Month: September 2016
Constant Construction Continues
Story by Caleb Albert
Growing up in Southern Indiana, JHS students have grown accustomed to construction: the roundabouts on 10th Street, the growth of the River Ridge area and plans for the new bridges have all taken place within the last half-decade.
But renovation is not just held to community members around Jeffersonville — students in the high school are now feeling the squeeze.
Just this past year, JHS students have seen a renovation to Johnson Arena, the addition of the WJHI radio/TV room, and an update to the swimming pool, all of which have taken place on one side of the same hallway. The entire other side of the hallway, though, has remained untouched.
However, all of that is about to change.
On the other side of JHS Main Street is the auditorium, which currently seats 900 people. The limited seating has been a problem for the ever-growing theater, choir, and band programs, which have been honored on a state, national and international level.
During the winter season each year, the combined choir and band “Winter Fantasy” concert series sees sold-out shows, with the groups performing as many as two times each day, for an entire school week. The music department anticipates the tradition to continue this year as well.
A newly renovated auditorium is anticipated to bring in more students that want to be involved in performing arts.
Austin Smith, a freshman in chamber choir, said, “the renovated auditorium will bring new life to all of the performing arts. People like new things, so there will probably be more people getting involved in the performing arts soon.”
The band program, specifically, is hopeful for the renovation, because it will add benefits, without any trade offs.
“They’re not doing anything to the acoustics, and it’ll be more pleasing to people who come in,” senior Josh McCorkle said.
Also, along with the update to the seat capacity, the seats themselves will be updated, a change that pleases senior band member Andrew Gustafson
“We also won’t have all the squeaking when people stand up,” Gustafson said. Currently, any movement in the seats leads to squeaking, which creates a distraction for choir, band, and theater members performing.
Although there are so many people being exposed to the culture and expression of Jeff’s artistry, and creating an appreciation for all of the school’s programs, the limited seating and overall environment of the current auditorium distracts audience members from experiencing the full potential of students.
The renovation is expected to be completed later this school year, before Jeff’s Spring performances.
SPEAKING YOUR MIND
Josh Waddell giving a speech in the media center. Photo by Sam Gatewood
“Speech has helped me increase my confidence.”
Like any other high school student, founding Speech and Debate member, and Jeffersonville High School senior, Josh Waddell was insecure about aspects of his life that were out of his control.
He was concerned with other people perceived him, especially when he spoke. But speech gave him an outlet to better himself and his confidence.
“Speech has been able to increase my articulation. It helps me discuss my political opinions in a more intellectual way that I couldn’t before,” Waddell said. “As someone who is active in the political sphere, it’s something that I would not be able to survive without.”
But even earlier in his life, Waddell found comfort and ease in expressing his political opinions, something necessary for his future employment. When the opportunity to put this passion into a speech and debate team at Jeff High, he jumped at the chance.
Three years later, he holds countless awards and titles — all thanks to Speech and Debate Club.
“I will be applying for many different speech scholarships. It has gotten me in involved with a lot of different awards that I can get and I’ve won an entire wall of trophies from many different events,” Waddell said. “But I also think past getting cheap, plastic metals and getting a hundred dollars towards college. I’ve gotten a lot of relationships that I wouldn’t have otherwise; people from different schools, different backgrounds and different walks of life.”
The speech team gives speeches around the Jeffersonville area, including the Rotary Club, the Republican Women’s Club and the Optimist Club.
The league is jointly run by Mr. Rick Condon, and Rachel Jacobs, a political campaign manager. Condon, who is a permanent JHS sub, helps the team with freelance things, while Jacobs helps the team find tournaments all around Indiana. This year, speech is expanding their horizons and moving into the territory of slam poetry and dramatic interpretations.
Waddell also believes that speech is a valuable life skill that brings people together. He believes that no matter what students decide to do in life, speech will enhance whatever job they choose to do.
Waddell encourages anyone who is interested in the club to join. Meetings are on Thursdays from 2:30-4 p.m. in the Media Center.
Blue Lives Matter
story by Jay Williams
The idea that “Black Lives Matter” is a completely valid statement. Every life matters.
As someone who supports the police and condemns the wrongdoings toward them, I’m extremely perturbed by those who cause these wrongdoings. I can appreciate someone who yearns for equality amongst other races. I support Black Lives Matter. I support the movement that says, “my life matters too,” rather than the movement that says, “my life matters more than yours.”
Black Lives Matter, in my opinion, should stand for equality. The movement should be a matter of saying that black lives matter just as much as any other life. Sometimes, even I could see how a black man would fear going out; how being in the presence of a police officer could be a fearful moment for a person of color.
But when people who hate police, and hate the wrongdoings towards black people, choose to take to violence to get revenge or payback — that is when my support for the movement terminates.
I’m a Blue Lives Matter supporter because, more often than not, the typical police officer is an honorable person. Most police are good police. However it is that one officer that makes a mistake that alters the view of every police officer. I know many police officers personally and have yet to meet one that isn’t a class act.
Most recently, the events in Dallas shed a whole new light on the Blue Lives Matter statement. Officers Thompson, Zamarripa, Krol, Ahrens and Smith lost their lives on that terrible night — men who everyone revered as a professional and good people.
It isn’t fair. It is not fair to those families affected. Every life, of every race, should be valued. Discrimination is not the face of this country.
At the end of the day, police have no reason to blindly take the life of someone who doesn’t pose a serious threat, regardless of color or creed. However, fighting back and causing more violence is no way to end it.
Using violence to promote peace is the absolute least effective way to go about this issue. Black Lives Matter has shifted to a group who tolerates violence, and has caused the need for extra support for police.
As a country, America can not tolerate injustices being done to those who sacrifice so much for our safety.
Black Lives Matter
story by Jalin Ernest
Many people would say that the Black Lives Matter movement is outrageous, or a misrepresentation of what America is all about. While I understand that there are a lot of black-on-black crimes (and that has to stop), but cops killing innocent people is not okay either.
I understand situations involving a person with a weapon that could potentially harm an officer are some of the most difficult ones, but aren’t police officers taught to defend themselves in all situations? If it is a knife, doesn’t a taser work just as well? If it is a gun, maybe police can shoot and hit them in a place to disarm the suspect?
My point is there are other options, and don’t always have to end in death.
Yes, some officers have to make decisions within a certain time frame that can be as small as a second, but the excessive shooting of an unarmed man, especially those of color, and not calling for help is completely sickening. People lose their lives everyday from various crimes, but there is no need for a police officers to continue to take the lives of an innocent, unarmed African American.
Police officers are meant to keep the peace, not disturb the peace. Now with this said, not all police officers are bad, and not all are taking lives. To those of you that do not do these horrendous acts, thank you for doing your job the right way.
A huge misunderstanding in the Black Lives Matter movement is those thinking I am saying that it’s just black lives that matter. It’s not because, truly, all lives matter. However it’s becoming more and more common that it is a black man, or woman, getting killed for “allegedly” being combative.
Some people do not know what the meaning of “Black Lives Matters” really is. It is meant to represent the African Americans being killed without any guns, knives, or any other weapons that could possibly hurt the officers.
It is not a movement of African Americans being racist by saying that the lives of white, Mexican, or other races do not matter. It is saying that Americans don’t see anything being done when it comes to a police officer killing an unarmed African American, and we are tired of it.
But blind eyes continue to be turned. For example, in February of 2016, 22 African Americans were killed by the police nationwide — with 41-percent being unarmed. This means every 32 hours of a month, an African American is killed, and nearly half of them are unarmed.
We want to see some kind of consequence given to the officer, or officers, that took place in the crime, because last time I checked, murder is still a crime.
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