Category: News

Coaches share backgrounds, goals for their teams

by Ifrah Daber

With a new school year starting and seasons kicking off, many teams and coaches prepare for a year filled with hopeful achievements and golden medals. Through intense practice and hours of dedication that are put into these sports, student-athletes bring pride to JHS. 

However, one must remember the coaches who built these players into the athletes they are today. A spotlight on several fall sport coaches reveals their backgrounds, interests, and goals for their Red Devil teams.

Girls’ Soccer Coach Julie Deuser

New girls’ soccer head coach Julie Deuser. Submitted photo.

Coach Deuser is a new addition to the JHS athletic team, taking over for former soccer coach Kallee  Thornton. With big shoes to fill, Deuser has come in with a strong sense of determination. She has a long history of coaching at many different schools and playing for several more herself. For example, she coached at New Albany and led her team to the IHSAA Sectional Championship in 2012. 

But now, she has big goals for the JHS girls’ soccer team. 

“My biggest goal for this team is to see the girls grow and learn the game. I want this team to be competitive and respected in the area. We want girls to want to come to Jeffersonville to play soccer. The program is going to be transforming over the next few years. Long term, we want to win games and championships.”

“I think she’s going to take the soccer program in a positive direction,” senior and varsity player Jovie Golko. She has been playing soccer for all four years of high school and has vocalized her faith in her new coach’s ability to lead her and the rest of the team. 

Head Co-ed Swim Coach Michael Pepa 

Pepa is a face many students recognize from his teaching College and Careers for many freshman classes, but he is also the head coach for the JHS award-winning swim team. 

Pepa had been a swimmer for many years before he was known for his coaching abilities. He started swimming in high school and he, like many, wasn’t the best when he first started. But after swimming through high school to college, he eventually became a record-holder in his sport.

With his 30 years of experience, Pepa passes wisdom onto his students. He pushes an idea of personal best, wanting each student to reach their potential. 

“I love Pepa; He’s an amazing coach who built me into the swimmer I am today,” stated Romier Hunter-Lawrence, a senior swim team member.

JHS swimmers join principal Pam Hall and mayor Mike Moore for the new pool facility being built. Submitted photo.

But even after 30 years Pepa has more plans and hopes for the new year, from strong talent new and old, and the addition of a new pool in the coming months. There is much to look forward to for the swim team in the coming years. 

Volleyball Coach Wesly Briscoe

Originally Briscoe had no plans for becoming the coach we all know him as today. He originally wanted to do more of a journalistic view of sports. He was the news and sports editor when he attended Floyd Central High School. He even did radio and TV. It was when he went off and became a student at UofL, sitting around one day, when his mother gave him an offer to coach volleyball. 

JHS volleyball team. Submitted photo.

During the first few years of this new volleyball coaching career, Briscoe walked with a “chip on his shoulder.” He said he was coaching out of spite, but he learned to change his mentality. 

His new values as a coach are that coaches should lead by example. They should strive for personal growth and push the students to be the best they can be. 

“You could train like a tiger in the jungle or train like a tiger in the zoo” is one of Briscoe’s mantras about pushing himself and his students to train to be the best version. 

This mantra is one any student should remember if they want to join the volleyball team in the near future. As Briscoe also shared, volleyball is not an easy sport to just pick up – it will take time and practice but the results will lead the athlete to find improvement and self-pride.

Assistant Wrestling Coach Evan Myers

Myers has been coaching at JHS his entire coaching career and similar to a past coach on the list, Myers didn’t originally plan on being a coach. He was interested in journalism, which led him to become an English teacher. Since he wrestled while in high school, along with a strong love for teaching, he took an opportunity to be a JHS wrestling coach when he heard that the position was available.

2024 IHSAA Sectional Wrestling Champions. Submitted photo.

Myers said that personal responsibility is a key part of wrestling.. Unlike many other sports where athletes are surrounded by teammates on a field or court, wrestling has only the athlete and the opponent on the mat. This means each wrestler must carry the win or loss on his or her shoulders. 

He added that the sport requires a lot of tough training from the strength that is required to pin another wrestler, which adds physical stress to the body. 

However, this training can pay off, for example, for JHS senior Ben Land, who competed at National Tournaments, as well as for other wrestlers on the team.

“Great pain comes with great reward,” Myers said, believing that the best way to succeed is to work for it, as  many of his students have done and have received the benefits.

Myers’s love for teaching, his students, and the sport drive him every year to push and grow the team. He has much hope for the upcoming year and for all the talent new and old that are in the team.

by jhshyphen

Cowgill, Callan bring media experience to WJHI

by Sam Ottinger

The focus of WJHI has always been on the subject that they are focusing on, yet turning the cameras back on those running the TV & Radio process is an important part to truly understand the work that they all do.

One of these hard workers is one of the new TV & Radio teachers, Fred Cowgill, who brings his expertise to WJHI and JHS. 

As fate would have it, right after grad school, Cowgill would get a position on CNN and be “thrown on national tv,” as Cowgill put it, at the age of 22. After being a stand-in for someone who was sick, he has been on the air ever since.

After spending 44 straight years on air, Cowgill has settled down in JHS’s broadcast department and officially got the job in June. Prior to this, he worked at U of L and WLKY as a sportscaster for 38 out of the 44 years.

He started in Atlanta, Georgia, with CNN Sports, then went on to shift over to ABC Rochester New York for four years, until he made his way down to Kentucky for WLKY, in 1986.

While there, he “fell in love with the city and everything around it,” enjoying the horse racing, like the Derby that he was able to cover for 38 years straight, and the college sports that filled the town. This enjoyment led it to becoming a very personal and bittersweet departure, but as Cowgill put it, it was time for him to go.

Even though he had pursued the live broadcasting side of the industry, he still had just as much passion in teaching. Cowgill graduated with a masters in broadcast journalism, seeing this as the only way for him to get into the business, hoping that one day he would be able to teach. And he got that day after U of L asked him, and he agreed to teach part time back in the 80s. He had then left the teaching business until this past spring to teach a course in Producing Kentucky Derby stories after he retired from his job at WKLY in May. 

Now, Cowgill may have been out of his broadcast job, but even in his retirement, the fire to teach had not gone out. He wasn’t sure if he would get another job, even though he was searching, there were none that checked all the boxes. 

This also applied to our school when principal Pam Hall and athletic director Larry Owen contacted Cowgill in late May, informing him of the developing position, during his final week at WKLY. 

He was willing to listen, but admitted, “At first, when I came over, I was ready to say no a couple times” due to the amount of work it would take for one person, yet Hall wasn’t going to let go of this opportunity. And due to her willingness to help aid the changes Cowgill suggested, he decided to take the job.

Cowgill’s reluctance to take the job was not due to him being picky; it was due to the massive workload that taking this position would have on one person. The lessons he teaches are unlike lessons from the past teachers, which forces him to take the knowledge and reverse engineer it to make an understandable curriculum. 

Having to become a master in different editing programs all at the same time can be a struggle, even to those like Cowgill who have been working in this type of field for as long as he has. 

This struggle has been eased due to the help from the other new production teacher, David Callan.

New JHS broadcasting team Dave Callan and Fred Cowgill in the WJHI studio. Photo by Bruno Diaz.

“If that basketball court was Adobe Premier, Mr. Callan could tear it apart and put it back together again, while I just play basketball on it. The same thing is true here. I can play in the neighborhood, I just don’t know how it was built,” said Cowgill.

Cowgill and Callan knew and worked with each other from 1986 when they were both on WLKY, Callan having worked there for 28 years, up until 2003 when Callan transferred to WRDB, where he worked for 21 years. Callan left on a Friday and started working at WRDB the following Tuesday. 

Callan started his radio journey as a station runner for WLKY. He would run errands like picking up video tapes, film, and audio tracks. 

This may sound like a small job, but this was all prior to his senior year in high school where he was able to get up close and personal to the equipment.

Callan has a total of 49 years in radio, which he’s now leading into his 50th year with working in radio at JHS, and freelance jobs, like working on and off for the Cincinnati Bengals, where he is an operator of the big screens.

Callan “blames Cowgill” for first hearing of the position at JHS when Cowgill brought along Troy Middaugh, Production Manager at Hearst Television, to help him teach the more technical side of TV & Radio. Middaugh was a past employee of Callan, and a past coworker to Cowgill, so he understood both of their abilities and thought that Callan was the one he knew to call.

“I feel honored and blessed,” Callan stated.

Callan said it was as if his planets aligned when he got the call from Cowgill, recalling how his path on WDRB was changing due to choices being made to the station by the owners.

“I helped build something great, and now they wanted me to tear it down”, so when the company was offering people of a certain age early retirement to reduce staff, he took the retirement, unexpectedly by the company, “I’m going to take the retirement, and I’m going to come over here and have fun.”

Hall described the hiring of the new broadcast team as a great moment for the program and the school.

“Any time it comes to bringing on staff to work with our Red Devils, I want to hire the best. I try to swing for the fence, every time. This school year, I was able to hit many home runs with the hires, across the broad in all subject areas. Hiring Mr. Cowgill and Mr. Callan was a grand slam!” she said.

One final project that Cowgill was keen on mentioning was one goal being worked on in TV & Radio, “I am Jeff.”

Similar to the “I am Horseracing” campaign launched in 2019 by those in the industry, in order to improve the public’s view on horseracing, yet this new plan has little to do with horses, and more to do with improving our own self image.

Cowgill stating, “There is a lot more here to be proud of, and people don’t necessarily get that.”

by jhshyphen

Freshmen adjust to high school life

by Ja’shia Mathews

High school is an adjustment for any student. Every person is trying to discover who they are in a not-so-forgiving climate. It’s very stressful to transition from middle school to high school.

Freshman Isabella Stewart said, “I talked to my big sister who is already in high school. She helped me prepare for high school, and I try to prepare myself mentally.  It isn’t easy making friends. Everybody is very judgy and looks mean. Work has been easy for me for the first couple of weeks.” 

She added, “The food is better than my middle school food. The lunchroom is much more organized, and I like sitting anywhere I want with my friends.” 

Freshman Kayla Taylor, said, “High school is harder than eighth grade because it is tough to learn the work. Jeff High is a huge school, but most of the kids and teachers are nice and help a lot.” 

High school is a struggle for freshmen coming into a large school from middle school, especially when adjusting to the amount of academic work.

For example, freshman Chris Allen said, “There is a lot of work. We get new assignments each day.”

Allen said he relies on his older siblings for help in school. 

“If I don’t know it I ask my older sister and brothers. I have a lot of support at home that helps me throughout the school year.”

Some classes are very easy for Allen and remind him of middle school.

“Coming into high school is tough. People try to pick on you because you’re very small and they think because you’re a freshman you can’t be good at certain things.”

JHS does have programs in place to help incoming freshmen adjust to high school life.

For example, some freshmen expressed gratitude towards their Academy principal, Holly Bernard-Bramlett, for her efforts in facilitating their academic journey. 

According to her, “They are all on teams, and we have meetings to discuss any issues and touch base.”

Bernard-Bramlett assumed the role of Freshman Academy principal in 2020, acknowledging the significant influence of freshmen in high school. She emphasized that just as the freshmen were learning about high school life, she was also acclimating herself to the role.  

High school is a journey of self-discovery, and every adolescent who enters it leaves changed by their experience. That is the true meaning of high school. 

by jhshyphen

New directors highlight band goals 

by Isaac Steven Raymer

New director Briston Hatchell instructs band students after school. Photo by Esme Estrin.

JHS has two new band directors Briston Hatchell and Sidney McDonald, who are co-teaching everything music related and like jazz, band, and guitar. 

Both band directors have said that they’ve considered themselves friends for a fair amount of years; both having music teaching experience before joining JHS. Hatchell said he has 10 years of teaching band, which includes several years at Floyd Central High School. McDonald has three years of teaching experience at both the middle and high school levels. 

It’s definitely clear they both have a passion for teaching music, and music as a whole. Both teachers have had their lives impacted by music.

Hatchell, early in life, said he wanted to be an architect until he realized there’s a lot of math involved. While he “wasn’t good at math,” he was talented with the trumpet, so in middle school he decided he wanted to teach music.

McDonald did not take the same path as Hatchell in high school, as she really liked chemistry and ended up becoming a chemistry major in college for a year. She decided to transfer schools for a music program since she missed music and decided to do drum core, which led to her transferring to Indiana State as a music major.  

Both teachers described that they love teaching, and they both put in a lot of work to make sure they are helping all their students the most they can. But it does become a very time consuming job.

An average week of teaching for them normally consists of marching band on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and most Saturdays after school, with an open band room around three days a week so kids can practice if they would like with either of the musical directors. 

A school day for them normally consists of AP music theory, guitar and then for the last three periods – 4th, 6th, and 7th – they collaborate and teach intermediate band, a big guitar class, and advanced band. 

Even though they are both doing a lot for all of JHS’s music-related activities, there is still much more they want to do with an emphasis on the band program.

Hatchell said, “We want it bigger, we want more kids and, you can put this in print, we have a school of 2,300 kids and our goal over five years is 10% of the school, so that’s 230 kids, so if we get to that then I say we achieved our goal.”

He makes it very clear that they both want to be able to teach the most they possibly can. They also stated that, even though the band is pretty well funded, they do run fundraisers to help JHS music-related classes be the highest quality they can be.  

Those interested in marching band can go to https://jeffersonvillebands.org to find every upcoming event involving JHS music.

by jhshyphen

Mark Reilly Tennis Center honored at U.S. Open

by Dahlia Karey

The Mark Reilly Tennis Center was recognized this Tuesday with the prestigious 2024 Outstanding Facility Award from the United States Tennis Association (USTA) at the U.S. Open in Queens, NY.

Former tennis coach Mark Reilly at the U.S. Open in New York to accept the USTA 2024 Outstanding Facility Award. Submitted photo.

The Mark Reilly Tennis Center is named after the former Jeffersonville High School tennis coach and teacher, who has also been inducted into the Indiana Tennis Hall of Fame. This award is in the Large Public Facilities category, one of the five offered.

The 12-court facility serves the community in a variety of ways, including programming like youth camps, tournaments, and promotion of tennis in the community. These factors pushed the Mark Reilly Tennis Center past other nominees to win the award.

Current tennis coach Jerid Inman said, “We have implemented year-round clinics for elementary through grade school students, launched an elementary tennis initiative to introduce tennis to 5000 elementary students, hosted numerous high school and college tournaments, and have continued to build the facility into one of the best in the nation for high schools.”

Principal Pam Hall traveled with Reilly, his family, and athletic director Larry Owens to New York this week to accept the award and said that it was an honor.

“I can’t think of a more iconic place to celebrate than on the hallowed grounds where the greats of the sport, Billie Jean King and Arthur Ashe, won open championships,” said Hall. “What an amazing day to be a Red Devil!”

Inman said, “A huge thank you goes out to the Jeffersonville Tennis CTA, the city of Jeffersonville, Jeffersonville High School, and the USTA for supporting the tennis program.”

The award will be displayed at the Mark Reilly Tennis Center.

Former tennis coach Mark Reilly and principal Pam Hall accept the 2024 Outstanding Tennis Facility Award at the U.S. Open in New York on Tuesday. Submitted Photo.

by jhshyphen

Starting off the year with the Student Council

by Sarah Masingo

Student Council President and senior Koy Ramer has big goals he wants to meet. Ramer plans to rebuild. 

“My plans for this year are mostly a rebuild year. Senior Co-President ,Madison Pritchard, and I really want to focus on bringing a lot of things back that were lost to COVID. We still haven’t seen a lot of things like the homecoming dance,” Ramer said.

Ramer wants to bring back special events that he thinks means a lot to the school and himself, Including the homecoming dance, taking place this September 28th. 

“The homecoming and pep rallies, we just want to have a lot more fun events to bring back up. We really want to set a foundation for future Student Councils and presidents to be able to do more,” Ramer said confidently. Ramer wants to get back in the habit of having fun events for everyone. 

Ramer felt very welcomed becoming Student Council president, especially considering he moved into the school from another district.

“It was very welcoming, coming from a school that wasn’t in Greater Clark. I came into Jeff High knowing 10 to 15 max. People only that I knew from my swim team to being able to go from knowing almost no one to being elected president to essentially becoming president of the whole student body. It was really assuring. I’m going to be able to make a change in this school.” 

Ramer would recommend joining the Student Council. 

“Even if people don’t know you personally, as being a part of this council you’re able to make decisions that affect everyone in the school. If there is something you really want to see you have the opportunity to bring that to council and see that get worked on and see that get changed.”

Ramer saw results, and he thinks students will be able to see them if they too join Student Council.

 “I wanted a homecoming dance, and I went to (principal) Mrs. Hall and now it’s going to happen. And you are able to see real results of what you want done in this school.”

The perks of being president to Ramer is that he is allowed to make things happen that he wants done. “I’m able to bring things back that haven’t happened in a while and I’m able to make sure that everybody on this council has a voice.” 

Ramer will take suggestions to Hall or the administration. He added he will take what students say into consideration. 

“As a president I like that I can make things happen and make sure that every event that the Student Council wants to hold is getting to the people that can make it happen.” 

Ramer is looking forward to the events that the Student Council has planned.

“I’m looking forward to homecoming short term since we haven’t seen it in many years and it’s something that students want, but long term i’m really excited to see Madison and I as Co-President able to set these plans that will not just affect our senior year but hopefully this sets a pattern for many Jeff High years. And it’s not just us making the homecoming dance this year and it starts a pattern of homecoming dances every year after this, so that every class can enjoy it.”

Ramer encouraged students to follow Student Council plans on social media, saying:

“For any readers out there, there’s a lot that we’re planning this year that I think is really exciting. People should be aware of making sure you’re listening to announcements, follow our Instagram so you know of any events that we’re planning and just keep an eye out because it may be easy to miss. We are going to be doing a lot this year that I think will be really exciting.” 

by jhshyphen

Starting off a new year with NHS and its sponsors

by Sarah Masingo

The National Honor Society has big plans for this school year. Co-sponsors Justin Linde and Emmaly Rose are leading the National Honor Society as a team. Unlike last year, Linde and Rose want to put officers together, induct juniors to celebrate and honor seniors of the NHS.

  Linde and Rose want to talk about roles and responsibilities. They also would like to have announced officers in September. In addition, they will be having a meeting with just the seniors. 

Linde wants to be able to let the students run this group. “While running this group of academic leaders, I would like to have students involved in the NHS to take charge, be able to lead the group themselves and make decisions,” he said.

Another activity the NHS would like to have this year is another blood drive since last year was so successful. Students could potentially work the event. 

Linde said he feels “excited and nervous” about the officer election coming up soon.

He would like students with a high academic ranking to be able to feel free to join the NHS. “Whoever is elected as the NHS president should be able to help support students,” Linde said.

 Linde would like other students to join this group to set themselves apart from their peers. “It looks good on a college application and to be a part of this prestigious organization.”

Linde emphasized the community leadership focus of the NHS.  The organization is “very community service focused, but now we have an E.C.O. club. Which shows that we can continue to support other clubs and lend voices but most of all this group sets us apart from others because we are very academically focused,” Linde said.

Linde is looking forward to officers being more involved; he stated he expects “officers being more involved in ownership, projects running smoothly, becoming more creative, new members, new ideas, and becoming better.” 

“National Honor Society isn’t just another club, it’s an organization of scholars. It’s that one group, students want to join to become a leader in their community. Juniors, be on the lookout for invitations, and seniors be ready with new ideas,” stated Linde.

by jhshyphen

Tearing up the House with Bill 1608

By: Savannah Ottinger

On May 4th, 2023, Governor Eric Holcomb signed the House Bill 1608 into law; this was after the bill got a vote of 65 to 29. Once 1608 was signed, it was put into effect on July 1st of the same year. Some may hear this and think that it isn’t important to mention this specific bill, but to those it directly attacks, well, they would beg to differ. House Bill 1608 was originally written as Indiana’s version of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, yet it was changed once in court and dropped most of its parts that closely aligned with Florida’s original version, specifically changing the necessary consent for a name change. Sadly, that doesn’t mean that members of the LGBTQ community are safe from attack. For now, this bill specifically targets trans youth and their right to a private identity. It has now put children in possible danger, though the publishing group would like to say they only care about keeping the kids ‘safe’, and has even gotten rid of many people’s only public safe space. To numerous individuals, this is a ridiculously unnecessary law which ultimately does more harm than any possible good. And the problem isn’t just for trans individuals, but also people who just prefer to be called a shortened name.

The passage of House Bill 1608 truly shines light on a frustrating pattern of hits against LGBTQ rights and individual autonomy. While the advocates might try and argue that this bill is about child protection and prioritizing their safety, yet a slightly closer look, or even an interaction between these groups of people, reveals a thinly veiled attempt to undermine the personal rights of a vulnerable demographic. When interviewing someone, who would like to remain unnamed, they echoed the same sentiments of many, that since this law was put in place, they have felt more in danger than before because of how the notification of their chosen name being revealed could lead to harmful reactions from their parents (going against the entire supposed purpose of this bill). The publishing group’s claims of ‘protecting kids” ring hollow as their actions take away an essential lifeline for many. By stripping away this seemingly minor act of personal preference, the legislation highlights a bigger concern – the intrusion of the state into the private matters of their citizens.

By targeting trans youth and their right to a private identity, the legislation inadvertently perpetuates an environment of fear and discrimination, thus pushing these young individuals further into the shadows. The impact goes beyond just hypothetical issues, but it directly affects the sense of safety and community for LGBTQ youth in every aspect. The bill’s passage effectively erases what was once a sanctuary of self-expression – a public safe space where these individuals could seek refuge and affirmation, for once one section of the community is forced to take a step back, the others will surely be dragged behind as well. All of the people who were interviewed all stand against what they see as an unjust and harmful measure. The battle line has been drawn, and the discourse with the legislation, heard from people around our school, will undoubtedly shape the future of LGBTQ rights within schools and the state.

In the end, House Bill 1608 stands as a stark reminder that even in an era of progress, there are those who would willingly turn back the clock on personal freedom and equality. The consequences of this bill go far beyond its original intent, sparking debates about individual autonomy, safe spaces, and the fight for justice in a society that should be moving forward, not backwards.

by jhshyphen

The Newly Implemented Halo Sensors

What are they?

By: Teagan Cofie

As the teen vaping rates rise once again, High schools across the nation (including ours) have been trying to eliminate the usage of nicotine by its students. To accomplish this, schools have turned to HALO smart sensors to solve their nicotine predicament. As stated on the HALO Smart Detector’s website, HALOs have won over 60 awards and can detect flammables, hazardous chemicals, and air quality changes such as vaping and smoking and changes in temperature and humidity but will it truly help prevent vaping in schools altogether? 

One could definitely say that vaping is a large problem that our school faces in the 21st century, but it’s not just us. As of 2022, about 1 in 10 high school students currently use e-cigarettes. An Oct. 25, 2021 study found that the number of vaping teens doubled between 2013 and 2020, and the number of minors who stated they’d vaped in the past 30 days rose from 1.6% to 8.4% in the same time. But because of the implementation of HALO sensors, this number could potentially decrease and improve the well-being of our school. One review available on their website claims that prior to the installation they had over 20 EMS calls for students that they believed were suffering from effects of vaping and they said that since the devices had been in place they have not had to make any. According to feedback from our staff, they said that overall there are probably fewer kids vaping as often so they think there’s been improvement post installation. When asked about the environment before the sensors “it was so bad that there were times I would walk in the bathroom and it would look like I was in a sauna, it was literally like hazy air…it was crazy, ” said Mr. Henderson, 9th grade English and bathroom monitor. 

Based on these opinions alone it seems as though in the short amount of time the sensors have been put in place they’ve been improving the vaping issue to a certain degree, and will hopefully make a larger impact on vape use in our school. If all goes well the HALOs, the #1 vape detector worldwide that is in over 1,500 school districts throughout the country, will make this year healthier and potentially form Jeff into a smoke free campus.

by jhshyphen

The Creativity in Restrictions

By Sam Ottinger

Getting into the arts can be a challenging quest, whether it’s getting the ideas or actually putting said ideas into the world. In this time of confusion, I believe that having a rubric of restrictions can be the support that lifts creativity to its highest form. Having a set of rules to follow can help ideas flow, it can be a more relieving position, and help the artist try new things.

Many can agree that one of the most difficult parts of the arts is creating the idea, yet when you have to work your way around certain things, then it can be an easier way to find the path that will lead you to a fall of ideas. Restrictions put in the building blocks, then the artist can complete the designed task, and after they are able to push certain aspects (that aren’t restricted) to make the piece their own. It can also help cut down on decisions that are put in the artist’s hands, so they don’t get overwhelmed and burned out as quickly by the overflow of creative ideas. As stated by Thomas Oppong in his article about creativity, on Inc., “With constraints, you dedicate your mental energy to acting more resourcefully. When challenged, you figure out new ways to be better.” Having a specific direction for where your energy can go can help you get more ideas and thus the artist goes through a slower decline in their rate of ideas.

Instead of having total freedom and being surrounded by stress from blankness in the creative department, you are able to get a new point of view which can help you get a better understanding of different techniques for a new set of tools. Some may say that with restrictions, it can be difficult to fully shine because of the choices being so limited, and they aren’t entirely wrong. When creative rubrics are too restricting, it can lead to the same amount of problems that having too much freedom contains, extra stress to stay in the lines and lack of related ideas. It’s just like everything else, too much of anything is bad. Yet when these placements are done right, it can be extraordinarily beneficial for the artist. As said by Jason Bell, an Associate Professor of Marketing at Saïd Business School, “When well placed, constraints can force us to step out of our mental comfort zone and connect a schema to something new. This can very often lead to innovative ideas”.

Unclear directions and the fear of experimentation can hold many people back, including the need for near perfection is a craving that many artists, whether new or old, chase after for years. When using restrictions in your craft, it will give you clearer directions, help you be forced to try something new, and it can push you to slowly become ok with not reaching the status of perfect perfection. A batch of restraints can not only force you to try something new, it can also help you focus and create better ideas then you would have before. An article published by the official Harvard Business Review helps to support this claim by stating, “Constraints, in contrast, provide focus and a creative challenge that motivates people to search for and connect information from different sources to generate novel ideas for new products, services, or business processes”.

With all these reasons, it is clear that adding in restrictions can be extremely beneficial. From how it helps increase idea flow, how it leads to less pressure, and finally how it can help artists try new ideas that the artist normally wouldn’t try otherwise. So if you are ever stuck, try adding in some restrictions, and don’t be afraid to try something new.

by savannahottinger

Facebook Has Got a New Name

Two weeks ago, a rumor of a name change for the social media company Facebook was spreading fast among internet users. Facebook has been around since February 2004, and it has developed and changed quite a bit. The name, however, has remained the same. Back in 2003, the original intention of the social media app was a “hot or not” style website, originally called Facemash, where students at Harvard University could rate the faces of their classmates. While it got shut down two days later, founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg aimed to redesign the website, giving it its new purpose – connecting people. In early 2004, it was re-released as the Facebook we know today.

On Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021, Facebook announced the new company name as Meta Platforms, in reference to the metaverse (a fictional future vision of the internet.) According to CNBC, the change comes after the company faced scrutiny over the spread of “hate speech” and “misinformation” earlier this year.

In relation to the name change, the company will still remain in control of the other social media platforms such as Instagram, Oculus, Whatsapp, etc. and they will become what is known as subsidiaries, which means they will be less of a focus for the company but still important nonetheless.

“The best way to understand the metaverse is to experience it yourself,” Zuckerberg said in his announcement. “It doesn’t fully exist yet.” He hopes this name change will give a fresh face for the embattled company. 

by chloeytrinkle