Mr. Caruso Taylor is an English teacher here at Carter High School. He is also currently teaching World History and Geography. 

Mr. Taylor has been a teacher for eight years, he taught for three years at a dropout recovery school in Columbus, Ohio. He also taught for four years at Anderson County High School, and now he has been at Carter for this year.

Mr. Taylor did not want to be a teacher, here is a little story, “I did not want to be a teacher, I wanted to be a biologist. I entered college as a biology major. However, I was dismayed to discover that biology and math were much closer than I knew. So, I was at a loss, I didn’t know what to do; I knew that I did not have the math skills to continue in biology, but I also had no idea what else I would, or could, do.”

He also said, “I was taking an extra composition course at this time, and my professor overheard me complaining about my predicament. He pulled me aside after class one day and suggested that I consider teaching English.”

He said, “He had noticed that I had a strong grasp on the foundations of reading and writing, and that I was great at breaking down complex concepts in my essays. So, I tried it, and loved it. I basically stumbled backwards into teaching after failing at what I thought I wanted to do, and I don’t regret a second of it”.

Now here is some of his background. Mr. Taylor is from Cleveland, Ohio. He has 4 younger siblings, the youngest of which is 22. He also attended Catholic Schools from K-12 and was on the track and chess teams in high school. He also graduated with a degree in AYA English Education from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He has been married for seven, almost eight, years.

He also says, He has a 2-year-old son. He took last year off of teaching, and the reason why he did was because, “I wanted to spend time with my son, especially during his formative years. I was very nervous about leaving him with someone else. I left teaching in 2021 and planned on never returning, but I realized about halfway through the year that I could not stay at home full time. I was on edge and bored. I needed to do something besides sit at home or take my son out in between naps.”  

He also worked for 2 years as a children’s pastor and here is what he says about it, “It’s funny, I said that I never wanted to be a teacher, but I have been teaching in a church setting since I was 15.”

He adds, “I like working with kids, I always have. I have been volunteering in children’s ministries for the past 17 years. I was given an opportunity a few years ago to go on staff at my church as their part time children’s pastor. I accepted the position and did it for 2 years.”

After two years, he made a change, “Eventually I burnt out and couldn’t keep doing it, my church kind of fell apart. It was a very hard time in my life. However, the time I spent teaching kids in that setting was amazing, I loved every second of it.”

Mr. Taylor is a really good person, all you need to do is just get to know him and once you meet him, he will be one of your favorite teachers because he is my favorite teacher.

Out of all the classes we have in Carter High School, my favorite class is algebra 1. Ms. Shoemaker teaches it. I enjoy math. I like dealing with numbers and I like to solve equations. In Ms. Shoemaker’s class, she helps you when needed and she also helps you if you don’t understand something. Math to me is like a mystery problem, you try to get to the bottom of the answer. Also, it’s something new every time. We also use numbers in life and math is a great way to use them. It can be hard to do math but the more you do it the better you get. There are a lot of benefits of learning mathematics. In  real-life applications of Mathematics are endless. We are surrounded by numbers, equations and algorithms. Especially in this age of data science, with huge data sets that can only be understood through statistical models and analysis. It can also strengthen your skills and critical thinking. Math helps us think analytically and have better reasoning abilities. Analytical thinking refers to the ability to think critically about the world around us. Reasoning is our ability to think logically about a situation. A strong foundation in math can translate into increased understanding and regulation of your emotions, improved memory and better problem-solving skills. There are so many things in math, and it is very interesting to learn. But, some people don’t like math because its too hard for them and some people think that whoever likes math is a nerd. I am a nerd and this is why I love math, and I love learning about it.

The first room on the right once you enter the office is where Mrs.Lee’s room is at. You can also find her during lunch at the tables in front of the cafeteria or walking around the halls to make sure everyone is where they need to be. Mrs.Lee says being an assistant principal is a daily challenge. She explains how it is like “everywhere you go there is always something new. No day is ever the same, you never know what’s going to happen when you turn the corner.” Mrs.Lee is the principal of 9 grade and 10 grade for last names that begin with p-z. She has been a principal before but this is her first year at Carter High School. Mrs.Lee also explains she always needs to phone a friend. But she loves meeting the variety of kids she sees.

Creator: Tracey Thomson

Year Released: 2021

Available where: Disney+, Hulu, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Now, FuboTV, Google Play Movies and TV

Cast: Preston Oliver, Kyleigh Curran, Elle Graham 

Are abandoned hotels supposed to be haunted? Does time travel really exist? If you want to see a show where all this happens, then you should watch the TV show Secrets of Sulphur Springs. In the first season is when Griffin’s family just moved into the Tremont. In their first days there they learn about a ¨ghost¨ named Savannah who is supposedly haunting the hotel since she went missing in 1990. Griffin meets Harper at school and they become friends because she is interested in Savannah. Griffin and Harper find a secret bunker and in it find a radio that goes back in time. They meet Savannah and it turns out she isn’t a ghost. In season two Griffin, Harper, and Savannah find out there is an actual ghost haunting the hotel and use the time machine some more but not without a few problems. At the end of season two there is a cliffhanger with a different haunting. Season three follows Griffin and Harper, two best friends, who just found out there is someone new haunting the Tremont Hotel. They go back in time to try and get clues about who is haunting the Tremont with Sam and Savannah´s help. While they are finding clues Griffin’s brother and sister find out about time travel and a little later, Harper´s brother. Throughout the rest of the episodes there are new problems in the future they try to prevent. The creator Tracey Thomas is also known for writing some episodes in The Young and The Restless, General Hospital, and All My Children. She has won two daytime Emmy awards and one Writers Guild of America award. This is a great series to watch because it is available in a lot of places, is kid-friendly, easy to follow along, and has anticipation in each episode. It is available on Disney+, Hulu, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Now, and more. The series is rated TV-PG which makes it fun to watch with just about anyone. The show isn’t as complicated as it sounds once you start watching it. There aren’t too many characters to keep track of, and all the problems have some kind of solution. A lot of new TV shows lately don’t have something to look forward to. It’s like some plots of TV shows are similar to ones before it. This show is different and leaves you wanting to keep watching it after each episode. Some things that the series is starting to have are the characters getting way older than their characters. In season one they all looked and were their on-screen age. Now they look quite a bit older. After watching all the seasons I feel like there should be more episodes if not a little longer. It is also annoying waiting on the show to get renewed because if it doesn’t how will we know how it ends. Season three left a great potential story, and now you have to hope it gets renewed.

Lefties are normally forgotten about, left out, and completely disregarded whenever thinking about their needs in schools. 90% of the population are right handed people, which leaves 10% of people lefties . In school, that leaves roughly 80 kids to be left-handed. Andrew Stiles, an 11th grade student at Carter High School who is a leftie, has shared his struggles with being an outsider. 

Andrew shared that “being a left-handed person is good, fun and interesting.” Being left-handed definitely comes with many questions like, “Wait, you’re left-handed?”, “Can you write with your other hand?”, “That’s weird!” Different people, but the same questions occur.

It was also shared that “smudges for days” while writing is probably one of the most annoying things that left-handed people go through, besides the school desks. left-handed people’s hands get tired so easily while writing, especially sitting at these desks for 8 hours. 

Mr. Browning, the senior principal who is right handed, stated, “If a student, parent or teacher requests a left-handed desk they can get one.” If you would like a left-handed desk, you can contact Mr. Browning so he can put in a request. It would take roughly about 1 week for it to arrive, and you’re able to get one in every class you have. This includes the 8 periods for the new school year next year. 

I also talked with Mrs. Dottely, the senior class English teacher, to get a right handed person’s perspective. She agreed that left-handed students are left out. In Mrs. Dottleys 8 years of teaching, she shared that she has never seen a left-handed desk. She also shared, “I think that I don’t have to think about things the way lefties do.” 

Even though being a lefty is tough through many things, I’ve personally adapted to use my right hand for many other things, which makes me ambidextrous. I do struggle as most lefties  do, but I can get by fine using my right hand for scissors, throwing and doing various activities in the gym, and sometimes even writing if I ever were to hurt or break my left hand. It’s just preferred to use my left hand. 

I may be ambidextrous, but it really is a pain to write in right handed desks, and in notebooks with pens because we smudge everything. The schools have left-handed desks but don’t use them, probably because no one ever had a problem with it until now. left-handed students should still get equal care like anyone else. It’s not thought about, but it would be very much appreciated. 

I genuinely advocate that the administration of Carter High School should be inclusive towards left-handed people, and not discriminate. Even though there may be few left-handed students, it doesn’t mean we don’t exist. 

Title: Motto
Artist: NF
Record Label: NF Real Music
Release Date: March 9, 2023

NF – the rapper that made the famous song “Let You Down” – has released yet another song from his upcoming album HOPE: “MOTTO.” “MOTTO”is a wonderful song with a well made music video. It is one of NF’s best songs yet, and it makes me very excited for the full album’s release.

The song is about three and a half minutes long. It was released on March 9 as a single from the album HOPE, which will be released on April 7 of this year. The song talks about how far NF has come in his career and how he is no longer afraid of being himself and doing his own thing. It also has a music video that goes along with it, which shows NF at a red carpet event that he seems out of place in.

NF has released many albums: Mansion, Therapy Session, Perception, The Search, and CLOUDS (The Mixtape). He released two EPs before these albums, though (I’m Free and NF). He also has released a few singles, a couple being “NO NAME” and “Warm Up.” He just released the song “HOPE” on February 16 as a single that will be in the album HOPE along with “MOTTO.”

This song is amazing for many reasons. First of all, the lyrics show how NF is finally comfortable with being himself and being unique. He used to be too afraid of making happier and brighter songs, as he was known for making sad songs. He didn’t want to lose his fanbase because of a new style, but now he’s willing to get out of his comfort zone and try something new. Also, the music in the song itself is just catchy. Even the music video is amazing. Not only is it well made and interesting, but it is also amusing at certain times throughout the song. For instance, at one point in the music video NF takes the mic from one of the people on the red carpet, acts like he’s going to give it back to her, then does a mic drop with it. In addition, the extras (people that are in the background in music videos, plays, etc.) in the music video were actually a group of NF’s fans that wanted to help, which, in my opinion, just adds a lot of meaning to the music video. 

Yes, some people may not be as big of a fan of this song. It is kind of slow, especially compared to some of his previous songs and songs from other rappers. This may make people like the song less, as it may seem too slow to be a song by a rapper. However, I kind of like that it’s a bit slower. Not every song a rapper releases has to be fast. Also, some people may not like the song’s music video, as it doesn’t have quite as much meaning behind it as all of his other music videos had. Yet, in my opinion, I think it’s actually kind of nice that he is trying something new and making videos that don’t have to have too much meaning behind them. Plus, there are some hidden meanings in the video, such as a part in the end of the music video where the same kid from a part of his “When I Grow Up” music video was outside of the building when NF was kicked out of the event.

In the end, NF’s “Motto” is an absolutely amazing song that is worth listening to. If the album is anything like this song and the song “Hope,” it’s going to be his best one yet. 

Movie Review

Title: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Director: Joel Crawford

Produced By: DreamWorks Animation

Release Date: December 21, 2022

DreamWorks has produced some of the best-animated movies, including Shrek, How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda, and Puss in Boots. Many of these movies have a sequel just after the first movie was released. At last, Puss in Boots got a sequel: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.

The whole plot behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is very clever. The story takes place after the first movie. Spoiler warning! Puss begins the sequel by accidentally getting killed which knocks him down to his last life out of nine. Once he gets visited by Death or the Wolf, he realizes he has to be very careful with his last life. He meets a new friend at the cat sanctuary he takes refuge in, Perrito, and they set off on a mission to find the last wishing star. Puss, Perrito, and Kitty Softpaws (who joins soon after they began searching) are all on the same mission together while being hunted by Goldilocks, the three bears, and Jack Horner. 

In regular sequel fashion, the same actors for the main characters are back! Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek are back voicing their characters Puss and Kitty Softpaws. The sequel has added some new voices with Florence Pugh, Harvey Guillen, Olivia Coleman, and John Mulaney who voice Goldilocks, Perrito, Mama Bear, and Jack Horner. There is also a new director for the sequel, Joel Crawford compared to the first movie Chris Miller. 

Once again, the plot for this movie is very unique, dealing with touchy or mature topics. Death is nothing to joke about and this movie does not make any jokes. However, it presents how scary death is and how it is very important to be responsible with your choices like Puss. The movie also shows the importance of trust in relationships through Puss and Kitty Softpaws. Lastly, this movie’s soundtrack and animation style is amazing. The soundtrack includes two popular songs Death’s whistle called, “Bounty Hunter” and Puss’ opening number, “Fearless Hero”. The animation compared to the first Puss in Boots is very colorful and fresh. The movements of the characters are very smooth and are more amusing to watch rather than the dull colors of the first movie. 

The only bad thing about this movie is the Death character. It can be very scary for young kids who might come and see the movie. No, the movie would not need to be a different rating, but parents with squeamish or kids that get scared easily may have problems. 

Overall, this is a wonderful movie and was worth the 11 years of waiting. It was the perfect addition to the large canon and universe DreamWorks has created. 

Midnights is Taylor Swift’s tenth album! It was released on October 21, 2022 and features thirteen songs with seven bonus tracks! Her other work consists of Taylor Swift, Fearless, Speak Now, RED, 1989, Reputation, Lover, Folklore, and Evermore. Taylor Swift and Fearless are both “country” albums, Folklore and Evermore have a more folk vibe, and the rest are more pop than anything. Midnights feels like a mixture of lots of the genres Taylor’s done in the past. The sound of each track mostly reminds me of 1989 and Reputation which are upbeat and fun but they also show deep, dark emotions.

Midnights’ opening track is “Lavender Haze” which is about Taylor’s love with her boyfriend Joe Alwyn. This is a strong opening track and really makes you want to dance. “Lavender Haze” is a very loving and fun song. “Lavender Haze”, “Question…?”, “Vigilante Shit”, “Bejeweled”, “Karma”, “Mastermind”, “Paris”, and “Glitch” are the more happy and up-beat tracks on this album. These songs are fun and exciting. While Maroon, Anti-hero, Snow On The Beach, You’re On Your Own, Kid, Midnight Rain, Labyrinth, Sweet Nothing, The Great War, Bigger Than The Whole Sky, Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve, and Dear Reader are the more down, slower tracks and are more likely to make you cry from how emotional they are. They definitely made me cry the first couple times I listened to them. One of the sad songs like You’re On Your Own, Kid is upsetting but still up beat. 

Many songs on this album are very deep and personal like “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve”, which is about her traumatizing relationship with John Mayer that took away her childhood. On the other hand, there are very fun and uplifting tracks like “Bejeweled” that are happy but still meaningful and have so much thought behind them. 

Overall, this album is amazing and I would recommend every single person alive to listen to it. In my opinion, there are zero negatives to this album. At first I thought it was questionable but the more I listened to it, the better it got. Now, it’s one of my favorite Taylor Swift albums. 

A brand-new vending machine now sits at the edge of the lobby, near the freshman entrance, replacing the former ice cream machine. The new flavors provided by the new Pepsi machine are an amazing addition to the school. Not only is this machine new and running, but it is also introducing new flavors to the school. Although the machine has not been stocked yet, the front of the machine shows the diversity of drink options. The flavors consist of non-diet cans of Mountain Dew, Pepsi, Starry, and then, of course, diet alternatives. They also included a brand-new flavor of Kickstart: strawberry-kiwi, paired with its slightly former flavor of pineapple-orange-mango. Everyone has been buzzing about these drinks, such as Kaitlyn Rutherford, a sophomore, who has said, “I like the variety that the vending machine has and the fact it is not only diet. The flavors definitely look yummy.” Although some may say that non-diet drinks could cause a spike in obesity or are even just unhealthy compared to their counterparts, I find that providing more natural options than chemical induced sugars are better for a wide variety of reasons, one of them being: many people are allergic to aspartame, which is the fake sugar used in diet drinks, so leaving options for those students could increase happiness and even sales within our school. There are high hopes for the machine, and although nobody has yet to try the long-awaited strawberry-kiwi Kickstart, many people have come out to voice their opinion. Jaci Jones, a sophomore, is one of those people: “I’m excited to try the new flavor it sounds really good!” Many people are stoked for the new variety of drinks; hopefully the school can add onto the burst of excitement and eventually add a new food selection.

Title: John Wick: Chapter 4

Director: Chad Stahelski

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Lance Reddick, Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård

Studio: Lionsgate

Release Date: March 24th, 2023

Available: Only in Theaters

Whenever one hears about another film in the series John Wick, he or she immediately begins to look forward to watching a couple of hours of hit star Keanu Reeves saying “Yeah,” for most of the movie in his deep voice. And they would be correct. John Wick: Chapter 4 is a high point for a franchise that continues to find ways to try and one-up itself. In the fourth installment of the beloved franchise, John Wick has recovered after being shot off of the top of the New York Continental Hotel and is ready to seek revenge on the High Table (the governing body for the assassin underworld). When he challenges the new Head of the High Table to a duel to forgive all his crimes and free him from the assassin’s underworld, John brings even more assailants after him. Can John survive them and win his duel? This movie follows three previous sequels that also follow John Wick, a legendary hitman, who experienced multiple tragedies and has to go through friend and foe to try to get some normalcy back in his life. The fourth chapter brings back many beloved side characters such as Ian McShane’s Winston, Laurence Fishburne’s Bowery King, and the late Lance Reddick’s Charon. It also introduces some great new characters in Donnie Yen’s blind assassin Caine, Bill Skarsgard’s villainous Marquis Vincent de Gramont, and Shamier Anderson’s mysterious Mr. Nobody. The John Wick movies are not known for their dialogue or writing which is still evident in this sequel; however, they excel at giving the audience nonstop, well-choreographed action. John Wick: Chapter 4 does this better than any of the previous three entries to the franchise. While it is nearly 3 hours long, its runtime never feels stretched, as audiences never tire of seeing Keanu Reeves’ John Wick come up with inventive ways to kill hundreds of assassins. The film is also impressively shot with gorgeous cinematography. While some may be annoyed by the long-run time or the convoluted plot that seems to exist only to set up the next action sequence, this is without a doubt one of the most impressive pure action movies of all time. John Wick: Chapter 4 is an absolute delight to see in theaters and is maybe the best film of the year so far.