The Upper Arlington School District faces a huge problem—a million dollar problem. According to the law firm Bricker & Eckler, the Ohio Department of Education has changed position on the issue of funding conversion schools, such as the Upper Arlington International Baccalaureate High School and the Upper Arlington Community High School. Such a change could, according to a staff bulletin, cost the school district $1 million.

According to Bricker & Eckler, which described the situation in a January 2010 report, the controversy is caused by wording within section 3314.01 (B) of the Ohio Revised Code, which states, “a community school created under this chapter is a public school, independent of any school district, and is part of the state’s program of education. A community school may sue and be sued, acquire facilities as needed, contract for any services necessary for the operation of the school, and enter into contracts.”

The phrase in question is a community school being “independent of any school district.” To ODE, this means the school must operate in an entirely self-sufficient manner. In recent letters to schools with conversion schools in question, ODE stated what constitutes operation independence.

“Indicators of a conversion school’s autonomous operations include such things as separate facilities, staffs, students, treasurers and governing boards, and whether the day-to-day operations are carried out by an [independent administator],” ODE letters said.

Bricker & Eckler, on the other hand states that the phrase within the Ohio Revised Code simply indicates that community schools have a status of independence as a matter of law.

“Every community school has all of the powers associated with independent entities, including the power to choose with whom to contract,” the report said.

According to a earlier report in Dec. by Bricker & Eckler, the ODE letters laid out a timetable for schools to be in compliance with the law. To do so, the letters asked that schools develop a “corrective plan” within 90 days. The plan should be implemented by July 1, 2010.

Principal Kip Greenhill expressed dismay with the decision by ODE.

“We had these plans approved by [ODE],” he said. “We made it very clear that it would be in the same building as the regular high school, and that was approved.”

Greenhill also stated that compliance might not be possible, especially as early as ODE wants. Compliance would require a new administration, teachers exclusive to the conversion school and separate facilities.

If schools cannot or do not comply with the measures, funding could be pulled. A staff bulletin on the issue stated that the amount of funding that Upper Arlington has received for its two conversion schools totals approximately $1 million.

Bricker & Eckler has laid out a possible scenario if ODE persists.

“In the event that ODE persists in its demands, the conversion schools’ options will be limited,” the Jan. report said. “The schools may choose to modify the manner of their operations, in order to satisfy ODE’s semands; or alternatively, if they believe they either cannot continue to operate on the terms required by ODE (or cannot maintain fiscal integrity and student achievement while operating on those terms), the schools may close. As yet another option, schools may choose to challenge ODE’s new requirements through litigation.”

It remains to be seen whether a settlement between ODE and the school districts in question can be made, or whether the dispute will require legal action. According to Greenhill the issue probably will not be resolved this school year.

“The decision is way down the road,” Greenhill said. “We’ll see how it works out.”

Boycott NBC. Do it.

For those who only skimmed headlines during the late-night scandal this will seem like an overly dramatic response, but I assure you it’s not. The ousting of Conan from “The Tonight Show” is an insult to the comedian who put everything he had into improving the quality and legacy of a classic TV dynasty.

When Conan took over “Tonight” in June 2009, Jay Leno had apparently changed his mind and decided he wasn’t actually ready to retire. NBC graciously gave Leno his very own primetime talk show to air every night of the week at 10 p.m.

The Jay Leno Show inevitably fell in the ratings and local NBC affiliates threatened to broadcast their own programming at 10 p.m., because they needed higher ratings to lead audiences into their local news programs.

The Jay Leno Show had to be canceled, but Leno still wasn’t ready to retire. “The Tonight Show’s” ratings had dipped with Conan, but with only seven months under his belt, Conan had not received much time to build his audience, either.

The solution NBC proposed bumped the entire late-night lineup back one hour, starting with Jay Leno’s show. Being later means fewer viewers, so Leno’s acceptance of this proposal would be his success at the detriment of all the other shows after him.

Luckily, Conan stood up to Leno and NBC and rejected the proposal. In a open letter to NBC he said, “I sincerely believe that delaying the Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting.”

NBC, however, wouldn’t let Leno go, so Conan left, and Leno took back his old post at “Tonight.” Conan held his last show Friday, Jan 22.

As I’ve talked to people about the ordeal, many have said to me, what should Conan be upset about? He walked away with millions of dollars in severance, some of which he gave to his staff because he was upset with NBC’s compensation. He’s even gained some popularity and sympathy from viewers. Why shouldn’t he be happy?

But it is not now, nor was it ever, about money. It was always about the years of hard work and dedication to NBC—all with the hope of hosting “The Tonight Show”—being forgotten literally overnight.

The right move would have been letting Leno go. He had a long run with NBC, but his time was up. Conan was the next era in “Tonight.” NBC showed that they care nothing for company dedication and loyalty.

So I will boycott NBC, and I hope to watch Conan put the network behind him, as well. The question is: What will he do next?

I hope he utilizes the Internet to still get his comedy out to the public. I hope that after seven months, he hosts a show on another network and simply destroys NBC in the ratings. Lastly, I hope that they see that forgetting the dedication and loyalty of employees is not a good business decision.

I’m with Conan.

By Eman Albash

In the hallways of UAHS, many students have seen posters displaying mysterious eyes, followed by the words, “Submit to Bare.” Bare, the literary arts and music magazine, was recently rated as one of the top high school literary magazines in the country, an accomplishment unmatched by any other school in Ohio. Despite the magazine’s success and advertisements, the staff of Bare still encounters many students who know little-to-nothing about the magazine.

Any creative UAHS student interested in writing, art or music can submit his or her work to Bare for possible publication. The magazine is produced annually in May, and the deadline for students to submit their work this year is March 15. According to Bare adviser Nancy Volksen, the staff reviews each piece of work without knowing who submitted it and then decides if it should be included in the magazine.

“We do our utmost to get as many different students’ work in as we can afford each year,” Volksen said. “If you’ve got creativity, we want it.”

The Bare staff is composed entirely of students, whose jobs include gathering and sorting all the pieces of work and then preparing them for the publication. One of the main tasks for the staff this year is to raise awareness for Bare.

According to senior Amanda Ball, editor in of Bare, staff members raise awareness for Bare by putting up fliers around the school, filling the display case, and spreading the word about the magazine. Despite this, she said most students seem unaware of the magazine.

“I think Bare has been under-advertised since the beginning,” Ball said. “At this point, it kind of seems like only upperclassmen can really say that Bare is a magazine, but most don’t know much more than that.”

On the other hand, music editor senior Phil Lindsay said he thinks the general awareness of Bare has grown during his four years at the high school, especially recently.

“When I was a freshman, I didn’t know [Bare] existed,” Lindsay said. “I think that advertising in past years has been fairly confusing and essentially failed to get the word out. However, in the past two years the staff size has grown and word is definitely spreading.”

With the growing awareness, Bare has undergone changes and improvements during the past couple of years. According to Volksen, Bare was first produced in full color in 2007 and has remained that way ever since. Additionally, Bare has evolved from simply a literary magazine to include artwork and music, as well.

“Last year, with Phil Lindsay’s leadership, Bare produced its first CD of original student compositions,” Volksen said. “If we could add moving art—drama, dance, film [and] animation—we would be able to celebrate more student creativity. I guess we need to take it one step at a time.”

Ball said her biggest challenge is reviewing all the late submissions. She said students usually wait until the deadline to submit their work to Bare, so she and the rest of staff must schedule extra meetings to make sure they review everyone’s pieces. However, Ball said she loves seeing all of the students’ creative work.

“It’s inspiring,” Ball said. “The absolute best experience is choosing a piece to be in Bare, and then when the author [or] artist is revealed in the final magazine, seeing that this kid you’ve been sitting next to all year is a creative genius.”

maria paskell ’11

Perhaps it has passed through the minds of many students. Staring at a computer screen trying to draft an essay that seems impossible to write, it seems almost too easy to conduct a quick Internet search and—with a copy and paste—the essay is done in a snap! But maybe that is too obvious. Maybe take a few words here and there and paraphrase the rest.

However, with the new anti-plagiarism online program starting at UAHS, students might find that such methods of completing an essay will be quite easy to identify. TurnItIn is an online program used by thousands of high schools and colleges across the country, and UAHS is now one of them. The program allows students to upload their essays onto the website which then subsequently checks for any areas of plagiarism. It searches its database of information for any matches or similarities. Students will then receive an originality report that will highlight any areas of concern.

According to principal Kip Greenhill, the program is not meant to catch students.

“We are not trying to play ‘gotcha’ here,” Greenhill said. “Rather, we want to set a philosophy to be a better writer.”

Greenhill said the program is meant to help students avoid plagiarism rather than get them in trouble.

“It gives a student feedback, so they can know if it is really his or her voice,” Greenhill said. “It informs students.”

Social studies teacher Michael Hinze said the program can be very beneficial to students.

“Students will become better writers with this tool. In order to successfully navigate [TurnItIn], students will have to cite their sources,” he said. “It gives the student instant feedback and makes clear what needs to change,” Hinze said.

Hinze said this will help students in the long run in terms of college and future jobs.‑

“TurnItIn provides direct feedback in terms that students understand. It might sound threatening, but as long as you… give it a fair shake, you will find it a great tool for writing,” Hinze said.

Not only is the website beneficial to students, it provides many benefits for teachers as well.

“It helps teachers because they don’t have to go through and check students’ work,” Greenhill said.

Hinze sy ‘gotcha’ here,” Greenhill said. “Rather, we want to set a philosophy to be a better writer.”

Greenhill said the program is meant to help students avoid plagiarism rather than get them in trouble.

“It gives a student feedback, so they can know if it is really his or her voice,” Greenhill said. “It informs students.”

Social studies teacher Michael Hinze said the program can be very beneficial to students.

“Students will become better writers with this tool. In order to successfully navigate [TurnItIn], students will have to cite their sources,” he said. “It gives the student instant feedback and makes clear what needs to change,” Hinze said.

Hinze said this will help students in the long run in terms of college and future jobs.‑

“TurnItIn provides direct feedback in terms that students un

Zoey Whitmeyer and Bo Fisher

A homogeneous mixture

As the bell rings, a classroom full of students scramble through the room searching for their seats. The teacher begins to walk up and down the rows, handing a stack of papers to the students. Junior Michael Kilstrom reads the heading at the top of the page­—Black History Month. Once the teacher finishes distributing the handouts to the class, he announces that today they will be discussing February, the month dedicated to black history. Immediately, Kilstrom receives looks from many students in the class, some smiling, some laughing. Kilstrom looks around the room and notices that he is the only black student among nearly 20 white students; he sinks in embarrassment.

Walking through the hallways of UAHS, one may not notice the disproportionate racial representation, but the statistics speak for themselves. According to the district’s website, 91 percent of UAHS students are Caucasian, while just 6.2 percent are Asian. Additionally, less than one percent of UA’s population is African American. This can present a difficult situation for students like Kilstrom.

“[The lack of diversity] took some getting use to,” Kilstrom said. “I wish we had more diversity in our school.”

These lopsided ratios between races can result in ignorance or even animosity from students and the community. According to senior Sonia Suber, students may be sheltered to the pongs, a classroom full of students scramble through the room searching for their seats. The teacher begins to walk up and down the rows, handing a stack of papers to the students. Junior Michael Kilstrom reads the heading at the top of the page­—Black History Month. Once the teacher finishes distributing the handouts to the class, he announces that today they will be discussing February, the month dedicated to black history. Immediately, Kilstrom receives looks from many students in the class, some smiling, some laughing. Kilstrom looks around the room and notices that he is the only black student among nearly 20 white students; he sinks in embarrassment.

Walking through the hallways of UAHS, one may not notice the disproportionate racial representation, but the statistics speak for themselves. According to the district’s website, 91 percent of UAHS students are Caucasian, while just 6.2 percent are Asian. Additionally, less than one percent of UA’s population is African American. This can present a difficult situation for students like Kilstrom.

“[The lack of diversity] took some getting use to,” Kilstrom said. “I wish we had more diversity in our school.”

These lopsided ratios between races can result in ignorance or even animosity from students and the community. According to senior Sonia Suber, students may be sheltered to the point where they are uncomfortable around people of other races or cultures.

“I feel like we’re in this little bubble, sheltered,” Suber said. “There are some kids who don’t even make an effort to get out [of UA] and because of that, UA can create these ignorant kids.”

Junior Jack Bowman, who attends both UAHS and the Columbus Downtown High School, said the experience of attending a different school was eye opening.

“[The reason] I was ignorant of the lifestyle at Columbus Public Schools [is] because I’ve lived in UA so long,” Bowman said.

Bowman expressed a similar sentiment to Suber, saying that UA is too sheltered.

“I do feel though that UA students are sheltered, which makes them unaware of the culture of kids in the city,” Bowman said.

The lack of ethnicity in the UA school system may not only be affecting minorities. Venturing from clique to clique of students, one may find that most friend groups of the high school are populated by one race. Sophomore Rachel Bishop finds the lack of diversity in groups troubling.

“It’s not weird, but I find it sad that they [aren’t more] diverse,” Bishop said.

Whatever race the groups are filled with, the lack of diversity in social groups does not go unnoticed.

Freshman Derek Galantowitcz is one of many to notice the lopsided groups.

“I believe many people limit their friends because of race,” Galantowitcz said. “I think [the students] could invite or befriend other people.”

To principal Kip Greenhill, a more diverse school has long been an aspiration of his. He said it would help students of all races.

“I wish we were more diverse,” Greenhill said. “It makes well-rounded students, and we try to break out of the bubble.”

The need for diversity is not limited to just the student body. UAHS does not have one black teacher on the school staff. Greenhill said this would not necessarily result in teachers of different cultures or ethnicities to steer away from UA, but it is a definite concern and is difficult to fix.

“It is a concern that we do not have diversity on our staff,” Greenhill said. “[Culture] is not always easy to bring in. You need to hire groups of teachers so they have their own support system.”

Hidden Racism

A disproportionate ratio between races, like the one Upper Arlington suffers from, can sometimes make minorities its victim. That is exactly what Kilstrom believes from experience. On several occasions, Kilstrom said he has been a victim of racial stereotypes from residents of his community.

According to Kilstrom these racist events began way before he attended any schools of Upper Arlington. Kilstrom, an adopted son of a white family, was brought to his great-grandmother’s house shortly after his adoption. Many years later he was told by his parents that his great-grandmother was not fond of the idea of having a great-grandson who was black.

“My great-grandma called me a negro when I was 1-year-old,” Kilstrom said. “My parents told me that they brought me to see her and she said, ‘Oh, you adopted a negro.’”

Though Kilstrom realizes that his great-grandmother was raised in a different time and therefore an old time perspective, he does not believe that excuses her comments.

Junior Jeff Shy can relate to Kilstrom’s family struggles. Sometimes Shy feels out of place being the only black member in his family.

“[Sometimes] I feel like I’m the odd one out of my family,” Shy said.

Shy’s parents have never heard him complain directly about his race regarding comments that his family or classmates have made, but they admit that he has complained about not fitting in.

“We moved here when Jeff was 4-years-old,” Shy’s mother, Becky Shy, said. “We were not focusing on the lack of diversity [when we moved here,] but on a good education.”

His parents said they believe that racism will exist anywhere they go, but they have not experienced it in UA.

“Students in Upper Arlington can be sheltered from different cultures,” Becky Shy said. “Perhaps they are naïve of the surrounding ethnic groups and cultures. If we wanted Jeff to experience African-American culture, we would have to take him outside UA.”

Traces of the old-world perspective can still be found in UA, although sometimes it remains hidden. Some may find it surprising that in some areas of the district, the deeds to houses still state that the houses can not to be sold to an African American.

According to sociology teacher Chris Swartz, some deeds on houses exclude “undesirable persons” from owning property in UA.

“Specifically the term ‘colored’ is used,” Swartz said. “Not just African Americans, but also Jewish, Catholics, and all ethnic groups can be excluded.”

This topic is discussed in Swartz’s sociology class, and Kilstrom finds it offensive when students act apathetic over the subject.

Classroom discussions on racial topics is yet another touchy subject in the world of racism. Kilstrom and Suber said they believe the discussions are mostly handled well, yet some students can come across as ignorant during these topics.

“In Minorities [class], there are a lot of topics and questions that are insulting,” Suber said. “I am offended when students act ignorant or apathetic to the subject.”

Kilstrom said the discussions never cross the line when handled by teachers, but can create awkwardness among the students.

“They handle it pretty well but everybody looks at me because I am the only black student in the class,” Kilstrom said. “It is really awkward sometimes.”

For Kilstrom and Suber, most racism traces back to school and their classmates, mainly in a joking or non-intentional manner. These situations are easy for them to handle without confrontation. One situation that extended out of the classroom caught Kilstrom’s attention and made him re-consider whether or not Upper Arlington was the warm and welcoming place that some may describe it as.

During the summer, Kilstrom recalls a situation in which he and his friends were driving around the community and Kilstrom was a passenger in the car. At one point in the car ride, the car full of teenagers was pulled over by a police officer.

According to Kilstrom and others present during the incident, none of the passengers had been drinking and they gave the police officer no reason to be suspicious. Despite this, Kilstrom said the officer ordered him to step out of the car and searched him. Kilstrom was the only passenger to be searched by the officer. Whether or not the officer did this purely based on the color of his skin, Kilstrom’s perspective on UA’s welcoming status changed for the worse.

Just a joke?

Over the past few years racism has become popular grounds for joking among students of all races. Such jokes have taken a toll on minorities throughout the years. Kilstrom and Suber said the joking is easy to get accustomed to after the course of a few years, but it does not feel good, especially when the jokes are taken too far.

Kilstrom said it took him several years to adjust to the content of some of his friends’ jokes. Now, he said it rarely bothers him.

“I was offended when it started in eighth grade, [but now] I’m used to it,” Kilstrom said.

To Suber, if the jokes are made to be funny and not harmful, she can handle them.

“In a joking sense, I’ve never [been offended by] offensive comments [made] towards me,” Suber said.

Suber said the jokes are acceptable when made by her friends, but Shy said he believes there is a line that has been crossed by even some of his friends. To him, once this line is crossed, the joke changes quickly from good taste to being racist.

“Students usually take racist comments too far and cross the line,” Shy said. “You know it is too far when people start using the N-word through the roof.”

On the other hand, Greenhill said there are not any jokes regarding races that are acceptable.

“There is no joke,” Greenhill said. “Anything that hurts someone is not funny.”

Though racism is not acceptable to Greenhill, he said he feels that traditional punishments such as detentions or suspensions are not the answer to the problem. Instead, Greenhill said he believes that when problems like these arise, the best solution is to sit the student down and have a formal discussion, setting everything straight.

According to Swartz, most racist comments or jokes heard by him are not necessarily meant to harm other students.

“All racial comments in my classroom have been subtle,” Swartz said. “In sociology, I have related some ethnic jokes to show how dangerous they can be, as a part of a lesson about stereotypes.”

Though Swartz said he believes most comments are made without intention of harm, when he hears racist jokes in the classroom too often or jokes that become too dangerous to the students, he takes disciplinary action.

Coming together

Though many groups of students at UAHS may be dominated by one race, some students find their way through the racial segregation. Kilstrom, Suber and Shy all believe their groups of friends are racially diverse and have no problems accepting friends of different races.

Students of different races that transfer to UAHS may find themselves out of place, wondering where they would fit in and turning immediately to whomever they can relate to. Suber notices this and sympathizes for these students.

“I think we need more culture at UA,” Suber said. “I feel bad for new students at UA who do not know where they fit in.”

This is not the case for Kilstrom and his group of friends who believe they have a very diverse social group. Kilstrom and his friend, Corbin Grimm, who is Caucasian, said they have been friends since the eighth grade.

Grimm, who also attends the Columbus Downtown High School for half a day, is happy to have such a diverse set of friends. In fact, he can not imagine what it would be like to only have friends of his race.

“It could be a little weird only having white friends,” Grimm said. “I think it is nice having diversity in our group.”

Grimm and Kilstrom admit that they and the rest of their friends share racist jokes at the expense of each other. Neither of them find it to be offensive as long as it is all in good fun.

In the past, the two of them remember times they had to overcome a few racial obstacles of their own. According to Grimm, his grandmother, like Kilstrom’s, can have an old fashioned perspective that can be construed as racist.

“She usually throws around the N-word around Michael,” Grimm admits. Grimm believes that her attitude comes from where and when she was brought up and not hatred for Kilstrom.

“She grew up in that time and does not know any better,” Grimm said. “She just has that mind set.”

To Suber, diversity is an important part of feeling comfortable in school. She admits to feeling out of place on one or more occasions in elementary school.

“Sometimes I wish I lived in a different place with more diversity,” Suber said.

Though she felt like this in the beginning, Suber surrounded herself with friends of different races as a way of feeling individual.

“[When I was younger], I hung out with a lot of people who were different races,” Suber said. “I feel comfortable being an individual. It’s a bittersweet feeling.”

Athletes balance rigorous pre-season workouts with school

By Parijat Jha

Twenty years ago athletes such as Brett Rothgeb, a star football and basketball player at Dublin Coffman high school, did all of their work on the field. The off-season activities were minimal, and the players spent much of their off-season training individually or simply enjoying the time off.

Athletes have limited time to rest in the off-season. Instead they spend many days with their teammates working on preparing for the future.

“I think this change is brought upon by all the new resources athletes have these days,” Rothgeb said. “In my day we only had one gym. These days there are multiple weight rooms, gyms and fields to practice on.”

Rothgeb’s son, junior Damon Rothgeb, plays football and works out for the sport year round. He lifts, runs and does individual speed training all in preparation for football, Damon said.

Such dedication is typical for off-season athletes as they prepare for their respective sports. Athletes undergo rigorous activities such as lifting, running and even fundraising to raise money for their teams.

“I feel like in my dad’s day student athletes had it much easier. It’s easy to be overwhelmed[because of sports],” Damon said.

Junior Drew Dakin is a two-sport athlete and goes through preseason conditioning before both lacrosse and football season. Like most football players, Dakin begins his first few weeks of summer by lifting and conditioning. In late June, running and scrimmages begin, and soon part of the summer is lost in preparing for the upcoming season. After football season ends, he begins preparing for lacrosse.

“For me, since I can’t do anything in fall because of football, in the winter I go to indoor lacrosse. Along with indoor [lacrosse] we also have lifting, morning running, after-school captains’ running, open gyms and basketball,” Dakin said.

Despite the multitude of tasks laid out in front of Dakin and other athletes, he does not think that all the extra activities are unreasonable.

“All of the running helps condition and build stamina. I think it is definitely necessary, but there is a lot and sometimes it is difficult to balance everything,” Dakin said.

One of these scenarios is when lacrosse players have morning running, after-school captains’ running and open gyms all in one day.

Athletic trainer Ron Walters has spent many years dealing with these athletes. He said they do not have to be overwhelmed.

“It is the athlete’s choice to let the sports overwhelm them. Academics obviously come first,” Walters said. “In the past I have seen captains’ running [days] be on different days than morning running, but it all depends on how astute the athletes are, and how they decide to organize their activities.”

Walters said that lifting and conditioning are important parts of an athlete’s off-season. Off-season workouts are important because they not only prepare them for the season, but they also help reduce injuries.

Swimming and cheerleading are other sports that require major commitments. Sophomore Andrew Rabe decided to stop swimming after his freshman year.

“We have swimming practice almost everyday, even in the summer,” Rabe said. “It can be really hard to get school work done sometimes when I get home really late from practice.”

Cheerleaders are also often thought to have it easy, but sophomore Abby Dugger said cheerleading is nothing to laugh about.

“In the off-season I have tumbling classes, I prepare for tryouts and go to cheerleading camp,” Dugger said.

Athletes these days have many obligations to fill. Along with excelling in sports they must keep up with rigorous school work.

“Whether sports have a negative or positive effect on kids is their choice,” Walters said. “They just have to prioritize and learn how to manage their time appropriately.”

The beginning of second semester means many things for students.

For freshmen, they have survived the first half of the year. For sophomores, National History Day projects have begun, and the prospect of soon becoming upperclassmen is looming. For juniors, there’s one thing on their minds­—college. The stretch before applications are due is a daunting one. Seniors also have college on their mind, but with applications and first semester grades sent, we are more likely to be counting the days until schools out. I, like many other seniors, have found myself more relaxed and less stressed out about school. To use my dad’s terminology, we, seniors are in the “home stretch.” Ready to pass the finish line and leave high school, yet heistant about our future in college.

On a more serious note, February is Black History Month. We approached the issue of race with apprehension; it’s not exactly a comfortable topic for most. However, that does not mean it is not an important one. Upper Arlington, a community that prides itself in its excellent academics and traditions, is also known for several other, more negative aspects. Diversity is not a strong presence felt in the high school or really any part of the community. While definite strides have been made, there is still room for improvement. It is important to understand and appreciate different cultures, and that is what we have dedicated this issue to.

We’d love to print feedback from students, teachers and readers alike. So if you have an opinion about any of our articles, feel free to email us and we’d be happy to print it. Feedback is always helpful in terms of knowing how we are doing and what we can do to improve.

Hoping everyone has an enjoyable winter season,

Leah Johnston

Editor in Chief

As prices rise on iTunes, illegal music downloading remains an issue with expensive consequences

For senior Jane*, downloading music is simple and most importantly, free. In a matter of seconds, she can use LimeWire to get nearly any song at no cost. It’s illegal, but who will ever find out?

Illegal downloading remains common among music fans and students, despite iTunes and many other legal downloading sites.

“Most of my friends [download illegally] too,” Jane said. “I only have one or two friends who actually buy music.”

And though the act seems harmless and widespread, the consequences can be severe.

One Minnesota woman was recently ordered to pay $1.92 million for illegally sharing 24 songs on the Internet, according to the June 19, 2009 article “$1.92 million fine for music piracy” in The New York Times. The harsh penalty was later reduced to $54,000, but the warning was clear.

According to Jason Elvers, an intellectual property lawyer in Columbus who has worked in the music industry, huge lawsuits against even minor illegal downloaders and sharers are one of the ways that the recording industry is attempting to combat the illegal downloading problem.

“[Record companies] realize that there is no way that they can go out and file lawsuits against every single person who downloaded illegally, because the practice is so widespread,” Elvers said. “The more they can get the word out and strike fear into the hearts of these people who are [illegally downloading], the better it is for them.”

The warning is not enough for some illegal downloaders, like Jane.

“I’ve heard stories, but no one I know has been caught yet,” Jane said.

And chances are good that she never will get caught.

“In all likelihood, if you go out and download a handful of songs illegally, nothing is going to happen to you,” Elvers said. “But just because you’re not a heavy downloader of illegal music files, I wouldn’t think that you’re completely safe or immune from legal action.”

Besides lawsuits, downloading illegally raises another issue—does downloading from these sites count as stealing?

“I don’t really think about it,” Jane said. “[But] I feel bad because I know the music industry isn’t doing too well.”

For many who say they would not otherwise steal or shoplift, the ethical situation of downloading illegally is different.

“When you can buy songs for 99 cents on iTunes, people think, ‘A dollar here and there, what’s going to happen?’” Elvers said. “When they’re uploading and downloading and copying, there’s no physical manifestation that they can really see or hold on to, so to some extent, it feels less wrong.”

Sites like Grooveshark and even YouTube are another debate for the illegal music battle. On Grooveshark, members can upload music to the site that can then be played for free by anyone who visits the site. The same is true for YouTube, including music videos.

Because the websites themselves are not usually responsible or liable for the user-uploaded music, it is difficult for record labels to pick out whom to target, according to Elvers. In a June 18, 2009 blog, Rolling Stone magazine wrote that Grooveshark “operates in a legal gray area…enjoy it while it lasts.”

The future of music downloading is still difficult to predict, Elvers said.

“There are certainly folks out there who think that copyright laws should be changed so this stuff isn’t illegal,” Elvers said. “It’s really hard to predict. Whether it’s going to be five, 10, or 20 years before a resolution is found, it’s hard to say.”

This is one instance of a trend has steadily become more noticeable at UAHS, and with this change, comes a renewed smoking culture that has a great impact on the entire community.

A Social Norm

John began smoking during his sophomore year, but it really began to pick up last summer. Like most teens who smoke, he said he never even meant to start the habit.

“I was really reluctant to start. It just wasn’t something I wanted to do,” John said.

Although he attributed his reluctance to the health effects, John said that became less and less important to him.

“After a while, I started,” he said, “and I don’t really care about the health effects anymore.”

The health effects, however, are serious in terms of both long and short term consequences. According to school nurse Vicki Powelson, the health problems range from lung cancer to heart disease and strokes. Other effects that impact smokers more immediately are an increase in blood pressure and hygiene issues, like yellow teeth and bad breath.

“So many people smoke at parties—even people you wouldn’t believe smoke,” he said. “They’re not necessarily addicted, but they will take it if it is offered.”

Those repercussions are beginning to accumulate as John’s habits have grown to their levels today. John admits he’s addicted and smokes half a pack or more everyday. However, he does not believe that his situation is the norm for students at UAHS.

“I don’t think [smoking] is as big of a deal as it is made out to be [at UAHS],” John said. “I only know five or so people who are actually addicted. The rest of the people who smoke do so casually, like at parties.”

UAHS school nurse Laurie Long believes that smoking is ever present.

“To some degree, [teens] have always smoked and it’s always been a part of their culture,” Long said. “But I do think that [students smoking] dropped [in numbers] for a while and now it seems to have increased.”

Senior Eric Riley, who does not smoke, said that while he did not view smoking as a huge problem, the sight of students lighting up has become more frequent.

“I see a lot of kids smoking at school, especially in their cars on the way to lunch,” Riley said. “In my grade, I’ve definitely seen an increase in smoking. I think as we’ve gotten older, more students have experimented and become addicted.”

While students may admit to smoking casually at parties or with friends, they downplay its significance because they deny addiction. Among these students is sophomore Matt*.

“So many people smoke at parties—even people you wouldn’t believe smoke,” he said. “They’re not necessarily addicted, but they will take it if it is offered.”

The expansion is also being observed by students who choose to abstain. Junior Laura Kington, who does not smoke, has taken note.

“A lot of my friends have started smoking, but I don’t think it’s that big of a thing. Most kids smoke socially but aren’t addicted,” Kington said. “The only time it is really in your face is at parties.”

Junior Sam* also mentioned parties and said that smoking is not kept to small segments of the student body.

“At parties, a ton of people will go out to smoke,” he said. “It’s not only people from specific [social] groups, it’s all kinds of people.”

A Thin Line

With more students smoking, it has become a more visible issue on a daily basis. During a walk up and down Mount Holyoke during a lunch period, one may find two or three cars with students smoking in them.

“Often during lunch [we] will smoke,” Sam said. “And I see people in their cars during lunch with a cigarette in their mouth.”

Riley expressed similar sentiments, saying students smoke at school in several places.

“I’ve seen students smoking in the parking lot and even right outside the building,” Riley said. “The [practice] field always has cigarette butts too.”

Such activity, use or possession of cigarettes, is grounds for discipline, suspension, emergency removal, or even expulsion, as deemed by administrators, according to the Students’ Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.

That does not always stop students who think it is worth the risk to smoke during school hours or on school grounds.

“I smoke during lunch all the time,” Matt said. “It’s a nice break from classes.”

Sophomore Nicholas Mehrle has been noticing the increase in smokers at UAHS. However, he said the smoking scene is avoidable for those who don’t wish to become involved.

“It’s definitely visible to everyone,” Mehrle said. “I definitely view it as a bad thing, but it doesn’t really change my view on these people, because they don’t do it around me, so I can just ignore it.”

Senior James* has sold cigarettes to younger students who aren’t of legal age to purchase tobacco. Some students who smoke said they prefer the convenience of buying from another student rather than attempting to purchase from a store and being carded.

Even more risky is the activity of senior James*. James is 18, and therefore of legal age to buy cigarettes. He doesn’t just buy them for himself, though. James has also bought and sold cigarettes to younger friends and classmates; several times he has made the transaction during school.

“I’ve sold to people who aren’t 18 yet,” James said. “I know it’s illegal and against school rules, but I think it’s their decision, so I let them make it.”

Apart from buying tobacco from people like James, students are left to find stores that won’t ask for proof of age. Sam, who is only 17, does not consider this much of a problem. He said plenty of stores around town are looking for the extra business.

“More often than not, I have to go buy them myself,” he said.

However, Sam and Matt said it is more convenient to buy from a friend than going through the trouble and risk of buying tobacco themselves.

“It’s just more convenient and less of a hassle,” Sam said.

When asked if he is exacerbating a serious problem, James didn’t think so.

“I don’t think I’m contributing to a problem,” he said. “[If they don’t get them from me] people can get cigarettes other ways. Plus most people I know aren’t addicted. They just smoke to feel good.”

But the line between smoking socially and becoming addicted is thin. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, “When someone develops tolerance, he or she needs more drug to get the same effect. Eventually a person can become addicted. Once a person becomes addicted, it is extremely difficult to quit. People who start smoking before the age of 21 have the hardest time quitting, and fewer than 1 in 10 people who try to quit smoking succeed.”

This statistic explains how even if smoking is initially just a casual habit, it can quickly grow into something more. Nicotine is the addictive component of tobacco, and it reaches the brain in eight seconds after someone inhales tobacco smoke, according to the NIDA. The pattern of teens smoking affects both genders and all ages, with most teens starting to smoke as just an experiment.

Powelson said students don’t realize the extent of their actions so they continue to smoke despite warnings.

“[Students] think it’s cool to smoke,” Powelson said. “They don’t think in terms of addiction. That’s what smoking is: an addiction. It’s easy to start and hard to stop.”

The Influence

Peer pressure is a major factor in why students start smoking, particularly at parties that teens attend. Smoking at parties and other social events is how Sam started smoking during his sophomore year.

“I wasn’t directly pressured,” he said, “but it just felt weird to be [at a party where people are smoking] and not do it, too.”

This is similar to the way that other students, including Sarah*, began smoking; however, Sarah also emphasized the curiosity that she felt for smoking.

“I was constantly being offered cigarettes, but it wasn’t just that,” she said. “Just being around them tempted me to try.”

While smoking is strictly prohibited by the school, many students continue to smoke on school grounds anyway. The parking lot and practice fields are common areas.

Now, Sarah and Sam smoke one or two packs per week and have friends who do the same. So while students smoke in casual situations and seem to think it is not a problem, with friends, they may be extending the habit.

“I didn’t mean to, but I got one of my friends to start smoking,” Sarah said. “I did it, and eventually she decided to [smoke,] as well.”

According to the NIDA, 80-90 percent of smokers started as teenagers, some even starting as young as middle school. Furthermore, 70 percent of teens age 17 or less say they regret starting.

Sarah said she believes her friend is now addicted to cigarettes.

“I think that smoking at parties can be just as bad as anywhere else,” she said. “The effects are just the same.”

Solving the Problem

Despite the information and education students have received over the years regarding the problems associated with smoking, it still remains an ever-present part of teenage culture. And although ending the cycle of addiction is difficult, many methods are proven to be successful for smokers. The NIDA stresses the importance of teen smokers quitting while they can, specifically before the adverse health effects worsen or become deadly. In fact, one in every six deaths in the United States is a result of smoking.

With such a track record, many find it surprising that students take up the habit. Powelson said students need to realize the adverse effects apply to all smokers, young and old.

“Students need to really understand the long term effects that smoking leads to,” Powelson said.

Others believe however, that the information is there, but it is falling upon deaf ears. Programs like Drug Abuse Resistance Education in health class have attempted to teach students about health effects for years.

“DARE doesn’t succeed in preventing [smoking],” Matt said. “If it worked there would be a lot less smoking and drugs in general. Kids believe what they’re learning about drugs, but by the time they are in high school it doesn’t really matter to them.”

John also said that current education programs have little effect on deterring students.

“It’s inevitable. Kids will always want to experiment and feel good,” he said. “DARE told you what could happen to your body, but most kids don’t care much. They have that ‘in the present’ teen mindset.”

Officer Don Stanko, who participates in teaching students at the elementary and middle school level with DARE, agrees that the program has limited effectiveness.

“No one can argue against the message of DARE. The information is dead on, and it’s something students should hear,” he said. “Is it true? Yes. Are [the kids] going to listen? Oftentimes no, because they’ve made up their minds or already started.”

Parents are left to turn to discipline for turning their kids off from smoking, although it may have limited effectiveness. Sam’s parents found out that he smoked during this past summer.

“They were disappointed, obviously, and I was in trouble and got punished,” he said. “But it hasn’t stopped me.”

For now, the key to reversing the trend remains unclear. As for John, he believes it is in the hands of the student body.

“It’s an issue for teenagers to deal with,” John said. “Other people can’t deal with it for [us]. It will always be our decision.”

marisapatwa ’12

On Dec. 11, 2009, the first ever Halo Awards aired on Teen Nick, giving four ordinary teens who have done extraordinary things for their community, the surprise of a lifetime. Each teen received an unexpected visit from the host of the awards Nick Cannon. Then Lebron James, Hayden Panettiere, Alicia Keys, and Justin Timberlake surprised these teens with a night to spend with them, ten thousand dollars to donate to their project or cause of choice, and an additional ten thousand for their own personal use.

All four teens had been passionate about a certain issue through first hand experience and decided to change their lives by making a difference and sharing their experiences to better help out their communities along with other teens experiencing the same thing.

Teen Brryan Jackson, one of the recipients of the coveted Halo, has lived with HIV since he was eleven months old. Despite the odds against him, Jackson has turned the disease into a lesson for others. He is now a staff member at Camp Kindle, a camp for kids infected with AIDS, and founded his own organization, Hope is Vital.

Teen Megan Kilroy, an ocean lover and president of Team Marine, another winner, is dedicated to keeping the waters of Southern California clean. She believes in making a difference at an early age to help the planet as much as possible.

“Knowledge is the pathway to change and the more you know, the bigger difference you can make,” Kilroy said in an interview with TeenNick.com.

Winner Megan Kilroy recieves two checks from host Nick Cannon equaling twenty thousand dollars

Teens Darrius Snow, president of Bankhead Teens Encouraging Action by Motivating Others, and Leah Stolz, founder of Curvy Girls for Long Island, are also winners of the award.

However, it is not a requirement to experience something traumatic or create a foundation to want to make a difference. Motivation, supporters, and a cause are sufficient ingredients to having an impact. Any cause, from stopping animal cruelty to global warming, can be supported across the nation and even in Ohio.

To graduate from UAHS, every student is required to do service hours, but there are a few students who put it off until last minute over the summer. The Senior Capstone Project in particular emphasizes service for the community with a minimum of sixteen hours of service. However, there are other opportunities to actually help others and make a difference. Simple things such as working for free at the Salvation Army, becoming a candy striper at the hospital, volunteering at a clinic at the Ohio State University medical center, or simply recycling are all possible ways to volunteer.

Everyone can make a difference and it is as easy as logging onto www.serve.gov, a government website backed by President Obama. This website calls for people of all ages to volunteer their services and make a difference across the country.

According to ServeOhio, the annual Make A Difference Day, is the nation’s largest day of citizens volunteering to make communities stronger. This year, the day will be on Oct. 23 and would be an opportunity for many UA teens to volunteer their services.

Halo Awards Host Nick Cannon presents winner Leah Stolz her award infront of her classmates.

There are many ways to get involved in UA, it is as simple as putting together a team of friends, family, peers, and coming together with a common goal. There are even ways to publicize the goal by registering the project online at ServeOhio in which donations could be made and volunteers could be recruited.

Maybe with more hard work earnest desire to give back, one lucky UA teen might be surprised with a helicopter ride with Robert Pattinson or Megan Fox next year. But first, it begins by practicing the strong Halo method of helping and leading others.