Tag: Sophie Rousseau

Springing into Sports- Boys Track

Big congratulations to both our Girls and Boys Track teams for winning their Sectional meets. Good luck at Regionals this week!

The JHS boys track team started their season with the bar set high and many goals to accomplish. They have been pretty successful at achieving them, but they’re not done just yet.

During indoor season, senior Victor Dailey won the state championship for the high jump and last year he won sectionals, regionals, and placed at state. Sophomore Josh Wiers placed eighth in state during indoor, as well.

The regular season is coming to a close and the team is now looking forward to succeeding in the postseason. “Our greatest strength is that we can always bounce back.” said Dailey.

The team is led by strong upperclassmen and talented newcomers as well. The underclassmen have been helpful, but the upperclassmen have a lot of experience with the sport. The seniors this season have inspired the underclassmen and they are seen as a big asset to the team. They will be missed by their teammates.

“As a team, we have a lot of strengths. Although one of our biggest weaknesses will be the loss of our talented seniors.” said sophomore, Jordan Starks.

Written by Mattie Blanton, Sophie Rousseau, and Joselen Lopez

by jhshyphen

Jeffersonville’s Promise Will Stand…For Now

Bill challenging the Ivy Tech scholarship program fails to move to the full Senate for a vote

Jeffersonville’s Promise, a program that gives qualifying Jeffersonville High School graduates a full tuition scholarship to Ivy Tech Community College, has survived legislation intended to strike down the program. According to the News and Tribune, the bill failed to move from committee to the full Senate for a vote this week, so there is not enough time to pass the bill before the end of the session.

The city of Jeffersonville announced the program in November 2018. The city pledged that 150,000 dollars of Tax Increment Funds (TIF) for the next five years would fund Jeffersonville’s Promise. This is the first partnership of its kind in the state of Indiana.

However, the program has had its fair share of battles. In February, New Albany representative Ed Clere and co-sponsors proposed a new bill in the Indiana House that would have changed the spending of the TIF funds, which would directly affect the core of the new program. At that time, many expressed concern that the program would be eliminated.

Jeffersonville High School principal Julie Straight said that during that time of uncertainty, she had many students and parents reach out to her, some of them even in tears.

“Some had not made applications for housing or to some other schools once Jeff’s Promise was presented,” Straight said. “Because they made their decision. They were going to use that for their beginning college education. (They were) very upset that they’ve missed deadlines and they’ve missed out on opportunities that they would need.” Straight added that she heard of some students “really upset that…maybe they wouldn’t be able to go to college.”

Senior Amber Rowe, who plans to attend Ivy Tech before transfering to a four-year program, was relieved when the bill failed to pass. “If they had dropped the program, it would drop the rate of people who can afford college.”

Sophomore Mollie Davis agreed, stating that “Jeffersonville’s Promise would greatly help my peers who maybe couldn’t afford college on their own. It gives them a chance at a great future and an opportunity to make their own impact on the community.

To qualify for the scholarship, students must fit the following criteria:

  • Jeffersonville High School graduate from the Class of 2019 and those classes thereafter.
  • Students who have earned a minimum of a 2.0 high school GPA and maintain a 2.5 GPA while enrolled while enrolled at Ivy Tech.
  • Students who have completed the FAFSA.
  • Enrolled in credit-bearing and workforce-focused courses towards attainment of a certificate, certification or degree at Ivy Tech.
  • Students must enroll at Ivy Tech during the Summer, Fall or Spring term after their commencement from high school starting in Fall 2019.

Although the partnership has come with some controversy and criticism, Jeffersonville’s Promise will help the student body and open many opportunities that weren’t there before.

By Sophie Rousseau and Greta Reel

by jhshyphen

Opposing Views: Should We Build the Border Wall?

JHS students and staff weigh in on the pros and cons of President Trump’s plan for securing the border with Mexico

“I am against the wall. Statistics show we don’t need the wall and if we get a wall it won’t do the things Trump says it will.”
– Jojo Spio, Senior

“I am for the wall because we do need to protect our borders. Every other country in the world protects their borders so I don’t see why we can’t. Should we let immigrants in and out? Yes, but it has to be according to proper procedures.”
– Mr. Dench, Radio and TV Teacher

“I am against it because I feel like the money that could go to the wall could go towards many other things that could be way more beneficial for the country. For example, Flint Michigan still doesn’t have clean water. Why would we spend so much money on a wall, when we could spend money on getting citizens clean water?”
– Jaleigh Brown, Sophomore

“I’m for the wall. It seems like a pretty obvious solution to me. If you want to stop people from coming in, you put a barrier in front of them.”
– Brennan Zastawny, Senior

“America was founded on the idea that it was for immigrants. It was founded by immigrants, for immigrants, and for people who needed a safe place. And if you really want to get technical, the first illegal immigrants showed up in 1492 with Christopher Columbus. The wall won’t stop illegal immigration.”
– Mr. Henderson, English Teacher

“In my opinion the wall isn’t a bad solution to immigration, but it’s not perfect either. But bottom line is eventually something needs to be done and the wall seems like a fitting solution to the problem.”
– Lex Hawkins, Junior

Written by Joselen Lopez, Mattie Blanton, and Sophie Rousseau

by jhshyphen

Cover Story: Jeff High’s Foreign Exchange Students Weigh in on Life in the U.S.

What would you pack if you could only take one suitcase to last you a whole year? A whole year without seeing your mom or dad. A whole year without sleeping in your own bed or petting your family dog. A whole year of new sights and sounds and sensations. A whole year in an unknown country. For Jeff High’s five foreign exchange students, this is their reality.

Their names are Marlene, Louis, and Peter (who are all from Germany), as well as Giovanni (who is from Italy) and Kamilla (who is from Russia). Amongst themselves there are many differences, from the way they were raised to the traditions of their families, but one thing they all have in common is the foreign exchange program.

The foreign exchange program allows students from all over the world to experience global interaction and travel, as well as the host of said exchange students to learn from their non-native guest.

“America is the dream country,” said Kamilla on why she wanted to come to America. She wanted to learn English and thought coming to a new place would be interesting. Marlene also agreed with her on this statement saying everyone wants to speak English and she wishes to become fluent.

Giovanni said there’s even an English speaking club at his school back in Italy. The club’s goal is to help students get their PET, which is a certificate of English fluency. He also said America has lived up to his expectations.

“Everything here is bigger. There are roads for no reason, and fast food everywhere.” said Giovanni. Louis stated Jeff High is a much bigger building then his school building back in Germany.

“Our number of students is the same – give or take, around 2,000 – but our school is probably 10 times smaller than Jeff High,” said Giovanni on his school size. He said his school has no cafeteria, pools, sports fields or even lockers. “I love my locker, even if it is annoying that we have to carry around our stuff,” said Marlene, whose school is also without lockers. Marlene also said school in the United States is much easier than school overseas. Every other exchange student agreed.

For Peter, Jeff High’s daily seven periods are practically effortless to him, considering he takes 16 classes a week back home. In Germany, his homework is never assigned nor taken for a grade, rather it is simply just provided as a reference. In order for him to succeed on his exams, he has to study from wanting to rather that having to.

All the exchange students agree that homework from their home countries is harder than the homework here. Kamilla said some of her classes in Russia only meet once a week, so when they do have class most of the time is spent taking a test. All the learning is left for her to on her own.

Some of them said students in their home country stay together the entire day and go from class to class together. For Kamilla, she will to stay with the same classmates from her kindergarten class until she graduates. In Russia, high school students only study 11 years rather than 12.

All of their schools have no school sports teams either. Louis, who plays tennis, is part of a club sport rather than a school team in Germany. Club sports only practice about twice a week rather than usual 5 for school teams here in America.

Many of the exchange students commented that sports are a much bigger deal to Americans. “One of the stereotypes about America is the sports,” said Marlene.

One of the things she has enjoyed most about her time here in the United States was going to all of the football games in the fall, even if she had no idea how the game worked. She is planning on going to all of basketball games this winter. Marlene also hopes to keep in contact with the friends she’s made here at Jeff.

Kamilla, who will be leaving at the end of this semester, is sad she has to go. “I don’t know if I will ever see them again, and although it has been a short time, I am sad to go,” she said about leaving friends in the United States.

 

Written by Sophie Rousseau

by jhshyphen

Candidate Profile: Trey Hollingsworth

Trey Hollingsworth is the local Republican candidate for Indiana’s ninth district. Hollingsworth is running for re-election. He has represented Indiana in Congress since 2017.

According to his campaign website, Hollingsworth’s main goal is to see all Americans have the opportunity to succeed and direct the future of their families, which he believes should be free from government interference.

In addition, Hollingsworth has taken a stand on term limits. According to Hollingsworth, who has already served one two-year term in Congress, “Public service should not be a career path. I promise you that I will serve no more than eight years as your Representative.”

Here are his views on some of the issues facing Congress:

The Economy: Hollingsworth’s website says he has a “strong belief in the productivity of the American worker, the ingenuity of American companies, and the durability of the American economy.” As a result, it says, “Trey knows American manufacturing can compete anywhere in the world if only we get government out of the way.” He also notes, “I believe there is a big difference between people in the private sector earning a living and politicians living off our earnings. In my opinion, you shouldn’t ask for the right to spend our tax dollars until you have had to honestly earn them from outside government.”

Immigration: His views regarding immigration have never been directly stated, but according to his voting records he has voted no on bills that would ensure temporary legal status for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients. DACA is an immigration policy that allows some people brought to the United States illegally as children to delay deportation and potentially become eligible for citizenship. He also approves the appropriations for a southern border wall to be built.

Gun Laws: Hollingsworth does not support gun control legislation. He is the author of the POLICE Act, which enables law enforcement officers to remain armed in public federal buildings with low-level security.

Women’s Rights: Hollingsworth’s views on women’s rights have never been directly stated, but when his wife was pregnant with their first child he made his views on abortion clear: “I am 100 percent pro-life, but now that my wife and I are expecting our first child, the sanctity of life means even more,” he said at the time.

Health Care: Hollingsworth does not support the 2010 Affordable Care Act and has voted to repeal it. “We are determined to provide relief to the millions of families facing tough choices as a direct result of Obamacare, and we hope that you’ll work with us to achieve our goal of more affordable, accessible health care that offers you and your family better options,” he says.

 

By Sophie Rousseau

by jhshyphen