How Have Politics Affected You? 

How Modern Polarization is Killing America

By : Sadie Chapman

Two neighbors are divided by a fence that only continues to grow higher and higher until conversation and friendship are impossible. This is what is happening in American politics today. People are becoming so divided that it is impossible to have civilized conversations and the ability to grow relationships is gone. Polarization has built up America to be known as the greatest country in the world, but has the US become so polarized with politics that it is falling from grace? 

According to Gordon Heltzel from ScienceDirect, “Polarization, that is, the separation and clustering of political attitudes, is good for democracy in small doses. However, excessive polarization leads people to disregard views different from their own, making it hard to achieve democratic solutions to societal problems.”

Without polarization, our country would not be able to function because it is needed for the country’s two-party system. If everyone believed the same, then there would be no change. On the other hand, if no one can agree, then there would also be no change, or at least none in the best direction. 

Social Studies Teacher Kaityln Sanchez stated, “I think how polarized people become really serves as a disadvantage to the federal government, because people aren’t willing to compromise. If you look back at the foundation of the United States, our entire government is based on compromise because that’s how we had the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution, all our biggest highs came from compromise.” This shows how important compromise is for America, because if it becomes nonexistent, then our country will fall apart. Americans will continue trading hollow insults between individuals and even political leaders, if we cannot reach agreements.

Additionally, there is the other problem of people no longer wanting to voice their opinions out of fear of confrontation with others. 

Attorney and Firebird Alumni Callie Dupree expanded on this by stating, “I think what’s starting to happen, at least with the modern political climate is everybody is just crowding the middle as hard as possible, because you don’t want to step on the toes of your friends, you don’t want to step on the toes of your family, you have relationships that you want to maintain.” 

Social Studies Teacher Joel Elliott had his own opinions about people voicing or not voicing their opinions, but he believes it is due to echo chambers. Elliott stated, “What has happened is we now have something called echo chambers, where everybody hangs out with people who believe the same things they believe…. If you live in New York City, you’re probably in a very Democratic area, but if you live in rural Mississippi then you’re around a very Republican area. Therefore, what you’re gonna hear 99% of the time is things you wanna hear, and the people that don’t believe what you believe, aren’t going to say anything.”

Dupree’s and Elliott’s statements both come down to the fact that people are scared of what others are going to say about their opinions, and it should not be that way. We live in a time now where politics and ideological beliefs are seen as an insult. 

As Graduate Nathanial Brown stated, “I think everybody finds out what you believe in that they’re just attacking the other person.” Just because someone does not hold the same values as another, does not mean they are deserving of hate. The extreme polarization we have now has caused this to become blurred and has normalized hatred toward one another. 

Polarization is not just causing hatred between strangers and politicians, but it is also causing feuds between families. Dupree previously said that people want to maintain their relationships and avoid stepping on any toes, but with polarization, how long can a person realistically do that? 

Joe Pierre, a psychiatrist and Health Science Clinical Professor at the University of California, wrote a book called False: How Mistrust, Disinformation, and Motivated Reasoning Makes Us Believe Things That Aren’t True, which touched on this problem. A woman named Stephanie reached out to Pierre about her marriage to her husband, Nick. Although the couple had always held political differences, it was not a problem—until the 2020 election, when polarization became too intense to ignore. Pierre had stated, “Both of them felt like they were stuck between a rock and a hard place where the survival of their [eight-year] marriage seemed to depend on one of them changing their political beliefs.”

The fact that the only way the two could preserve eight years of marriage was for one of them to change their political attitude is unjustifiable. It should not have to be this way. Families should not be broken by politics, and if polarization continues to grow, then more and more families are going to be split. 

Pierre had made another statement regarding this situation which was, “...the division affecting families and relationships across the country is less a story about QAnon or conspiracy theories per se than it is one of the polarization of mainstream politics and a growing inability for ideological opposites to find common ground and work to preserve a communal identity.” 

Not only has polarization taken over families, but it has also taken over the country’s political media.

 Science Teacher Dr. Fisher expressed that, “The biggest change that [he has] seen is the negative ads and the negative publicity has replaced all the discussions about facts.”

 If Americans are only faced with negativity about certain people, beliefs, and policies instead of accurate unbiased information then they will begin to base their opinions on what they have viewed. This creates misinformation to be passed around along with more hatred for others with different political attitudes. 

As previously mentioned, different opinions are required for America’s functionality, but with people only seeing the differences and fabrications, then that is what is causing a wedge between relationships in the country. 

Furthermore, this creates an ‘us versus them mentality’ where the ‘us’ are the people who share your political attitude, and the 'them’ are the ones who have different beliefs. 

English Teacher Megan King shared her viewpoint of this way of thinking, she stated, “I think it’s great for us to have different perspectives and different opinions, but the mindset of ‘us versus them’ is dangerous for both sides and ultimately we don’t have to agree, but we do have to get on the same page if we’re gonna be successful in the future.” This can be proven with Sanchez’s previous statement about how our biggest accomplishments as a country came from finding a common ground. 

Graduate Megan Shumaker then shared her opinion of how this mentality was created, she stated, “The way that politicians speak to each other has changed drastically over the last two decades because they wanted the American people to be happy, but had two separate ways of getting there. Now they want two separate worlds for themselves, and that has become what’s divided us and created the ‘us versus them’ mentality.”

By our politicians separating from each other they are influencing the American people to also separate from one another. Which creates this extreme polarization and division across the country. 

To expand on that, Jeffery Jones from Gallup News stated, “A record-high 80% of U.S. adults believe Americans are greatly divided on the most important values, while 18% believe the country is united.” This report was done in America’s most recent presidential election year, 2024. The significance of this is that during the election we saw politicians speak to each other so boorish and careless like never before. Which then creates the question of how are the American people supposed to stay connected, if our politicians and government officials struggle to have civilized and professional debates?

In conclusion, everyone is going to have their own opinions, that is how the world works and it is necessary for democracies and two-party systems to function. However, what is not necessary is having so much division that people can no longer agree with what is best for the country. America cannot continue down this path because it will only lead to our systems being broken beyond repair and violence being thrown back and forth between the people. To end on that it should be asked, is it really right to call ourselves the United States of America when the American people are no longer united?

Mad Cow disease: A Silent Threat That Changed Global Food Safety

By : Mackenzie Covey

In the mid-1990s, dinner tables across Europe were served with a side of fear. A mysterious brain-rotting illness, first detected in cattle, had jumped the species barrier and began infecting humans. Mad cow disease—technically called Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)—outbreak exposed serious cracks in global food safety systems. 

Decades later, the disease has largely faded from the news cycle, but experts argue that the threat isn’t over. In this investigation, we look at what caused this disease, how it's handled, and why it's still relevant to this day.

Mad cow disease is caused by prions which are rogue proteins that trigger a cascade of abnormal folding in the brain. Infected cattle begin to show these signs of severe neurological dysfunction: difficulty walking, aggression, and eventually death. However, the real panic began when scientists discovered that people who consumed the infected beef could develop a human version of the disease called, a variant, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD). 

This condition is incurable and fatal, typically taking over victims bodies within months of being diagnosed. There is no known cure for this disease and is also considered the deadliest neurological disease. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, “Also, some symptoms of CJD can look like symptoms of other progressive neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's disease. But these symptoms tend to worsen faster in CJD than in Alzheimer's disease and most other types of dementia (National Institute). 

In humans, the symptoms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease are devastating and progresses  rapidly once they appear. Early signs can be subtle, often beginning with psychiatric symptoms such as depression, anxiety, or personality changes. As the disease advances, patients typically experience more neurological issues including unsteady walking, slurred speech, muscle stiffness, memory loss, difficulty speaking, problems with swallowing, and problems with vision loss. 

We can see the progression of the symptoms in the timeline provided by formal google research. Around week seven is when symptoms become severely unfortunate for the victim and hospitalization must come in. Eventually, the brain damage becomes so severe that the person enters a comatose state and eventually dies, usually within 12 to 14 months of symptom onset. 

Unlike other forms of dementia or degenerative brain diseases, vCJD affects younger people more frequently, many victims have been under the age of 30, making it particularly tragic and alarming. Since the disease is untreatable and fatal, it is significantly important to recognize early prevention and strict safety regulations in the meat industry. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been 233 confirmed cases of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease worldwide as of 2022, most of them in the United Kingdom, where the outbreak originally came from (CDC, 2022). The roots of the crisis lie in industrial farming practices of the 1970s and ’80s. In an effort to cut costs and increase efficiency, animal byproducts, including remains from sheep infected with scrapie, another prion disease, were processed into protein-rich feed for cattle. 

This recycling of animal tissue created the ideal conditions for BSE to surface. The first case was officially identified in the UK in 1986. Six years later, Britain saw its peak with almost 37,000 infected cattle in a single year. 

As reports mounted, government officials repeatedly insisted that British beef was safe to eat. This illusion shattered in 1996, when health authorities confirmed the link between BSE and vCJD. The government’s delay in acknowledging the danger is now widely viewed as one of the biggest public health communication failures in recent history.

Once the link between beef and brain disease was undeniable, the UK and other nations took drastic action. Over 4.4 million cows were slaughtered in an attempt to contain the disease, which was not the greatest idea. The European Union and the United States banned the use of ruminant-derived protein in cattle feed, a practice many now seen as reckless. 

In the U.S., the first domestic case of BSE wasn’t discovered until 2003 and even then, the infected cow had been imported from Canada. It didn’t result in human infections, but it did reignite the span of inspections in feed practices and disease monitoring. Federal agencies like the USDA and FDA quickly implemented new safeguards which were removing high-risk tissues from the food supply, increasing surveillance, and requiring testing of older cattle.

Today, most people assume Mad Cow Disease is a relic of the past. But scientists and spotters aren’t so sure. Prions are notoriously resilient, capable of surviving in the environment for years. The incubation period in humans can last decades, meaning more cases of vCJD could still emerge in the future. 

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported in 2017 that although oversight has improved, gaps remain especially in tracking imported feed and live animals. According to the United States Government Accountability Office, “FDA has made needed improvements to its management and oversight of the feed-ban rule in response to GAO’s 2002 report, but program weaknesses continue to limit the effectiveness of the ban and place U.S. cattle at risk of spreading BSE. Meanwhile, industrialized agriculture continues to evolve, and experts worry that economic pressures could push producers to cut corners again.

 “There’s always a risk of new prion diseases emerging,” said Dr. Stanley Prusiner, the neurologist who won the Nobel Prize for discovering prions. “What matters is how prepared we are to catch them early.”

The mad cow crisis forced a reckoning in the food industry. It changed how governments monitor animal health, how farmers feed livestock, and how consumers think about what’s on their plate. But as the memory fades, there’s concern that the hard lessons learned could be forgotten.

Despite its terrifying nature, mad cow disease is often misunderstood—or not understood at all—by much of the general public. The name itself sounds more like a tabloid headline than a real medical condition, which may have led some to dismiss it. In truth, the science behind BSE and its human counterpart, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), is incredibly complex. 

Most people don’t know that prions, the proteins responsible, aren’t alive in the traditional sense and don’t respond to antibiotics or regular treatments. The complexity of this disease makes it harder to explain in simple terms, and as a result, it has largely faded from public concern. 

Today’s younger generations may not even be aware that such an outbreak occurred or that it resulted in millions of cattle being culled and strict global food safety reforms. Since the number of human cases has remained relatively small, many people assume the danger is over or that it never posed a real threat to begin with. According to Junior Gabe Munoz, he states “No, I have no idea what Mad Cow Disease is. Is it just a disease you get from cows?”

Without widespread understanding, there is less pressure on policymakers to maintain strict regulations, and less pressure on industries that could, if not carefully monitored, allow similar threats to emerge again. According to Sophomore Steven Sabastian, he states, “What’s Mad Cow disease? I mean I have heard of it but like I have no idea what it even is.”

The story of mad cow disease is more than just a bizarre episode in food safety history, it's a cautionary tale about the risks of industrial shortcuts, delayed government action, and public unawareness. From its emergence through contaminated feed to its deadly leap to humans, BSE exposes the vulnerabilities in global food production systems. While the number of human cases remains relatively low, the horrifying nature of the disease and its long incubation period mean we may not yet understand its full impact.

 The outbreak forced countries to cautiously monitor safety protocols, ban risky practices, and implement stricter monitoring systems. Yet despite these improvements, many people today have little or no knowledge of what mad cow disease is, how it spreads, or why it was so dangerous in the first place. That gap in awareness could become a problem if oversight ever weakens or new prion-related diseases emerge. 

The public deserves to know how past mistakes shaped today’s safety standards and why they still matter. In a world driven by efficiency and profit, the legacy of BSE reminds us that attentiveness, transparency, and education are essential. The moment we forget what went wrong is the moment we risk letting it happen again. 

If there’s one thing the BSE outbreak made clear, it’s that food safety isn’t just about what we eat—it’s about how we produce it. And in a world of global supply chains and high-stakes profit margins, the price of laziness could be devastating. 

Have You Been Impacted By Taking An English Class?

Carli Jacobs Alumni Career Overview

By: Lydia Laux

Headstrong, dedicated, and passionate. These are just some of the words current colleagues, friends and past teachers would use to describe Carli Jacobs. As a BCECHS alumni she attended Career Day and eagerly shared her experiences with teaching, including the ups and downs of a career she deeply loves. While being an English teacher wasn't her original plan for the future, it has been the path to create the largest impact in her life.

Jacobs was born and raised in North Carolina, Boiling Springs Lake specifically. Traci Leonard who has known Mrs. Jacobs since she was eleven states, “Mrs. Jacobs was born and raised in Brunswick County. She fully understands life in BCS and can relate to many of the students. She is strict yet willing to help her students find success. She teaches a level that is appropriate for the students sitting in her class and reaching their personal goals.”

She attended Brunswick County Early College High School and was in the graduating class of 2015. Laura Askue, English teacher, who had her during her Sophomore and Graduate years of highschool had insightful things to say about how Jacobs was as a Firebird. Askue fondly talked about her stating, “As a student she asked a lot of questions, she wanted everything to be just right…I know she went through a lot when she was younger, which I won't disclose, but she continued to thrive and persevere despite personal challenges and struggles.”

While her time at BCECHS did not impact her decision to become a teacher later in life, she does believe that she learned important life skills. Some of the things she mentioned Early College prepared her for during her Career Day presentation include time management, striving for productivity, knowing how to build relationships, and making goals that she can not only accomplish but challenge her to create growth. In 2015 she started her enrollment at UNCP in Business Administration. She stated,“I loved college and I love UNCP, it is very small and I loved that. It felt comforting and like Early College in the way that my classes were tightly knit.”

After a semester she knew business was not the path for her. With a tip from a professor at the time she switched her major and started her educational journey. “Once I started taking English classes I came to a point where I needed to find out how I was going to make English, make money. That doesn't sound great, but in reality it can lead to so many things so I needed to find what fit for me.” With a love for writing and a need for a steady job she turned to teaching.

Education and teaching English has become vastly overlooked as the years go on, and Jacobs is an advocate for the importance of education. International Language Centres described passionate teaching as, “By fostering a love for language through engaging lessons, passionate English teachers empower students to communicate effectively, think critically, and engage meaningfully with the world around them.” 

With the struggle to keep up with the quickly changing world, Jacobs responded that the largest struggle she has come to face during her career has been Covid. This was a hard time for everyone and the trouble only grew in terms of school and how to reach students through the distance and division. She stated that, “I often wondered if I was going to make it through… I am the type of person who needs to interact with people which is especially why I love education. I feel like students missed a pivotal point in their educational time which is why I think it's a large struggle for kids to see the importance and benefits of education.”

Her current daily schedule as an English teacher for South Brunswick High School includes two English IV classes, one journalism class, and one planning period to prepare everything for her classes. As a teacher she said the benefits of her job include having an easy schedule, not having to work during the summer, and having time after school to participate in other activities of interest.

 Another benefit of her job is getting to build relationships with her coworkers. As stated before she is a very social person who needs to be able to interact with others. Through her job she met her best friend, Mackenzie LeFevre, who also teaches at South Brunswick. In describing Jacobs, LeFevre says, “She has a positive attitude towards teaching, and she always presents herself in a professional manner. But overall she is realistic…She is approachable and genuine and would never not help another teacher.”

During her panel on Career Day. Jacobs spoke about teaching and influenced many students to become more passionate about having the same future profession. Sophomores, Kai Cicatello and Claire Powers who both plan to become teachers had lots of positive things to say about the things they learned. Cicatello’s favorite part was hearing Jacobs' day to day schedule and how she connects with her students, “The information she told me really gave me an idea about connecting with my future students, through listening about her experiences she seemed very transparent which was refreshing to hear.” 

Powers, who wants to teach Elementary school found that even though she was learning about a teacher who teaches a different group of kids the information was just as important to hear, “After listening to her I feel more motivated to become a teacher, she was so passionate and excited to talk about how her students have impacted her. My favorite part of the panel was hearing how she had kids come back to her after they graduated and tell her how much she impacted their high school experience and helped them gain internal confidence.”

Many people wonder why someone would want to pursue the profession, because it is constantly looked down upon due to factors like income. Allen Tunstall from ITA Blog

 responds to this saying, “Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) is thrilling, challenging, and rewarding…Whether you teach English or any other subject, the satisfaction of knowing you can make a meaningful impact on the lives of your students is one of the great feelings you can have.”

In conclusion, Carli Jacobs is an excellent example of everything a teacher should be. University of The People states that, “Teachers can profoundly impact students’ academic success, personal growth, and lifelong learning.” While in hindsight English may seem like just an unimportant class, the lessons that dedicated teachers plant in us can continue to grow and help us develop as individuals.

Breaking News: Poll on The Effects Of Media Among Teens

Breaking News: Trust, Teens, and Tackling the Effects of Digital Media

By Freshman Brayden Summerlin

Why does America use so many food addititves?

By : Kat Totten

Food additives are ingredients added to food in order to maintain an ideal appearance, taste, color and texture by preventing spoilage through oxidation and microorganisms. Over the years companies have been prone to adding more of these harsh additives into the everyday food of Americans.

According to a recent study in the journal of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, published by Elsevier “60% of foods purchased by Americans contain technical food additives including coloring or flavoring agents, preservatives, and sweeteners. This represents a 10% increase since 2001.”

While food additives offer several superficial benefits such as extended shelf life, improved taste and texture, as well as artificially enhancing the nutritional value, the overall risk factors outweigh these benefits.

For example, an extremely wide known dye and flavoring additive known as red 40, also referred to as Allura Red, is a prime example of the health risks that these additives pose.

Red 40 is made from petroleum, and is currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration to be used in all 50 states.

This synthetic food dye offers a brighter, more uniform color to foods, making it more visually appealing to consumers. There are no health benefits or shelf preservation that red 40 dye offers, it is plainly used for its coloring aspect.

Numerous countries such as Switzerland, The United Kingdom, and Japan have already taken steps to make this dye illegal in their countries.

Junior Sara Williams, who is passionate about the quality of her food stated “Yeah I try to avoid gluten whenever I can, so I’m used to reading food labels…I have noticed all the dyes and stuff in the process though”.

According to Kimberly Monahan, a student at the University of Tampa pursuing her degree in public health, “Red 40 is associated with decreased concentration and attention in children”.

However, Red 40 can also have long term effects on adults, including Hyperactivity (Especially in those with ADHD/ADD), behavioral changes, skin irritation, migraines, and in a few extreme cases, cancer. This is because Red 40 contains Benzene, a widely known cancer-causing substance.

The reality of red 40 is that it can be found everywhere in things we eat and use every day. Foods such as fruit loops, takis, pillsbury cinnamon rolls, Fruit Punch, most major candy companies, and the list goes on.

Bella Moore, a manager at Highway 55 in Sneads Ferry stated “As much as fruit punch tastes delicious, the red dye 40 in the drink causes it to actually stain our tables at work when it spills, so that really makes me stop and think about what it must do inside of your body.”

“I’ve been in the food industry for 6 years,” says Moore. “I’m 23 now, and I have definitely noticed the over-processed foods that restaurants have started using more of over the years”.

In addition to its wide range of food products, red 40 can also be found in many cosmetic products and medications such as shampoos, sunscreens, makeup, benadryl, nyquil, and many gummy supplements.

According to Obed Rivera, head chef at Lucas Italian Chophouse, “There is a clear difference in flavor and texture of food…many people use preservatives and other chemicals to get it faster and make it last longer”. Rivera has been working in the food industry for over 22 years, and clearly expressed his view on the evolution of food preservatives in the kitchen.

Rivera also went on to state “People should try to eat healthier, even growing their own food to help stay away from preservatives”.

It is not hard to see the grasp that red 40 currently has on America's health and safety standards.

Though the FDA claims that a food additive must be authorized before it can be used in food on the market, this brings us to an ethical question : Should there be more strict food preservative regulations in America?

According to a Harvard Public Health article written by Jerold Mande, regulated food contaminants such as salmonella and listeria kill an estimated “1,400 Americans per year”, however “!,600 Americans die every day from chronic food illness, such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer”.

The U.S. Food and Drug administration, as well as the U.S. The Department of Agriculture continues to turn a blind eye to these statistics, that evidence has traced back to the substances found in ulta-processed foods. 

A historically significant act that can be referenced was the publication of Upton Sinclair’s novel The Jungle in 1906. Sinclair published this book intending to expose the harsh working conditions of immigrant laborers in Chicago's meatpacking industry. However, the novel also included vivid descriptions of unsanitary and dangerous food production practices that elicited public outrage.

This novel caused so much outrage in America that the president at the time, Theodore Roosevelt, passed the Pure Food and Drug Act, as well as The Meat Inspection Act.

These laws were the foundation of modern food safety regulations in the U.S. and they serve as a pillar to all food health safety regulations that America currently uses.

Social Studies teacher Kaitlyn Sanchez believes that this book had a “dramatic effect” on America. She stated “It opened a lot of people's eyes to quality control. Like cows with tuberculosis going into canned meat…The government also started heavily regulating meat businesses and it was a big catalyst for industrialization”.

Prior to 1990, nutrition information was not always required on packaged goods, however on January 1, 1994 with the passing of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act, nutrition labels became a standard in America.

One would think that with all of these health requirements the transparency between brand and consumer would be higher, however this is not the case.

Today, dozens of countries practice printing nutritional labels on the front of their food packages to make sure the nutritional value is clear to consumers.

For example in France, it is common to find a green, yellow, or red score on the front of most packaged foods that is used to warn consumers of foods with high amounts of saturated fats, calories, or salts.

America however, does the exact opposite. America does not require these frontal nutrition labels, and instead often has misleading information plastered across the front of many products.

One example of this would be flavored yogurt. Oftentimes you will see yogurt in the grocery store and written all over it are phrases such as ‘low-fat ', ‘organic’, ‘made with real fruit’, ‘all natural’, the list goes on.

However the reality of these yogurts is that they are loaded with unnecessary sugars, include massive amounts of artificial flavoring, and often have very minimal probiotic benefit.

America has become a master at false advertising their food, which is also why the obesity level in America is higher than it has been in years and is only increasing.

According to the national institute of health “nearly 1 in 3 adults (30.7%) are overweight”. This is a direct result of misleading health information and false advertising schemes in America that are negatively impacting the health of its citizens.

With all that said, this all goes to show how America prioritizes the appearance and marketing schemes over the actual health of their citizens. America needs to take some inspiration from other countries and double down on their health standards in order to preserve the safety of all Americans.

What Should You Know About OCD 

By : Makayla Procter 

OCD stands for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. OCD is a mental disorder that is commonly under analyzed by society. A misconception many people make with OCD is that people who suffer from this illness are just “neat freaks” or “controlling”. 

Most people believe that having OCD just means that a person needs everything to be clean and in order just because they like structure in their daily life. In reality OCD is so much more than that. 

According to Monica Handy  “Depending on the severity of OCD a person has affected their day to day life and how they function.”

According to The Mayo Clinic thoughts and fears known as obsessions. “These obsessions lead people to do repetitive behaviors, also called compulsions. These obsessions and compulsions get in the way of daily activities and cause a lot of distress.” 

OCD causes revolving constant fears that cause the person to feel a need to repeat actions or thoughts in a ritualistic cycle in order to push away any fears or anxiety that come along with the disorder. 

According to Brunswick County Schools Psychologist Sara Oja “Many people may have repetitive thoughts such as having to recheck if they locked the door because they can’t remember. This is different from having true OCD because it does not interfere significantly with their lives.”

There are several different subtypes of OCD that are extremely common yet go unnoticed by society. One of the most known OCD traits is a fear of contamination. According to the organization "No to Compulsive Disorder Therapy  “Contamination OCD is a subtype characterized by the fear of becoming contaminated or contaminating others.

 The symptoms revolve around germs, dirt, and overall uncleanliness”. Though this is one of the most common types of OCD it is still not just the longing to be organized in every aspect of a person's life.

 It is the actual overwhelming fear that you will either become sick or give someone an illness because of a contamination impact. A common thought with this OCD subtype is ‘I’ll never be clean enough’ or ‘What if the food I ate was contaminated’.

 This cycle of thoughts can cause conflict in every form of a person's life and can affect a person's ability to live their life because fear takes over every aspect of their reality. Due to this fear compulsion begins to take over. A few examples of this is constantly washing your hands after every interaction or contact to something the mind categorizes as dangerous. 

Another subtype to OCD is existential OCD. This subtype is the fear and obsession for answers about life in a philosophical manner. While it is common that people wonder about life and all of its aspects, this subtype turns it into a fear and a demand from the brain for the need of answers. 

A common obsession that relates to this form of OCD is “What if there is no meaning to life” or “What if this is all fake”. Due to these obsessions they usually lead to compulsions such as constantly researching life and its aspects or seeking reassurance from others and their opinions on life. While these compulsions may not seem like an extreme hassle to others, a person living with this type of OCD lives constantly in wonder about their own life and that fear takes over everything they know or thought they knew.  

False memory and real events OCD is another subtype to OCD. According to NOCD “False memory or real event OCD is characterized by re-occurring intrusive thoughts about past events, leading to feelings of guilt, shame, anxiety, and other emotions”. 

Usually when a person suffers from this subtype they live in fear that something humiliating will come out about them even if they have not done anything wrong. They will also fear that they did something wrong to someone and they just can’t remember the situation. This tends to lead to a compulsion of constantly mentally reviewing a false or accurate memory until reassurance is gained whether fake or not. 

According to NOCD “Harm OCD involves obsessions about harming yourself or others. Having violent, intrusive thoughts happens to everyone occasionally, and most people can shrug them off. However, people with harm OCD are deeply disturbed by these thoughts and become overwhelmed by them.” This OCD is basically something everyone deals with but in an extreme and constant fashion. 

Certain obsessions categorized with this subtype include constant unwanted thoughts about harming yourself or others. For example a person with Harm OCD could think “ What of I just swerved off the road” or “What if I left the oven on and I catch the house on fire” These thoughts can lead to compulsively checking the trigger object before leaving the house or refusing to drive especially with others in the car. 

A common subtype to OCD is Sensorimotor or somatic OCD. This type is an obsession with out of control physical functions or sensations that lead a person to constantly question out of control body movements. A few examples are blinking, breathing, or how fast a heart rate is.

 This leads to obsessions like “am I blinking right” or “I have to count my breaths to make sure I don’t forget how”. This leads to constant mental cycles and distracting yourself to try to ignore the intrusive thoughts. Oja says “ There are many different compulsive behaviors that can occur. These may include obsessive hand washing, counting, repeating words over and over, making lists, checking things over and over, excessive cleaning, etc. The behavior could be anything that helps to reduce the level of distress”

Living with OCD is about going through cycles of disciplined regiments in order to refrain from stress that could be triggered from ignoring your task. OCD is not just worrying about whether or not you turned your oven or hair straightener off, it is about running the same thing in your head over and over again and obsessing over compulsive behaviors until the distress is settled. 

There are many misconceptions when it comes to OCD because this illness is so overlooked in society Oja states “OCD is more of a low prevalence disorder, meaning that it does not occur as frequently as some other disorders such as anxiety.” Due to this OCD is often passed as just anxiety which leads it to be ignored by society. 

According to Vice Principal Anthony Tantillo “I think people need to be aware that they have it but don’t need to freak out and think they have some detrimental disease just because they are diagnosed.” It is important that people understand that this illness does not need to be justified by a professional diagnosis to be acknowledged by society. 

It is important for those suffering to seek help from anywhere they can. Oja states “Students can reach out to their parents, guardians, or trusted adults to talk about their concerns. If the guardian is interested in seeking additional information, there are many local mental health providers in the area. We can provide a list of the mental health providers to the guardians. For adults, they may want to start by talking with their primary care provider.” 

OCD is a commonly overlooked or misconstrued mental illness that not many know how to deal with. Many people live in silence with this illness just being told they are too bossy and need everything their way when really it has nothing to do with that. It is important as a community we do not let those people continue to suffer with no help. We should instead encourage people who may have this illness to talk to someone they know and trust to seek the help they need.

Vampires Poll 

What Makes Vampires Appealing?

By: Zoria Roberts

When most people think about a vampire, they think of a vicious beast, a creature of the night, a funny monster, or a specific character that they enjoy. A common factor with all these descriptions is that they are entertainers. In entertainment types like movies or books people tend to resonate with specific characteristics of vampires. Many people enjoy vampires, and have deep passions for them and the art that surrounds them. Looking into what it is exactly that draws in an audience that will consider the story as something great could show what's popular and the ‘best’ for people. 

Many firebird students have expressed an interest in vampires and where they came from. If you look around within the students you can see them reading vampire centricted books, or them watching vampire movies.

The enjoyment that people have is almost always subjective. Readers in general will enjoy things based on something they like, not from a fact.This means that everybody will have a different perspective on what is, and what isn’t suited to their taste. There are many different things that could suit somebody's taste, like fangs, story telling, or other frightening aspects. 

Looking into the aspects that many people online say that they enjoy, there is a wide variety. One of the most common things that is said often is that people tend to enjoy the immortality part. As said from parnassusbooks.net, who has writing from many readers with passions for vampires. People have always had a desire to live forever, there are many stories centered around having an infinite lifespan. Some examples of this desire are The Fountain of Youth or The Pictures of Dorain Grey.

 According to a cultural study done by degruterbrill.com has written, when it comes to vampires, they are almost always depicted as these old and wise creatures; Monsters that have lived in castles for the past 15 centuries. Since vampires have lived for such a long time, they have immense knowledge on subjects such as history and life itself. Being able to know mysteries and understand the earth better is something humans have been interested in and researching since the enlightenment and beyond. When creating an untouchable and wise being, it can let the reader envision themselves as the vampire and how would they react with their struggles. 

A writing blog, ashland.kcts.edu, had said that vampires had come from a place of human fear. As writing got more popular, people's fears in society became present in the fiction they started creating. People in the 1700 to 1800’s had a fear of witches and other supernatural conspiracies. Vampires arosses from stereotypes of marginalized people. Although fictional to use now, people used to believe in the existence of vampires, and thought they would actually harm them. 

A ‘blood sucker’ is a common description of a vampire. When a vampire feeds, they are often shown as sinking their teeth into their prey, or in a more modern way showing drinking blood that they have stored. Humans are very creative when it comes to being scary, and something that scares many is the thought of their blood being altered in some way. To have a creature that can drain a person of their life source is seen in many different types of monsters. In many different monster stories, there are many parts of a story that are centered around how these monsters can harm people. With vampires there can be the draining of blood, or a general attack. 

There are obviously many more parts of vampires. Like the bats, castles, clothing, and gothic aesthetics. transformation into a vampire is very popular as well. A simple bite on the neck can transform a simple human into one of these unique and cruel beasts. Fiction that goes along with a person dealing with their new long life and dealing with struggles and commitments that follow with it. 

When on the topic, it's hard to ignore that although often used in horror, romance is huge with vampires. Many stories such as Twilight, Interviews With the Vampire, and Vampire Diaries all include some sort of romantic aspect. Monster romance isn’t new, but why vampires? According to BarkleyHighJackets.com, some of the earliest tropes are centered around a dark and mysterious love with an evil love interest. These are stories that push the norms of the everyday ‘Wuthering Heights’.

When asked about writing and reading about vampires, Cathryn Adams, who has a degree in creative writing,gave new and interesting perspectives. When she was asked about what writers should add to keep readers entertained, she had said that people who read about vampires are already interested in vampires as a concept. She said that metaphors about consumption and the need to feed is what entertains her and many readers alike. She said this can include conflicts like not wanting to harm but still having the need to harm to keep readers enticed with the story. Another thing that she thinks readers enjoy is how their powers can be used in a controlling sense. For example, hypnotization can control and lure humans into vampires, taking complete advantage of their mind. It could also attract people who want to know who's in control of a vampire. A master, the sun, or society could all hold a vampire in chains. 

A mistake that she sees often with writers is that people try to make their vampires like they actually exist. They try to make them fit into conformity and give them human limitations. These usually new writers try to be by the book and not specular enough to make it entertaining or new. 

When she thinks about a vampire, she thinks of a sad and misunderstood creature. There's a very gloomy element to being a misunderstood creature, loneliness without comfort from society. There's also an element of people not wanting to be a vampire, they want to shun a vampire. In many stories there isn’t acceptance for vampires, there's disdain.

 Symbols that she sees and notices often are death and romance. The death and revival of a vampire are the most altering parts of its life, it could show fear of the human whose life was stolen and a new starting of life. Romance could be the loss of love when the transformation happened, or love found between two vampires, or human and a vampire. Blood, sires, and the avoidance of the sun all can be used as metaphors. Blood could be sustenance could be a metaphor for the draining and dragging on of life, it could also represent intense hunger. Sires could represent an elite in the world, and are seen as a metaphor for control in the real world. The sun could represent consequences that the vampire has to carry, and unrequited freedoms that aren't allowed anymore.

 When Adams was asked about the vampire media she fancies, she said Baz from Carry On by Rainbow Rowell, and Strahd von Zarovitch from Curse of Strahd. She likes Baz because his vampirism was only used as a vessel, a unique way to depict vampires. Also many societal metaphors are shown in the writing making it very interesting. With Strahd von Zarovitch, he's a very well written villain, and she enjoys the fact that it is evil just to be evil.

 Her take on what could inspire people and herself to write is that they transcend normalcy. She personally enjoys that they use scary and supernatural body functions, have personalities that can be scary, funny, and crazy all at the same time, and their mindsets can be mature and horrid. Many stories can use vampires as a placeholder, for example, if a writer wants to write about a non-traditional or problematic topic they don’t have to say the quiet part out loud. A writer can use common themes in vampire stories to represent the topic. People who would relate to these stories in her opinion are anyone who feels othered. People who feel like they have trouble getting along with the crowd.

While interviewing Meagan King, an English teacher at Early College High School, she gave an insight on a reader's perspective. She had said that when writing and reading about vampires she tries to add or look for suspense and mystery. She wants something scary that keeps her trying to figure out what the twist is. These keeps were entertained and wanting to read the story and find out what happens. 

A common misconception that she recognizes with readers is that they are too deliberate, they don’t let the reader try to solve a mystery, they just tell the reader what it is and how it's supposed to go. When she thinks of what a vampire is she thinks of a tricky and mysterious person, not exactly horrible, but they also have to have an edge to them or a dark side.

 Symbols that she thinks of when relating to vampires are blood, black and white atmospheres, gothic aesthetics, crosses and christianity.

 Her favorite media is Twilight and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Something that would be inspiration for people in her opinion, is that they could think about how the vampire there writing could face the reality they were plunged into. What makes people like vampires in her opinion is that everybody is drawn to immortality, and young people tend to enjoy horror more.

Somebody else who works with writing often is Shelby Leonard. When she was asked about what to add to make the story more interesting, she said to think about the duality of a vampire; look into how they were transformed into something dangerous and the internal conflicts of being a vampire. Another way to focus on world building, make something rich and dark to set the mood of the story. 

When she was asked about what she and other readers enjoy the most, she said that vampires exist outside of human morals and limitations. This allows for people to imagine themselves escaping the world, being able to exist beyond the constraints of humanity. 

Common mistakes she notices are the stories being overly cliche with no complexity, ignoring or being inconsistent with the standard rules such as vampires' sun allergy and the need to drink blood, no weaknesses, and failing to develop them. When thinking of vampires her first thought is a dangerous, elegant, and mysterious monster, one who is a dark romantic with compelling feelings. 

Many themes and symbols pop into her head when thinking about vampires, blood being one. Blood can symbolize a need for life from the vampires and the taking of life from the human, this can also show the vampire's temptation for blood and their fight against their hunger. Immortality can be explored further, showing their loneliness, the race against time and the dread that follows. Light against darkness, showing how vampires were corrupted by darkness or corrupt the light. This can also show themes of morality and forbidden knowledge that people don’t know. Transformation can show the loss of their human side and how their demeanor changes with this new lifestyle. But it could also be a rebirth for the vampire, starting a new and unordinary life for themselves. Predator vs. Prey is very prevalent in many shows but can show the difference in power dynamics, control and often seduction of the prey. 

When she was asked about her favorite media about vampires, she said that she likes Interviews with the Vampire and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. For Interviews with the Vampire, her favorite part about it is the lush atmosphere and the thinking that goes into the writing. When it comes to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, she thinks that it's funny and humorous while being scary and romantic. She also likes how developed the lore is. The way vampire stories inspire people is that they allow for people to explore themes unique to them, allowing for new ways of thinking and impressions. 

The main audiences that she thinks vampires appeal to are young adults, gothic fiction fans, horror lovers, and action and fantasy fans.  Young adults tend to enjoy more romance in stories, with themes of self-discovery and supernatural elements (shows like Twilight, and Vampire Academy). Horror media fans tend to enjoy a darker story with more mature topics (things like Dracula, and 30 days of Night). Gothic fiction lovers enjoy poetic elements with moody story telling (like Interviews with the Vampire). Action and fantasy fans enjoy the hunting aspect and actions (shows like Blade). 

When getting more nonprofessional opinions on this topic, there was more of a consumer viewpoint. The first person to give their opinion was Julia Savaerse, a freshman at BCECHS. When asked what her favorite media including vampires is she has said that although she hadn’t watched or read many vampire related shows or books. But she does have a fondness for Dracula. Dracula was one of the original vampire stories. It was almost revolutionary in the horror writing sphere. Her favorite aspect of vampires is their ability to turn into bats and all that comes with it. She said if she were to write a story  based on vampires, she would write about them taking over the universe and all its people. 

The next person who had given input was Kellan Fincher, another student at BCECHS. When asked he said that he didn't have a favorite vampire story but he still finds them entertaining. His favorite aspect is how they transform and how they use it for their survivability. He also likes the mindset that they get put into after living for so long. If he were to write a story, he would write about a really old vampire who's lived since the beginning of the 1600’. 

Zachariah Hayes, a student at BCECHS, gave more exciting information to the topic. When asked about what his favorite vampire media is, he said Hotel Transylvania. His favorite feature relates to the fact that he's always enjoyed characters with superpowers, so supernatural powers would be his pick.

 If he could write a story with vampires he would write about a vampire who desperately wants to be human once more to see the sun. The main character would travel in the night to find something that would allow him to become ‘normal’ once more. Eventually they would meet a lady who was human, sparking up a new twisted romance. He would eventually come across a witch who had the ability to transform him back. But it came with a cost, he would have to end a human life as a forum of sacrifices. The main problem was that the only human he could get access to was his girlfriend. At the end he would take the depressing path and end her life, being allowed to live as a human.  

According to a poll on The Firebird Times, many students have differing opinions. There were a large number of students who don’t exactly have a favorite vampire, and many said the default Dracula. But many said that they’d write a story centered around romance. One firebird even said that they were already in the works of writing one. 

Many people enjoy vampires due to many preferences. It could be something that makes them think, makes them laugh, or scares them. Everybody likes different things and everybody's different opinions can show how lovable a vampire can be. When writing and reading about vampires, it is important to think about preferences and what makes you love these characters.

Why is it important for todays youth to understand space? 

By Emily Byrd

A question that I never hear in school but from the people who love the stars as much and more than I do is: Why is it important for today’s youth to understand space? UNOOSA believes it is important because it encourages curiosity and  inspires the younger generation to use their imagination and build exploratory skills in today’s fast changing world.  It also supports STEM development in Science, engineering, technology, and math. This develops those skills by giving youth both practical and fun ways to learn about these subjects. Space-based technologies like satellite internet help people connect from across the world at all times and hours of the day. These satellites are in space which stay in earth orbit to give us the internet. It’s vital for the youth of today to understand space because it better prepares them for the world and possible and inevitably global changes that may occur. This isn't just about climate change, it's about outside entities (no not aliens) that may pose a threat or are astronomical merical to witness. 

What is connected to space in our everyday lives?

Space is all around us both figuratively and literally. As you all understand earth is in space but so is a lot of stuff we use constantly today. Your Phone. Every electronic device you own  has connection to the satellite that is in earth's orbit as mentioned previously is how we as the global population have connections across the world. Space has been integrated in our everyday lives just through the satellites in our orbit.It provides the GPS in our cars and phone, enables the ability to call even in remote areas, and connects humanity despite being oceans away. The international space station has taken thousands of photos of Earth helping structure google maps and the world maps we know and use today. These satellites are how you're reading this article right now, it gives access to anyone to anything at any time. Space is how we respond more quickly to natural disasters like wildfires, floods, hurricanes, ect. To understand space is to understand the world we live in.

How close is space really?

Space is not some far away concept we are a part of we live in space. People are told not to stare at the sun to watch the moon wax and wane every night. Space is not something that is only observed through a telescope but our reason for being. Earth is a miracle of life that lives on it is the only we know of currently that holds life but not the only planet to have the right conditions for life to grow. One of NASA’s recent discoveries was a planet in the  goldilocks zone which is a term used to describe the conditions earth is for sustainable life. This exoplanet is  TOI-715 b, what is referred to as a “super-Earth” founded in 2024. It is 1.5 times bigger than Earth and orbits a red dwarf star about 137 light years away from the earth solar system. This is  an incredible discovery to know that the possibility of life on another planet is possible. And younger generations who love science such as myself think this is the coolest thing since the Avatar movies where scientists sent military personnel to space to a planet called Pandora as they created bodies that looked just like the native species and communicated with them and learned their traditions and culture. NASA had said that the discovery “exceed early expectations” after finding a planet much like Earth. The discovery of Super-Earth is grand but what about things nobody ever thinks about like the tides in the ocean and the UV reading we get? The Sun does more than heat the planet, It keeps us from drifting out of orbit and crashing into other planets. Jupiter actually keeps us safe to a degree by pulling asteroids away from us from its incredibly strong gravitational pull.

Sea Turtles: Their lives and conservation

By Madeline Harrison