By Brianna Campagna 

Many people struggle with mental health issues on a daily basis, often wondering where to find help in their battles.

GS attempts to minimize the amount of stress that staff and students undergo by providing mental health services. 

Health class is regularly taught in 10^th grade alongside gym class. Health Teacher Mr. Patrick Hutchinson is one of the three teachers who teaches Health class at GS. The students spend one unit learning about mental health. 

“Mental health is taught as our second unit of the year,” Mr. Hutchinson said. “We first talk about the way the brain communicates with itself, sends signals, and controls thoughts, feelings and behaviors. We go over eight common mental health disorders; what causes them, how they are treated, and examples of what those disorders look like in your everyday life. We then learn about how to treat these mental disorders. We also discuss two often overlooked but powerful influences on our mental health which are social media and nutrition.” 

When Hutchinson is faced with students who are struggling, he offers a helping hand. 

“I always recommend to my students to talk about any health issue they are having, especially mental health,” he said. “Saying it out loud can be a relief in itself, which is sometimes all they need to do. But talking to another person and finding out that they have similar feelings or that they have go through the same emotions can help so much to make that student feel like they are not weird, or alone, or sick.”

Hutchinson recommends that students talk to a trusted adult about issues they may be facing.

“I also strongly encourage students to talk to an adult, any adult,” he said. “Talking to a peer is great but when an adult is introduced to the problem, they often have more knowledge on how to seek advanced help.” 

When it comes to seeking help, the school counselors are available as resources to students. School Counselor Mr. John Manley is one of two GS counselors. He often works with students whose last name starts with M-Z, but any student is permitted to see either counselor.  

“I can meet with students and Mrs. Klipa and I both are qualified to meet with students to discuss concerns or issues that they may be experiencing,” Mr. Manley said. “We don’t diagnose. We don’t prescribe medication, but we are counselor educators.” 

The best advice that Mr. Manley has to offer to students is to “come and talk.” 

“The hardest part sometimes for students is to make that initial step into the office and be willing to talk about what’s going on and open up because that can be uncomfortable,” he said. “But we want students to feel comfortable enough to come and see us and to share if they’re experiencing some difficulties. We might not be able to fix all the problems, but it’s important to at least start that conversation.” 

There is a mental health resource that was recently introduced to GSSD called Care Solace. This website is available to any family in the district and provides help for students of families struggling with mental health or substance abuse. 

“The mental health service that is new to the district which we discuss [in health class] is Care Solace,” Hutchinson said. “It is for students, their families and district employees to help them access quality mental health support.” 

The services provided by Care Solace are offered 24/7. Their hotline is 1(888)515-0595. Care Solace does not charge for their services, and confidentiality is ensured. 

 “It can help connect students and families to resources outside of the school and help them find a person that they can work with to get them connected to the most appropriate resources,” Manley said. “We also have resources within the school’s Student Assistance Program. We have a team of teachers who are trained who meet once a week to discuss if there are students that are experiencing difficulties and how we can get them connected to appropriate sources to help them.” 

Mr. Manley, along with Superintendent Dr. Ken Bissell, has made efforts to publicize these resources. Alongside resources provided to students, there are resources provided to all GSSD staff. 

“We have an Employee Assistance Program,” Dr. Bissell said. “Our EAP [Employee Assistance Program] is a 24/7 service where they can call into a 1(800) phone number and they can get immediate service to any counselor at any time. That can be a quick check in, or it can be something where they’re helping to get them set up with counseling services for an ongoing service with local providers. That is probably the biggest thing that we have.” 

Bissell hopes to better educate teachers and staff on the resources available to them.  

“Part of what we’re working with HUB International to do is to get that word out to more of our staff about the available opportunity,” he said. “We send out messages and reminders to the staff all the time about the Employee Assistance Program. But one thing that we’ve talked about as a county wide group is when do people need the information? They don’t need it when they’re just looking through an email. They need it when they need it.” 

 The healthcare provider for Westmoreland educational staff is Westmoreland County Healthcare Organization, which has recently released a website for more immediate access. Many different services are offered through the healthcare provider 24/7. Both newsletters and contact sources are available to the staff. 

“What we’re finding out is we needed to find a way to give them the resources at hand,” Bissell said. “And that’s where in just this past month, September, we released a new website to provide all of the health care needs and provide the information for the EAP. If somebody has a child with a broken leg and they need to know information from their health care provider, they can get it there. Know that mental health services are a big piece of what is available at that website.” 

Alongside what is provided with the Westmoreland County Healthcare Organization, the district plans to provide more training for staff in the district to deal with their own mental health struggles. 

“We’re also looking into more of an in-depth training of how to train staffs minds, to connect the mind body experience because a lot of mental health is created through stress and trauma,” he said. “There’s not enough being talked about of stress in the workplace and teacher stress.”

The teacher training that Bissell is most excited for is Outdoor Odyssey, a leadership academy located in Boswell, PA.

“Our district leadership team is going to attend Outdoor Odyssey,” he said. “They will try to work through methods of connecting the mind and the body by coming up with productive ways to train [teachers] on how to get through stressful situations. It’s going to start with our leadership team. Then we’re going to start working through teacher teams, and eventually build that into getting more of our students to go through those leadership trainings.” 

Many schools in PA receive money to fund mental health care in hopes of providing a comforting environment in the school setting.  

“Across the state, 500 districts receive a minimum of $100,000 that should be going toward mental health care, and $100,000 that should be going to safety and security,” Bissell said. “There’s a lot of overlap between safety and security. A lot of safety comes from how we feel safe but if we don’t feel safe, then it doesn’t matter what [mental health] systems are in place, right? So, a lot of that comes to our mental health of how we’re dealing with the stress that creates a better feeling of safety. Addressing mental health, it’s taking those funds and providing training opportunities for staff and students of how do we better cope with stress, trauma and, and other issues.” 

The end goal of providing students and staff mental health services at GSSD is to help everyone learn to cope with their stress. 

“Everybody has different stresses for even the same situation,” Bissell said. “So, we’re trying to get everybody to learn how to handle that.” 

By Mia Saraceni

Observed by many schools across the country, Red Ribbon week is the longest standing anti-drug campaign in the United States. While GS hasn’t taken part in this for quite some time, a small club is determined to bring it back.

Members of SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) were the brains behind getting the plan into action, proposing the idea to both GS principals.

The club, led by physical education and health teacher Mrs. Alyssa Lukatch, consists of students who pride themselves on promoting good choices for their peers. Such an event this year is the return of Red Ribbon Week.

Originally started in 1998, it began after the death of DEA Special Agent Enrique Camarena, also known as Kiki. On a mission to stop the import of illegal substances from Mexico, Camarena was murdered by drug traffickers and, after his passing, people began wearing red ribbons in his honor.

Schools across America have commemorated Camarena’s sacrifice since, but with the Covid-19 pandemic sweeping the nation, it was forced to a halt, at least at GS.

SADD club Social Media Chair Ashlan Price is in charge of promoting the week to students, and she plans to do so by various means.

“We started a SADD club Instagram because that is the main thing that gets teenagers’ attention,” Price said. “We thought if we could post more and make it more popular, then more people would get involved.”

Student participation in this event is critical, as the message needs to be spread so that it can reach the people it needs to the most.

Mrs. Lukatch holds firm in the same belief as Price, that the more engagement, the better.

“Anytime you bring awareness to an issue—no matter how big or small—it will make an impact,” Lukatch said.

Drug use has impacted students in high school for as long as one can remember, whether that be directly or indirectly. The club’s mission- and the mission of Red Ribbon week- is to hopefully hit home and maybe influence better decisions for all students.

Besides using social media to spread the word, Price plans to use posters displayed in the hallways to inform students.

“We plan to have posters advertising the spirit days for the people that are unaware of the Instagram,” she said. “We were looking into posters to advertise the SADD club, as well. We want to get more people involved.”

Spirit week is planned to begin on October 24^th and end the 28^th, and the club has a lot of ideas on what is to go on.

Co-President Ella Henry is one of the main faces involved in the events, and she planned a multitude of fun happenings.

“That Wednesday [October 26^th], when students wear red in honor of spreading awareness, we’ll hold a drug Kahoot during advisory,” Henry said. “Students who win can come down to Mrs. Lukatch’s room to receive their prize.”

While actual ribbons won’t be handed out, the spirit week remains, and students are encouraged to take part.

The week’s themes are as follows: Monday is a neon themed day, Tuesday is beach theme, Wednesday is wear red, Thursday is a day to wear your favorite shoes and Friday is jersey day.

Club Treasurer Alice Wilkinson plans on handing out a multitude of fun prizes such as pencils, sunglasses and tote bags.

Besides all the fun things planned, there will be a more serious part to this very important event.

“We will be creating memorial hearts for those affected by drug abuse,” Henry said. “I would like to clarify that SADD club will overlook this process and confidentiality will be ensured. They’ll be writing things like ‘friend,’ ‘aunt,’ etc.”

The general consensus among both leaders and members of this club is that drug use is a pandemic that widely affects almost every person, and their opinions on why Red Ribbon week is so important have glaring similarities.

“I think drugs are something that are now normalized, and they are something that are huge in today’s society,” Price said. ‘I would like to stop that. The SADD club and Red Ribbon week are to prevent drugs. The more people we get to join, the less people who are making destructive decisions.”

Henry shared the same sentiment, citing almost the same reason as Price.

“I think Red Ribbon week is very important to recognize, for there’s so many people that die from substance abuse,” she said. “If people can be made aware of those effects, then hopefully we can reduce those affected by addiction.”

Wilkinson is in agreement with both Henry and Price as well.

“I think it’s important because drugs and alcohol have affected so many people and their families,” she said. “I think it should be something people are at least aware of, whether or not they’re personally affected by it.”

While nobody is jaded enough to believe this will change the minds of every person who abuses substances, the fact that this could reach even one person is reason enough to make it happen.

“It may not be a message that reaches all students, but even if it can reach a few, it’s worth putting out there,” Mrs. Lukatch said. “Its nice to see students and staff come together on an issue that hits some of our students and community pretty hard.”

By Ksena Spencer

The month of October is about so much more than carving pumpkins and dressing up in costumes.

October is the official month dedicated to breast cancer awareness with pink as its color. Since Halloween is celebrated and looked forward to by many, people might overlook or forget what October also represents.

 GS has an annual pink out game that is held at home on October 21^st. The Interact Club held a fundraiser in which they sold Pink Out T-Shirts for the game.

“This year, we are donating the money to a family that is within the school district who has a loved one that is battling breast cancer,” senior Logan O’Brien said. “Hopefully, the money will be used to help offset their bill for treatment even if it is in the slightest bit. We expect to be able to donate over $1,000.”

Everyone has a female in their life whether that’s a mother, sister, cousin, aunt, grandmother or daughter. According to https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/causes-of-breast-cancer, 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Most people, if not everyone, knows someone who has been affected by breast cancer.

“I feel like no one is informed enough about breast cancer until they have it affect their life,” junior Addison Saraceni said. “Everyone can somewhat understand the severity of it, but no one realizes how much it affects someone until it affects them.”

While many people are aware of breast cancer, they might not understand how complicated the treatment process is. Treatments for breast cancer include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, estrogen modulator and other therapies or medications.

“The school can advertise more; the school doesn’t spread the word very much about breast cancer and other cancers, it isn’t one of the many things we learn about,” sophomore Cooper Dann said.

According to https://www.bcrf.org/breast-cancer-statistics-and-resources/, an estimated 290,560 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States this year.

“The best way to help is by showing support to these families going through these tough times seeing a loved one go through chemotherapy or radiation therapy,” O’Brien said. “It’s a very long and painful experience for the person battling breast cancer and their loved ones.”

Specific support groups exist to help anyone who’s survived breast cancer or is currently fighting a battle against it. Support groups bring people together who are going through the same experiences.  Being in a support group offers a safe space to share feelings, coping mechanisms and personal experiences.

“Breast Cancer affected my life in November of 2021 when it took my Grandma Sally’s life,” O’Brien said. “She had stage four breast cancer and I had to slowly watch her deteriorate from her radiation treatment and it drained my entire family. I can remember the day I received the call from my sister saying she had passed away and that day is something I will never forget. My grandma had a huge influence on my life and since she passed away; I base my actions off of what I think would make her proud.”

Breast cancer impacts the lives of people all around the world. Wearing pink shows support for survivors, people still fighting their battle against breast cancer and anyone affected by it.

“I think because of October being Breast Cancer Awareness month, more and more people are informed about some aspects of breast cancer,” GSMS geoscience teacher Ms. Lisa Mankins said. “However, when you go through it, the learning curve is way more significant.”

By Emily Frazier

Art Show @ Pitt-Greensburg

Five advanced art students participated in an art show that took place at the Pitt-Greensburg campus library September 26-October 7. “Art Show @ Pitt-Greensburg” showcased many pieces by people of all ages from all over.

“Greensburg Salem submitted work on behalf of five of our current advanced students: Jasmine Kunkle, Lauren Mahkovic, Michelle Reynolds, Nico Wombacker and Rita Ruggieri,” art teacher Mr. Darryl Audia said.

All styles of art were accepted as long as they fell under the categories of painting, drawing, mixed media and digital or graphic art.

“I submitted two pieces of artwork, a scientific illustration of the state fossil, phacops rana and then my Drawing II final from last spring,” senior Lauren Mahkovic said. “We had to draw a collage, so I did a watercolor piece of a collage I did digitally.”

Mahkovic won third place in fan favorites.

“I was a little shocked, but definitely excited and happy,” she said.

Mahkovic received a gift bag containing many pieces of Pitt merchandise and gift cards.

The overall atmosphere was positive and the artists thrived as their works were on display.

“We kind of just walked around and looked at all the pieces,” senior Jasmine Kunkle said. “Everyone was really nice, and all the pieces were amazing.”

Socktober

Socktober is a national sock drive that benefits the homeless. The purpose is to provide new socks for the homeless as colder temperatures arrive.

“I ran into a YouTube video about Socktober when I worked in the middle school,” Mr. Audia said. “It was inspirational to me that we could make such a huge impact with a donation that was so small.”

At Greensburg Salem, the socks are donated then given to the Welcome Home shelter in downtown Greensburg. Welcome Home provides a temporary emergency shelter for displaced families and women. Each year they provide service to 250 women, children and men who are homeless.

At a young age, Mr. Audia suffered from some setbacks within his family. His parents divorced, which left his mom with financial issues as she tried to make her way back into the workforce. His father, though still very present in his life, was struggling with his mental health.

“Although I was never homeless, we did take advantage of the local foodbank and charitable clothing contributions from friends and our church to make ends meet,” he said. “The generosity of others during this time left a mark on me.”

The impact of such a small donation is grand.

“It is such a small price to pay to help a great cause,” he said. “Real human beings, no different from you or I, will directly benefit from your contribution.”

Socks should be donated in room 258.

“If everyone just donated one pair of socks, think about how much that could help the homeless in our own area,” Mr. Audia said.

Cultivations

Cultivations is an art show taking place at the Seton Hill University Harlan Gallery from October 20-November 18 for art educators and their students. Work by Mr. Audia, Mrs. Audia, Emily Frazier and Angelina Ranieri were expected to be seen in the show.

Both Mr. And Mrs. Audia submitted nonobjective abstract pieces. Mrs. Audia submitted a mixed media assemblage made of found wood, paper and melted wax and Mr. Audia submitted a painting done with oil and acrylic on canvas.

“We also each chose a student work to represent GS,” Mr. Audia said. “Mrs. Audia chose a beautiful ceramic tea set by senior Angelina Raneri, and I chose a captivating painting of dilapidated row houses by senior Emily Frazier.”

It was not required that the pieces between the teacher and their student correlate, but there were some connections.

“I think Mrs. Audia’s minimal and neutralized color palette goes well with Angelina’s glaze choices, and I equally think my overtly saturated vibrant color palette works well in conjunction with the color choices made by Emily,” he said.

The night ended with two wins. Frazier’s piece won best show in 2D, and Raneri’s set won best show in 3D. The gallery will be open until November 18.

“We wanted to focus on work that wasn’t just attractive and well crafted, but also had an obvious infusion of personal creativity on the part of the student artists,” he said.

National Art Honor Society

It’s not too late to join the National Art Honor Society. Sponsored by art teacher Mrs. Kelley Audia, NAHS is open for students who have taken a high school art class and have maintained a grade of A throughout.

“[The point of NAHS is to] give our students more ways to share and sell their work,” Mr. Audia said.

NAHS takes part in many events like the FCCLA Halloween Bash that just happened and other school-related activities. They can be seen painting faces or selling their creations and goods for the Artist Market.

“One of these opportunities will be the artist market pop-ups that will be in the library,” he said. “There will more than likely be a holiday sale coming up soon.”

By Luke Dinkel

The Cafeteria Staff at GS currently serves breakfast, lunch and dinner every day to students. With over 800 students enrolled, the Cafeteria Staff has to use a lot of ingredients in order for there to be enough meals. But just exactly how much food is used every day?

By Ari Case

A young boy in a peculiar suit directs strangers to look toward a fiery skeleton presiding over ghoulish jack-o-lanterns and pumpkins.

“Welcome to the Ruggieri family pumpkin patch,” he says. “We have over 100 real pumpkins. This is Lugosi, he’s the king of the patch.”

Lugosi the Skeleton King growls as they pass him, moving on to the next part of the tour.

The boy leading them through the creepy cemetery is Gabriel Ruggieri, the youngest member of the Ruggieri family.

The Ruggieris have turned their entire yard into a spooky exhibition for the whole community, not just because they love Halloween, but for a good cause.

As people walk through or drive by the house at 636 Mace Street in Southwest Greensburg, they can donate to Skeletons for St. Jude’s with cash or the online link.

Skeletons for St. Jude is a nonprofit that provides a way for over 500 houses nation-wide to turn their love of Halloween into a platform to benefit a noble cause. 100% of the proceeds go directly to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to help young victims of cancer and their families.

“St. Jude’s does a really good job at helping people,” sophomore Emily Ruggieri explained.

The Ruggieris have a connection to the cause that led them to the charity.

“My father passed away when I was a year old,” Emily said. “He passed away from cancer. [Since] then, we’ve always been motivated to try and help others who have been affected by cancer or had a loved one affected by cancer.”

The family’s goal is to raise $5000 by Halloween, and they are already more than halfway there. The success is driven by amazing decorations.

“When my family and I decide to do something, we try to take it to the next level,” she said. “So instead of just a skeleton holding a sign, we have a lot of animatronics—I’d say over 15.”

Everyone in the family has their favorites.

“For me I really like the tavern scene because it was my idea and I created it with Emily,” Gabriel said. “I like saying ‘Watch out! Joey over here is throwing darts and you might end up like this head!'”

Joey is a patron skeleton at the bar, waited on by Dean the animatronic barkeep–the prop that inspired the whole setup.

“As soon as I saw the animatronic, I knew we needed him,” he explained. “So, I just came up with the blind date scene in a bar.”

There are also many stationary pieces that make up the experience, from skeletons and tombstones to a bubbling cauldron.

Emily’s favorite decoration is the 6 by 18-foot mural, airbrushed by family friend Joe Davis.

“It took a total of 24 hours over 3 days,” she said. “We have lights flashing on it and you can see different things at different times. It’s awesome, my absolute favorite thing.”

Part of their success beyond the amazing decorations is the entertainment value of the tours.

Gabriel has fun teaching people about the design in spooky ways, even giving miniature lessons on certain horror movies. His theatrics coupled with charisma make for an enjoyable experience.

His favorite part of leading the tours is “getting the chance to show kids that Halloween isn’t a scary time and that it’s fun.”

He isn’t the only one who entertains guests, though.

“This is Gabriel’s Great Aunt Mildred,” Mr. John Ruggieri said, poking a skull in the fire pit. “She’s just as hot-headed in death as she was in life!”

Mr. and Mrs. Ruggieri said that they love putting the spectacle together, and especially enjoy seeing their kids entertain people.

“I lost my father to cancer and know how hard something like that can be,” Emily said. “I really enjoy knowing I brought someone joy or made someone’s life just a little bit better.”

Gabriel said that he hopes people have fun experiencing and interacting with the display.

“If you want to come down and check it out, we are more than happy to meet you,” he said. “There are treats here and we hope you consider sharing and/or donating.”

By Ari Case

The leaves are changing, it’s getting chilly and pumpkin spice everything is everywhere. Jack-o-lantern smiles creep around corners and witch’s brews bubble in stores as one of the most popular holidays approaches.  

GS students take Halloween just as seriously as Christmas when it comes to events. Student Council Association (SCA), Mini-THON and Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) all have plans for the holiday, not to mention the Greensburg community traditions. 

The first event this month is a Halloween Bash hosted by FCCLA to support breast cancer awareness. On Oct. 24, from 6-8 p.m. in the high school gym, spooky fun and games will be open to any high school student. 

The event is raising money for the Pink Angel Fund with Westmoreland Walks. 

“It is a local nonprofit organization [that] provides research and treatment for those in Westmoreland County who need assistance,” FCS teacher and FCCLA advisor Mrs. Morgan Ferczak said.  

Admission is $10, including one slice of pizza, and $5 of each ticket—sold at lunches—will go directly to the Pink Angel Fund. More food and drink will be available for purchase, and most of the profits will also be donated. 

Beyond concessions, other proceeds will go towards Westmoreland Walks, like the cost of pie a teacher in the face and pumpkin painting. There will also be free activities like karaoke from Show Choir. 

“We hope that you come out and enjoy an evening supporting breast cancer awareness and just being [with] your friends and having good community [fun],” Mrs. Ferczak said.  

And for those with younger siblings, Mini-THON is hosting A Haunting on 65 Mennel Drive on Oct. 26 for all ages.  

To kick it off, kids can get a head-start on candy collection at Trunk or Treat starting at 5:30 p.m. 

After buckets and pillowcases are sufficiently filled, activities will be held in the courtyard, with concessions available for purchase.  

More activities will take place as well, like Pumpkin Chunkin’ for a price of $5. There will be a costume contest and a chance to win prizes including gift cards. 

Communications and Social Media Leader Reagan Lennert said going to the movie in the courtyard is one of her favorite Halloween memories.  

“I remember going to the movie in the courtyard [when] I was in middle school,” Lennert said. “It [was] a lot of fun.” 

Another fun family activity, if the kids involved are not afraid of skeletons, is the Ruggieri Family Halloween House.  

The Ruggieris have turned their entire yard into a spooky exhibition for the whole community, not just because they love Halloween, but for a good cause.  

As people walk through or drive by 636 Mace Street in Southwest Greensburg, they can donate to Skeletons for St. Jude with cash or the online link. 

“As they donate, they can come through and get candy and it’s like this big community-wide thing that brings people together and then raises money for St. Jude’s,” sophomore Emily Ruggieri said.  

Every Friday and Saturday evening through Halloween, anyone is invited to have some spooky fun. The family has put lots of time into creating something truly magical, and it’s an amazing sight. 

“Hopefully it’ll inspire you to, you know, open your hearts and wallets [and] share to people who need it,” Ruggieri said. “But honestly, it’s just a nice thing to do with your family in the evening.” 

Of course, on Oct. 31 itself, SCA is holding the annual Costume Day. 

The dress code still applies, but students are encouraged to have fun with their costumes to celebrate Halloween. Each year memories are made and photos that will be treasured forever are taken, so don’t miss out. 

After classes, get ready for the Greensburg Halloween Parade at Lynch Field. 

Anyone can march along with the GS Marching Band, which will be in costume as well. No registration is necessary and treat bags are available on a first-come-first-serve basis. 

The line-up for the parade is at 4:45 p.m., with step-off promptly at 5 p.m. 

Shortly after the parade, trick or treating begins in the city at 6 p.m. Until 8 p.m., many houses will be expecting visitors in costume from all over Greensburg, handing out treats to those who say the magic words. 

These and many more activities are open to anyone in Greensburg to celebrate Halloween.  

In the wise words of Tim Burton, “Every day is Halloween, isn’t it? For some of us.”  

By Mia Saraceni

One of the hottest and most widely debated topics in schools across the country has remained dress code policies, but how do people at GS feel about it?

When it comes to student opinions, it is generally agreed upon that the dress code is unfair, sexist and not something worth following. Many students are outright with their complaints while others keep quiet, but one of the most vocal students is senior Jeremiah Myers.

Myers’ opinion is a prime example of the thought process of most students. Riddled with disdain and thoughts of sexism, they believe the dress code to be old-fashioned and quite frankly, they hate it.

The animosity toward the dress code comes from the unfairness they think it holds.

“I do think it’s sexist because it literally surrounds the idea that men cannot control themselves and be distracted by someone’s shoulders,” they said.

The dress code contains many rules for females, such as not showing the midriff, shoulders, back, upper thigh or practically any part of the body that isn’t the hands and face.

These strict rules that seem to cater more towards women are the only ones that make an impact on the student body. The codes that ban profanity or drug/alcohol references on clothing don’t seem to anger anybody.

Myers believes that although this is a learning environment, students should be able to do whatever they want in regard to how they look/dress.

“I should be able to wear whatever I want that makes me comfortable enough to learn,” they said. “If that means you show up in a crop top and booty shorts, then that’s what it is.”

 These rules, according to Myers, are archaic.

“Obviously, whoever made this dress code as an adult has gone through life and has had more experiences than us because they’re older, but at the same time the world is changing, and I think that we should change it to fit this new generation and to accurately represent people,” they said.

Junior Ava Saville agrees with Myers, providing similar answers and a remarkably similar mindset.

Saville’s view on the dress code also centers around sexism and women’s bodies and follows a similar path of self-expression as Myers.

“People aren’t allowed to truly express themselves and wear what they like,” she said. “It’s very oversexualized, too, especially when it comes to girls not showing their midriff or shoulders.”

A fresh take, Saville believes that the biggest problem with the code is its discriminatory use against different body types and attractiveness.

“It’s very focused on women and our bodies,” she said. “One woman with a certain body type can wear a crop top and if she is deemed as unattractive, there is an issue. But a girl who maybe is skinnier and prettier wears that same top, there’s no issue.”

The idea that the dress code offers unfairness between men and women is evidently a common viewpoint, but a view that suggests unfairness within the same gender isn’t as popular.

Co-Principal Mr. Adam Jones has opinions on this accusation, though, and they aren’t good.

“Wow, that couldn’t be further from the actual truth,” Mr. Jones said. “That is an unfair statement and purely someone’s opinion, to which they are entitled. As administrators, there is never an appropriate time to pick and choose based on anything other than policy.”

Saville’s claim was seen as extremely bold and borderline slanderous, and Jones vehemently disagrees with it.

Obviously, however, not all students agree with the robust opinions of Myers and Saville. One student, senior Kayleigh Hagan, thinks almost the complete opposite. Hagan believes that the dress code is not one bit sexist and should be taken more seriously by students.

Unpopularly, she thinks that the code is important and a fundamental part of the learning environment.

“I think having it [dress code] is good, especially when it’s warmer,” she said. “Obviously, it’s hot out and people want to start wearing more revealing clothing, but we have to make sure what we’re wearing isn’t inappropriate. It’s annoying to see people’s butts hanging out.”

Not only is she an avid fan of the dress code, but she also follows it to a tee and feels it isn’t really that hard to follow.

“It’s just whatever, I feel like people make too much of a big deal about it,” she said.

Hagan also disagrees with the claims that following the dress code is too difficult, citing that most of it is simply common sense.

“I’ve seen other people who’ve been reported for their clothing and most of the time it’s understandably so,” she said. “It’s just common sense that they all lacked.”

Jones roughly follows the same mindset as Hagan, but more in a nonchalant and unbothered way.

Although being one of the main recipients for dress code complaints, he argues that it really isn’t that big of a deal neither to him nor fellow Co-Principal Mr. David Zilli. He states that they have much better things to worry about.

“Inappropriate dress is a little subjective,” Jones said. “Our dress code doesn’t say anything about how many inches shorts or skirts have to be.”

 He held fast in his opinion that while applicable in some situations, it isn’t his top priority, nor does he walk around looking for kids who break the rules.

“I’d rather focus on kids learning than how they dress,” he said.

He even agrees with students who claim that the code is sexist, but he cites a completely different reason for his view.

“I think that [sexism] is kind of true, and I don’t think that’s right,” he said. “I think that comes from a societal thing and it comes from a fashion thing. Most guys wear gym shorts and a t-shirt or hoodie, you know. Girls tend to explore different fashion and press the envelope more.”

Jones offers a very insightful look into the brain of the administrators who actually deal with these rules and are constantly the ones the finger is pointed at. Most students would usually deny that the “bad guys” are on their side, but when it comes to the principals at GS, they seem to be.

Even though the popular opinion directly contradicts the rules and regulations of the dress code, the fact of the matter remains that students must grin and bear it. But don’t fret, the principals won’t send a student to the office for wearing a crop top.

“It’s so far down my list of worries,” he said. “We’re coming off of a pandemic, mental health concerns and highly rigorous coursework. There are just so many other things to worry about in my day.”

By Luke Dinkel

Sports are a huge part of a high school experience, whether students are playing or watching a football game. Besides hockey, golf, bowling and swimming, all school sports practice on a facility owned by the school district.

What do students think about the quality of the facilities? Do coaches feel that their team is able to exercise their full abilities on these facilities?

The tennis courts seem to be the worst off.

“The courts were shut down one week prior to the start of the boys’ spring season in 2020,” Tennis Coach Mr. Christopher Gazze said. “They repaired cracks on two of the courts with concrete at the very end of the girls’ fall 2021 season, but we can only practice on them, not play matches. Two of the courts are unplayable for both games and practices.”

Since the team cannot play on the school’s facility, they are forced to play somewhere else.

“The team has to play at the Greensburg Racquet Club,” Mr. Gazze said.

Other teams have been affected by poor facilities; one specifically that doesn’t require much but a safe trail to run on.

“We have not been able to run on our trails,” junior Ashlan Price said. “It has been too muddy and has not been cleared out in a long time. It has become a hazard and is dangerous for our ankles.”

Some other students are concerned about injuries that can occur due to where they practice.

“I think it would be very beneficial for the soccer facility to be improved an expanded upon,” senior Landon Morrison said. “There are times that we have to be careful of injury due to the conditions of the field.”

Players have their own ideas on what to change.

“We only have two benches to sit on at the field,” Morrison said. “One of the benches has one leg and tips if you sit on that side. The field needs to be smoothed out since rolling ankles is a big concern for our team. The lines on the outside need to be redone since they are hard to see. I think that the grass needs cut on the field and around the net, and in some spots, there are just random patches of dirt.”

With the tennis courts remaining unplayable, players are wondering if the school board is planning to have them repaired anytime soon.

“At this time the board has nothing planned,” Athletic Director Mr. Frank Sundry said. “There is an open discussion about doing something with the courts, but nothing has been officially planned. We do hold district facility meetings at the beginning of every month to discuss improvements, and they are open to the public.”

Students are wondering if some of our facilities are becoming hazardous and are being cared for.

“I’m not entirely sure,” Mr. Sundry said. “I believe that the soccer practice field being located at the bottom of a hill leads to that drainage issue when it rains. The Greensburg Salem maintenance department cuts and takes care of the field and the cross-country trails. Coach Snider will go out before their meets and will paint lines.”

Many believe that not every facility needs some renovations.

“I believe that some of our facilities such as Offutt Field and our weight room rank up with bigger schools,” Sundry said. “I do think that other facilities’ at GS are in need of a facelift to improve our facilities’ footprint.”

By Brianna Campagna

The GS Lions’ Football team has and will go against new faces this season following a major change. Due to realignment within the WPIAL, which occurs every two years, the GS football team dropped from Class 4A Section 2 down to Class 3A Section 3.

“The section change was driven by the WPIAL reclassifying schools based on their enrollment numbers,” Head Coach Mr. Dave Keefer said. “Our enrollment declined, so therefore our classification changed from 4A to 3A.”

Mr. Keefer has been coaching the Lions’ football team for 17 years now. This is his tenth year as head coach. Assistant Coach Mr. Matthew Boe has been a part of the coaching staff for 10 years. The coaches begin pre-season practices with the players during the prior school year.

“For a lot of our guys, particularly those not involved in other sports, preparation began in late January through off-season weight-training,” Mr. Boe said. “That phase then led into summer-training that included both weight and speed training, as well as on-field training, primarily focusing on fundamentals and technique. This ultimately led us through two-a-days and in-season training where we’re at now, focusing on different concepts of how we want to defend or attack certain teams.”

Teams that are also in 3A Section 3 are Belle Vernon, Elizabeth Forward, Mt. Pleasant, South Allegheny and Southmoreland.

Boe feels as though not much has changed with the team other than the section.

“At the end of the day, it’s still football,” he said. “It’s still 11 guys lining up across from one another on a Friday night with intentions of imposing their will. It’s still six days a week for the players and seven for the coaches. It’s still battling injuries and learning from mistakes. None of that has really changed with the changing of sections. The only thing that has changed in that regard are some of the teams we’ll line up against throughout the season. That said, it’s nice to have a few more ‘local’ teams – Derry, Ligonier Valley, Southmoreland, etc. – on the schedule that provides opportunities for more engagement from our community.”

Coaches feel as though the players have easily handled the adjustment.

“I think the adjustment has been fine,” Keefer said. “We will start our section games [September 30^th]. Many of the teams are teams that we are familiar with so it should be an easy adjustment.”

Players tend to feel as though the competition this year is potentially easier.

“So far it seems easier, but we haven’t hit conference yet so it’s hard to tell,” senior Cody Rubrecht said.

Although the competition level is not determinable at this point in the season, the aggressiveness has started to show its colors.

“Some teams are aggressive, and some teams aren’t as aggressive,” sophomore Kai Brunot said.

Although the section games are most indicative of the team’s chances of making playoffs, the team remains hopeful.

“I think the rest of the season will go great,” senior Christian McChesney said. “We have some tough games ahead, but we still have a very good chance of making the playoffs.”

The senior players on the team collectively agree on the game that they are most excited for.

“The game I’m most excited for is Elizbeth Forward because it is potentially the last home game we have and is our senior night,” McChesney said.

 As the Lions continue to prepare for their section games, they keep their eyes on the prize and keep their goals in mind.

“The goals from year to year don’t change,” Keefer said. “As Coach Tomlin always states, ‘the standard is the standard.’ From one year to the next we change players at positions but the way we expect our team to work, prepare and conduct themselves does not change. Our coaching staff takes a ton of pride in our program and how we represent our school district. We expect success every week we play but are realistic and know that there will be failure along the way. It is our belief that the greatest attribute in our program is dealing with failure and adversity and continuing to show up and work hard to improve and prepare for a new week of challenges. This belief is the core of why sports are so important for young people. It is the best lesson I could possibly teach our players about life and how to persevere when life is tough.”