October, 2007

Commentary: Wake up! We’re still at war!
At the beginning of the Iraq War, the conflict was endlessly covered by the media. The war saturated every news medium from television to major magazines to indie ‘zines and on-line blogs.

June, 2007

Internships look great on college résumés
Let’s face it, for college-bound students, especially those aiming for selective schools out of state, junior and senior year of high school become completely enveloped by college-preferred academics, athletics, clubs, scholastic events and standardized tests.

Taste Test: Energy Bars
Which ones are good, and which ones should stay on the shelf
On many school mornings, students find themselves skipping breakfast in exchange for an extra 10 minutes of sleep. While they might think they're doing themselves a favor by getting a little extra sleep, the truth is that breakfast is also very important.

Yearbook etiquette: What to do - and not do - when leaving your mark
A yearbook is a memory book, a volume of history, a compilation of the year in pictures and articles. But it’s also something that students tend to muddle up annually.

Admissions process stressful for first-generation college student
As a high school senior, I can’t wait to graduate and move on to college. But as a first-generation college-bound student, I never fully realized just how long and complicated the college application process really is.

Why a Democrat will win in 2008
In 2004, America had very little to choose from with its two presidential candidates. With Bush, America has had four more years of declining economic and foreign relations, rising inflation, Middle Eastern crises and outrageous gas prices.

Reader Response: Global warming not ‘blown out of proportion’
I never thought I'd ever see someone who had read "State of Fear." It's one of those books that you find on the Internet but not something you'd expect to hear about in Flipside. But bringing up this book provides a great illustration for how global warming denial gets spread.

First Person Singular: Rap lyric debate misses point
The following editorial stems from the recent case of shock jock Don Imus, who was fired for using an inappropriate racial term on-air. This case once again brought up the debate over the content of rap music.

First Person Singular: Forget fashion magazine ideals
Face it, girls. We’re all guilty of reading fashion magazines, whether it’s the latest issue of Seventeen or CosmoGirl. But the fact remains that fashion magazines are making a negative impact on teens across the country.

Speaking up with silence
On April 18, students from more than 5,000 middle and high schools across the country signed up to participate in the 11th annual Day of Silence. The purpose of this event was to protest the silence that many gay teens endure because of the fear of harassment, ridicule and hatred should they come out.

May, 2007

Comparing cultures
Paulina Voigt is a foreign exchange student from Berlin, Germany, who is living in Craigsville while she attends Richwood High School. She wrote some top 10 lists for us.

First Person Singular: Does homework contribute to obesity?
Obesity is a common problem in today’s children. A decrease in exercise and an increase in video game playing and TV watching is partially to blame for this.

April, 2007

Hot topic: global warming
Global warming blown out of proportion
It amuses me that although we don’t entirely trust weathermen for tomorrow’s forecast, we’ll jump up and start running around in pointless circles when they tell us what the weather will be like in 50 years.

Hot topic: global warming
Global warming a major threat to our future
As teenagers, we really should be paying attention to this “hot topic.” After all, we are the ones who will be alive in 10, 20 or even 60 years; we are the ones who will be dealing with the effects of global warming. Because let’s face it, global warming isn’t going away, and if we don’t do anything about it, it’s only going to get worse.

Hot topic: Astrology
Astrology a fun hobby, not a science
Sagittarius. Leo. Aquarius. Everyone knows what his or her sign is. But does your astrological sign necessarily tell you who you are and what your future will be like?

Hot topic: Astrology
It’s more complex than horoscopes
Horoscopes are the lottery of astrology. They are a generalization of each sign’s day. We may think that our horoscope doesn’t apply to us, but that’s because we’re all more than just our general sign.

Disney does cruising right
As a two-time Disney Cruise line veteran, I’m here to shed some light on this cruise line, which, though marketed toward families with small children, has something for everyone!

March, 2007

A guy’s guide to prom survival
Prom will be here before you know it, and though it’s generally girls who are consumed with pre-prom preparation, there are some things guys can do to help the big night go smoothly.

First person singular
Long distance friendships worth the effort
This fall, I experienced for the first time what it was like to have a friend graduate and move on to college. Debra was a junior when she befriended me as a freshman during rookie week at band camp. This fall, she moved to Columbus to study pre-med at Ohio State University.

First Person Singular
Learning from home would solve many problems
Why does the standard today seem to be to make everyone’s intelligence the same? No one person is a carbon copy of someone else, so why try to conform a society to a standard level of smarts? We are not robots.

First Person Singular
Violence not all that makes schools unsafe
Feeling safe at Buffalo High School isn’t a question — it’s more of a way of life.

First Person Singular
NPR: are you listening?
When most people think of National Public Radio, they don’t automatically think of an enjoyable experience. For teens especially, NPR definitely does not strike immediate interest because most of them are listening to the popular music stations with the latest hits from top artists.

Commentary: Listen to the music
Towards the end of last school year, the Kanawha County Board of Education came out with a policy that school bus radios were no longer allowed to be on while students are present.

Parents who teach and the kids who resent them
Can you imagine going to school and having your mother or father there with you? Or going to class and seeing a parent writing the day’s assignments on the board? What would it be like to have a parent at school, keeping an eye on your every move?

February, 2007

His view: Valentine gifts on a budget
Most guys think Valentine’s Day is just a clever rouse for girls to get another present. And some guys definitely go overboard on how much they spend for their girlfriends on this holiday - after all, Christmas was just a month and a half ago. I think that if $25 isn’t enough for your girl, then it’s time for you to move on and find someone who appreciates both you and that old philosophy of “It’s the thought that counts.”

Hers 2: Valentine gifts for all budgets
With Valentine’s Day coming up, men everywhere are fretting over the perfect gift for their girlfriends. With so many options to choose from, many males are left confused. However, I’m here to help you relax by taking you through a list of gifts that no woman could help but love.

How to heal a broken heart
Relationships can be tough, especially in high school. One moment, you have the most perfect relationship anyone could ask for, and the next thing you know, it’s over.

What makes a tomboy?
She has sweatpants in every necessary color: gray, navy blue and black. The push-up bra is a foreign object, and the process of “getting ready” taking more than five minutes is an unheard of concept to her. She is often competitive and would much rather play basketball with the boys than go shopping. She always wears her water resistant watch, and she has five pairs of tennis shoes — three of which are coated in mud. Yes, she’s the tomboy, but before you go making assumptions, there are a few things you probably don’t know about her.

Teen’s first car a rude awakening
>As the time grew near for me to finally receive my driver’s license, I began to formulate the perfect car in my head. Silver, sleek and shiny, it would be a super-fast sports car with a motor that purred like a kitten. It would have leather seats and a subwoofer in the back. Imagine my surprise when my parents bought me a Lumina a year older than I was.

First person singular:
Fighting punishment unfair to victims
Currently in Kanawha County, the punishment for fighting in school is suspension for both students involved. This means that if someone comes up to you and hits you and you hit them back, you get suspended even though you were not the one who started the fight. Is this fair? I asked both teachers and students for their thoughts.

January, 2007

Swing Sing a shining example of arts education importance
Swing Sing is an annual event held at the Charleston Municipal Auditorium that showcases the talent of Kanawha County high school show choirs. It’s not a contest, so it gives the participants a chance to demonstrate their skills to an audience of hundreds in a noncompetitive atmosphere.

First Person Singular: An unexpected blessing
At age 16, I can easily identify various experiences, moments and people that have had a significant impact on my life. However, one incident from seventh grade remains especially vivid in my mind, and it is undoubtedly something that thousands of other students have also experienced: bullying.

Farewell to a film genius
With his recent passing, it is only fitting to reflect upon the work and vision of Robert Altman, one of the great American film directors. Every film by Altman epitomizes the meaning of “film as art,” and each work is a beautifully-painted portrait of visual splendor and intense character study.

December, 2006

High school... It’s a jungle out there
Countless speculators of our age exhaust themselves ranting over the existence of cliques and the social castes that they create. Most teens classify themselves by their implicit circle of friends — knitting themselves ever-closer together while rebuking those who aren’t in their group. High school reality is a vicious hierarchy. In fact, it’s quite similar to life in a tropical jungle.

First Person Singular:
There’s lots to treasure in a super-sized family
It all started back in San Diego in the early 1950s when a handsome young sailor, Carter Ruddle, and his new wife Margery gave birth to their first child - a baby boy named Roy Carter. Less than a year later, the couple was blessed with another son, Phillip Lee. The next year another boy, Robert, was born; then another, Charles and another, Richard. For the next 20 years the family grew, one child at a time, until there were a total of 11 children — six boys and five girls. My mother was number eight.

First Person Singular: Checking out college life
It seems like college life on television or in the movies is either absolutely perfect or totally terrible. But have you ever wondered what it’s really like? I recently visited Mount Vernon Nazarene University in Ohio and experienced first-hand what really goes on on a college campus

November, 2006

First Person Singular: Your thoughts, your words
Jewish teen, Catholic school
My name is Avrah. I am the oldest daughter of a rabbi. I’m Jewish and I’m a junior at Charleston Catholic High School.

Adrenaline rush
Adrenaline is the body’s natural high. It makes your heart pump, your knees weak and your stomach tie in knots. I look at it as one of the best bittersweet feelings in the world. No matter what sport your play, your adrenaline contributes to the love you have for it. For me, that sport is running — cross country running to be exact.

Teens lack knowledge of Middle East
When my sister graduated from high school in 2000, she entered a world where war was something you learned about in history books. But for today’s seniors, war is a word heard every day on the television. Having a relative fighting overseas is common. Signing up for selective service means much more than it once did.

Be my buddy
I’m talking to my friends on-line, and one of those annoying “Accept Message” windows pops up. Now I have a choice. I can A) click “Yes” and talk to this person or B) click “No” and continue what I was doing. Here’s what it takes for me to do A.

We can prevent school shootings
When public schools and tiny one-room schoolhouses become the scenes of school shootings, the situation seems hopeless, but there are things we can do to prevent these tragedies.

October, 2006

Too cool for (regular) school
I’m writing this article to let everyone know — I QUIT SCHOOL! Just kidding. I didn’t really quit school. I just quit going to Capital High School.

No matter why, intolerance is wrong
Recently my classmates and I went to the Barbour County Fair to watch the lawnmower races. As we walked around the fair, it was pointed out to me that a lot of people were staring at me. I looked like a red card in a blue deck.

June, 2006

Censoring art violates freedom of expression
The mission statement of George Washington High School is, in part, to create “a safe learning environment, which promotes student self-direction both academically and socially.” But, is the school violating that statement by trying to limit our right to express ourselves?

Curb caffeine cravings for the good of your health
Caffeine is an addictive drug, but that doesn’t stop a large portion of the population from consuming it on a daily basis. It is a stimulant - just like cocaine and amphetamines but milder. One of its many side effects is the narrowing of blood vessels, which causes the body to become alert. People often take caffeine to fight off sleep and gain more energy.

May, 2006

Exchange program not all fun
Think about challenges before going abroad
Who wouldn’t want to be a foreign exchange student, to go to a different country and spend a long time there? Many kids think that being an exchange student will let them go away from home, see something different and just feel free without parents.

First Person Singular
Selective Service unfair to men
It’s happened again: a group of minorities has not only been recognized as equals but become favored. We’ve seen it before with African Americans, Jews, Muslims and immigrants of all kinds. Groups of minorities like these fight for equal rights and are granted them, earning preference over those in majority groups (especially when it comes to being hired) in the process.

First Person Singular
Are we rewarding mediocrity?
Are schools penalizing hard working students by honoring and recognizing mediocrity? I believe so.

First Person Singular
Putnam County needs smoke-free restaurants
Headlines from state media outlets show that nonsmokers’ rights are being considered all over the state - in nearly every county, in fact. However, the right to remain cancer-free is still being withheld from restaurant patrons in Putnam County, which is still debating its Clean Indoor Air Policy.

Bend in road breaks apart family
My dad and I were very close. We shared special bonds for the first five years of my life. I remember how his coins jingled in his pocket and the times when we would sit with baseball caps on, watching the NASCAR races. But all of these happy memories fade when I realize that he’s not here with me anymore.

Keep bathrooms clean, please
Public restrooms are often neglected because they’re not exactly a social hotspot — people only go in there for obvious reasons. Like public restrooms in other schools, the ones at Winfield needs some help. In my four years at the school, many complaints have been made, but the problems still remain.

School uniforms have benefits
How do you feel about wearing the same thing as everyone else in your school? That’s right, I’m talking about school uniforms.

April, 2006

First Person Singular
Sports need private school division
If you were at the Summersville armory on March 8, you saw a public school’s loss to yet another private school when Richwood played Charleston Catholic in the Class A regional tournament. Should private schools have their own conference in sports?

March, 2006

First Person Singular
Rising above height insecurities
So many of us spend our lives dreaming of being someone different. We look at ourselves in the mirror and see only what we can change. Why can’t we just like what we have? I guess it’s just like the saying goes, “The grass is always greener on the other side.”

Commentary: Required read leads to oral awakening
>While sitting in Mrs. Claudia Kol’s Anatomy/Physiology 2 class, I began to read yet another interesting article on human health and hygiene. But this article wasn’t like the others we had read, talking of interesting but predictable human health issues. The further I got in this article, the more alarmed I became.

First Person Singular: Kicking cola out of my diet
One of the most popular types of drinks among teenagers today is soda. But like other things that are popular, it’s not necessarily good for you.

February, 2006

First Person Singular
Money matters: Working not necessary to teach the value of a dollar
Parents often preach to us about the trials and tribulations of the “real world.” They continually remind us of these obstacles to encourage us to become more responsible or independent as adolescents. Yet, for the most part, we are still completely dependent on them.

January, 2006

First Person Singular
Seeing through mirrors to our true selves
Is this sheet of glass really all its cracked up to be? Do we ever look beyond its surface to see ourselves clearly?

Student council camp a learning experience
What first comes to mind when you think about student council? Is it homecoming activities, fundraisers or dances? To most students, this is the extent of their knowledge about student council. But what does the group actually do?

December, 2005

Teachers we love:
Capital High School economic teacher Steve Freeman

Teachers we love:
Capital High School english teacher Julie Kidd

November, 2005

Commentary
Forget ‘sunless sizzle,’ tanning isn’t all that

October, 2005

First Person Singular
Living a life of addiction

Commentary
Church and state not so separate