News
Teen drivers: Put phones away when you’re behind the wheel
Texting and driving makes a person 23 times more likely to crash, study shows
By ALANA MARSH
STAFF WRITER
Motor Vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for American teenagers, killing 5,000 to 6,000 teens every year. Unsafe driving threatens our lives everyday and is an issue that must be addressed.
Stacey DeWitt, founder and chief executive officer of Connect with Kids, says that distracted driving is the leading cause of car accidents. Speeding, cell phone usage, and pressures from friends are just some distractions a teen driver must avoid in order to stay safe behind the wheel.
We hear about the danger of texting while driving every day, but according to textinganddrivingsafety.com, Seventy-seven percent of young drivers say they are “very or somewhat confident that they can safely drive while texting,” and 55 percent claim texting while driving is easy.
While it may seem to the driver that there is nothing wrong with their driving while they text, this site also shows that teens who text and drive are actually driving outside of the lane about 10 percent of the time posing a serious threat to everyone on the road.
eSomethin.com decided to investigate and found that many students do not see texting and driving as a problem.
“I use my phone to change music or text someone [while driving], but only when I’m by myself,” said one student.
Unfortunately this seems to be the mindset of many students at PHS, but according to a study by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, texting and driving makes a person 23 times more likely to crash and is the same as driving after four beers.
“Teens should try to focus on the road,” says senior Angela Panzero, “and not get distracted, and not have your phone near you when you drive.”
Speeding is another aspect of driving that many teens seem to have become apathetic about. “I speed on some neighborhood streets if I’m in a hurry sometimes, but mostly because I am impatient,” claims another PHS student driver.
Allstate Auto Insurance reports that 55 percent of teenage drivers admit “they exceed the speed limit by more than 10 [mph].” Another 69 percent of teens say they speed in order to keep up with traffic, which shows that teens are not the only ones to blame. According to consumerreports.com, “speeding kills nearly 900 Americans every month.”
Dallas Stiles
Senior Dallas Stiles sums it up by saying that to promote safe driving teens should “put the phone away, avoid speeding, always wear a seat belt, not have super loud music, and make sure to keep eyes on the road.”
If all drivers would follow this advice, our roads would be much safer. Other driving distractions include such things as having too many people in the car, eating or drinking, and being tired.
Sleepcenter.ucla.edu states that even just driving drowsy produces a slow reaction time from the driver and causes them to make bad decisions. The site says drivers should definitely make sure they get an adequate amount of sleep before getting behind the wheel.
These are just a few of many ways that teen drivers can be safe on the road. Students should pass the message to their friends that driving safe is important for their schools and communities, and especially for themselves and their futures.
KeeptheDrive.com is an interactive site which helps teens do just that. The site promotes and gives teens a way to help spread the message about safe driving. The site states that it was created to let the teens do the talking, and gives practical tools and ideas for how to do it.
And according to Allstate, “By empowering teens to become part of the solution, and by celebrating their driving experiences, The Allstate Foundation Teen Driving Program takes a positive approach to addressing the No. 1 killer of teens and making smart driving socially acceptable among teens themselves.”
Let’s drive, but let’s drive safe.
Contact Alana Marsh at: alana1713@gmail.com
Kevin English named BCSN Teacher of Month
Kevin English, BCSN’s Teacher of Month, has taught at Perrysburg for 18 years.
By ALANA MARSH
STAFF WRITER
Kevin English, a teacher at Perrysburg High School, has been named BCSN Teacher of the Month for January 2013.
Every month BCSN chooses a student and teacher of the month from school nominations. These students and teachers are then in the running against the winners of other months for the title of Student of the Year or Teacher of the Year.
Mr. English will be running against seven other teachers throughout the Toledo area for the title.
PHS considers electronic ways to learn
By ALANA MARSH
STAFF WRITER
Perrysburg High School may look a bit different in the future as the administration is considering giving students laptops.
“It’s on the horizon,” said Principal Dr. Michael Short. “But right now there are still a lot of questions that we need to have answered.”
According to Dr. Short, electronic devices are certainly a possibility for the next school year, but will become a necessity for the 2014–15 school year.
Freshman life not so scary after all
New batch of Perrysburg students schooled to the 9s
By KRISTINE HARVEY
STAFF WRITER
Freshman year can be one of the scariest grades, and yet it’s one of the most important parts of high school. It’s the first step into adulthood and can be stressful.
“Teachers will be mean to you and give you tons of homework.”
“You’ll never find your way around such a large school, and upperclassmen will pick on you.”
These are just some of the things students heading into their freshman year worry about.
Styling with oversized sweaters
By FIONA CONNOLLY
COLUMNIST
The beginning of December is bringing even colder weather than before and we all need another way to keep warm and fashionable. Plus, with the combination of school getter harder and the mornings getting darker, everyone just wants to be comfortable.
So what do you wear? An oversized sweater will do the trick. There are multiple ways to wear an oversized sweater: With leggings and boots, a scarf or belt, layering multiple sweaters, or even try an oversized sweater to dress down a dress or skirt.
Depending on what you wear it with, you will get a different look. For example, a neon pullover, black leggings and combat boots create an edgier look, and a cream-colored sweater with brown boots and leggings creates a softer look.
When layering over a dress or skirt, be careful you sweater is big enough. If not, you will just look like a sloppy-dressed schoolgirl. You can wear your sweater for all occasions, depending on how you wear it.
So where do you get you sweater? Well that depends on what kind of sweater you want. Many store already sell sweaters that work as long as you get it in a size or two above you normal size.
If you are looking for a more authentic look, try the men’s section. And if you really want that old, soft, floppy sweater you can wear with anything, the men’s section at a used clothing store will be the best option.
The number one thing to remember when getting an oversized sweater is to try it on. You may thing it will fit right but it could just look weird. Go with your gut instinct for determining how a sweater fits you. Look to see if it will shrink too because that will definitely change things.
Another thing you may want to do is bring the rest of the outfit with you to the store so you can make sure it works with the sweater you are buying. It might not work out as well as it does in your mind. Something that looks good on the model probably won’t fit the same way on an average person.
Stay fashionable and stay comfy!
Contact Fiona Connolly at pixi1998@gmail.com.
Dealing with ACT angst and a ‘first real relationship’
Got a problem you can’t solve? Have nowhere to turn? Don’t suffer in silence. Ask Miss Nancy and she’ll give you advice, or at least a few suggestions on what to do. You can reach out to her with or without your name by sending an email to missnancy@esomethin.com.
Dear Miss Nancy,
I’m stressing out over my ACT scores. I don’t know if I did as well as I wanted to do. What should I do?
Stressed by Scores
Dear Stressed by Scores,
You need to have faith in yourself and be confident. In every type of test, confidence is always key to success.
Miss Nancy
Help select ‘Teacher of the Month’
Hello there, students. Beginning shortly eSomethin.com will be doing a “Teacher of the Month” feature. Each month we’ll profile one of your teachers, but we need your help.
We’d love it if you, the student body, chose which teacher or staff member YOU want to learn more about. So send us your suggestions.
If there is a specific teacher that you want eSomethin.com to profile, send me an email at dalstiles21@yahoo.com telling me who we should profile and why.
Advice for someone new to Perrysburg
Got a problem you can’t solve? Have nowhere to turn? Don’t suffer in silence. Ask Miss Nancy and she’ll give you advice, or at least a few suggestions on what to do. You can reach out to her with or without your name by sending an email to missnancy@esomethin.com.
Dear Miss Nancy,
I’m a pretty shy person when it comes to meeting new people. I’m also really awkward. But I really want to gather up the courage to talk to this really cute guy who is a junior. I’ve never really said much to him, so how do I start conversations in the hallway and on the bus without being too awkward?
Confused Freshman
Dear Confused Freshman,
You should try and say hi to him and show him your personality. Remember, a good impression is a must whenever you meet someone new. Try talking to him about something interesting. A guy is always interested in someone with a good personality. If you really want to get rid of your shyness, try joining a club or sports team.
Dear Miss Nancy,
I feel like my boyfriend and I are not connecting, what should I do?
Girlfriend No. 1
Dear Girlfriend No. 1,
You should always try and find things that you and your boyfriend have in common. There’s always something, no matter how hard to find it is.
Dear Miss Nancy,
I feel really depressed because I just moved here to Perrysburg and I feel out of place. I miss my friends and everything back home.
Fish Out of Water
Dear Fish Out of Water,
It’s always normal to feel out of place in a new atmosphere where you don’t know anything or anyone. That feeling will eventually go away once you get used to your surroundings. Nowadays you can connect with your old friends at the click of a mouse. Tango, Skype, Viber, are all excellent to use. If you feel out of place, you could also talk with an adult such as your parents, a teacher, school counselor, or your religious leader.
Send your questions to Miss Nancy at missnancy@esomethin.com
PHS student aces the ACT Test
Abdurrafey Khan, a senior, has done something not many people think is possible. He has aced the ACT.
Abdurrafey Khan, a Perrysburg High School senior, has aced the ACT Test. KELLY FRANCE photo.
Abdur is president of the French Club and Perrysburg Mock Trial, and is vice president of the National Honor Society. Abdur is also on the Cross Country and Track teams.
How does he do all of this and still manage to get a perfect score on the ACT Test?
“I prepared by taking practice tests from ACT practice books and online. To people who take the test, the biggest thing to worry about is time, so make sure you take a lot of timed practice tests so you can get a feel for how the ACT works,” said Abdur on his methods to success. “Other than that, just go over basic things like algebra and grammar that you’re rusty on.
“When I checked my score, I got so excited. At first I didn’t really believe the number, and then I just screamed. My parents basically did the same, although not as loudly,” Abdur said.
Right now, he said, he is interested in attending Northwestern, Chicago, Washington and Lee, or Ohio State for college.
Volunteering has its rewards
“When Volunteering, I feel good. Despite all the work and time, there is something about sincere thankfulness from people who money cannot buy,” – Micheal Gerber, a Youth Jefferson Award Winner.
6 PHS students recognized as Young Jefferson Award winners
By KAYLA LAHSTEN
STAFF WRITER
The Students In Action program has recognized six Perrysburg High School students as this year’s Young Jefferson Award winners for their good works in the community.
They are John Gadient, Madeline Horvat, Michael Gerber, Krista Horvath, Hanya El-Shamy, and sophomore Colin Heslet.
Students In Action is a program that tries to get more young people involved in community service projects locally and recognizing those who volunteer with the Youth Jefferson Award to encourage and inspire others.
