WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2023 • VOL. 86, EDITION 02 thehilltopecho.org
Don’t Lick the Frogs By Rick Lewandoski
@thehilltopecho
In This Issue Don’t Lick The Frogs By: Riley Lewandoski
Hayden Bunker Competes in Youth Olympics By: Maggie Bonfiglio
A Long Line of Lebron Lies By: Aiden Kingery
Chardon Resident Sued by the City over “Ugly” Yard By: Maggie Bonfiglio
The Adderall Shortage
By: Grace George and Joey George
American Teachers Should Get Paid More By: Makenna Rose
The Mandela Effect By: Grace George
Elden Ring Review By: Joey Ryan
Made in the Abyssal Zone By: Joey Ryan
Why Does My Soda Taste Different? By: Molly Gilles
Most people’s thoughts when stumbling upon a frog or toad do not include how it tastes, but lately that very thought seems to be on the minds of many adolescents. The National Parks Service issued an announcement last November, reminding folks to not lick any of the animals found within the parks, including the amphibians. “As we say with most things you come across in a national park, whether it be a banana slug, unfamiliar mushroom or a large toad with glowing eyes in the dead of night, please refrain from licking.” the park service said in a Facebook post. Many youngins believe that licking these toads and frogs will give their brain a psychedelic reaction. When asked if they would
participate, many freshmen at Chardon High School said they would partake, while older students and staff claimed they wouldn’t. It seems that as the age of the people interviewed increased, the less appealing the idea of licking a frog seemed to be. Sophomores Brady Malec and Ceci Farina said they would not get in on the action and thought the idea was strange and unsanitary. The staff members agreed. “That sounds extremely unsafe and unhealthy,” said Coach Cam. When asked about her thoughts on the matter, Chardon science teacher, Doc. Schneider said, “Cats and dogs throw them up when they eat them because the outer covering of frogs andtoads is poisonous and has a neurological toxin that
Photo by HeatherW
causes them to throw them up. So, you probably shouldn’t be licking them.” Most adults with fully developed brains and even most underclassmen can
agree that licking anything, especially a frog, with no real knowledge of the effects is a poor choice in action. So, as a gentle reminder, please, don’t lick the frogs.
Japan’s Love for the Flatwoods Monster By: Joey Ryan
The Growth of AI Art By: Aiden Kingery
Haidyn Bunker Competes In Youth Olympics By Maggie Bonfiglio
Our Writers Camden Adamic-Social Media Assistant Maggie Bonfiglio-Editor-In-Chief-
The Olympics. A once-ina-lifetime opportunity. Years of training, hard work and dedication culminating in an edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting fight for gold. For 99.9% of people, the Olympics are a
pipe dream. For most it’s a fun event on NBC every two years, watching athletes at the top of their game, but that’s where it ends. Not for Haidyn Bunker, a freshman at Chardon High School and a varsity girl’s soccer player. She is bringing a new definition
Madi Clemson-Copy EditorGrace George-Staff WriterJoey George-Staff WriterMolly Gilles-Layout EditorAiden Kingery-Editor-In-ChiefRick Lewandoski-Layout EditorYinxi Li-PhotojournalistConnor Mosher-Business ManagerAlly Reid-Social Media ManagerDevney Rich-Copy EditorMakenna Rose-Staff WriterJoe Ryan-Staff WriterLindsey Schaefer-Social Media Manager-
Photo by Adeline Albert
to the word ambitious and is racing for gold in doubles luge for the Youth Olympics. What is luge? Bunker explains, “Luge is known as the fastest sport on ice. You lay on a fancy looking sled, feet first, and use candy-cane-looking runners to help steer. (You need) a good core, strong muscles and a fast reaction time to be successful.” There aren’t any luge tracks in Chardon. The one nearest is as far as Lake Placid, New York so getting into luge required a lot of travel. “My family and I were watching the 2018 Winter Olympics on TV when we saw an ad that mentioned a slider search. We were very intrigued, so we dug deeper. This later led us to find a slider search in Columbus where I took a luge sled
but with rollerblade wheels instead of steels down a road. I had a blast and left thinking nothing of it.” Bunker said. What seemed like a simple family trip snowballed into a lifestyle. “A couple of months later, we got an email from USA Luge inviting me to come up to Lake Placid, NY, to stay at the Olympic Training Center. I went and had the time of my life. Then in March, I was invited once again to go to Lake Placid and train with the team. I happily accepted and learned so much during the week I was there. On May 1, 2019, I was welcomed to the team, and for the past couple of years, I have grown as a person, slider and teammate.” Luge is played all over continued on page 2