Speaking Out on “The Poet X”

By Lacy Blanton, Guest Journalist

Image: HarperCollins Publishers, 2023

“Even with the tambourine and festive singing, these days, church seems less party and more prison” is one of many quotes and themes from the ingenious book “The Poet X” that simply took my breath away through amazement. 

“The Poet X” is a 2018 young adult novel written by Harlem-based author and poet Elizabeth Acevedo, published by “HarperTeen”. 

The story follows fifteen-year-old Dominican girl Xiomara Batista living in the vibrant city of Harlem, New York. A land home to thousands of Afro-Latino identities, and its culturally rich street life that her overprotective Mamí shields her from. Xiomara (who also goes by “Xio” or “X”) hides the beautiful talent of her writing in a notebook. In it, she lyrically pours out her thoughts and documents the struggles in her daily life. These struggles include frequent sexual harassment from men, questioning the authenticity of her birth-religion and Mamí making that freedom of choice difficult for her, and her confused feelings after a blossoming crush on a boy at her school. X discovers and is captured by the Black-based culture of slam poetry, which she begins to explore within her notebook. Living in a world where people try to keep her silent, X learns the power of her poetic words and fights for them to be heard. 

A feature that makes this novel compelling is how it is written from an in-verse perspective. Each chapter is reminiscent of a page from a notebook, and almost every chapter is a poem that documents X’s life. Each poem or “entry” has a style that is easy-to-follow. They’re typically short but powerfully clever nonetheless. (A huge plus for those who struggle paying attention when reading.) Other details are that each chapter is dated to a month and a day of the week. All of this helps create an atmosphere that you’re truly immersed into X’s world, that you really are reading the notebook of an impressionable but talented teenager. And with that, rooting for the main character feels essential. The shockingly realistic plot and brutal honesty is also an immense factor to the novel’s merit. The summary given above are just several of the many heavy topics that the story tackles, but all are dealt with in a respectful and believable fashion. The novel is loaded with memorable quotes that’ll make readers’ fingers snap and go “mmm” with their mouths, most likely linked to the straightforwardness. As X and her family are Latinx, there are several chapters or phrases completely written in Spanish. Additionally helping the novel contain a piece of realism and have the readers feel even more immersed in the protagonist’s culture. Above else, the message of speaking out was the true shining star. Acevedo didn’t just write this book, she made this with true love and passionate words. 

I, like many reviewers that have marveled over this book, are touched by this story. X’s passions, struggles, and life holds a mirror to mine. Not only as a person of color, high schooler, and twin, but also as a writer and poet wishing for my work to be heard. 

Since its release, many schools across the US have outright banned the book for its inclusive themes of sexuality in adolescence, and claims of it being ‘anti-religious’ and having ‘alternative beliefs’. What these schools fail to realize is that “The Poet X” was not written for controversy, spectacle, or shock. It is a daring book that tells the real lives and situations of numerous individuals. From a current teenager’s coming-of-age to a grown adult who had similar experiences to X’s growing up. Acevedo’s central message about the power of voice alongside the art that is slam poetry within this story is a message for all to hear. It is absolutely going to save and inspire many.

TOP 5 SHOWS THAT YOU SHOULD WATCH

By Luke Whobrey

1 – Breaking Bad

Though often heralded as an oft crime thriller, “Breaking Bad” has had a resurgence in popularity with the release of a spinoff, “Better Call Saul” (an equally nefarious-themed acquaintance), as well as a variety of internet memes chronicling its main character, Walter White’s mouth-agape expression in response to a tragedy. The show, focusing on themes of disparity as well as chronicled events of impending doom, present a narrative meant to show that while action is a gripping feature, there is more to be presumed within what we perceive as “Illegal.”

2 – The Sopranos

A crime drama starring New Jersey’s finest James Gandolfini, the “Sopranos” focuses on an Italian-American mobster who attempts to reconcile his family life with his infidelities as well as the numerous amounts of punches, gunshots, and kicks he has to throw to get people his way. Running for seven seasons, David Chase presents a narrative acquainted with that of oldie-goldies in cinema, reminiscent of “The Godfather”, “Goodfellas”, and “The Untouchables”. 

3 – The Walking Dead

A post-apocalyptic horror show with elements of the Western genre, especially that of Spaghetti Western, “The Walking Dead” chronicles in its first few seasons the life of a certain Rick Grimes, a police officer who awakens in a hospital after having been shot by a criminal. While asleep, the world around him collapsed to hordes of flesh-eating monsters that the characters in the show refer to as “walkers.” Delivering horror with a slice of standoff, “The Walking Dead” provides enough entertainment in both its catalogue of weapons as well as its production of acquired nuances, a feat seldom accomplished in mainstream media.

4 – The Last of Us

Despite only recently coming out and having four episodes total as of writing this, “The Last of Us”, like “The Walking Dead”, focuses through both flashbacks and interactions on a world destroyed by both firebombing from a desperate military as well as the undead who brought it upon themselves. The show echoes themes of affection and bewildered morality, as well as the unfortunate alliances and sacrifices needed to be made to fight against a foe, in this case one mutated with a large appetite for brains. 

5 – Futurama

While a wild suggestion with its two-dimensional landscape compared to the previous shows, “Futurama” serves as one of “The Simpsons” creator Matt Groening’s finest works, coming elements of comedy with surrealism, non-sequiturs, and futuristic vendettas, all held together by a stream-of-consciousness format explored in the character of Philip Fry, a despondent salesman who finds himself sent 1,000 years into the future in cryostasis. 

Stranger Things Season 4 – Review

Project | Stranger Things, Season 4 - Rodeo FX

Written By: Samuel Broady

The popular Netflix original series known as “Stranger Things” fully released its fourth and latest season last July and fans all over the world are still talking about it. Everybody loves a great sci-fi horror story about a group of kids stopping supernatural forces; and, personally, I believe that the show deserves all the views and love it has received. Of course, the newest season isn’t without its flaws, but it did revive the show and there’s a lot of reasons for that.

The main improvement with the fourth season is that the original elements of mystery and horror have returned. It’s safe to say that a mysterious story is all about revealing one piece of information after another, until each piece fits together perfectly to reveal the whole story. On a horror basis, this season really cranks it up. It embraces the Stephen King vibes and it increases the brutality. With the introduction of the villain Vecna, it’s a refreshing take on the genres that made the show magic in the first place.

Another thing that has always driven this show is the characters. Eleven is always interesting; Hopper remains a strong fighter; Steve’s development is amazing; and Eddie is amusing. However, in Season 4, Max has the best arc. She blocks out her friends because of her depression and trauma. But when she’s faced with the risk of death, she uses her happy memories to escape the darkness. What seemed like an apathetic lifestyle turned into an instinctive embracing of friendship and life. As a social commentary, I believe that her struggle is the best aspect in the new season.

There are a lot of other positive aspects in this season. The emotions are all over the place. Building off of our attachment to the characters, there are several heartbreaking scenes.

Additionally, the scope of the story is huge, the production design is off the charts, the filming locations are stunning, the special effects look convincing, the cinematography is showcased in spectacular use of dramatically colored lighting, the action doesn’t fail to entertain, and the performances rock. Sadie Sink (Max) and Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven) especially shine in this season. Finally, the music is awesome. The biggest example is “Running Up That Hill”, a song from the 1980s by Kate Bush, which topped the charts on Spotify this year after its revival on the show.

There are negative aspects, unfortunately. The biggest issue is how overstuffed the episodes are. Too much happening can make one get lost and some subplots are more engaging than others. They should remove characters because some have no need in the show anymore. Also, the amount of plot armor and untied loose ends is somewhat underwhelming.

Needless to say, “Stranger Things” Season 4 improves on a lot of things. It’s not perfect, but it certainly proves the possibility for blockbuster television. All we can do now is wait for Season 5 and hope it’s even better because the future looks bright. According to the Duffer Brothers, we’re headed into a time jump that will only take place in Hawkins with no new characters. And that sure sounds promising.

All in all, Stranger Things Season Four deserves a 9/10.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish – Review

By: Sam Broady

2022 was a good year for movies. With “Top Gun: Maverick,” “The Batman,”  “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” “Bullet Train,” “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” cinema was back. Oddly enough, there was one other film in theaters that nobody asked for, nobody expected it to be good, and nobody hated it. That film is “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.” Out of all the possibilities for a sequel, “Puss in Boots” turned out to have one and it happened to be amazing. I was blown away in theaters. I have a good memory of it and I look forward to re-watching it because it may be my favorite Dreamworks film. “How to Train Your Dragon” held that title for a long time.

The best thing about this film is by far the animation. In all honesty, it is the best animation I have ever seen. “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” is well known for its top notch animation, but while its visuals have the highest highlights, I think this film has better visuals overall. The action looks especially good. I love how the frame rate slows down in all the fight scenes. My favorite scene is the fight between Puss in Boots and Death because the color scheme looks amazing. I adore the use of colors and lighting in this film.

Another thing I love about this movie is the characters. I think it’s really important for a film to prioritize its characters if it wants to be memorable; luckily, that’s what happened. I highly enjoy Puss in Boots in this film. I don’t remember anything about the prequel but it doesn’t matter. Antonio Banderas gives the character such energy and he keeps his vibrant personality among the challenges he faces. I like his reunion with Kitty: she gets the job done. Perrito the dog is a funny addition. He brings love and comfort to the story. Goldilocks and the three bears are a delight to see and I didn’t expect them to be so fun. However, my favorite character is the wolf. His name is Death and he is the coolest character in fiction. Every time he’s on screen, he gives me the creeps. 

Surprisingly, the themes are conveyed with more depth than I expected. This film explores the fear of dying, which many can relate to. With Puss in Boots being on one out of nine lives, he is running for his life for the first time. His objective in the story is to make a wish for more lives so he can be the legend everyone knows him as. But, in the end, he realizes one life is enough when he gets to spend it with the people he loves. Or should I say animals. Everyone else cancels their wish as well when they learn to appreciate what they have. Having someone to trust, having a family, having friends; there’s a heartfelt message about sticking with what you have in life and it’s done in a rather subtle manner that complements the characterization of our protagonist.

Extra aspects that I enjoyed are the voice acting, the humor, and the music. I don’t know why Dreamworks went so hard on this film, but I am so glad they did. We need more animated masterpieces like these; films that specialize in the telling of a story and the style of animation rather than serving as a formulaic cash grab that intends to sell merchandise and teach kids nothing. You can feel the passion that went into every frame of this film. I cannot feel anything when watching films produced by Illumination like “Minions”. The difference in quality between Illumination and Dreamworks is unreal. By all means, I think it’s safe to say that “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” is the best animated film of 2022 and I am very thankful for its release.

Senior Litzy Rubio leads while appreciating friendships

by Aubrey Cummings

2026 Lilly Endowment Scholarship winner, senior Lizty Rubio, is a significant part of JHS and her community beyond Jeff.  She is an active member of the swim team, the Anchor Club, the National Honor Society, and represents the school as a student ambassador.

“Litzy is a compassionate, strong, and dependable person. Because she’s in such high classes and she works for so much of what she has, and her leadership positions just show how dependable she can be, and for each of those, she has to be very compassionate,” stated junior Macyn Jackson.

Rubio is known as a leader in everything she does. In her junior year, she served as the co-president of the Student Council, along with representing the Senior Class as vice president this year. 

“I feel like being involved in the school allows me to be better prepared for my future. I used to be shy and kept to myself, but my sports and clubs have allowed me to expand on everything,” explained Rubio.

Senior Litzy Rubio displays leadership and friendship in a number of JHS activities, including the swim team. Submitted photo.

Being a student-athlete can make or break a person.  They have to have a strong will and determination to succeed, along with balancing the aspects of school, sports, and life in general.  But it can also lead to so much more than just medals and trophies.

“Some of my best memories and friendships have come alongside the sports I have done,” said Rubio. “The people are like a second family to me; we wake up early in the morning for practice and leave late at night from meets. I am with them all the time, even during the holidays.” 

These friendships could last a lifetime.

“Litzy truly is someone I look up to. She sets an example for everyone, showing that if you really want to do something, you can,” senior Mari Bush explained.

Rubio plans to potentially attend Purdue University to pursue her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and possibly earn her master’s degree in architecture to become an architectural engineer.

Column: Winter weather requires early communication with community

by Liddia Waterbury

Snow days are supposed to keep students safe, but late cancellations could do the opposite. When schools wait until the last minute to cancel classes, students are forced to wake up early and prepare to travel on icy, dangerous roads. This delay can create unnecessary stress and put safety at risk, especially for students who walk, bike, or ride buses to school.

According to the National Weather Service and local weather stations, winter storms and icy road conditions in southern Indiana are often predicted at least a day in advance. This raises questions about why school cancellations are sometimes delayed until early morning.

We’ve had snow days with asynchronous learning this school year. This is because the night before, there was snow. It was under 32 degrees, and that caused the snow to freeze and the roads to be icy. But Greater Clark County Schools didn’t call off school until the next morning.

This caused students to wake up early and could have caused stress for them, their parents, and people like bus drivers.

Graphic by Liddia Waterbury.

As well as stress, situations like this can also cause major safety concerns. According to Zipdo, there are an average of 10,800 winter weather-related crashes per month in the U.S.

Then the National Weather Service says that 24% of weather-related crashes occur on snowy/icy roads, and about 15% occur during active snowfall.

With this safety risk, driving in bad weather can cause fear and anxiety about accidents, especially for parents and teachers who commute. If the decision comes very late, students and teachers might not get enough rest. Sleep loss can make people more irritable, tired, and less focused. 

If people feel the decision could have been made earlier, it may lead to frustration or the feeling that their well-being isn’t being considered. With the loss of sleep, people can also lose focus on homework, grading, or preparing lessons if they are unsure if school will be in session. 

When people lose trust in an organization, like Greater Clark County Schools, it creates more frustration and uncertainty. Without trust, communication suffers, and problems worsen. 

Late snow day decisions can increase safety risks, stress, and sleep loss for many students, staff, and families. Making earlier, well-communicated decisions can help protect well-being and maintain trust within the school community. 

Column: ICE actions damage ‘Land of the Free’

by Kaylee Borelli

ICE, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, enforces immigration laws and conducts investigations into undocumented immigration and arrests and deports undocumented immigrants. Their mission is to protect America through criminal investigations and enforcing immigration laws to preserve national security and public safety, but recently, this doesn’t seem like the case.

In January, ICE agents shot and killed two American citizens in Minneapolis, Minnesota. One of them was a 37-year-old mother of three, Renee Nicole Good. She was shot when ICE ordered her out of her car and briefly reversed before moving forward. The second victim was 37-year-old intensive care nurse Alex Pretti on Jan. 24. He was shot while he was both protecting a woman who was pushed to the ground by an agent, during a protest, and filming law enforcement. The Department of Homeland Security claimed that he was in possession of a weapon and “violently resisted.” But video analysis and witnesses say otherwise, ICE agents removed his pistol from his holster while he was pinned to the ground, before shooting him in the back. These two people weren’t shot in self-defense; they were murdered.

Graphic by Kaylee Borelli.

ICE hasn’t just been responsible for murdering two American citizens, but they have also detained and deported people with legal documents and no criminal record, even though they claim they are targeting criminals.

According to Brookings, since Donald Trump took office in January 2025, more than 540,000 people have been deported. Along with this, one-third of people who have been arrested by ICE have no criminal record. If they really cared about targeting criminals, they would actually target criminals and not allegedly bust out car windows just to justify arrests. On top of this, a total of 32 people have died while in ICE custody in 2025. This isn’t about making America a “safer place.” This is racism and a complete abuse of power by Trump.

Along with the over 540,000 that have been deported, according to WLRN, as of December 2025, 74% of around 70,000 immigrants in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention have zero criminal convictions. And yet Trump is still saying he is only targeting criminals when ¾ of the people in detention centers aren’t even criminals.

On Jan. 20, according to CNN, 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos was detained along with his father in Minnesota while arriving home from his preschool. They were then flown more than 1,300 miles to a family detention facility in Texas. Liam and his family are originally from Ecuador, and in December 2024, they presented themselves to border officers and applied for asylum, but still, the DHS labels them as “illegal aliens.” Also, according to CNN, the Trump Administration has repeatedly said that they are targeting people who are “violent criminals” and the “worst of the worst.” So why are they arresting a 5-year-old boy and a father who were in the process of becoming American citizens? Luckily, on Jan. 30, Liam and his father were released and returned home to Minnesota, but they shouldn’t have ever been detained in the first place.

ICE isn’t just detaining people for no reason, but they are also violating the amendments of the United States.

The Fourth Amendment states that the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. This means that people are protected from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government. According to the National Immigration Justice Center, ICE officers will knock on people’s doors and claim they have a warrant to enter and search your house. These “warrants,” though, are not signed by judges; they are forms signed by ICE officers, so they do not allow agents to enter your home without consent. But still, agents are entering homes illegally and detaining people even if they have legal documents or are in the process of obtaining legal documents.

Not only is ICE violating the rights of people to detain them, but once they are detained, the facilities they send them to are disgusting and deadly.

The ICE detention centers are now notorious for both violating the rights of immigrants and for the harsh conditions. According to the ACLU, Fernando Vieira Reyes, who was held in one of these detention centers, faced many problems while there. He tried to get proper treatment for his prostate cancer, which he discovered he had while in the center. He had requested to see a urologist but was constantly ignored, and when he reported pain, they just prescribed him some Vitamin C and Tylenol. The conditions in the facility were also horrible. They were held in small concrete cells that were the size of a parking space, along with being without adequate food, water, and clothing for hours on end.  

Even though it is repeatedly said that ICE only targets undocumented immigrants with criminal convictions, pending criminal charges, or those who are deemed as threats to public safety and national security, it has been very clear that this is not how it is. From arresting a 5-year-old who had done nothing wrong to the 74% of immigrants who have no criminal record, it is very clear that this is racism and an assessment of power.

Hopefully, soon this will change, because innocent immigrants and people who have done nothing wrong shouldn’t be getting arrested, being put in centers that neglect their basic needs, and even being murdered in the so-called “Land of the Free.”

Column: Modern schools should focus on real learning

by Sanae Ittu

High school is a place of education for teenagers. A place filled with opportunities. A place that provides time for self-discovery. And a place to become more marketable for college. However, there are mixed opinions if high school is slowly losing its purpose or not.

Students are focused more on passing classes than actually taking the time to learn. It’s absurd how normalized it is for students to cheat to escape failure instead of using failure as a chance to grow. The real question is “Why do students feel the need to cheat?”

According to story in edutopia, students feel the need to cheat because either they don’t find any value in certain assignments, they have the fear of losing social status, or just finding comfort with being rebellious.

So how can we fix this problem? 

We are living in a society that tells us that how we perform in school can determine our whole future. But aren’t we forgetting that there are successful people living among us that didn’t do well in school academically?

Like Richard Branson, who dropped out of school at the age of 16 but is now a billionaire entrepreneur. Or one of the most famous scientists in human history, Albert Einstein. He dropped out of school at the age of 15 and trained himself for the following year.

Graphic by Sanae Ittu.

We would assume that this can be an easy fix. Like increasing strict punishments and surveillance, focus more on grades and testing, and assigning group works. These so-called solutions may sound promising but it will not work in the long run. 

Harsh punishments and intense surveillance can make students feel mistrust, leading to secretive cheating. 

Harvard University’s website explains,“Students assigned to high-suspension schools are more likely to be arrested and incarcerated later, and less likely to attend a four-year college.”

Focusing more on grades and testing can limit sutdent’s creativity and critical thinking and increase stress and anxiety, leading to more cheating. 

According to Queens University, “When students are mainly motivated by getting good grades, they tend to focus on memorizing information instead of deeply understanding new concepts…”

Assigning group work does not address why students cheat or lack passion, students can use it to rely on others to do all the work.

High school senior Yun F. Zheng shared on the Education Week website, “Assigning only individual work outside the classroom removes the risk of group members being overly reliant on others.”

To avoid any of these consequences, administrators should focus more on restorative practice, formative assessment and mastery learning, and structured collaborative learning with individual accountability.

According to PowerSchool, formative assessment and mastery learning have benefits, including defined learning goals, increased rigor, and improved academic achievement.

So take this as a suggestion that education should focus more on genuine learning rather than just passing tests or chasing grades. Success can come in many forms. Creativity, emotional intelligence, and practical skills that matter just much as a test score.

Column: Teens must be protected from unsafe online behavior

by Rain Gresham 

On April 21st 2000,  Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 or COPPA became effective, due to parents fearing the growing internet and lack of online safety. That law should have laid many parents’ fears to rest but today over 25 years later we still struggle with children’s guaranteed protection on the big wide web. 

Photo illustration by Xavier Bridges.

If you were to scroll on TikTok or Instagram for more than a few minutes past the feel good quotes and useless commentary you would likely find someone talking about a personal experience of theirs; it’s not likely anyone dangerous is going see it, so who cares if someone opens up about their personal life?

Except a dangerous person might.

One third of missing children in 2024 were enticed or lured online. Maybe the creeps aren’t in white vans with “Free Candy” painted on the front, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. They are the ones liking and saving your videos. The ones complimenting you and asking to be online friends. The ones you trust, posing as innocent.

Other governments outside of America are taking a more headfirst approach to online safety. In Australia children under 16 can’t even access certain social media platforms like TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat and Threads, but is this the right way to go? Young teens aren’t babies and are capable of finding work arounds, often by simply changing their age or not listing it at all on these websites. 

So if we can’t take the internet from them, then should we just change it for them? However, even if you were to bubble wrap  the entire internet, it would never be a totally safe place — it’s simply too big for that. The real major issue is that in the last few years people have stopped seeing it as what it is – full of strangers. 

If I had a penny for the amount of times I’ve heard, “You guys are like my best friends” from an influencer, I’d be rich enough to pay someone to give them online safety lessons. They have fostered an environment where parasocial relationships are the norm. Anything outside of that is seen as strange or overtly paranoid. 

This mindset didn’t always used to be the case. The world witnessed a great shift during COVID where anything and everything that could inherently be done online would be done online. 

Even when the world did start to open up again, those third spaces that were there previously didn’t. So people both young and old were forced to turn to the only available and free one they had, the internet.

So, how should we ensure online safety for teens? 

Well, throughout my life I have seen that the simplest ideas work the best. A simple conversation about the dangers of the internet and all the bad situations that can happen there.  Check in on your kids and just who‘s following them if they happen to have public accounts and who is following you on yours as well. You never know. The world is full of creeps. 

I find that there are very few problems with children that can’t be fixed with a simple sit down and present parenting.

Extracurricular activities benefit students in a variety of ways

by Breslyn Dozal

Extracurricular activities offer students crucial lessons in teamwork, discipline, leadership, and resilience, helping develop skills outside of just academics.

High school is full of opportunities. Some of those opportunities are extracurricular activities. Most extracurricular activities are after-school activities, but in some cases they can go on during school.

Many students have found that extracurricular activities build up their confidence and decrease social anxiety.  They build up many skills such as communication, problem-solving, and adaptability. Extracurricular activities can be sports or clubs.

Graphic by Breslyn Dozal.

“Confidence, it helped me through soccer and it made me a better player,” said freshman Jacqueline Escobar, who plays club soccer, not related to school. She added that playing a sport outside of school has helped her with time management with her school work by having to balance practices, games and school work simultaneously. 

Senior Kendall Curry agreed that participating in extracurricular events has helped her find balance with not only clubs and school work, but also with working at her job. In all these areas, Curry said that she was around diverse groups of people. Because of this, she learned how to work among a variety of individuals from different backgrounds as hers. 

By participating in extracurricular activities, students can also gain insight into fields of interest they may want to pursue in the future.

Curry learned from being a football manager that she will likely pursue a career working in sports.

Freshman Alayla Hickerson learned by being in band that she would like to continue it in college and maybe as a career. 

Special life skills can be derived from participation in extra curricular activities as well.

Freshman Eva Harbeson appreciates the marksmanship skills she has learned in JROTC. She said that she likely won’t use those skills in a future career, but she is glad she can protect herself for knowing them now. 

Curry, Hickerson, Escobar and Harbeson all described common lessons they learned from participating in extracurricular activities: they gained confidence, time management skills, and the willingness to try new things.

All of these skills are useful in future goals outside of high school, proving how beneficial extracurricular activities can be.

Lamb: A Mind-Bending Icelandic Film

Foreign films are nothing new to the United States. Most of them are Bollywood productions from India or horror films from Japan and Korea, like the Oscar award-winning ‘Parasite’ released in 2019. But now, with the release of  “Lamb,” Director Valdimar Jóhannsson may be making Icelandic film history.

The trailer for “Lamb” left many wondering about the film, and soon theories started to form in the comment section of the trailer’sYouTube video. The film is rated R and is advertised as horror. However, “Lamb” will most likely be seen more as a thought art-house film than a horror film to the American audience. The movie has very little dialogue, leaving much of the plot for the audience’s brain to figure out. And the ending is so abrupt, viewers will be shocked it’s over. For an hour and 46-minute movie, it leaves a lot for the brain to ponder.

The film takes place in the mountainous lands of Iceland. The two main characters are sheep farmers who live a typical life until one of their ewes gives birth to a lamb with a significant abnormality. The lamb is half-human. She resembles a lamb from her head to her right arm, and the rest of her is human. We can assume our two main characters, Maria and Ingvar, are desperate for a child due to their immediate acceptance of bringing the lamb child into their life. They name the little female lamb Ada. The name has a special meaning to the film, but that is for the viewers to find themselves. When Uncle Pétur shows up, their lifestyle with Ada is challenged. Not only by Pétur but also by something far more sinister.

The characters are well-rounded but also mysterious. To the viewer, they can either be seen as protagonists or antagonists, depending on their perception. Their outfits are typical modern-day Icelandic sweaters that help them keep warm in the freezing climate of Iceland. One big question from fans is how Ada’s character was formulated? When asked how he approached Ada’s look, Valdimar Jóhannsson highlighted patience.  “The actors were also very important because we used lambs, children, and puppets to shoot those scenes, so shooting took a long time, and they had to be very patient,” he said to Screen Daily.

When asked where the inspiration came from, Valdimar Jóhannsson said, “I was inspired by so many things: films, folklore, books, paintings, images. I started to create a sort of sketchbook with some elements of the story and drawings…” he said to Screen Daily. 

“Lamb” is an intriguing humanity versus nature story that will keep you trying to figure out the plot for the entirety of the film and keep you engaged throughout the movie. If bizarre and abnormal concepts are your thing, “Lamb” is the movie for you.

How to Properly Eat Oreos

Story by Lydia Church

Everyone eats food differently. Some of us eat the conventional way, then there are those of us with questionable methods for eating various foods that the rest of us judge…but never discuss. What if you were asked how you eat a certain food? Would you believe this is how everyone should eat it? Today, one of the hottest debates in food consumption will be put to rest: What is the proper way to eat Oreos?

When given the question–“How do you eat your Oreos”–there were many like-minded people with similar responses. Most people responded: “with milk.” Yet many were not very detailed in their responses other than Senior Nick Goss who replied, “I drown it in milk with a fork until all of the bubbles in the milk are done.”

Along with the milk, there were a lot of “like a normal cookie” responses. Nothing special, just like a cookie. “I eat them the way they come because I’m not a psychopath,” says Abby Napper, also a senior. 

Although there were many repeat responses, there were also a few unique responses too. Kirati Kiviniemi on Instagram says, “I enjoy scraping off the middle and only eating the cookies if I’m not feeling lazy.” Taking a sixth grade dissection project approach in this case, his form closely relates to the also common separation technique in which you separate the cookie down the middle, creating one cookie that is plain and one with all the cream. 

The most intense debate was deciding whether the cookies should be eaten as a whole or separated into halves. Separate being eating one side before the other. 65%of those who answered said whole, while the other 35% replied separately. For those who chose to eat separately, another question was posed. Should you eat the cream side first or the cookieside? 52% said they would go for the cookie side first, the other 48% said they would chow down on the cream. And for the final question there was a decisive winner. When asked whether to eat Oreos with or without milk, 82%sided with milk, while 18% thought the glass of milk should be left out of the equation. 

After interviewing the students at Jeff High, including in decisive students, the proper way to eat an Oreo was finally determined: You should eat an Oreo as a whole cookie with a cool glass of milk. Though on days when you feel that you should take that risk of separation, eating the plain cookie side before the cream cookie side is recommended in order to save the best for last. This is unless you are Evan Cawthorn, a senior, who had strong opinions when asked about eating Oreos saying, “I don’t. I hate them”

Purrfect Day Café: A local cat café that has helped 5,000 cats get adopted

Story by Marni Scholl

Look no further than the Purrfect Day Café for the perfect place to spend a free day. You get the opportunity to play with adorable kittens and sometimes even adult cats. Even if you are not looking to adopt, visiting the cats is still a beneficial activity. It helps the cats become socialized

and friendly to people of any age. 11 a.m. to four p.m. is when children are allowed in with an adult supervisor. Four p.m. to eight p.m. is for anyone over 18.

All of the kitties are from the Kentucky HumaneSociety. For the first time, the Kentucky Humane Society has had more cat adoptions than dog adoptions. Usually, cats only makeup a third of their adoptions, according to Spectrum News. When you enter the café, you can find a scrapbook of all the different types of cats they have been cared for and have been adopted. Their diversity ranges from senior cats to blind cats, all of whom need a loving home. You get an hour in the playroom to bond with acat, and it is advised that you spend 30 minutes before deciding on the cat you want to adopt.

Lots of small businesses had to close during the pandemic but not Purrfect Day Café. Their adoption rate went up because people wanted a furry friend to keep them company while they were at home. “The community made sure we were not going anywhere,” said the manager, who is also known as Top Cat, Robert Mason. The business has been going strong since2018, and it continues to thrive. On Wednesday, the 18th of August, they reached their goal of 5,000 cat adoptions.

This place isn’t just a hang-out space to play with cats, though. It truly is a café with a variety of drinks and treats to enjoy. There is even wine and beer to purchase for an older audience and an outdoor patio called the “catio” where you can enjoy your beverage. Drinks are allowed in with the cats but not snacks. Upstairs you will find a party room where you can celebrate a birthday or other celebration. You can even purchase fun t-shirts, sequin cat ears, and colorful stickers to decorate with and support the business. Some of their merchandise promotes their LGBTQ+ friendly stance. 

Often after a good play, the cats will fall asleep in your lap. It’s a great place to bring a friend or to make a friend, human or feline. So what are you waiting for? Head to 1741 Bardstown Road in Louisville, Kentucky, for a day of fun!

How to Walk in the Hallways / Tips to avoid hatred from peers

Story by Max Fisher

After a year of quarantines and online learning, the Jeff High hallway crowds are back again, and students have taken notice. “The hallways are so crowded it makes no sense,” said Miles Harper, a Jeff High student. While others like Toby Kauchak echoed similar concerns, saying, “They’re very crowded and loud.” Year after year, students clustering together in crowds during passing and blocking movement in the hallways and stairwells have become a hallmark of the Jeff High experience. While some congestion is inevitable, here are a few tips to make your hallway experience and that of your peers much easier.

– There is never a reason to talk in a circle. There is nothing worse than walking down the hallway and being stopped by a group of people talking in a circle. If it is that serious–and it probably isn’t–please at least try to find a more spacious area such as the commons. And if you can’t do that, feel free to discuss in a more compatible shape such as a line or a condensed oval.

– No Public Displays of Affection. The love of your life will still be there after the hour and a half class, and, no matter what you think, people do not want to see that. Your friends definitely mock you for this behind your back.

– Walk on the right side of the hallway. There is no reason to walk on the left unless you are heading to a locker or a class. Please stick to the right.

– The main stairs are actually not the best place to have a meaningful conversation. Despite what you might think, your conversation is most likely to be heard by the 50 people who walk by you. If you really need to talk, just know that literally anywhere else in the school is a better spot.

– Don’t run. You are at school, it’s not worth running. However, an exception can be made for light jogs to the lunch line? Especially if heading to the sandwich line to avoid waiting for food for over half your lunch. 

Hopefully, these tips will help create a better hallway experience, and if not, it’s at least nice to complain about this perennial problem.