to light and to show them in a real way.”

13 Reasons Why finally brings the light to the issue of suicide that is rarely talked about in the media and it depicts what its really like for some people behind high school walls. Thanks to the show, people now have a deeper understanding of teen suicide and how friends and family can help.

By: Joey McJiltonStaff Writer

Netflix show brings awarness to taboo topic

“[The main goal of the show is to] start

conversations that we think are necessary to be

had and to bring these issues to

light and to show them in a real

way”

-Dylan Minnette,Clay Jensen in 13 Reasons

Why

“Many parents arre unaware of the atmosphere

created in high schools, and the show

details several issues that

teens face every day including bullying, peer

pressure, consent and

mental health.”- Kaitlyn Watkins,

studentprintz.com

“Suicide is the third leading

cause of death for 15-to-24-

year-olds, and the sixth leading

cause of death for 5-to-14-year-

olds”

- American Academy of Child & Adolescent

Psychiatry (AACAP)

* For anyone who is experinceing suicidal thoughts, please contact 1-800-273-8255. It’s a 24/7, free National Suicide Hotline. It brings confidental emotional

support for those in emotional distress and are thinking of suicidal actions. * 13 Reasons Why made a website, accessible in every country, to help people

who have mental illnesses and are thinking about suicide. For more information, visit 13reasonswhy.info.

13 Reasons Why or Why Not?

Senior Issue 2017 Page 9

By: Rachel BaileyStaff Writer

Controversial Netflix show tells students there is always someone to blame

PHOTO CREDIT: ABC NETWORK

Riley Juntti (Left) and fellow Oxford High School students tell ABC about “Thirteen Reasons Why Not”

PHOTO CREDIT: NETFLIX

Star of Netflix Series, Clay Jensen sits with Alex Standall on the bleacher as they reminisce about Hannah Baker.

13 Reasons Why or Why Not?Loss of friends and family,

bullying, addiction, sexual assault, and abuse. These are main reasons for suicidal thoughts or behavior according to The Center for Disease Control. However, there is one cause that was neglected by producers and writers of Netflix’s Thirteen Reasons Why: mental illness.

Throughout the series, viewers are given the impression that there is always someone to blame. As the main character, Hannah Baker, leaves 13 haunting tapes each addressed to the people “responsible” for her death. Each tape leaves viewers hanging on to the edge of their seat.

The final episode of the series depicts Hannah Baker’s suicide, and there is little left to the

imagination. According to the National

Association of School Psychologists, “Research shows that exposure to another person’s suicide, or to graphic or sensationalized accounts of death, can be one of the many risk factors that youth struggling with mental health conditions cite as a reason they contemplate or attempt suicide.”

The Center for Disease Control calls this “suicide contagion”. The CDC explains suicide contagion as if a person is exposed to graphic images of self-harm, suicide situations, or other suicidal behavior they have a higher likelihood of participating in such behavior. Teenagers

and adolescents are at a higher variability for this says Dr. Rona Hu, a psychiatrist at Stanford Hospital. Mental health experts express their concern while teens share their differing opinion.

Manal Faisal a 10 grader at Bennett says, “I think the series shows how little things we do in the matter and affect the people around us.”

Many students approve of the show, even encouraging a second season. Riley Juntti, a student at Oxford High School in Michigan, and her friends began a 13-day presentation at their school called “13 Reasons Why Not.” Every day, a new student would get on the school’s morning announcements and give a reason

why not: Why not to commit suicide or self-harm. The students would name a person who they know they can count on to help them through their dark days.

Juntti stated, “[The show] glorifies suicide, especially to such a young impressionable audience,” speaking to the Washington Post, the Oxford high senior added, “[The show] didn’t raise mental health awareness, and it didn’t give resources. That was very troubling for us; we wanted to fix that with our project.”

An anonymous student at bennet shared their theory as to why they think students aren’t against the show. “People that haven’t experienced a suicide

attempt, or have known someone that have tried to commit suicide may not understand the toll it can take on a person.

After someone in my family tried to kill themselves my family was completely different.” The student describes, as they hold back tears, how their family constantly blamed themselves and were “broken”.

“[My family] Eventually went to counseling and I will never forget that the therapist told us too many times to count that the suicide wasn’t our fault”. “If a student understand the true affects of someone killing themselves the show can be an incredible conversation starter, but those who haven’t experienced these

“[The show] glorifies suicide,

especially to such a young

impressionable audiance. [The

show] didn’t raise mental

health awarness and it didn’t

give resources. That was very

troubling for us; we wanted to

fix that with our project”

-Riley Juntti,Washington Post

feeling are given a false sense of understanding which really frustrates me.”

The student continues to say, “The show perpetuates the idea that there is always someone to blame, when in fact the only person responsible for Hannah Baker’s suicide is Hannah Baker”

In previous generations suicide was a sensitive topic that it was not publicized or spoken about. Such a taboo topic has never been discussed in such a public and graphic way, this gives the show a unique and new point of view.

Everyday students can be found in the cafeteria or in the hallways with their eyes glued to their phones and headphones in their ears with Hannah Baker on their screens. Admittingly, the show can be used as a conversation starter, in which case it has achieved its purpose to begin the dialogue about the affects of suicide on students and the community. In the book Hannah Baker’s suicide is only described as her swallowing a handful of pills, however the shows depiction of the suicide is graphic and overall incredibly difficult to watch. Sofia, a senior at a California high school told TheCut.com “

More teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, and chronic lung disease, combined. Any media, of such consequence, should not be taken lightly. Netflix has now promised as warning at the beginning of the series.

Calling all Clubs, Teams, and

Classes!

If you’d like to be featured in the Kelp,

e-mail photos and information to

jmbkelp@gmail.com

Senior Issue 2017 Page 10

Left: On May 10th, four staff memebers of The Kelp and WJMB were inducted into

the Quill and Scroll National Honor Society for High School Journalists. There have now been over 50 students inducted into

JMB’s chapter.

Photo credit: Michael Urian

Below: JMB’s Fuel Up to Play 60 team volunteered at Fruitland Intermediate School’s field day. JMB students helped Fruitland stu-dents complete activities throughout the day.

Photo credit: Kathy Elliot

Right: After recieving a superior rating at District Choral Festival, the JMB Concert Choir traveled to Morgan State Universi-ty and participated in the Maryland State Choral Festival. The Concert Choir also

recieved a superior rating at state festival.

Photo credit: JMB Choirs Facebook

Right: Mr. Portier, Mrs. Smith, and Mrs. Hetzler took members of their classes on a field trip to Washington D.C. to learn about our nation’s history and government. They

spent the day touring famous sites and landmarks.

Photo credit: Dana Hetzler

Senior Issue 2017 Page 11

Right: On May 31st, seniors participated in a Baccalaurette cere-money in which students of the Class of 2017 performed dances, played musical instruments, and sang, showcasing their talents.

Photo credit: Claire Rollins

Above: JMB’s Symphonic Band and Concert Choir held their spring concerts in the auditorium in April and May. The band performed songs such as The Phantom of the Opera and the Choir performed a medley from Hairspray.

Photo credit: Lillian Gittings and JMB Choirs Facebook

Left: On May 13th, the Class of 2018 hosted the Junior/Senior Banquet to say farewell to the Class of 2017. This year’s theme

was Beauty and the Beast. JMB’s Orchestra played as guests ar-rived and senior superlatives were given throughout the night.

Photo credit: Tammy Lauer

Left: After an undefeated season, the JMB girl’s track team came in tenth place at the state championship. Azarelle Mapp, Sarah Louk, Jennica Terry, and Ashley Woolfork broke a school record in the 4x200 meter

relay with a time of 1:43.72

Photo credit: JMB Facebook

Thanks for all your support and readership! Come back next year for more JMB news!

- The Kelp Staff...and don’t forget to check us out on social media or

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Send us an e-mail at jmbkelp@gmail.com!