The official website for the Oak Hills High School student newspaper
3200 Ebenezer Road, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Chapter 2: After High School
by Olivia Young
Senior year is the year most people decide where they want to attend college and make the decision on what they want to do with their life after high school. Some students decide they want to go to college, others say they want to work, and a few take a year off and just relax. The one decision that excites me the most is the students who decide to join the military after they graduate high school. I caught up with Tyler Doyle, an OHHS senior, who made the brave decision to join the military after graduating
Tyler is joining Army 11x. Airborne infantry. “I already have the job of my dreams. Airborne. Basically infantry, with the twist of jumping from airplanes. It is a combat MOS, which I get both shunned for and awed”. During his time in the military, Tyler will be attending college as well, because the military offers active duty members to take classes and gain the credit they need. Tyler decided to join the military because he looks up to soldiers as his role model. A veteran or active duty or even reserve member of the military, in Tyler's opinion, are above any other human being this planet has ever seen. “They gave everything for me, and I want to give everything and more.” His family is insanely supportive of his decision on joining the military. Both of his grandparents and their fathers were in the military, his cousin is an officer in the Army, Airborne Division, and his stepfather was also in the army. It isn’t going to be easy in fact, it's going to be tough but Tyler knows he can do the combat, but he’s concerned about being away from his family and causing them to worry.
Posted: April 16th, 2018
Former Tartan Staff Member is Now Communication’s Director
by Alli Auel
Way back when, when 80s hair stood taller than most basketball players and blue eyeshadow was bluer than the sky itself, Jill Eichhorn, an Oak Hills High School (OHHS) alum, was a writer for the OHHS Tartan. While being a staff writer for the Tartan then was different compared to today, Eichhorn credits her experience with the Tartan as being the reason for her career now: the current Director of Communications at the Cincinnati Eye Institute (CEI), one of the largest and most specialized ophthalmology practices in the United States.
Jill Eichhorn was the typical 80s-90s high school student--- one that reminisced on skipping school with Ferris Bueller. Though some of her high school days were not as extravagant as dining at Chez Quis, Eichhorn poured her time into her schooling and extra curriculars. She was an Oakette and participated in Key Club, Student Council, French Club, Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD), and Mythology Club. “Every kid did the Mythology Club….just because! There was a teacher named Miss Amorette Butler who is a legend to us 80s-90s alumni. Every kid took mythology their junior or senior years so we could have Miss Butler,” Eichhorn said as she reminisced on her high school days. In addition, she encourages any student whose parents attended OHHS to ask their parents about Miss Butler stories. She assured that the infamous stories will bring a smile to their faces.
Aside from Key Club, Oakettes, Student Council, French Club, SADD, and Mythology Club, Eichhorn joined the Tartan staff her junior year at OHHS. “My junior year I was a writer—whatever Mrs. Baker, our advisor, gave me as a story, I did,” Eichhorn said.
As a staff member of the Tartan, Eichhorn had to carry out various tasks to construct her stories, some of which are slightly different today. One of the most crucial tasks was interviewing. However, back in the 80s-90s when casual email interviews were almost unheard of, Eichhorn had to use her old-fashioned speaking voice and a pen and paper to graciously ask interview questions person to person. “My first interview was talking to Mr. Tim Taylor, a history teacher. I took meticulous notes by hand writing down every single word he said,” Eichhorn explained. For some journalists today, including current Tartan staff members, writing interview notes down physically is unheard of, let alone speaking to someone face-to-face!
Though interviewing allowed Eichhorn to craft in-depth articles, it also allowed her to build relationships with her high school teachers. “I wrote a retirement story on Miss Virginia Smith my senior year. She was a history teacher who, if any teacher remembers her will nod their head, was stuck in the 60s. Loved President Kennedy. Still dressed in her favorite 60s clothes. I had her for a history class my senior year. She wasn’t a “favorite” teacher of all the kids so of course, I got the assignment,” Eichhorn explained. “I was dreading it, but I went in after school one day and just sat and listened to her stories. When you get to know teachers as people, you see so much more of them and get a better realization over their life experiences they’ve been bringing you in class.”
After their interview, Eichhorn carried on a relationship with Smith. “She wrote me the nicest note before I graduated. We actually became ‘friends’ – she sent me letters in college since it was before the time of email. I would see her when we both volunteered at the ATP tennis tournament each summer because she was a huge tennis fan. We kept in touch with Christmas cards for years. She sent me cards after my kids, Jakob (a senior) and Caroline (a sophomore), were born and called me when they were little to see how they were,” Eichhorn said.
Though Smith was her high school teacher, Eichhorn said their relationship went strong until Smith passed away. “A few years ago, she sent me a Christmas card in early December and said she hadn’t been feeling well and I meant to write back to her but then I saw her obituary that she had passed away. She never had children of her own but I realize she came to see all of her students as children. She was a feisty lady and I have great memories of her that I would never have had if I hadn’t interviewed her. That one little story meant the world to her.”
As Eichhorn moved up the high school totem pole, her responsibilities with the Tartan expanded. “I started out as a writer and my senior year I had a column called, ‘Just a Thought,’” Eichhorn said as she recalled on her high school days. Additionally, Eichhorn helped prepare print editions of the Tartan---the old-fashioned way. “Back then, print editions were done with a typewriter, paper, rulers….all the good stuff to get the layout correct. It was truly a “newspaper” and something everyone looked forward to when it came out,” Eichhorn said. Compared to today, the print process was much more complicated then!
Following high school, Eichhorn attended Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism, specializing in broadcast news, and a minor in French. Eichhorn credited her experiences with the Tartan for being the reason she pursued journalism in college, which ultimately led to her pursuing broadcasting.
After graduating from college, Eichhorn landed a job thanks to an internship at FOX 19. She was a full-time reporter at FOX 19 until her youngest, Caroline, was born. “I was nine months pregnant with her on 9/11 when I was sent downtown to the Federal Building because we heard they might be targeted. I remember calling my husband who was frantically driving to get Jakob (then 2) from the babysitter, and asking him how do I—nine months pregnant---run if something happens when I was out on the story,” Eichhorn explained. That day made her reconsider her career priorities.
Following the birth of her daughter, Eichhorn decided to begin freelancing for FOX 19 and also begin her career in public relations. In 2011, she became the PR director at Mount St. Joseph University.
Today, Eichhorn is the Director of Communications at CEI. Though written journalism is no longer in her realm, the Tartan was the seed that planted Eichhorn’s broadcasting career. “I’m not kidding when I say this, but being on the Tartan got me to where I am now,” Eichhorn gushed.
Posted: April 11th, 2018
Lives Are Now Gone
by Guest Writer Gabby Byrd
We only live once. Once, that we know of. We all get one shot at this amazing life. Sadly, some of us hardly even get a shot. We all are supposed to grow up, go to school, graduate, get a job, raise an amazing family, and live a great, happy, and healthy life. Sometimes some of us are diagnosed with things that just can't be cured all of the time such as cancer, heart disease, and aids and we do not make it out alive. Getting those are not anyone's fault to blame, it is natural, it was a choice sent from above, and that is okay. What is not okay is that a collection of us don't get the shot to live because of a man-made object. A man-made object that is the work of the devil. A man-made object that if anything should only be made and used for defensive. A man-made object that has led to a huge massacre on this Earth. This man-made object is called a gun.
This firearm has ended so many lives that it is sickening. On February 14, 2018, there was a school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. A 19-year-old man named Nikolas Cruz walked into the school and murdered 17 students and teachers. They were not just students or teachers they were children, future doctors, lawyers, teachers, mothers, fathers, etc. and they are now gone. They don't get to live the rest of their lives with their family members and friends. It is disheartening to know that these amazing people are no longer able to walk on this Earth ever again. It is putrid to know that this could have been stopped. And it is crucial that we, as human beings, do something for not just those 17 beautiful people but for the world. This whole situation is not the student's fault, it is not the FBI's fault, this is the fault of guns and their laws/restrictions. Nikolas Cruz is only 19 but somehow he was able to purchase a gun and with this gun, he ended lives. Where are the gun control rights? He would have killed fewer people with a knife. Why isn't anything being done? After so many murders nothing has changed. The hatred in Americans heart is at their highest, there have been rallies, protests, petitions, walkouts, and more to support gun control laws. We, as human beings, are done seeing our family members, friends, neighbors, classmates, and fellow Americans fall to the ground dead because of a bullet from a gun. We are not taking this any longer, we will fight back harder and longer until this situation is fixed. The government cannot return the lives of those victims in Florida or anyone who has been killed but they can make a difference. This needs to be done now. Not tomorrow, not next week, or next year. It needs to be fixed now. The deaths from a gun should decrease, worrying about being shot should decrease or our fight will increase. If you are someone who agrees then go out there and give your opinion, join a protest or walkout, and make a difference because if not you then who?
​
To the students and teachers who were shot and killed,
I am sorry your country has let you down but we have opened our eyes now and we will make a difference for you, for the difference you could have made in your future, and for your families.
The list of 17 victims who were killed and their age:
-
Alyssa Alhadeff, age 14
-
Scott Beigel, age 35
-
Martin Duque Anguiano, age 14
-
Nicholas Dworet, age 17
-
Aaron Feis, age 37
-
Chris Hixon, age 49
-
Luke Hoyer, age 15
-
Cara Loughran, age 14
-
Gina Montalto, age 14
-
Joaquin Oliver, age 17
-
Alaina Petty, age 14
-
Meadow Pollack, age 18
-
Helena Ramsay, age 17
-
Alex Schachter, age 14
-
Carmen Schentrup, age 16
-
Peter Wang, age 15
-
Jamie Guttenberg, age 14
Posted: March 5th, 2018
Tragedy Strikes Local Florida High School
by Kelsey Schwegman
In the last five months, three of the deadliest mass shootings have occurred in the United States, one of them being this week at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Around 2:40 Eastern Standard Time, approximately 17 people were killed. In 2017, the US saw around 346 mass shootings. As of yesterday there were approximately 30 mass shootings this year and the number appears to be climbing. Identifying the shooter by name gives into his want for 15 minutes of fame and although authorities are still unsure about motive, it can be assumed he is looking forward to media attention. So rather than recognizing the killer of so many loved one's, we should honor the victims and offer support.
​
With further investigation, the FBI was able to get information on said shooter, who had been expelled for disciplinary reason. There was even information given about the former student being obsessed with a girl at the high school, even to the point of stalking. Students that knew the shooter explained that he was a troubled kid who bragged about killing animals and constantly showed off weapons. According to Psychology Today, the biggest way to identify a school shooter are as follow; acts of violence, history or emotional and mental disturbances, obsession with weapons, and a highly dysfunctional family. With that being said, from Parkland’s school shooter’s history he shows many clear signs that point to his as a potential school shooter. With as much coverage as the killer is getting from the mass shooting make information on the tragedy at easy access. It makes me think that I am not the first to make the connection, so why wasn't anything being done to protect the city of Parkland, Florida.
​
But that doesn't mean the city of Parkland is completely at fault here. As America’s own president, Donald Trump, puts it, the shooting was about how emotionally disturbed the school shooter was. He further encouraged people to report suspicions of a trouble individual. But under the law, a police officer cannot do anything about a ‘suspicious’ student unless he does something illegal. So how much help does that do? None.
To be clear, I am not writing this to scare everyone about when or where the next mass shooting it's going to happen. I want everyone to be aware of the signs and what they can do. Pay attention, be aware, and most importantly be friendly to everyone. Although it sounds stupid, being nice to someone could mean the difference between life and death. Lives could be spared just based on you actions. I have heard many times today how far Oak Hills School District has gone to keep us safe. What I’m more worried about it how far disturbed people will go for fame, which includes topping America's list of deadliest mass shootings.
Posted: February 20th, 2018
Tide Pod Takeover
by Lila Gerdes
Poison control centers around the country have seen a spike in poisoning cases since the new year, directly related to the internet mock-trend of eating laundry pods.
​
In the first fifteen days of the new year, poison control centers in the U.S. encountered thirty-nine cases of poisoning from laundry pods associated with the laundry pod challenge. This originally satirical challenge has become such a huge topic of discussion so quickly that there is a Wikipedia page for it, titled Tide Pod challenge. It began when young people started posting videos on YouTube of themselves biting in to the pods, chewing them up, or even cooking them in frying pans. In these videos, the teenagers, hoping to get a laugh out of people, cough, gag, and even begin foaming at their mouths.
The problem with this challenge is that kids aren’t aware of what the pods are actually made of.
​
Laundry pods are designed to dissolve easily in water, meaning they are even more easily dissolved in your saliva that is specialized to break down the substances that enter the mouth. Once the outer layer is broken or dissolved, the colorful contents of the pods are released into your mouth. The laundry detergent inside laundry pods is not like normal laundry detergent, however. According to Eric J. Moorhead, president and principal scientist of Good Chemistry LLC, the contents of a laundry pod is much more highly concentrated with chemicals that are meant to remove stains from fabric-- fabric that is much more resilient than the skin of your mouth or throat.
​
The Consumer Product Safety Commission claims that the laundry packets have commonly led to hospitalization due to difficulty breathing, temporary vision loss, and loss of consciousness for those exposed to the chemicals they contain. According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, the chemical ingredients contained in laundry pods can also cause fluid in the lungs, respiratory arrest, coma, and death.
​
Tide’s mother company, Procter & Gamble has responded to the trend, stating that they are “deeply concerned about conversations related to intentional and improper use of liquid laundry pacs.” While Tide says that they will not remove the pods from the shelves of supermarkets, many concerned businesses and parents urge Tide to do just that. The CEO and branding expert of Turkel Brands, Bruce Turkel, thinks that Tide and P&G need to remove the laundry pods from stores and “put them back in a way that does not look edible, appetizing, exciting, or anything else.”
​
This poses an underlying question: would this really stop the type of teenagers that choose to eat laundry detergent in the first place?
Posted: February 12th, 2018
Snow Days
by Olivia Young
The 2017-18 school year has been filled with unexpected cold and snow days. As a student, I always wondered what went into calling a snow day. Fortunately, I was able to interview Mr.Brandt, the Oak Hills High School Superintendent, whose plays a major role in decided to call off school for weather related days. According to Mr. Brandt, calling off a school day is , not as simple as going outside and looking at the roads or walking outside and realizing it’s cold. As to my surprise, Mr. Brant informed me that the district follows weather patterns and forecasts. He explained how the district has to look at the timing of when the snow and ice is supposed to start and whether or not it starts overnight or during the day. If the weather was supposed to start over night, the district starts driving the roads between 4:00-4:30 just to monitor the road conditions, which is then followed by communicating with Green and Delhi Township transportation departments about the effectiveness of salt treatments and snow removal. He continued that the biggest concern the department has when bad weather strikes is the safety of the students.
​
Twenty years However, despite cold weather and snow, some parents still have nostalgia about walking to school, uphill, both ways, everyday, and don’t fully understand why schools get called. Some parents get angry or even upset because us kids get called off for “everything”. Mr. Brandt mentioned that calling off of school for a cold day is based on the students who walk to school and their overall risk of frostbite and hypothermia which only takes 30 minutes for it to reach the skin. The district also has access to technology that plays a huge role and assists in weather patterns and forecasting. One also has to wonder the role that social media and media attention plays in hyping weather related issues.
But what impact will this have on the Seniors of Oak Hills? The state of Ohio recently switched to the amount of hours students have to be in school instead of amount of days. n 2015, the Oak Hills School district got called off for a week straight due to snow days, and because of that students had to make up those days in the summertime. Mr. Brandt mentioned that the Oak Hills mission is to educate all students everyday. In the event we would not be on target to meet the state required hours, the district has a plan in place to ensure we would meet the requirement.
Posted: February 8th, 2018
Something Bugging You?
by Kelsey Schwegman
For many years, Cincinnati has been named one of the top cities for bed bugs. According to CBS,Cincinnati is ranked the eighth worst cities for bed bugs. Of the other three cities listed, Columbus, Dayton, and Cleveland, our very own Cincinnati has been listed on top. Writers for CBS advise travelers to think twice about visiting these four cities, especially Cincinnati, claiming that there have even been reports of bed bugs in public libraries.
​
Recently, I reached out to Mark and Jen Winter, owners of Bed Bug Solutions, located in Cincinnati, to get answers on how to keep out of the harm's way of bed bugs. Our Buckeye state could very well be the number one city for bed bugs, the Winters told me, especially since their business has flourished in recent years. Healthcare workers, frequent doctor visits, and having in home health care are Bed Bug Solutions biggest customers. Infestations can start with just one bug and they warn that there is a possibility of getting bed bugs anywhere in public. But do not fret! Your local school newspaper has you covered. I want all my peers safe from the bed bug epidemic and have all the facts to keep you safe!
​
The Winter’s treat about 12-15 houses and apartments within the Cincinnati and Dayton area on a weekly basis. They use a chemical treatment process specifically designed to kill bed bugs that isn't generally harmful for humans and pets. About ninety five percent of their customers didn't see any more bugs after the first treatment, but Bed Bug Solutions always plays safe and returns in 2-3 weeks later to spot treat and inspect a second time. It usually takes families 2-4 weeks to realize they have an infestation. Because most people are allergic to bed bugs, bite marks begin appearing on their skin. When people notice the bite marks is when they conclude they have a bed bug problem. It hasn't yet been proven whether bed bugs spread disease, but entomologists (scientists that study insects) around the country have been looking for answers.
​
The Winters would not advise families to stop doing things they enjoy, but rather to take precautions afterward when they arrive home. Since bed bugs can be found almost anywhere -- public transportation, healthcare facilities, schools, college dorms, churches and movie theaters -- they say to keep purses, backpacks and shoes away from furniture and beds. They advise to also be sure to change clothes when arriving home and leaving them away from beds and furniture if not washed immediately. When traveling, Winter says to be sure to pack a trash bag with everything and putting clothes in it before traveling home. Be sure to also wash all clothes, clean or dirty, and keep them away from bedrooms and furniture until it's thoroughly washed.
Overall, it's quite simple to keep bed bugs out of your life! It doesn't seem to be difficult at all, especially if your laundry room is far from any bed or couch. Bed Bug Solutions were very good about answering all of my questions in as much detail they could and they were very helpful and polite! Having trouble with bed bugs? You can reach Bed Bug Solutions with email (bedbugsolutionscincy@gmail.com), calling them at (513) 502-4681, or reaching them through the ‘Contact Us’ tab on their website (http://www.bedbugsolutionscincy.com)!
Posted: February 2nd, 2018
Blizzard Bag Informative
by Leah Lindemann
January started off with the winter weather in full swing, causing Oak Hills to close 4 times due to either snow or cold. While the snow days are great, giving students and staff extra time to sleep in and watch Netflix, the free days are becoming limited fast. It won’t be long before we have to come in to start making them up. In order to avoid the dreadful make up days, Blizzard Bags have been put into place to help keep students at home during horrible weather, while still maintaining an education.
​
Blizzard Bags were created by the Ohio Department of Education around three years ago. The winter of 2015 was a really bad season and lots of school days were to be made up. At the time, five was the maximum amount of days a school was allowed off due to weather. During that winter season schools in Cincinnati went far beyond the allotted 5 days. To help with the problem, many schools had students come in on days they were normally off, such as Presidents Day, Good Friday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, to make up lost education time. Additionally, school districts added on days at the end of the school year where needed. The reaction from people was negative since no students wanted to come in to make up days at the end of the school year on scheduled off days
​
Consequently, the idea of Blizzards Bags was born. Now, anytime there is a cold day, teachers have to come in, unlike students, to create lesson plans. However, students are required to remain at home. Most classes in Oak Hills High School have Google Classroom where most of the work can be turned in, so teachers make an assignment that is relevant to what they are teaching and it is due the following week. The new principal, Mr. Hunt says, “We want kids learning and to be in school as much as possible, but we also want kids to be safe on extremely cold days, bad road conditions days”. The maximum number of Blizzard Bags each year is a grand total of three. So far this year, the school has only used one Blizzards Bag and we have used three out of a total of five calamity days. The difference between snow days and cold days is basically in the name. If the temperature are too low and affects the students in the morning that have to walk or ride the bus, then a cold day would be advised. Snow days are when it actually snows or there is ice on the roads. Teachers attend on cold days whereas both the students and staff stay home on snow days. Students are frazzled about the Blizzard Bags since they popped up out of nowhere recently. However, it must be noted that by completing the blizzard bags, it could potentially help alleviate making up days at the end of the year. Mr. Hunt hasn’t gotten any feedback of the Blizzard Bags from either students, teachers, or parents. Mr .Brandt with the school administrators said that any days that will need to be made up will occur at the end of the school year. Let’s hope for a warmer February!
Posted: January 31st, 2018
Leadership Retreat 2017
by Katelyn Powers
Jim Rohn once said, “Leadership is the challenge to be something more than average.” For the past five years, Oak Hills High School has hosted a Leadership Retreat, as the legacy was left behind by former students, Charlotte Flanigan, Emily Dull, and Jenna Duebber. This year, the retreat was held at Camp Campbell Gard in Hamilton, Ohio from Sunday, November 12th to Tuesday, November 14th. Although, the weather consisted of rain, wind and the cold, nothing could stop the students from having the time of their lives.
​
Each year, clubs and organizations nominate future student leaders to attend the retreat. Then, an amazing group of Junior and Senior student leaders who have previously attended were able to take time out of the beginning of their school year to plan the Leadership Retreat, so that the students who got invited were able to enjoy it. The participants were treated to a guest speaker, challenges, activities, and the always popular high ropes course. Senior, Elizabeth Cron, who helped with the small group portion said, “I think it gives our student leaders a way to meet each other, learn more about themselves and leadership, and have a little fun in the process.”
​
The leadership retreat brings out the best in the students of Oak Hills. Participants are seen smiling and working together in a fun manner. As you walked through the fields and passed the other groups around you, you could hear the students exclaim how much fun they were all having. Everyone was laughing and getting along great. During the Highlander Games, cheers came from every corner of the room as the students watched the teachers go head to head in a game consisting of slinkies and their foreheads. At the high-ropes course, the students doing the obstacle above you were screaming of fear mixed with a rush of excitement. As the retreat ended with the guest speaker, Mr. Allen, the students were at the edges of their seats, wanting to hear more about the theme “Work for a Cause, Not the Applause.” One of the participants, Olivia Cates, said “The activities had a very positive effect on me. At first I wasn't looking forward to continuous outdoor activities for two days straight, but I actually had a wonderful experience.”
The students were able to enjoy themselves and they got to know the teachers outside of the school atmosphere. From the planning to getting down on the dance floor, the 2017 Leadership Retreat was nothing but success, once again.
Posted: December 1st, 2017
OHHS Alum Now NKU Cross Country Star
by Alli Auel
Andrew Schille once walked the crowded hallways of Oak Hills High School. But when he graduated in 2014, he traded in his highlander kilt for viking gear and became a Northern Kentucky University Norse. During his time at Northern Kentucky University (NKU), Schille has applied his scholarly and athletic abilities learned at Oak Hills to his college experience, becoming one of NKU’s greatest cross country runners.
In high school, Schille was a mediocre student and, depending on which Oak Hills High School teacher you ask, had various “classroom” personalities. “In some classes I just sat in the back and did my work quietly, while in some classes I may have been disruptive to others,” stated Schille.
​
When asked, Schille specifically remembered various high school class memories, including notable Oak Hills High School English teachers. “I remember being in Mrs. Tuchfarber’s English class where I said about two words the whole semester to other people. Yet I also remember getting scolded by Mrs. Jenemann in AP Lang for talking in class, that one time I called her ‘Debra’ in front of everyone, and for using too many ‘to be’ verbs in writing assignments,” recalled Schille.
Besides taking part in the typical high school academics, Schille played soccer his freshman and sophomore year. But that wasn’t meant to be. After not participating in a sport for some time, Schille began to feel like his time could be better spent taking part in another sport or activity. Motivated to increase his athletic abilities, one day Schille woke up and just decided to run. After running consistently for quite some time, Schille was discovered by Oak Hills High School’s Track and Cross Country coach, Ben Hageman. That moment was the birth of Schille’s cross country career.
​
After being recruited by Hageman, Schille started going to practice. Schille began building relationships with not only his fellow varsity peers, but also his track coaches as well. “I was grew very close with Mr. Hageman and Mr. Richards, who currently teaches at Ross, because they were my coaches, and offered me much support,” said Schille.
While running for Oak Hills Track and Cross Country, Schille built up the skills that prepared him for his victorious cross country career. “I would say running in high school at Oak Hills prepared me well for college,” said Schille. Schille attributes the rigorous cross country and track practices to his success as a college runner. “I ran enough (during high school) to where I could adjust to the college training volume without too many setbacks,” explained Schille. However, Schille felt that at the same time he wasn't pushed so hard that his love for running diminished.
Schille was definitely prepared well for college. During his senior year of High School, Schille was recruited by NKU to run for their cross country team because of his talent and potential. While being a member of NKU’s cross country team, Schille has continued to expand and better his running capabilities.
​
As a freshman in college, Schille ran the 6K at the Queen City Invite with a time of 18:39.4, placing him in third. Additionally, Schille ran a season best time in the 8K at the Horizon League Cross Country Championships with a time of 24:57.5 placing him in fourth, which would tie his best finish on the year, earning him All-Horizon League First Team Honors and Horizon League Freshman of the Year honors.
In 2016, as a sophomore in college, Schille earned All-Horizon League First Team honors placing fourth with an 8K time of 25:33.70. Additionally, Schille not only placed second at the High Point University Vert Cross Country Invitational with an 8K season-best of 25:05.10., but also won the Queen City Invitational with a 6K time of 18:14.80.
​
Schille’s cross country resume is only becoming more impressive. This school year Schille has been named Horizon League Men's Runner of the Week. “I would have to say winning the Horizon League Individual Cross Country title this season was my most victorious moment at NKU,” said Schille. Schille spoke highly of the effort and training he put in to achieve such goals this past season. According to Schille, he worked “harder than he ever had before” in preparation for this past season.
​
Schille’s worth ethic is one to brag about. In an article with The Northerner, the student run newspaper at NKU, Schille’s coach described him as a "prolific trainer" which Schille feel is an accurate statement about himself. “I do my best to be productive and get the most out of myself and my training because that's what it takes to be successful at the DI level,” commented Schille.
​
Besides excelling in cross country, Schille has spent a tremendous amount of time mastering the material in his major, Exercise Science. While in Exercise Science Program at NKU, Schille has been able to achieve a respectable GPA even after a not-so-respectable first few semesters. After acclimating to college life, Schille was able to earn Provost and Dean's list recognition. This semester specifically, Schille also engaged in undergraduate research which Schille said to be “extremely educational and interesting.” Schille explained how participating in research in Exercise Science has also allowed him to garner beneficial experience with equipment and software that he will most likely use in his career.
Schille’s cross country career has also contributed to his accomplishments in his Exercise Science Program. “Running in college has allowed me to meet and network with people that I would never have met without,” said Schille. Schille very recently just secured an internship at St. Elizabeth hospital for Pulmonary Rehabilitation and one of the people that interviewed him was the mother of one of his former teammates. Schille explained how because of his cross country connections, the interview went extremely smooth and allowed the interviewers to grasp a better hold of his character and personality.
Schille continues to impress his current and former professors and coaches. “It was always evident that he had talent, but he has exceeded even our wildest expectations,” said Schille’s former high school Track coach Ben Hageman. After his college cross country career comes to an end, Schille plans on pursuing his career in exercise science and is even contemplating on starting a band or trying out amateur boxing. Schille’s coaches and professors are confident he will carry on his excellent work ethic over into whatever he goes after in life.
Posted: November 30th, 2018
Hurricane Recap
by Makayla Head
Lately, the world has experienced terrible hurricane forecast. In the past two months, two major hurricanes have occurred, which caught everyone by surprise. They both have affected people in horrible ways. While some of the damage is fixable, some can be life changing. People have been addressing the matter by saying that this is going to result in the world ending, and there are a lot of opinions on the subject. I’m sure that the people who are affected by this weather have heard a decent amount of rumors about “the world is ending.” These hurricanes have been affecting people for a while now and the consequences are still being felt today.
​
The first hurricane that was addressed, known as Hurricane Harvey, which started as a tropical storm in the Caribbean Sea on August 17th. Then in late August, Harvey hit Texas, classified as a category four hurricane with wind speeds reaching up to 130 mph only hours after it started in that area. Shortly after, a major tropical storm hit areas, such as Louisiana, through August 29th to 31st. It proceeded to strike eastern Mississippi, Alabama, and Kentucky, where it was labeled as a tropical depression. This particular hurricane caught everyone by surprise because it was the first one that occurred within that time period. It has left over 30,000 people homeless in just Houston, Texas. There are many others who are homeless, helpless, and lost due to this weather. Many corporations have raised money to help those particular people who were affected by the hurricane. But, this was not the only hurricane that left millions of people devastated and needing help.
​
Hurricane Irma occurred barely a week Harvey. This was the first time in U.S. history that two hurricanes occurred in such a short time span. On August 30th, it started off as a tropical storm occurring in the lower region of Atlantic ocean. It hit many islands like Cabo Verde, which is a small group of islands. Within a few days, it became classified as a category five in the beautiful Leeward islands, as well as Antigua island. Following this, Irma hit Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic between September 6th and September 9th. It eventually navigated toward Florida, starting off as a category four hurricane then decreasing to a tropical storm. Not long after, it hit Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. This hurricane affected hundreds physically and emotionally.
​
Both hurricanes have demonstrated why everyone thinks the world is ending. Statistics show, that over time people have thought the world would have ended over 10 times. It is understandable why everyone thinks the world is ending due to the drastic weather that has occurred. This can result in the glaciers melting and overheating causing overflow in the seas. Contrary to popular belief, the world is not going to end. Minor hurricanes are still occurring right now such as Franklin, Katia, and Jose. But even though those hurricanes are minor, they are still affecting a lot of people. When catastrophes hit, awareness needs to be brought to this global situation, and money needs to be donated to one of many charities providing funding for the people that lost everything due to these hurricanes.
Posted: October 10th, 2017
Challenge Day Makes a Difference
by Katelyn Powers & Ben Murray
On Friday, September 29th, 2017 the student of Oak Hills kicked the day before homecoming off with our 5th annual Challenge Day. The mission of Oak Hills was to work with the students on developing an understanding of global education, and using that to take action. Challenge Day gave the student body the chance to lead each other and make a change in our society. Thanks to joining the ISSN (International Studies Schools Network) in 2011, Oak Hills was able to make that happen. Within the last five years, there hasn’t been many changes in Challenge Day. Every year the full day is a new theme, but each theme has revolved around the same subject, global competence. The theme of Global Health was picked this year by not only Mrs. Sullivan, but also by the staff and students. The student leaders and Mrs. Sullivan hoped to influence the student body with providing an authentic and global view of a complicated topic.
​
Within the day, the student body moved around to four classrooms with their first bells. In each room, the different subjects of addiction, mental Illness, personal health, and obesity were taught. In mental illness, the students learned that you can not see the struggle that someone is suffering with internally from the outside. Personality traits have no relationship with mental health and students shouldn’t follow the stigma about people who are suffering from these illnesses.
​
When going around, students eventually made their way to personal health. As one of the many classrooms that taught personal health, Mrs. Biser and her student leader, Hannah Bacon, exclaimed, “The personal health topic was beneficial to the students because it focused on a little bit of everything. We even had a student tells us how fun this topic was!” For the students who participated, they learned about the five types of wellness: social, physical, environmental, emotional, and intellectual. While students learned about the different types of wellness, they learned some tips on how they could make life easier and healthier for themselves in the long run. People could make many changes to initiate a happier life, such as smiling more often or even doing one objective a day that they usually put off.
​
The next station the students stopped at was addiction. Addiction can be a struggle for not only those who become addicted, but for their family and friends as well. One of the most common and most destructive addictions faced recently is heroine. Because heroin is so addicting, it ends the lives of 50% of people that use it. Through “The Three C’s of Dealing with an Addict”, students learned that they didn’t cause and can’t control or cure someone else's addiction. If you become addicted at any point in your life, it’s important to surround yourself with positive relationships, talk about what is going on, and seek help for yourself. But remember, you can’t get addicted to a drug if you never take it in the first place.
The final stop was obesity and malnutrition. Although these topics seem to be the exact opposite of each other, they are both very important. While the students focused on malnutrition, they learned that it affects over 50% of the world's population. It was told that in many impoverished countries, there are people who pass away due to not getting the vitamins they need on a daily basis. As the students focused on the other end of the spectrum, they also learned that obesity is very harmful to people as well. The presentation made it clear that being overweight can be seen by many people as a lifestyle choice to not eat well or exercise but, there are many other factors that can lead people to obesity. So the students were reminded that the way someone’s body looks isn’t always their fault and they should think twice before judging someone.
In all, the challenge of understanding the life of someone who is struggling was a success. Not only did the students get to learn about the lives of those struggling, but also the teachers got to appreciate an insight into global competence. From experience Mrs. Hogel, a psychology teacher, said “I appreciate that we had an opportunity for students to put themselves in other people’s shoes to see what their lives were like.” Mr. Kinkley, a history teacher, agreed, “I think they were more excited that they got to learn about something that they could relate too.”
Posted: October 6th, 2017
Homecoming Court 2017!
