Behind the Scenes of Halloween

By: Caden Dillon & Garret Davis

Every October 31st, small goblins and witches crowd sidewalks in search of delicious treats as they knock on doors around neighborhoods. Teenagers line up outside of haunted houses or scream parks that are shrouded in ghoulish blood and gore ready to be petrified. However, Halloween is more than just a fun filled evening of costumes and screams, but has a rich history embedded at its core. Over two thousand years ago, the Celts celebrated Samhain (pronounced “sow-in”) to mark the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, a time often associated with death and darkness. The belief was that on the night of October 31st, the boundary between the living and the dead blurred, allowing spirits to roam the earth. October 31st, 2025 is fast approaching, and we are eager to see the hordes of people dressing up and attending haunted houses, seeking a horrifying thrill. Let’s dive in deeper to the world of haunted houses, which are the big attraction in the month of October.

 At Southeast, one of our teachers coordinates the running of her very own haunted house in Conneaut, Pennsylvania; it’s called Ghost Lake Scream Park. Southeast 8th grade English teacher Tara Stitle puts in her time, effort, and creativity to help ready the actors for the opening of the haunted house each season. “We have over 155 haunted actors, managers, and crew who I spend months preparing for the haunt” Stitle commented. Her haunted house doesn’t just entertain from the actors, it also has rides and other attractions that will terrify. Stitle finds pleasure in watching people go through the haunted house and see or hear their reactions. “I have to say, though, that I still love to scare. I love watching people’s reactions when you terrify them, or even make them laugh” Stitle stated. Stitle helps with the haunted house for more than the reactions, though. Her childhood is rooted in the realm of haunted houses. Starting from age nine, she was involved in helping her father with the haunted house business. Ever since he passed away, she’s been trying to continue her father’s legacy to make him proud. Her hard work and dedication has paid off helping her successfully run Ghost Lake Scream Park. So, take a road trip to Conneaut, Pennsylvania and experience the chills and thrills for yourself. Whether you’re a fan of jump scares or eerie rides, Ghost Lake Scream Park offers a hauntingly good time for everyone. 

SOUTHEAST STYLE THAT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF

By: Isabelle Goodnite

Fashion is one of the most amazing forms of expression and it seems to often be forgotten about. Fashion is full of expression and creativity, and should be a more recognized art form. It’s a way for designers to express their vision by making it into an accessory or article of clothing. Not only is it a way for the designers to express themselves, but also for the individuals who are wearing the design. Fashion goes way beyond just the clothes someone may wear. It’s connected to who we are as a person, and how we portray ourselves. “Fashion is not about the clothes, it’s about the individual” British fashion designer and couturier, Alexander McQueen. 

Ashley Tilley, Teacher at Southeast Highschool, always comes to school dressed both elegant and confident. She not only showcases her wonderful personality through her mannerisms, but also through the way she dresses. “I definitely always dress for myself and no one else. As long as I feel good and confident in my outfits, that’s all that matters to me and I think that’s the key” When interviewing Tilley, she had written many things that came apparent to me. Two big things that she had stated a lot is, one; dress for yourself and no one else and two; always dress for the occasion. When dressing for yourself you always want to wear what makes you feel comfortable and what you like to see yourself in. When dressing for the occasion; it is important to get the feel of the type of atmosphere you will be experiencing so you can dress appropriately. Tilley shared that she enjoys shopping at TJ Maxx and Marshalls, both stores consist of varieties of different clothing! One tip that Tilley had shared is accessorize! “It’s ALL in the accessories. That can make your whole outfit”, says Tilley.  Fashion is such an important part of expressing yourself, everyone should feel confident and comfortable! Fashion is deeply connected to our identities as individuals. As many walk the halls of Southeast, you will always find people with a diverse sense of fashion. No one person has the exact same wardrobe as another, just as no one person is exactly the same individually. Let your differences let you shine!

POST SEASON FOR THE PIRATES

By: Alaunte’ Massrock & Bradley Dillon

The postseason for the Pirates has begun. Five of the Pirates fall sports teams have moved on: boy’s soccer/girl’s soccer, girl’s golf/boy’s golf and both boy’s and girl’s cross country. The post season is significant for most athletes as they work hard all season to finally be recognized in the post. This recognition is not just in the eyes of coaches or leagues, but in all their peers around the district, region and eventually state; you either win or go home. 

Senior James Morgan representing the boy’s golf team reached the regional semifinals. His record breaking season came to an abrupt end when he went into two playoff holes and lost in the second one. The girl’s golf team, unfortunately, lost in district by six strokes. Samantha Morgan led the Pirates with an 83 followed by Aubree Varga 88. When talking about her season, Morgan stated “I think my season went fantastic, we went beyond my expectations.” Now the pirates have to work in the offseason to get better and go farther next year. “I will work on my swing and just my all-around game in the offseason,” said Morgan.

The boy’s soccer team will play Canton South in the district semifinals on Monday the twentieth at 7 o’clock. The soccer team has had a difficult season, but are hoping to keep it alive. The girl’s soccer team won their first round game in the tournament winning 2 to 0 vs Ravenna. Scoring for the lady pirates was sophomore Leah Mesaros off of a long freekick, and senior Sarah Craver off a bouncing kick from the top of the arc. The girls next game is 17-0-1 Niles Mckinley. 

Our Pirates cross country teams have completed the regular season and are headed to districts this weekend. For the boys, Sophomore Caden Dillon came in 7th making MVAC 1st team. Junior Cohen Richardson came in 16th getting the title MVAC Honorable Mention. Going into Districts this weekend, Dillon stated, “I’m just trying to improve every week.” Dillon is hopeful that his team will make it out of districts to regionals for the first time in at least ten years,“This is the best team we’ve had in years.”  The girls had two MVAC 1st team finishers; one was 2nd place finisher senior Julia Wheeler and the other was 6th place finisher junior Jenna Canale. Finishing in 17th place earning MVAC Honorable Mention was freshman Jillian Shaffner. 

These teams and players work and train extremely hard before and during the season to succeed and move on in the playoff. Hopefully they can catch fire, best of luck to these teams and go Pirates.

RECOVERY VERSUS RELAPSE: SUSPENSION IN SCHOOLS

By: Abi Lenze & Ava Lenze

Suspension is the temporary removal of a student from their education environment due to a violation of the school’s policies. When a student violates school policy, there are corrective punishments written in the handbook for each violation. These punishments can include suspension, detention, such as after-school or lunch detention, in-school suspension, and, in some extreme cases, expulsion. Many new studies have shown that suspensions, off-campus, have a greater negative effect on attendance and future behavior. “I want our kids here, anytime something can be handled here when our students are present, I feel it will always be more beneficial,” says Heather Lindsay, 9th and 10th-grade counselor at Southeast High School.

Suspension is meant to discourage students from repeating their offense. Punishment at home, in addition to removal from sports and extracurricular activities, is enough to put a stop to most inappropriate behaviors. Without the proper support at home, however, students will likely continue down the same path. This improper support may continue to drop out altogether.  “Being suspended once doubles the chance a student will drop out, raising the risk to 32 percent from 16 percent,” Daniel J. Losen and Tia Elena Martinez wrote in their article Out of School & Off Track. This statistic should raise concern for parents and staff members, encouraging conversation about alternative methods of discipline. 

Many other districts have looked into other forms of discipline that share more benefits and allow for higher growth rates instead of recurrence. When talking to Mason Harsh, assistant principal of Southeast High School on the topic of suspension, he stated, “We don’t like to go to suspension first… I think that connecting with people is the biggest drive… you’re trying to figure out what motivates because you’re trying to curve behavior.” This has been seen in other districts where they are implementing restorative circles and restitution are being implemented. In the restorative circles, children can talk through their emotions and help the students better understand what they have done. “Engaging in a brief conversation with the student allows the student to reflect on what occurred, problem solve the situation, and understand what appropriate future actions (including support from adults) are necessary,” states NASSP in their article, Alternatives to Suspension. Not only will this help to solve the problem at hand, but the idea of chatting with the principal isn’t everyone’s favorite thing, creating a further preventive measure. Another alternative form is restitution; students make a plan of action that pushes them to repair damage caused by their actions. In this, they create a plan of action involving an apology, a meeting with the teacher, and repair to any physical damage. This holds students accountable while also providing a way to view their mistakes, learn from them, and avoid repeating them. 

Expulsion is necessary in extreme cases to protect students and faculty. With an increase in violence among students, it is sensible to jump to the removal of students for the “greater good”. In the less extreme cases of suspension, repeat offences could lead to expulsion. With proper support, however, these repeat offenses should not occur. This is especially true when it comes to the use of drugs and alcohol. Being at home constantly may increase the student’s ability to use substances and make access easier. If parents care very little or nothing about preventing these cases, the cycle of abuse will continue.

Alternate methods of discipline encourage students to actually think about the behavior. Keeping students in school provides greater opportunities for recovery and lessens the possibility of relapse. Students and faculty should come together to support each other when possible, encapsulating the “We Before Me” pillar and avoiding separation among the student body.

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM: SOUTHEAST SPOTLIGHT

By: Emma Wood

What is school? Most will say it is the various textbooks, and lesson plans, and classrooms that are built with education in mind with so many rules and regulations you might want to pull your hair out. However, every single person within the four walls of every single classroom (some may know it as a prison) has a story beyond what we might initially know. Every person has something that is worthy of being spotlighted. Let’s explore what happens beyond the classroom.

BE THE MOON:

{Teacher Shawn Lawrence}

Teachers a lot of times seem like something beyond human beings. We believe they sleep and eat at school, that they live at the school. In reality, when the final bell rings, life continues beyond the classroom… even for teachers.  For Southeast English Teacher Shawn Lawrence, life moves to a steady rhythm beyond the classroom: the rhythm of music. “I was about forty-four,” he said, recalling a turning point in his life. “I’d been playing drums my whole life, piano too, but one day, I realized I wasn’t just someone who played the drums. I was a musician. What you do is just what you do; your identity is who you are.” That realization shifted more than his self image, it had also shaped his teaching style. He wants to be a light for his students, to reflect his ideas like the moon does the sun. “I try to give students the confidence to search for their identities,” Lawrence had said. “The parts of themselves they might not have realized yet.” If he could teach music, he imagines something in a more free-formed and communal setting. “Not a class exactly,” he had mused, rubbing his chin. “More like a drum circle. Homemade instruments that I’d bring in, and everyone just drumming together.” As Lawrence approaches retirement, at the end of this coming year, he plans to pour more of himself into music through his church. He already plays drums there every Sunday. “There might be even more room for me to grow there, to lead in worship more often,” he said. 

Lawrence is super into movies as well as music, and when asked if his life were a movie, what title it would have, he didn’t hesitate for very long, “Be the Moon.” He said. “Because I want to reflect God’s glory. The moon isn’t a source of light, it reflects the light that’s shown on it by the sun.” His theme song? “Agnus Dei” by Third Day, a perfect echo of faith and rejection to pull his entire experience beyond the classroom together. 

ROLLERCOASTER:

{Student Kyle Sippel}

Students often are open books. Their pages are all over social media for anybody to see and read, but some stories remain closer to the chest. Kyle Sippel’s is one of quiet focus, steady patience, intelligence, and an unexpected passion not many know about: Bowling.  “I really enjoy woodworking, bowling, and basketball,” he said, thinking, “But if I had to pick one? Bowling.” For Sippel, bowling is more than a pastime, it’s a place for silence and self-reflection outside of the rollercoaster of his life. “That alone time is needed for everybody,” he said. “It gives you moments to relax, to think things through, to regroup yourself.” The lanes have taught him life’s rhythm, “Sometimes you have a really good day, next time, you might do horrible,” he said. “Just because you have one bad day doesn’t mean you’re doing bad overall.” This idea stretches far beyond the alley and into the classroom. It has taught him that academically, “Not everybody moves at the same speed,” he said. “It doesn’t mean they’re less intelligent. Some people just need more time.” He does admit, however, that he is not in love with school itself, and he wishes teachers understood this about him and other students in general. “I’m an academic student, but I don’t really like school as it is,” Sippel said honestly. “I’d rather do something meaningful instead of busy work, something lasting, something that matters.” He claims bowling helps him academically by allowing him to take a step back, to have a brain break and take a step away from school and the classroom. Sippel loves his video games, and if his life were one? Sippel grinned before landing on an answer that says it all: Rollercoaster.  A theme song? “Love Rollercoaster” by the Ohio Players. 

REFLECTIONS

Every hallway is filled with footsteps, and chatter, and people’s lives unfolding, and drama. Above it all are the people, and they are what makes Southeast, Southeast. Lawrence reflects light through faith and rhythm. Sippel rides life’s unpredictable twists with patience learned through bowling. Both remind us that school is not just grades, guidelines, deadlines, and endless rules… It is about identity, coming of age, sharing your experiences, and endless hidden stories that come alive when somebody finally asks, “What happens beyond the classroom?” 

THE TRUE LEADERS: FALL CHEER

By: Tyler Shaw

The Southeast fall cheer team is not only the heart of the crowd during the football games, but they are the pride of the school. There are an abundant amount of cheer leaders for the school. The cheer squad is led by seniors, Olivia Smith, Genevieve Brown, Jayda Walton, and Hailey Buckner; they are coached by Mary Tarka. During the games, the Southeast cheerleaders bring great energy and confidence not only during the game but also pre-game and after the game as well. After the football games, they lead in the singing of the school’s favorite song; the Southeast alma mater. No matter what the result of the game is, the Southeast cheer team always keeps a positive attitude and makes sure to sing it loud and proud. We interviewed Tarka about the fall cheer team. The cheer team had a very good overall season this year. Tarka’s favorite part about this year’s team was “Seeing the girls improve from last year while also having fun doing it.” There were many things that Tarka and the cheer team were happy about, but one change that she wanted to make is “Have the girls be more appreciated and better respected.” Tarka has been coaching for many years, and she said “This year’s team is a very hard working group and they have improved so much more compared to last year.” She is very proud of this year’s team. The cheer team never fails to keep the energy of the game up with the starting chants with the student section to keep the games electric. The cheerleaders are always at every game and they hope to see you there this Friday to come out and support our team and show your Pirate Pride!

MORE THAN JUST MUSIC: A CLOSER LOOK AT THE MARCHING BAND

 By: Jocelyn Nowak

Whether you know them from pep rallies or Friday night football games, the marching band is well known in the fall season for providing the music to many events. What you may not know is what happens beyond the music. The band consists of more than just instruments and notes; they are a group of hardworking students who are committed to their band family. Here’s an inside look at everything the band does, whether on or off the field.

Many people don’t realize the time commitment it takes to be a part of the marching band. The band starts practice in late July and continues practicing for hours nearly every day through the month of August. While it is very time-consuming for the students, band director Melanie Jackson also spends countless hours working not only with the marching band, but with all bands from grades 5–12. Jackson is truly committed to the work she does with her students. When asked what she hopes to bring to the SHS band, she said, “a passion for making music at a high level of literacy.” As a band student, you are taught to accept nothing less than personal excellence. To achieve this, the students put in a lot of hard work and effort, and Jackson leads them through this while cheering them on from the sidelines. Her favorite thing to see during marching season is the “growth from sightreading and blocking” to “a show that is fun for the students and audience.”

Another thing many people don’t know about the band is that they have a band council. The president this year is Aubree Varga. As president, she greets the other bands and introduces the show to them. She also handles small conflicts within the band to keep things running smoothly. She hopes that, through this position, she can create a comfortable space in the band where people can look to her for advice and receive the help they need. Her favorite part of being in the marching band is “everyone coming together on Friday nights to produce great music.” She loves the way the band connects as they perform under the lights together.

Also on the band council is freshman representative Alex Garro. He is honored to have been picked to represent the band and is thankful his classmates chose him. His favorite part of being in the marching band is playing his instrument during the halftime show. Both Varga and Garro see the band as one big family. They have formed some of their strongest friendships through band. Everyone there shares similar passions, and through that, there is a positive and comfortable environment. The band has each other’s backs no matter what, and they have worked hard to make the band a place where everyone feels welcome and accepted.

The marching band is far more than just music during football games. It’s a place where students build character, leadership, and lifelong friendships. Through early morning practices, long rehearsals, and unforgettable performances, the band becomes a second family for its members. Behind every halftime show is a story of dedication, teamwork, and heart; proving that marching band is truly more than just music.

THE BLING IN OUR BAND: SHS DANCELINE AND  MAJORETTES

   By: Leila Evans

Our danceline and majorettes are the bling to our band, and often go without their due recognition. Not only do they perform with our band at football games, but they parade at fairs too! Our danceline members are seniors Savannah Bailey, Olivia Bragg, Sophia Dunn, juniors Jenna Canale and Ella Sandy, and sophomores Addy Ross, Kendra Kinter, and Alexi Richmond. Our majorettes are senior Holley Reynolds, junior Natalie Kemble, sophomore Jocelyn Nowak, and freshman Delia Hoffman. These girls all tried out last February and have been practicing over the summer and throughout the school year. Their 8th period is dedicated to practicing with the band, and they stay after school for practice Tuesdays and Thursdays. The program also has improved drastically since last year. “It definitely is more organized and has a lot more communication. It overall just has a better environment”  Bailey stated. The danceline is coached by Alexis Peters, and the majorettes are coached by Vikki Beck. If you’re on the fence about trying out, “You never know what you’re capable of until you try it, so just try out even if it might feel a bit scary.” states Bailey.

BALANCING THE MIND AND THE GRIND

 By: Cali McPeak

Balancing school, sports, work, and friends can be a challenging and overwhelming experience, especially for students who are trying to juggle multiple responsibilities. To achieve a balance, it’s essential to prioritize tasks and manage time effectively. This can be done by creating a schedule that outlines all the tasks and activities that need to be completed, and then finding specific times for each activity. Dylan Evans, a senior at Southeast said, “I have to make a lot of trade offs, with marching band taking my friday nights, cross country usually my first half of Saturdays, and Sunday I’m busy working unfortunately I have to sacrifice a lot of the fun stuff outside of school.” Being a student athlete, who also works, is very important in finding a schedule. 

One of the most significant challenges of balancing school, sports, work, and friends is avoiding burnout and learning to say “no”. It’s easy to get caught up in the idea that you need to excel in every area of your life, but this can lead to physical and mental exhaustion. To avoid burnout, it’s crucial to take breaks and prioritize self-care. This can include activities such as exercise or spending time with loved ones. Cohen Richardson, a junior at Southeast said  “I’ve given up a lot of times with my friends to balance everything but that’s something that happens when you have goals that you are constantly striving for.” It’s okay to turn down invitations or requests that don’t align with your priorities or values. Saying “no” to something that isn’t essential can mean saying “yes” to something that is more important. This can be difficult, especially if you’re someone who wants to please others, but it’s essential for maintaining a healthy balance. Sports and physical activity can be an excellent way to relieve stress and improve overall well-being. However, it’s essential to balance sports with other responsibilities, such as schoolwork and work. This can be done by setting specific goals and priorities for each activity, and then allocating time accordingly. Maintaining relationships with friends is also essential for overall well-being. Friends can provide emotional support, companionship, and a sense of belonging. To balance friendships with other responsibilities, it’s essential to prioritize quality over quantity. 

Ultimately, balancing school, sports, work, and friends requires a combination of time management, prioritization, and self-care. By setting clear goals and priorities, and then allocating time and energy accordingly, it’s possible to achieve a healthy balance between different areas of life. This can lead to improved physical and mental well-being, as well as increased productivity and success in various areas of life.

MEET OUR CREW

Writers:

Abi Lenze, Ava Lenze, Cali McPeak, Alexis Crum, Emma Wood, Jocelyn Nowak, Izzy Goodnite, Bradley Dillon, Caden Dillon, Tyler Shaw, Garret Davis, Alaunte Massrock

Photographers:

Kristen Dillon

Editors:

Kristen Dillon, Mrs. Dillon