All posts by Stohion Staff

News

DECA creates new atmosphere through DECA Week

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By Bayley Patterson

DECA is a marketing club that students compete in different business categories. Junior and seniors have the ability to learn about marketing in a fun and interactive way.

“I just started this year as a senior, and I wish I started last year. You learn a lot about marketing and business, and we have speakers and go on cool field trips too,” senior Madie Mills said.

Lisa Mowls has been in charge of DECA for 16 years.

This week DECA is holding a ‘DECA Week.’ Every year in November, Mowls picks a week to participate. This week is created to potentially acquire new DECA members. It is also to spread the news of what DECA is and what members achieve.

Every day, DECA members have to tweet something depending on the day. Every day will have a different theme.

On Monday, DECA representatives had to wear DECA spirit wear and a pin. They also had to tweet out a motivational message.

“I think it gave Stow’s DECA a positive vibe. It shows how we want to be successful, and by tweeting it, everyone else can see it as well. Hopefully, it can positively impact another student’s day and influence others to strive for greatness,” senior Madi Baughman said.

On Tuesday, members had to wear clothes to represent the country or flag. Juniors had to tweet a picture of themselves with a poster, and seniors had to post a picture with a map. Members all chose a country to represent because they are learning about international business along with business in the United States.

Wednesday, members participated in ‘Well-­Groomed Wednesday.’ They had to dress nicely and tweet a picture with the ‘DECA Diamond.’ Stow DECA representatives went to Joshua’s for a junior achievement meeting where different business workers will talk with the DECA members.

On Thursday, DECA representatives are required to wear the given black business polo for the class. They also have to tweet a fact about the Mali/Stow school DECA is creating.

“I’m excited to have an opportunity to help people outside of our community. The school in Mali will give children a chance to receive a good education,” junior Kaely Montgomery said.

Friday, DECA members will be participating in the usual Stow spirit.

Mills said, “I love DECA week because we get to do a bunch of things to help get the word out about DECA and raise awareness about who we are and what we do.”

Entertainment, Reviews

5SOS releases new album, announces tour

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By Maeonne Phillips

Five Seconds Of  Summer’s most recent release,“Sounds Good Feels Good” is gaining positive feedback from around the world. While their single, “She’s Kinda Hot,” blew away most of the 5SOS fans with their pop-punk comeback, the album all together is giving fans exactly what they wanted.

The band sends an encouraging message to teens around the world with their invitation to join “the new broken scene,” providing a different view on the rough times of a teens generation. They promote no matter how rough things can get or no matter what people say, “we’re alright, though.”

 More singles from the album, released Oct. 23, 2015, include “Fly Away,” “Jet Black Heart,” “Money” and “Hey Everybody.”

The band never fails to replicate their fans’ emotions with lyrics representing feelings of loneliness, heartbreak or even moving on. One of the songs on the album describes a situation of divorce, an inside look on how it feels to watch parents grow apart. It seems the lyrics from “Broken Home” are ones fans relate to most, as divorce is very common in this generation.

Other tracks can create a more positive message or even hopeful meaning such as the lyrics of “Fly Away.” The song describes the feeling of wanting to have a new start, traveling to see new things and leaving a small town.

Before the Australians, known as 5SOS,  released their first album in 2014 and even before they opened for One Direction on both the “Take Me Home” and “Where We Are” tours, the band was inspired by Alex Gaskarth, the lead singer of yet another pop-punk band, All Time Low.

All Time Low’s most recent album “Future Hearts,” released April 3, 2015,  goes along with the same vibe as “Sounds Good Feels Good,” which sets reflections of teens and their hardships. With singles like “Something’s Gotta Give” and “Kids in the Dark,” the band accomplished yet another perfect album.

With previous albums such as “Put Up or Shut Up” released July 25, 2006 and “So Wrong it’s Right” released September 25, 2007, All Time Low fans have yet to be disappointed.

The only change seems to be that the band has toned down their sound, as if leaning towards pop rather than pop-punk. Tracks, such as “Runaways” and “Cinderblock Garden” on the album “Future Hearts,” are not as heavy as tracks off the “Don’t Panic” album released in 2012. Songs off the album “Don’t Panic,” such as  “So Long Soldier” and “Choking on a Lifesaver,” show the difference in the directions the band has taken and the sound they are going for now.  As of now, All Time Low has possibly even matched sounds with 5SOS; however, the energy is still there, along with Gaskarth’s meaningful lyrics.

All Time Low has also kicked off a tour with Sleeping With Sirens and Neck Deep, which is a tour sure to bring in thousands of fans for the talent each band brings along. Both Sleeping with Sirens and Neck Deep have had successful album releases as well. Sleeping with Sirens released “Madness” March 17, 2015, and Neck Deep released “Life’s Not Out to Get You” on Aug. 14, 2015.

The tour is called “Back to the Future Hearts,” and while 5 Seconds of Summer has also announced their tour “Sounds Live Feels Live,” teens are struggling to find quick ways to earn money for tickets.

Editorials

Blocking Spotify unfair to students

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By Maeonne Phillips

Many apps are blocked on the school wifi, but some can seem useless to be banned at all.

Apps like Instagram, Tumblr and sometimes Snapchat can pose a threat to some students. Cyberbullying can take place with pictures being posted, or students can come across inappropriate content.

These apps are labelled as “adult” leaving an understandable reason for the banning. Most students will complain it is still unfair and that most use it responsibly, but the reasoning behind banning them is somewhat obvious.

Even though these apps are blocked , it does not stop students from using them. Most will just turn on their data to use them briefly.

However, there is one app blocked on school wifi that does not seem to pose a threat at all which is Spotify.

Spotify is a music app in which students download as much music as they want and listen to it on shuffle with occasional ads. The only social media aspect of the app is the opportunity to share music through it by direct messaging or create playlists for others to view.

Most students are not able to listen to their music on the app unless they turn their data on, but the blocking of the app is not reliable for other reasons as well.

Spotify gives buyers the opportunity to upgrade to a premium account. When purchased, the user can listen to any given song at any given time, without the interruption of ads, for a month. In addition, they can listen on or offline.

Students who pay for the monthly subscription can easily listen to the app as much as they want without using up their data by simply turning off their wifi.

With the Spotify app being so popular, it is unfair that some students can get around it while others can not.

Not everyone has the money to pay for a monthly subscription, preventing students to listen to their music unless they pay for the app like other students do.

Completely blocking an app from a student is simply impossible. The attempt helps and definitely reduces the use, but the blocking of apps used for things such as music is not beneficial as Spotify use does not cause harm to students.

If the reason for the ban is to reduce risk of students losing focus, the ban is not successful either. Most students will find other apps, listen to what they have purchased on iTunes or even use YouTube to listen to music.

The ban of Spotify by the school is not reliable and unfair to most students.

News

Speech & Debate team hosts and competes in tournament

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By Sophia Boris

The high school Speech and Debate team began their year on a good note.

There are weekly tournaments held at different schools, including the high school, Kimpton and Lakeview. This past weekend students participated in a tournament at the high school.

Perry High School placed first overall for the tournament. Stow ended up placing 3rd overall.

Coach of the Speech and Debate team Sue Theisen said, “Overall the results were very [good].” 

“Stow did really well, I am proud of my entire team,” sophomore Sarah Laubaugh said.

Teams are not just judged as a team but also by individual and team performances. There are multiple categories in which one can choose to compete. For example, one category one can choose from is argumentative. Every category has a winner.

The team had a very successful weekend in these individual and team performances. Seniors Matt McCombs and Cam Stebbins placed 3rd in duo, and juniors Savannah Novak and Elizabeth Angeletti placed 5th in duo. Along with these performances, seniors Madison Light and Samantha Wilcox placed 2nd in duo. Lastly, junior Chloe Holm topped it off by placing 1st in poetry.

With the Speech and Debate team having a triumphant weekend, Theisen looks to have further success this year.

Theisen said, “Each week the teams getting better.”

These weekly tournaments are preparing the team for districts and states later this season.

There was a huge turnout for this event. There were 663 people at this event and 179 adult judges.

Theisen said, “We could not have done all of this without the help of our parent boosters who fed everyone, the wonderful administration who lets us use the schools for these events and special thanks to the TWE who stayed all day and helped with electrical issues.”

         The Speech and Debate team does not only work together in school, but they act as one unit. They are like a family.

         Sophomore Annemarie McCombs said, “Ms. Theisen is the light of my world and the love of my life.”

        The SMFHS speech and debate team strives to continue their season on a good note.