Hannah Shaw, Editor-in-Chief whhscbox.com Page 1

Walnut Hills High SchoolVolume CVIII, Issue 7 January 16, 2014

Colorful murals embody Walnut student cultureCeleste Kearney ‘15Hannah Shaw ‘14

Coming back from winter break, it was hard not to notice the technicolored mural in the modern world language hall-way, an extreme juxtaposition from the butter-yellow walls Walnut students have become accustomed to. “It caught my attention immediately,” said Makayla Gentry, ‘16. This eye-catching mu-ral seemed to have magi-cally appeared while the rest of the Walnut community was huddled around space heaters avoid-ing negative temperatures, but the Alumni Foundation is to thank with the help of cur-rent and former Walnut students and artists. Debbie Heldman, Execu-tive Director of the Alumni Foundation, explained that “throughout the year we pick different art projects ranging from equipment in digital graphic design lab to murals.” The murals are a part of an ongoing project that began over the summer with murals in the classrooms of Jeffrey Lazar, Brian Pinkerton and Eric Brock. Pinkerton likes the mural in his classroom “because it has that 3-D appeal.” Rachel Kimura, ‘15 thinks the mural “adds a lot to the room, con-sidering [there are] no win-dows.” Helen Dietsch, ‘14 likes the “nice addition” in Lazar’s classroom. When handling proj-ects involving the culture of Walnut, Heldman always tries to “make a circle” by drawing

inspiration from the diverse group of people in the Wal-nut community, whether it be using alumni or taking inspiration from the janitorial staff. Even though Heldman could recruit outside artists, she prefers alumni or students who know Walnut best. She enlisted students Katrina Jones, ‘15 and Skylar Coleman, ‘16 through Artworks, a non-profit organization that trains local youth to create community art. Artworks is headed by Tamara Harkavy, ‘75.

For the mural in the modern for-eign language hallway, “the concept is [that] different colors represent differ-ent languages,” said Heldman. French teacher Madeline

LaJeunesse’s classroom is across from the mural and she is “very happy to see the new [colors] highlight [the] presence of world language in school.” The plans were designed by Zach Sawan, who is both a class of 2004 alumni and coun-selor Linda Sawan’s son. Kellan Robinson, ‘16 likes the “very inspirational” color scheme, while John Meyer, ‘18 likes how “the colors go around in a circle.” According to Heldman, Dimitrius Lail, a member of the janitorial staff, had the idea of the concept of “birds around the world.” Emily Silvius, ‘14 said that “it adds color and life.” The mural “really bright-ens up the place,” according to Danyelle Gaines, ‘16. LaJeunesse hopes “to see more murals in the school downstairs with the other lan-guage classes.”

Optioning for your futureAbrena Rowe, ‘14

The start of second semester doesn't mean that the school year will be any less busy. Third quarter is upon us, and for some, that means big projects, research papers and tests. Also, people begin to look ahead to their AP exams in May and to start figuring out how they'll prepare for them. But before any of that, students have to think about what classes they will take next year.

Yes, optioning will be here beginning the week of January 13. The counselors are sched-uled to visit seventh through 11th-grade English classes by the end of January to introduce the optioning process. Students will receive information about optioning and classes that they are eligible to take; they will also receive information about AP courses and their prerequi-sites. There will be an AP fair on January 22 during all three lunches in the cafeteria to give

students a better idea about what AP courses they want to take. Optioning is a time when students can choose the classes that they think fit them best. If students already have an idea of what they want to do with their future, they can take this time to enroll in classes that will give them a better idea of what they will be learning in college.

ALLSON MCNAIR/CHATTERBOXKayla Porter, ‘16 discusses optioning. The counselors will spend time with students to discuss their choices for the upcoming year. Continued on page 2.

ALLSON MCNAIR/CHATTERBOXMurals located in the modern language hall (top) and science classrooms (middle and bottom) showcase the diversity and talent within the walls of Walnut Hills. Walnut students who worked for Artworks helped to create the murals.

“I think that the murals are a huge

contribution to the school atmosphere. The color

scheme is very inspirational.”

-Kellan Robinson, ‘16

January 16, 2014Page 2 Page Editor: Garretson Oester

What’s up with the televisions?New technology creates more questions than answers for students and teachers

There are televisions in a variety of spaces across campus, including the cafeteria and the forum. They show a variety of programing, ranging from court cases to “Bridezillas,” and are planned to be fully functional by the beginning of the next school year.

Features

Jazlyn Day, ‘14

“Bridezillas,” “Thomas the Train,” “Hey Arthur,” “Garfield” and various court cases have all appeared on the new televisions located throughout the campus, leaving students and faculty alike questioning their purpose. With eight in the lunchroom, a large interactive board in the forum, two outside of the new gymna-sium and two in the main office, the televisions are indicative of the new technology added throughout the school to update Walnut Hills.

shift toward embracing technol-ogy within a classical education. The goal was for each space in the school to have visual presentation capabilities. This includes projec-tors and screens in each class-room, the conference room and the auditorium, while in smaller spaces, this was supplemented or replaced with digital screens. They allow instructors and presenters to display information, while the wireless network and “bring-your-own-device” policy are targeted at students embracing their technol-ogy. However, the televisions can evoke more confusion than excite-ment. “I don’t understand what they are used for,” said SENIOR Susannah Gutierrez. “If [someone] explained it, [they] will be more helpful.” Some think the televi-sions are beneficial: “[They are] a great addition to the school,” said Andrew Mullin, ‘17. The idea was to put the televisions into large meeting spaces throughout Walnut. Students are not the only people who are unaware of the televisions’ purpose. “I didn’t even know we had televisions,” said Martha Geller, director of the College Information Center. The faculty has also not been well-informed about their purpose. “I saw them putting them up in the lunchroom; I just thought they were for decorations,” said AP Human Geography teacher Justin

Demoss. Geller believes we should air educational programing: “Any programs that we are running for that day, current events, like a mini New York Times.” In contrast, Assistant Athletic Director Josh Hardin believes the televisions should be used to show “slide-shows for sports events coming

up, [or] slideshows of previous games or events.” One possible option would be to devote the two large displays outside of the gym to calendars and sports content, while those in the cafeteria could show educational content during study halls, as well as the weather and schedules. Though the displays can air live

network television, they can also be used by students and faculty. A request to use the televisions can be directed to secretary Joan Kue-the in the main office. Kuethe will provide information on how to use them, as well as the remote to the televisions. You can also con-nect your laptop to the televisions to transport the information.

The televisions were provided as part of the Walnut renovation, a $65 million portion of the $1.2 billion CPS Facilities Master Plan. They are scheduled to be fully-functional by next school year and can fulfill a variety of purposes: from college admissions officers who wish to show slideshows, to presentations from school organi-zations, to award ceremonies. The digital displays could also be used to air the weather or the school activities calendar. The televisions supplement the

Optioning, cont’d.

Humans of

Walnut Hills This is a good way to test out different career paths, and if a cer-tain path isn’t right, to recognize that there is a plethora of classes to choose from and to replace the old path. “Being able to choose your classes gives you the option to explore different opportunities and [to] find out what you want to do later on,” said SENIOR Leya Fetwi. As students make their final class selections for next year, make sure you double check which courses you need to graduate. The last thing anyone wants is to real-ize that their last year at Walnut, they’ve missed core requirements and have to somehow squeeze them into their schedule. When figuring out what classes you want to take for the upcoming year, you should make sure you choose classes that you’re interested in. Just like last year, optioning forms will be submitted online to PowerSchool, but you will also be required to submit a paper form to English teachers as in previ-ous years. A quick step-by-step as to how to complete the online optioning form can be found at <walnuthills.org>. Click on the “Guidance” section of the tool bar and if you are faced with any

problems while going through the online process, it is advised to contact your counselor as quick as possible. The PowerSchool submission was confusing for some students last year. Hopefully, this year the process will be better explained to students and the websites won’t create as many problems for them,

either. As for SENIORS, you won’t be optioning with the rest of the school, but optioning for your freshman year will come in the spring for many. When optioning

for classes for your freshman year of college, remember to apply as early as possible so spots don’t fill up, to avoid early-morning classes and to knock out your freshman requirements as soon as possible. Even though you aren’t locked into the decisions you make based on optioning, making sure the classes you choose are the ones you

desire is the best idea. It is easier to get into classes during optioning than later in the year or the begin-ning of next year.

“[They are] a great addition to the school,”

-Andrew Mullin, ‘17

COURTNEY HICKENLOOPER/CHATTERBOX

GARRESTON OESTER/CHATTERBOX

What is the most inspirational thing you have ever heard?“To be yourself is more important than to change for others.”

-Mackenzie Engel, ‘19

Later this month, guidance counselors will visit English classrooms to discuss optioning. When optioning for classes, make sure you’re aware of the courses you need to graduate and to choose classes that interest you.

GARRESTON OESTER/CHATTERBOX

Page 3January 16, 2014

The Chatterbox Editorial Staff

Zoe Cheng, Managing EditorCeleste Kearney, Managing EditorJoe Schmidlapp, Design EditorAlex Persiani, Photo Editor Neriya Servant, Business Manager

The Chatterbox has been guaran-teed 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 support 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 under established guidelines. Inva-sion of privacy as a means of news gathering is prohibited. Articles found to be discriminatory, 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 information with the under-standing 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 administra-tion hold certain powers regarding the Chatterbox, both must respect the paper’s autonomy. No student shall be prevented from joining the staff on the basis of sex, race, creed or national origin.

Letter from the editor

With the birth of a new year often comes the feeling to “start anew.” Welcoming 2014 provides the oppor-tunity to put the year when the words “selfie” and “twerking” were added to the Oxford English Dictionary behind us and present a tabula rasa — maybe your new year’s resolution should be to brush up on your Latin! The 2013 school year began with the long-awaited completion of con-struction. While we are thankful for the state-of-the-art building we now call home, it’s taken time for students to become accustomed to the vast yellow hallways that used to be filled with the old Walnut character they knew and loved. In the spirit of the new year, the Alumni Foundation has brought the vibrance back to our halls. The mysterious appearance of a mural in the modern foreign language hall may have left you wondering just how tired you were before winter break. In this issue of the Chatterbox, Alumni Foundation Executive Direc-tor Debbie Heldman discusses how the mural that has given our hallways that Walnut flair again came to be. The Chatterbox will also answer the question of why we’re now able to watch TV while enjoying our sushi school lunches. A new year warrants reflection. The traditional approach is analyzing what you did wrong in the past year and resolving to do better, which comes hand in hand with then breaking that resolution come January 2nd. So why not see all the great things you did last year and, in that self-reflection, remember everything positive Walnut has accomplished? In 2013, boys’ varsity basketball made the Final Four, varsity football and soccer were victorious against Turpin for the first time, the Chat-terbox began publishing twice a month instead of once a month, construction was completed, girls varsity track ran at nationals and Walnut Hills was named the number-one high school in Ohio and ranked 87th in the nation. The Chatterbox staff resolves to remain committed to growth in the new year. We will continue to provide timely, accurate and entertaining news along with a public forum for the voice of the student body — just the information you need to know about what’s happening at Walnut in the new year. Yours truly, Hannah Shaw, ‘14 Editor-in-Chief

Wally Hill, ‘14 I can’t bear the huge black hole in my life. It’s as if life no longer has meaning. Colors seem faded. Life has lost its excitement. Yes, it’s true: I finished my college ap-plications. Whether they know it or not, my friends—who still have

Not enough work causes student to complain, a satire

Breaking the illusion of the “perfect body”Abrena Rowe, ‘14

“I say that inner beauty does not exist,” said Osmel Sousa. “That’s something unpretty women invented to justify them-selves.” Sousa, a Venezuelan beauty pageant entrepreneur, sums up the problem in contemporary society of an average woman dealing with self-perception. All around us is an idea of what the “perfect” body shape is: it is seen by us every day in song lyrics, advertisements, social media and television. There is the “right” way to look and then there is the “wrong” way. What Sousa and those who agree with him don’t realize is that

the image they project, the look that society supports, is extremely difficult to obtain. People feel that they are judged on the way they look, and with good reason, see-ing as attention is given to those who stand out amongst everyone for their beauty. The population subgroup impacted most by this is females. “Everything [teenage girls] do, say, wear, like and think are scrutinized by peers, parents, family members and superiors in the workplace,” said Jenna Viney, a student at Old Dominion University. “Being a teenager is hard enough, but then we have added stress when we don’t look like those we look up to.” During adolescence, teenagers are trying

to figure out who they are. Living with the desire to portray the look that has been set for them can cause teenage girls to feel as if they aren’t worth being accepted. What women fail to realize is that trying to reach these goals and make themselves look a way that was not meant for them is harmful, not only to them, but to those around them, as well. With this lofty goal in mind, when they feel they cannot reach it or fall short after trying so hard, they feel

Viewpoints

Page Editor: Sarah Wagner

SARAH DAVIDOFF, ‘13

Oliver Olberding, Online Manager; Abrena Rowe, News Editor Samantha Gerwe-Perkins, Adviser Dawn Wolfe, Adviser

Hannah Shaw, Editor-in-Chief

The Chatterbox Policy Statement

essays to write and applications to complete—tease me, make me feel inadequate. They shove their excitement in my face like a flower that reeks of congealed milk. I know they are just trying to make conversation, but it just makes me jealous, hopeless. I don’t know what to do with all this stress.

inferior. The women that we see in everyday media, the ones who are projected as being “perfect,” are the ones that we try to imitate. “[Society] creates a standard that if you don’t look like [the women represented in media], you’re doing something wrong,” said SENIOR Lauren Posey. Women also tend to lose personal connections with those around them when they become too focused on their own ap-pearance. “They try to mimic the women they see in the media and how men want them to dress. It makes them insecure and keeps them from being themselves,” says

I can’t handle the excessive free time, the overlong winter “break,” the endless snow days. Is it me or does time move more slowly, like mercury, during study hall? I think we can all agree that our teachers aren’t giving us enough homework. But at least the little bit helps. With all this extra time,

no longer do I have excuses not to spend time with my friends. I can only hope that they will be busy, but alas, it is futile. It is definitely going to be a long semester, but at least I know I will be happily busy during the AP weeks in May. At least I have something to look forward to.

SENIOR Hunter Phifer. Some women can become so preoccu-pied with how they look and how they act that they go through life putting on a show for everyone else and hiding their true identi-ties. “At the end of the day, self image defines what a woman will dress like and what ‘beauty’ is,” said SENIOR Maurice Ivory. For successful looks, it is important to not let your clothes wear you, but for you to wear your clothes. This means that your clothes should not take away from who you are and dictate how you behave. You should go for a look that pleases and is comfortable for you; after

all, what you think of yourself and how you carry your personal im-age is what’s really important. The next time you see someone and feel the need to pass judge-ment on their physical appearance, think before you do. Ask yourself if your words will cause them to question themselves. “True beauty is inner beauty,” said Posey. “Basi-cally everyone is physically beauti-ful to someone, but true beauty is having a good personality or a good heart.”

“[The oval bodytype] isn’t desirable...a lot of people who have it are shy because they feel people aren’t attracted to them.” -Keith Walker, ‘14

“It’s shapely and slender...and associ-ated with a soccer player.” -Eriana Trice, ‘17

“There are no perfect body types.” -Caleb Diesing, ‘19

“It’s regular, an average [body type] that most people have.” -Peter Dotterweic, ‘19

“It looks like the hourglass [body type].” -Alexiss Steele, ‘17

“Looks good... Not a lot of people have [that body type].” -Caleb Diesing, ‘19

Oval

Triangle Inverted triangle

Rectangle Hourglass

Diamond

January 16, 2014Page 4 Page Editors: Alina Tashijan and Kibret Alem

Macio Teague, ‘15 is a transfer student from Summit Country Day School where he played for their varsity basketball team. Teague has been playing basketball since he was about three years old. Averaging 24 points a game, he helps lead his team by being one of the captains. He is one of the top-ranked basketball players in Cincinnati’s class of 2015 with an offer from Seton Hall. As he continues to embark on his career, Teague always reminds himself to stay humble and work hard.

Competitor’s comment: “They always tell me nobody’s working as hard as you, but even though I laugh it off, man, it’s probably true,” -Lil Wayne, “Light Up”

Player profile:Macio Teague, ‘15

Sports

Conference standings

Girls basketball Overall Conference Walnut HillsAndersonTurpinMilfordGlen EsteKingsLoveland

Boys basketball Overall Conference Walnut HillsKings Turpin Milford Glen Este LovelandAnderson

Girls bowling Overall Conference Glen EsteLovelandMilfordTurpinKingsWalnut HillsAnderson

Boys bowling Overall Conference Glen EsteAndersonWalnut HillsMilfordLovelandTurpinKings

Academic Quiz Team Overall AndersonWalnut HillsLovelandKingsTurpinMilfordGlen Este

Wrestling195 Pound Weight Class Record1. Perry Stargell Walnut Hills220 Pound Weight Class1. Seth Brennock Loveland2. Quinton Mincy Walnut Hills285 Pound Weight Class1. Edward Hampton Walnut Hills2. Andrew Alten Loveland

Boys swimming200 Yard Freestyle Relay Time2. Walnut Hills100 Yard Backstroke1. Juan Mougan Walnut Hills100 Yard Butterfly1. Hassler Carroll Anderson2. Micheal Norton Turpin3. Andrew Tengen Walnut Hills

Girls swimming1 Meter Diving Score1. Jessica Doughman Walnut Hills100 Yard Breaststroke Time1. Shalynn Spelman Turpin2. Brookley Garry Walnut Hills100 Yard Butterfly1. Megan Sichterman Kings2. Keira Hassell Walnut Hills

5-15-15-23-42-52-51-5

9-46-35-67-45-63-74-8

11-310-4 7-5 7-6 7-7 3-90-12

5-15-24-23-33-32-50-6

22-6

27-320-1

25-424-5

1:35.65

:55.34

:55.00 :55.75 :56.34

201.65

1:11.481:11.51 :59.771:00.51

11-1 8-2 9-2 6-6 3-52-11 1-9

10-0 7-2 6-2 3-4 3-5 0-8 0-8

12-0 7-3 8-4 8-5 3-7 3-8 1-9

10-0 6-2 5-2 4-4 2-6 1-7 1-8

5-1 3-1 4-2 3-1 3-3 2-2 0-6

Alina Tashijan, ‘14

In just two short seasons, the Walnut boys’ varsity bowling team has done a complete turnaround. They have gone from being at the bottom of the pack to becoming one of the leading dogs: the boys currently sit in the number-three

spot, just behind Anderson, with a record of 6-2 in the ECC and 9-2 overall. Coached by Butch Taylor and led by SENIOR Captain Karl Schottelkotte, the boys focus on consistency to maintain their win-ning season. It may be hard to recognize this team. Just two short seasons ago, these boys were fighting for wins and ending up at the bottom of the standings. With a building year last season that brought great success, the Eagles were able to push themselves even harder this season and become a more threat-ening force. “We just bowled well and took advantage of what the other teams were giving us,” said Schottelkotte. He notes that the team made “the best of any situation we could.” For the Eagles this season, consis-tency was key in overcoming their opponents and clinching matches. But it is not just consistency that made the difference this sea-son, acknowledged Brandon Tray-num, ‘15: “I believe our team has more passion this year...We refuse to accept defeat without giving our all.” Midway through their season, the Eagles have a long road ahead and their compassion and desire to win will be important in order to secure their upcoming matches. “Our coach is very supportive,” added Traynum. “His sugges-tions throughout the game really

improve the team’s overall perfor-mance.” A strong base in the form of a coach is important to a team’s success; however, team chemistry plays a large role as well. “I think we have strong chemistry,” said Schottelkotte. “We have a lot of fun together and win together.” This season’s Eagles are at their strongest point yet in school his-tory. Students are strongly encour-aged to make it to a match and cheer on the boys as they continue to improve. Traynum summed up the team this year by saying: “We are unforgettable.”

Boys’ varsity bowling makes school history

Futsal boosts the soccer programWhitney Bronson, ‘16

What is futsal? Futsal is a variant of European football, or American soccer, which began in the 1930s and 40s. It comes from the Portuguese expression futebol de salao, which means “half-foot-ball,” and was developed in Brazil and Uruguay to help soccer play-ers improve during the off-season. Futsal puts emphasis on impro-visation, creativity, technique, ball control and passing in small places. It is played indoors on a smaller pitch with a hard surface instead of turf. The ball and goals are also smaller than a regular soc-

cer ball and goal. There are three referees; the coaches can substitute players in whenever they want and the rules are the same as soccer. Walnut Hills is new to the futsal world, with the program beginning in November of 2013. Coach Eric Rothwell, the boys’ varsity head soccer coach at Wal-nut, modeled the futsal program after other futsal leagues around the city. He established it to help highlight and promote the Wal-nut Hills boy’s soccer program, so future athletes can come to Walnut and play soccer during the off-season. “Futsal helps a player improve his touch and quicken

his foot skills because of the tight space and the fast pace,” said team member Jonny Weirs, ‘15. Rothwell’s program offers co-ed leagues and camps; the league has 12 teams and anyone in grades seven through 12 can participate. It costs $400 per team and $50 for each individual person to be placed on a team. The camps are for first through sixth-graders. It costs $70 per session per player, spanning over a seven-week period. Both the camps and the league are taking place from January 5 to February 23. Aside from helping soccer players gain a competitive edge

Futsal players wear a special kind of shoe to fit the pitch. The boys’ soccer program is establishing a new kind of fundraising through futsal.

during the off-season, the futsal program is also a fundraiser. All of the money the program makes goes directly to the boys’ soccer program. If a player wants to join, they should contact Coach Roth-well to get more info. Do you ever get tired of constant-ly watching football and basketball

during the winter season and want to watch a game of soccer? Come by Walnut’s High School gym for a game of futsal, Sundays from 1-8 pm.

ALEX PERSIANI/CHATTERBOX

SENIOR Karl Schottelkotte helps lead his team to success.

ALEX PERSIANI/CHATTERBOX

Noah Drout, ‘15 is a member of the bowling team this season.

ALEX PERSIANI/CHATTERBOX

ALI MCNAIR/CHATTERBOX

as of January 14th

January 16, 2014Page Editor: Karinne Hill Page 5

Fine Arts

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Are financial awards that do not need to be repaid; Are annually renewable, provided students remain in good standing;

Are awarded to students who demonstrate a combination of technical and conceptual skills, as well as academic strength.

In order to be considered for scholarship, ALL of your application materials, including your ePortfolio, must be submitted by the deadline.

Admissions | 800.232.7242 | 312.629.6100 | admiss@saic.edu

FEBRUARY 1, 2014 AmericA’s most influentiAl Art And design school WAnts to remind You of our upcoming merit scholArship deAdline!scholarships:

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He is currently a member of the Jazz Ensemble. Schimberg said that one of the best things about the jazz program is “[getting] the chance to play and learn with some very talented musicians every single day of the school week.” He added that “out of all the genres, I think jazz is the most

COURTNEY HICKENLOOPER/CHATTERBOXJazz Ensemble teacher, Kerry Kruze conducts Adam Schimberg, ‘15 and SENIOR Jacob Lovins during a Jazz Ensemble rehearsal. Both Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Lab practice during third bell.

Karinne Hill, ‘15

The existence of a jazz pro-gram, like the one at Walnut Hills, is unusual amongst high schools today. Walnut offers a class for jazz beginners, Jazz Lab, as well as a group for more advanced students, Jazz Ensemble. Both classes are full-year classes open to eighth graders through SENIORS, though students usu-ally complete Jazz Lab before mov-ing on to the Ensemble. Jazz Lab, taught by Charles Ferrara, deals with smaller group music and learning music theory. Due to the nature of the music, a very specific group of instruments is needed to make the chords sound correct. The Jazz Ensemble is typically a larger group made up of more advanced students. The music performed at this level is more flexible in terms of the instru-ments played. When selecting music for this group, Jazz Ensem-ble teacher Kerry Kruze “[tries] to pull [music] from different time periods.” Some of the composers

the group regularly performs are Duke Ellington and Count Basie. Both were highly successful jazz musicians and composers in the early-to-mid-20th Century. Adam Schimberg, ‘15 has played guitar for 10 years and has participated in Walnut’s jazz program for the past four years.

difficult to play well. That’s why it’s so difficult, but awesome at the same time.” To anyone who thinks that get-ting involved in the jazz program would be a good experience, Schimberg said: “Talk to Mr. Fer-rara or Mr. Kruze about playing in one of the bands next year.”

Jazzin’ up Walnut

Lillian Beane, ‘16Isabelle Jenkins, ‘16

Eva Sofge, ‘16 has been drawn to the visual arts ever since she was a child. “I was obsessed with draw-ing,” Sofge explained. “There was a period of time during my child-hood that I really tried to under-stand art.” There was no specific event that got her interested in art, but she is very driven to improve her work. She has stuck to the

motto “practice makes perfect,” and spends a great deal of time perfecting her talent. Sofge is currently taking art teacher Donald Stocker’s Studio Art 1 class, where the main focus is painting and two-dimensional design. She plans to continue on the arts path at Walnut by taking AP 2D Design in the future. So far this year, she has produced a self-portrait that is displayed in the glass cases next to Stocker’s class-

room as well as many still-lifes. “I like non-objective art…and using geometric patterns,” said Sofge, who looks forward to branching out into more abstract styles in the new semester. “I think the post-modernist piece will be good...and [in] the final project...we will probably get some freedom to show our own creativity.” She likes to work with the style of two-dimensional non-realistic art. She especially likes to work with paints, but also uses pencils and pastels. However, “I don’t want to define it and exclude styles in case I experiment later on,” Sofge said. As Sofge experiments with dif-ferent styles, she draws inspiration from many artists. She especially admires the work of Teal Scott, who experiments by painting fre-quencies emitted by the universe. Although art is important to her, Sofge does not see it as the fo-cus of her future career. However, she wants to keep it in her life, and possibly turn it into a side job. In fact, she has already sold some of her paintings to members of her church for $25.

Artist feature: Eva Sofge, ‘16

LILLIAN BEANE/CHATTERBOXEva Sofge, ‘16 stands proudly beside the case containing her self-portrait (center of top row). Sofge’s piece portrays her surrounded by rays of light.

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Fine arts calender

• The Cincinnati Art Muse-um has added four Tiffany stained glass windows to its collection of other Tif-fany pieces. The windows will stay in the museum until May 10, 2014.

• University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music will be perform-ing the newly popular Les Miserables from February 27, 2014 through March 9, 2014. Shows will take place in the Patricia Cor-bett Theatre.

• Clybourne Park, written by Bruce Norris, is being per-formed in the Playhouse in the Park’s Marx Theatre until February 16, 2014. This show does contain is-sues involving race, as well as strong language, and is recommended for mature audiences.

December 4, 2012Page 6 Issue CVII.4January 16, 2014Page 6 Page Editor: Grace Hill

Singing her way to the top

Lillian Beane, ‘16

“You gotta keep your feet on the ground if you wanna walk places,” said Banducci and the Wheels band member SENIOR Grant Kidd. It was this very premise that got the trio of SE-NIORS to where they are today. Banducci and the Wheels is a local Cincinnati band composed of SENIORS Gino Benedett on guitar and lead vocals, Jackson

Glenn on bass and background vocals and Grant Kidd on percus-sion and background vocals. Together they form a blended sound of rock and punk, inspired by funk and psychedelic music. This eclectic fusion is similar to that of Nirvana, The Dead Ken-nedys and Jimi Hendrix, yet it is still unique. “We’ve developed our own sound,” said Glenn. The trio has progressed from practicing in Benedett’s basement to playing

SENIORS Gino Benedett, Grant Kidd and Jackson Glenn (left to right) comprise the band Banducci and the Wheels. The band plays at the Mad Frog, a local club in Clifton, every month and fills the venue with its unique rock n’ roll sound.

LILLIAN BEANE/ CHATTERBOX

Nisa Muhammad, ‘15

On December 21, 2013, SE-NIOR Keshell Phillips performed a rendition of the national anthem during the Walnut Hills vs. Elder boys’ varsity basketball game. Hav-ing been voted as “Best Vocalist” for her SENIOR superlative, Phil-lips aimed to showcase her talents for the student body. She saw this performance as an opportunity to transform her career from a singer to a performer. “It felt great. I felt like I was finally proving myself.

It felt good to be a performer,” she said. Phillips’ singing career started with a camera, guitar and YouTube in 2010. “[It was] nothing serious, but people liked it so I kept doing it,” said Phillips. After doing most of her videos acapella, Phillips found Sa’nee Palmer, a former Walnut student, who played guitar. “We started meeting in the forum after school on Fridays to cover popular songs. It became a routine and my videos started [becoming] more mainstream,”

Phillips said. Together, the two covered songs like “Skyscraper” by Demi Lovato, “1+1”by Beyoncé, “Stay” by Rihanna and “Royals” by Lorde. In January 2013, Phillips’ uncle sent her to the studio where she had the opportunity to write and record her own music. “As a singer, I lean towards the R&B and pop genres,” said Phillips. “I write about what I feel.” Phillips is greatly influenced by Beyoncé, who has served both as Phillips’ inspiration and motiva-tion. “When I saw her in concert in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, I got the motivation to never give up,” explained Phillips. “She exempli-fies what I want to be.” Phillips has never been classically-trained. Although this did discourage her to an extent, it never completely stopped her from making music. “I thought I wasn’t good enough,” she said. “It made me lose focus. I almost gave up, but I’ve learned that I have a natural talent and I can only get better.” Phillips defines herself as being “ambitious” and “optimistic.” “I hope to influence people to go for what they want,” she said. “Never give up.” Phillips added: “I came from nothing. Dreams really do come true...I hope I can leave this world knowing I left something people will remember.” Phillips intends to travel and network in the coming years, hop-ing that a record deal may come her way. She is currently working on her first extended play, due to be released this Valentine’s Day.

To hear Phillips’ covers and original songs, visit her YouTube channel

at <https://www.youtube.com/KeshellTV>.

Banducci and the Wheels are on a roll

The similarities between the Polo Ralph Lauren (left) and United States Polo Association (right) logos resulted in legal action between the two brands.

Style & Culture

USPA vs. Polo Ralph LaurenKristian Tatum, ‘14

In today’s culture, controversy is rising over the importance of brand names in fashion. Many Walnut students have opinions on whether branding is taking over the way they purchase items. Some students have the opinion that brand names do matter, while others believe that they should not affect their fashion choices. One example of this contro-versy can be seen in the brands Polo Ralph Lauren and United States Polo Association. USPA is a brand that competes with Polo RL, offering similar products with a cheaper price point. USPA is more economical, whereas Polo RL is more upscale. The primary difference between Polo RL and USPA is that Polo RL has an emblem that has one horse with one polo player, while USPA’s logo features two players. USPA, whose logo is in a similar silhouette to Ralph Lauren’s, sued Ralph Lau-ren last year for having an unfair monopoly over marketing for the sport of polo. The case eventually was resolved and USPA was found to be in the wrong. USPA has

now been restricted in terms of what products they can put their logo on as to not cause confusion among consumers. SENOIR Christian Higgins is an avid supporter of Polo Ralph Lauren. “I wear RL because it’s just what I do,” he said. He prefers it because “[RL] is just what I’ve grown up wearing.” Higgins be-lieves there isn’t even a controversy and that Polo RL is an obviously superior brand. Miles Phipps, ‘16 also prefers the Polo RL brand, though not solely for the label attached. He feels that Polo RL offers a product that has better sizing. He believes the controversy over brand name is unnecessary. Phipps believes that “the people who buy Polo [RL] think that USPA is cheap, but really it’s just an economically stable brand.” Jonah Beach, ‘19 wears Polo RL because “it’s a cool brand.” Beach prefers it because it “makes [him] feel good about [himself ].” Walnut’s guys are definitely not without style. From thrifty to expensive, their clothing sets them apart. Labels don’t have to define you. If you’re comfortable in what you are wearing, nothing else matters. Confidence is the best accessory to any outfit.

gigs at local venues. The band has played at The Hoffner Lodge in Cincinnati and at Peabodys in Cleveland. They are booked to play at the Mad Frog every month until the end of the year. So what does it take to be in a growing band? “We practice as much as pos-sible,” said Kidd. They attempt to practice three hours every week-night, while juggling schoolwork and jobs. Being in high school

can also serve as a setback when it comes to being taken seriously. “Getting people to come to shows is difficult when you are young,” said Glenn. Nevertheless, their hard work is intertwined with a deep passion for music. “Unfortu-nately, we have to eat and sleep,” said Benedett. “Our number-one goal in life is to play music.” “We would do it forever if we could,” said Glenn. The members all agreed that their biggest achieve-

SENIOR Keshell Phillips, an aspriing singer, stands out in the realm of vocal performance. At the beginning of her career, she has already seen “a few of [her] dreams come true.”

COURTNEY HICKENLOOPER/ CHATTERBOX

ment so far has been recording their EP, Ray’s Upholster. EP, or an extended play, is a sample of a band’s music consisting of at most six tracks. “It was a big step,” said Kidd. After graduation, the band plans to move to the Bay Area in California to play and record music.

To follow the band’s upcoming events and listen to their music, visit

them at <www.Facebook.com/BanducciAndTheWheels>.

January 16, 2014Page Editors: Kandyce Clark and Kendall Young Page 7

Peanuts

Calling all junior-high writers!

Starting at 2:45 after school on Tuesday, January 28, The

Peanuts page staff will be hosting four journalism sessions, called Pea-nuts Meetings, in room 2306, Samantha Gerwe-Perkins’ room. During these sessions, students will gain journalistic insight and requisite skills needed for publication in the Chatterbox. Students will have the opportunity to conduct interviews, practice writing

articles and learn what the Chatterbox is all about! Sessions -- ending at 3:45 -- will be held in the same place and at the same time, following

the first session on January 28. Bring your friends!

Schedule for Peanuts Meetings:

Tuesday, January 28

Tuesday, February 25

Tuesday, March 25

Tuesday, April 29

Kandyce Clark, ‘15 Every new year starts out the same: you resolve to study every night and go to bed early. You want this because you went to Hades and back the day before each first semester exam, just to maintain that grade. Sure, you hit an all-time low that week, but it’s a new year, now -- a squeaky clean slate -- and you are determined to do better… right? Fast forward to March and you are drowning in the same sinking boat as in December. You know that you have the capability to do well; you got accepted into the number-one high school in the state. So what gives? Overconfidence and a “play-then-work” mentality are rather unfortunate flaws that many of us -- including me -- possess. While sitting down and reading a math textbook may not be quite as enjoyable as texting friends or browsing Facebook, the gain from studying is so much more substan-tial. This is a valuable lesson that I needed to learn the hard way. In a nutshell, playing now and focusing on schoolwork later leads to an unconquerable force called stress. There is nothing worse than getting a test or quiz back and knowing that you had the poten-tial to do better. But much worse than an insufficient grade is the stress that comes before and even after the grade. Saving the conse-

quential matters for last only gets you so far and junior high is just the start. You want to do as much as you can now to prepare for times when things like standard-ized tests and grades really matter for college, aka in high school. It helps to be ahead of the game. When you get things done right away, you’ll find yourself less stressed on a daily basis. If you feel significantly overwhelmed by school, chances are that you are doing something wrong. Either you are doing too much, not stay-ing on top of all of your work, not getting the proper aid in subjects that you don’t understand, not feeling motivated or not putting in the appropriate effort. You have to be honest with yourself. Are you currently enrolled in a class for which you have done everything that you possibly can to improve, yet you are not evolving? Maybe

Questions, comments or concerns?Feel free to contact the Peanuts Staff anytime at

<peanutschatterbox@gmail.com>.We are more than willing to receive any feedback, answer questions on

how to get involved and take questions for Piper Peanut!

How to achieve a stress-free 2014

it is time to talk to a counselor about your options. Are you just surviving by the skin of your teeth in a class that you know you can do better in? It might be time to get a tutor. Don’t be in any way too embarrassed to obtain a tutor’s help; we all learn differently and there’s nothing wrong with that. By far, the most advantageous goal to set from here on out is organization. Being “organized”, by my definition, is one’s ability to be aware of one’s own affairs and handle one’s own business in an effective way. If your organi-zational skills come in planner form, by all means resolve to use your planner everyday. If you feel as if you are living up to your full potential by consulting an “orga-nized mess” everyday, do that. At the end of the day, you alone are responsible for how you carry out your business.

Kandyce Clark, ‘15Riley Taylor, ‘18

With the arrival of a new semester comes a new grading period, and with a new grading period comes higher expectations from teachers for their students. Oftentimes, “teachers will change their policies [for second semester] because they now know their stu-dents better,” said English teacher Francesca Bownas-Rayburn. If your new year’s resolution is to get higher grades, these words of wisdom might be just what you need to bump your GPA up one notch (or a few). 1. Keep your old work. It is completely understandable to want to throw away that disas-trously red-inked essay as soon as you get it back, but that darned thing just might come to your

rescue one day. History teacher Elizabeth Ormsby explained that she “[spends] most of first semester teaching stylistic stuff” in the hopes that by second semester, “students [learn] to take the strate-gies from last semester and imple-ment them in the new semester.” 2. Keep yourself healthy. Second semester consists of “a lot of testing,” according to Latin teacher Susan Donnet, so be sure to stay on top of your health. A lot of the time, lack of energy is what causes poor performance and less initiative. To keep healthy and ready for everyday, Donnet said to “eat well, sleep well and get exercise.” 3. Keep your hand up. When asked how kids can get the grade they want in second semester, Donnet said to “ask the right questions when you have them

and seek help." Bownas-Rayburn also stressed the importance of participation: “Students should start to understand [that there is a] direct connection between their participation and homework and their grades.” 4. Keep your priorities in or-der. Another way to get that grade you want is to set priorities. If you want to raise your Latin grade, then maybe you will have to spend less time watching Netflix. Don’t be afraid to crack open a book every now and then! 5. Keep asking for help. Tu-tors are still available and many teachers are also available to help you during lunch and after school. “Attend help nights and if you still need help, set up something with your teacher,” recommended Donnet. If you find that neither help nights nor teachers are help-ful for you, go to your counselors, who can put you in touch with other people who can help. “The new semester will be harder,” said Bownas-Rayburn. So, if you were struggling in first semester, you should rethink your strategies and evaluate what worked for you and what didn’t. If you find yourself trying to find different ways to study, ask your friends if they can help you by giving sugges-tions about what works and what doesn’t. There are many ways to get the grades you want this semester. Use your resources. Be self-assertive. Think wisely, and think ahead.

Teacher expectations rise for second semester

It is easy to become stressed due to overwhelming schoolwork, but with a little hard work, you can keep yourself stress-free.

Becoming a journalist for the Chatterbox

Have you ever flipped adoringly through the pages of the Chatterbox, thinking, I want to be a part of the school newspaper, but have no

idea where to start? If your answer is ‘yes,’ today is your lucky day! Take heed, and students all over the building will be reading your

articles in no time!

Join the Newswriting I class! Newswriting I is one of the prerequisite classes created specifically for students who are interested in joining the News Production class, aka

the Chatterbox class, but have never before been seriously exposed to journalism. Serving as an introduction to News

Production, this class educates students about the journalistic style of writing, interviewing and creating articles. While

this class is very useful, it is not necessary to take this class to write for the Chatterbox. This class is

available to all grade levels.

How do you sign up? The steps are simple! When you begin optioning for next year, simply add Newswriting I

to your optioning sheet, and you’re in.

How do you join News Production? In order to join News Production, you have to have taken any one of these prerequisite

classes: Newswriting I, Photography I, Digital Imaging or Digital Multimedia with teacher approval. If you have taken

one of these classes, you are eligible to fill out a packet which will then determine your entry into the class. See

News Production teacher Samantha Gerwe-Perkins in room 2306 for packets and to sign optioning forms.

If you have any more questions about this process, feel free to contact Gerwe-Perkins in room 2306.

English teacher Blake Taylor helps Maddy Bonfield, ‘14 with an assignment for AP English Literature and Composition. Taylor also teaches the Creative Writing class.

ALEX PERSIANI/CHATTERBOX

January 16, 2014Page 8 Page Editor: Sean Wood

CVIII.7 SudokuSean Wood, ‘15

The object of Sudoku is to place the numbers 1 through 9 in each col-umn, row and 3x3 box without repeating any of the numbers. Order is not important as long as the numbers don’t repeat. Good Luck!

Z-plus effortA.J. Newberry, ‘14

Across

3. Foolishly and tearfully affectionate

5. Having the character of a beginner

7. Funeral rites

10. Having the sanction of law or established custom

11. To bring back from the dead

12. A schoolmaster

CVIII.7 crosswordJoe Schmidlapp, ‘14

Down

1. Swollen

2. Political leader who ap-peals to prejudices rather than reason

4. Antiquated, obsolete due to age

6. Inconveniently-timed

8. Easily enraged or angered

9. Not assured of safety

ARCADE

Go, Nuts!Congratulations to the Walnut FLL & FTC Robotics teams!

You are gracious professionals and deserve to be commended for your hard work and dedication!