It’s the middle of the night and I’m barely awake. It’s after midnight and the parents are still not home yet. My eyes stay glued to the TV screen in hopes that maybe I won’t fall asleep. In between commercial breaks I remind myself why I’m never having kids.

And then just because the night couldn’t be any easier one of the kids starts crying. Grudgingly, I get off the couch and try and hold my eyelids open enough to see.

And then I remember, if I don’t hurry they will wake their sibling up and then I will have twice as big of a problem.

I start to jog up the stairs in fear that I won’t get their quickly enough. But of course it is dark in the play room, and it’s not my house so I have no idea where the light switch is.

If I was smart I would have brought my phone for light, but I was too tired to think of that.

A shooting pain ricochets through my foot and I keep my curses to myself as I push the stupid toy aside. I knew they should have cleaned up before they went to bed.

As I trek through the obstacle course, also known as a toy room, I think to myself what are the ten worst things to step on?

10 A baby doll. You would think a baby doll can’t be that bad right? After all it is squishy or just hard. However, if it is late at night and you are babysitting little kids and you step on something squishy with human like feature—you often think you just killed the baby. And let’s face it there is no good way to explain that one to parents. So maybe it doesn’t hurt, but it could give you a heart attack.

9 A diaper. Once again, in no way is this hard or sharp—but it is without a doubt wet. When stepping on diaper little will come to mind other than, I am never having children—at least not after scarring experiences of stepping on diapers.

8 A pet. We’ve all had experience of that annoying pet you have to deal with when you babysit. Step on a cat’s tail and you might as well receive a death sentence. And any good babysitter knows you always want the pets on your side because the kids aren’t always around to keep it away. Plus an angry one—equals a scary scene.

7 Glass. Maybe it’s not as humorous when you will look back on it with your kids (because let’s face it by morning you will have forgotten all and want kids again) but it’s still as painful. And stepping on glass means two things—one, you better find that light switch, and two , you better find an excuse before the parents get home.

6 Puddles. The worst thing about stepping in a puddle, is not knowing what it is. Is it pee? Is it vomit? Or maybe it’s just the kids’ water or juice. You say a little prayer that it’s the latter and try and ignore your now sopping wet sock.

5 Anything with wheels. Let’s face it if you step on something with wheels like a skateboard and you are too close to the steps—the rest of your night would be downhill from there. Just like in The Three Stooges you fall on your butt making yourself look like a complete fool and probably manage to land on some other toys while you’re at it. Jack pot.

4 Gum. You knew you shouldn’t have given the kid it to begin with—but it just distracted him for so long. You should have realized it was a bad sign when the gum magically disappeared. But hey, maybe you are lucky and it’s summer so it’s only stuck to the bottom of your foot.

3 Legos. Everyone has stepped on a Lego at some point, and it’s usually something you don’t forget. They might be small but their without a doubt deadly.

2 Push pins. Step on one of these and you might as well say goodbye to the kids because the chances of you wanting to babysit for them again is pretty slim to none. Not only is it dark and your foot is throbbing but it’s quite possibly also bleeding. Still want kids? Yeah, me neither.

1 Marbles. It’s almost as painful as it is funny. The little grooves dig into your foot and leave impressions as you try and remember why you let them take the marbles in the first place. Did I really think this was a good idea?

Having enough, I scuff my feet along hoping to encounter no more obstacles. I finally reach the door to the kid’s bedroom feeling slightly proud of myself for making it.

Opening the door you remind yourself to clean up next time before it gets dark. Oh and don’t forget to check where the light switch is—that can come in handy too.

I do not cry in public.

It is just something that I do not allow my self today. It just makes me feel worse about myself and I am a really really ugly crier. I get all red and blotchy. When I cry it is just a horrible experience for everyone.

So when I heard about that the Names Can Really Hurt Us program coming to Woodland I was scared. If it was really as intense and memorable as everyone said it was going to be then I was probably going to cry. And then we would have a problem.

Then when I found out I was going to have to facilitate a small group on the day of Names my anxiety increased.

Walking into the auditorium the morning of November 27

I felt a chill and I had a small pit in my stomach. I collected my Names pin and sparkly little ribbon and listened to the instructions of what to do for the day.

Just like the other 300 some odd kids in the auditorium I listened half-heartedly to the opening speeches and icebreakers.

Then they announced the Panelists.

They were five kids sitting on the stage who were going to be the first ones to share their stories about how bullying has effected their lives.

A wonderfully dressed girl began by telling a chilling story about how her family life had made her a bully and how she overcame it.

A girl who I always thought was happy go lucky and hysterical told her heart aching story about her personal experience with racism.

A strong tough football player shocked us all when he shared how bullying on the field has effected him.

A peppy girl who I’d known practically all my life told the room that she had a Facebook hate page made about her.

A smart and friendly girl told a story about how she tries to fight bullying.

By the time the five stories were finished I was shaky.

The room was silent.

Not in a million years had I expected these stories to be so real. I expected monotone, prewritten explanations that would go in one ear and out the other.

In reality, these kids had tremendous amounts of courage in not only telling their stories but also telling them well and in a way that really made people listen.

At this point, it was time for the Open Mic portion of the day. The moderator invited all students who had a story that they wanted to share to come up to the microphone.

After about a minute of crickets and kids shuffling in their seats, I decided that it was going to be a waste of time. Clearly not everyone in the room was as moved by the panelists as I was.

But once again, my peers proved me wrong as people rose from their seats and went up the microphone. Soon enough, lines started to form in front of the two microphones set up in front of the stage. Dozens of kids had story that they wanted to share.

The support was unbelievable. As kids waited for their turn to share their story, friends would stand by their sides hugging them and holding their hands; convincing them that they could get up their and share.

Students in the audience were clapping and yelling words of encouragement.

At one point, a small sophomore in a football jersey came up to the mic. As he began to talk, one of his teammates rose from his seat and went to stand by his side. Within seconds, the entire football team was standing in a circle around the boy at microphone.

And that was when I lost it.

It was mind blowing to me how everyone in the room had become connected.

After about an hour or so, it was time to move on from Open Mic. There was still dozens of kids who had a story to share but there just wasn’t enough time.  I was disappointed and so was everyone else in the audience.

From there, we broke off into small groups and went to classrooms to continue the discussion.

In my opinion   though, as soon as everyone filled out the doors of the auditorium no one was in the mood to talk anymore.

But the important thing is that people did talk and others did listen.

Even more important is that we remember the amount of compassion that was showed to each other in the auditorium on the day of Names.

We have to take that open minded attitude and show it towards everyone everyday.

We should not have to be nice to someone because they’ve had a rough go of it.

We should just be nice to everyone period.

Let’s not let this message pass us by.

Treat others the way you wish to be treated and you will find Woodland to be a different place.

By Joelle Kilcourse

Around May first, like many teachers, I develop Seniorosis – an illness which is the result of repeated and prolonged exposure to Senioritis. And yes, I do look forward to graduation because it means I will no longer have to hunt down late assignments for Seniors who missed class because they overslept or detoured to Dunkin’ or Starbucks on the way to school.

And of course the lassiez-faire attitude of some (ok, many) seniors drives me to pull out my soapbox and occasionally (ok, often) lecture my 12^th graders about the importance of coming to class (on-time) and completing assignments (on-time), but despite all of these factors, I refuse to believe that Senior year should become optional for all high school students.

In a recent New York Times Magazine editorial entitled “Class Dismissed” (February 25,2010) Walter Kirn describes Senior year in high school as, “ a licensed year of irresponsibility” in which students behave like a cast of characters from Hollywood films like “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”, “Dazed and Confused” and “High School Musical 3”, prancing around the hallways of their high school shouting “Seniors Rule!” and using tradition to mask the reality that “deep down [Seniors] are lost.”

I’m not sure when “tradition” became a dirty word or when rites of passage like homecoming, prom, pep rallies and graduation became wicked and nefarious events responsible for the corruption of our youth (I tend to blame video games and the internet for that) but somehow, in Mr. Kirn’s mind, tradition offers not much more than an occasion for “goofing off, chronic truancy, random bullying, sloppy dancing in rented formal wear and interludes of moody, wan philosophizing”. (I won’t even address the offensive nature of these stereotypes or the media influenced assumptions of teenagers Mr. Kirn uses to justify his position as the topic that deserves an entire editorial of its own.)

In my experience as a class advisor I found that the traditional events provided opportunities for students to work together as a team. Spirit Week fostered a feeling of togetherness and unity; students who normally would not interact found themselves painting signs, cutting pictures and figuring out ways to transform our hallway into a Parisian street scene or a red-carpet VIP Hollywood event. Rites of passage should serve to remind us of our sameness, they serve to remind us that the path to adulthood is a tricky. Why is the notion of celebrating our successful steps toward the future a bad thing? How dismal would life (and our scrapbooks) be if we only acknowledged what hasn’t been accomplished?

In making Senior year memorable and important, leadership always helps. Seniors should feel empowered to “rule” because over four years they’ve figured everything out about their high school and it’s now their responsibility to show the rest of the school how things should be done, whether it’s in the classroom, on the athletic field, at a pep rally, in a club or extracurricular activity, or at a school dance. Seniors should be the standard every Junior, Sophomore and Freshman wants to meet or exceed. As someone who “left high school a year early thanks to a an offer from a progressive college”, Mr. Kirn probably can’t relate to much of what I’m saying in this opinion piece, and I find it mildly insulting and extremely hypocritical to have America’s educational system criticized again, by someone who isn’t even speaking from experience, but rather a place of bias.

In some ways Senior year is a “holding patter”, a year of comfort and repetition in which students can anticipate what is expected and plan accordingly. Why is this necessarily a bad thing? Many Seniors take on additional hours at work and learn to balance school and work when there is still a safety net in place to prevent them from falling – and often, from failing – and provide useful learning experiences students can reflect back on later.

Other Seniors choose to fill their schedules with class they simply love: journalism, Contemporary World Issues, psychology, Vietnam, philosophy, creative writing, stagecraft, illustration, painting and drawing, art skills, digital media, graphic design, photography, poetry, construction, accounting, child development, bake shop, fashion and acting – just to name a few.

For those students intent on attending top tier colleges, Senior year provides opportunities to take challenging classes in areas like foreign language, math, science, English, history and psychology. Woodland’s AP classes are full, our programs are thriving and our students are saving thousands of dollars by entering college with up to twelve college credits. There’s nothing redundant about that.

Yet, in many ways, Senior year isn’t really even about academics. It’s about self-discovery; a year for Seniors to figure out who they are, decide what matters to them and ultimately establish personal boundaries in regard to relationships (friendly and romantic), health, and even style.

My guess is educational pursuits would probably argue that the other 18 hours a day can be used for these pursuits instead  of texting, surfing the bed, and killing terrorists in Call of Duty 25 or whatever. It’s hard to argue with that logic, but where else are out Seniors confronted with the situations and pressures they encounter during a normal school day? High school allows students, especially Seniors, to make mistakes and take responsibility for their actions and, ideally, learn from them before they’re let losse into the far less forgiving real world.

Would high school really change that much if we removed one year? Probably not. The more relevant question  is: would our students change? Already out youth are catapulated into maturation by images and ideas presented by the television, film, magazines, and video games at a breakneck pace, why should we force  them toward the responsibilities of adulthood sooner than we must? I say, keep Senior year. Let out kids be goofy  for just a while longer, the challenges and trials of the real worlds aren’t going anywhere: Seniors might as well paint the rock first.

Photo Credit: http://www.scrapbooksgonedigital.com/images/dbp_senioryearwordart_prev1600.jpg

Splashing around in the cool crisp water of a pool is a favorite among many in the summertime. However, this leisurely activity is no longer just for this time of year. Swimming is being brought to Woodland.

Physical Education instructor Ray Donaghy has incorporated swimming into the curriculum for his physical education classes.

Naturally, when the idea was presented to classes, there were various emotions that ran through students. Some were happy and excited. Others, like me, were dreading it.

Dr. Arnold Frank, principal at Woodland, stated that swimming during gym class needs to be discussed further and that issues such as dress code need to be addressed.

Swimming is a fantastic sport and a great way to exercise. It includes movement of all areas of the body and is a less stressful way to work out.

While there are facts that support how beneficial swimming is, that does not mean it should be a part of gym class.

A common fact is that before entering a pool, both men and women put on a bathing suit. However, something that should be common knowledge is that most men and women are conscious about their bodies.

Whether they have the “perfect” body or not, some still can feel uncomfortable. I do not exclude myself from this group.

Also, the fact that any type of bathing suit can be worn does not help. That only makes others feel rather inferior and even more awkward. On top of being around boys in a skimpy piece of fabric, seeing other girls in bikinis re-enforces the fact that I don’t look like that. Therefore, my self-esteem has dropped dramatically.

Yet, the issue of confidence is not the only reason why swimming should not be a part of gym class.

There are students that do not know how to swim or cannot swim well. There are also students that have phobias about drowning which causes them to shy away from the water.

How are these students supposed to participate?

Swimming is rather important to learn because it could behoove individuals later in life. However, this does not mean that it should become part of the curriculum for physical education.

If people want to learn to swim, many choose to learn by trained lifeguards in an environment where they are comfortable and surrounded by people in the same position as they are.

By singling out these students, it gives others an incentive to tease and bully, even though that was never the intention of the instructor.

Also, the students that have a phobia with relation to water are obviously not going to enjoy getting in the water or even being near it.

Donaghy has a solution to this problem. These students will be able to sit at the shallow end of the pool and dip their feet into the water.

However, many of these individuals may want to opt to sit on the deck and watch their classmates. Some may not even go so far as dipping their feet in the pool.

Are they going to receive a zero for the day over a fear that they are not ready to conquer yet?

I understand that swimming is a wonderful exercise, but students should not be made to participate.

However, according to Donaghy, swimming in gym class “is going to be mandatory because it will promote water safety.”

My opinion remains the same. Swimming in gym class should be optional. I understand the motivation behind making it mandatory, but I still feel that the students should have a choice. When dealing with swimming, whether it be in public or not, everyone has different comfort levels.

Gym is supposed to be a fun and carefree class. With the addition of swimming it becomes nerve-racking and awkward.

Photo Credit: Rachael Conti

Chatroulette is a new craze for what seems like people of all ages. It is a game that requires the use of a webcam. The site lets you meet random people from all over the world. In order to use this site you have to be 16 and older, but that is not taken into consideration seeing as you do not need to sign up to play.

Playing this game is simple. You just need to have an accessible webcam hooked up to your computer, go to www.chatroulette.com and press play. There are 3 buttons on top, next: which allows you to view a different person, pause: which allows you to take a break from viewing another person’s webcam as needed and report: which is to use if a person breaks the rules of the website. The three rules are, you have to be 16 and up and nudity is not allowed. You can  report users that defy these rules. From my experience there are certainly people on there that break those rules.

The horrific truth is that there are old men, people who try to hide their identity and nudity displayed on almost every other person’s webcam. Not only can users see each other through the webcam, but they can also chat with an instant messenger right on the website.

Since this website is so dangerous, the most important things are to never give out any real information and use it with caution.

Sophomore, Alyssa Stewart said she started using this website about a month ago and her first impression was that the site was sketchy. She states,” I think it’s entertaining, but weird.”

Here is an brief account of a conversation that I had while testing out the website:

Person: I was waiting for someone beautiful
Me: I can’t even see your face lol
Person: Its because I’m famous
Person: I’ve seen nothing but nudity and lonely men
Me: Haha just don’t be shy lol
Person: its a scary world out there
Me: Yeah I was grossed out with people lol
Person:You must have been asked to show your body parts like what….5 times a second?
Me: haha people don’t really bother me but i am gonna go.

To top off my horrific experience on ChatRoulette as I hit the next button, my next webcam “friend” told me he liked my feet, hence ChatRoulette is full of what I would call creeps.

Chatroulette is one of the newest websites that might seem entertaining to some, but should be used with caution as they never know what they might see through their opponents webcam when they press play.

Photo Credit: http://www.dclstore.co.uk/images/products/logitech-quickcam-pro-9000-web-camera-colour-audio-hi-speed-usb960-000053-l.jpg

The pen is mightier than the sword as twins duke it out for bragging rights and verbal dominance. Fists fly, tempers run wild and insults are hurled like stones. Read the two sides, then log in and voice your opinion. Best responses get published.