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Reviews

“Go Ask Alice”: Influential novel for teens

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By Maeonne Phillips

    “Go Ask Alice” is a book composed of real life journal entries written by a teen drug user. Certain names, dates, places, and events were changed in the making of the book, and the author remains anonymous.

    The book is meant to inform readers on the dangers of addiction and the consequences of drug use.

    The horrors begin when the 15 year old narrator takes a drugged drink during a party and ends up loving the experience. From then on she begins trying all kinds of different drugs and before she knows it she is addicted.

    The drug use puts her in bad habits and, throughout the book, she becomes a struggling on and off user. Her life is thrown in different directions, and her bad experiences haunt her to want to end her addiction.

    From what I read, it was pretty obvious the book takes place in the 1960s. The narrator talks about her use of records, letters and visits to malt shops after school along with her 50s and 60s slang.

    The book truly demonstrates the horrors of drug use and the struggle to refrain from use once you start, when only one experience can get a person hooked for life.

    “After you’ve had it, there isn’t even life without drugs,” is the most influential quote of the book because with so many teens being exposed to drugs in high school, they need someone to tell them they will get hooked, and there is no “I’ll only do it once.”

    Teens rarely ever listen to adults and health classes; both give barely any effect other than dragged on awareness and scolding. The true horrors of the journal entries will put a reader in the first person perspective of the narrator, leaving one with a fearful impression of drugs.

     “Bill pulled me down, and my head rested in his lap as I watched the pattern change to swirling colors, great fields of reds, blues and yellows. I tried to share the beauty with the others, but my words came out soggy, wet and dripping or tasting of color,” the narrator describes during her first use of drugs by accident.

    She is blinded by beauty and has no idea of what terrors were to follow.

    The writer’s use of vivid colors, shapes and feelings provide an unbelievable and realistic picture for the reader who feels they are taking their own trip as the narrator takes hers. It is really a well written and effective diary.

    I think the book really had an effect on me because the narrator’s life really went downhill, and it was terrifying how highly effective just one mistake at a party led to such disaster, especially since she was the same age I am now. Her story is kind of unforgettable.  

    I think this book provides the perfect scare for all teens in this generation along with the high exposure of drugs that comes with high school.

     The novel is a great read, and I would definitely recommend it: I could not stop reading from the second I started.

Sports

College Cup to be held in Kansas City

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By Sophia Boris

The Men’s Akron soccer team will be facing eighth-seeded Stanford in the College Cup semifinals this Friday in Kansas City at 8:30 p.m.

This year will mark the 56th annual College Cup. This tournament has been held since 1959, and is conducted by the Collegiate Athletic Association. Since 1959, it has been a 48 team, single elimination tournament.

The Akron Zips will advance after a 3-2 double overtime victory over Creighten University on Saturday.

University of Akron has also participated in the College Cup in 1986, 2009 and has brought home a national championship in 2010.

Stanford beat Wake Forest 2-1 in overtime on Saturday.

This will be Stanford’s fourth time competing in the College Cup and will aim for the college’s first national championship this year.  

The other teams participating in the College Cup semifinals are number two Clemson and number six Syracuse. These teams will kickoff the first NCAA semifinal at 6 p.m.

This will mark 10 years since Clemson has made an appearance in the College Cup. Clemson’s competitor, Syracuse, has never been to the NCAA semifinals.  

The championship game will be at 2 p.m. on Sunday based on the winners of both semifinal games.

         

 

Sports

Bengals prove to be the better NFL team from Ohio

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By Dylan Astor

The Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals faced off in Cleveland’s FirstEnergy Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Coming into the game, the Browns had named Austin Davis the starting quarterback, due to the injury Josh McCown suffered last week. This game was Davis’s first career start with the Browns, and while Davis looked promising, the rest of the team was a let down.

After the first offensive drive, the Browns knew that they were in for a ride. The Bengals had constant pressure on Davis. They had found a weak spot in the Browns’ offensive line, and it was Cameron Erving.

Erving is a rookie out of  Florida State who was taken nineteenth overall in the 2015 NFL draft. He was originally a backup for the starter, Joel Bitonio, but he left the game early with an injury. The Bengals singled him out and threw their best pass rusher at him, Geno Atkins. Atkins put pressure on Davis almost every single play; however, it was not just Atkins who put pressure on Davis. Many other defensive linemen beat Erving off the block and got to Davis.

Injuries played a key role in Sunday’s game against the Bengals. Two of the Browns’ wide receivers were ruled before the game began, yet to prepare for this, they brought up Darius Jennings from the practice squad to play. They also resigned Terrelle Pryor, who did not see a snap. In the first quarter, wide receiver Travis Benjamin jumped up to catch a ball over his head and was dragged down onto his shoulder. The Brown’s ruled him out of the contest. The two-time pro bowler Joe Haden was inactive again with a concussion. Haden has only played once since week five of the season. With Haden’s absence, the Browns cornerback Charles Gaines was removed off of the injured reserved list,and was starting in place of Haden.

The Bengals offense torched the Browns’ defense. More specifically, it was the matchup of the Bengals wide receiver AJ Green, going up against the Browns cornerback Tramon Williams. During this first quarter, Green was on a streak route to the endzone and ran right by Williams. Luckily for Williams, he dove at the perfect time and tripped up Green. Unfortunately, however, Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton scored on a three yard run. Green also had a wide open touchdown against Tramon Williams, going for 23 yards. Green finished the game with five receptions, 128 yards and a touchdown.

It was not only the passing game that torched the Browns, it was also the run game. The Bengals running back Jeremy Hill, had one of his best games of the season against the Browns. He only rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown, but this was a bounce back week for Hill. He still has not managed to rush for 100 yards in a single game, but this performance was the closest to it.

Many believe the game was not very entertaining to watch, unless the individual was a Bengals fan. The Browns only managed to put up three points, coming from a field goal by kicker Travis Coons, as time expired before the half. He attempted another field goal later in the game, but the kick was blocked.

The Bengals on the other hand, found it rather easy to score off of the Browns defense. Quarterback Andy Dalton threw for two touchdowns and ran for another. Kicker Mike Nugent managed to go three for three on field goals, and running back Jeremy Hill ran for a touchdown.

Here the team is again, with another disappointment; they got pummeled by the Bengals for the second time this year, 37-3. The Browns fell to 2-10, and the Bengals improved to 10-2.

Now many critics speculate if it is the players or the coaching staff to blame.

News

Teachers honored in annual Wall of Fame event

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By Chloe Phillips

Teachers are not just people who show up everyday to give homework and leave. They are mentors who try to make a difference, and they are an inspiration to many who want to change the world and spread courage to do so which in turn spreads to others.  Most of all, teachers are acquaintances one can always look up to. They are someone who can be counted on.

The Wall of Fame is a yearly event which allows those who have been teachers at Stow for five or more years and have been retired for two or more years to be recognized for their work. This event started in 1987 and it is still carried out to this day.

On Nov. 19,  the two teachers who were elected by the current teachers and staff were Linda Nickson, who was a health and physical education teacher, and Robert Putka was an art teacher. Nov. 19 was a day where one would be able to show appreciation for them.

The Wall of Fame started at 2:45 p.m and lasted until 4:00. The teachers mingled, held sociable conversations, recalling stories of the teachers being recognized.

“[Nickson] assisted the track team for over twenty years, she, [when stow had cyclists], went on a twenty mile bike ride with her students and later she comes to find out she lost one. Don’t worry they eventually found her,” Wolfe said.

One could say Wolfe, the high school’s current health adviser, was a host. She was joyful over the fact Nickson chose her to speak for her. She was the first speaker. Wolfe had many things to say, and everything she said was added with a smile.  

“There was once an incident where a boy came out of the locker room saying there was someone hurt, and without hesitation Linda ran over to the entrance, yelled “if you don’t want me to see it you better hide it,” Wolfe said.

Wolfe was a student of Nickson’s, and they met when Wolfe was sixteen. Wolfe cleared any confusion, if there were any, when she told everyone how far back Nickson and her go, and how Nickson really impacted her life.

“She was the best teacher I had ever met. I can say that from a high schooler’s perspective and from a teacher’s perspective,” Wolfe said.

Nickson let it be know that her students made a difference in her life, and she could only hope that she did the same. The goal for her was to do better than her teachers did and to challenge her students.

“This all feels so surreal. It is to my great honor and privilege to be recognized by my peers and students. It’s a humble feeling, it just feels good knowing I did alright. One never knows and is always wondering. My heart is happy,” Nickson said.

Putka had been the high school’s art teacher. His creativity not only filled his head but also in his choice of clothing. Multiple people could be heard complementing his taste in fashion. 

Putka sat in the front with his loving family members surrounding him. He had many stories to tell and without a doubt can say many memories must of come to him in flashes.

“Bob has always been sharp in the forty years plus years I’ve known him. What I can learn from Bob is to love what I do. I try to teach my own students the same,” Steve Pierce said.

Pierce is the high schools photography teacher, and he had many words to say about Putka and each word had a wonderful feeling to it. Putka and Peters were not just student and teacher as a bond was made between them. One could take note of this by simply looking at the two talk.

“What he has left behind at this high school was us. His legacy carries on. He is a great man and the only friend one could ever need,” Pierce said.

Peters voiced his thoughts, which continued to contribute to Putka. If it wasn’t for Putka he would not of been an artist. He also stated he probably would not be living in Stow either.

He also stated Putka was going to be an architect. Of course it is obvious he had a change of heart. He is no ordinary art teacher as he brings life and joy everywhere he goes. 

“I thought why not be a teacher and perhaps an art teacher. Here and behold I was good. I always thought about how cool it would be to be a ticket greeter on the highway, I even thought about being a greeter at Walmart, then I decided that it was just not cool enough for me,” Putka said.

Putka has been heard giving life advice. In fact, Pierce says to this day he uses Putka’s advice. “Nothing but the best and no regrets,” is an example of the humble words he has spoken.

“I appreciate this honor, but it’s just so weird to look up and see my face up there. Without a doubt some of my best memories are here in the building with some of the people in this room,” Putka said.

Everyone is appreciative for the work and knowledge Nickson and Putka have passed down. If one has a mentor or teacher they look up to, maybe let them know the gratitude is there.

As for Nickson and Putka, both of them will highly influence the work done in the building.