The cTorara ouTlook Volume 15, Issue 3Spring 2019

Inside this Issue:The Redefinition of Rap Culture- Page 2

Fourth Annual African American Read-In - Page 3

Night to Shine - Page 4

Octorara’s Success at the SkillsUSA Competition - Page 5Passive - Page 6

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The 8th Annual Octorara Invitational Wiffle Ball TournamentBy: Tommy Myers

This February, Octorara embarked on their 8th Annual Wiffle Ball Tournament. For those of you who don’t know, Wiffle Ball is a sport which can be played indoor or outdoors, and is played simi-

lar to baseball, but uses a plastic ball and bat. This two-day tournament is set up with teams of five in three double-elimination brackets consisting of three age groups. The three groups are the Rookie

Circuit (grades 4-6), the Junior Circuit (grades 7-8), and the Senior Circuit (grade 9-adults). This year, 33 teams signed up to play, which tied for the second highest ever. Teams from all over came to par-

ticipate. Teams traveled from Coatesville, Twin Valley, Oxford, Pequea Valley, and even one team from Delaware! The distance people were willing to travel shows the popularity and uniqueness this event

has gained over the years. Every year a circuit champion is crowned from each division, along with awards for best

dressed team, MVP, and Cy Young for each division. The winning teams were for the a Rookie Circuit, Team Allstarz, Junior Circuit, Fighting Monkeys (from Oxford), and for the Senior Circuit, the Men-doza Liners, who consisted of four current high school baseball coaches. Any event that has the abil-ity to make connections from an age range of 9 years old all the way up to adults is truly special. The championship of the Senior Circuit was especially intriguing because it was members of the baseball team (whose team name was Scott’s Tots) against their coaches (the Mendoza Liners). I am sure that

the coaches will have a lot to talk about at practice after their decisive victory. Another thing that is amazing to see is the level of effort and care that is poured into each team.

Every year teams of all ages compete with passion and give it their all every game. It is truly special to see the sportsmanship and companionship that develops between both the players and volunteers.

This event is not only fun, but can build skills necessary in any competitive environment. The earnings of this event all goes to the Octorara Baseball Boosters as a fundraiser for the

team. Because of this, many of the volunteers are high school baseball players, along with a handful of high school students who participate in other athletics or clubs. As a proud participant for all eight years, and a volunteer for three, I look forward to this event every year like it is a holiday, and I know I

am not the only one. It is a time to compete, have fun, and show school spirit.

I would like to end by giving a special thanks to Mr. Rudisill who started the Wiffle Ball Tourna-ment eight years ago. From coming up with clever announcements weeks prior to the tournament, to giving up days of his own time every year, he allows this amazing tournament to happen every year.

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The Redefinition of Rap CultureBy: Ryan Baggett

The origin of Hip-Hop dates back to the 1970s as an underground movement in the Bronx, and in 2017 the genre surpassed Rock as the most listened to genre in America. During the lifespan of almost 50 years,

the genre has evolved significantly. Hip-Hop diversified from the small African American teenage practice to ultimately gain its first top spot on the Billboard 200 by NWA in 1991. But as the genre became more popular, it increasingly strayed from its roots. Rap first gained attention for its politically driven and crafty lyricism yet the most mainstream rappers nowadays seem to redefine the culture as a whole. Is the once socially-motivat-

ed and lyrically-conscious genre lost for good? Conscious rap was never really lost, it simply was never the mainstream subgenre that it once was.

During the mid-2000s rap saw its largest increase in growth, due to the redefinition from a genre based on the “hood life” to individuality and self-expression as artists. Kanye West’s, 2004 “The College Dropout” marks the first significant mainstream change of the genre. Kanye’s political career has distinctly strayed from the

origin of hip-hop but his music doesn’t necessarily reflect a negative change. But this idea of individuality and self-expression doesn’t seem too distant from the origins. As many of these rappers do focus on their journey

to the top, just not necessarily in the hood. The 2010s began the era of focusing on the lifestyle once at the top, as opposed to the struggles of getting there. Rappers gloated, showed off and did whatever else they could to force their own luxurious lifestyles onto listeners. Quickly, this took over the mainstream, and rap quickly developed the negative stigma of exploiting wealth and status. Fox News reporter Geraldo Rivera’s misguided

comment that “hip-hop has done more damage to young African-Americans than racism in recent years” popularized the stigma. But this erroneous criticism was on Kendrick Lamar’s BET Awards performance of

“Alright” not the development of the genre.

Lamar’s “Alright” performance displayed him celebrating African American entertainment by rap-ping the spiritual lyrics on top of a graffitied police car in front of a tattered American Flag. Kendrick Lamar

is arguably at the forefront of bringing conscious rap back into the mainstream, his Pulitzer Prize-winning “DAMN.” was slightly behind Ed Sheeran’s “(Divide)” as the best selling album of the year. But why are con-scious rappers like J Cole, Chance and Kendrick becoming mainstream again? The political climate has most likely fostered this change, as social media has made problems like police brutality at the forefront again. La-mar has publicly stated that he doesn’t want to waste his time rapping about Donald Trump, but rather incite

the ground level motivation that encourages change.

As rap gradually moves back to its roots, with the its new status as the most listened to genre, main-stream music becomes blended with the political activism so dominant in many conscious rappers’ music.

The song “Alright” was chanted across the globe at Black Lives Matter rallies in 2015 and 2016 and the activ-ists have used other raps songs as an embodiment of their cause and ultimately the genre’s roots. The diluting of mainstream music with the repetitive preaching of wealth and promiscuity may have been detrimental to the rap genre as well as the American youth. But does Lamar’s display of violence as in his BET performance

display a similar level of harm? Due to the media and the constant reminders of teenagers being killed by cops, this level of violence is already surrounding them. No one listens to Lamar’s “The Blacker The Berry” and hears the anger in the lines “I’m African, I’m black as the heart of a f——‘n Aryan” and is complacent

with the current system. Conscious rap doesn’t insight violence, but revitalizes the voices of upcoming gen-erations.

Conscious rap is not yet nearly as popular as the portion of rap that its stigma holds true to, but as it resurges the 80s and 90s rappers that initially illuminated the social struggle of street life and the inviolable

dependence on drugs are being honored. A culture that empathized with the psychological issues of African American teens is being preserved. This is the culture that Geraldo Rivera fears, the one that reenergizes com-placency in the political climate. But most importantly, this resurgence not only empathizes with the violence of urban life but allows teens to break free from the shackles that hold Kendrick to this lifestyle in “m.A.A.d city.” The defining track of modern conscious rap, in my opinion, premised on the paradox of the acronym

in the title “My Angels on Angel Dust.” He closes out the song with the optimism that is needed to escape the “belly of the rough.”

Would you say my intelligence now is great relief?And it’s safe to say that our next generation maybe can sleepWith dreams of being a lawyer or doctorInstead of boy with a chopper that hold the cul de sac hostage

Fourth Annual African American Read-InBy: Michaela Hampton

On the evening of February 19th, students, staff, and community members gath-ered in the senior high library to celebrate the works of African American writers as a part of Black History Month. Founded by Dr. Jerrie Cobb Scott in 1990, this year was the 29th anniversary for African American Read-Ins Nationally and Octorara’s

4th annual. The evening was an inspirational and insightful time as we listened to re-nowned pieces of literature that carried with them messages of warning and of hope.

Prior to the reading of excerpts from novels, speeches, and poems, attendees gathered in anticipation; Julia Stoltzfus stated that she was anxious to hear “the pieces people value and choose to share”. A similar anticipation was evident in the words of

Ilyssa Marsh, a junior and first time attendee, who stated that she was looking for-ward to hearing “how you read poetry”. This seemingly simple idea--of how to read poetry aloud--is one that we are not often forced to dwell upon, as we tend to focus on reading internally. There is something special about the reading of poetry--of the rhythm within the intricately woven words--something special that we were able to

celebrate on this evening. Mrs. Watson’s introduction echoed the feelings of many in attendance--we were

all anxious to hear the pieces that the readers had found meaningful and had selected to share. In the twelve pieces read, messages warning of the dangers of racism and of the dangers of assumptions were prevalent--these messages are ones that are hard to hear but are necessary. We must all be forced to acknowledge our own racist tenden-

cies and work to combat these within ourselves. In her reading of an excerpt from The Hate U Give, a novel by Angie Thomas, Mrs. Watson helped us to see the power of a voice and the danger of assumption; in her heartfelt delivery of “Cuz he’s black”,

Samantha Tellez brought tears to many eyes in the room. With his reading of his original poem “Perfection”, Stephen Parker (once again) evoked a tangible feeling of awe in the room. Written with such detail and delivered with raw emotion, Stephen’s

poem was one to remember and the power of his words were felt by all. Each piece read left an imprint on all of those in attendance--they were not only

powerful in their composition, but were read with such emotion that we all could feel their significance. In the words of one listener, “it was more personal” than he had

expected. Whether a reader or a listener, we were all reminded of the power that lit-erature has to unite.

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Night to Shine - LancasterBy: Hallie Englerth

On February 8th, over 200,000 volunteers from 655 churches in 24 countries gathered to celebrate

over 100,000 guests! The Tim Tebow Foundation is all about bringing love and honor to those with special needs in our communities. Each guest is paired with a Buddy/date for the evening who has

been informed of any and all medical needs. These guests are then able to get hair, makeup, shoeshine, and jewelry done before walking down the red carpet and being crowned. At many locations, meals

are offered before the dancing starts. For those who need a little less noise, there is a sensory room and Karaoke for those wanting a little break from the dance floor. All in all it is an incredible night where communities all around the world get the honor of celebrating those who are so often put down and

ignored. As a culture we have been taught to look away, ignore, and pity those around us who are sup-

posedly different. This reality makes Night to Shine slightly awkward at first, but once that boundary is gone you are able to dance the night away with a new friend you never thought you’d make.

Tim Tebow, former NFL player, had a goal with this organisation: to create an unforgettable night for those so often forgotten; to show the world that we are all Kings and Queens in God’s eyes and that

He has a plan and a purpose for everyone, despite what society may label as a weakness. It truly was an incredible night celebrating truly extraordinary lives and with more than 20 host

churches in PA alone we have the ability to volunteer our time, talent, and treasure to a fantastic cause. I had the honor and privilege of being a buddy for Michael. At age 15 he is a typical teenage boy

who loves WWE and dancing, and who also happens to have Down Syndrome. But, when we were dancing or when he was talking about John Cena, that smile was the same as any smile. No matter

how hard we may try to separate ourselves we are all united by that smile. If you’d like more information on the foundation or how you can become involved next year you

can visit: https://www.timtebowfoundation.org

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Octorara’s Success at the SkillsUSA CompetitionBy: Grant Burkhardt

Students have many options of how to spend their time outside of the classroom. While some of us choose to binge watch Netflix or play Minecraft until 4am, other students are devoting themselves to help our community. Kim Trainor is a volunteer firefighter with the Cochranville Fire Co. Not only does she juggle the responsibilities of a high school

senior, but in her spare time helps to save lives. Recently, she was able to test and show off her skills at the SkillsUSA competition.

Kim drove down to the Lancaster County Training Center in Manheim for the SkillsU-SA competition for firefighting. The SkillsUSA competition is a national student organiza-

tion intended to help Career and Technical education students participate in challenges related to their programs of study. Kim was the only Octorara student to compete in this event, as well as the only female competitor from the OHSPSA cadets. The competition

consisted of a 100 question test of questions pertaining to fire safety and the skills required for any firefighter. After the test were 9 skills challenges testing competitors’ ability to ap-ply the knowledge they had to realistic situations. Kim Trainor placed 3rd overall for her

district in the competition. Not only is the award extremely impressive, but it was also her first time participating in this event. Everyone should make sure to congratulate her on

this impressive achievement.

Next fall, Kim plans to attend either the University of Pittsburgh or Alvernia for a de-gree in criminal justice. She intends to work for the police force and continue to help out with her local fire department wherever she lives. There are many uncertainties within all

of our lives, but we can be sure that wherever she goes, they will be lucky to have her.

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Advisor: Mrs. WatsonEditor-in-Chief:Michael Wishneski

Writers:Ryan BaggettGrant BurkhardtHallie EnglerthMichaela HamptonTommy MyersMichael Singleton

Newspaper Staff:

Octorara Area School District is an equal opportunity education institution and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, and handicap in activities, programs, or employment practices as required by Title VI, and section 504. For information regarding civil rights, grievance procedures, or service, activi-ties and facilities that are accessible to and usable by handicapped persons, contact Director of Special Services at:

Octorara School District226 Highland Road

Atglen, Pennsylvania 19310(610)-593-8254

Outlook Equal Opportunity Statement

Photographer(s):

Mrs. WatsonTommy Myers

PassiveBy Michael Singleton

My name is Robert, and I was designed to act passive. It seemed like an ordinary day to me, though I didn’t care enough to truly pay attention. Probably ex-

plains the cacophony around me, but I never felt much of the auditory earthquakes. And yet, that didn’t stop one man from trying to talk to me. One man, with flushed cheeks, and large sun hat with a distinct orange

strap. His name was Coy Finley. He kept yelling at me about getting involved in a new vote. That someone

was getting an advantage in the vote, and if they won, everyone was going to suffer? I honestly didn’t care enough to pay attention to the finer details of his speech-

“LISTEN to me! There’s someone who is going to harm everyone if they get power! Trust me, I know what I’m saying! You have to get involved if you actually want to do something,” Coy screamed at me. The only reason I started listening was because he started shaking me to get me to focus. However, I eventually began to zone him out. For some reason, he left me to move to someone else. I think he looked defeated, I

wasn’t too sure. After that peculiar excursion, I decided to cross the street. And despite it seemingly being my turn to

cross the street, I tilted my head to the right to see a bus bullishly charging towards me as if I was a red piece of cloth. I didn’t get a good chance to look at the sign in the top of the bus, but I think it said campaign. Then

suddenly, it hit me-

My eyes open, tired and groggy from the preceding accident. It suddenly dawns on me that I’m in a body cast, with my eyes and nose being the only opening. And for some reason, I had a button over my cast.

It said: Corey Sleen, for governor. Shortly after, I realized something was sitting in a chair directly across from me. Much to my shock, and honest horror, it invoked a sense of fear in me that for once made me invested in

it. It was a skinny person, very well put together, in a suit that must’ve taken ages to perfect. But it was its

smile...that smile that sent goosebumps crawling down my spine. It wasn’t as if the smile was crooked, dispro-portionate, or anything peculiar. It was a really shiny, nicely curled smile. But therein lies what disgusted me so much; its almost perfect nature was unsettling. Its perfection bore no semblance of human empathy. Espe-cially when you looked into its eyes and could see no empathy in it. It was only selfish greed and malice that was present, cracking its porcelain exterior. But you wouldn’t notice the cracks unless you looked closely into

it. “We’re going to go out there, and we’re going to treat what happened as merely an accident. You’re

only to be used as a tool. And if I hear that you tell anyone about this encounter when you’re released from that cast, we’ll make sure the next time is more than just a body cast. Capeesh?” it ordered me to follow. My

screams of terror were muffled by my cast. The porcelain cracked further when that smile returned. It occurred to me at that point that I was sitting in a wheelchair, because suddenly, it was wheeling me

out into a room of bright flashes: they were the news. I glanced around and noticed four other people in simi-lar body casts as me, the same button plastered onto them. I ended up tuning out its facetious speech when I saw him in the crowd. Coy. Coy looked at us in distraught defeat. No one noticed him leave, but I did. His or-ange strap suddenly feeling warmer than it did before. But the warmth was now replaced by its cold speeches.

My name is Robert, and my design was faulty.

Unbeknownst to everyone, a stream of light passed in the sky, now having four smaller ones accom-panying it.