Author: jhshyphen
The Last Word: May is Mental Health Month
Editor’s Note: Journalism I students who have published on the Hyphen website this school year were given the opportunity to write and publish a final message to readers on a topic and with a style of their choice.
by Daysha Gray
We are not failures. We are not unintelligent. We are not a disappointment. We are strong people.
We are all loved. If it’s not by that certain someone we truly need to be loved by, it’s someone else in our lives.
This month is dedicated to those of us who face various mental health challenges. Whether it’s PTSD, anxiety, depression, BPD, eating disorders, or other conditions, this month is for everyone navigating these struggles.
It is hard to deal with something that just brings our happiness down. This feeling just sticks with us and is planted in our brains. It causes our energy levels to drop and makes us unmotivated.
People suggest that therapy helps, but sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes absolutely nothing helps, but we can’t give up now. There is a long life ahead, full of greatness.
For anyone who might be feeling ready to give up everything, don’t. If love feels absent and the world seems harsh, remember that there is faith in those enduring these struggles. Though I’m just a stranger, I understand that facing such challenges can be tough.
As a person facing these struggles, this is to all JHS students grappling with these feelings as well: there is no need to feel alone. Even in moments of feeling unseen or unloved, this message stands strong: greatness resides within. Anything is achievable with determination. Keep moving forward.
Column: Bleak generative AI cannot replace genuine handmade media
by Sam Ottinger
AI has had an ever increasing prevalence since OpenAI’s introduction of DALL-E in January of 2021, and ChatGPT in November of 2022. It has been a popular addition to company websites, search engines, and social media platforms.
The presence of artificial intelligence is nothing new, for Tik Toks “For You” page is able to be what it is due to the use of AI to personalize recommendations for each user. This is similar to X, formally known as Twitter, that also uses this same type of algorithm-based timeline, starting all the way back in 2016.
Yet the current use of generative AI, now not just relying on analyzing existing data, but instead using this data to “create” text or images, is more invasive than it has ever been.
It’s hard to go onto any major platform without running into generative AI being implemented within it. Search engines like Google have Gemini, website creators like Squarespace have Squarespace AI, and social media companies like Meta have Meta AI.
Many of these inclusions come with a lesser known contract to those that use it. For some companies, this use of AI features gives them permission to use the users data to train their AI models.
Even those that don’t use these tools, or specifically opt out of this use, can still have their work used against their will.
This has been a major problem for many creatives, especially with the presence of popular generative AI websites like DALL-E 2, Midjourney, Craiyon, and recently ChatGPT. Each using datasets, often scrapping images and artworks from artists and photographers all over the internet, in order to produce images that try to replicate their human creation.
Generative AI isn’t just used by a subset of individuals; it’s also found its home through different social media trends.
Some have participated in generating turnarounds from an image, also known as the microwave trend, while others have used it to turn themselves into dolls, mimicking the style and packaging of Barbies or classic action figures. Yet most recently there has been a trend of turning images into the style of Studio Ghibli, using ChatGPT.
This latest trend has caused the most controversy. Hayao Miyazaki, a co-founder of the aforementioned studio, has been outspoken of his dislike of AI since all the way back in 2016. In a documentary called “Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki,” he comments on an AI-generated demo shown to him, stating that AI’s use is “an insult to life itself.”
This dislike of the technology producing these images has caused many Ghibli fans to be concerned about the disrespect of using AI to copy the hand drawn and intricate style of the real Studio Ghibli – only producing a cheap soulless copy.
The hate on generative AI isn’t only for the stealing from others’ works; it’s also the way its presence has been used to put down the creatives that made it. Many who swear by AI-generated images boast about the quick generating speeds and how it puts out near “perfect” products in that shorter time frame, ignoring the true meaning of creating something through your own living hands.
Without genuine human creation in the world, there would be no data for these AI models to rely on, showing the hypocrisy of this belief that generative AI will somehow ever replace the value in handmade media.
Review: The Doors’ debut album achieves perfection from top to bottom
by Tyler Conley
Before the release of the first album, way before the legacy and creation that The Doors became, no one, not even the band themselves, would realize the lasting impact they would have on the music industry and rock and roll as we know it today.
The Doors first got their kicks of being a band in 1965, playing small venues, with nervous frontman Jim Morrison turning his back on the audience as he sang to avoid stage fright. Also included were Ray Manzarek at the helm of keyboard bass and organ, Robby Krieger laying down chords and bluesy solos, and John Densmore putting down rhythms unmatched and unheard of at the time. This lineup would stick together until the eventual breakup of the band.
When 1967 struck, it was time to record the first record. For 10 thousand dollars a 4- track recorder was purchased. With the help of Paul A. Rothchild, the band began their sessions for their self-titled debut. Rehearsal outtakes were recorded of songs that would appear on later records, but the first actual songs recorded were “I Looked at You” and “Take It as It Comes.”
With the combined power and input of all band members, the band completed recording. “Light My Fire” became an instant success, reaching #1 on Billboard charts, along with “Break on Through (To the Other Side.)” At the time The Doors arrived, rock was in absolute infancy, especially when compared to today’s standards for what “rock” is. With a mixture of blues, soul, rock, and everything in between, this album is a gem for anyone a fan of those genres.
Morrison’s lyricism is a big factor in what makes the music magical. His outlook on life, his expressions of feelings and ideas are perfect. The final song on the record, an 11-minute epic, details fighting past trauma and getting over the past. Most of the love songs the Doors would write on this record and many more are about Morrison’s longtime girlfriend, Pamela.
Over Morrison’s life, controversy has played a big part in how people perceive him. People label the singer as a drunk, and stupid. But behind those bad, vulnerable moments is a person who was caring and compassionate. Back in the 60s, mental help wasn’t as easily accessible as it is now.
This album changed my life when I first heard it. The beautifulness of “The Crystal Ship” And “End of The Night,” and the killer tunes of “Break on through (To the Other Side)” and “Twentieth Century Fox.” These songs, and much more, make up one of the best debut albums of all time.
And if that alone isn’t enough to pique your interest, artists like Jay-Z and Lauryn Hill have sampled The Doors’ music in their works. The Doors are respected by every genre, and heavily influential.
The Doors are engraved into the heart of rock and roll, and the music industry as a whole. Jim Morrison, and all members respectively, are like cosmic brothers, and their music is there for the listener whenever they need it. When people are strange, music will always be waiting with open arms, and this album is no exception. Top to bottom, perfection.
Column: Hateful rhetoric paints immigrants in an unfair light
by Ifrah Daber
In the past few months, anyone who is paying attention to the news has seen how the conversation surrounding undocumented immigrants has been stealing headlines. Sadly, these discussions have been another example of loud misinformed hate-filled rhetoric from people who attempt to paint a group of individuals as the main problem with America.
Immigration, even when done through the legal process, has always been a hot-button issue. Still, with mass deportations and debate as to whether undocumented immigrants should be afforded the same rights as “real” Americans, the quiet part that racist people have been screaming about for years is finally out in the open:
“You aren’t a person unless you look and act like me.”
People might call me dramatic, but this has been how America has set up its immigration policy for decades now. The Immigration Act of 1924 was an immigration plan that set quotas and heavily restricted immigration from Asia and certain European areas. Why was this? A fear of change, and a fear of those who are different steers this mentality of sweeping racist ideology.
And this hasn’t changed, it’s simply been repackaged. An immigration policy in 2017 that is commonly referred to as the “Muslim ban” made it so that countries that were majority could not travel to America. But it has been repurposed again in the current Trump Administration with a colored tier list for which countries can and cannot travel to America.
Those who have seen the list will note just how strict the travel ban is – and that the majority are from Muslim countries. These restrictions that feed the mentality of danger that those from these countries are inherently more harmful than others are insulting.
Many claim other reasons for why they think undocumented immigrants, or just high immigration in general, is harmful to America. Immigrant restrictionists claim that undocumented immigrants are a drain on the economy, but this is simply an unfounded belief.
The American Immigration Council found that undocumented immigrants paid around 90 billion dollars in taxes. The research found by Congress in “Effects of Immigration on the Economy” from 2024 shows that in the long term, immigrants help the workforce and lead to innovation. The Council of Foreign Relations even found that the “nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that increased immigration could reduce the U.S. federal budget deficit by some $897 billion over the next decade.”
So those who claim that immigrants are a detriment to the U.S. economy simply do not actually understand the immense benefits that immigrants bring by boosting the economy and doing their part for society just like anyone else.
The other main argument against undocumented immigrants is that they are criminals and are coming here illegally. That statement in itself is incorrect.
Entering the country without proper documentation is not a crime. It is a civil violation, so immigrants are not “illegal.” Some may call that semantics, but if you are stopped for speeding, you would probably care to know that it’s not a criminal charge.
This second idea that all or most undocumented immigrants are criminals is a fear-mongering tactic that people are falling for and have been for centuries.
The American Immigration Council used data from the FBI and the U.S. Census Bureau and did not find any correlation between higher levels of immigration and an increase in crime levels. In addition, the National Institute of Justice presented a study that argued that undocumented immigrants are less likely to commit crimes when compared to native-born citizens, or citizens born in America.
So where did the idea that immigrants were violent or dangerous come from? Well, there are multiple factors, but in the end, it all boils down to two things: racism and the logical fallacy of hasty generalizations.
Society sees one person of color or undocumented committing a crime and they believe that somehow is a representation of all undocumented immigrants. However, this is partly the fault of the media and the way that immigrants and people of color are portrayed. Often when a person of color commits a crime, the first thing in the headlines is their race. Crimes are a reflection of the person, and yet people expect their whole race and demographic to pay the price for it.
The last ethical fallacy is the “breaking into my house” analogy, that those who enter America without the proper documentation are unwelcomed guests in their home, and that if they were to “break in” to another person’s country or home that they would have to leave.
Here’s why neither of these examples works. First, if you were to destroy someone’s home, and then they came to you asking for housing from the destruction you caused, I believe you would have a moral obligation to house them. That’s a more accurate description of the situation that America is in. America has taken resources from other countries for years and yet now acts shocked when these countries’ citizens are suffering and wish to leave.
The other issue with the comparison of “if I was just going to another country” is the same reason there is a difference between the man who steals to buy a new phone and the man who steals to feed his family and survive. If someone goes to another country just to have a fun vacation and overstays their visa or commits a horrible crime and they get deported, I’ll cry no tears. The problem is distinguishing who is here with good intentions and who is not. ICE and the whole Trump administration have shown time and time again that they aren’t taking the proper steps to give each immigrant the due process he or she deserves to hear each case out.
But why does this matter? Well, as I said at the beginning, if you have been paying attention to the news there is a clear rise of immigrant hate in America. This is happening for all the reasons I have stated, and it’s why people are cheering when people are being thrown in cages. It’s why people who have every legal right to be in America are treated like criminals, and it’s why people argue if undocumented immigrants deserve basic fundamental American rights – because all the issues I’ve described circle back to the dehumanization of immigrants.
For some invisible reason, many believe documented and undocumented immigrants do not deserve due process, a right that is guaranteed under the Constitution. Too many believe that young immigrant children do not deserve lawyers to defend themselves, and that they are guilty until proven innocent.
The direction that America is going to take is scary for anyone who chooses to care. Undocumented immigrants are not criminals – they are afforded all the same rights that any other person would receive. They are human, and that should be enough to make us feel horrible for what is happening. The fact they are human should be enough.
Column: Make Mother’s Day count with love and time
by Brian Juarez
As the second Sunday in May approaches, so does one of the most cherished holidays of the year: Mother’s Day. Set for May 11 in 2025, it’s a time to pause our busy lives and reflect on the women who raised us, guided us, and sacrificed for us in countless quiet ways.
Mother’s Day isn’t just about flowers, cards, or brunch reservations (although those are always appreciated). At its core, it’s about appreciation—real, deep, and personal. It’s about taking a step back and recognizing everything our mothers and mother-figures have done, often without thanks or fanfare. From sleepless nights to being our biggest cheerleaders, mothers show up in ways big and small every day.
This year, maybe it’s worth asking ourselves how we can make the day more meaningful. A phone call or a thoughtful letter might matter more than an expensive gift. Recreating a childhood memory, cooking her favorite meal, or simply spending time together without distraction can be just as powerful.
For those who no longer have their mothers with them, this day can carry a quieter, more emotional weight. Lighting a candle, sharing stories, or visiting a special place can be ways to honor their memory. Grief and gratitude often live side by side on Mother’s Day.
It’s easy to take for granted the steady love of a mother, but this day reminds us to hold it a little closer. No matter how old we get, there’s something grounding about a mother’s voice, her advice, or just her presence.
As the saying goes: “A mother is she who can take the place of all others, but whose place no one else can take.” – Cardinal Mermillod
Let’s make this Mother’s Day count—not just with gifts, but with genuine love and time.
Teens balance school work with their jobs
by Abbigail Hollins and William Hudgins
Teenagers today are stepping into the workforce earlier than ever, taking on part-time jobs in retail, food service, and internships. Many are driven by the desire to earn money for items like clothes, food, and saving for college. These jobs not only provide a paycheck but also valuable skills like teamwork and time management.
They juggle work with school and social life, and they learn important lessons about responsibility and independence that will shape their future.
“I manage school and a job mainly by focusing on getting all my schoolwork done in school. I try to never have homework and stay on top of all work,” said senior Elliot Buschman.
Parents observe their teens growing more responsible, encouraging their children to get a job.
“Teenagers should get jobs to learn responsibility and to get them ready for the world after you are out of school,” said JHS parent Carl Divine.
As the summer approaches, many teens have begun seeking employment opportunities. The question they all find themselves asking is ¨Where should I apply?”.
“ Fast food restaurants, maybe some retail stores, depending on how old you are, like in Home Depot you have to be 18. But retail and fast food are probably in teenages workforce,” said Lead Business Academy Teacher Michael Pepa.
As they navigate the application process many face unexpected challenges due to lack of knowledge of how to set up a resume or find an application.
School counselor Shelby McCorkle said to find a business that is hiring and follow their application process.
Once hired, they quickly learn the importance of teamwork and communication.
“As soon as I got hired I learned that I must get along with my coworkers and respect them,” said freshman Kris Ortiz who works at Derby City Pizza.
When settled into their roles, the teens discover valuable lessons.
Buschman said having a job helps better the concept of time management.
“Getting a job helped me learn independence to hold myself accountable,” said freshman Brayden Maxie who works at Dominos.
Workers are usually expected to bring fresh energy to the team.
McCorkle said to always be confident in your skills and always be prepared for potential tasks.
People note possible challenges of scheduling multiple teenagers all at once.
McCorkle said a technique businesses use is making a calendar based on when people aren’t available then schedule students around those times. Businesses also have teenagers work on certain days, which makes it easier for teens to remember their schedule.
Peers such as teachers give advice to potential teenagers going into the workforce.
Math teacher Scott Lowe said the key to succeed in life is to always be on time, make decisions on your own, and do the right thing without being hounded.
Music calms students, teachers as they complete academic work
by Sophia Waldridge
In the world of music there are many different genres; many favor R&B or hip hop, while others strive to have the emotional connection with music that will make them relate to the artist, a song where they feel the lyrics on a whole new level.
English 9 teacher Eric Watson said music always resonates emotionally when it expresses situations the listener has been through, and a lot when it has an “inherently empathetic expression.”
Watson’s co-teacher, Michelle Houchin, agreed and said emotional music helps connect people and relate them to each other, it can help someone feel happy when they’re sad or they can express themselves through having a good cry over a breakup while listening to sad music.
“I listen to emotional music when I am upset. It helps me feel seen and I can have a personal concert and sing what I relate to the most. As an adult I think this music is more popular than before but it does help some people.”
Some students feel the benefits of this music, too. They just want to put their headphones in and relax at school, as not only adults have bad days and need an escape from reality with some jams.
Freshman Mahalia Smith said emotional music could help people realize what emotion they’re genuinely feeling if they’re confused.
“Sometimes being alone is all you need when you’re feeling down and music can always help,” she said. It can be a good distraction to just help people feel safe enough to let out a good cry or even a happy song that they can sing along to in private and make themselves feel better.
“Finding a song that you relate to by an artist you know is a very cathartic experience,” said Algebra Honors Teacher Cory Densford, He listens to music with emotion, but between happy or sad depending on his mood. If it’s been a bad day he uses happy music to turn his day around.
“The main thing I feel while listening to music I relate to is that it helps me feel like I’m not alone with my feelings, and I’m grateful I have an outlet for some of my negative emotions,” said Densford.
Freshman Gracie Harder thinks R&B music is more soothing and gives people the opportunity to have calm background music like slow blues or a good rhythm. She listens to hits in her free time when she needs to think or she’s doing homework.
“I listen to R&B mostly because it gives me a calming feeling and a quiet place to think when I’m stressed.”
Column: Reading is beneficial for the brain
by Daysha Gray
Hypothetically, open a book. Read a few sentences. Did it benefit the brain?
We all know that reading is good for people in general and helps us understand words and different scenarios, but how does it positively affect our brains?
Reading is the process of looking at written symbols and letters and understanding their meaning. It exposes us to new knowledge and vocabulary in our minds. It introduces us to a new world, sparking creativity and fostering cognitive thinking.
Taking out 15 minutes of the day to read at least 25 pages a day strengthens our brains and critical thinking skills. According to the Boston Children’s Hospital, reading can rewire the brain, create new neural networks, and strengthen the white matter in the corpus callosum, which enhances communication between the two brain hemispheres. This allows us to process information more efficiently, allowing us to learn faster.
Here are 5 tips for how we can better our reading:
Column: The solution to problematic people is for all of us to be kinder
by Breann Jackson
Problematic people are the most annoying people you will ever meet and hear from in this world.
What is a problematic person? According to the Dictionary, problematic is when someone is tending or likely to elicit objections or disapproval, or offensive. It can come from other people, for example, your friends, influencers, or a president. Being problematic is being a toxic person, especially when there are people out there who tell you that you are but you don’t care.
These people can be easily marked as the most common trait, negativity. But most of them don’t make it obvious. Of course, when you’re having a conversation with someone, you would want to make your first impression with positive vibes, but the more you build your relationship with the person, the more it starts to crumble.
Problematic people mostly come from being manipulative. They see the relationship we build with them as a waste of time, so they’ll just play a selfish action and start to use us. They are lying, feeling dry whenever they’re near, tricking our minds, and blaming us for things they did.
You may not have experienced this but you can see it through TV and movies and how it is portrayed through characters. For example, Angelica Charlotte from the cartoon show, “Rugrats.” She is a 3-year-old spoiled brat who’s rude to the main characters and manipulates them into bad behavior but acts like an angel in front of the adults. Edward Cullen, from the movie, “Twilight,” doesn’t take the main character’s feelings seriously or set boundaries.
Being problematic doesn’t have a specific place or time, it can happen whenever we go. If we’re going to work, school, a restaurant, or inside a store, someone could be seen as problematic by their actions. Since there are billions of people around the world, there is no chance that we will avoid these types of situations. But we can solve it.
How can we treat people better? We can try to be nicer and kinder. Being rude is going to cause more problems and make you similar to the person of this topic.
Hyphen Special State Championship Issue
This special issue tells the story of the championship season through the photographs of Hyphen photographers Madison Pritchard and Magdalene Conrad, and through the reporting of Hyphen basketball reporter Austin Bainbridge.
Printed copies are available at the front office and the athletic office of Jeff High from 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. — they are free.
Feel free to download the pdf free of charge as well from here to get the full color impact of this special issue.
Stay Tuned: Hyphen special championship issue coming next week
The Hyphen Staff will publish a 16-page special state championship issue next week. Printed copies will be available at JHS — more details soon — and the pdf will be posted here on the Hyphen website.
The special issue tells the story of the championship season through the photographs of Hyphen photographers Madison Pritchard and Magdalene Conrad, and through the reporting of Hyphen basketball reporter Austin Bainbridge.
More information coming soon, so watch this space. In the meantime, enjoy this brief preview of the cover, featuring a photo by senior Madison Pritchard and design work by JHS media arts students.
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