News

HAPPY’s annual Kindness Week – Monday & Tuesday

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April 27 through May 1 is Kindness Week sponsored by HAPPY at the high school this year. The students and staff are celebrating in many different ways, including yoga and therapy dogs.

On Mon., April 27, there was yoga in the library during periods one through four. Mrs. Macali, a retired teacher from the high school, came and showed students the basics of yoga. Macali went through many different poses and exercises commonly performed in yoga, including the warrior pose and downward dog.

Overall, the morning yoga went well. This was the first year of yoga during Kindness Week, and the high school will now have yoga available every Kindness Week from here-on out. Next year, there is even the chance of the yoga going on all day instead of just in the morning because of the positive feedback.

“Mrs. Macali is awesome,” Sally Dean, the staff member in charge of Kindness Week this year, said.

Also on Monday, the high school hosted therapy dogs in the morning during periods five through nine. All the dogs are certified through a group called Therapy Dog International, and all the handlers who brought them in are volunteers. The woman who brought the dogs in, Ruth Drew, is a retired Stow teacher.

This is the second year in a row where the therapy dogs have graced the high school with their presence, and it was a hit yet again. Students have responded well to the therapy dogs and there was an overwhelming amount of happiness in the library that day.

“Later in the day [after the therapy dogs left], the kids were still smiling and happy,” Dean said.

On Tuesday, April 28, students of the high school wore blue. Blue is the color that symbolizes anti-bullying, and the students wanted to show their support. There was not a big activity scheduled for Tuesday because of the ACT tests and practice tests students were required to take this day.

Numerous students wore blue on Tuesday to show they care about bullying, and they know it is wrong. Bullying is a huge problem that students should not have to worry about. Wearing blue signified that bullying should be stopped, and kindness should be shown.

Many students participated in the multitude of activities available to them and kindness was spread throughout the halls of the high school.

World Headlines

Beautiful vacation destinations destroyed by litter

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The world is full of beautiful places where tourists flock to. Due to this exces- sive tourism in these locations, such as the Maldives, have been defaced with trash left behind.

According to Sophia Forbes of Yahoo Travel, seven billion people that produce 1.7 billion tons of trash each year inhabit Earth. These statistics are only going to go up as 100,000 people are born each day. By the year of 2025, the amount of waste produced annually will exceed 2.2 billion tons.

This alarming amount of trash is not always properly disposed, resulting in a build up of unwanted trash. Waste is starting to infiltrate glorious getaway spots and destroying their beauty.

According to Sophia Forbes of Yahoo Travel, “More than 750,000 people head to the Maldives every year bringing an influx in waste with them.”

Tourism is the main cause of the destruction of significant historical and beautiful destinations.

“Waste buildup around the world is disgusting and is a major cause for the destruction of major destination spots. Something needs to be done or the world will have no tourist spots left,” senior Aaron Gates said.

Beautiful places have been destroyed by trash build up. In 1992, the government allocated an island in the Maldives, Thilafushi.

According Sophia Forbes of Yahoo travel, Thilafushi was used from 1992-2011 as a dump for all of the countries waste. “The Rubbish Island” used to be a beautiful lagoon

with coral reefs and crystal clear waters. Now, it is a toxic dump containing more than 124 acres of trash trans- ported and burned daily.

“I think it’s horrible that a beautiful place like this island was used as a dump for so long. The island won’t recover from constant dumping and won’t return to it’s previous state of beauty,” freshman Lauren Vandenbush said.

The island became a major bio-hazard as toxic waste and smoke filled the air. Dumping on the island stopped in 2011 after ships began dumping waste into the ocean.

Thilafushi is just one example of how trash buildup across the world has ruined beautiful places. Surprisingly, Mount Everest has become a trash heap as well. Each year, roughly 300 people attempt to scale Mount Everest. Over the years climbers have left a trail of waste leading to the mountain being called, “the world’s highest junkyard.”

Climbers of Mount Everest have left behind equipment, tents, plastic bottles, clothes and a disgusting amount of human feces in base camps and climbing routes. The toxins on the mountain threaten the ecosystem and surrounding areas, which could spread disease to local communities living by the mountain.

Trash buildup across the world is a major problem and threatens the lives of many.

World Headlines

Russian hackers invade government cyber security

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A breach in cyber security at the White House has led to potentially classified information being attained by foreign hackers.

According to Polly Mosendez, a writer for newsweek.com, Russian hackers were successful

in their attempts to break into White House computer systems where they gained access to supposedly secret information, such as real-time details of President Obama’s schedule. While this information may not be considered “classified,” the breach is a symbol of the capabilities foreign intelligence agencies have to reach government information.

U.S. intelligence agencies, the FBI and the Secret Service are all in the works of investigating the mis- hap in computer security at the White House.

Newsweek.com reports the contents of any other information received by the Russian hackers has yet to be announced, though it appears none should be considered classified but rather just “sensitive” information.

In 2014, Russian spies were successful in complete- ly hacking into the unclassified emails of the State Department, known as the “worst ever” attack on a U.S. federal agency, according to CNN reporter Evan Perez. These attacks are believed to correlate with the recent hacks on the White House as the Russian hackers are thought to have gained access to the White House computer information through the State Department.

Though no classified information was stolen, the United States is on high alert with all information and how it is distributed. Anything labeled as classified can only be passed on through one email address and one phone number. CNN also says all information is being treated as though it could compromise major White House networks.

President Obama has made strides to strengthen cy- ber security in recent months, including national data breach reporting, where companies are to inform their customers when their company has been intruded by Hackers. An extension towards the budget of cyber security is also planned to be extended.

No harm was done by the recent cyber attacks from Russia, but the hacks leave Americans questioning whether government officials are doing enough to protect vital information and keep it out of foreign intelligence hands.

Sports

Track team’s expectations grow as new season sprouts

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The captains for the girls track team are sprinters, Sam Shaver and Tiffany Pryce, thrower Abbey Dunn and distance runner Caitlin Helfeldt.

The captains for the boys track team this year are sprinters, Ryan Bogucki, Schuyler Morris and Tj Lawson and distance runners Ian Mcvey and Alex Young.

“I think the boys are going to do great this year, and we have hurdlers who are going to do damage,” sopho- more Logan Morris said.

Last year’s boys track team went to NOC’s but did not win due of lack of points. The girls on the other hand won NOC’s.

The boys Nationals winners for 2014 were Tj LAwson, Nate Moore and Aaron Bogucki. The girls National win- ners were Kelsey Fobean, Emily Watts, Ashley Pryce, Jessie Stout, Sam Shaver, Tiffany Pryce and Kayla Thompson.

“Nationals were great even though I did not come in first, to be able to experience Nationals and represent my team was great,” Moore said.

“This year is going to be a great season. I have some very talented runners who are dedicated to their event,” coach Aaron Morris said.

Last year, the girls won NOC’s, but the boys lost due to lack of players.

“This year is my first year doing track but hopefully it goes well. The events I will be a part of are discus and shot-put,” junior Cynthia Johnson-Smith said.

Besides the freshmen, there are a lot of stars in the junior class like Jason Gobble, Damon Jones, Cynthia Johnson-Smith and senior Shelby Brown.

“I think the boys are going to do well this year because we have a lot of sprinters and great hurdles,” Morris said.

Last year, the boys only had four hurdlers, and this year they have eight.

“I think track is going to go well this year because of all the talent,” junior Ashley Tubergan said.

The girls are looking this year to finish out the last year of the conference with their last and sixth NOC title.

The boys are looking to win a title this year: they have not won NOC’s for three years and would like to win one since it is their last year in the North Eastern Ohio Conference.

This year will be the last year for Stow being a part of NOC. Next year they will join the Suburban League.

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