Welcome back, Walnut!A letter from the editors

Volume CVII, Issue 1 Walnut Hills High School September 7, 2012

Walnut Hills’ renovation road

CHARILIE HATCH/CHATTERBOX

Garretson Oester, ‘14

On August 22, students arrived to the newly renovated Walnut Hills High School with excitement and anticipation as the North Wing of the school was opened for the first time in over a year. But it was a long road to get to the ‘new Walnut,’ which is now full of wire-less internet access, school-wide air conditioning and completely remodeled classrooms. Perhaps the most noticeable change is in the aesthetic of the space. Rather than keeping the old blue walls and green trim, it was decided they would be replaced with white and yellow. The design has been redone to keep it “clas-sically influenced,” according to Alumni Foundation Director Debbie Heldman, who is spear-heading the process. Opinions about the design have been mixed; some students disapprove, like Frannie Com-stock, ‘15, who simply said, “It’s gross.” Some students are indiffer-ent, like SENIOR Zach Nicholas, “It’s very neutral.” And still others like the yellow color. Tangible improvements were also made over the summer, including the repaving of Blair Circle, the senior parking lot and the temporary staff lot behind the mods. This paving also included

the construction of an access road off Gilbert Avenue on the south side of campus, and the creation of another turn-around-circle south of the gym, where Ruth Ave runs into the SENIOR parking lot. The bell system has been the subject of discussion; its ring, which has been compared to a fog horn by AP Art History teacher Sarah Wilkinson, now sounds more like a train whistle varying in volume. In some rooms, like 2301, it is nonexistent, but in oth-ers, like art teacher Don Stocker’s, it is, according to Rachel Kno-bloch, ‘14, “obnoxiously loud.” AP Statistics teacher Mr. Wathen recorded the bell himself, finding the ring in his classroom to be 105 decibels. An unexpected glitch that oc-curred was the discovery of mold growing in rooms 8400 and 8402, Mod D, which were vandalized over the summer. Their windows were broken. The mold was still visible on August 15th when the English help sessions were occur-ring. Due to construction schedule changes, the teachers have had their timeline shifted around. Teachers expected to get access to the building sometime in July. The first day teachers were able to come in and set up their rooms

was August 15. On August 16th, a dump truck left the work site and hit a power line that transversed Blair Av-enue, snapping a power pole and bringing the wires down. This shut down much of the neighborhood and the Walnut Hills High School campus. Construction ground to a halt.Two days later the final push to prepare the campus for occupancy was underway. A clean-up day was held from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM by the Par-ent Board, and it was attended by around 60 people. Students, parents and even grandparents worked mulching and trimming in Blair Circle, weeding, cutting back brush and mulching on the Sulsar Ave hillside and cleaning the interior of the Arts and Science Building, so “we don’t inhale dust for the first two weeks,” accord-ing to Gabbie Brokamp, ‘14, a Student Coordinator of the event. Parent Alex Stillpass was busy too, grilling hot dogs and hamburgers for the volunteers. At the end of the event, it was deemed a success by Parent Board President Susan Shelton. The first phase is complete after almost a year. Next up, the new music wing and gym which are slated to open in October.

Dear Walnut,

While it’s welcome back for most of us, because of this ongo-ing renovation, even SENIORS are going to have trouble getting to classes (It’s not just the Effies this time). To help you, this issue contains articles that address all unfamiliar, as well as familiar, aspects of Walnut that you’ll need to know to get you through the next few months. As the year continues and everyone adjusts to the changes coming to the school, the Chatterbox will continue to be committed to writing the most interesting and newsworthy articles. For the second year in a row, the Chatterbox is a student-run newspaper, entirely written, edited and designed by members of the News Production class and the Chatterbox club. While anyone may contribute to the

Chatterbox, it is intended to be the voice of the students, and as such has protection under the first amendment and is not subject to prior review by school officials. If you’re interested in con-tributing to the Chatterbox this year, feel free to visit us during any lunch in room 2307 (Mrs. Gerwe-Perkins’ room), or email us at <cboxwalnut@gmail.com>. We look forward to covering topics such as the renovation, the upcoming election, and every-thing else that’s happening this year—including, of course, the imminent end of the world.

Jonah Roth and Charlie HatchEditors-in-Chief

Emily FriedmanSenior Managing Editor

Garretson OesterJunior Managing Editor

http://my.hsj.org/chatterbox Jonah Roth and Charlie Hatch, Editors-in-Chief Page 1

Back-to-School FeaturesTips for 7th and 8th graders 2 Getting used to being an Eagle

Frequently Asked Questions of 2012-13 2 Even the SENIORS need help getting to class this year

Walnut Hills Calendar 2 Days off, dances, and more

Back-to-School Style 3 Outfits and trends to start the year

Eagle Tips You Need to Know 3 Making the most of life at Walnut Hills

Fine Arts Calendar 3 What’s playing this year

Fall Sports Review 4 New year, new conference

Cartoon Corner 4 What’s next for the renovation

From Broadway to Walnut 4 Godspell rehearsals begin

Jaylen Hill, ‘13

Walnut Hills’ annual fundraiser is back with more events than ever this year. On September 29, Wal-nut24 will be held for the third time at the Marx Stadium from 9 AM to 9 PM. This year, the “24” no longer stands for twenty-four hours, but for the twenty-four activities to be held during the event. These include board games,

athletic competitions and the main event: a 2.5 K walk/run around the entire school. Each competition has a prize for the winner, and the top prize this year is a brand new iPad. If anyone gets hungry amidst the excitement, there will be food trucks prepared to serve through-out the day. The goal is to raise $100,000 to support Walnut’s clubs, sports, music and drama programs and

Walnut24: back and better than everall other art/music/sport related activities. If every student raises at least $50, the school will be very close to reaching the goal. There will also be an after-party held on the field until 11 PM with live entertainment. And no wor-ries, the inflatable bouncy houses will be making a return. For more information, visit www.walnut24.com. Come and support the school!

Back to School IssuePage 2 The Chatterbox

Emily Friedman, Senior Managing EditorWalnut Hills High School Volume CVII.1

The Chatterbox Editorial Staff

The Chatterbox Policy Statement

The Chatterbox has been guaranteed 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 Chat-terbox’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 concerns, whether they be personal or of local, national, or international scope. Journalists are required to work under established guidelines. Invasion of privacy as a means of news gather-ing 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 informa-tion with the understanding that the source was to remain anonymous. The role of the newspaper advisor will be to provide counsel and criticism pertain-ing to the newspaper’s content and production. Although both the advisor and the administration 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.

Charlie Hatch and Jonah Roth, Editors-in-ChiefEmily Friedman, Senior Managing Editor Garretson Oester, Junior Managing EditorJosh Medrano, Copy Editor KeMarca Wade, Copy EditorJoe Schmidlapp, Design Editor Martine Williams, Business Manager

Page EditorsJade Clark, News & Features Editor Jaylen Hill, Viewpoints EditorJenna Weber, Fine Arts Editor Hannah Shaw, Style & Culture EditorAustin Railey, Sports Editor Brandon Wagner, Arcade Editor

Celeste Kearney and Rico Blackman, Peanuts Editors

Advisors: Samantha Gerwe-Perkins and Dawn WolfeIllustration by Sarah Davidoff

Tips for new 7th and 8th gradersZoe Cheng, ‘15Sarah Wagner, ‘14

The first few weeks at a new school can be a little scary, espe-cially if you’re transitioning from a smaller school to one as large as Walnut. To help make your transi-tion as smooth as possible, here are some tips that will help you adjust and feel more comfortable:

1. Seventh graders, don’t be offended if someone calls you an “Effie” (eighth graders are “E-flats”). It’s a Walnut tradition, and it’s not meant to be offensive. 2. Schoolwork can get tough, so make sure you ask questions in class if something isn’t clear and utilize help nights. What’s help night? At least once a week a teacher stays after school in his/her classroom for about an hour. This hour can be used for anything: test review, homework help, or just to answer general questions. Make sure you attend if you’re feeling stuck or behind. 3. Be organized. Yes, it sounds a lot simpler than it really is. A

few helpful tips: keep a home-work folder; use it specifically for handouts that you keep in your backpack all day and take home every night. Be sure to update your planner for tests and home-work in every class - less confusion at home! And remember, if you lose something, teachers won’t sympathize; you can’t turn in what you don’t have. 4. Join one of Walnut’s many extracurricular activities: sports, theater, and clubs that range from Junior Classical League (a club dedicated to celebrating Ancient Greek and Roman culture) to Boo Radley (an organization that spreads random acts of kindness) to Gleam (Walnut’s Literary and Art Magazine). Do something you love, and you’ll meet others who share your interests! 5. And most importantly: Don’t be afraid to be yourself. Yes, it sounds cliché, but it’s true. Do what you love to do! Walnut is known for its incredible diversity and everybody can find a place here.

KeMarca Wade, ‘13

With all of the new renovations this year, some questions may be running through your head. Here are ten FAQs for the new Eagles on the block and for the others who lost their memory over the summer.

1. Where is the cafeteria?Until the cafeteria moves in October, there is one way to get there from Sulsar. The first option is to go up the first walkway when entering Sulsar from Jonathan Parkway, turn right after going into the school, turn left, and it’s right down the stairs. To get there from Blair Circle, go into the arcade and take a left. When you reach the end of the hallway, turn left, then left again down the stairs. Turn left on the ground floor and keep going until you reach the cafeteria.

2. What can I do during study hall? What can’t I do during study hall?

Ten FAQs for the new school year

When you are in study hall, you are allowed to study, read and do your homework. You are not allowed to talk, sleep, use electron-ics, eat, drink or leave without permission.

3. How much is lunch?Lunch is $2.00 with extra fees for anything else you buy. A lunch consists of one tray from the main food line, a salad (optional), a milk or juice, and a fruit. Sand-wiches also count as a main course and are found near the juices and fruits.

4. What’s the new rule on cell phones?Cell phones are allowed to be on and out in any public place, ex-cluding any administrative office. Cell phones are also permitted in the classrooms, with the approval of teachers.

5. Where can I find the Wi-Fi password?The password is available in the library, located on the first floor of the new academic building. Every-

one has to register their devices in the library.6.Where can I park and do I need a parking pass?Next to the mods on Sulsar, there’s a parking lot reserved for seniors. Other students with cars may park on Sulsar or off-campus. You do need a parking pass; they are $20 and can be bought from Ms. Helbig in Mod A room 8000.

7. How do I get to Powerschool, Gaggle and Blackboard and how do I log in?The website for Powerschool is powerschool.cps-k12.org. The website for blackboard is bb.cpsboe.k12.oh.us. The website for Gaggle is gaggle.net. The user-name and password are the same for all. Your username should have been emailed to your parents, but any teacher can look it up as well. The password is your birthday in mmddyyyy format.

8. Can I go off-campus for lunch?No one is allowed to go off-campus for any reason without an excused early dismissal.

9. How are the room numbers organized?1600s and 2600s are in the new wing. 2700s and 3700s are in the Arts and Sciences building. 1300s, 2300s and 3300s are in the old building. All the 8000’s are in the academic mods. All the 9000s are in the music mods.

10. Where is the main office?Entering the arcade from Blair Circle, go into the arts and sci-ences building, take a left and it’s the first room in the new academic wing.

EMILY FRIEDMAN/CHATTERBOX

The new classrooms have each been equipped with a projector and surround-sound audio equipment.

August 22First Day of School

September 14-15Homecoming Weekend

September 21No School

October 222nd Quarter Begins

November 12No School

November 22-25Thanksgiving Break

December 17-20First Semester Exams

December 21-January 6Winter Break

January 73rd Quarter Begins

January 21MLK, Jr. Day

February 11No School

February 18President’s Day

March 184th Quarter Begins

April 1 - 5Spring Break

May 27Memorial Day

May 24, 28-30Second Semester Exams

May 28Graduation

May 31Summer Vacation Begins

Walnut Hills Calendar

Ms. Platt’s seventh grade class enjoys the comforts of their new classroom post-renovation.

EMILY FRIEDMAN/CHATTERBOX

Back to School IssueThe Chatterbox Page 3

Garretson Oester, Junior Managing EditorVolume CVII.1 Walnut Hills High School

Eagle tips you need to know: Surviving at Walnut HillsJosh Medrano, ’13Graham Fowler, ‘13Brandon Wagner, ‘13

Fall Jazz ConcertTBA, 7:00 pm

Blue Wisp Jazz Club

GodspellNovember 15-17, 7:30 pm

November 17, 2:00 pmSmall Theater

Steel Drum ConcertNovember 29, 7:00 pm

TBA

Beginning & Junior Choir

December 6, 7:00 pmTBA

Men’s & Women’s Ensemble

December 11, 7:00 pmTBA

Senior Choir & Senior Ensemble

December 13, 7:00 pmTBA

Beginning Band & Strings and Junior

OrchestraJanuary 9, 7:00 pm

Auditorium

Senior & Chamber Orchestras

January 17, 7:00 pmAuditorium

Intermediate & Symphonic BandsJanuary 23, 7:00 pm

Auditorium

Junior Band & Wind Ensemble

January 29, 7:00 pmAuditorium

Junior High Musical TBA

March 7-9, 7:30 pmAuditorium

Partial Fine Arts Calendar(Information subject to change)

Extra Help- Writing Center: Ms. Carlton-Ford and Mr. Cheeseman help students to improve their writing skills. Room 3301.- Help Nights:These sessions are for students who need extra help with certain classes, writing assignments, and college application tips. Ask your teacher for the times they will be available. The Writing Center is also open during study hall and sometimes lunch.

Back to school style tips

Hannah Shaw, ‘14

With the ever-changing, always-exciting Walnut campus, you may be running into some obstacles when choosing what to wear in the mornings. While try-ing to be stylish, comfortable and still adhere to the dress code, there are many criteria to fulfil when deciding on your outfits. Here are some tips on how to conquer the new Walnut campus with your clothes.

1. Flip-flops may be your go-to shoe in the summertime, but when you’re trekking from the

Arts and Sciences building to the mods, a shoe barely attached to your feet may not be the best idea. Instead, you may want to try and sandal with a heel strap, a “sneak-eresque” style shoe or just go all out with construction boots.

2. Although the air condition-ing is nice, you may have noticed that some of your classes are cooler than the summer weather outside. This leaves Walnut students with a tough decision of which climate to dress for. An easy solution to this clothing conundrum is layers! Wearing an open-knit sweater over shorts and a t-shirt is much more

Planning It Right- College Information Center (CIC): CIC Director Martha Geller and her assistant Kathy Restle will to help you with ACTs and SATs, plus some treats when you properly use the word of the day in a sentence or correctly answer the math problem of the day.- The Guidance Counselors: They’re here to help you with your schedules, grades, college admissions and other academic issues you are having. • Mr. Cabrera - 7-9, A-L • Ms. Tucker - 7-9, M-Z • Ms. Sawan - 10-11, A-G; 12, A-L • Ms. Ficklin - 10-11, H-R • Mr. Grueninger - 10-11, S-Z; 12, M-Z- PowerSchool: Log in to make sure you’re maintain-ing your grades!

The book-that-must-not-be-named (or the Student Handbook) Basically: dress appropriately; call the office when you’re not going to school; use the Wi-Fi, computer and the school internet properly; no plagiarism; and definitely no bullying. (But of course, there are other infor-mation from the book that will come handy. We dare you to consult it!)

versatile than long sleeves with jeans.

3. Returning Walnut students have experienced walking to class in the rain. It is always better to be prepared as opposed to getting caught in a storm with no protec-tion. Instead of using the conven-tional umbrella, wear a fashionable raincoat offers equal protection from the rain. Umbrellas are easily left in classes or have the possibil-ity of being turned inside out by the occasional strong wind. This year, give a raincoat a try! You can use it to keep dry outside or to keep warm in your cooler classes.

EMILY FRIEDMAN/CHATTERBOX

All Underclassmen- Ascendo Program: This after-school program offers tutoring and seminars, such as study skills and essay writing, to all seventh and eighth graders- Saturday Success: A tutoring ses-sion with upperclassmen as tutors on Saturday mornings at Walnut.- Study Skills: A course unique to Walnut that teaches Effies how to cope up with their academics throughout the school year.

Back to School IssuePage 4 The Chatterbox

Joe Schmidlapp, Design EditorWalnut Hills High School Volume CVII.1

Austin Carpenter, ‘13

After last year’s impressive ath-letic accomplishments, the Walnut Hills Eagles look to continue their domination. This year not only marks the start of new seasons for teams, but also the start of a new conference. After spending many years in the Fort Ancient Valley Confer-ence (FAVC), the Eagles relocate to the Eastern Cincinnati Confer-ence (ECC). Other schools in the conference include Anderson, Glen Este, Kings, Loveland, Mil-ford and Turpin. The Walnut Hills football team started off their season at UC’s Nippert Stadium against the Oak Hills Highlanders in the Skyline

Crosstown Showdown. The Eagles fought well, but lost in a tough battle. The men, led by their strong class of SENIORS, look to bounce back against a couple of non-con-ference opponents before heading into their strong ECC schedule. Both of the soccer programs this year look to be conference-title contenders, and have a strong preseason ranking from cincinnati.com. The men’s soccer team is eager to continue its winning streak from last year. Led by SENIOR captains, Sebastian Ganz, Har-rison Hildebrandt, Tre Shockley and Adam Brown, the Eagles have again their eyes set on that confer-ence trophy.

The women’s soccer team started off this season by ranking seventh in the Division I poll. Led by a very strong core of juniors and an experienced veteran crew of SENIORS, the Lady Eagles look to fly high. Cross-Country is another team to watch this year. Led by the very experienced and inspirational Coach Valenzano, they look for-ward to having a great one. This year’s Lady Eagles vol-leyball team is led by a multitude of returning players, including a strong SENIOR class and an impressive group of juniors. The team looks to soar high over the conference this year. The Varsity and JV golf teams are looking to drive away with the

New year, new conference for Walnut athletics

VALENCIA BROWNThe girl’s vasrity soccer team circles up before their first game of the year against Ursaline. The lady Eagles are just one of the several teams tht can pontially win their conference title.

ANDREW SCHMALZ

conference. The teams are full of strong players, both returning and new. This year has the potential to

be one to remember, not only for the teams, but also due to the new gymnasium and pool set to open in October.

Cartoon CornerBrandon Wagner, ‘13

Have you ever wanted to be a published writer or photographer? Do you want to see your work here in the Chatterbox?

This year we’re bringing back the Peanuts page, a page of the Chatterbox written for and by junior high students. No previous experience is required to work on the Peanuts page.

If you’re interested in reporting, photography or drawing for the Peanuts page, come see Mrs. Gerwe-Perkins in Room 2307 during lunch any day, or email us at <cboxwalnut@gmail.com>.

Calling all 7th and 8th grade journalists!

Godspell: from Broadway to WalnutGrace Hill, ‘15Karinne Hill, ‘15

Auditions for the Walnut Hills High School Fall musical, Godspell, were held Tuesday, September 4th and Wednesday, September 5th. One of the reasons it was chosen was because the show requires a small cast. Because the main stage is being renovated, Godspell is the perfect musical for the senior high students to perform. It requires a smaller cast, and minimal props and sets. Godspell, in a nutshell, is a musi-cal comedy based on the Gospel of Saint Matthew. The show begins with the baptism of Jesus and ends with his crucifixion,

with a hodge-podge of musical numbers in between. The cast consists of five girls and five boys. Come see the finished product; the final performances run from Thursday, November 15 to Saturday, November 17.

EMILY FRIEDMAN/CHATTERBOX