One mistake was all it took. Maybe it was a risky joke, a controversial political statement, or an insensitive resurfaced tweet from 2012. No one is totally sure of the circumstances, but their reputation may never be the same again. Online news outlets like TMZ and BuzzFeed attack and follower counts drop, until an individual who once had a significant platform has been reduced to nothing more than the face of a scandal.

But then comes the infamous apology video, complete with crocodile tears and monetized ads. Somehow this is enough to win back the hearts of lost supporters and the whole ordeal is forgotten; the public eye shifts to the next big scandal. This is a typical sequence of events in the world of celebrities and social media influencers, as countless careers are interrupted by the phenomenon that is ‘cancel culture’.

‘Canceling’ typically consists of public shaming on social media, aiming to hold a celebrity or public figure accountable for offensive action, comment, or opinion. The individual in question loses fans and followers, and in some cases, their reputation may be ruined completely. It can be compared to a Millenial/Generation Z blacklist – public humiliation is no new idea, but social media creates a modern spin on shame.

The anonymity and rapid communication of the internet enhance the drama of cancel culture. But a human being can’t be ‘canceled’ as easily as a television show or a subscription. Cancel culture typically doesn’t have a substantial impact on celebrities’ careers and is hardly ever well-meant or constructive. Activists should instead seek ou,t ways to gently correct and educate those with offensive behavior, which allows for positive growth.

According to a recent study by Psychology Today, “punishment does not change the tendency to engage in the behavior that was punished...punishment produces politeness, not morality.” By this logic, cancel culture often does not have a lasting impact on a celebrity’s choices and does not allow the offender to learn from their mistakes.

Cancel culture is a harmful trend, and mostly useless when working toward unity. Before joining in on a social media storm, media consumers should remember that celebrities are people and people make mistakes. To promote positive change in a society, people must be allowed to come back from those mistakes, learn from them and grow.

In the final moments of the 2021-22 school year, seniors are able to take in their last memories of grade school. The past four years have been a completely different experience for each of the seniors. Many of the seniors had created many wonderful memories throughout the years that they were attending high school.

Regan Nelson, a DHS senior, said that her favorite part was“the football seasons throughout the years and watching our school come together to support each other.” Nelson also went on to say how she will miss the teachers that made a positive impact on her life.

Summer break is looked forward to by not just the seniors, but by the other three grades as well. Freshman Dylan Johnson explained that he really enjoyed meeting new friends. Johnson stated: “Since I was in middle school last year I wasn't able to really talk to any older classes since they were in high school. Starting my freshman year opened up 3 more age groups for me to potentially become friends with.”

Summer Break is a great opportunity for students to take some time off and relax, take a job, or join a group activity. The warm temperatures make a great environment to hang out with friends or even meet new ones.

For the seniors, this summer may be the last chance for them to take in their final moments of their childhood. May they have the best of luck in this new chapter in life.

As the school year comes to an end summer becomes closer and closer. Students and staff at DHS are excited about this summer and wanted to share some of their plans, past memories of summers, and what they are most excited about as the school year ends.

Sunny Lloyd, a junior at DHS said, “I am planning on going to Buckeye Girls State camp, on vacation to the Bahamas, DECA camp, Michigan Beach, Cedar Point, a few concerts and Band Camp, and moreover the summer!” Lloyd shared memories of past summers, “I love all of my summer memories, most notably the family vacation we took to Cancun last year and snorkeling there!”. She is also very excited to be done with all of her school work.

Lori Schultz the accompanist for DHS Choral Department said, “I am planning a summer vacation to Michigan. I usually do some day trips too!” Schultz also shared past memories, “I have memories of past summers spent in Texas, my Europe trip” and She is excited for the end of the school year to relax and not have a daily schedule.

Both Schultz and Lloyd have big plans for their summer vacation and seemed to have great past summers as well, they both wish everyone a great summer.

It’s not really a secret that most students in the United States don’t get enough sleep, with most schools starting before 8:30 a.m. and kids trying to keep up with things like homework, extracurricular activities, friends, work, and much more, there is no realistic way to get the recommended amount of sleep.

It’s recommended that children ages 6 to 12 get between 9 and 12 hours of sleep. Teens ages 13 to 18 need to get eight to 10 hours of sleep a night.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “Children and adolescents who do not get enough sleep have a higher risk of obesity, diabetes, injuries, poor mental health, and problems with attention and behavior.”

As of now right now more than 87% of students don’t get the recommended amount of sleep according to Stanford medicine, and that percentage is only getting higher the earlier schools start.

With schools starting as early as 7 a.m most students tend to feel like zombies in their first few classes before they can fully wake up.

“Technically children’s brains don’t actually start to work properly until 10 a.m. and by starting way earlier than that we can’t focus,” junior Madi Trevino said.

You would figure with classes starting so early that there would be more time to work on assignments, but for most students, that’s not the case.

“One of my teachers will make assignments due at like eight in the morning, even though I don’t have the class until ninth period,” junior Logan Hartman said.

So it really is a wonder as to why schools start so early, especially considering that health officials say that starting so early is harmful to students. Most parents work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is no obvious reason for the school to start so early. But there are some upsides to school starting so early.

“I only enjoy being able to go to school early because I get more free time after 2:20 p.m. it’s easier to get all my classwork done and get to work on time with the school schedule, senior Josh Thompson said.

Foreign exchange students are able to come to The United States for a year to learn and have the experience of school in America. These students come from all around the world and can make so many lifelong friends and memories while they are here.

Karla Müller, an exchange student from Germany shared,”I think my favorite memory was during the musical cast party. We found some tricycles in the old cafeteria and we were all going around in big circles and it was a lot of fun!”

Foreign exchange students are allowed to participate in any activities they wish as they attend their American school. Müller chose to participate in band, choir, the musical, track and cross country. Frederik Bergfelder, another exchange student from Germany, chose to participate in choir and tennis.

Bergfelder shared a memory of A Capella Choir qualifying for state competition and getting a superior rating. Another memory of his has to do with tennis he said, “A memory I have is winning my first varsity tennis match with Carter Campbell in doubles” (Bergfelder “only gets dubs”)

Both students were welcomed to DHS and we will hate to see them leave. We have made memories with them that will last a lifetime. We wish both students well as they head back home to Germany this summer and continue their education there.

Last weekend, DHS held its Junior/Senior prom. Many students dressed up in their best attire to go take pictures, eat with their friends/significant other, and to boogie on the dance floor. The prom was held at the Eagles Hall in downtown Defiance with the theme Enchanted Evening. There were plenty of decorations, snacks, and party lights that boosted the spirits and energy of the students attending.

Junior Kinley Maynard had this to say, “I liked the dance the best; I think the music was good the entire time. I also like to be with my friends throughout the night.” Another prom attendee, Aidan Brenner, had a similar opinion saying that his favorite part was “dancing on the dance floor.”

After the dance was over students changed into comfy clothes and headed over to the high school for after-prom. The theme of the night was Mad Hatter Tea Party. Decorations from the story Alice in Wonderland filled the DHS cafeteria as well as inflatables in the gym. Some of the available activities included (but not limited to): axe throwing, bull riding, money grabber box, mini golf, tricycle races, tattooing station, and more.

Senior Regan Nelson explained that her favorite part of after prom was seeing the band Odd State play in the gym. Odd State is a band of local DHS students (Zack Stephens, Drake Wenninger, and Abram Tracy). Nelson was happy because it had been a while since she had been able to see an Odd State gig.

A lot of the students that participated in prom were able to post many of the fun pictures that they took during the night. Even though the night went well into the next morning at 3:00 am, it was a very unique and fun activity for DHS students to participate in.

DHS Prom is right around the corner, and spirit week has been a great time this past week for students to add a little bit of fun to their days before Prom hits. Spirit week is a great time for students to show school spirit and unity.

Maddie Morton, a DHS Junior, explained “I am most looking forward to BBQ dad v. soccer mom. I can't wait to dress like a soccer mom. I really like spirit week because it gets every student excited for the big event at the end of the week, which is prom this time.”

Planning a spirit week can be a lot of work. Choosing the different topics can be a hard task to complete. Morton was on the planning committee this week, and when talking to her she was really proud to have come up with the Soccer Mom vs BBQ Dad theme. This week, there are some fresh themes to dress up.

Senior Tierra Harrison said, “Pajama day is my favorite just because it is nice to relax.”

Pajama day is a classic favorite for a lot of people because it is a great break from the dress code and students are able to express themselves while being comfy.

Dress-up weeks are a great prologue to the DHS Prom. With both fun and comfort, the break from the dress code helps add a little creativity and entertainment to the school week.

“Think happy thoughts.”

This phrase is a common thing to say to a friend who is upset, but behind that positive quote and a big smile is something darker—toxic positivity.

Toxic positivity is when someone responds to negative thoughts with a lack of validation and support, instead of masking their words with positivity. Those participating in toxic positivity tend to exhibit little empathy and provide false reassurance that only makes the “negative” person feel worse. For example, saying that “failure is not an option” or “you will get over it soon.” In other words, toxic positivity is a form of gaslighting.

Even expressing that people should have “good vibes only” is not a form of positivity—it is an example of toxic positivity. People need to be very cautious of how they cope or help others cope with negative thoughts and feelings.

In 2020, a survey done by the Science of People showed that the number of people who said they had dealt with toxic positivity in one week was about 67.8%. Considering that more than half of these people have experienced the downsides of toxic positivity, people should really take the time to think about whether what they say will have a positive or negative impact on others.

The dangers of toxic positivity

One of the most dangerous aspects of toxic positivity is its dismissal of significant problems by things such as ‘feel good’ quotes.

When a junior at DHS who preferred to remain nameless was asked about toxic positivity, “When all forms of negativity are ignored it can cause a feeling of shame.”

This shame feeling could potentially damage personal and interpersonal relationships and suppress emotions.

Shame can be a result of toxic positivity because a person may end up feeling like they are a drag if they express how they truly feel, or shameful for even feeling like that in the first place.

Relationships can be damaged because the lack of empathy or real advice toward one’s feelings could lead people to believe that the person does not really care. It can also impact personal relationships because it can cause people to get upset with themselves for feeling this way, and it ties in with the feeling of shame.

Piled on to the damaged relationships and shame, people will begin to suppress their emotions– feeling like their feelings are being invalidated. As a result of all of this, people may suffer mentally.

An example of this is if a person expressed they have been struggling with school and someone just said, “You will get over it.” This could damage their relationship because they may feel this person does not really care and stop expressing problems they may be struggling with to this person.

A senior who preferred to be nameless agreed when asked about toxic positivity, “Although it is good to be positive when it comes to people being upset, it is important to be attentive to them and empathize with them. This way they know their feelings are valid and they have the support of you when they need it.”

People should not have to suffer and isolate themselves because they feel like no one cares, people who are asked for help should provide the right type of positive support these people need or at least not leave them feeling worse.

How to stop toxic positivity

The first step to healing the impact of toxic positivity is to recognize that feeling negative sometimes is normal and allowed. It is important that people realize not everyone has to be happy all the time; some days people may be going through something or feeling down and the way they feel is acceptable. Normalizing that sadness and being angry is important because by normalizing them we do not feel the need to mask them with fake positivity.

Among the other steps to stop toxic positivity is to stop saying popular ‘feel good’ quotes. Some of these popular quotes include: “good vibes only,” “you’ll get over it,” “other people have it a lot worse,” and “things could be way worse.”

Even the saying “It will be fine,” does not address how the other person is feeling. A simple saying, even one this common, acts as if there is no real problem and the person should be positive.

While these feel-good quotes may seem like nice ways to help people cope, they actually do the exact opposite. Toxic positivity takes root in some of these common “positive” quotes and can be what causes people to suppress their emotions and be ashamed in the face of negative emotions.

Some way’s to avoid being a victim or attacker of these toxic quotes is to reword them in ways that still show acceptance and support for the way someone is feeling. Things like “other people have it a lot worse” can be reworded to things like “you are not alone, and there is support to help you.” By rewording these things, people know it is okay to feel sad and they know they have helped to get through it.

The myth that positivity in any form is good needs to be debunked sooner rather than later. People need to understand that someone does not have to be positive all the time and that they are allowed to feel upset. Along with that, people should help get others through it in better healthier ways that do not disregard their emotions. Toxicity is considered unacceptable in any form, so why should toxic positivity be the exception?

Prom is Saturday, April 30th this year at The Eagles and all students who were at prom can attend After Prom at the high school. Prom tickets were sold in the high school cafeteria during students' lunch periods.

Anna Tackett, a junior who plans to attend Prom said, “My Dad and the parents of our group are making us all a big dinner at my house”. She also shared, “I am going in a group of 14 and I am wearing a pinky purple dress with flowers embroidered on it”.

Peyton Corressel, another junior planning to attend Prom said, “We are going to Applebee’s and I'm going in a group of 6, I’m wearing a black tux with a design on it and some red on the tie to go with my dates red dress” Corressel also said “I am excited to dance the night away with my friends”

We encourage students to buy tickets and have fun at prom this year as they make many memories.

Easter was this past Sunday, students have different memories, different traditions, and different favorite candies. Two students at DHS wanted to share what Easter time activities they do.

First, Sunny Lloyd a junior at DHS said, “One of my favorite memories is dyeing Easter eggs, and hiding them for my little cousins are my favorite Easter memories. The best Easter candy is the Starburst Jelly Beans.” Lloyd also wanted to share that her favorite moment of Easter was spending time with her family.

Next, Drake Wenninger, another junior at DHS shared, “My most fond memory of Easter is visiting my grandma every year and going to her church. My Favorite part of Easter is remembering what Christ did for us all those years ago, how he died a horrible death so that we wouldn’t have to, and how he came back to life just like he said he would.” Wenninger also felt that the best candy is cream-filled eggs.

Although Lloyd focused on more of the fun times of Easter, Wenninger focused more specifically on his religious values during this time. Both Lloyd and Wenninger hope that everyone had a great Easter.

Exercise has always been a great mind clearer and health booster. One form of exercise that has been increasing in popularity in DHS is lifting. Lifting is when someone attempts to lift weights for endurance or to see how much weight they can lift.

Brad Harrow, a DHS student who lifts, explained “I like lifting because it gives me confidence that I can overcome any challenges thrown my way.”

Not only does muscle help the mental state, like Harrow, but it can also be very beneficial physically too. Studies at ExperienceLife state how muscle build-up can help manage blood sugar, build strength and stamina, support your joints, build bone, too, help you control body fat, may change your emotional state, and make you more self-confident.

Another DHS lifter, Evan DeTray, said “I am more focused during the day as well as better in all-around health and fitness; although, some downsides are that you can potentially injure yourself if you don’t lift correctly.”

Like DeTray said, lifting can be dangerous so it is best to make sure you know what you are doing as well as having a partner with you just to be safe. Lifting, overall, is a great way to build muscles as well as improving mental and physical health.

Novels such as “Fahrenheit 451” and “To Kill A Mockingbird” have been read, analyzed, and discussed for decades. While including a variety of subject matters, these books have been challenged by school districts nationally to determine whether or not the content is suited for learning environments and libraries despite the merit they possess.

According to the American Library Association, just within the first couple of months of the 2020 school year, more than 273 books were challenged or banned. Though the banning of books has not posed a threat to DHS specifically, students need to recognize the significance of the conversations these books initiate and why book banning threatens the perspectives of younger generations.

Problems arise within the idea of restricting books when literature is pulled from curriculums despite the lessons it holds. Issues like sex, violence, racism and political viewpoints are typically the most challenging topics when it comes to proposing a ban on a book according to the ALA. Art Spiegelman’s “Maus,” a graphic novel sharing a story about the impacts of the Holocaust, was recently banned from being taught within a Tennessee school district after arguments arose around the use of language and nudity. The Holocaust itself is disturbing, and its expected nudity surrounding it aligns with the grueling nature of the Holocaust itself.

Even when it comes to topics like the Holocaust, literature provides students a safe way to learn and process such a devastating event without placing them directly in that situation. This can be applied to many other topics such as matters revolving around race. Despite the effectiveness of the storytelling in books like Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” is criticized and challenged in school districts for themes involving racism and sex. Most students read this book early in high school and with the guidance of teachers, they were able to comprehend and start understanding and talking about these timeless issues within a classroom environment. Teaching about these issues allows the growing generation to recognize the depth behind racism, slurs, rape, and how to handle it as well as similar issues as they mature.

When it comes to explicit scenes, it’s reasonable to think that they shouldn’t be taught to younger and less mature classes. On the other hand, older classes exploring these topics in a controlled environment allow a guided analysis and discussion. The listed issues are real problems that communities, families and even some students face, so sharing these perspectives is crucial to forming well-rounded adolescents.

Even though these novels are impactful, they aren’t perfect. “To Kill a Mockingbird” does a great job at introducing racism, but critics recognize the white savior complex in the novel. Instead of scrapping the book completely, English classes can equip their teachers with the necessary training to initiate conversations regarding this portrayal of racism and a white savior complex. Understanding the fine line between excessive use of slurs, racism and aged ideologies can help facilitate the novels being taught within English classes and how to address these issues. When asked about “To Kill a Mockingbird” Caden Hazelton said, “In my personal experience, discussing real-world problems like this in the classroom has conditioned me to acknowledge and understand differing perspectives while developing my own.”

Changing the curriculum to books with “easier” topics to digest leads to depriving students of these experiences, making them less prepared for the nuance of the real world.

With meticulously selected novels, it’s expected for books not to age gracefully with the current time leading to a revision of the curriculum. A good example of revision is replacing the book “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain. With slurs being used 203 times within the 366-page novel, it made students uncomfortable and feel marginalized, leading to the book being taken out or not being required in the curriculum.

When it comes to revisions, it’s important to understand the difference between censoring issues and replacing aged novels with more recent literature that better represents the same issues of civilization, race, and prejudice. Not requiring the teaching of this book isn’t an instance of political correctness; instead, it allows these topics to be explored without marginalizing groups within the classroom. Even though recognizing classic novels is important, selecting recent literature focused on these themes will make it easier for students to process these topics while in a learning environment.

Book censorship hasn’t plagued the English curriculums within DHS. The school district goes through an extensive process when deciding the eligible books to be taught.

Literature allows students to delve deep into stories that share perspectives and events that students would have not otherwise considered. Exploring these books within English classes allows students to widen their horizons and investigate the world all within the safety of the classroom. Junior Cayden Zachrich was asked about his experiences with reading “Fahrenheit 451”, “Reading that book was actually kind of fun, especially the project we did with it. I was in a group with Drake and Gmutza. Together we made three podcasts about each of which ranged in topics. It was just a cool experience to be able to actually talk about some of the topics you'll see online.”

Making sure literature that represents current issues must be delicately taught to ensure education while creating a safe space for the groups that face these issues.

Addressing heavy topics can’t be avoided when facing historical novels, and it is crucial to ensure that school districts aren’t erasing perspectives taught within said novels.

From powders to pills, performance-enhancing substances range from basic supplements (like vitamins or protein) to partially-legal supplements used among the DHS athletic community (like Creatine and Caffeine) to illegal drugs like steroids or human growth hormones (HGH).

In recent years, the discussion surrounding the legality and ethicality of supplements has become more prominent, amid Olympic controversy and the discussion surrounding transgender athletes. The question of where to draw the line when it comes to supplements has become increasingly important.

Current regulation around supplement use is, to say the least, incredibly complicated. Various groups have different rules, but the bylaws of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) are typically seen as the most strict, and a good starting point for other groups. Currently, the IOC prohibits the use of any type of sports supplement during the games, including seemingly benign ones like caffeine, creatine, and sodium bicarbonate ( AKA baking soda).

The banning of Creatine is an especially controversial point, as its use is incredibly popular, even here at DHS.

Creatine is a naturally occurring chemical used to increase an individual’s maximum power and aerobic range. The substance was deemed safe for short-term usage, but the lack of long-term data raises questions regarding the use of creatine for extended periods, which is why the IOC decided to ban its use.

DHS students reflect on their Creatine use, especially the looming question of its safety.

“I think that taking [Creatine] is a very low risk and that it’s not going to have long-lasting effects, especially because it’s a naturally occurring substance in different types of meats and other proteins,” junior Alex Chagoyan said. “There have been a lot of studies on it, just not necessarily long-term, because it’s something that’s been kind of recently put into the spotlight. There haven’t been any negative effects surrounding it.”

Chagoyan, who feels that the naturally-occurring Creatine is safe enough, has been taking it for around four months. He also notes only positive effects after starting on Creatine, seeing an increase in both strength and appearance. Once Chagoyan started Creatine and coupled it with consistent training, he felt more physically strong.

“I’m proud of myself for the changes I see in the gym, and I feel that Creatine really sped up the whole process,” Chagoyan said.

The use of supplements is also seen in the higher level of sports. Olympic ski racer Rodolfo “Rudy” Dickson uses naturally occurring substances to stay in shape all year round. Dickson is a professional ski racer for the Mexican Olympic team and has competed in both the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics and the more recent 2022 Beijing Olympics. He emphasizes the importance of researching the effects of the supplements he uses. This includes finding more information about the substance and performing trial and error of use.

“A little bit of research does help, so I go online like I’m sure everyone does that to an extent,” Dickson said. “You got to try it for a bit as well. If you take a pre-workout, for example, like caffeine and you don’t feel good, you stop taking it, pretty simple.”

The most influential supplement Dickson takes is caffeine, which he takes as part of his pre-workout, and is especially important before his first and second run. Caffeine acts as a stimulant that will help engage the body, so Dickson takes it to boost both his physical and mental ability preceding a ski run. He gets his caffeine from his pre-workout because coffee provides an inconsistent amount of caffeine wherein with one scoop of pre-workout he can know exactly how much caffeine he is taking.

Creatine is a big part of Dickson’s pre-workout, which he uses almost every day before weight training or before he goes out on the slopes. However, Dickson does not think supplements like creatine are needed to succeed in ski racing.

“[Creatine] does help to a certain percent, but is it super measurable? Not really, maybe on paper, but I can’t see any difference in the short term,” Dickson said.

Because ski racing is not solely strength-based, other factors are more influential in being an all-around good racer. Creatine’s main effect is to retain water in muscles, and although it does elevate your strength and recovery, in a sport like ski racing that relies more heavily on technique and mental strength creatine is less of a prominent component than it would be in a sport such as weightlifting.

This is also why you rarely see alpine ski racers faced with doping scandals at the professional level. There is less of a need to take illegal substances to get an edge on your opponents, as it wouldn’t give you that much of a benefit over your competitors.

“I think you can do it without it,” Dickson said. “It’s better to have a better-rounded out meal plan and good workouts.”

On the other hand, in sports where strength is more of an aspect when competing at a high level, some athletes will go so far as to take illegal substances to enhance their performance.

To combat the athletes’ malicious actions, the IOC has implemented guidelines that disallow its competitors to take PEDs. These guidelines follow those created by World Anti-Doping Administration (WADA), which is a standard across many sports events.

“They don’t tell you what you’re allowed or what you are not allowed to take, you have to do it yourself,” Dickson said.

“First, I would have to take my supplements, look at everything in the nutrition tab, and then go onto WADA and check if they are eligible. They don’t give you a list, everything is through WADA, so you do it yourself and if you get caught, it’s your fault.”

Although these guidelines are rigorous, they are sometimes easily bypassed by athletes, giving them an advantage over their competition, something that the IOC and WADA hope to eliminate in future events.

“Athletes will take illegal PEDs before the Olympics because at the Olympics you don’t have a certain time when they test you, so you can’t time it too well,” Dickson said. “If you’re doing it before you go to the World Cup or Olympic scene, they can’t catch you. That’s one of the more unfair things about the whole side of sports.”

The Olympics can only test athletes while they are at the games, so athletes do have the ability to take any performance-enhancing drugs before the games that will not be present in their system during the games. There was a difference between the regulations at the 2018 PyeongChang and Beijing Olympics.

“I think more people were tested for drugs this time. I kept hearing ‘someone got tested, someone got tested,’” Dickson said. “They were definitely more strict in China when it came to testing athletes for PEDs than in Korea.”

Although on the surface it seems the legality of supplements and PEDs in higher ranking competitions like the Olympics are fairly straightforward, that the IOC should test everyone and those who test positive should face consequences, it’s not always that simple.

The most recent case, of Kamila Valieva, a 15-year-old figure skating sensation from Russia depicts these complexities. She failed the initial drug test administered at the 2022 games, testing positive for banned drugs. Trimetazidine, the drug found in Valieva, is used to treat angina, a chest pain that can be symptomatic of heart attacks but can help performance by improving oxygen flow and blood circulation.

Her team, the Russian Olympic Committee, appealed to a third-party arbitration group, which cleared Valieva from any culpability, reasoning that the positive test was possibly caused by contamination from her grandfather’s medication.

In a statement, The Olympic and Paralympic committee expressed their profound disappointment with the message this allowance sent.

“Athletes have a right to know they are competing on a level playing field. Unfortunately, today that right is being denied,” the statement said. “This appears to be another chapter in the systemic and pervasive disregard for clean sport by Russia.”

This “pervasive disregard” and allusion to “another chapter” refer to the 2018 systemic, underground Russian violation of doping rules. This scandal involved numerous athletes who, sometimes against their will, were encouraged or forced to take illegal, performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). Russia was banned from competing in the 2018 Winter Olympics and was stripped of over 46 medals.

Both Russian conflicts reveal the complex tensions surrounding the legality and morality of doping. Taking PEDs will give athletes an advantage over other athletes, but it usually isn’t as black and white as banning an athlete that uses them and allowing athletes that do not.

As a 2018 article in the Journal of Legal Medicine explains, sports supplements in the United States are not subject to pre-market restrictions, like other foods regulated by the FDA, and can be sold without any safety or effectiveness tests, meaning athletes may not know what they are putting in their body. This means that substances that are approved by the IOC like iron, vitamins, or protein, can be laced with illegal, chemical steroids.

This means it is difficult to put a strict blanket punishment on positive tests, as they may happen accidentally. A prominent example is the case of Flavia Oliviera, a Brazilian cyclist. After testing positive for the illegal drug oxilofrine, she sued an American manufacturer for putting it in supplement powder without listing it on the label.

Fortunately, her ban was overruled, but Dickson agrees that cases like this show the complexity of punishments.

“Immediately [when I hear about a positive test] I’m like, lifetime ban, lifetime ban,” Dickson said. “But some people accidentally test positive and I can’t imagine the devastation [of that ban]; it would be heartbreaking.”

On the other hand, this lack of manufacturer accountability creates loopholes for athletes to abuse: athletes who test positive for illegal supplements can argue that it was from “cross-contamination” and “lacing” of their legal ones. Essentially, they can use the lack of FDA regulation as a scapegoat.

A DHS athlete who wishes to remain anonymous acknowledges the difficulties that surround doping decisions.

“It’s way more nuanced than people think: sometimes athletes are forced or cajoled into taking these substances, and sometimes they are administered without the athlete knowing,” they said. “Then, you have the idea that this third-party committee that is unconnected to the Olympic committee has to arbitrate and make a decision that will not only affect future precedent but also the emotions and sensitivities of the athlete, and the potential medaling of a country during the games.”

In addition to the complexities that exist with the current regulations, arbitration, testing, and banning, there are even more layers of difficulty that arise. Most prominent is where to draw the line between legal and illegal substances.

This ongoing debate was highlighted by the suspension of American track athlete Sha’Carri Richardson, for her use of CBD (marijuana), a substance recognized by WADA as illegal in competition because of its muscle-relaxing potential.

“I don’t really know the absolute specifics of the recent situation but I definitely think that the decisions surrounding Sha’Carri were unfair, especially considering that marijuana isn’t really a performance-enhancing drug,” they said.

They, along with a slew of public critics of the WADA decision, do not believe CBD should be illegal. Recently it has become increasingly common for athletes, coaches, and even the general public to question the somewhat arbitrary line between legal and illegal substances. At DHS, many recognize how blurred it truly is.

“The biggest thing that we need is transparency,” Chagoyan said. “PED regulation is so complicated because different drugs need to be regulated differently, but even the idea that some drugs are allowed while others are banned is hard to grasp. We need to have clearer rules and athletes need to be educated on the health drawbacks of [illegal] drugs and why — morally, ethically, and logically, we should not be taking them.”

Chagoyan thinks transparency about current regulation and education around the health drawbacks of some substances are the keys to leveling the playing field and minimizing abuse of substances. Others, however, argue for a different approach to improving the current situation. They suggest we legalize all drugs but impose limits to ensure a lack of abuse, and note that, hopefully, this increased regulation will decrease the amount of illicit drugs sold.

“When these drugs are sold illegally on the black market the doses become higher than what would be prescribed by a doctor or available at pharmacies,” Anonymous said, “If they were legalized, it would be a lot better because then [authorities and doctors] could regulate doses [and] protect the safety of the athletes.”

However, advocates of education around drugs, and continued illegalization, like Chagoyan, see potential drawbacks and loopholes that can be abused if this plan is implemented.

“If we legalize all PEDS, even with restrictions, I worry that their use would increase dramatically,” Chagoyan said. “And the truth is, we don’t really know what these are doing to people’s bodies.”

Anonymous, however, argues that the safety and regulation of doses will prevent this. Additionally, he doesn’t foresee a dramatic increase in PED use if they are legalized.

“I think the rate of people that would start taking PEDS will not be significant compared to the amount of regulation that could be put in place for safety,” they said. “Many people that would think about taking them are already taking them…people are not going to start taking PEDS just because it is legalized.”

In addition to the debate over the health concern/PED regulation dichotomy, there are also equity issues that arise with concern to PED legalization.

“These drugs can be expensive,” Chagoyan said. “And if insurance doesn’t cover it, it wouldn’t be fair if some, because of their affluence, can have nearly unlimited access to them. It would elevate the playing field in an unfair way — one that skews toward wealth as opposed to athletic ability.”

As seen by the Olympic controversies and ongoing debate among students, the line of morals, ethics, and legality surrounding PEDs is a fine one. And now, with the increasing number of athletes coming out as transgender, this discussion around steroids and hormone therapy becomes increasingly political, and even more charged.

A current example of this is the transgender female swimmer Lea Thomas. She began her transition in 2019 and switched from Penn’s men’s team to Penn’s women’s team shortly after. After taking a year of hormone-suppressants, Thomas is currently eligible to compete as a woman, although critics claim her testosterone levels are still far above those of cisgender women.

Under current regulations, testosterone is a banned substance in most sports, and those who advocate against transgender athletes competing in a division other than their socially assigned gender argue that allowing trans women to compete, it undermines the integrity of sports.

“It’s inherently unfair for biological males to compete in women’s divisions, regardless of their gender identity or whatever other beliefs or positions they hold. Sports are such a physical thing that the different biological makeup makes a difference,” another anonymous DHS student said. “Everyone has the right to declare their own gender identity, but no one has the special right to be included in whichever division they want in sports, which are divided based on gender biology.”

People like this student worry that a transgender woman who goes through puberty as a male but transitions later will have the higher bone density, elevated muscle development, and faster reflexes that come with the Y chromosome. Even if they end up taking hormone-suppressants. The student noted that Thomas winning all her events by a significant margin at the recent Ivy League Championships does not help dissuade these concerns.

On the other hand, advocates for transgender rights argue that by not allowing transgender athletes, like Thomas, to compete with their identified gender, or banning them from competition altogether, society is continuing the pervasive discrimination of LGBTQ+ groups and encouraging transphobia.

“Not allowing transgender athletes to compete in their identifying gender is harmful to their mental health because it can contribute to their gender dysphoria,” An anonomys sophmore at DHS said. “We should let them compete.”

Organizations like WADA, the NCAA, and the IOC are struggling, like many, to discern the line between legal and illegal substances, and weigh the ethical, moral, political, and legal conflicts surrounding them, including regulation for transgender athletes. As much as possible, these organizations try to take everything on a case-by-case basis and follow their protocol. But, many, at DHS and otherwise, feel that their protocol is exactly what needs to change.

The outdated protocol allows abuse of the system and undermines the level playing field that sport should be. And now, with the increasingly important question of transgender rights and how that will affect doping/PED regulations, more and more people are starting to acknowledge that something needs to change.

The most important part of the discussion about where to draw the line with these drugs is to remember that we are all athletes, and we all want to compete. All we want is to feel the nerves before a game, race, or match. All we want is to feel sweat drip down, feel the rackets swish in our hands, feel our feet pound on the ground, feel the air burn in our lungs. All we want is to be seen as athletes. To be seen as people. And, most importantly, to be seen as ourselves.

Defiance High School offers students a quick “grab and go” free breakfast which has many options. Some of which being various Pop Tart flavors, Cereal Bars and occasional “Hot” items which are warmed up breakfast foods such as doughnuts. But, the most important item causes intense disagreement on what is best. This item is the juice boxes.

Victoria Gerencser, a sophomore at DHS, shared “My favorite is the berry juice, but my least favorite has to be the grape juice, it tastes like warm cough syrup and it is not a pleasant experience.” Gerencser also accompanies the juice mainly with the day's “Hot” item or the Cinnamon Pop Tart.

Cydne Holmes, a junior at DHS disagreed with Gerenscer, “Mixed berry juice is trash, belongs in the trash, and doesn’t deserve the trash all at once! If trash was a person the juice wouldn’t deserve them!” Holmes takes a deep breath before saying, “Orange juice is the best juice and no one can tell me different.” Holmes backs up this statement by getting an orange juice with her favorite Pop Tart, Cinnamon.

The disagreement on the best breakfast juice sparks insane passion in Holmes. We advise students to be careful in the hallways as you may see her fiery passion through her eyes looking for anyone who may not hold orange juice on the same pedestal.

Gerenscer and Holmes have very different opinions on the best juice from DHS’ “Fresh and Fast” breakfast. They come together in the shared love for the great Cinnamon Pop Tart.

Juniors at DHS were given the opportunity to take the ACT this last Tuesday. Many students studied and prepared a lot so that they could do their best.

There were many different resources that students could use to study, including one unique one that was suggested by Mrs. Smolik. She had suggested using a website called Free RIce; the United Nations World Food Program donates free rice grains for study questions answered correctly by students around the world.

Studying for the big test can really help students feel less stressed and more confident in themselves.

One test-taker, Kinley Maynard, explained “I didn’t feel nervous before the test because I already took it once in December, so the first time nerves were gone. I feel like I did better on this ACT than the one that I took in December because I was less nervous.”

Maynard was one of multiple students who had already taken the test once, if not twice, before. Taking the test multiple times can help lower the anxiety and pressure that can come from taking it. Worrying during the test can cause rushing or running out of time

Cameron Hall, another student who took the test, said “I was a little nervous for how fast the test can go by, although while taking it I genuinely thought I used my time wisely. I feel pretty confident in my score.”

May the best of luck go out to those who participated in taking the ACT this last Tuesday.

Have you seen Facebook or Twitter posts with green, yellow, and gray boxes? These boxes signify the scores of millions of players on Wordle.

Wordle is a free-to-play word game that has players guessing 5-letter words with the goal to guess the day’s secret word. Similar to the board game Mastermind, Wordle will reveal each letter as green, yellow, or gray, according to its placement within the word. Using this information, players attempt to guess the word.

The game seems fairly straightforward. But how did it become the internet sensation it is now?

Wordle founder Josh Wardle released Wordle to the public on November 1, 2021. The original 90 players who tested it then, have grown to millions of players today who have incorporated it into their life.

The once-a-day aspect of Wordle is a truly genius marketing strategy. It allows players to look forward to doing the Wordle every day, while also ensuring players don’t become bored of the game. Because of this daily limit, players go out of their way to complete the day’s Wordle.

Wordle’s popularity is also growing because of the easily accessible social media features which allow you to share your scores with Facebook friends or Twitter followers. Social media feeds are filled with the distinctive green, yellow, and gray grid, serving as a reminder for people to play Wordle every day.

Caden Hazelton, one of the millions of daily players of wordle, said, “I think Wordle is a great puzzle game due to the sense of community that it creates. Especially here, Wordle brings us together because of the competitive and intellectual aspects involved in the strategic placement of letters.”

While Cayden Zachrich, another daily player said, “The great, yet ironically frustrating thing about wordle is how invested you get into the game. Mostly because you want to solve the puzzle, but if you are around people who have already solved it, then not only will you desperately try to solve it for yourself without the help of them but the experience of the daily word is just ruined.”

Wordle has become so popular that the New York Times acquired the game for a low seven figures, adding to their selection of games including The Crossword, Spelling Bee, and more.

The rise of Wordle has been remarkable. Since the daily word is the same across all players, it creates a sense of community within Wordle players, all working toward the same goal. Nowadays, it is rare to see something that unites the internet and brings people together, even if it is just a game.

Even though the Winter Olympic games only occur once every four years, it has seemed to grow in popularity recently. Many people enjoy watching the unique competitions that aren’t normally seen in the U.S.

An open-ended question was conducted to see what students at DHS liked to watch while the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics lasted.

An anonymous respondent explained that they liked watching curling because of the one U.S. competitor with a mullet. This is a very unique reason to stick with watching a sport, but sometimes the athletes are just as entertaining as the events.

Other students watched more of just their country, rather than just a certain sport. For example, foreign exchange student Mari Smith was well represented when Norway, her home country, won the 2022 Olympics.

Speaking of the portrayal of Olympic teams, Te Thompson, a respondent to the question, explained “I really liked watching Bobsleigh because it was cool to see the Jamaican representation.”

The movie Cool Runnings is based on the Jamaican Bobsleigh team, which is a comedic way of learning more about the topic.

Overall, DHS had a wide variety of different favorite sports to watch during the Olympics.

DHS has a pretty diverse group of students and those students' beliefs on certain things result in some students having theories that others may not agree with.

One of these theorists is Mya Garcia, a junior at DHS who has a theory on the Kennedys and Marilyn Monroe saying “Something I’m very suspicious about is Marilyn Monroe's death and that she was rumored to have an affair with Robert F. Kennedy, and he was supposedly in town the night of her death and it was also presumed that they had a fight the night of her death.”

Another theorist at DHS is Regan Nelson a senior, she stated “I kinda thought Betty white was a lizard person. But, I feel like if it was really the lizard inside of her focused the media to use the fact she was almost 100 to hide it.”

As seen, students at DHS all have unique theories about various things in the world around us.

Defiance has many places to eat in town for students such as local businesses, fast food restaurants, and nice sit-down places. Students all have their own preferences and recommendations for their favorite places to eat.

Mya Garcia, a junior at DHS shared, ”My favorite place in Defiance to eat is Kissner’s and my favorite thing to order is the Shrimp Platter.” Garcia also went on to say Burger King was the least favorite place to eat in Defiance.

Garcia was not alone in DHS’s love for Kissner’s as another junior, Cydne Holmes, Holmes said, “My favorite restaurant is also Kissner’s, I get the Biscuits and Gravy every time, it’s always delicious and is pretty cheap in comparison to other places.”

Holmes had a hard time deciding the least favorite, but it came down to Buffalo Wild Wings, “It’s not bad by any means, but I don’t really like the food that much, and the foods I do like seem to be out a lot.”

It looks like DHS students are very grateful for Kissner’s even when given many great places to eat in Defiance. When it comes to least favorites it seems a little harder to decide.

Snow days are always sought after by many students at DHS. A lot of students and some staff are overjoyed when they get the notification that school is canceled due to the snowy weather.

Winter storm Landon hit the Midwest region, causing the schools to shut down for a couple days. With the cancellation of Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at DHS, the students and staff were given a mini winter break.

Snow days are great times to relax and unwind after the stress of the school year.

Junior Ella Rohdy explained “On a snow day, I like to chill in my room while I watch a lot on Netflix and YouTube.”

Snow days aren’t just for the students, as many teachers enjoy their break with relaxation too. Band Director Ms. Redick says that her favorite activity is to listen to some music and indulge in a book.

Even though the weather outside may be frightful, people at DHS sure do know how to spend their snow days. So bring on the snow, because DHS is ready!

We all know that developing confidence is essential to success, but how do we develop it? As the recent news about Instagram and teen confidence suggests, self-image and feelings of inferiority can become overwhelming, preventing us from seeing ourselves accurately.

Confidence “is a belief in oneself, the conviction that one has the ability to meet life’s challenges and to success–and the willingness to act accordingly,” according to Psychology Today.

While self-esteem is necessary to achieve confidence, one’s self-image is only the first step. Positive thinking about what one can achieve is the next.

Regan Nelson, a senior, describes confidence as “being comfortable in any situation and not being afraid to back down to any challenge.”

In addition, Elli Fleischman, a junior, says confidence is “ Being yourself. Being open to anyone or everyone.”

To develop this important skill, you have to first acknowledge every emotion you are feeling. Then you have to express yourself using positive language. The third step is to do things that move you toward your goal even if it is hard. Then you have to end negative self-talk. What you say about yourself affects how you feel about yourself. Just joking around and calling yourself stupid can impact you unconsciously. Lastly, you have to accept compliments that you get.

Fleischman simply said that to develop confidence, you have to “be you!”

To develop confidence Nelson said to put “yourself in situations that you wouldn’t normally be comfortable with.”

True and real confidence comes from a place of acceptance, not from comparison.

“Don’t be scared to talk to people. Surround yourself with people that don’t bring you down,” Fleischman said.

Additionally, Nelson said, “Don’t try to make yourself what the ideal high schooler would be.”

It is crucial to remember that confidence is not a static measure. Some days we feel more confident than others and that’s okay. As we move into finals, take some time to recognize how far you’ve come: give yourself credit so that you can build upon your successes and stay out of negative headspace. You can do this!

Student mental health is a rising discussion, and fingers are being pointed everywhere. Time spent online, hormonal changes, family/friend relationships, etc. are all listed as possible factors- but one of the causes under scrutiny right now is school. High expectations from teachers, their parents, or themselves are causing unprecedented levels of anxiety in teens. College and 4.0 GPAs have become a common goal, but is it fair to ask this of students?

Changing the education system to approach grades differently could benefit students, especially their stress levels. Stress is harmful both physically and emotionally, and it makes learning more difficult. Ella Rohdy, a junior at DHS, agreed, “It can definitely be stressful trying to make sure my grades are up to my standards and especially my parents’ standards.”

Not being able to focus negatively impacts the student, so unless they find alternative coping methods, they will not learn as effectively. “A person’s potential is greater than a report card, and their mental health infinitely more significant,” said David Jimenez, a junior at DHS.

Many students already feel the pressures of this constant stress. A national survey taken by parents, put out by WedMD, showed “school” as being listed among the top sources of distress and that “…72% of children have negative behaviors linked to stress, and 62% have physical symptoms linked to it, such as headaches and stomachaches."

While it is true that high school will inherently be stressful for many teenagers, it still ultimately leads to grades being a defining factor, and this anxiety over grades is not just limited to new freshman and college-bound seniors.

Across America, students of all ages are feeling the heat of impending report cards and grades. Marian Earls, MD, a pediatrician for development and behavior has found “’…third-graders coming in for help because their parents are noticing sleep problems, tearfulness, and reluctance to go to school because of all the hype on performance and testing.”

Standardized testing and grades are affecting kids at a younger and younger age.

The issue with this is not so much a lack of care on the administration’s end, but a shortage of resources.

Therapists and psychologists, trained to support students, are critically understaffed in schools. The National Association of School Psychologists, the organization dedicated to providing such services, “…recommends a ratio of no more than 500 students per school psychologist… Unfortunately, evidence suggests that most school districts do not meet these standards.”

Defiance High School does meet these standards, but many schools do not. Schools create stress but do not follow up with the support to manage it in a healthy manner.

Without these supports, mental health suffers greatly. The pressure of grades builds up and the student has no way to cope. Some turn to unhealthy methods, like substance abuse or NSSI (non-suicidal self-injury, more commonly referred to as self-harm) as a means to let off energy.

Grades affecting stress and a person’s way of dealing with it will also affect their actions. If the stress builds up to an extreme extent, some teenagers turn to extreme measures. In the United States, the 2018 second leading cause of death for teenagers was suicide. One suicide letter, left behind by a sixteen-year-old boy who took his life, discussed how “One slip-up makes a kid feel like the smallest person in the world. You are looked at as a loser if you don’t go to college or if you get a certain GPA or test score… So much pressure is placed on the students to do well that I couldn’t do it anymore.” The internalization of grades, the stress of them, cause a mass crisis in youth as lives are cut short.

It is true that grades may show work ethic and eventually can even lead towards scholarships. But why even base the education system on that to begin with? A letter on a computer screen is not able to encapsulate the full picture--if the student was struggling with mental health, family life, had a job or had interests outside of “traditional” classes (math, history, English, foreign language, and science). A person’s potential is greater than a report card, and their mental health is infinitely more significant.

There needs to be a change in the approach to grades, as the collective high-pressure mindset creates unnecessary tension which leads to harm in students. With a lack of support in the school system, they are unable to have safe and healthy methods to deal with it. This makes it difficult-at times impossible- to learn. With emotional health and developmental maturity put as a priority, students would be in a safer and healthier space to learn.

Placing students’ emotional needs before their grades would lead to a learning environment where they are allowed to take their time comprehending the material and not internalize a fear of failure.

The eased pressure would allow for a more welcome environment, which would grow their love of learning. Education does not simply extend to academics, but to personal happiness and identity; learning about one’s self is all too often overlooked by the traditional system.

DHS has a diverse group of students and staff and that leads to many different past times between the students and staff.

Dakwon Brooks, a freshman and basketball manager at DHS, had this to say, “In free time I might be with the team." Some things Brooks does is record games and make sure the teams have all their gear.

Peyton Corressel, a Junior at DHS likes to spend free time with friends, Corressel said, “Last time my friends and I were hanging out we went sledding and played football in the snow.”

As seen DHS students spend free time in different ways and one factor that can help dictate what they do is activities they are participating in, as in Brooks's case.

Since the beginning of time, music has been a big part of many different cultures. A poll was conducted with students at DHS to find their favorite genres of music.

The options in the poll (due to it only allowing 4 options) included: Pop, Rap, Country, or Other______. It was a surprise to find that the “Other” option had the most votes, with almost twice the amount of votes as any of the others.

DHS senior Te Thompson voted for the ”Other” option and wrote in that she preferred 1970-1980s music from listening to it growing up.

Thompson had this to say, “70s-80s music is my favorite because that was a prime age for black musicians to show their talent to the world.”

Many people, along with Thompson, could find role models or inspiration from music icons such as The Temptations or Aretha Franklin.

Other students such as Junior Drake Wenninger had different options.

Wenninger, who also voted “Other," explained “Blues is the best because it provokes the most feeling out of the listener, not necessarily making them feel "blue," but making them feel emotion that could be connected to anything they choose.”

These unique approaches to music really change the perspective of what music really means.

More people filled the “Other” option with genres such as Indie, Rock, Alternative, Retro, and more.

The poll was originally created to find the most listened to type of music at DHS, but it turns out that there really isn’t one clear winner. Instead, there is a diverse variety of genres that people listen to, completely unique to them based on their own personal experiences.

Who knew that DHS has such a unique combination of music listeners?

Many students spend copious amounts of time earning college credits and taking honors, and AP courses to get into prestigious universities, yet some are rejected by their top choices, so the stress and frustration may feel wasted.

During these students’ experience in high school, they will have a schedule full of extracurricular activities, clubs, and classes. Some students will try to do everything in their power to attain the top grades and get all the accolades possible to attain the acceptance letter from their desired college or university.

“Right now, it is really competitive to get into college, and everyone is taking every advanced class that they can,” Tony Chen a junior at Defiance high school said, “The balance between social life and school life will set you apart because then you will have experience in social skills, work-life, and the knowledge from textbooks.”

Grades are not everything that colleges and universities are looking for, though. Colleges also look at students’ participation in extracurricular activities, community service, and leadership roles.

“If you just focus on school education, then you will not have the experience of meeting new people and experience in having your first job in high school,” Chen said, “Do not stress yourself out, and think that you have to do everything, every club, AP, and honors class in high school.”

It is important for high school students that want to go to college or university to think early on about their interests as well as their dislikes so that they don’t spend too much time in classes that they will not need in their career of choice or for the colleges they want to attend. Students should focus on their interests, and be involved in their school and community because they will not waste their money or time on their dislikes. This could possibly start an unwanted chain of stress and frustrations.

“It’s good to challenge yourself in taking advanced courses, but if you know those classes will not be part of the career you are interested in, then it’s not worth the stress of cramming all the information in your head,” said Caden Hazelton, another Defiance high school Junior, “You also have to have a life in high school because once you get to college it’s all on yourself, and the professors may not be as easily accessible to help you.”

With the winter season beginning, soon the roads will be icy and slick. The danger of driving when the roads are icy compared to normal spikes drastically, for the conditions can be very unpredictable.

Regardless of the speed limit, it is safe to drive slowly on slick roads, especially on bridges, overpasses, and in tunnels. The air can blow differently in those situations causing ice to form a lot quicker.

It is a great idea to get used to how your own car handles in icy conditions. Senior Driver Daija explained “My van is old and has a tendency to slide which causes me to panic."

Even though sliding around on the road can be a little fun at times, it is extremely dangerous and can cause multiple accidents. Staying focused and keeping your eyes on the road is very helpful to driving safely

Hopefully everyone stays safe this winter season, with as few accidents as possible. Remember to drive Slow, Smart, and Vigilant.

Covid-19 is still a major part of our lives in 2022 although more people receive the Covid Vaccine along with the booster shot we still seem to have trouble in Defiance. Thanks to “Our World in Data” the approximate number of fully vaccinated people in Ohio as of now is 6.58 million.

Robert Morton, the superintendent of DCS had this to say about the possibility of remote learning due to rising cases,” At this point in time, I do not foresee us having to utilize our remote learning plan. Covid-19 has created many disruptions with the multiple variants and we have been able to adapt and overcome each of these challenges.”

Morton also brought up how staffing was a challenge earlier this school year but stated, “Staffing levels are currently sufficient and as long as we can staff, we should be ok.”

Mortons last remarks include, ”We will continue to monitor our communicable disease plan and follow accordingly.” He had also wished that everyone stay happy and healthy for the remainder of the school year.

Martin Luther King Jr Day is January 17th. MLK Day is a day that many would like to give back to the community because of inspiration by MLK. One of the groups giving back in honor of that day is NHS.

Cydne Holmes, a junior and a member of NHS had this to say about MLK activities, ”So in our meeting this morning we talked about some ideas on what to do for MLK day, we discussed some ideas like volunteering at the humane society, writing notes to local hospitals, cleaning up at the park, helping out at Good Samaritan and other things.”

Holmes also went on to state, "One of our NHS leaders, Grace Jones, said that we are going to go into groups to do different kinds of community service for the day." NHS wanted to do a large group of community services to do an amazing group of activities.

Josh Bolman, also a junior and a member of NHS, explained the importance of MLK Day and why they are doing the service, ”we are doing these things to really show our appreciation for all the things Martin Luther King Jr. did for us and our society."

Both Holmes and Bolman agree that it is important to honor MLK because today’s world would be a lot different. They encourage everyone to come together and celebrate the life of MLK and the impacts he made.

Most people would agree that the productivity of each individual is important for building an organized and successful society. However, the issue with this idea is that humans, in general, are often expected to become certain members of society without the tools to do so.

Especially at a young age, we are given rules that are told will help us succeed. Unfortunately, guidelines such as “share your toys” and “keep your hands to yourself” do not nearly give us the emotional instruments to conquer the struggles we face as teenagers and adults.

According to a 2017 article published in Scientific American, nearly everyone develops at least one diagnosable mental disorder at some point in their life. The majority of these people, specifically those with symptoms like mild anxiety or depression, will never be diagnosed. They will simply struggle with the internal battles that they are forced to face each day, convinced that their issues are not severe enough to seek help.

Even those without diagnosable mental disorders face ongoing issues in their lives. We all experience anxiety, stress, anger, and sadness. These feelings are impossible to ignore. Basic human nature encompasses thriving off of support from loved ones, which can include the recognition of being heard. Therapy provides a safe space for anyone, regardless of their emotional background, to express and work on their own well-being.

One student who asked to remain nameless said, “When I go to therapy I don’t ever feel like there is something wrong with me, it is a perfectly normal thing I do to help me remain as normal as I can.”

Another student who chose to remain nameless said, “It does embarrass me to think people might know I have to go to therapy, however, I know it shouldn’t. There is nothing wrong with it there is unfortunately just a sigma around the idea of getting therapy.”

Regardless of the reason therapy is still a very necessary activity that should be a part of everyone’s life that needs it. As a result, no one would have to navigate every one of their struggles in their own lives

The New Year is now, and that means that people are setting new goals for themselves. These said goals can be a wide variety of different things to either get done or stop doing.

Junior Elizabeth Hoffman said, “I am planning on looking into things for my future since it will be my senior year in the fall. I am going to practice and work on my ACT score, look into colleges, and look into scholarships.”

Other than academics, Hoffman also is excited about her accomplishments to be made in the summer and during her next volleyball season.

Peyton Kessler (senior) explains how she is looking forward to the new memories and new experiences that are going to come along in 2022. Kessler said that she is glad to be leaving 2021 in the past because she didn’t like it very much, so this new year brings her a fresh start.

The new beginning of 2022 is just the thing for students at DHS to reset their mindset and get their priorities in line.

Christmas is closer than it seems, and for many, that means it is time for traditions. Traditions can help families and friends become closer than before.

Junior Sunny Lloyd explained, “My favorite tradition is gathering the family together to eat a bunch of food on Christmas Eve because I love spending time with my family.”

Lloyd also explained how she wants to start a white elephant gift exchange within her family as a new tradition. Other students from DHS said how they really like baking cookies with their families.

A Norwegian exchange student, Mari Smith, takes a different approach to her Christmas traditions.

Smith explains, “I make flower decorations with my grandparents, make and decorate gingerbread, and put up all the Christmas decorations on 23 Dec.”

Christmas in Norway is mostly celebrated on Julaften (Christmas Eve) on December 24th. There are multiple reasons for this, one including that the arrival of Christmas can bring bad spirits and witches. Smith wishes to go out with her family into the woods to chop down a Christmas tree.

Juledag (Christmas Day) is full of relaxation and spending time with family, because of all of the presents opened and food eaten. This is followed by Romjul which is the time between Christmas and New Year where everyone takes time off work and leaves the cities to go to the mountains and fjords.

Whether it is decking the halls or shopping in malls, traditions really bring out a special feeling for Christmas

Whether or not Santa Claus is even real has been a question that curious kids have had for ages. Most kids start losing faith in Santa when they are around 8 or 9 years old, but why?

Students and Staff at DHS wanted to help kids get to the bottom of the age old Christmas mystery.

Regan Nelson, a Senior at DHS had this to say to the unbelievers, “Santa is absolutely real and legendary. If he wasn't real, who would take care of the reindeer and deliver presents? Aliens? Come on, pick the more realistic choice here guys. It's obviously the Claus'”

Although a strong argument against believers are Mall Santas, Robert Morton the superintendent of DCS informed us on Mall Santas, “They are sub-contractors for the North Pole Santa's Union.”

Nelson had a different opinion on Mall Santas saying, “Mall Santas are simply robots built by the elves. We aren't the only ones with technological advancements.”

Another argument doubting Santa is how could possibly eat all those cookies in one day? Morton and Nelson agree that Santa brings some of the cookies home for the rest of the crew up north.

Although DHS seems to have different opinions on Mall Santas we all seem to know the truth about Christmas, that being, Santa is real.

As many may know, Spirit week is coming up and DHS is already preparing for it.

Freshman Jillian Cameron explained, “I like Spirit week because it gives people a chance to dress in a fun and outgoing way. I feel that it is important so that students that normally don't step out of their comfort zones feel that they can.”

Spirit week is the perfect opportunity to express yourself in ways that aren't normally allowed. It creates a fun environment for friends to coordinate with each other or work together on their outfits.

Senior Te Thompson said, “I think it’s important for schools to have fun activities ‘cause some people don’t have anyone to spend the holidays with so it allows them to celebrate with their friends at school and to be a part of the holiday spirit.”

Students seem to really enjoy the holiday dress-up days, such as Christmas or Halloween. Other students also enjoy pajama day because it's easy to relax in class.

Even though some of the themes might be a little bit repetitive, as some students say, it still is a great time and activity to participate in.

“Thankful Thursday” is a DHS program that helps donate various things to people in need. These things may include toiletries and items such as food, the donated items go to various locations around the community.

Judy Schultz, a secretary here at DHS helped explain “Thankful Thursday” saying, "Thankful Thursday' was Started by the Defiance City Schools wellness committee.

The Committee is put together by employees throughout the district.”

Thanks to J.Schultz we get to learn more of the background of how “Thankful Thursday” came to be.

Also, Lori Schultz, the accompanist for the DHS’ choirs, added some information, “ This Wednesday, (12/8) we donated items to the path center, these items included toiletries, shampoo, soap, and razors.”

L.Schultz also shared some more information, stating, “This Thursday, (12/9) we are donating to the food bank.”

Donating these items allows the staff to wear jeans to school.

“Thankful Thursday” is a great way to give back to the community and help people in need with the reward of wearing jeans to school. Thanks to everyone who helps donate, it is possible to make a positive impact in our community.

Semester Exams are coming up soon for students at DHS.

Students have many different opinions on the Exam time of year, some enjoy taking these exams while others absolutely dread exam week.

Peyton Coressel, a Junior at DHS, had this to say, “The most challenging exam for me is English because it is hard to focus on reading for that long.”

Coressel believes it can be hard to focus for a long period of time since these tests are hours long and the usual tests taken in school are about half an hour.

Also Josh Bolman, another Junior here at DHS said this, “I really don’t like exam time, it can get very stressful and makes me second guess myself.”

Both Coressel and Bolman want to wish everyone good luck on their exams and wants to remind everyone to make time to study.

With the holiday season starting up, so does the shopping.

After Thanksgiving, busy store-goers rush from shop to shop trying to find the best deals on gifts for Christmas. More recently, Cyber Monday has become popular as an alternative online shopping version of Black Friday.

Both are good in their own way, but in a recent poll taken at DHS, students voted Cyber Monday over Black Friday 15 to 11.

Senior Riley Geradot voted for Cyber Monday and explained how it’s easier to go back and forth between websites and items online. Others said that they like Cyber Monday better because they don’t have to deal with people in person, it’s faster, and that it doesn’t take much energy.

Gracelyn Rubio, who voted for Black Friday, responded with “You can go shopping and actually see what you are going to buy (material/quality), rather than depending on a picture.” Others said they liked Black Friday because it’s more traditional and a fun experience.

Both Black Friday and Cyber Monday have their ups and downs, but in the end, which one is best depends on personal preferences.

Have you heard of The Kardashians, Drake, Jennifer Aniston, J.Lo, Lebron James, or DaBaby? Of course, you have, because they’re some of the most influential celebrities on Earth.

With the rise of social media, our society has seen a rise in unhealthy practices and habits surrounding celebrities and influencers.

Carter Campbell, a student at DHS, agreed, “Attempting to keep up to date with the lifestyles of my favorite influencers has caused massive amounts of procrastination.”

A great example of the dangers these effects can be would be at Travis Scott’s Astroworld. At this festival, 10 people have lost their lives and hundreds more were injured. Now, one may wonder how this relates to celebrity culture, but this event was escalated by Travis and his fans. As people were passing out and pleading for help Travis continued his performance and encouraged the fans’ wild behavior. Travis is not the only one to blame for the lives lost, a portion of his fans are also partially to blame. From people jumping the gates to attend the event to those hopping on the ambulances trying to get through the crowd. This event serves as a horrifying reminder of how fame hypnotizes both the celebrity and the fan.

Influencers have unescapable power over their supporters!

In recent years because of social media and celebrities more and more people have struggled with problems such as body dysmorphia. One student, who preferred to remain nameless, shared, “Sometimes I would starve myself so I could feel skinny like the influencers are that I follow.”

A CDC study found that teens who perceived themselves at extreme weights were over twice as likely to attempt suicide. This perception has been worsened with the modern age of photoshop and digital editing. In fact, a study done by Mental Health Foundation showed that 1 in 8 adults have admitted that they have suicidal thoughts about their body image. The idealistic image of a body portrayed by models, actors, and even artists can be extremely damaging to one’s viewpoint.

Social media, magazines, videos, and so much more, are at the end of the day, only a small portion of the influencer’s reality. It is only what they let you see. So remember even though you may not fit a certain standard they are constantly changing and many of these celebrities don’t fit the standards themselves. You are worth more than any media or person makes you feel.

The rate of teenagers being involved in car accidents due to texting while driving has gone up astronomically in recent years.

An article published on the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s website really highlights the dangers of texting and driving and the fact that it is so commonplace nowadays. The article offers some recommendations for teens to prevent texting and driving, including: Completing any call or text before starting the car, getting directions, or visualizing the destination prior to turning on the car, and checking in with friends or parents only after you arrive.

There was a recent survey among the DHS populus regarding texting and driving. Of the 272 responses, 83 percent of students have been in the car with someone whilst the driver was texting, and 84 percent of students experienced an accident or scary situation due to a driver texting.

Junior Ella Kissner further agreed with the statistics. She stated how she has tried to limit the amount of time that she texts and drives using the “Do Not Disturb While Driving” feature.

Morgan Cihak, the project manager of the National Safety Council, wrote in an article on the council’s website that people become 2-9 times more likely to crash when texting and driving. The situation becomes even direr as over 50 percent of fatal car crashes occur in rural areas. According to Cihak, many teens recognize the fact that texting and driving are bad, but they continue to do so anyway.

Many students at DHS have summer jobs but will stop working when school resumes to have an easier time doing their school work.

Olivia Kissner, a Senior at DHS who also works at Bob Evans, had this to say,”I think work can affect school work if you let it, as long as you set aside time to do school work you’ll succeed.”

Having a job may make students have to focus on time management more which can be a very useful skill to learn. This skill can help students with whatever they plan on doing later in life.

Max Sigman, a Junior at DHS that works at Padrone’s, said, “I have felt like quitting before because it was a challenge to balance school, work, and life overall.”

Sigman has school as more of a priority than his job, but was able to lessen his hours that he worked each week to better accommodate his life.

Kissner also added, “Remember to set aside time for school work and to know your limits so you don’t get overwhelmed.”

Both Sigman and Kissner make sure they set aside time to do school work to make sure that they keep their grades up. It is very important to do so to make sure that we don’t get overwhelmed.

A great pastime to indulge in is reading. Not only does it help time go by, but it also gives the reader a great story to spark the imagination.

John Coleman from Harvard Business Review explained “An active literary life can make you more personally effective by keeping you relaxed and improving health”

Diving into a good book can be a great way to give your brain a break from all the stresses and craziness from the real world.

Lucian Brecht, a junior at DHS, explains what and why they read, “I am currently reading stalking jack the ripper by Kerri Maniscalco; I like it because it shows a different view of jack the ripper and I like creepy romances.”

The DHS library holds so many books available for students throughout the day. There’s always new stories to be found.

From mystery to fantasy there is a book out there for everyone calling their name. So jump right in, and begin a fascinating journey by reading a book.

On Thursday, November 11th, DCS hosted its annual Veterans Day Assembly. This year it was a little different. The Defiance community was able to welcome home Master Sergeant, and teacher/coach, Austin Carr from his deployment in Afghanistan.

Superintendent, Mr. Morton explained that America was built on civil liberties and rights, and that there have been millions of people who volunteered to protect and honor those. He goes on to say that it’s only fair to turn around and honor them for their service so that the people of the U.S. can live with freedom and the pursuit of happiness.

“I’ve been in education for 29 years, and it was the best Veterans day assembly I have ever been part of,” Morton stated.

The Defiance City School System was able to welcome Lieutenant Governor and Representative Riedel who gave speeches about how important Veterans day is and honoring Master Sgt. Carr.

The assembly also included a couple of poems read by seventh-grader Zavier Finkenbiner and sixth-grader Jase Brownlee. As well as a couple of songs from the DHS Acapella Choir and multiple songs from the DHS Symphonic Band.

Jocelyn Rosebrock, a percussionist in the Symphonic Band, said “It was an honor to participate and be around people who’ve made such a difference in our country, and it was a gift to be in the presence of such brave people.”

This Veterans assembly will definitely be remembered for generations to come. The DCS family is honored to have hosted such an amazing event.

Thanksgiving is a time to take a break from school and get together with family members and celebrate each other and what we are thankful for.

DHS students have different traditions that they tend to do when with their families. Some students felt like sharing those traditions.

Jake Stephens, a Senior at DHS had this to say, “We go to my Grandparent’s Lake House every year in Hamilton, Indiana for Thanksgiving Dinner and spend the night with the rest of my family.”

As we can see from what Stephens said, getting family to come together is an important part of Thanksgiving.

Also, Sunny Lloyd, a Junior at DHS said the following, “My family loves to play board games or card games. Our favorites are Uno and a traditional Korean game that my grandma taught us called Yut Nori.”

Lloyd loves getting together with family and spending quality time with the people she loves. Lloyd also said that her and her family make homemade bread for Thanksgiving.

Stephens and Lloyd both wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and look forward to spending time with family.

We have all heard the constant reprimands from doctors and parents: “Teenagers need at least eight hours of sleep each night!” But how many of us actually do get “enough” sleep? Less than 15 percent of teenagers reported sleeping eight hours on a school night, according to the National Sleep Foundation, an organization dedicated to improving the well-being of individuals through sleep education.

Most teenagers don’t get the recommended amount of sleep because of schoolwork, after-school activities, and other pastimes, but an increasing number of teenagers are up at night because of sleep disorders, the National Sleep Foundation stated.

Two juniors who asked to remain nameless (will be referred to as Bill and Jack for simplistic purposes) were diagnosed with insomnia, which is a sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling or staying asleep.

“Insomnia, at least for me, is when you are hyper-alert at night,” Bill said. “As for how it develops, I know it’s something to do with an imbalance of chemicals in your brain.”

Similarly, Jack would try to go to sleep, but couldn’t. He said it became extremely difficult to sleep especially if he had a test coming up because of studying all night. When he finally went to lay down the stress would just keep him awake.

“It’s really frustrating because when you are trying to fall asleep and you are mentally exhausted, especially from being at a full day at school, it’s difficult to come home and not be able to relax,” Jack said.

“It’s much harder when you are involved in a sport or when you’re at school because sometimes you get stressed over those activities,” Bill said. “I think the hardest part is finding a routine that works with your activities and can also help you have a healthy cycle of sleep.”

jack also thought that balance is difficult to find at first, but once you do it’s about keeping the rhythm. It’s arduous to keep everything together, and the fatigue really hits you, he added.

“Being more active and energized is the hardest part of having insomnia,” Bill said. “I’ve noticed that when it’s gotten worse I’m shut down a bit just because I’m so exhausted and fatigued that I can’t be as enthusiastic or energized as I used to be.”

That doesn’t mean that there is no hope for someone struggling with insomnia though. According to the sleep foundation things that students could do include reading, listening to relaxing music, watching your favorite movie, or taking a nice bath. Put homework aside (while getting a bad grade on a homework assignment is not encouraged, sometimes it is more important to get good sleep than to worry about homework). Minimize your time on social media and most importantly avoid screen light (especially blue light) as it may make it hard to feel sleepy due to a shift in the circadian rhythm caused by the light.

Our sleeping cycle is a delicate balance, and it is one that must be maintained for our physical and mental wellbeing. Because of that, it is worth putting effort into trying to maintain a stable bedtime routine but try not to lose any sleep over it.

Almost everyone loves Christmas and the Christmas season but some people disagree when it comes to when we should celebrate or decorate for Christmas.

Some get upset when people ignore Thanksgiving because they feel Christmas is taking over and can be taking away from Thanksgiving celebrations.

Students at DHS have opinions on the matter, Lucian Brecht a Junior at DHS had this to say, “Christmas celebrations should start on November 1st. Any other answer is wrong. Thanksgiving needs to be gone, like right now, it’s not important enough.”

Although Brecht felt very strongly about Christmas time starting in November, another Junior felt somewhat different but in a similar fashion.

Anna Tackett, also a Junior at DHS said this, “I believe that the middle of November is the perfect time to set up Christmas decorations! My sister, however, believes that as soon as it turns November 1st the lights, trees, and everything else should be up and ready.”

Tackett also added, “I believe Christmas is a season and it should be celebrated for as long as possible! It’s such a happy time for most people.”

As you can see Students at DHS seem fine with Christmas celebrations starting in November but they may disagree when it comes to which day in November.

A recent study was done with some students who attend DHS on what the best form of potato is. Students had the option to choose between 10 different types of potatoes, or write in their own favorite kind of potato.

After three days of voting, almost 300 students responded. The top three results are as follows:

3rd place, with a total of 31 votes, goes to hash browns

2nd place, with a total of 48 responses, is mashed potatoes.

And in first place, with a final score of 76 votes, French fries!

Evan Steece, who voted for home fries, had this to say, “I personally prefer home fries most times because when I go out to get breakfast I love getting skillets with home fries. Honestly I am a fan of any potato creation though so I don't hate the other choices. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so home fries are the way to go.”

Unfortunately for Steece, home fries came in 6th place. Even though 6th place isn’t that great, it still did better than raw potatoes which came in last, with only 7 votes.

Some people may prefer a more simplistic approach to cooking a potato. Gabriella Garza, a senior, explained “I like baked potatoes because they are still in their natural state. You can also put a big variety of toppings on to add flavor.”

From mashed to hashed, potatoes are such a versatile food with many different ways to be made! Overall, it looks like French fries are the majority favored way to go.

On Friday, October 22, 2021 the Students of DHS were told via an afternoon announcement that starting the following Monday masks were no longer going to be required but recommended.

Students obviously had different opinions on the matter. Grey Sherry, a sophomore at DHS, had this to say about the new rule on masks: ”I personally believe that changing the mask rule was not a good decision.”

Then they went on to say, “I think removing the mask mandate will increase covid numbers. We won’t have social distancing, no masking, and no vaccination mandate in certain circumstances.”

Kalen Miller, a senior at DHS felt differently saying, “I think the people that changed the mask rule had good intentions. Not wearing masks makes us feel like we're one step closer to normality, even though it's a small one.

Miller also stated, “I don't particularly feel unsafe because with everything I've heard and researched myself, masks didn't really do anything except make us realize how bad our breath stinks after lunch.”

Students may have different opinions on the mask rule changing and both wish that students and staff can stay healthy during this time.

In a recent poll, it was found that 87% of students would prefer to watch a movie instead of reading a book.

This actually makes total sense; watching movies will encourage emotional release. According to Brigit Wolz, who has a PhD in MFT (Marriage and Family Therapy), upon finishing a study on Cinema therapy, her responses concluded that Cinema therapy can be a powerful catalyst for healing and growth.

This emotional release that is offered by watching films has a cathartic effect of sorts.

This release has also been linked to helping a person feel more comfortable with their emotions. This is quite ironic because that logic would mean watching sad movies can actually help make you happier.

The other common reason people will watch movies is because of stress and/or stressful situations.

Life is full of uncontrollable moments; it is full of hardships and triumphs. Good or bad, life is simply an up and down roller coaster. All of the impulsiveness can become very hard to handle for a lot of people, which is why people will turn to their favorite movie. The reason people will find one movie that they will like no matter how many times they see it is because of how well they know the movie. Knowing how the movie will end as well as the outcome of it offers a sense of safety, security, and, most importantly, control.

In a life full of rowdiness, knowing how the story ends can help with mental wellness.

It looks like DHS is full of movie gurus, who are just trying to find some peace.

After a long week of putting in hard work at school it is always nice to treat yourself to a nice dessert. But what would be the perfect dessert after a long week? Well, thanks to Students and Staff we might be able to figure it out.

Jacob Moore, a Math Teacher at DHS, had this to say, “The dessert that I can never turn down would have to be those cookies that come in the already cut cookie dough squares.” Moore then went on to list the reasons why he felt so.

Moore passionately stated, “You can never fit all the squares of cookie dough on one pan. Thus, it is necessary to eat some of the cookie dough squares while preheating the oven.”

Although, Moore said his least favorite dessert was ice cream, saying “I always feel like I weigh 400 pounds directly after eating ice cream.”

Zack Hanson, a Junior at DHS stated, “My favorite dessert after a long week is either a doughnut or a Banana Split and my least favorite dessert is probably Pumpkin Pie.”

Hanson also said, “I like them because they are both just super yummy.”

Thanks to the DHS staff and students we see that some of the most common desserts, such as ice cream and Pumpkin Pie are actually liked the least.

Desserts that are easier to make or get access to, like pre-made cookies or doughnuts are more liked by DHS.

With Halloween right around the corner, and Christmas not so far behind, a poll was put up for DHS students to vote on which holiday they preferred. The poll was up for 24 hours, the final results being: Christmas with 23 votes and Halloween with 15 votes. Both holidays can have their own special meaning to each individual.

To some, Christmas is that colder time of year with the snow falling just right and the environment is nice and cozy. Gracelyn Rubio, a local DHS senior, explained “To me Christmas is a special time where everyone can come together to give to others and be extra cheerful.”

To others, Halloween provides the most thrilling and fun time of year. A junior at DHS, Cydne Holmes, stated “I love Halloween, there's trick or treating, candy, pumpkin carving, apple picking, apple cider, spooky songs, chilly season and scary movies.”

Whether it’s decorating your very own costume or decorating the christmas tree, both holidays are a unique way to celebrate the season and have fun with family or friends.

At DHS students have the opportunity to embark on a cultural journey by taking a language class. French and Spanish are the two languages offered at DHS. They both give a great understanding of both the language and the countrys’ culture.

Junior Spanish student, Evan Steece, explained, “I suggest for everyone to learn a language, whether that be within the school as by means of French or Spanish, or finding people in the community or resources online. I think learning languages can open plenty of opportunities, experiences, and relationships.”

The general consensus is that taking a language class is not overly difficult as long as you put in the work. In no time students are able to begin talking in simple sentences and then grow to larger scales as their experience progresses.

Sophomore, Kendallyn Kroeckel, explained in French, “Bonjour, Je m’appelle Jacqueline!” Translation: Hello, my name is Jacqueline!

Steece, Kroeckel, and many other students suggest taking a language class, for it is very beneficial and informative.

The Band Staff has two new members for this year and with the past staff member being so close to a lot of the students. It was a very difficult thing for many to hear when he told the students he would be leaving.

Although the students loved the past directors they always seem to get along with the new staff quite well.

The new staff members are Devin Sheller and Erin Redick as Assistant Band Directors.

Mr. Sheller’s first teaching position is here at DHS he had this to say about the experience so far, “Both the students and other staff members have been incredibly kind, making me feel like I am a part of the Bulldog family.”

Ms. Redick has a year of experience at another school before coming to Defiance, and overall agreed with Sheller, on being welcomed by students and staff.

Sheller had also added how he thought his interview went, stating, “My interview went well, but I was still nervous about whether I would be given the job here. If I had to rate my confidence, I would have given it a 7/10.”

Overall, both Sheller and Redick are happy to be here at DHS and feel greatly welcomed by staff and students alike.

Sheller once more stated, “I want to be a part of the DCS community and staff for as long as I can.”

They are excited to see what the rest of the school year holds for them and also their future as a part of DHS.

The week of Homecoming at Defiance the students and staff can participate in dress up spirit days. There are certain themes for each day of the week.

For this year, Monday was Pajama Day, Tuesday was Country vs. Country Club, Wednesday was Adam Sandler Day, Thursday was Teacher and Student Swap Day, and Friday was Defiance Blue Day.

Cydne Holmes, a junior at DHS had this to say, “I think Bulldog Blue Friday should be replaced with something like Bulldog Blue Hawaiian or Bulldog Blue Western something like that.”

Holmes said this because she believes that due to every year doing Defiance Blue on Friday it gets repetitive and boring.

Holmes stated, “Overall I like spirit week, it's fun to dress up, but I'm always scared that I will dress up on the wrong week or day.”

Holmes was happy with dress up themes and had fun participating in this year’s Homecoming Spirit Week.

As most may know, Defiance High School’s homecoming dance is right around the corner. Students have the opportunity to go to the dance for a price of twenty five dollars. Students then pick out what to wear for the evening. To some, this is the biggest part of homecoming. What could be considered as a local Met Gala, it could take some students months to prepare and choose their outfit.

As junior Ella Kissner said, “It took me a couple weeks to get everything together… I'm wearing something more bold because why not.”

It seems to be pretty split on whether students are matching their outfits with their groups or not. Some say that they would like to look good next to someone that they’re going with, while others would rather look stylish on their own. It will be a great time no matter what is worn or how you’re looking.

As the junior representative for homecoming court Ameilia Hernandez put it, “I'm pretty excited to dance and have fun, it will definitely be a getaway from all the stress of school and sports, and it's always fun to have your friends dancing by your side.”

Overall, it will be an amazing experience for the students to have after not having one last year.

Last night (September thirtieth) there was the first Bulldog parade/pep rally/bonfire in a while. It was a night to remember for senior attendants as they got ready for their last homecoming football game. The night consisted of a walk around the school for students, an introduction to the homecoming court, and a bunch of games followed.

The first game was tug of war, which was won by the senior class. Then there was a game of musical chairs which was won by senior Liv Moats, and finally there was the egg run, which was also won by a group of seniors.

There was also a little speech from the senior football players who are almost at the end of their season, and they were followed by a brief word from coach Coop.

The night ended with the bonfire and the burning of Bath.

One senior in attendance Vinnie Lopez shared about how much fun he had. He talked about how it truly was a bittersweet moment because unfortunately it is one of the last times he will get to experience this type of moment. He encourages anyone who didn’t go to go next year, “It was an experience that you must have first hand.”

Are students more likely to pay more for a product from a big brand when they could get the same quality from a non-name brand company for half the price?

All students agreed that while they would prefer the name brand, they would get the non-name brand if it meant they could actually save money.

When given the choice between artisan water or normal water, results were actually more split. Some students said they would just get normal water because it would be cheaper, and they are more familiar with it. However some said they would pick artisan water because they tend to have a PH level that is a bit more balanced, which is supposed to be good for muscle health and recovery.

All students were in agreement, name brand products mean nothing if the quality is not up to standards.

Overall students do seem to take money into consideration, a lot more than what teens are typically given credit for.

In the past weeks, students who were applicable received a letter about the Defiance National Honors Society. To apply to the NHS, students have to fill out two forms and write an essay for MLK day 2022. It can sometimes be stressful for some students to get all of this in by the due date.

As Senior, Monse Martinez, explains “I have been working all this week on my application to try to get it the best I can; It has been a challenge with all my other activities outside of school.”

Martinez went on to say how she is nervous, since she is a senior with no other chance after this.

The overall organization is very service based and community centered. To be a part of it students have to show leadership and focus. With a new NHS teacher, it gives the group a fresh start to be even more service and project oriented.

A Junior, Ava Shock, stated “It’s helpful to the community, and it’s a respectable organization.”

No matter the outcome, students should be proud of their hard work to apply to this great organization. It is an honor to be applicable for the NHS. It just takes believing in yourself and trying your best.

The ACT is a great way to help get into colleges and with the test being offered to Juniors at DHS for free. It begs the question: “What’s the best way to prepare for the ACT?”

The ACT takes around 3 hours for students to complete and it has certain time frames for each category; those categories are not allowed to be changed after the allowed time slot.

So, paying attention to the time can seem very important. Luke Reynolds, a senior who scored above a 30 on the ACT last year, had this to say about time management: ”Personally, I tried not to look at the time too often, for most of the tests, I finished a minute or two before time was up, so don't expect to finish with a lot of time left.”

The score for the ACT is a number and is not a percentage so, an average score to receive is around a 21 or 22 and the highest score possible is a 36.

The tests are also going to be taken early in the morning and will allow students a small break in between subjects. Reynolds added, ”The hardest subject to do well on would probably be math, due to the fact that it takes a lot of time to complete some of the problems, leaving you with less time for others.”

Reynolds would like to wish good luck to all juniors that are either retaking the test or taking the free provided test through the school for the first time.

Art is a beautiful hobby, but can you make a lifetime career of it? We interviewed Ms. Wilson, head of the art department at Defiance high school, and asked her about the art store that she owns.

Wilson owns an art store where she sells the best of Ohio made gifts. Wilson says, “We have over 80 artists in the storefront that we help support by selling their products.” Wilson sells anything from honey to soap to t-shirts; anything that these Ohio artists make, Wilson has a place for them to sell their art work. Wilson also makes some products for her store that she sells, including all the pottery and fresh flowers.

Wilson says she never thought she would become a business owner but she saw the lack of places where artists could show and sell their artwork and created it herself. Wilson wants to share and showcase other artists' artwork so they can make a living selling their work.

It is very important to realize that art does not only happen in a classroom and you can have a successful career of art and Wilson shows a great example of just this.