FEATURES
Summer Destinations
Jessica Davila
These past months we have been in quarantine due to COVID-19. With quarantine starting to be lifted slowly there is a possibility to be able to go out for summer. There are many beautiful places to visit here in Kentucky. A lot of nature to be explored.
Red Tree, 701 E Market St, Louisville, KY 40202. This shop brings a lot of attraction due to its unique displays and courtyard. Many people decide to take pictures here due to the very unique overhead of umbrellas. If you’re looking for a great place to find unique items this is the place. There is a lot of custom and unique furniture. There are very unique arts that you won't find in any other place. Even if you aren’t interested in buying something this is still a great place to visit.
Conrad - Caldwell house, 1402 St James Ct, Louisville, KY 40208. This house is located in Old Louisville. It is a great way to be able to learn a little more about history. It is set in the time period of the Victorian era. It looks a lot like a castle in it’s form of being built. There are a lot of adventures that you can go on like rock climbing.
Daniel Boone National forest, 1700 Bypass Rd, London, KY 40744. If you really enjoy exploring then this national forest is the right place for you. There is a beautiful waterfall called eagle falls that everyone should be able to witness. There are also some caves found in this area that people can go and see. There is also a natural bridge found in the park aka the skybridge. It is a 1.5 mile hike but it is most definitely worth it. There are many beautiful outlooks like the ones mentioned but there is still a lot more to enjoy and explore.
Lost River Cave, 2818 Nashville Rd, Bowling Green, KY 42101. This cave system tells a story of the blue hole and civil war soldiers who disappeared. This history is told to you by a tour guide while on the trail. You can explore the inside of the cave even more by choosing either a boat or a kayak ride. There are also many activities found in this location from hiking to zip lining. This is a great way to learn more about history but also in order to be able to have some summer fun.
These past months we have been in quarantine due to COVID-19. With quarantine starting to be lifted slowly there is a possibility to be able to go out for summer. There are many beautiful places to visit here in Kentucky. A lot of nature to be explored.
Red Tree, 701 E Market St, Louisville, KY 40202. This shop brings a lot of attraction due to its unique displays and courtyard. Many people decide to take pictures here due to the very unique overhead of umbrellas. If you’re looking for a great place to find unique items this is the place. There is a lot of custom and unique furniture. There are very unique arts that you won't find in any other place. Even if you aren’t interested in buying something this is still a great place to visit.
Conrad - Caldwell house, 1402 St James Ct, Louisville, KY 40208. This house is located in Old Louisville. It is a great way to be able to learn a little more about history. It is set in the time period of the Victorian era. It looks a lot like a castle in it’s form of being built. There are a lot of adventures that you can go on like rock climbing.
Daniel Boone National forest, 1700 Bypass Rd, London, KY 40744. If you really enjoy exploring then this national forest is the right place for you. There is a beautiful waterfall called eagle falls that everyone should be able to witness. There are also some caves found in this area that people can go and see. There is also a natural bridge found in the park aka the skybridge. It is a 1.5 mile hike but it is most definitely worth it. There are many beautiful outlooks like the ones mentioned but there is still a lot more to enjoy and explore.
Lost River Cave, 2818 Nashville Rd, Bowling Green, KY 42101. This cave system tells a story of the blue hole and civil war soldiers who disappeared. This history is told to you by a tour guide while on the trail. You can explore the inside of the cave even more by choosing either a boat or a kayak ride. There are also many activities found in this location from hiking to zip lining. This is a great way to learn more about history but also in order to be able to have some summer fun.
Even More Sanity-Saving Ideas Kusum Kumar
A new pandemic has stretched across the globe, forcing every school to close and letting parents work from home or not work at all. Schools are letting kids work online from home, this causes a problem for all students who have to work from home. That problem is boredom. To parents and others who may not be in such a position, this seems like a small problem but when you have an entire week to complete your assignments you end up having lots of free time on your hands. Now, what to do?
- Call your friends
This one is pretty self-explanatory. Many students haven’t had the chance to see their close friends. Suddenly not being able to see the people you see every day and disappoint people and make them feel lonely. Facetime or calling them can ease this sadness. - Watch Netflix
Now, you finally have time to watch all those TV shows and movies you’ve been putting off. Set up a little theater, grab some snacks and binge a new series. You could even link this with #1. You could all watch a movie together while face-timing so you can see each other reactions and talk during the movie. - Listen to music
Discover a new genre of music -- This can even be a genre of music in a different language. You may find some hidden gems along the way! - Play Music
You know that piano sitting, covered in dust in the family living room? Now is your time to learn how to play it with the help of online sources. During the next family gathering, you can take everyone by surprise by your new-found hobby. - Play Video Games
Challenge your siblings to a MarioKart race. Or get onto a Minecraft server with them. You’ll have to spend every single day with them now, so this can be a great way to bond with them. - Learn a new language
A lot of students were previously studying a language at school. There are plenty of ways to review these languages online. Or, if you’re interested, you can start learning a new language. Learning languages makes your memory better and opens your mind to new cultures. It can transport your mind to another country which is exactly what the doctor ordered during this quarantine. - Try out new recipes
Whether you prefer baking or cooking, grab your siblings or parents or even just by yourself to surprise everyone. Find an interesting recipe online and plan to make it (NOTE: try to make recipes with ingredients you already have. If not, use a curbside pick-up service and don’t put you or your family in trouble). - Exercise
Staying at home all day leads to a lot of snacking. Luckily, you now have time to exercise and even out any snacking. Prom and graduation may have been canceled but at least now, when you return to school you’ll have an entire glow up! - Write a story and learn how to bind it
A great idea is to write in a journal during this time. We’re in a weird situation at the moment so write down everything that happens. In a few years, you could look back at these memories and laugh about it. - Have a Boardgame day
Gather your family and your stash of board games. Set a blanket on the ground of your living room and play many games with each other. At least, now you’ll finally be able to finish an entire game of Monopoly! - Have a cleaning race
This is the perfect way to clean the house. Put on some music and challenge your siblings that you can finish cleaning your room before they can clean theirs -- make sure you deep clean and have your parents be the judge of the winner. - Puzzles
You know that puzzle you got as a birthday gift a few years ago that you haven’t touched since? Well, grab it from the closet, dust it off and start solving it. You could even do it with someone or put on some music as you go. - Crafts
- From origami to learning how to crochet. Crafts are a great way to let the time pass by and make sure that you’re still doing something at lease semi-productive.
- Wash the family car with the whole family
Park your car on your driveway use soap, a hose and washcloths to clean the outside of the car. Just remember, that it’s not uncommon to “accidentally” spray your sibling with the hose. Then, clean out the inside by taking out all the trash and unneeded papers. - Create in-door scavenger hunts
- Chances are, parents can create the hunt and their kids can complete it. This creates fun for the entire family and can let kids feel playful even though they’re stuck inside.
- Catch up on your to-read list
This is the perfect time to read all the books you buy at Half Priced Books but never get to read. Being able to read of someone else’s adventures while you’re cooped up at home is like an outlet. - Create new styles with your current clothing.
Try dressing up a little every day, whether you wear a collared shirt or a dress. Doing this will make you feel like you are at school and thus make you more focused on your work. - Take a virtual tour
Virtual tours are popular online. You could tour a different country or a museum. This can give you a new perspective of the world and remind you that there are places other than the walls of your home. - Plan a vacation
Plan everything down to a tee. Create your perfect dream vacation and plan every detail. PLan the countries you’ll go to, the places you’ll stay at and the things you’ll do. - Karaoke
- Have a Karaoke night with your family. Make some dinner and belt it out, seeing who can do it better.
7 Quarantine Ideas to Keep Your Sanity Kiki Chandler
- Exercise
- Learn something new
- Create art
- Read a book
- Start a house project
- Start a show on Netflix
- Do your homework
John Krasinski’s Good News Lucy Riley
During these past few troubling weeks the 40 year old celebrity has used his massive influence for good. John Krasinski has started a youtube channel dedicated to giving everyone “Some Good News”. Every couple of days Krasinski posts a video talking about a good deed done or someone’s positive act. In his latest video John talks about a fifth grader making masks out of various materials to send out to those on the medical “front lines”. He shows a video he received from a woman who had been discharged from her hospital in LA.
In his most viewed video John brings in an old co-star from his time in the show “The Office”, Steve Carell, and they discuss the show's 15th anniversary. They continue to reminisce about their time working together. John explains why he started his new show. “For years now, I’ve been wondering, why is there not a news show dedicated entirely to good news?” The show will take time to develop, because, as the creator himself admits, “I’m John Krasinski, and if it isn’t clear yet, I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing.”
In his most viewed video John brings in an old co-star from his time in the show “The Office”, Steve Carell, and they discuss the show's 15th anniversary. They continue to reminisce about their time working together. John explains why he started his new show. “For years now, I’ve been wondering, why is there not a news show dedicated entirely to good news?” The show will take time to develop, because, as the creator himself admits, “I’m John Krasinski, and if it isn’t clear yet, I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing.”
Need a Spring Break Destinion Brooke Hardin
Jefferson County Public Schools spring break falls on the last few days of March through the first week of April, perfect time for Florida weather. Depending on how far your family is willing to travel this spring break here’s a few destinations on the panhandle and in southern Florida.
Ginnie Springs, 500 NE 60th Ave, High Springs, Fl 32643. This Florida location is great for a family vacation as it has many family friendly activities such as volleyball courts, diving lessons and snorkeling. The springs sit on campgrounds allowing you and your family to spend days on end enjoying the relaxing water. Canoeing is also an option the park features. The location also includes its own restaurant providing American food all day long. The park is open 24 hours and is an extremely affordable vacation spot, as long as you don’t mind sleeping on the campgrounds!
Devil’s Den Spring, 5390 NE 180th Ave Williston, FL 32696. This site offers snorkeling and scuba diving from hours 9am-5pm Monday-Thursday and 8am-5pm Friday-Sunday. Although the springs themselves close at 5pm daily, the site offers lodging including cabins, trailers, and tent and RV camping. This attraction also includes an on-site food truck which includes foods from burgers to vegetarian options, operating only on weekends at the time. Snorkeling is affordable at $10 per person but does not allow children under the age of 7 into the Den. This location also encourages visitors to rent a hotel room incase of available housing, especially for larger parties/families.
Florida Caverns State Park, 3345 Caverns Rd. Marianna Fl, 32446.
This Florida destination is a Florida State Park that includes cave tours and campgrounds. Located in the Florida Panhandle, it is the only Florida state park with air-filled caves that provides public access. There is a 9-hole golf course on park property which offers fun for the whole family. Other activities the Park includes are camping, hiking, horse-back riding and fishing. This unique park is a one and a lifetime experience to see natural habitats and rock formations beneath the surface.
Ginnie Springs, 500 NE 60th Ave, High Springs, Fl 32643. This Florida location is great for a family vacation as it has many family friendly activities such as volleyball courts, diving lessons and snorkeling. The springs sit on campgrounds allowing you and your family to spend days on end enjoying the relaxing water. Canoeing is also an option the park features. The location also includes its own restaurant providing American food all day long. The park is open 24 hours and is an extremely affordable vacation spot, as long as you don’t mind sleeping on the campgrounds!
Devil’s Den Spring, 5390 NE 180th Ave Williston, FL 32696. This site offers snorkeling and scuba diving from hours 9am-5pm Monday-Thursday and 8am-5pm Friday-Sunday. Although the springs themselves close at 5pm daily, the site offers lodging including cabins, trailers, and tent and RV camping. This attraction also includes an on-site food truck which includes foods from burgers to vegetarian options, operating only on weekends at the time. Snorkeling is affordable at $10 per person but does not allow children under the age of 7 into the Den. This location also encourages visitors to rent a hotel room incase of available housing, especially for larger parties/families.
Florida Caverns State Park, 3345 Caverns Rd. Marianna Fl, 32446.
This Florida destination is a Florida State Park that includes cave tours and campgrounds. Located in the Florida Panhandle, it is the only Florida state park with air-filled caves that provides public access. There is a 9-hole golf course on park property which offers fun for the whole family. Other activities the Park includes are camping, hiking, horse-back riding and fishing. This unique park is a one and a lifetime experience to see natural habitats and rock formations beneath the surface.
Fear Tactics and Immigration Jessica Davila
Donald Trump has used the fear of illegal immigrants to gain support since the start of his campaign in 2016. He’s used people’s fear of foreigners to manipulate them into thinking he is doing the right thing. This is so he appears as something he’s not in the public eye. It can be assumed that he will do this again to get people to vote for him in the 2020 elections.
It seems president Trump is still using the fear of immigration caravans to prove that he is a strong leader and worthy of being reelected. The caravans seem to be coming from places located in Central America (El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala). Some of these caravans have been reportedly carrying nearly 7,000 people including men, women and children.
Most migrants are trying to get away and seek shelter from violence and economic hardships, however. In fact, many economic policies of the United States have been criticized for creating the dire circumstances people are fleeing in other countries. Trump however says that illegal immigration is something that will bring crime or even terrorism into the United States.
Millions of dollars for aid to Mexico and Guatemala was cut by the United States due to the country allegedly not being able to stop these caravans from passing through. To make sure Mexico followed through the U.S compelled the government to have a sign agreement that people will stay in Mexico instead of coming to the U.S. The Guatemalan government has also fallen into using force to keep people from immigrating.
Illegal immigration is still occurring in huge numbers. People from Central and South America desperately want to come to the U.S. because of the negative circumstances they face in their own nations. But if it is the economic policies of the U.S. which are to blame, can we also blame the people who make the dangerous journey to cross the border?
It seems president Trump is still using the fear of immigration caravans to prove that he is a strong leader and worthy of being reelected. The caravans seem to be coming from places located in Central America (El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala). Some of these caravans have been reportedly carrying nearly 7,000 people including men, women and children.
Most migrants are trying to get away and seek shelter from violence and economic hardships, however. In fact, many economic policies of the United States have been criticized for creating the dire circumstances people are fleeing in other countries. Trump however says that illegal immigration is something that will bring crime or even terrorism into the United States.
Millions of dollars for aid to Mexico and Guatemala was cut by the United States due to the country allegedly not being able to stop these caravans from passing through. To make sure Mexico followed through the U.S compelled the government to have a sign agreement that people will stay in Mexico instead of coming to the U.S. The Guatemalan government has also fallen into using force to keep people from immigrating.
Illegal immigration is still occurring in huge numbers. People from Central and South America desperately want to come to the U.S. because of the negative circumstances they face in their own nations. But if it is the economic policies of the U.S. which are to blame, can we also blame the people who make the dangerous journey to cross the border?
Sweet Treats Wesley Holt
Have you ever been so stressed that you just need a good piece of something sweet? Have you ever just had that bad sweet tooth and you needed something that would take that away. Often new desserts are coming out that are super fancy, but some of the old tried and true sweets will still satisfy your craving.
My favorite dessert and craving for 2020 so far has been glazed donuts from Krispy Kreme. They are so good when they are nice and hot, and go great with a nice glass of milk.
And what also goes well with a nice glass of milk? Brownies, of course! A classic dessert that never goes out of style. Also, when they are nice and hot they become nice and good and soft and gooey. Some people may not realize that brownies and vanilla ice cream mixed with milk is just about one of the best things on the planet. Just letting the hot brownies melt onto the ice cream and milk is heavenly.
In Louisville, there are some amazing dessert places. I love Insomnia Cookie. They offer nice soft cookies over ice cream. This place will really have you craving cookies and all types of other sweet treats. Check out Insomnia if you're ever in the downtown area.
Homemade Ice Cream and Pie Kitchen and The Comfy Cow are two other amazing places. I love them both because of the flavors of the ice cream and the flavors of all the cookies and sweet brownies.
So even though you might want to walk to burn off those calories, these sweet treats are worth it.
My favorite dessert and craving for 2020 so far has been glazed donuts from Krispy Kreme. They are so good when they are nice and hot, and go great with a nice glass of milk.
And what also goes well with a nice glass of milk? Brownies, of course! A classic dessert that never goes out of style. Also, when they are nice and hot they become nice and good and soft and gooey. Some people may not realize that brownies and vanilla ice cream mixed with milk is just about one of the best things on the planet. Just letting the hot brownies melt onto the ice cream and milk is heavenly.
In Louisville, there are some amazing dessert places. I love Insomnia Cookie. They offer nice soft cookies over ice cream. This place will really have you craving cookies and all types of other sweet treats. Check out Insomnia if you're ever in the downtown area.
Homemade Ice Cream and Pie Kitchen and The Comfy Cow are two other amazing places. I love them both because of the flavors of the ice cream and the flavors of all the cookies and sweet brownies.
So even though you might want to walk to burn off those calories, these sweet treats are worth it.
Swimming in Circles:
Remembering Mac Miller Brooke Hardin
Many musical artists have passed away whose individual impact on the artistic community continues. An interesting thing that occurs sometimes is when a deceased artist has music released posthumously. This has occurred historically with artists such as Tupac Shakur and more recently with XXXTension and Mac Miller, who passed away from a drug overdose in 2018.
The same year Mac released an album titled Swimming. Although this album was released shortly after Mac’s breakup with Ariana Grande, he informed the fans that it wasn’t a breakup album. Rather, he claimed it was just a picture of his life, “I’m just talking about things that I’m proud of myself for, things I’m afraid of, or things that are just thoughts and emotions,” is how he described his artwork to Zane Lowe. Before his death on September 7th he began to work on another album titled Circles. Swimming in Circles was the concept he was attempting to create. His goal was to express the constant feeling of getting further in life but never really going anywhere.
The new album is perhaps his softest and most slow paced album, but is similar to his 2018 album Swimming. Songs on that album such as 2009 and Self Care relate to the new 12 songs on the recently released album. The lyrics can be perceived as his view of the world; the songs go deeper into the meaning of life. Circles, the title track on the album, describes a feeling of dying and continuously being stuck in a loop while living. It relates to problems people face everyday.
The fact that other remaining artists are making it a part of their jobs to promote and release artist’s work who have passed away tells you a lot about the music community. Music is an artform; it’s a way to express yourself in hope that people can relate. His producer Jon Brion ultimately finished and produced the Circles album with the remaining songs Mac had planned to release on that album before his death.
Not only have other artists and producers been greatly effected and supportive of the new release but so have his millions of fans. After hearing about the new album release a twitter account called “The Mac Miller Memoir” announced that they were hosting a fan tribute event on his birthday, January 19th, in his hometown of Pittsburgh. The impact his music had on the community over the years still exists today and is extremely powerful in bringing people together to remember a legend in the music industry.
The same year Mac released an album titled Swimming. Although this album was released shortly after Mac’s breakup with Ariana Grande, he informed the fans that it wasn’t a breakup album. Rather, he claimed it was just a picture of his life, “I’m just talking about things that I’m proud of myself for, things I’m afraid of, or things that are just thoughts and emotions,” is how he described his artwork to Zane Lowe. Before his death on September 7th he began to work on another album titled Circles. Swimming in Circles was the concept he was attempting to create. His goal was to express the constant feeling of getting further in life but never really going anywhere.
The new album is perhaps his softest and most slow paced album, but is similar to his 2018 album Swimming. Songs on that album such as 2009 and Self Care relate to the new 12 songs on the recently released album. The lyrics can be perceived as his view of the world; the songs go deeper into the meaning of life. Circles, the title track on the album, describes a feeling of dying and continuously being stuck in a loop while living. It relates to problems people face everyday.
The fact that other remaining artists are making it a part of their jobs to promote and release artist’s work who have passed away tells you a lot about the music community. Music is an artform; it’s a way to express yourself in hope that people can relate. His producer Jon Brion ultimately finished and produced the Circles album with the remaining songs Mac had planned to release on that album before his death.
Not only have other artists and producers been greatly effected and supportive of the new release but so have his millions of fans. After hearing about the new album release a twitter account called “The Mac Miller Memoir” announced that they were hosting a fan tribute event on his birthday, January 19th, in his hometown of Pittsburgh. The impact his music had on the community over the years still exists today and is extremely powerful in bringing people together to remember a legend in the music industry.
Overcoming Freshman Anxiety Jessica Davila
The first day of freshman year can be a scary experience. There is a lot of pressure to try fitting in and to find who you are as a person. You want to stand out but fit in at the same time. But when your new and don’t know anyone, that can be hard. It seems like everyone knows each other. You feel as if all the attention is on you. The anxiety and stress can get to you on the first day not knowing anyone and feeling out of place can take a toll on you.
Leading up to the first day of school, my anxiety was high because I was going into a new school where I knew no one. The first couple of weeks were filled with the constant stress of having to get up and go to school. The stress of my school work was huge and the procrastination didn’t help. I was never the girl who would embrace new experiences. I wasn’t good with socializing in a new environment.
It came to a point where even lunch became difficult, even though it should have been the easiest part of the day. One day I Just came to the one teacher I knew and asked if I could just eat lunch in his classroom. This was due to me feeling out of place and anxiety to socialize. Knowing why I wanted to avoid the cafeteria, he said, “No, you have to go out there and socialize.” He knew that staying in my comfort zone wasn’t going to help in the long run. Over time I learned to get out of my comfort zone and talk to people. At lunch I met two girls who I became good friends with. The advice and the push were something I really needed at that time.
The first semester seemed to be going by so slowly due to everything that was happening. There was a lot to get used to and learn, from all the advanced classes to learning a new language. But then the third term of the semester went flying by. The third term was probably the time when I started to feel more comfortable and getting used to things. By then I had met more people, and some became close friends. Things got a lot easier for me as I had gotten used to mostly everything.
The second semester has just recently started and the feelings of stress and anxiety have all disappeared. I am finally able to say that everything in the first semester was worth it. I got some new electives and am really enjoying them. I’ve gotten used to not really finding my place and have accepted that maybe I’m just meant to stand out a little more than the rest. It’s something that takes time to get used to and to feel comfortable with. Stepping out of your comfort zone your first year in high school is worth the anxiety and uncertainty.
If there is one thing this first semester taught me is that the main focus when going into high school should be yourself and your studies, not on everyone else. There isn’t really anything anyone will be able to tell you to prepare you for freshmen year because everyone’s year is different. Everything has to be taken one step at a time, but now it feels as if I took a huge leap. I’ve become more aware that you can’t change the people around you and it’s better to have a few close friends than a whole group of friends. I think all my worries are gone and the worst is over. Now I’m looking forward to the future.
Swift Dominates AMA Ceremony Emily Richardson
On Sunday, November 24th, the 47th annual American Music Awards were held in Los Angeles, with Ciara hosting. Some of the current biggest artists in the industry such as Taylor Swift, Halsey, and Post Malone, the awards were nothing short of a success. The show began with an intimate performance of “Lose You to Love Me” from Selena Gomez. It was obvious that Gomez was nervous during the performance, seeing as how this was one of her first live performances since taking a several year break from music. Once she finished her very personal performance of “Lose You to Love Me”, Gomez transitioned into an edgy performance of her most recent single, “Look At Her Now”.
17-year-old pop sensation Billie Eilish took home one of the first awards of the night for “Favorite Alternative Rock Artist”. This was Eilish’s first American Music Award and she did not stop there. She continued out the night with other big wins such as “New Artist of The Year”. Eilish also took the stage to perform her newest single, “All The Good Girls Go To Hell”, putting on a very energetic performance that included a lot of pyrotechnics. Later in the night, the 17 year old got the honor of announcing Green Day to the stage, stating how big of a fan she was of them.
Halsey took home one of the next awards of the night for “Best Pop/Rock Song” for her hit song “Without Me”. Halsey did not receive any Grammy nominations this year, after releasing some of her biggest songs yet. She gave her acceptance speech while taking shots at the Grammys for not being fan-voted, saying that she is “So thankful to the AMA’s for being the world’s largest fan-voted award show”, with a very obvious emphasis on “fan-voted”. She went on to say that she is thankful for the fans, because they are the ones who truly care about the music and that she is thankful to the AMA’s for giving those people a voice. Halsey later took the stage to perform a very theatrical version of her latest single “Graveyard”. This performance featured professional dancer Dani Vitale. The two started off wearing all white and ended up throwing paint everywhere until they were both covered in an array of colored paint.
“Collaboration of The Year” went to Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes’ smash-hit “Senorita”. The pair went on to give a very intimate performance of this song, with Mendes playing the guitar as Cabello danced with him. Cabello also gave a performance earlier in the night of her song “Living Proof”. This performance featured a very beautiful production which featured an array of flowers that eventually turned to flames, while Cabello and her dancers took the stage in white lace outfits.
Despite having 7 nominations, such as for “Artist of The Year” and “Favorite Male Artist- Pop/Rock”, Post Malone only took home the award for “Favorite Album- Rap/Hip Hop”.Post Malone later took the stage to perform his smash-hit “Circles”, which transitioned into a performance with Ozzy Osbourne and Travis Scott of their recent release, “Take What You Want”. This was a very intense performance, featuring an immense amount of fire while the stage production included a lot of metal chains. This was one of the most insane performances of the night. Other artists among the rap genre took home awards throughout the night, such as Cardi B for Favorite Artist- Rap/ Hip Hop, and Lil Nas X for Favorite Song- Rap/Hip Hop for “Old Town Road”.
Within the Country category, Dan + Shay were big winners, as well as Carrie Underwood, both of which took home two awards each. Dan + Shay were awarded for Favorite Country Duo/Group, as well as Favorite Country Song for their smash hit “Speechless”. Carrie Underwood took home awards for both “Favorite Female Artist-Country”, as well as “Favorite Album- Country” for “Cry Pretty”. Khalid was among big winners in the R&B category, winning awards for both “Favorite Album- Soul/R&B” and “Favorite Song- R&B” for his hit “Talk”.
The award show featured performances from other artists such as Green Day, Lizzo, Kesha, and Dua Lipa. Shania Twain closed out the night by performing a melody of her hits, including “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” and “You’re Still The One”. Twain began her performance with tributes to artists such as Taylor Swift, Drake, and Twenty One Pilots. This performance marked Twain’s first time performing on the American Music Awards stage since 2003.
Taylor Swift and BTS took home the most awards throughout the night, with Swift taking home 5 and BTS taking home 3. BTS took home awards for “Favorite Duo/Group-Pop/Rock”, “Favorite Social Artist”, and “Tour of The Year”.
Taylor Swift took home 5 awards, making her the most awarded artist in AMA history. With 29 awards total, Swift overtook legendary artists such as Micheal Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Beyonce. Swift took home awards such as “Artist of The Year”, “Favorite Music Video”, “Favorite Album- Pop/Rock”, “Favorite Artist- Adult Contemporary”, and the biggest award of the night, “Artist of The Decade”. Prior to Swift’s performance, her ongoing feud with music industry executives Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta filled the news once Braun said that Swift was not allowed to perform hits from her previous albums. Braun and Borchetta have recently taken over the rights to all of Swift’s all of her previous albums up to Reputation. The world waited in anticipation for Swift to say something about Braun and Brochetta, but she said everything by saying nothing. Swift began her performance with “The Man”, a song she wrote about the male-dominated music industry and how she would be treated differently if she were a man. Swift took the stage wearing a white, prison-esque jacket that was covered with the names of Swift’s previous albums, which she no longer has rights to. Swift was joined on stage by a handful of young girls. It has been assumed that the young girls were meant to represent how she wants to teach younger generations to stand up for themselves. Swift continued the performance by performing a confetti-filled melody of her older hits, such as “Love Story”, “I Knew You Were Trouble”, and “Blank Space”. Swift transitioned to an upbeat and energetic performance of smash hit “Shake It Off”, where she brought out female powerhouses Halsey and Camila Cabello. The stage went dark, only illuminating dancers Misty Copeland and Craig Hall, as Swift sat down at a piano to begin a majestic rendition of her most recent single, “Lover”. The piano was beautifully decorated with pink jewels to feature the names of Swift’s previous albums which she no longer has the rights to, even including names of singles such as “Ours” and “Eyes Open”.
Carole King presented Swift with the award for Artist of The Decade. As Swift was handed the award, she reminisced about how she grew up listening to Carole King’s music through her parents. She recalled realizing “how marvelous it was that an artist could transcend so many different phases and possibilities in people’s lives,” and went on to state that Carol King was the artist who made her realize that was possible. She continued to thank the fans, recognizing and stating that they are the reason she has been on that stage from the very first day, as well as thanking them for a decade worth of “fun, incredible, exhilarating, extraordinary” memories.
17-year-old pop sensation Billie Eilish took home one of the first awards of the night for “Favorite Alternative Rock Artist”. This was Eilish’s first American Music Award and she did not stop there. She continued out the night with other big wins such as “New Artist of The Year”. Eilish also took the stage to perform her newest single, “All The Good Girls Go To Hell”, putting on a very energetic performance that included a lot of pyrotechnics. Later in the night, the 17 year old got the honor of announcing Green Day to the stage, stating how big of a fan she was of them.
Halsey took home one of the next awards of the night for “Best Pop/Rock Song” for her hit song “Without Me”. Halsey did not receive any Grammy nominations this year, after releasing some of her biggest songs yet. She gave her acceptance speech while taking shots at the Grammys for not being fan-voted, saying that she is “So thankful to the AMA’s for being the world’s largest fan-voted award show”, with a very obvious emphasis on “fan-voted”. She went on to say that she is thankful for the fans, because they are the ones who truly care about the music and that she is thankful to the AMA’s for giving those people a voice. Halsey later took the stage to perform a very theatrical version of her latest single “Graveyard”. This performance featured professional dancer Dani Vitale. The two started off wearing all white and ended up throwing paint everywhere until they were both covered in an array of colored paint.
“Collaboration of The Year” went to Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes’ smash-hit “Senorita”. The pair went on to give a very intimate performance of this song, with Mendes playing the guitar as Cabello danced with him. Cabello also gave a performance earlier in the night of her song “Living Proof”. This performance featured a very beautiful production which featured an array of flowers that eventually turned to flames, while Cabello and her dancers took the stage in white lace outfits.
Despite having 7 nominations, such as for “Artist of The Year” and “Favorite Male Artist- Pop/Rock”, Post Malone only took home the award for “Favorite Album- Rap/Hip Hop”.Post Malone later took the stage to perform his smash-hit “Circles”, which transitioned into a performance with Ozzy Osbourne and Travis Scott of their recent release, “Take What You Want”. This was a very intense performance, featuring an immense amount of fire while the stage production included a lot of metal chains. This was one of the most insane performances of the night. Other artists among the rap genre took home awards throughout the night, such as Cardi B for Favorite Artist- Rap/ Hip Hop, and Lil Nas X for Favorite Song- Rap/Hip Hop for “Old Town Road”.
Within the Country category, Dan + Shay were big winners, as well as Carrie Underwood, both of which took home two awards each. Dan + Shay were awarded for Favorite Country Duo/Group, as well as Favorite Country Song for their smash hit “Speechless”. Carrie Underwood took home awards for both “Favorite Female Artist-Country”, as well as “Favorite Album- Country” for “Cry Pretty”. Khalid was among big winners in the R&B category, winning awards for both “Favorite Album- Soul/R&B” and “Favorite Song- R&B” for his hit “Talk”.
The award show featured performances from other artists such as Green Day, Lizzo, Kesha, and Dua Lipa. Shania Twain closed out the night by performing a melody of her hits, including “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” and “You’re Still The One”. Twain began her performance with tributes to artists such as Taylor Swift, Drake, and Twenty One Pilots. This performance marked Twain’s first time performing on the American Music Awards stage since 2003.
Taylor Swift and BTS took home the most awards throughout the night, with Swift taking home 5 and BTS taking home 3. BTS took home awards for “Favorite Duo/Group-Pop/Rock”, “Favorite Social Artist”, and “Tour of The Year”.
Taylor Swift took home 5 awards, making her the most awarded artist in AMA history. With 29 awards total, Swift overtook legendary artists such as Micheal Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Beyonce. Swift took home awards such as “Artist of The Year”, “Favorite Music Video”, “Favorite Album- Pop/Rock”, “Favorite Artist- Adult Contemporary”, and the biggest award of the night, “Artist of The Decade”. Prior to Swift’s performance, her ongoing feud with music industry executives Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta filled the news once Braun said that Swift was not allowed to perform hits from her previous albums. Braun and Borchetta have recently taken over the rights to all of Swift’s all of her previous albums up to Reputation. The world waited in anticipation for Swift to say something about Braun and Brochetta, but she said everything by saying nothing. Swift began her performance with “The Man”, a song she wrote about the male-dominated music industry and how she would be treated differently if she were a man. Swift took the stage wearing a white, prison-esque jacket that was covered with the names of Swift’s previous albums, which she no longer has rights to. Swift was joined on stage by a handful of young girls. It has been assumed that the young girls were meant to represent how she wants to teach younger generations to stand up for themselves. Swift continued the performance by performing a confetti-filled melody of her older hits, such as “Love Story”, “I Knew You Were Trouble”, and “Blank Space”. Swift transitioned to an upbeat and energetic performance of smash hit “Shake It Off”, where she brought out female powerhouses Halsey and Camila Cabello. The stage went dark, only illuminating dancers Misty Copeland and Craig Hall, as Swift sat down at a piano to begin a majestic rendition of her most recent single, “Lover”. The piano was beautifully decorated with pink jewels to feature the names of Swift’s previous albums which she no longer has the rights to, even including names of singles such as “Ours” and “Eyes Open”.
Carole King presented Swift with the award for Artist of The Decade. As Swift was handed the award, she reminisced about how she grew up listening to Carole King’s music through her parents. She recalled realizing “how marvelous it was that an artist could transcend so many different phases and possibilities in people’s lives,” and went on to state that Carol King was the artist who made her realize that was possible. She continued to thank the fans, recognizing and stating that they are the reason she has been on that stage from the very first day, as well as thanking them for a decade worth of “fun, incredible, exhilarating, extraordinary” memories.
All About UK Wesley Holt
UK is the largest University in Kentucky. In November, the Ballard Teaching and Learning program took a field trip to visit the campus in Lexington. While at Kentucky, students got to tour the beautiful campus and learn about all of the majors that it offers.
At the University, there is no shortage of things to do. You will meet people as soon as you set foot on their campus. The library is open to each student, all eight floors of it. One floor even has a Starbucks.
After viewing the library and touring the campus, we headed over to one of the classrooms and got to see what an actual college class looks like. Each class was large, but you can always have classes that are smaller if you are one of those kinds of learners. After we visited the classes, we headed to the dorms, which may have been the highlight of the visit. All the dorms have Tempur Pedic beds so that all students can have a nice rest for the next day. The university has many cafeterias that can accommodate students and professors.
Overall, UK seems like it is a very exciting place to attend college. As the largest university in the state, it offers an exciting learning environment. Even for hardcore UofL fans, when it comes to education students should not rule out UK as an attractive option.
At the University, there is no shortage of things to do. You will meet people as soon as you set foot on their campus. The library is open to each student, all eight floors of it. One floor even has a Starbucks.
After viewing the library and touring the campus, we headed over to one of the classrooms and got to see what an actual college class looks like. Each class was large, but you can always have classes that are smaller if you are one of those kinds of learners. After we visited the classes, we headed to the dorms, which may have been the highlight of the visit. All the dorms have Tempur Pedic beds so that all students can have a nice rest for the next day. The university has many cafeterias that can accommodate students and professors.
Overall, UK seems like it is a very exciting place to attend college. As the largest university in the state, it offers an exciting learning environment. Even for hardcore UofL fans, when it comes to education students should not rule out UK as an attractive option.
The Negative Effects of Social Media Kusum Kumar
Social Media has become a part of our daily lives, and, for many of us, something we feel like we can’t live without. We check it when we wake up, before bed, and numerous times in between. We use it to talk to friends around the world or even people we see everyday. We use it to keep up with the news and stay connected to current events.
Studies have shown that an average of 20% of people can’t go over 3 hours without checking their Social Networking Sites. In fact, in this day and age, it’s considered unusual to not have social media accounts. But recent research has shown evidence behind some potential dangers of social media.
Recent studies have led to the identification of a mental disorder related to social media, called Social Media Anxiety. This is similar to social anxiety, which is the most common mental disorder among U.S. citizens. People who acquire Social Media anxiety get very stressed when they can’t have constant access to check their notifications. This gets in the way of simple day-to-day activities and creates obvious problems in a person’s life. These are the people who cannot sit through even one small part of the class without sneaking a peek at their phones. Likewise, at their job, they are more likely to be obsessing over their next Instagram picture than thinking about their actual work.
Social Media Anxiety is just one growing issue concerning our preoccupation with social media. It’s easy to compare ourselves to the pictures of others that we see on social media, but this often results in a decline in our self-esteem and confidence. Many people go through this every day. When someone sees a post featuring a stunning model who seems so perfect, they compare themselves to this model and end up feeling worse about themselves as a result. As that model updates their Instagram or snap chat, we find ourselves basically stalking them, comparing not just their looks but their lifestyle to our own. Most of the time, we aren’t even considering that the posts we are seeing are just a manufactured version of someone else’s life, and not how it really is. Even when we know that filters can make someone look “perfect” we still allow the image to make us feel worse about ourselves.
A sophomore at Ballard High school, Shelby Lockman, confirms this, “ I definitely feel a lot more insecure and think less of myself because of it. It also often makes me angry. We're fed a ton of propaganda and overwhelming ideas that I think brings a lot of people down. People change themselves completely, from the way they act and look because of it. Also, we can make ourselves and our lives seem a lot nicer than they actually are. I think we learn a lot from social media, but a big chunk of it is negative and sadly, everyone can’t live without it.”
Sadly, she’s right. A lot of us, as stated before, have integrated Social Media into our daily lives. Though she enjoys it, another student at Ballard, Emma Cavdill agrees. “Social media kinda sucks my time and life away, it's like a drug.”
Mental health professionals state that it’s extremely important to form authentic personal connections with others. That can be hard when we’re glued to our phone screens.
Studies have shown that an average of 20% of people can’t go over 3 hours without checking their Social Networking Sites. In fact, in this day and age, it’s considered unusual to not have social media accounts. But recent research has shown evidence behind some potential dangers of social media.
Recent studies have led to the identification of a mental disorder related to social media, called Social Media Anxiety. This is similar to social anxiety, which is the most common mental disorder among U.S. citizens. People who acquire Social Media anxiety get very stressed when they can’t have constant access to check their notifications. This gets in the way of simple day-to-day activities and creates obvious problems in a person’s life. These are the people who cannot sit through even one small part of the class without sneaking a peek at their phones. Likewise, at their job, they are more likely to be obsessing over their next Instagram picture than thinking about their actual work.
Social Media Anxiety is just one growing issue concerning our preoccupation with social media. It’s easy to compare ourselves to the pictures of others that we see on social media, but this often results in a decline in our self-esteem and confidence. Many people go through this every day. When someone sees a post featuring a stunning model who seems so perfect, they compare themselves to this model and end up feeling worse about themselves as a result. As that model updates their Instagram or snap chat, we find ourselves basically stalking them, comparing not just their looks but their lifestyle to our own. Most of the time, we aren’t even considering that the posts we are seeing are just a manufactured version of someone else’s life, and not how it really is. Even when we know that filters can make someone look “perfect” we still allow the image to make us feel worse about ourselves.
A sophomore at Ballard High school, Shelby Lockman, confirms this, “ I definitely feel a lot more insecure and think less of myself because of it. It also often makes me angry. We're fed a ton of propaganda and overwhelming ideas that I think brings a lot of people down. People change themselves completely, from the way they act and look because of it. Also, we can make ourselves and our lives seem a lot nicer than they actually are. I think we learn a lot from social media, but a big chunk of it is negative and sadly, everyone can’t live without it.”
Sadly, she’s right. A lot of us, as stated before, have integrated Social Media into our daily lives. Though she enjoys it, another student at Ballard, Emma Cavdill agrees. “Social media kinda sucks my time and life away, it's like a drug.”
Mental health professionals state that it’s extremely important to form authentic personal connections with others. That can be hard when we’re glued to our phone screens.
Being Muslim During the Christmas Season Fardowsa Hassan
Obviously, Muslims do not celebrate Christmas. It’s not because they are ignorant about Christmas, either. In fact, some Muslims do celebrate Christmas, but view it as a secular, seasonal celebration rather than a religious one.
According to an article by Nilufar Ahmed on theconversation.com, more American Muslims are beginning to observe Christmas traditions. So Muslims may celebrate Christmas with trees and gifts, but not for the purpose of worship. Secondly, observing some of these traditions is not completely out of step with Islam, as Jesus is also considered a Muslim prophet in the Quran, the Muslim holy book. Muslims that celebrate Christmas also often acknowledge that the holiday was made to coincide with earlier, pagan holidays, so it is in many ways a connection to the distant past.
For Muslims that do not celebrate Christmas, such as my family, we spend time with loved ones and enjoy the holiday period. Muslims are no different than anyone else. We enjoy spending time with family and reconnecting with relatives we rarely see, eating great food, and enjoying the warmth inside as the weather grows colder.
According to an article by Nilufar Ahmed on theconversation.com, more American Muslims are beginning to observe Christmas traditions. So Muslims may celebrate Christmas with trees and gifts, but not for the purpose of worship. Secondly, observing some of these traditions is not completely out of step with Islam, as Jesus is also considered a Muslim prophet in the Quran, the Muslim holy book. Muslims that celebrate Christmas also often acknowledge that the holiday was made to coincide with earlier, pagan holidays, so it is in many ways a connection to the distant past.
For Muslims that do not celebrate Christmas, such as my family, we spend time with loved ones and enjoy the holiday period. Muslims are no different than anyone else. We enjoy spending time with family and reconnecting with relatives we rarely see, eating great food, and enjoying the warmth inside as the weather grows colder.
Is Billie Eilish Overhyped?
Kiki Chandler
At the age of 17 Billie Eilish is currently one of the most popular artists in the United States. When she was just 14 years old she recorded a video of herself dancing and performing a song called “Ocean Eyes”, that her brother-Finneas- had written for his band. The song was uploaded to Soundcloud and from there her career took off, in November of 2016 a music video was released and reached 84 on the Billboard Hot 100. In the same year she released the song “Six Feet Under” through Interscope Records. She continued to release singles and feature on other artists songs, such as Khalid and Vince Staples.
In March of 2019 Eilish released her first album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go. The album was number one on the Billboard 200 and all but one song on the album has had a spot on the Hot 100. Her music is wide reaching, as it has also reached the top of the charts in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.
At Ballard, most students know Billie Eilish and have strong opinions about her, her music, or both. A senior, Trinity Miller, said, “I love her. I think she took pop and put her own weird twist on it, and I love how she made her own weird brand, and she was so young when she did it.” Many people agree that her age is an impressive aspect of her fame, as well as her music being viewed as different than anything else. Her fame is more than just her music people enjoy her style and ‘brand’, she has an edgy style that is becoming more popular.
In a class of twenty-five, only ten people like her music and nine like her style. Overall seven people felt that she is overhyped, meaning people exaggerate how good her music it.
Patrick Yopp, another Ballard senior, says that he respects Eilish, but added, “Her music sounds like elevator music. She’s really weird. She kind of acts like a thirteen year old and she’s seventeen.”
No matter the differing opinions, Eilish has made a big impact and does not seem to be going away any time soon. She recently appeared as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live and continues to top the charts.
At the age of 17 Billie Eilish is currently one of the most popular artists in the United States. When she was just 14 years old she recorded a video of herself dancing and performing a song called “Ocean Eyes”, that her brother-Finneas- had written for his band. The song was uploaded to Soundcloud and from there her career took off, in November of 2016 a music video was released and reached 84 on the Billboard Hot 100. In the same year she released the song “Six Feet Under” through Interscope Records. She continued to release singles and feature on other artists songs, such as Khalid and Vince Staples.
In March of 2019 Eilish released her first album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go. The album was number one on the Billboard 200 and all but one song on the album has had a spot on the Hot 100. Her music is wide reaching, as it has also reached the top of the charts in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.
At Ballard, most students know Billie Eilish and have strong opinions about her, her music, or both. A senior, Trinity Miller, said, “I love her. I think she took pop and put her own weird twist on it, and I love how she made her own weird brand, and she was so young when she did it.” Many people agree that her age is an impressive aspect of her fame, as well as her music being viewed as different than anything else. Her fame is more than just her music people enjoy her style and ‘brand’, she has an edgy style that is becoming more popular.
In a class of twenty-five, only ten people like her music and nine like her style. Overall seven people felt that she is overhyped, meaning people exaggerate how good her music it.
Patrick Yopp, another Ballard senior, says that he respects Eilish, but added, “Her music sounds like elevator music. She’s really weird. She kind of acts like a thirteen year old and she’s seventeen.”
No matter the differing opinions, Eilish has made a big impact and does not seem to be going away any time soon. She recently appeared as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live and continues to top the charts.
Halloween is Here Taye Smith
The seasons are changing and the leaves are falling . Halloween is here. The amount of activities and fun events range from special Halloween themed parties to haunted house attractions like the infamous Waverly Hills sanatorium.
But let’s not forget about all the delicious pumpkin-themed treats, either. For instance, pumpkin-spice latte...is there anything better? Maybe if we add extra whipped cream. Pumpkin pie makes its first appearance of the season, along with hot apple cider, hot chocolate, and other fall treats.
One of the biggest questions everyone has each year is what to do for Halloween. Are you going to go to a haunted attraction? Are you going to stay home and watch scary movies? Hang with some friends? Maybe you’re just going to stay home or even act like it’s just a normal day. Are you too old to trick-or-treat in high school? If you think not, why not dress up and hit your neighborhood’s streets on Halloween night?
There are so many things to enjoy during October and all through the Halloween season. Remember to just have fun, enjoy the time of fall and always be safe.
But let’s not forget about all the delicious pumpkin-themed treats, either. For instance, pumpkin-spice latte...is there anything better? Maybe if we add extra whipped cream. Pumpkin pie makes its first appearance of the season, along with hot apple cider, hot chocolate, and other fall treats.
One of the biggest questions everyone has each year is what to do for Halloween. Are you going to go to a haunted attraction? Are you going to stay home and watch scary movies? Hang with some friends? Maybe you’re just going to stay home or even act like it’s just a normal day. Are you too old to trick-or-treat in high school? If you think not, why not dress up and hit your neighborhood’s streets on Halloween night?
There are so many things to enjoy during October and all through the Halloween season. Remember to just have fun, enjoy the time of fall and always be safe.
Veganizing Fast Food Chains Lauren Glasgow
If you haven’t heard, select fast food restaurants are serving plants. Restaurants are jumping on the bandwagon of veganism and offering the same items you know and love, but made with plants instead of animals.
Just like any business, fast food restaurants want to chase the money. The most popular brands of meat alternatives include Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods. Both companies have been founded in the last 10 years, when veganism has gained the most popularity. They have so far collaborated with Qdoba, Burger King, Subway, and KFC.
Meat alternatives are all the rage, and not only for vegans. Since meat eaters are the majority of the American population, these fast food chains must appeal to that customer. Similarly, they’re appealing to vegetarians because there are more vegetarians than vegans. For example, Burger King’s vegan Impossible patty is not served vegan, but rather vegetarian. Customers must request the removal of mayonnaise in order to veganize it. An option for anyone and everyone!
The appeal of a vegan alternative to non-vegans begins with the idea that it’s healthier. For example, the Impossible Whopper from Burger King has less calories, less cholesterol, and less fat and is therefore healthier than the classic Whopper. Although, non-vegans often argue that the plant ingredient soy isn’t healthy. Soy is the primary ingredient in both Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat. According to Impossible Foods, soy is known as a “high quality” protein, rich in fiber, and a good source for essential minerals. Whether it’s healthy or unhealthy, customers are likely not focusing on their long-term health if they’re eating out at fast food restaurants.
Considering the recent growth of the vegan movement, it’s likely that more restaurants will pursue this new market. McDonald’s recently released a P.L.T. (plant, lettuce, and tomato) sandwich featuring a Beyond Meat patty. Currently, it’s only offered in Canada and is similarly served like an Impossible Whopper at Burger King. According to the Canadian Mcdonald’s website, it’s served with a mayo-style sauce and a slice of processed cheddar cheese. If you happen to find yourself in Southwestern Ontario, order the burger without mayonnaise and cheese to veganize it.
Just like any business, fast food restaurants want to chase the money. The most popular brands of meat alternatives include Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods. Both companies have been founded in the last 10 years, when veganism has gained the most popularity. They have so far collaborated with Qdoba, Burger King, Subway, and KFC.
Meat alternatives are all the rage, and not only for vegans. Since meat eaters are the majority of the American population, these fast food chains must appeal to that customer. Similarly, they’re appealing to vegetarians because there are more vegetarians than vegans. For example, Burger King’s vegan Impossible patty is not served vegan, but rather vegetarian. Customers must request the removal of mayonnaise in order to veganize it. An option for anyone and everyone!
The appeal of a vegan alternative to non-vegans begins with the idea that it’s healthier. For example, the Impossible Whopper from Burger King has less calories, less cholesterol, and less fat and is therefore healthier than the classic Whopper. Although, non-vegans often argue that the plant ingredient soy isn’t healthy. Soy is the primary ingredient in both Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat. According to Impossible Foods, soy is known as a “high quality” protein, rich in fiber, and a good source for essential minerals. Whether it’s healthy or unhealthy, customers are likely not focusing on their long-term health if they’re eating out at fast food restaurants.
Considering the recent growth of the vegan movement, it’s likely that more restaurants will pursue this new market. McDonald’s recently released a P.L.T. (plant, lettuce, and tomato) sandwich featuring a Beyond Meat patty. Currently, it’s only offered in Canada and is similarly served like an Impossible Whopper at Burger King. According to the Canadian Mcdonald’s website, it’s served with a mayo-style sauce and a slice of processed cheddar cheese. If you happen to find yourself in Southwestern Ontario, order the burger without mayonnaise and cheese to veganize it.
What's in Your JUUL? Kristin Tran
The rise in the popularity of vaping among young people has led to questions that need answers. Because of its rising popularity, almost the entire country knows what JUULs are. A JUUL is a rechargeable electronic cigarette that uses cartridges called “JUULpods”. One JUULpod is equivalent to the amount of nicotine found in a pack of 20 cigarettes.
According to the JUUL website, the ingredients in a JUULpod consist of propylene glycol, glycerine, benzoic acid, nicotine and flavoring. To the public, those are the only ingredients JUUL has published, but little is known about the full recipe of the juice found in JUULpods.
JUULs are sold in a variety of ways. One can buy them in a starter pack that comes with 4 different flavored pods, the rechargeable device, and a charging dock, or just the device with a charging dock and a separate pack of 4 pods of the same flavor. Although the legal age to buy tobacco products is 18, teenagers have generally had no trouble acquiring JUULs.
The initial goal for JUUL was to “improv[e] the lives of the world's one billion adult smokers by eliminating cigarettes,” and help smokers wean off of smoking cigarettes, potentially getting them away from nicotine as well. While electronic cigarettes may be helping smokers, they are simultaneously increasing in popularity within teenagers and getting today’s youth hooked on nicotine, one of the most addictive substances out there.
As JUULs and other electronic cigarettes gain popularity, more studies are being conducted, but we still don’t know all the consequences of vaping. According to Michael Blaha, director of clinical research at the Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease, electronic cigarettes are a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes, but they are just as addictive.
Regardless of the claim that they’re safer than traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes are still bad for your health. There are many unknown chemicals in the juices that could pose potential health risks, and clinical studies are still being conducted.
According to the JUUL website, the ingredients in a JUULpod consist of propylene glycol, glycerine, benzoic acid, nicotine and flavoring. To the public, those are the only ingredients JUUL has published, but little is known about the full recipe of the juice found in JUULpods.
JUULs are sold in a variety of ways. One can buy them in a starter pack that comes with 4 different flavored pods, the rechargeable device, and a charging dock, or just the device with a charging dock and a separate pack of 4 pods of the same flavor. Although the legal age to buy tobacco products is 18, teenagers have generally had no trouble acquiring JUULs.
The initial goal for JUUL was to “improv[e] the lives of the world's one billion adult smokers by eliminating cigarettes,” and help smokers wean off of smoking cigarettes, potentially getting them away from nicotine as well. While electronic cigarettes may be helping smokers, they are simultaneously increasing in popularity within teenagers and getting today’s youth hooked on nicotine, one of the most addictive substances out there.
As JUULs and other electronic cigarettes gain popularity, more studies are being conducted, but we still don’t know all the consequences of vaping. According to Michael Blaha, director of clinical research at the Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease, electronic cigarettes are a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes, but they are just as addictive.
Regardless of the claim that they’re safer than traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes are still bad for your health. There are many unknown chemicals in the juices that could pose potential health risks, and clinical studies are still being conducted.
From the Top to the BottomTrinity Miller & Taye Smith
Being a freshman can be challenging and new freshmen to the school always need advice. And which they are starting to get adjusted to everything that takes place at Ballard. For our large freshman class, they need to know certain things when they step into Ballard High if they want to be successful.
Firstly, Ballard is considered a good academic school, so they’re going to be expected to make good grades. The first year of high school grades matter just as much as your grades senior year. In fact, grades you’ve made your freshman year can determine whether you are on track to graduate, and if you have enough credits to graduate. You don’t want to take those classes over or have to do edgenuity or even summer school. Bad grades from freshman year can also hurt your GPA.
Secondly, everyone wants to have fun in high school, so hang with people who are genuine and want what’s best for you. Don’t try to be a follower or settle for people who try to bring you down or make fun of you. If people like that surround you, make sure you tell them that what they are doing or saying is bothering you. Don’t try to fit in with the “popular” crowd. Sometimes these types of people are not going to make you have a successful freshman year. On the other hand, if you focus on your grades and people that are your real friends, then the 4 years you have at Ballard should be great and smooth.
The most important thing is to just stay true to yourself, and don’t try to impress people by acting immature. Another piece of advice to give to the freshmen is get plenty of sleep, it’s going to help you focus, and pay attention a lot more to what’s going on when you are in class. It’s also going to make your grades so much better, and make you stay more alert while you’re in school. Also get involved in different activities and clubs, because this is going to help later on when you’re doing college essays and college applications.
Firstly, Ballard is considered a good academic school, so they’re going to be expected to make good grades. The first year of high school grades matter just as much as your grades senior year. In fact, grades you’ve made your freshman year can determine whether you are on track to graduate, and if you have enough credits to graduate. You don’t want to take those classes over or have to do edgenuity or even summer school. Bad grades from freshman year can also hurt your GPA.
Secondly, everyone wants to have fun in high school, so hang with people who are genuine and want what’s best for you. Don’t try to be a follower or settle for people who try to bring you down or make fun of you. If people like that surround you, make sure you tell them that what they are doing or saying is bothering you. Don’t try to fit in with the “popular” crowd. Sometimes these types of people are not going to make you have a successful freshman year. On the other hand, if you focus on your grades and people that are your real friends, then the 4 years you have at Ballard should be great and smooth.
The most important thing is to just stay true to yourself, and don’t try to impress people by acting immature. Another piece of advice to give to the freshmen is get plenty of sleep, it’s going to help you focus, and pay attention a lot more to what’s going on when you are in class. It’s also going to make your grades so much better, and make you stay more alert while you’re in school. Also get involved in different activities and clubs, because this is going to help later on when you’re doing college essays and college applications.
Passing Your Driver's Permit Test Emily Richardson
For most high school students, getting your permit is the gateway to freedom. Many kids take their permit test on the day of their sixteenth birthday because they simply cannot wait any longer. But, studies show that 35-43% of people do not pass their driver’s permit test on the first try. Luckily, there are some simple strategies that can help. Remember, passing your permit test is about more than just passing the test and getting your license. It is about learning how to be a safe driver.
The DMV Permit Test pulls questions from a database that contains hundreds of possible questions. In other words, it can be very hard to predict which questions will be on your test. The more practice tests you take, the more prepared you are. There are 30 questions on the test and you have to get 80% right to pass, which is 24 out of 30 questions. You also have to get 8 out of the 10 questions correct concerning road signs.
Firstly, purchase the drivers manual and actually read through it. Doing so will help you become familiar with the general rules of the road. Once you have done this, take practice tests. There are also many resources available to use online. A simply Google search of “Kentucky Permit practice test” produces hundreds of results, including practice tests. There are also many apps available to be downloaded that contain practice tests, if you search “permit test” in your app store, many options will come up. The more practice tests you take, the better off you will be. If you have seen a question before and it comes up on your test, you will remember it and you will be more likely to get it correct.
When you are riding in a car, pay attention! If something happens and you don’t understand what happened, or why it happened, ask. Asking questions and paying attention while in the car will help you so much. You can also try to put yourself in the driver’s perspective while you are riding in the car. Ask yourself what you would do in the situation and try to prepare yourself.
Before you actually go in to take your test, make sure that you have all of the paperwork that is needed. You will need to bring your birth certificate as well as a proof of identification. You may have to order physical copies of things from the state capitol, such as your birth certificate. If you are under 18 you will also have to have a School Compliance Verification Form completed. This form follows Kentucky’s “No Pass- No Drive” law, stating that if you are not enrolled in school and in good standing, you do not get the privilege to drive.
The night before you take your test, make sure you get a good night’s sleep and eat a good breakfast the morning of. While actually taking the test, take your time. You are timed, but you will have plenty of time. There are only 30 questions and they give you an excessive amount of time, so do not rush. Rushing will only make you do worse. You are also allowed to skip questions that you do not know. You will have to come back and answer them at the end but this will give you extra time to think about them, and you may not even have to answer them if you get enough questions right. Once you get the passing amount of questions right, your test will end.
Passing the permit test is only the first step to becoming a responsible driver. It also takes lots of real world practice on the road. Luckily, you will have six months to do that before being eligible for your restricted license.
The DMV Permit Test pulls questions from a database that contains hundreds of possible questions. In other words, it can be very hard to predict which questions will be on your test. The more practice tests you take, the more prepared you are. There are 30 questions on the test and you have to get 80% right to pass, which is 24 out of 30 questions. You also have to get 8 out of the 10 questions correct concerning road signs.
Firstly, purchase the drivers manual and actually read through it. Doing so will help you become familiar with the general rules of the road. Once you have done this, take practice tests. There are also many resources available to use online. A simply Google search of “Kentucky Permit practice test” produces hundreds of results, including practice tests. There are also many apps available to be downloaded that contain practice tests, if you search “permit test” in your app store, many options will come up. The more practice tests you take, the better off you will be. If you have seen a question before and it comes up on your test, you will remember it and you will be more likely to get it correct.
When you are riding in a car, pay attention! If something happens and you don’t understand what happened, or why it happened, ask. Asking questions and paying attention while in the car will help you so much. You can also try to put yourself in the driver’s perspective while you are riding in the car. Ask yourself what you would do in the situation and try to prepare yourself.
Before you actually go in to take your test, make sure that you have all of the paperwork that is needed. You will need to bring your birth certificate as well as a proof of identification. You may have to order physical copies of things from the state capitol, such as your birth certificate. If you are under 18 you will also have to have a School Compliance Verification Form completed. This form follows Kentucky’s “No Pass- No Drive” law, stating that if you are not enrolled in school and in good standing, you do not get the privilege to drive.
The night before you take your test, make sure you get a good night’s sleep and eat a good breakfast the morning of. While actually taking the test, take your time. You are timed, but you will have plenty of time. There are only 30 questions and they give you an excessive amount of time, so do not rush. Rushing will only make you do worse. You are also allowed to skip questions that you do not know. You will have to come back and answer them at the end but this will give you extra time to think about them, and you may not even have to answer them if you get enough questions right. Once you get the passing amount of questions right, your test will end.
Passing the permit test is only the first step to becoming a responsible driver. It also takes lots of real world practice on the road. Luckily, you will have six months to do that before being eligible for your restricted license.
Was Sleep On Your Summer Bucket List?
Lucy Riley
Even though our summer was a short one, many Ballard students chose to make it a memorable one. Lots of students started off the summer by making a “bucket list” containing their summer to-dos.
With such a crucial time of sleeping, watching and making TikToks, and playing video games; many decided to attempt to make this their most fulfilling and exciting summer. With a list of activities in mind many students were living up their non school days until the very end. Our team interviewed a few students to ask how they spent their summers, and if they made any kind of bucket list of their own.
Sophomore Wesley Holt told us how he drove down to Miami for his summer. “I did Upward Bound with University of Louisville, drove 18 hours to Miami, spent 4th of July there, and went on a cruise to Nassau Bahamas. I stayed a week in South Beach.” Holt went on to say that with all the excitement of the summer, he was actually excited to come back to school.
What’s not exciting, though, is being completely sleep deprived when school begins. Trying to fill the summer bucket list can lead to this very thing happening. When in high school, the cliché summer includes hanging out with friends and staying up all night. When school starts back up most students are still readjusting from their summer to school season. “I stayed up till about 2:00am to 5:00am,” says Holt. But sometimes, it’s actually school related activities that can disrupt teens’ sleep cycles, too.
Summer can be filled with extracurricular activities in addition to social events. Freshman Kiah Weiger, like many student-athletes, explained that her summer was filled with volleyball preparation and hanging out with her friends. Such students usually have to return to school at least once a day for practices starting in mid-July.
Sleep deprivation is the biggest obstacle for teens by the end of the summer. According to a medical informational website sponsored by Johns Hopkins University, teens stay up on average until 3:00am during summer months. “Switching to a school sleep schedule can be extremely difficult but, now I have a more regular schedule,” says Holt. But not all students can make the adjustment so easily.
Even though our summer was a short one, many Ballard students chose to make it a memorable one. Lots of students started off the summer by making a “bucket list” containing their summer to-dos.
With such a crucial time of sleeping, watching and making TikToks, and playing video games; many decided to attempt to make this their most fulfilling and exciting summer. With a list of activities in mind many students were living up their non school days until the very end. Our team interviewed a few students to ask how they spent their summers, and if they made any kind of bucket list of their own.
Sophomore Wesley Holt told us how he drove down to Miami for his summer. “I did Upward Bound with University of Louisville, drove 18 hours to Miami, spent 4th of July there, and went on a cruise to Nassau Bahamas. I stayed a week in South Beach.” Holt went on to say that with all the excitement of the summer, he was actually excited to come back to school.
What’s not exciting, though, is being completely sleep deprived when school begins. Trying to fill the summer bucket list can lead to this very thing happening. When in high school, the cliché summer includes hanging out with friends and staying up all night. When school starts back up most students are still readjusting from their summer to school season. “I stayed up till about 2:00am to 5:00am,” says Holt. But sometimes, it’s actually school related activities that can disrupt teens’ sleep cycles, too.
Summer can be filled with extracurricular activities in addition to social events. Freshman Kiah Weiger, like many student-athletes, explained that her summer was filled with volleyball preparation and hanging out with her friends. Such students usually have to return to school at least once a day for practices starting in mid-July.
Sleep deprivation is the biggest obstacle for teens by the end of the summer. According to a medical informational website sponsored by Johns Hopkins University, teens stay up on average until 3:00am during summer months. “Switching to a school sleep schedule can be extremely difficult but, now I have a more regular schedule,” says Holt. But not all students can make the adjustment so easily.
Let’s Get This Bread: The Best High School Jobs
Kiki Chandler
When it comes to working in high school you have a variety of options within limited spheres. Most people work in food or retail stores as well as other service industry jobs. Yet, there is also a healthy amount of people who work independently as babysitters or doing yard work. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages, and for a teenager weighing the choices can be difficult when considering hourly wages, benefits, and work atmosphere.
The majority of high school students over the age of 16 work in some type of restaurant, whether it be fine dining or fast food. Ballard senior Graham Koenig works at Stoney River State House and Grill, a fairly expensive restaurant in the Springhurst area. He earns $12 an hour, and he usually works 15 hours a week. He also makes tips as a busboy, which he says can earn him “ninety bucks a night on the weekends.” There is a monetary advantage to working at a high-end establishment, but the environment “is busy and very professional,” which some people may not prefer to a laid back, perhaps more fun environment. Graham feels that the food industry isn’t always enjoyable, but it is easy.
Another senior, Kristin Tran, works in the food industry as well, but has a completely different outlook. Liege and Dairy is an ice cream shop near Ballard, where Kristin is a team lead. She describes her work environment as “pretty friendly” and that “most of the people who work there are high school kids, and management has to work around high school schedule so the hours are pretty lenient.” The only thing she dislikes about the job “is working late hours on a week day….. it closes at 10 but we have to close up shop, get food supplies put away and do the dishes, so it takes an extra hour.”
Every work experience depends on many factors, and some places fit other people better than most. It’s important to ask questions about management, environment, hours and pay when considering a job, because in high school a job is not worth being miserable, especially when another job could be a better fit.
Retail jobs, for example, have completely different responsibilities and atmospheres, and require different skills. Senior Emily Richardson works at Feeders Supply, where she says the environment is, “very positive. I work around animals so I get to pet dogs all day everyday, and all the people are really nice.” She claims that the job works for her because her employers are flexible when it comes to her schedule. “I do a lot of other things along with working so they’re very easy with me requesting off,” says Richardson. Even though she makes just $8.50 per hour compared to $10-12 per hour in the food service industry, she enjoys working with animals, which makes her job a good fit for her.
Many jobs fall into multiple categories of service, for example, junior Emma Barter works at the movie theater Tinseltown, which is a mixture of retail and food service because it combines concessions and ticket sales. She also gets paid just $8.25 an hour, but really loves the work environment, which she describes as “really fun and chill,” adding that, “management is very friendly and makes you feel comfortable.” She works around thirty hours a week, but “[she has] flexible hours”, which similarly to other jobs she is able to choose a schedule that works for her life as a high school athlete. She receives “half off food during [her] shifts” and “free movies”. She genuinely enjoys her job mostly because of the people she works with, so she found a job that works well for her. Everyone wants to be happy at the job they have, and most of the time trying multiple jobs is the only way to come to a conclusion of the best option for you.
Independent work, such as babysitting, is a popular option among teens, too. The fact that there is no minimum age and you don’t have to pay taxes on the money you make is a plus. Senior Dervla Craig works as a babysitter in her neighborhood and makes $15 per hour, a fairly standard rate for babysitters. Dervla says “my hours are very flexible but most of them are very last minute, like the day of….” But she feels “the parents are always very sweet and grateful that they get to go out so it's nice to be able to let them do that.” She works around four to six hours a week during the school year, but considerably more in the summer. Receiving payment right after working is a benefit to babysitting, or being a handyman. Having multiple customers is the key to making a substantial amount of money in independent jobs, most neighborhoods have forums in which people can advertise as babysitters or for any other service, which would allow people to gain customers or families who may continue to contact you for services.
Considering what you need from a job, whether that be a place that can work with you around school and extracurricular activities, give a good salary, or provide a fun environment, is the first set to finding a place where you can enjoy the time you put in.
When it comes to working in high school you have a variety of options within limited spheres. Most people work in food or retail stores as well as other service industry jobs. Yet, there is also a healthy amount of people who work independently as babysitters or doing yard work. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages, and for a teenager weighing the choices can be difficult when considering hourly wages, benefits, and work atmosphere.
The majority of high school students over the age of 16 work in some type of restaurant, whether it be fine dining or fast food. Ballard senior Graham Koenig works at Stoney River State House and Grill, a fairly expensive restaurant in the Springhurst area. He earns $12 an hour, and he usually works 15 hours a week. He also makes tips as a busboy, which he says can earn him “ninety bucks a night on the weekends.” There is a monetary advantage to working at a high-end establishment, but the environment “is busy and very professional,” which some people may not prefer to a laid back, perhaps more fun environment. Graham feels that the food industry isn’t always enjoyable, but it is easy.
Another senior, Kristin Tran, works in the food industry as well, but has a completely different outlook. Liege and Dairy is an ice cream shop near Ballard, where Kristin is a team lead. She describes her work environment as “pretty friendly” and that “most of the people who work there are high school kids, and management has to work around high school schedule so the hours are pretty lenient.” The only thing she dislikes about the job “is working late hours on a week day….. it closes at 10 but we have to close up shop, get food supplies put away and do the dishes, so it takes an extra hour.”
Every work experience depends on many factors, and some places fit other people better than most. It’s important to ask questions about management, environment, hours and pay when considering a job, because in high school a job is not worth being miserable, especially when another job could be a better fit.
Retail jobs, for example, have completely different responsibilities and atmospheres, and require different skills. Senior Emily Richardson works at Feeders Supply, where she says the environment is, “very positive. I work around animals so I get to pet dogs all day everyday, and all the people are really nice.” She claims that the job works for her because her employers are flexible when it comes to her schedule. “I do a lot of other things along with working so they’re very easy with me requesting off,” says Richardson. Even though she makes just $8.50 per hour compared to $10-12 per hour in the food service industry, she enjoys working with animals, which makes her job a good fit for her.
Many jobs fall into multiple categories of service, for example, junior Emma Barter works at the movie theater Tinseltown, which is a mixture of retail and food service because it combines concessions and ticket sales. She also gets paid just $8.25 an hour, but really loves the work environment, which she describes as “really fun and chill,” adding that, “management is very friendly and makes you feel comfortable.” She works around thirty hours a week, but “[she has] flexible hours”, which similarly to other jobs she is able to choose a schedule that works for her life as a high school athlete. She receives “half off food during [her] shifts” and “free movies”. She genuinely enjoys her job mostly because of the people she works with, so she found a job that works well for her. Everyone wants to be happy at the job they have, and most of the time trying multiple jobs is the only way to come to a conclusion of the best option for you.
Independent work, such as babysitting, is a popular option among teens, too. The fact that there is no minimum age and you don’t have to pay taxes on the money you make is a plus. Senior Dervla Craig works as a babysitter in her neighborhood and makes $15 per hour, a fairly standard rate for babysitters. Dervla says “my hours are very flexible but most of them are very last minute, like the day of….” But she feels “the parents are always very sweet and grateful that they get to go out so it's nice to be able to let them do that.” She works around four to six hours a week during the school year, but considerably more in the summer. Receiving payment right after working is a benefit to babysitting, or being a handyman. Having multiple customers is the key to making a substantial amount of money in independent jobs, most neighborhoods have forums in which people can advertise as babysitters or for any other service, which would allow people to gain customers or families who may continue to contact you for services.
Considering what you need from a job, whether that be a place that can work with you around school and extracurricular activities, give a good salary, or provide a fun environment, is the first set to finding a place where you can enjoy the time you put in.
Packing the Perfect Lunch Jacob Westerman
It’s 2 pm and you’re waiting for the final bell. As the hands move closer to the 4 on the clock, your stomach begins to rumble. You’re hungry, maybe because you weren’t able to get breakfast this morning, or maybe because you couldn’t pack a lunch for today. Regardless, to make sure you stay full throughout the day, we will be evaluating food based on its nutritional value, price, and how well it can be packed.
For starters, let’s look at what keeps us full. There are certain things in food that reduce the amount of hunger we feel. These include complex grains, high fiber, and high protein. This gives us a wide variety of food to choose from, but we can also look at what we’re drinking. We want to shy away from sugary drinks, especially soda. The big thing that we want to avoid is carbonation because according to research done by Birzeit University in Palestine, Carbon Dioxide can make the body even more hungry. For this reason, it is best to invest in a good water bottle that can be taken to school.
In addition to bringing a good drink, small snacks are vital to any school lunch. Most students take a granola bar or fruit snacks, but these can be replaced with something that is much more filling. Combining a fruit, like an apple or banana, with peanut butter can not only satisfy our hunger, but is good for our bodies due to the nutrients in both according to Heathline.com.
The main course of many lunches is almost always a sandwich. Classics, like the peanut butter and jelly, traditionally do a good job at being tasty and filling. However, we can change it up a bit and find something that tastes even better. Parents.com suggests 10 sandwich combos that could be substituted for that PB&J. Some highlights are Cream Cheese and a fruit (Like strawberries or Blueberries), Apple butter or a fruit jam with apples or bananas, and even peanut butter with raisins, nuts, and any other topping that sounds appetizing. A great way to keep your lunch entree exciting is to switch it up occasionally.
The side dish that usually accompanies our sandwiches is usually a bag of chips or other substitute. While the chips we bring aren’t always bad, some are healthier than others. Delish.com states that replacing the regular chips with baked versions can be a quick and easy switch. If that’s not an option, chips with high fiber are more likely to hold you over to the end of the day, so SunChips and Kettle chips (again, snag the baked ones) can be a great option to add to the lunch box.
In addition to the entree, here are some other great food items to have on hand to round out lunch. Fresh fruit, such as an apple, as well as dairy products, like yogurt, can also be extremely nutritious and delicious. Other meat based foods like hard boiled eggs can also be a great source of protein. In general, foods that are “good” for us, which aren‘t always tasty, fill us up more because they contain less sugar and processed fats.
To pack a great lunch that is good for the mind, body, and soul, we can do the following; include protein and fiber rich foods, and find food that has complex grains. This boils down to cutting back on sugary foods and drinks, which can be replaced by natural sugars in fruits. Switch up the PB and J in favor of something new, and try different combinations to spice up the lunch variety. Finally, be sure to include foods from different groups, like dairy and maybe even meats like hard boiled eggs. If we can commit to some of these changes, many students will leave school with more energy and even better health.
For starters, let’s look at what keeps us full. There are certain things in food that reduce the amount of hunger we feel. These include complex grains, high fiber, and high protein. This gives us a wide variety of food to choose from, but we can also look at what we’re drinking. We want to shy away from sugary drinks, especially soda. The big thing that we want to avoid is carbonation because according to research done by Birzeit University in Palestine, Carbon Dioxide can make the body even more hungry. For this reason, it is best to invest in a good water bottle that can be taken to school.
In addition to bringing a good drink, small snacks are vital to any school lunch. Most students take a granola bar or fruit snacks, but these can be replaced with something that is much more filling. Combining a fruit, like an apple or banana, with peanut butter can not only satisfy our hunger, but is good for our bodies due to the nutrients in both according to Heathline.com.
The main course of many lunches is almost always a sandwich. Classics, like the peanut butter and jelly, traditionally do a good job at being tasty and filling. However, we can change it up a bit and find something that tastes even better. Parents.com suggests 10 sandwich combos that could be substituted for that PB&J. Some highlights are Cream Cheese and a fruit (Like strawberries or Blueberries), Apple butter or a fruit jam with apples or bananas, and even peanut butter with raisins, nuts, and any other topping that sounds appetizing. A great way to keep your lunch entree exciting is to switch it up occasionally.
The side dish that usually accompanies our sandwiches is usually a bag of chips or other substitute. While the chips we bring aren’t always bad, some are healthier than others. Delish.com states that replacing the regular chips with baked versions can be a quick and easy switch. If that’s not an option, chips with high fiber are more likely to hold you over to the end of the day, so SunChips and Kettle chips (again, snag the baked ones) can be a great option to add to the lunch box.
In addition to the entree, here are some other great food items to have on hand to round out lunch. Fresh fruit, such as an apple, as well as dairy products, like yogurt, can also be extremely nutritious and delicious. Other meat based foods like hard boiled eggs can also be a great source of protein. In general, foods that are “good” for us, which aren‘t always tasty, fill us up more because they contain less sugar and processed fats.
To pack a great lunch that is good for the mind, body, and soul, we can do the following; include protein and fiber rich foods, and find food that has complex grains. This boils down to cutting back on sugary foods and drinks, which can be replaced by natural sugars in fruits. Switch up the PB and J in favor of something new, and try different combinations to spice up the lunch variety. Finally, be sure to include foods from different groups, like dairy and maybe even meats like hard boiled eggs. If we can commit to some of these changes, many students will leave school with more energy and even better health.
The Louisville Music Scene Caroline Johnson
Whether it’s Hip Hop, Indie, Surf Punk, or Rock, there’s no shortage of talent and live music in Louisville. Local bands can be seen performing at venues all over the city. Popular places include Spinelli’s downtown, Headliners Music Hall, The Mammoth at 744 S 13th, Open Art Community Center, The Mercury Ballroom, Zanzabar, Kaiju, and other venues. There certainly is no shortage for places to catch many up and coming local musicians.
Louisville has a pretty long and storied history of producing quality original musicians. Artists such as Bryson Tiller, Jack Harlow, White Reaper, and My Morning Jacket are just a few acts that prove this point. It’s also worth noting the range of genres that artists such as these encompass.
At a local music show you can see artists before they “make it”. There is such a variety of genres represented in our wonderful metro area, that almost anyone can find their niche. For example, Grlwood, an Indie/Alt duo, performed at Forecastle this past summer. Their vibes of individuality and empowerment contribute to their rising popularity.
For other musicians, such as up and coming hip-hop artist Mike Bandanna, it’s the crowd-pleasing energy and unique sound of his music that gets fans hooked. I got a chance to talk to Mike, a Louisville native, about the origins of his musical journey. “I went through many names for real. Gusto, wave, bop, punk rap. Pretty much my sound is the type of music you hear and you can’t help but catch the beat and bounce to it. The lyrics are raw and talk about real life, my life experiences. It’s not really rooted in one area, but like Louisville it mixes the feeling of the south with the city life.”
Louisville has become a hotbed for all types of musical genres. Maybe it’s the locale of the city in the country’s midsection, or maybe it’s the presence of so many different styles. Maybe there’s just something in the water in Louisville that makes people want to make music. Regardless, there’s a lot of great bands and artists to discover, but you won’t hear them on the radio, and there’s nothing like a live music show.
*The entire interview transcript with Mike Bandana is included below:
What made you decide to make music?
I originally decided to make music (record and release music) off a whim. Me and my friends would always freestyle for fun, and it got to a point where we’d rap more than we would do anything else haha. After that I was just committed to do it for real, and I bought a mic and have been recording ever since.
What does music mean to you?
Music, above anything, is art. And art in my opinion is intentional expression. Putting thought to an action and showing that action in any form you see fit. That’s why a lot of my recorded music sounds different live. Especially nowadays when people invest in so much more than just the music, I make my visuals and social media all play into this idea of intentionally expressing. Like I could see myself releasing a series of short movies that all tie in to the music. Much like Gambino, music is an experience built by the art. But, it’s also something to play while driving or partying. I make sure to include all of that.
What/Who is your music inspired by?
My biggest inspiration is definitely my own life. Since I started I only ever could talk about what I’ve seen and gone through. So to me I can’t imagine making anything that’s not rooted in reality. Even if it’s a second hand experience, my music will always be raw and real. Musically my inspirations are everywhere. Kanye was the first full length rap album I ever listened too. Wayne was the first rapper whose album I bought myself. OutKast Aquemini is the greatest rap album to me. The Weeknd and Frank Ocean paint the picture for my whole high school life. And I mean, Young Thug is the goat. I get inspired by just amazing and raw sounds, and I try to create that feeling for others. Isaiah Rashaad is probably my favorite to ever do it tho, next to 3 stacks.
Is there a message that you want to send to your audience?
Yeah. I guess in a way my message is that we’re just human. And that things are not what they seem. A lot of my music talks about “good” and “bad” decisions and people. And yet I’m both. Because no one person is all good, or all bad, or a Saint, or evil. I touch on all of this. In someone’s view of us, we are good people. Yet in someone else’s story we are bad people. Much of what I speak on brings up those stories and questions and lets the listener decide and ask. All of this makes up the human experience.
If you “make it big” what would you use your platform to advocate for?
To be honest. Just the same as the message. But I’ll keep pushing it through art. I’ll advocate for humanity. But if it’s a cause then probably mental health. Because to me that’s where it begins. Understanding yourself and being aware of your self is the first step in accepting and growing within our humanity. Mainly the fact that much of our problems: discrimination, hate, apathy, aggression, addiction, irrational idealization. To me, we are in direct relation to how we think and perceive ourselves and the world around us. So if I can encourage and advocate for those to think about their impact, that to me will mean something important. Only time will tell.
What about Louisville do you think makes a lot of people achieve musical success?
I think mainly the diversity. It’s cliche but the fact is, the more diverse people are, the more opportunities for innovation and growth there are. And especially nowadays, what’s new and what’s different is what stands out and what catches on by the masses. Louisville’s two break out stars of my generation, Bryson Tiller and Jack Harlow, are different all around as artist, let alone from each other as well. But the city, and those outside the city, see and catch on to the different styles and sound we’re making here. That and also people actually show out for locals. I was part of a group of artists, all from Louisville, who headlined our own show at Headliners Music Hall and over 500 people came out. That’s crazy! That makes a difference for real.
Who has been your favorite group/artist to perform with so far?
If I can only name a few, and keeping it within Louisville, I definitely have to say GRLwood. They legit changed the way we do shows. That raw and pure energy is phenomenal and we bring that to rap. Belushi Speedball is fantastic. Hazel fire, Jordan Jetson, Casey Powell, Berran Lee, 1onewolf, Guerrilla Warfare, Grandmas Boys, Trapkingkai. There’s so many to name but those come to mind first.
Aside from music, what are your personal interests/hobbies?
I love video games haha. Anything adventure probably, fighting, sports games. I go hiking sometimes. Cooking haha it’s random but cooking is like another life passion. And anime. Me and my girlfriend literally juggle like 10 different shows at once. I’m pretty lowkey when I’m not out to be honest.
What makes Louisville special to you?
Honestly mainly because it’s home. And I’ve been traveling a lot these past two years. So it really has became a home base. Like no matter where I go, I always find time to come back to Louisville and that familiar and secure feeling just hits me like I never left. Yeah, Louisville is always home to me.
Louisville has a pretty long and storied history of producing quality original musicians. Artists such as Bryson Tiller, Jack Harlow, White Reaper, and My Morning Jacket are just a few acts that prove this point. It’s also worth noting the range of genres that artists such as these encompass.
At a local music show you can see artists before they “make it”. There is such a variety of genres represented in our wonderful metro area, that almost anyone can find their niche. For example, Grlwood, an Indie/Alt duo, performed at Forecastle this past summer. Their vibes of individuality and empowerment contribute to their rising popularity.
For other musicians, such as up and coming hip-hop artist Mike Bandanna, it’s the crowd-pleasing energy and unique sound of his music that gets fans hooked. I got a chance to talk to Mike, a Louisville native, about the origins of his musical journey. “I went through many names for real. Gusto, wave, bop, punk rap. Pretty much my sound is the type of music you hear and you can’t help but catch the beat and bounce to it. The lyrics are raw and talk about real life, my life experiences. It’s not really rooted in one area, but like Louisville it mixes the feeling of the south with the city life.”
Louisville has become a hotbed for all types of musical genres. Maybe it’s the locale of the city in the country’s midsection, or maybe it’s the presence of so many different styles. Maybe there’s just something in the water in Louisville that makes people want to make music. Regardless, there’s a lot of great bands and artists to discover, but you won’t hear them on the radio, and there’s nothing like a live music show.
*The entire interview transcript with Mike Bandana is included below:
What made you decide to make music?
I originally decided to make music (record and release music) off a whim. Me and my friends would always freestyle for fun, and it got to a point where we’d rap more than we would do anything else haha. After that I was just committed to do it for real, and I bought a mic and have been recording ever since.
What does music mean to you?
Music, above anything, is art. And art in my opinion is intentional expression. Putting thought to an action and showing that action in any form you see fit. That’s why a lot of my recorded music sounds different live. Especially nowadays when people invest in so much more than just the music, I make my visuals and social media all play into this idea of intentionally expressing. Like I could see myself releasing a series of short movies that all tie in to the music. Much like Gambino, music is an experience built by the art. But, it’s also something to play while driving or partying. I make sure to include all of that.
What/Who is your music inspired by?
My biggest inspiration is definitely my own life. Since I started I only ever could talk about what I’ve seen and gone through. So to me I can’t imagine making anything that’s not rooted in reality. Even if it’s a second hand experience, my music will always be raw and real. Musically my inspirations are everywhere. Kanye was the first full length rap album I ever listened too. Wayne was the first rapper whose album I bought myself. OutKast Aquemini is the greatest rap album to me. The Weeknd and Frank Ocean paint the picture for my whole high school life. And I mean, Young Thug is the goat. I get inspired by just amazing and raw sounds, and I try to create that feeling for others. Isaiah Rashaad is probably my favorite to ever do it tho, next to 3 stacks.
Is there a message that you want to send to your audience?
Yeah. I guess in a way my message is that we’re just human. And that things are not what they seem. A lot of my music talks about “good” and “bad” decisions and people. And yet I’m both. Because no one person is all good, or all bad, or a Saint, or evil. I touch on all of this. In someone’s view of us, we are good people. Yet in someone else’s story we are bad people. Much of what I speak on brings up those stories and questions and lets the listener decide and ask. All of this makes up the human experience.
If you “make it big” what would you use your platform to advocate for?
To be honest. Just the same as the message. But I’ll keep pushing it through art. I’ll advocate for humanity. But if it’s a cause then probably mental health. Because to me that’s where it begins. Understanding yourself and being aware of your self is the first step in accepting and growing within our humanity. Mainly the fact that much of our problems: discrimination, hate, apathy, aggression, addiction, irrational idealization. To me, we are in direct relation to how we think and perceive ourselves and the world around us. So if I can encourage and advocate for those to think about their impact, that to me will mean something important. Only time will tell.
What about Louisville do you think makes a lot of people achieve musical success?
I think mainly the diversity. It’s cliche but the fact is, the more diverse people are, the more opportunities for innovation and growth there are. And especially nowadays, what’s new and what’s different is what stands out and what catches on by the masses. Louisville’s two break out stars of my generation, Bryson Tiller and Jack Harlow, are different all around as artist, let alone from each other as well. But the city, and those outside the city, see and catch on to the different styles and sound we’re making here. That and also people actually show out for locals. I was part of a group of artists, all from Louisville, who headlined our own show at Headliners Music Hall and over 500 people came out. That’s crazy! That makes a difference for real.
Who has been your favorite group/artist to perform with so far?
If I can only name a few, and keeping it within Louisville, I definitely have to say GRLwood. They legit changed the way we do shows. That raw and pure energy is phenomenal and we bring that to rap. Belushi Speedball is fantastic. Hazel fire, Jordan Jetson, Casey Powell, Berran Lee, 1onewolf, Guerrilla Warfare, Grandmas Boys, Trapkingkai. There’s so many to name but those come to mind first.
Aside from music, what are your personal interests/hobbies?
I love video games haha. Anything adventure probably, fighting, sports games. I go hiking sometimes. Cooking haha it’s random but cooking is like another life passion. And anime. Me and my girlfriend literally juggle like 10 different shows at once. I’m pretty lowkey when I’m not out to be honest.
What makes Louisville special to you?
Honestly mainly because it’s home. And I’ve been traveling a lot these past two years. So it really has became a home base. Like no matter where I go, I always find time to come back to Louisville and that familiar and secure feeling just hits me like I never left. Yeah, Louisville is always home to me.
High school provides a new start for every freshman, but the perspective of a muslim girl is very different than what most students experience at Ballard High School. That doesn’t mean that our experiences are always different in every case, because we are, after all, still high school students. But the religious perspective, values, and customs that a muslim girl has are obviously different from the majority of students at Ballard.
A muslim girl can have shy moments and feel nervous about how others may judge her. This is usually because we have seen the looks we get both in and out of school when wearing the hijab, the muslim headcovering. Some people are just curious, but sometimes the looks we get are suspicious or even hostile.
When I first came to Ballard I was scared that my experience would be negative, but it wasn't as bad as I expected. When I first entered the building it was confusing and I got lost a couple of times. I was a little late to one of my first classes and felt awkward because everyone was staring at me, but then a girl suddenly said, "You can sit here, there's an empty seat." After that, I didn't feel so lonely because I saw someone that actually acknowledged me as their equal and peer. No one was calling me hurtful names, which had happened before. And, the few times that has happened, I have been able to talk through it with my counselor.
I have also learned to take the chances to help myself to create a better memory and future so that I don’t leave any regrets behind. My plan after high school is to become a neonatal nurse to bring happiness to newborns and create a better future. The confidence that I have gained has come from my experience in high school, and has taught me to be a good friend and helped me find my smile.
A muslim girl can have shy moments and feel nervous about how others may judge her. This is usually because we have seen the looks we get both in and out of school when wearing the hijab, the muslim headcovering. Some people are just curious, but sometimes the looks we get are suspicious or even hostile.
When I first came to Ballard I was scared that my experience would be negative, but it wasn't as bad as I expected. When I first entered the building it was confusing and I got lost a couple of times. I was a little late to one of my first classes and felt awkward because everyone was staring at me, but then a girl suddenly said, "You can sit here, there's an empty seat." After that, I didn't feel so lonely because I saw someone that actually acknowledged me as their equal and peer. No one was calling me hurtful names, which had happened before. And, the few times that has happened, I have been able to talk through it with my counselor.
I have also learned to take the chances to help myself to create a better memory and future so that I don’t leave any regrets behind. My plan after high school is to become a neonatal nurse to bring happiness to newborns and create a better future. The confidence that I have gained has come from my experience in high school, and has taught me to be a good friend and helped me find my smile.
From Lead to Gold: Life Lessons from Paulo Coehlo
Kusum Kumar
The groundbreaking novel The Alchemist is celebrating its 25th anniversary. The book had grown in popularity over the years, with many celebrities commenting on its meaningful themes. Oprah Winfrey, Will Smith, and Pharell Williams are just a few of the famous fans of Coehlo’s work. However, the story is popular because it connects with almost everyone who reads it.
Alchemy is an ancient pseudoscience which was most popular in medieval times. It was based on experimentation and partly on the idea of magic. Practitioners searched for the legendary magical substance, The Philosopher’s Stone, which was supposedly very powerful, holding the power to heal, prolong life and complete a largely sought for the goal of turning lead to gold. Turning lead to gold can be seen as a metaphor for taking a bad situation and making the best out of it, or of making your life what you want it to be.
In Paulo Coelho’s blog, he explains how his entire book is a metaphor built on the concept of alchemy: “After that, [completing my personal pilgrimage] I thought, ‘Why did it take so long to fulfill my dream?’ So I decided to write a metaphor...The Alchemist: A novel about someone who needs to fulfill his or her dream, but takes so long to achieve it because he or she thinks it’s impossible.” Even if it took him a while to complete his goal, he’s glad he did so at the end of his article he redresses this topic, “I can’t live with a dream that I didn’t even try to fulfill.’ [To my readers,] Do the same thing. '' He advises.
One of the most memorable life lessons Coehlo teaches is a story about a palace and a spoon of oil. This boy visits a sage in his grand palace. The sage gives the boy a spoon of oil and tells the boy to take the spoon and see all the beauty in his palace. Two hours later, the boy returns to the sage. The sage asked the boy if he had seen any of the his majestic tapestries in the dining hall, or the beautiful garden that took over 10 years to create, or the beautiful parchment in his library. The boy confessed that he hadn’t, so the sage told him to go back with the oil and focus on the beautiful palace. The boy returned two hours later and he told the sage of all the beautiful things he saw. The sage was glad but asked the boy where the oil was because the spoon was empty. The sage smiled and told the boy that the secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world and to never to forget the drops of oil in your spoon.
In this story, the spoon of oil represents our responsibilities in life and the palace would be the world we live in. Paulo Coelho writes to tell the secret of happiness, to enjoy all that the world has to offer without forgetting your own responsibility. If you only focus on your schoolwork or your job or supporting your family and never stop and notice the beauty of our world, you’ll never be truly happy.
This ties into his next lesson, which is to break the monotony of life. Now that school is back, everyone is getting back into the schedule of spending their evening “studying” until late in the night. It’s great to have plans to get through all your AP classes and math homework but it’s great to switch it up from time to time - especially since it’s the beginning of the year. Maybe you should work outside on the patio or maybe in the living room instead of your room. Or change the order of your homework, like take your notes before you do your algebra homework or before your English Annotations. Or maybe take a quick jog before you start. These seem like small changes but it’s a good way to experience a change in pace so you don’t get bored. Even if it's not for school, let’s say you always run on a treadmill, try running outside, in your neighborhood or run in a near a park. Change is always refreshing. Whether you change it up or not, it is up to you, only you can take action for what you want.
That’s another large lesson that Paulo Coelho teaches in the novel; if you want something, you must always take action. Whether it’s getting a job on your own or even getting help on that biology homework from last night. If you never reach out and grab what you need or want you’ll never get it. So never be afraid to ask for help or to start a club. As Coehlo writes, “There is only one way to learn. It’s through action.” You can study, read, and listen until you can’t anymore, but the full experience is when you take action. Don’t be held back by fear, getting overwhelmed by the unknown is easy. Actions will only flow your confidence, sitting around will get you nowhere.
Fear is only as bad as you make it, and most of the time it’s more of an obstacle than the real one. When you let fear consume you, you’ll never be able to progress. Any new pursuit requires entering uncharted territory, that's terrifying. Nonetheless, any great risk comes with a greater reward. The experience gained while you follow your dreams will make it worthwhile.
Lastly, no matter what you come across, no matter how bad it hurts, always, always, always get back up. In Paulo Coehlo’s words, “The secret to life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.” The eighth time could be your breakthrough. In history, many novels, and many movies finally made it after being rejected hundreds of times, just like The Alchemist was, when Coehlo’s first publisher in Brazil told him he would never sell more than 900 copies. As of today, the novel has sold over 65 million copies.
Alchemy is an ancient pseudoscience which was most popular in medieval times. It was based on experimentation and partly on the idea of magic. Practitioners searched for the legendary magical substance, The Philosopher’s Stone, which was supposedly very powerful, holding the power to heal, prolong life and complete a largely sought for the goal of turning lead to gold. Turning lead to gold can be seen as a metaphor for taking a bad situation and making the best out of it, or of making your life what you want it to be.
In Paulo Coelho’s blog, he explains how his entire book is a metaphor built on the concept of alchemy: “After that, [completing my personal pilgrimage] I thought, ‘Why did it take so long to fulfill my dream?’ So I decided to write a metaphor...The Alchemist: A novel about someone who needs to fulfill his or her dream, but takes so long to achieve it because he or she thinks it’s impossible.” Even if it took him a while to complete his goal, he’s glad he did so at the end of his article he redresses this topic, “I can’t live with a dream that I didn’t even try to fulfill.’ [To my readers,] Do the same thing. '' He advises.
One of the most memorable life lessons Coehlo teaches is a story about a palace and a spoon of oil. This boy visits a sage in his grand palace. The sage gives the boy a spoon of oil and tells the boy to take the spoon and see all the beauty in his palace. Two hours later, the boy returns to the sage. The sage asked the boy if he had seen any of the his majestic tapestries in the dining hall, or the beautiful garden that took over 10 years to create, or the beautiful parchment in his library. The boy confessed that he hadn’t, so the sage told him to go back with the oil and focus on the beautiful palace. The boy returned two hours later and he told the sage of all the beautiful things he saw. The sage was glad but asked the boy where the oil was because the spoon was empty. The sage smiled and told the boy that the secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world and to never to forget the drops of oil in your spoon.
In this story, the spoon of oil represents our responsibilities in life and the palace would be the world we live in. Paulo Coelho writes to tell the secret of happiness, to enjoy all that the world has to offer without forgetting your own responsibility. If you only focus on your schoolwork or your job or supporting your family and never stop and notice the beauty of our world, you’ll never be truly happy.
This ties into his next lesson, which is to break the monotony of life. Now that school is back, everyone is getting back into the schedule of spending their evening “studying” until late in the night. It’s great to have plans to get through all your AP classes and math homework but it’s great to switch it up from time to time - especially since it’s the beginning of the year. Maybe you should work outside on the patio or maybe in the living room instead of your room. Or change the order of your homework, like take your notes before you do your algebra homework or before your English Annotations. Or maybe take a quick jog before you start. These seem like small changes but it’s a good way to experience a change in pace so you don’t get bored. Even if it's not for school, let’s say you always run on a treadmill, try running outside, in your neighborhood or run in a near a park. Change is always refreshing. Whether you change it up or not, it is up to you, only you can take action for what you want.
That’s another large lesson that Paulo Coelho teaches in the novel; if you want something, you must always take action. Whether it’s getting a job on your own or even getting help on that biology homework from last night. If you never reach out and grab what you need or want you’ll never get it. So never be afraid to ask for help or to start a club. As Coehlo writes, “There is only one way to learn. It’s through action.” You can study, read, and listen until you can’t anymore, but the full experience is when you take action. Don’t be held back by fear, getting overwhelmed by the unknown is easy. Actions will only flow your confidence, sitting around will get you nowhere.
Fear is only as bad as you make it, and most of the time it’s more of an obstacle than the real one. When you let fear consume you, you’ll never be able to progress. Any new pursuit requires entering uncharted territory, that's terrifying. Nonetheless, any great risk comes with a greater reward. The experience gained while you follow your dreams will make it worthwhile.
Lastly, no matter what you come across, no matter how bad it hurts, always, always, always get back up. In Paulo Coehlo’s words, “The secret to life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.” The eighth time could be your breakthrough. In history, many novels, and many movies finally made it after being rejected hundreds of times, just like The Alchemist was, when Coehlo’s first publisher in Brazil told him he would never sell more than 900 copies. As of today, the novel has sold over 65 million copies.
Junior year is certainly daunting, but with the help of amazing teachers, like Mr. Crocker, who has been teaching at Ballard for fourteen years, gets you through without a scratch. His reputation precedes him, he is a dedicated and enthusiastic teacher who is truly passionate about what he does. “I became a teacher because once I was out of school I realized I missed education, I value the educational process, I enjoy learning, and I enjoy watching other people learn, and teaching them about a subject, that they may or may not know a lot about.” Mr. Crocker’s effort is received by his students as Kylee Rager (11th grade) “[likes] how passionate he is about teaching, he really cares and you can tell that this is what he wants to be doing.”
He genuinely enjoys being around teenagers and school, and that is emulated in his classroom, Mr. Crocker says a typical day in his class “.... is, I hope, fun, first of all, that’s what I am going for, sometimes that is a struggle at the beginning of the year, but we would have some sort of greeting, opening, sometimes it’s even just getting to know you discussion, which leads into, usually, discussion on the reading from the day before and a follow up towards a larger skill.” He takes the time to connect and get to know his students in a way that they are also learning the skills they need to succeed.
Teaching style is a huge part of the experience for students, Mr. Crocker considers his style as “laidback, controlled chaos, with an understanding that standards and targets can be met in multiple ways for multiple types of students.” Which translates clearly to his students as Kennedy Rager (11th grade) says “his classroom his very welcoming and he sees everyone as equals.” Every student struggles and succeeds in different areas, yet Mr. Crocker makes adjustments so that no matter what a student struggles with or how a student learns they can grasp the content being taught.
Teaching is no easy feat, and learning is not either, but having a teacher like Mr. Crocker who enjoys educating makes it easier.
He genuinely enjoys being around teenagers and school, and that is emulated in his classroom, Mr. Crocker says a typical day in his class “.... is, I hope, fun, first of all, that’s what I am going for, sometimes that is a struggle at the beginning of the year, but we would have some sort of greeting, opening, sometimes it’s even just getting to know you discussion, which leads into, usually, discussion on the reading from the day before and a follow up towards a larger skill.” He takes the time to connect and get to know his students in a way that they are also learning the skills they need to succeed.
Teaching style is a huge part of the experience for students, Mr. Crocker considers his style as “laidback, controlled chaos, with an understanding that standards and targets can be met in multiple ways for multiple types of students.” Which translates clearly to his students as Kennedy Rager (11th grade) says “his classroom his very welcoming and he sees everyone as equals.” Every student struggles and succeeds in different areas, yet Mr. Crocker makes adjustments so that no matter what a student struggles with or how a student learns they can grasp the content being taught.
Teaching is no easy feat, and learning is not either, but having a teacher like Mr. Crocker who enjoys educating makes it easier.