Volume 85 Issue 1 by AHS Pepperbox

Volume 85 Issue 1 | 1720 M St. Arcata, CA | September 28, 2012

THRIVE - 6 | New Assistant Principal - 8 | Teacher Band - 16 | Exchange Students - 17

www.thepepperbox.com

In The Box

Box Briefs Homecoming Week - October 1-5 End of Term 1 - October 5 SAT - October 6 @ Eureka High THRIVE Day - October 15 ArMack Silent Film - October 18-20

Want to advertise or buy a mail subscription to the Pepperbox? Email Business Manager Hawken Ritter at ahs.pepperbox@gmail.com. Make sure to us on facebook at www.facebook.com/AHSPepperbox

THRIVE ��6-7 New Assistant Principal �� 8 Freshmen Elections �� 9 New Counselor �� 10 Nurse Hours Shortened ��11 Garcia Aqui ��12 New Bio Teacher �� 13 Summer Sinkholes/Construction ��14 Bon Boniere Speaks Out ��14 Wi-Fi ��15 Teacher Band ��16 Exchange Students ��17 National Merit Scholars ��18 Homecoming ��19 Feature Athletes ��20-22 Sports Schedules �� 23 Senioritis �� 24 Academic Awards �� 25 Hazing �� 26 Career and College �� 27 Pretty Lights �� 28 Silent Film �� 29 Pump Up Music �� 30 My Story: Steve Sheets ��31

Editorial Staff Elaine Cunha - Editor-in-Chief Forrest Lewis - Editor-in-Chief Molly Salamunovich - Managing Editor Anna Nordquist - News Editor Gillen Martin - Junior News Editor Piper Bazard - Junior News Editor Sage Fanucchi-Funes - Feature Editor Lauren McCoy - Sports Editor Calvin Ryan - Opinion Editor Dakota Goodman - A&E Editor Lumina Adams Geena Damian Errol Funk Steve Sheets

Reporters

Kaitlin Tucker Sam Winter Emily Hooven Jamie Maher

Hawken Ritter - Business Manager Ben McCreath - Media Editor Sam Freed - Media Editor Grace Lovell - Art Director Tami Conrad - Photo Editor Aiyana Allen-Caldwell Chief Photographer Gabe Schneider - Graphic Designer Shea Lignitz - Copy Editor Day Robins - Online Editor

Dayna Naish Julia Sloan Jonathan Dedekan

Advisor Danielle Lehman

The Pepperbox would like to thank Western Web, based in Samoa, for printing our paper at-cost. Western Web supports student journalism throughout Humboldt County and has made publications like the Pepperbox possible for decades. We appreciate their dedication to keeping print media alive!

Editors’ Box

he Pepperbox is back! And quicker than ever! Only five weeks into the school year, we have created a lengthy 32-page newspaper (partly due to an overwhelming surplus of advertisements brought in by our new Business Manager, Hawken Ritter) in a redesigned layout. Thanks to Graphic Designer Gabe Schneider and graduated Art Director Colin Swenson, the Pepperbox now features new folios, new bylines, new pull quotes, new intro pages, and dozens of other exciting changes. So turn the page and explore our first issue and keep your eyes out for eight (yes eight!) more this year. Editors-in-Chief Forrest Lewis & Elaine Cunha

Behind the Cover

Grace Lovell/PEPPERBOX

For this issue’s cover, Editor-in-Chief Forrest Lewis snapped pictures of each member of the Arcata High School Teacher Band (JuJu and the Plague), in front of a chroma key green screen. Media Editors Ben McCreath and Sam Freed then made five individual cut-outs and superimposed them onto a photoshopped picture of Abbey Road. For a more detailed profile of the legendary Teacher Band, see page 21.

From the Archives: 2012 Hall of Famers ‘81-’82 Wrestling Team:

Beneath and right: Originally published March 12, 1982

Class of ‘62: Tom Thomson (left) Joe Sarboe (right) Beneath: Originally published May 12, 1961

Right: Originally published October 27, 1961

Quotable. “Now I know a lot of unhappy wealthy people. I know a lot of unhappy poor people. I know a lot of happy wealthy people, and I know a lot of happy poor people. I know a lot of people.” Advanced Placement Economics teacher Dave Filippini during a lecture on “Wealth does not bring about happiness.”

“Mrs. Zamboni, I’m confused. Is one an odd or an even number?”

Sophomore Jesse Bareilles asking a clarifying question during Tiger Pal training in the Multi Purpose Room.

“I just hate admitting that I’m not a perfect human being.”

Junior Skyler Wrigley in response to a “get to know you” type activity done in AP English class in the first week of school

Number of students in 5th period AP English 4, the smallest core class available this year at AHS

Number of students in 6th period German 1, the largest core class available this year at AHS

538 Number of THRIVE pretests administered by English teacher Sue Buscher during the first week of school

Number of days 16th Street was closed for construction this fall, forcing traffic onto adjacent streets

Framable.

Seniors Rachael Perry (left) and Grace Lovell (right) promote composting at the North Country Fair on Saturday, September 15, on the Arcata Plaza.

Day Robins/PEPPERBOX

Parents gather on the quad before back-to-school night to purchase yearbooks, tiger cards, and other school merchandise.

Forrest Lewis/PEPPERBOX

Aiyana Allen/PEPPERBOX

Students gather around Ken Klima as he performs a card trick and rouses support for his newly formed Magic Club on campus.

NEWS

THRIVE

6 | September 28, 2012

Three years into the federally funded grant: Is it working? Elaine Cunha Editor-in-Chief &

Anna Nordquist

News Editor

HRIVE: Towards Higher Results through Incentives for Value-added Education – or so it was written. Like so many other acronyms of its kind, the real, demystified meaning of THRIVE is lost amid an awkward combination of words. Today, THRIVE is known as “Together Honoring Rigorous Instruction for Valued Education,” although that may change before the grant ends in June of 2015. On paper, THRIVE is a $4.65 million grant awarded to the Northern Humboldt Union High School District (NHUHSD) with the purpose of increasing “teacher/principal effectiveness and student achievement through a differentiated compensation system,” according to the Center for Educator Compensation Reform (CECR). The money comes from a “Teacher Incentive Fund” (TIF), which strives to create a system where teachers and administrators are rewarded for successfully performing their jobs. Simply put, teachers receive more money if their students’ test scores increase. In reality, the exact purpose of the grant remains unclear to students, teachers, and administrators alike. A noticeable division

between the identified purpose of THRIVE as the grant was written and how NHUHSD is using it seems to be surfacing on campus. “This is a federal grant and they’ve been pushing these incentives for years. We took advantage of it,” said Cindy Condit, AHS science teacher and THRIVE Leadership Team member. The money currently keeps six and a half teaching positions in the district. But beyond jobs, it is questionable whether teachers’ effectiveness will improve by offering incentives based on test scores. Will teachers really teach better when offered more money? “We all know [performancebased compensation] doesn’t work,” Condit said. “Research shows it doesn’t work.” “I think going into it we recognized that that’s how the grant got funded, but I don’t think anybody’s using that as motivation,” THRIVE coordinator Bob Wallace said. So what’s the reality of a program with stated goals that differ from its actual goals?

didn’t know anything – that’s why we’re enrolled in the class,” freshman Delaney Goodman said. Moreover, confusion surrounds who is supposed to benefit and who really benefits. “I don’t think it’s really for the students as much as it is for the teachers,” junior Alex Yeoman said. And yet: “The students are supposed to be the priority,” freshmen Tech Essentials teacher Kelly Helms stated. “The idea is that it’s the students who benefit,” Condit agreed. “As we get better at this and we start reaping the benefits, the students will.” But is five years really enough time for the THRIVE process to be mastered and the benefits to trickle down to the students? In general, the students don’t seem to understand the goals or the overarching purpose of THRIVE and most can’t see a difference in the classroom. So far, senior Kiran Suryadevara, who was a sophomore when the district first received the grant, hasn’t “seen the effects much other than receiving more THRIVE assessments in class.” Sophomore Sonia Copple added, “In terms of learning, it doesn’t do anything.”

Pepperbox For instance, THRIVE asks teachers to create pre-tests based on the standards of their subject. But the standards of a math class, whose curriculum is cumulative and changes throughout the year, are clearly different from electives like the Media Arts Workshop, where they spend most of the year designing the school yearbook.

I think going into it we recognized that that’s how the grant got funded, but I don’t think anybody’s using that as motivation. -THRIVE coordinator Bob Wallace

Furthermore, THRIVE gives teachers of knowledge-based subjects a clear advantage over teachers of skills-based subjects in showing improvement. An English student, who is tested on skills they have acquired from several years of instruction, might already know half the answers on a pre-test, but the chances that the same student knows any answers to a German pre-test are pretty slim. On paper, Teachers and Classrooms the foreign language teacher looks THRIVE attempts to “increase like they have taught the student student achievement” by recog- “more” based on these tests, but in nizing and rewarding “successful” reality, the difference in scores is reteachers. It identifies these teachers ally the difference in subjects. by using statistics to show student “It’s really an unfair system to beStudents For starters, the majority of improvement: one part STAR test gin with,” AP Statistics teacher Kay students don’t know much about scores, one part observation, and Wozniak said. “There’s literally no THRIVE beyond taking multiple- one part pre- and post-test scores. way to actually make this equitable. choice tests and days off. For most The local tests are supposed to mea- There are too many variables.” Like all standardized tests, cheatfreshmen, their first high school sure exactly how much a student experience was taking several tests has learned from the beginning of ing and apathy from both teachers full of questions they didn’t know the year to the end. In order to com- and students get in the way of true pare the results, the system treats all results. the answers to. “[Teachers] always give us the “I thought it was a waste of time subjects, teachers, and students the pre-tests and encourage us to do rebecause for the pre-assessments we same.

Pepperbox ally badly on them,” Copple said. “Some people just randomly bubble [the answer sheets] in,” freshman Canyon Robins stated. He continued, “I don’t like not getting the tests back. It makes you feel like it’s not important.” Mixed Early Results While some STAR test scores increased, Arcata High’s overall API score dropped. Some blame the drop on the seven “staff development days” last year and five that are scheduled this year where students don’t attend school and essentially lose a week or more of instruction. Others attribute this to a loss of teacher prep time. “I have to spend my time entering in data versus building my curriculum to build student achievement,” Helms said. And others, like AHS English teacher and THRIVE mentor JoAnn Moore, feel the benefits of THRIVE are limited for teachers who aren’t “actively [engaging] in the process.” Some teachers are having difficulty embracing THRIVE and the data collection process. “It’s a process we’re working through,” AHS Principal Dave Navarre stated, and improvements are being made. Teachers received ScanCams this year that save time grading tests and entering data into computers. The introduction of plastic cover sheets and erasable markers saves paper so students can reuse the same answer document every time they take a test. Also new this year: the Collegial Observation aspect of THRIVE, which allows teachers to observe the effective teaching methods of their colleagues, was opened up to all teachers and not just the THRIVE mentors. Some hope exists for THRIVE.

NEWS Some teachers find the testing and data collection useful in the classroom: “I have more information about my students much earlier than I ever have,” Moore said. “That helps me to be able to think about what kind of goal I want to have for a specific student, when I’m thinking about how I want their learning to improve.” “I looked at my assessments, I go ‘I didn’t teach these things’ and I came back and revisited them,” Condit said. Condit attributes the three percent improvement on her students’ STAR test scores from last year’s biology class to information gathered from THRIVE’s required formative assessments. Others see the system as fatally flawed. Six Rivers science teacher Shannon Morago recently dropped out of the incentive part of THRIVE because she philosophically opposes “using standardized student test scores to evaluate teachers.” Despite opting not to receive an incentive bonus, Morago is still required to participate in the data collection aspect of the grant. “If they’re trying to increase student achievement, I don’t think it’s done through testing,” Morago said. “I think that student achievement is improved through focusing on learning and improving learning, not on improving testing.” AHS English teacher Susan Buscher added, “There’s this sense of THRIVE turning a human being into a number; turning them into data. Teaching, for me, is not data.” For Arcata High, the jury’s still out. So, Arcata High, are we better off now than we were three years ago? We’re interested in what you have to say. Write a letter to the editor and email it to ahs.pepperbox@ gmail.com.

September 28, 2012 | 7 933 I Street Arcata, CA 95521

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NEWS Pepperbox AHS welcomes new assistant principal: Jim Monge 8 | September 28, 2012

Lauren McCoy Sports Editor

f you find yourself in the main office of Arcata High, awaiting a meeting with Jim Monge, the Assistant Principal, fret not upon discovering his door is labeled Assistant Principal Roger Macdonald. You are in the right place, a safe place, in the office of Jim Monge. Tapping on the door and peeking my head in I thought to myself, “He looks pretty busy, maybe I should come back another time.” So after explaining my intent to interview him, I asked if another time would be better. Instead of being turned right out the door with an appointment for next week for 15 minutes as I expected, Monge graciously suggested, “Does right now work for you? I’m a pretty good multi-tasker.” How good of a multi tasker he really is I didn't find out, because throughout the brief conversation I had with him, he gave me his full attention. I could tell he was really listening to what I was asking and wanted to help me in any way he could. The manner in which Monge came to be the Assistant Principal is an interesting one in itself. Last spring, Arcata High began the search for a new second in command. “There were a lot of really great candidates that came out for the position, and originally we had decided on Roger Macdonald,” Principal Dave Navarre commented. As of last summer, however, the position of Principal at Mckinleyville High opened up and Macdonald found himself there. And we found ourselves in need of a Assistant Principal yet again.

Reviewing the interviews from just before summer, Monge stood out as a strong possibility, and with the months allotted for students to frolic along the riverbanks coming to an end, AHS was in need of a VP. “In the first round of decisions Monge had been a standout candidate, and it was no surprise that we came back to him for the position again,” Navarre stated. “Mr. Monge is very qualified for the position; I’m very happy with our decision on the matter and glad to see everything working out and such a good guy in there by my side,” boomed Navarre with a grin on his face. Despite the short notice (Monge only had been on campus two days before introducing himself to some 200 freshmen and their parents at freshmen orientation) he jumped at the opportunity to come aboard as a Tiger himself. Jim Monge began his career in education as a teacher of business at McKinleyville High about 18 years ago. From the doorstep of our rival, he entered into the halls of our idol, Humboldt State University, as a teacher of computers and education, for more than eight years. Then, from up in the redwood forest, Monge made his way to the pasture filled-bottoms as

“That’s important for me, for students to know I will listen to what they have to say,” -Arcata High Assistant Principal

Tami Conrad/PEPPERBOX

Jim Monge gestures to the innacurate labeling of his office. It is unkown if the administration is in the process of ordering a new sign. principal of St. Mary’s Elementary School, the alma mater of some students here at Arcata High. Assistant Principal Monge thinks that the biggest difference between St. Mary’s and AHS are “The ages, the size of the school, and the size of the students.” Here at Arcata High, Monge’s duties are mainly relating to student behavior, discipline, testing, special education, and anything else that comes his way. What Monge hopes to accomplish here at Arcata High is to

communicate with students and work with them through their high school years. Those two tasks have one major similarity. What is necessary to make them both happen is listening, which is something I have personally found him to be very apt at. “I’m here working with the students, and I want to hear their side of their stories. That’s important to me, for students to know that I will listen to what they have to say and see what we can do about their situations together,” commented Monge.

Pepperbox

NEWS

An “awesome” start for freshmen

“W

Grace Lovell Art Director

e’re an awesome class!” sang freshman class secretary Lizzy Fernandes, “I want to make this an awesome year… with three more awesome years!” And they are off to an awesome start so far: Arcata Student Body Advisor Wendy Zamboni is extremely impressed. With eleven candidates who ran for office this year — far more than ever seen in a freshman class election — and nearly all of the freshmen voting — 200 of 235 freshmen — the class of 2016 is breaking records left and right. Not to mention the tie for freshmen president: an event that has never occurred at Arcata High School before. The newly elected co-presidents, Neel Rao and Tristan Pigg, are perfectly content with sharing the title. “I wanted to be the highest ranking,” joked Rao “but it

will be nice to not be the only boy on student council.” With Pigg and Rao as presidents, Daisy Nutter as vice president, Fernandes as secretary, and Delaney Goodman as treasurer, the freshman class of 2016 is a force to be reckoned with. Goodman has aspirations to build an “awesome” homecoming float, Rao wants to make the dances more fun, Nutter hopes to make Arcata High greener, and Fernandes and Pigg are going to make this “the best year ever.” All five officers are proud of their fellow candidates. “Everyone who ran did an awesome job,” Fernandes said with a grin. The number of freshmen who voted impressed all of the officers as well. The new officers aim to keep the freshmen class very busy and involved throughout the 2012-2013 school year. “It’s going to be good,” Pigg said. “We all have good ideas.” And only five weeks into school, the student body looks forward to seeing the ideas put to work.

Aiyana Allen-Caldwell/PEPPERBOX

Freshmen class officers from left to right: Neel Rao, Tristan Pigg, Daisy Nutter, Delaney Goodman, and Lizzy Fernandes strike an “awesome” pose.

September 28, 2012 | 9

I want to make this an awesome year...with three more awesome years! - Lizzy Fernandes

NEWS

Pepperbox

Counselor Harmon returns to AHS 10 | September 28, 2012

Geena Damian

Reporter

unny pictures of the South Pacific, tropical beaches, and beautiful waves next to flags from west-coast colleges and a bright smile is what awaits any student who goes to visit the new counselor. After a four-year break from the Arcata High campus, Casey Harmon has decided to come back to be our A-G counselor. While the loss of Harmon as a counselor will not be celebrated at McKinleyville, where she has worked for the past four years, she will nonetheless be warmly welcomed here, where she can provide our student body with the skills and services we have long been waiting for. Harmon, originally from San Clemente, moved up to Humboldt

for college and met her husband seventh and eighth grade for some while double majoring in anthropol- time, along with adult education, ogy and botany. Soon after this, she Harmon knew that she wanted a more personal experience with kids. This desire led us to having a great new counselor. Getting personal experience with kids has been no problem for her lately though as of six months ago, Harmon has been a proud mother of two: Ellie, her smiley new baby, and Greyson, her two-and-a-half year old “wildman.” Harmon is an enthusiastic and encouraging person, which shows strongly in her role as a counselor and makes students feel welcome and prepared as they come and go from her office. “She always tried to meet the -Kasey Cather students’ wants and still have them take the necessary classes to graduate. But the best thing about her is realized her true passion in helping she was always happy and she was teens and kids. Although she taught great to be around,” said Coleton

“Mrs. Harmon is very influential and as a student of hers, I feel like I will succeed greatly in high school, and move on to bigger and better things.”

Tami ConradPEPPERBOX

Casey Harmon, the new counselor, always greets her students with a smile.

Golden-Tudor, a senior at McKinleyville High. Even at Arcata High, where she has been for such a short amount of time, she is still making an impression. “Mrs. Harmon is very influential and as a student of hers, I feel like I will succeed greatly in high school, and move on to bigger and better things,” senior Kasey Cather stated confidently. While leaving any long-term position can be hard, the transition for Harmon has been virtually flawless. She has had no difficulties to complain about and only nice things to say about our faculty. She has also been enjoying the change in scenery, saying in her “politically correct” answer, “the cultures are different, different towns and communities too,” - knowing the oldas-time rivalry between Arcata and McKinleyville would be revved up if she said how much more she really loves Arcata.

Pepperbox

NEWS

Nurse Watson’s hours shortened Aiyana Allen Chief Photographer

urse Norma Watson’s hours have been shortened this school year. Due to the lack of funding, Watson will arrive every morning at 10 a.m. and will no longer be on campus on Fridays. According to Principal Dave Navarre, the school district grant that funded her hours unfortunately lapsed and the district could no longer afford to pay for a full time nurse on each site. At both the Arcata High School and McKinleyville High School nurses’ hours have been shortened to halftime. Dave Navarre said, “[Nurse Watson] will be very missed.” The staff and many students who need her help for various medical conditions are concerned. However, when the nurse is gone, resources such as Band-Aids, cough drops, and personal items will still be available to students in the office.

“I’m going to encourage kids to take responsibility in their own good health this year, eat good food, get enough sleep, stay strong, and stayhealthy.” -Arcata High School Nurse Norma Watson

“Nurse hours being shortened makes it busier [in the office], and students have to decide themselves if they feel better to go back to class or call their parents,” secretary Michelle Camilli said. If a student has an emergency or is feeling sick, the administration is available to assist the students and the secretaries can phone parents. Nurse Watson noted that, “school nurses enhance student attendance.” When she isn’t here there won’t be anyone to take students’ temperatures, and she has estimated that approximately 900 or more students

visit the nurse’s office and these students will no longer be taken care of. Students who have unhealthy lifestyles or often find themselves sick will have less attention to their medical needs. Last year, Nurse Watson had about 2,425 visits from students of all grades. Her shortened hours make her very busy when she is working. She hopes to create a sign-up sheet, so students can sign up and are able to check in with her. Nurse Watson is a credentialed school nurse and has worked at Arcata High for 26 years. When she retires she wants to make sure there is

Aiyana Allen/PEPPERBOX

With shortened nurse hours, students will be turned away by locked doors when trying to visit the nurse’s office.

September 28, 2012 | 11

a “credentialed school nurse working at Arcata High.” She expressed the importance of school nurses and how their jobs are being cut all over the United States due to budget constraints. Nurse Watson firmly believes that the entire school benefits from the support of a full-time nurse. However, she enjoys her extra free time and remains enthusatic. “I’m going to encourage kids to take responsibility in their own health this year, eat good food, get enough sleep, stay strong, and stay healthy,” Watson said.

NEWS

Pepperbox

Garcia aqui: back from Spain 12 | September 28, 2012

Tami Conrad Photo Editor

ftentimes teachers have great opportunities to expand their horizons. For example, last year, Arcata High Spanish teacher Jennifer Garcia spent a year in a teaching program in Spain at a school in the town Alcala de Henares. The town is the birthplace of one of Spain’s most important authors, Miguel de Cervantes, who wrote El Ingenioso Hidalgo de Don Quijote de la Mancha. Garcia lived on the street where Cervantes was supposedly born. Up to this day, this town is known to be a literary and academic center. The University of Alcala was founded in 1499, and it attracts students from all over the country and all around the world. Alcala de Henares was the place Columbus met Ferdinand and Isabel to request funding to find the New World.

activities such as sports, art, and music, as well as being involved with school. At the same time, Spain was less stressful because teachers “didn’t have to take work home after school hours, and there was always something to do,” she explained. “People in Spain are really nice and the culture is amazing. It was a great opportunity to learn about Spain, but I'm happy to be back.” Students are also happy that she is back. “She has a great personality and her classes are super fun,” Julia Sloan, a sophomore in Spanish 2, said. Her students appreciate the creTami Conrad/PEPPERBOX ativity that she brings to the class- Garcia brings her experiences in Spain into her everyday classroom room. instruction. “Garcia had a very unique teaching style,” said Casey Aveggio, a junior who had Garcia two years ago. “We missed her. She is so energetic and a great teacher,” Spanish

“We missed her. She is so energetic and a great teacher.” -Arcata High Spanish teacher Kelly Fernandes

Some of the aspects Garcia says she will miss most about Spain are the food, the teachers she met, the people she worked with, and the architecture. “I was in constant amazement walking down my street that these buildings are so old!” Garcia exclaimed. “People were not better or worse; just different,” Garcia said. The community in the United States is more involved with extracurricular

instructor Kelly Fernandez said. This year, Garcia is teaching all of the Spanish 2 classes at AHS and one Spanish 1 class. She is also teaching for the panthers at McKinleyville High during first period. “I like my students a lot this year, I feel like I don’t have to sell ‘Why take Spanish?’” Garcia said. “It was great to meet the parents, there was a good turnout at back to school night.”

Pepperbox

NEWS

New bio teacher: Jason Simms Gillen Martin

Junior News Editor

henever any Arcata High School student thinks of biology, they probably think of Mrs. Condit. She has taught Biology 1 CP for 26 years at Arcata High, but this year she is sharing her classroom with another teacher. His name: Jason Simms. His job: teaching the 5th period Bio class this year. Fellow teachers and faculty are equally impressed by Mr. Simms. Principal Navarre said, “I like that guy; he has good energy.” So far, Condit has really enjoyed working with him. His students seem to like him too. One of his students, freshman Ellen Keil, says “I like him; he’s cool. He’s easy to talk to. It’s one of my favorite classes.” When Arcata High started looking for a new biology teacher, Navarre says, “We interviewed three people, all good candidates, and he was our number one pick.” A lot of why Mr. Simms seemed like such an obvious choice for Arcata High’s newest teaching position was, as Navarre said, “You can tell he just really likes to be here.” It comes as no surprise that Navarre picked up on Simms’s happiness in teaching, because not only does Simms teach high school to pay the bills, but he is passionate about what he does. When asked why he picked teaching biology out of all professions, he said, “…Biology seemed to be a way to stay involved in the subject I studied while making a difference in the world, teaching kids about sustainability and our environment, which I am passionate about,” Simms said.

September 28, 2012 | 13

Not only does he like teaching, Simms has also proved in the eyes of his students that he is an excellent teacher. Most students so far like his class for his wit. As one of his students, sophomore Jordan Pretto, said, “He is very funny.” Most students find Simms’s fellow bio teacher Cindy Condit to be funny, and many students are wondering if Simms will be able to rival her exceptional humor. Simms said, “She is quite the comedian, but

“Biology seemed to be a way to stay involved in the subject I studied while making a difference in the world...” -Arcata High Biology Teacher Jason Simms

we have different senses of humor. People might laugh at me more, and with Condit more.” Although he enjoys Arcata High, Simms does have jobs in several other places. In his time outside of biology, he teaches independent study, substitutes at Pacific Union, and coordinates Pacific Union’s school garden. Simms has already made an impression on past students, sophomore Indigo Davis said, “I think he’s an amazing person with a wonderful heart.” Students in Simms’s class have a lot to look forward to this year. Simms says, “I am looking forward to building an awesome and fun yet serious and rigorous class.”

Aiyana Allen/PEPPERBOX

New biology teacher Jason Simms getting up close and personal with his first new friend at Arcata High.

NEWS

14 | September 28, 2012

Pepperbox

Construction, sinkholes, and phones, oh my!

Piper Bazard Junior News Editor

ews flash! Arcata High School has finally entered the 21st century. As summer rolls into autumn, students are returning to school to notice new modern conveniences like phones and paved streets. First, students noticed – as they navigated the maze of detours on their way to school – that 16th street is in the process of being resurfaced. Amid the chaos of heavy machinery and the noise of workers trying to keep people from walking through the construction site, a new, smooth street is slowly starting to take shape. Students will also notice some of the new technology, such as new phones, clocks, and projectors that were installed in the classrooms over the summer, along with var-

AHS

ied reactions from teachers. “There are some major issues that need to be worked out,” science teacher Cindy Condit said in reaction to the new phone systems. She is, however, hopeful about problems being fixed, “Maybe I will like them eventually…they are very high tech.” Along with construction projects started over the summer, some other projects took place as well. Geologists had reason to suspect that a fault line was running underneath the school, which would cause some issues with the upcoming multi-purpose room renovation. To find out for sure, a $70,000 fault trench was dug in the grass next to the multi-purpose room, and it was confirmed that there was, in fact, no fault line. But other problems arose. When the fault trench was filled in, the settling dirt created a sinkhole – a patch of dirt that is slowly sink-

Gillen Martin/PEPPERBOX

A student bravely ventures into the deep recesses of the sinkhole. ing into the ground and gaining in a problem. So, as you start a new year, take size. But does this pose a threat to student safety? “It’s not too severe,” advantage of the new technology, Principal Navarre said, “more of a enjoy driving on the newly paved problem for our mowers than any- street, admire the clocks that tell thing else.” Maintenance crews will accurate time, and – at least for the be returning to campus to fill in the time being – try to stay out of the sinkhole, and afterwards, it won’t be sinkholes.

Speaks Out Who cares, we got Arcata Scoop

Hella sucks

- junior Kylen Maple

I’m fine with it cuz at least they still have the elevator. - senior Steve Sheets

about the closing of Bon Boniere

- sophomore Matthew Mayer

Literally, tears were streaming down my face. - junior Jade Cervantes

Most depressing moment of my life. I’ll remember it ‘till I die. - senior Casey DeHaven

Pepperbox

NEWS

New campus-wide Ben McCreath Media Editor &

Sam Freed Media Editor

ew this year, Arcata High has a schoolwide Wi-Fi network for students and staff to use. After a last bit of tweaking, Wi-Fi became available last week and is currently in a working state. The district is now testing the system before making any more major changes. The technology team seems optimistic about the future of the system. The district installed the new wireless Internet infrastructure at McKinleyville and Arcata High schools during the first few weeks of August. One of the school’s computer specialists, Keith Mack, noted that the purpose was to provide full campus broadband access that would be a “high-quality, industry standard,” instead of the old spot coverage. The project consisted of installing many small Wi-Fi stations in rooms all over campus, giving a wide area of coverage with a high capacity. The additional Wi-Fi routers are high-powered, industrial models from the company Rukus, guaranteeing that the system will be fast and reliable. Additional

hotspots have also been installed, larger than the ones in rooms and should provide Internet to your portable devices no matter where they are, be it the gym, the cafeteria, or even the parking lot! The system is dynamic and can be reconfigured at a moment’s notice to make the system work better for the users. “There are areas that are underserved... [but] we can adjust coverage accordingly,” Mack said. Users can log in to the network in two ways: from a school computer, most notably from one of the new laptop labs purchased with Measure Q funds, or from a personal device. If attempting to access from a school’s computer, the login will be similar to how one would login on the school desktop computers, like the ones in the library. If using a personal device, users will be redirected to log in under their school account. However, the school’s Internet filters still apply to Wi-Fi, so pornography affiliated websites and many others will still be banned. Make sure to take into considerations the wise tech tip of Keith: “[people] expect things to be perfect [with technology], it’s not going to happen.” So, if it doesn’t work right away, be patient and either try to figure it out or ask someone knowledgeable about computers. The system is still in a sort of beta testing and is getting all of its kinks worked

“[people] expect things to be perfect [with technology]; it’s not going to happen.” -Computer Technician Keith Mack

out. Fortunately, the system seems close to being functional. Wi-Fi is a much anticipated addition to the AHS campus with the potential to improve the experiences of students as well as teachers.

at AHS

September 28, 2012 | 15

It is expected that for the next few years, the school will have mostly reliable wireless network access, but it is the school we are talking about here. How reliable can it really be?

Sam Freed & Ben McCreath/PEPPERBOX

from the

COVER

JuJu and the Plague

Forrest Lewis

“I

Editor-in-Chief

tried to eat last period but I ended up just grading papers,”Six Rivers English Teacher Mark Hearst says as he shovels spaghetti into his mouth with a plastic fork from a clear Tupperware container. The other band members laugh in a sort of sympathetic “I feel ya” way as they shift desks around the crowded music room, attempting to create a big enough open space. But the laugh quickly fades away as they realize that they only have forty brief minutes to complete what they are there to do. “We should play Funkytown,” Hearst chimes in. “It has a cool baseline.” The idea gets shot down quickly: “Doesn’t it only have a few words in it?” says Julie Angles as she taps the microphone lightly to test its sound level. It is lunchtime on Tuesday, September 25, and the legendary Teacher Band, better known by the stage name JuJu and the Plague, is assembling for the first time since Spring Week to begin practicing for their upcoming performance at lunch on Thursday of Homecoming Week. Six Rivers English teacher Mark Hearst bends over and pulls a long base guitar out of a black case that appears almost to be as tall as him - which is saying something considering Hearst’s six foot plus frame. He majestically slings it over his shoulder and walks toward Principal Dave Navarre and science teacher Earl Peters who are making small talk while tuning their dusty guitars that appear to have been sitting in their cases since April. Meanwhile, Josh Kieselhorst takes

Forrest Lewis/PEPPERBOX

From left to right: Earl Peters, Julie Angles, Josh Keiselhorst, Mark Hearst, and Dave Navarre, all members of the Teacher Band, aka JuJu and the Plague, get a quick jam session in during lunch break. a break from prepping for this 5th period class and pulls a set of drum sticks out of his desk drawer. The band argues for a moment on what songs they should perform during Homecoming Week. “We definitely need to do a Beatles song,” Angles comments. They settle on Twist and Shout. Angles takes out a lyrics sheet and hands the guitar chords to Peters who takes only a quick glance before setting them down on a nearby table. “A one, a two, a one, two three” Navarre sings out and Keiselhorst begins laying down a beat on the ten piece drum set. The three guitarists take in the melody for a second and then begin strumming. Angles instantly starts belting out the lyrics and moments later the group begins to sound like a professional band. Three minutes later, the song is over, and the band receives a standing ovation from the two bystanders who happened to be walking by and stopped to watch. “I think that went great” Navarre laughs.

efore there were five, there were two. Lead singer Julie Angles and guitarist Earl Peters used to kick it back in the 90s and jam out some beats in the basement. When Mr. Navarre began his tenure at Arcata High last fall, he had only heard the legends of the magic created by Angles and Peters. In early October, he heard about the air band competition to be held on the Tuesday of Homecoming Week at lunch and began to formulate his ideal crew. He approached Angles and Peters and proposed the idea of forming an air band. Unfortunately, his instructions were not clear as he intended. When the band (with newly added members Josh Keiselhorst and Mark Hearst) met for the first time later that week, Navarre showed up with a different agenda. “I think he was quite shocked when we got to the music room,” recalled Angles, “I don’t think he thought he was going to be actually playing it [the guitar] - and then he saw Peters plugging stuff in and me grab-

bing a mic. We don’t do lipsync, Mr. Navarre.”’ Two weeks later the band stood, waiting to take the stage in front of an eager audience of nearly 100 students. MC Ken Klima quickly approached the band: “What’s your name” he asked. “JuJu,” Angles responded, referencing her long lasting nickname, “JuJu and the…” An awkward paused lasted only a brief moment before Hearst, looking at Peter’s Black Death European Tour shirt, blasted “Plague! JuJu and the Plague!” The name stuck. Now, a full year later, the band, especially lead singer Julie Angles who was recently selected as the 2012 Homecoming Grand Marshall, has further increased in popularity. Still, Angles cannot help but be nervous for the upcoming performance. Luckily, Peters is confident that there is no need to worry: “And of course there’s Angles; nervous, nervous, nervous, and she goes up there and blows everybody away.”

“We don’t do lip sync, Mr. Navarre.”

-Julie Angles

New faces around AHS

eet the foreigners. That girl with the funny accent who sits in the back of your history class. That boy with unusual clothes you pass everyday on the way to third period. You've seen them everywhere around campus and they've come from everywhere around the world. They're at AHS to learn about our culture, and we have so much to learn from them. They are funny, they are nice, they have lots to say, and all they want to be is your friend. Now, here's your invitation to meet the exchange students.

Grace Lovell Art Director

Luca Vass - Hungary

Aviaja Rasmussen - Denmark

Claudia Spinelli - Italy

“Nobody knows anything about “[Arcata] is a hippie city. But in a good “I packed my luggage with all biHungary…” kinis and shorts. I had to redo it.” way!”

Fa Sillapajarn - Thailand “All day it’s like hot and cold and hot and cold and hot and cold.”

Mickzo Ngowroongrueng - Thailand

Manon - France

“French fries and French toast are not French. It’s a shame for my country.”

Nur Fahlevi Kriswiandika - Indonesia

“I like the food, but I’m getting too fat.” “I want to make friends with everyone.”

Alba Sanchez - Spain

“We’re excited to have a good experience. We want to have fun here!”

Scott Lengel - Germany

“This is my first mohawk.”

Josephine Brunsgaard - Denmark “I got on the cheerleader squad!”

Phillip Palsson - Iceland

“I’m just saying, Iceland has only 300,000 people and we’ve won Miss America three times.”

Vanessa Ziegart - Germany

“The people. They are really nice here.”

18 | September 28, 2012

FEATURE

Pepperbox

Two AHS students named National Merit Scholarship semi-finalists

Emily Hooven Reporter

eniors Shea Lignitz and Kiran Suryadevara have been selected as semi-finalists in the National Merit Scholarship competition. Both qualified by taking the PSAT and scoring in the top one percent of the participating 1.5 million seniors that took the PSAT last year. Suryadevara and Lignitz will be competing against 8,300 students for 32 million dollars in scholarship money for college. The students now have to get a letter of recommendation from their counselors, fill out an online application and write an essay. This spring, they will find out whether or not they are finalists.

“It was a shock... I felt honored,” Lignitz said. She continued to talk about how rewarding it was and how her work ethic has paid off. Lignitz felt a bit embarrassed with all of the attention and described the honor is “a little overwhelming.” Suryadevara also felt very honored. “I didn’t expect to be [a semifinalist],” she said. Suryadevara cannot wait and is really excited for the whole process. But what she is most excited about is the honor they are bringing to the school. “I’m proud we get to represent Arcata High,” Suryadevara concluded. Both Lignitz and Suryadevara have had schedules full of AP and Honor courses in their high school careers, but it has not been just book work for the students; they also like to have fun! Lignitz is a member of

Sage Fanucchi-Funes/PEPPERBOX

National merit scholarship semi-finalists, Shea Lignitz and Kiran Suryadevara, pose together. AAI and Suryadevara is a member and cross-country teams. Their hard of the ArMack Orchestra and track work and dedication has paid off.

Pepperbox

FEATURE

The true meaning of homecoming Dakota Goodman

A&E Editor

omecoming in high school is a meaningless football game, a pathetic excuse that freshmen and sophomores use to try to substitute prom - at least, according to Urban Dictionary. More commonly, homecoming is known as a returning home to an annual celebration for alumni at a college or university. (For AHS, is homecoming a football game or competition?) A couple of years ago, AHS lost its varsity football team, sparking a heated debate about whether or not there was going to be a homecoming week. We ended up having a homecoming week, a JV football game, and several soccer games to celebrate the coming together of students, teachers, staff, and community members. Football was not the shining star at that homecoming, but the spirit remained intact. After the revitalization of our football program, senior football player Andrew Dehart said homecoming is a time for “the whole school to get together for an activity week, a party.” To the upperclassmen at Arcata High, a football game is not the sole purpose of homecoming. However, it seems that the event is “one of the most important football games to play in front of the home crowd,” according to freshman Dante AtkinsSalazar, starting JV quarterback. Is homecoming dependent on sports or does its significance go beyond athletics? Mr. Navarre thinks that homecoming is a “coming home” and a “coming back” to be honored and recognized by your school and to see the “people you love” from high

school. Homecoming is “showing off to the community” the talents of Arcata High whether it is alumni, football players, the amazing floats each class and club puts together, or just our return to school. The homecoming tradition did not start until the early twentieth century. The first celebration was in 1910 with three universities: Baylor, Illinois and Missouri. The traditional homecoming had rallies, parades, speeches and dances with football as the main event. Homecoming meant that there was an excuse to excessively show your school pride and be involved with one’s school not just through academics. In the 1920’s, homecoming became an American tradition as it slowly spread to colleges and then high schools across the country. Random Homecoming Facts Most of the students go to the football game to support their school and see their classmates play. During half time, the queen is crowned and there is an announcement of which class won the parade contest. The tradition of having a homecoming queen started in the 1930’s when the nominee would be judged by the float she rode on instead of the nominee’s positive attitude and contribution to the school (popularity status). The idea of having a king was not introduced into American culture until later on. Arcata High announces the king at the homecoming dance after the game. At some high schools, the dance is formal and the students use corsages and garters. The traditional corsage has a mum in it, also known as a chrysanthemum. The idea of exchanging decorated flowers came from the southwestern USA where chrysanthemums were the tradi-

tional fall homecoming flower.

September 28, 2012 | 19

nisced. The spirit cup was a way to inform the members of Arcata High Homecoming at AHS School how important it is to work Every Wednesday of homecom- as a team and show pride in your ing week, AHS has the bonfire. The school. Even though we have lost bonfire is surrounded by booths that the spirit cup we have not lost the encourage kids to join the fun ac- spirit in homecoming. It brings the tivities around campus. The bonfire student body together and kicks the is a tradition that started at Baylor new school year off to a great start. University to “safeguard the Baylor campus against raids from cross- Opposition to Homecoming town rival Texas Christian UniverIn some people’s opinion homesity.” Now we have the bonfire to coming is a waste of time, energy, bring people together, show off our and resources. “I feel like we lose a clubs, and eat delicious snacks. The week of teaching because of shorter time is spent with the hope that the days and extra distractions. The exupperclassmen are not trying to find tra distractions are the assemblies out where the floats are hidden so and the short day on Friday,” Greg they can spy on the freshmen’s mas- Hildebrand said. Some of the stuterpiece. Homecoming is like team dent body agrees with Hildebrand. building for the whole school, and However, it is arguable that without its unstated purpose is to help build homecoming the students would spirit and honor students as well as get burnt out. “It is a change from alumni. Although the class com- the monotony of every day,” Anna petition initiates intraclass rivalry, Peters said. The event is a week for the overall events of homecoming fun that gives kids a break while bring the student body together to keeping up with academics and incelebrate their school pride. volving school spirit. Honor and respect are important aspects of homecoming. Every year a Grand Marshall is nominated because they are “something special to the school,” Principal Dave Navarre said. The teacher appointed to be Grand Marshall “shows people who the popular teacher is on campus so the students know who to go talk to,” Sydney Johnson explained. For the past three years the Grand Marshalls have been Cindy Condit, Earl Peters, and Doug Johnson. The meaning of homecoming may have become muddled throughout the years. “I want the spirit cup to come back.” It’s an old traditional way for athletics, academics, attenForrest Lewis/PEPPERBOX dance and other special qualities to Freshman Makinzi Nichols paints be recognized “like the Harry Pot- an orange and black homecoming ter house cups,” Cindy Condit remi- sign during Leadership class.

SPORTS

Football: Ryan Ennes 20 | September 28, 2012

Sam Winter Reporter

“He puts his work in,” was the simplest answer from senior offensive and defensive tackle Dustin Wallis on the subject of Ryan Ennes, the newest recruit to the football team. Of course, Ryan Ennes is smaller than the average football player, standing 5-8½ and weighing only 115 pounds. “They can’t weigh my heart,” was his defiant answer to any objections to the physical aspect of his game. This multi-sport letterman is most famous throughout the school for his long distance running talent, his consistent skill on the golf team, his lock down defense and clutch threepoint shooting ability, and of course his fashion sense. But this year, he has added varsity football to his already impressive athletic and cosmetic resume. He believes his history in a variety of sports has helped him excel in football, particularly cross country: “I’ve got perfect running form—knees up, elbows tight.” This year, however, Ennes was forced to discontinue his career in cross country to join football. His reason was simple: “I have some pent-up aggression; I just want to tackle someone… I want to put a kid on the ground. Cross country just didn’t do that for me.” Senior captain and quarterback Chad Blickenstaff believes that “players and coaches alike are scared of this aggression-filled silent ticking time bomb.” He continued, “He’s got a lot of built up aggression, when game day rolls around I just leave him alone. I’m actually scared of him.” Ennes’s decision to join the football team came late on in his junior year. Ennes, supported by football fanatic and friend Will Taylor spent their Saturday mornings throughout the summer training at Humboldt State University. “We put in work at the bowl,” Taylor said. Ennes continued “While ya’ll snoozin’, we runnin’ shuttles.” Joining the football team as a first year player, of course, requires purchasing a large amount of new gear. In order to maintain his superb fashion reputation, the resulting prices were quite high for Ennes. “Yeah, I paid five bills, but swag is priceless,” Ennes responded carelessly on the topic. Although Ennes is a natural athlete and is passionate about all sports, he said. “I like golf best, but football is my way of life,” continuing, “I want to play football in college, I’m looking to be a place kick holder.” Ennes’s introduction to the team arguably has been the catalyst for the best start in recent history for Arcata High varsity football. He has quickly emerged as one of leaders of the team. On Ennes’s unexpected leadership, Blickenstaff said, “He’s a silent leader, definitely. He leads by example. He just goes about his business.” Blickenstaff thought for a moment before concluding, “He’s wise. He’s wise beyond his years.”

Pepperbox

X-Country: Chloe Pigg Errol Funk Reporter

The AHS community was well aware of Chloe Pigg’s running success before she even arrived at the school. Pigg has been running since elementary school but started racing competitively in sixth grade. She won the youth girls’ championship at the USATF National Junior Olympics Cross Country when she was thirteen. Pigg crossed the finish line with a time of 14:06.79, ahead of 260 other 4k runners. Recently, I got the chance to interview Pigg. At first she seemed like your typical, kind, quiet girl, but after the interview I got the sense I was talking to someone quite different. Hearing her talk about her love for competition as well as what she wants to accomplish and what she has already accomplished changed her entire persona. Pigg is driven by her personal goals: This year, she is trying to achieve a spot in the eighteen-andunder division for state. When it comes to her student-athlete career, Pigg’s main focus is doing well overall, but also to earn a full-scholarship, and win her division in state. Pigg’s favorite part of cross country is “getting to travel as a team, going to different racing events and the competition.” Before races, Pigg routinely stretches, does drills, and listens to the pep talks given by team leaders. So far this season, Pigg has been a great addition to the previous North Coast Section champion team. As the school year progresses, Pigg hopes to do well both athletically and academically. After cross season ends, Pigg will take about three weeks off and then continue to run reduced distances. Pigg also participates on the swim team and will be on the track team. “Pigg will be a great addition to the AHS track and field team,” junior Jose Lopez said. After high school, Pigg wants to continue to run in college and might pursue a job in physical therapy.

SPORTS Tennis: Soccer: Lauren Geena Damian McCoy Soccer: Reporter Sports Editor Hannah Matthew Ivy Ricca Scott Lengel Pepperbox

Sage Fanucchi Feature Editor

Sophomore Hannah Matthew has been playing tennis since she was six years old. This year she moved up the varsity tennis ladder to position one. Being number one is an honor and essentially means that the player is the best of the team. Her favorite part of playing tennis is doubles matches because it is “more fun” and “less work.” To get herself in the mood for victory, she warms up to Eminem, takes deep breaths and thinks positively, which ensures a win. “She’s one of the best tennis players I have ever met. She is perfect and only a sophomore! When she’s a a senior, watch out!” said Kaitlan Tatro enthusiastically. You can often find tennis players grunting and growling to intimidate each other; I asked Matthew if she uses this tactic to win, and she told me that she “growls in [her] head.” She’s enjoying the new season and the new mix of people that have joined the team. “Tennis is really fun for the individual but you have the feeling of a team as well. I just love it!” said Mathew. You can watch her games on Tuesdays after school and Saturdays at 10 a.m. at the tennis courts here at Arcata High.

September 28, 2012 | 21

When you’re a freshman on a varsity team, you’re prone to earning nicknames. And freshman Ivy Ricca is no exception. Ivy is also known as Barbie, for her distinctive blond hair. She has also earned the nickname Tink, short for Tinkerbell, for her energy on the soccer field. These nicknames are proof of just how connected Ricca is with her teammates already. “She fits in really well with the group and is awesome to have on the team,” commented senior Megan Vina on her fellow defender. Ricca started playing soccer when she was four years old.“Soccer is definitely my favorite sport; it’s so dynamic. There’s the mental side of it with passing, and it’s still physical.” Playing defense, outside left field back, is certainly a position that requires speed and smarts. In the past, Ricca has played on traveling teams of her age group, and this summer she even took her skills overseas and played in the Pitea Tournament in Europe. Ricca already feels the differences between varsity play and her past teams: “The girls are bigger - MUCH bigger, and more physical. It’s a challenge to keep up with the competition now. But I’m up for it.”

Will Taylor, Sam Winter, Pearse Narum, all the soccer boys we know and love… so who is Scott Lengel? Although many of us may have seen him around campus, probably most of us do not know who he is. Scott Lengel is a 16-year-old German exchange student, who as of October 1st will be playing for the AHS soccer team, once his international papers get screened. Since there are no school sports in Germany, Lengel has been playing on club teams since age four. While it has been a vastly different experience for him, differing in our passion and physical battle in the game, he loves it so far. Co-captain Sam Winter confirms that Lengel made it “in the group” and can now be known around the school as one of the infamous soccer boys. The team expects big things from Lengel, hoping he will be able to use his unique upbringing in the sport to improve the overall team, especially in his center midfield position. Not only the players think that Lengel will change the team once he gets a chance to get on the field. “Scott’s impact on the team as a new and exceptional player means he has a chance to become a starter once he clears the international process. We don’t know if he is eligible yet, but if and when he is eligible, the players know he will suit up and play,” varsity boys soccer coach Phil Rouse commented. Rouse also found Lengel to be a great social aspect of the team:“Scott is well-liked and friendly. He is able to fit in and the players enjoy his energy and personality as a student, while respecting his skill as a player.”

22 | September 28, 2012

Volleyball: Maddy Kinder Molly Salamunovich Managing Editor

SPORTS Cheerleading: Claudia Spinelli

Dayna Naish Most of Arcata High is probably familiar with Reporter senior Maddy Kinder as a smiling student. She's tall, reserved, and sometimes her car doesn't quite start on the first try. What some of you might not be aware of are her talents as a volleyball player. Kinder is an avid Two weeks athlete, claiming the position of star setter on the varsity ago, Arcata squad as well as co-captain, although she remains quite High School modest about her abilities. held its second “It would be so chaotic without her,” cheer tryouts. senior defensive specialist Tate Borges The cheer team said. “We probably wouldn't even have added seven new a real team.” teammates, one of Kinder started playing volleyball in the whom is Claudia seventh grade because she thought it Spinelli, who is a would be fun and it was a nonforeign exchange contact sport. She immediately student from Italy. fell in love with it, and has gone Italy does not on to take part in prestigious have cheerleadskill-building camps in places ers, so Spinelli such as Stanford and Santa is excited about Clara, and more locally at being on the College of the Redwoods and cheer team, makHumboldt State. ing new friends Kinder feels optimistic about and wearing her the upcoming season: “We're going uniform every to win everything probably,” she said. game day. “This is Coaches and players have only good a new experience I things to say about their captain. will always remem“She's very positive and consistent, ber, and I can’t wait to and I think she keeps our team motistart practicing with vated and calm,” coach Laurie Griffith the team,” Spinelli said. said. Her opinions about “Tate and I have this weird ritual cheerleaders have been where we can't high five because it's bad based on what she has luck,” Kinder said. Instead, the dynamic seen in movies about the duo, who also happen to be best friends, stereotypical cheerleader. resort to pumping themselves up with Now Claudia has a new the lyrical genius of “Empty Mynd.” outlook on cheerleaders: When not proving her dominance on the “Cheerleaders are normal girls, court, Kinder can be found eating mint chip they’re not all mean,” Spinelli ice cream or fruit with her friends. Not only is she an excellent athlete, but a model student, said. Spinelli will be cheering who has taken rigorous courses throughout high for basketball season starting in December, so make sure to keep school. When asked if she wanted to possibly an eye out for her! play in the future, Kinder replied, “I'm tryna.”

Pepperbox

Tucker Golf: KaitlinReporter Greta Huschle

You see her walking on campus - well, only when there is not a match! Matches have been so impacted lately for the girls golf team that they have to work hard to keep up academically as well as on the course. “Golf affects school— you have no social life and a lot of makeup course work,” senior co-captain Greta Huschle said. As a co-captain, Huschle has been a participating member of the Arcata High School varsity girls golf team for three-and-a-half years. On the course, Huschle strives for “deeper strokes and a lower score,” which helps her maintain the average shot of 95 and the lowest score of 87. Huschle is quite the asset to the girls golf team as a whole. “My job as a coach is to get the most out of Greta, she is a very caring teammate…with the potential she has, she can easily be shooting in the low nineties, upper eighties,” coach Troy Ghisetti said. Being a co-captain, Huschle has the responsibility of leading the team to use proper etiquette w h i l e competing for the HDN championship and winning sections. “Personally, I have learned very good people skills which will help me later on in life,” Huschle said, describing the responsibility of the position for which she has been selected.

SPORTS

Pepperbox

Fall Sports Schedules

Football Date 9/28 10/5 10/12 10/19 10/26 11/2 11/9 11/16 11/23 11/30

Opponent McKinnlyville Fortuna McKinnlyville Eureka Del Norte BYE NCS Game 1 NCS Game 2 NCS Game 3 NCS Championship

Location HSU HSU MHS HSU HSU AHS TBA TBA TBA TBA

Boys Soccer Date 9/29 10/6 10/10 10/13 10/17 10/20 10/24 10/31 11/3 11/7 11/10

Opponent Fortuna McKinleyville Eureka Eureka South Fork Del Norte Fortuna NCS Playoffs NCS Playoffs NCS Playoffs NCS Playoffs

Girls Soccer Date 9/29 10/3 10/6 10/10 10/13 10/17 10/20 10/24 10/31 11/3 11/7 11/10

Opponent Fortuna Ferndale McKinleyville Eureka Eureka South Fork Del Norte Fortuna NCS Playoffs NCS Playoffs NCS Playoffs NCS Playoffs

Location Fortuna High AHS Albee Stadium AHS Arcata Sports Complex Del Norte High Arcata Sports Complex TBA TBA TBA TBA Location Fortuna High Fernale High AHS Albee Stadium AHS Arcata Sports Complex Del Norte High Arcata Sports Complex TBA TBA TBA TBA

September 28, 2012 | 23

Girls Golf Date 10/4 10/11 10/15 10/16 10/22 10/29

Location Del Norte Golf Course Baywood Golf Course Big Foot Golf Course Submitte NCS Deadline NCS Championship

Volleyball Date 10/2 10/4 10/9 10/11 10/13 10/16 10/18 10/20 10/23 10/25 10/30 11/7-17

Tennis Date 10/2 10/6 10/9 10/13 10/16 10/20 10/27 11/2

Opponent McKinleyville BYE Eureka Del Norte Healdsburg Fortuna McKinleyville JV McKinleyville Alumni Game Eureka Del Norte NCS Playoffs Opponent NPA Fortuna Del Norte St. Bernards McKinleyville Eureka H-DN Singles H-DN Doubles

Cross Country Date 9/28 10/2 10/6 10/9 10/12 10/16 10/20 10/30 11/10

Location AHS EHS AHS AHS FHS MHS AHS AHS AHS Del Norte TBA Location NPA FHS Del Norte St. Bernards MHS EHS

Location Stanford Invitational Arcata Clam Beach Invitational Del Norte West Valley Invitational McKinleyville Yoshaany Rahn Invitational Fortuna HDN Championships Del Norte

OPINION

Pepperbox

The indolent epidemic: Senioritis 24 | September 28, 2012

Calvin Ryan Opinion Editor

t’s been confirmed. I’ve been diagnosed with a mild case of senioritis, although my doctor has told me it will get worse and possibly even worse than just worse. The usual symptoms include laziness (when I can see my backpack only 6 feet across the room, but I simply do not have the willpower to hoist myself up from my chair to grab it), chronic procrastination (when I find that spinning in circles in my chair is a better use for my time than actually doing my homework), and often sleeping far past my alarm because I have completely convinced myself in my half-conscious state that I must stay asleep in order to save the human race from a robot alarm clock invasion.

Top Ramen will reign supreme and its closest advisors will include coffee and the dreaded meal plan. I’ve been having some fairly heated arguments in the small, cramped debate room inside my brain between slacker Calvin and

his studious counterpart about what senioritis really entails. On one hand, maybe the powerful effects of the senioritis virus are just my subconscious telling my conscious to prepare for an entire new chapter of my life; a chapter where Top Ramen will reign supreme and its closest advisors will include coffee and the dreaded meal plan. On the other hand, what if senioritis becomes an epidemic, what if it spirals out of control? There is no telling what harm it could do. Senior students “sick” with the virus will go days without gracing the school campus with their presence, and the valuable free education we receive will all be for naught. Sam Freed & Benjamin McCreath/PEPPERBOX This picture has nothing to do with my article, but I’m a senior, so We, the seniors, have a sense of maturity and confidence that is un- whatever. matched in grades below us. Many of us seem to think that we are at the top of the ladder, and to some extent we are. After all, we are the culmination of American public education. However, what I’ve come to realize in the past couple months is that senior year is only the beginning. In the scope of our entire lives, we are still mere children. Because I have realized the nature of my immaturity, I believe my doctor is wrong about the condition of my senioritis. I cannot see it getting worse, or worse than just worse, because I know I have room to improve, and because I know that there will always be a place for education in all of us. For the rest of my senior year, I will have some minor symptoms of senioritis because, although it may seem contradictory, I believe that senioritis and the carelessness that accompanies it is essentially a mechanism to cope with the sudden and overbearing encroachment that is the rest of our lives.

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OPINION

Honoring students for grades, character Sage Fanucchi Feature Editor

ith a switch in administration last year, many new changes took place. One such change was the absence of the academic awards. ASB advisor and leadership teacher, Wendy Zamboni noted that, “The academic awards continue to honor the same students each year, which is clearly not the goal.” Awards such as “GPA Improvement” were meant to go to students who had lower GPA’s such as a 2.0 and were able to raise them to a 3.2. Instead the awards

“Students are often noted for the things they aren’t doing well. For self-esteem, to be recognized for things they do well is a good thing,” -Kathi Olesen went to students who took more AP and Honors courses and raised their GPA’s from 3.9’s to 4.5’s. She hoped last year that someone would take the initiative to renovate the academic awards to recognize achievements among all dedicated scholars. The purpose of academic awards should be to honor dedica-

tion and hard work, not calculable achievements. However, like many major decisions on the Arcata High campus, no one approached the students asking for their opinions on the academic awards. Many students expressed disappointment in the administration. “Academic Awards are the only time when we get recognized [academically] and is a great opportunity to build a positive learning environment,” senior Kelsey Sloane said. Many students had similar thoughts. “It feels good to be appreciated,” junior Makayla Orlandi said. English teacher JoAnn Moore was in agreement with these students. “I think we should award academic achievements more. We have all these rah-rah things for sports but not academics. We don’t encourage kids to be smart in public,” Moore stated, regarding the fact that sports have three separate awards ceremonies. It is hard to determine the effect of such awards on the student body. According to counselor Kathi Olesen not having these academic honors could affect college applications. On both the University of California application and the Common Application there is a section that asks for the applicants to tell them about any Academic awards or honors they have received. Each part of an application is important and “in that respect they [academic awards] have value” Olesen stated. However, more importantly, students do not always receive recognition for positive achievements. “Students are often noted for the things they aren’t doing well. For self-esteem, to be recognized for things they do well is a good thing,” Olesen concluded. Self-esteem can

be fostered or destroyed in a classroom setting, and schools should work hard to foster the positive traits that lead students to succeed. An article in the New York Times, “What if the Secret to Success Is Failure?”, recently discussed how students do not learn how to have good qualities and how positive characteristics really influence a successful life. Angela Duckworth, a former graduate student at Penn, believes that schools need to change and teach students the value of character. “True, learning is fun, exhilarating and gratifying-but it is also often daunting, exhausting and sometimes discouraging…. To help chronically low-performing but intelligent students, educators and parents must first recognize that character is at least as important as intellect,” said Angela Duckworth regarding school reform. Academic awards could be implemented at Arcata High in such a way to allow students to be acknowledged for good qualities such as attendance or citizenship awards. For a student to succeed they need to understand the power of good character and how far that can take them in life. Academic awards can confirm the good qualities students possess, and these students who receive such awards can influence their peers to build stronger character. But is it the school’s responsibility to recognize their students in such a way to influence these positive traits? Principal Navarre believes that to a certain degree the school does have responsibility, however, what students do outside of school sometimes never reaches the scope of administration and therefore they cannot recognize these students. “We hope to bring back the academic awards this year,” Principal

September 28, 2012 | 25

Navarre said. How can the awards change in order to be productive and award a wide array of students? I believe new awards can be added that honor achievements in leadership, citizenship as well as academics. All three of these are important for success and honoring them in schools lends itself to students becoming successful and gaining an understanding of the importance of character. What if students were gathered and then awarded these honors with a minispeeches appreciating who they are, instead of a list being called out where they may or may not get your last name right? Or if teachers gave out awards just within their own classrooms with sincerity and heartfelt anecdotes? Maybe it’s a little too Kumbaya, but I believe that being honored for hard work and having people notice the hard work is truly a wonderful experience. These awards are important because it conveys to students, who are in a seemingly stressful and often ostracized stage of life, that they are, in fact, doing something positive. A little appreciation can go a long way.

Sage Fanucchi-Funes/PEPPERBOX

Senior Ashlynn Cox models her varsity letterman’s jacket, featuring an Academic Honors patch.

26 | September 28, 2012

OPINION

Pepperbox

A hazey line: The “rites” and wrongs of passage team will not participate in games for the entire 2012-2013 season—a Online Editor shock for Humboldt’s rapidly growing soccer community. But HSU’s “zero tolerance” policy on hazing is a fallacy. According to a 2008 University of Maine study, over half of all college students who join sports teams, fraternities, sororities, ripping wet and near- or other student groups experience naked in the middle of some form of hazing. It’s very likea parking lot, I watched ly that group initiations (that may the red tail lights pull resemble hazing) are part of many away. Inside the rowdy car, current HSU teams, clubs, and frats. InitiaAHS senior Kaylee Holland held up tions are part of college culture. my shirt, jeans, and a shoe, turned Explaining the goals of team inito the backseat and announced, “Day’s naked!” to the car full of varsity soccer girls. Seconds later, I was rushed into another car, wearing only my wet sports bra and underwear and holding a shoe. I was also a freshman; jumping into a pool two hours past my usual bedtime had been part of an important rite of passage intended to “welcome” me onto the varsity soccer team. Was my midnight welcoming a team bonding experience or hazing? Hazing is an initiation into a group involving coercion, humilia- tiations may help justify why they tion, embarrassment, or harm. It’s persist as traditions. Let’s assume what happens when team bond- that team bonding leads to better ing gets out of hand and crosses group unanimity. Team bonding rit“the line.” Schools claim to draw uals often put players outside their the line at “zero tolerance” when comfort zones with the goal of nailit comes to hazing, but who deter- ing down the team pecking order. mines where team bonding morphs In the name of trust, teams have to into harmful coercion? And if we’re coalesce. When new players foldrawing lines, won’t there be sev- low the demands of team veterans, eral depending on different people’s they demonstrate a willingness to perspectives? put the team first. Also, participatRecently, HSU’s administration ing in adventures outside of game determined that bringing illegal time deepens friendships and creactivities, such as coerced under- ates stronger bonds. age drinking, into team initiations The ethics of team initiations constitutes official hazing. As a re- come into play when certain group sult, the 33-member men’s soccer members abuse their leadership

Day Robins

power. When members of a team victimize certain members, instead of strengthening bonds, the whole team loses. This type of “groupthink” happens when people stop using their own moral reasoning abilities and go along with the group mindset, letting bad ideas turn into actions with harmful consequences—like hazing, which is against the law. A lawyer involved in a hazing case described the act as “bullying disguised as tradition.” The hazey line between team bonding and hazing can really only be determined by the initiates them-

administrators, who do not share the typical teenage mentality, will likely not be able to accurately determine how the initiates really feel. Players may also view the same experience differently. Two freshmen could go through a team initiation together and one could be left emotionally scarred - or in extreme cases, physically scarred - while the other could view the experience as the best night of his or her life. Rites of passage thrive here on Arcata High’s campus. Most teams at AHS have some form of initiation, many of them passed down through the years. If you see boys with mohawks, they’re probably on the varsity boys soccer team; their scalp was recently at the mercy of a teammate holding an electric razor. From what I’ve heard, both the cross-country and track teams have an optional initiation similar to my experience joining the soccer team. First-year runners are encouraged to jump into the slimy pond behind the HSU track. The water is cold, murky and mosquito-ridden, and it doesn’t count if your head doesn’t selves, since the definition of haz- go under. Imagine stripping down ing requires that the initiates feel in crisp, fall weather while twenty “coerced, humiliated, embarrassed, veteran runners are screaming your or harmed.” Parents and school name. Would you jump in?

Schools claim to draw the line at ‘zero tolerance’ when it comes to hazing, but who determines where team bonding morphs into harmful coercion?

Dakota Goodman/PEPPERBOX

Juniors Kylen Maple (left) and Cayman Durham-Vance (right) sport their traditional varsity soccer mohawks with pride.

Pepperbox

OPINION

Career & College Center closed Molly Salamunovich Managing Editor

enior year. Senior. Year. I've said those two words a thousand times, but they never really stuck with me or meant anything at all until I stepped onto the campus of Arcata High on August 27, 2012 with a fresh new pair of shoes and a stash of pencils I was determined to keep track of. The shock of actually attaining upperclassman status hit me like oncoming traffic. Suddenly, I was all too aware of the ticking clock of a mere 180 days of school instruction and the immense pressure to figure out what I want to do with my life. Each person I greeted and hugged in the parking lot was one more person I wouldn't be seeing next year. The huge challenge of completing the SATs, ACTs, various subject tests, and AP tests to my satisfaction, not to mention maintaining above a 4.0 GPA, all has to be done this year. Let's not even mention extracurriculars like orchestra or varsity sports year round. Time cannot be wasted, because there is no more time. God forbid, I should even begin to think about the big C. No, not cancer. College. College. You know, that thing we thought about once or twice freshman year and then figured we had three more years until we had to actually worry about it? That thing we thought about looking into last summer but didn't really get around to? That place of endless freedom

and opportunity that our parents said would come in the blink of an eye? Well... we blinked. It's constantly nagging at the back of my mind, and I'm sure it's starting to affect my fellow seniors and their sanity as well. One can't have a conversation with an adult without the dreaded question of “What colleges are you looking at?” or “What do you want to be?” One can imagine my dismay when I walked into the attendance office to sign up for an appointment to the Career and College Center and was told that Mrs. Hile had left the staff of Arcata High. As of now, there is no Career and College Center at Arcata High School.

The shock of actually attaining upperclassman status hit me like oncoming traffic. As many of you know, the center was a place where students could go a few times a semester and look into their options for the future. She was excellent at hooking students up with scholarships, volunteer opportunities, and SAT and ACT test dates. Hile was in touch with all of her students, and gave good advice based on scores, personality tests, and personal interests. She was an incredibly valuable resource to the upperclassmen and underclassmen of Arcata High. “I only went once last semester,” senior Megan Viña said, “but it

September 28, 2012 | 27

sucks because I need scholarships, optimistic about Hile's job switch and I feel like we're at a disadvan- to Fortuna High School where she tage not knowing what's out there will receive full benefits and a pay for us.” Some of the counselors on raise. “She seemed really excitcampus agree with Viña's point of ed and I wish her the very best of view. luck,” Navarre said. Navarre went “Hopefully, seniors should al- on to reassure the Pepperbox staff ready have a good idea of what that this change is only a temporary colleges they want to apply to,” disadvantage. “We'll probably have AHS counselor Kathi Olesen said. somebody in place by spring,” he However, for those who never got stated. the chance to visit the center or However, most college applicawere putting it off, it really will be tion deadlines occur at the end of an inconvenience. With the lack of November and early December, the center, the already very busy so seniors: consider this a gentle counselors will be forced to take on nudge. Get moving. You've got a lot some of Hile's responsibilities. “We of work to do. will have less time for one-on-one, so students will have to do more on their own,” Olesen stated. Upon learning that the Career and College Center was temporarily shut down during her most dire moment of need, senior Kaylee Holland cried, “I feel like I don't know what I'm doing with my life!” Other students like junior Jose Lopez replied, “I don't really care,” and senior Sydney Johnson stated, “Yeah, I'm not personally affected, it won't change my college application proTami Conrad/PEPPERBOX cess very much.” Senior Aiyana Allen stands in dismay in front of Principal Dave the locked Career and College Center. Navarre remains

A&E

Pepperbox

Pretty Lights lights up Humboldt 28 | September 28, 2012

The mastermind behind it all is Derek Vincent Smith, who DJs live Reporter with an incredible light show raisoncert fiends of all ages ing the energy of his audience. With gathered together on such a unique type of music and September 9, 2012 at captivating lights, Pretty Lights has Blue Lake Casino to a way to keep the people going. “I saw lots of happy faces and I see the Pretty Lights Show. Pretty Lights, often confused with dub- was in a really good mood,” senior step, is a mixture between elec- Eli Perrett said. However, not all who attended tronic sounds and hip-hop inspired were impressed. “The music wasn’t beats. “The music was out of this very interesting, but I had fun dancworld,” said senior music enthusi- ing,” senior Gwyn Caughey said. “I wouldn’t see Pretty Lights ast Taylor Gleave.

Jamie Maher

again for the music, but for the social aspect: to dance!” senior Taylor Borges said. The event was quite a scene. The dance floor was filled with people dressed crazily, but dancing even more crazily. For the most part girls were dressed in very bright, rather promiscuous, spandex shorts with sparkly tops and guys in jeans with “bro-tanks.”* In some cases though, the concertgoers were dressed uniquely. “I saw people wearing animal fur on their head!” Borges exclaimed. “I

saw someone dressed like the Grinch, it was not chill,” Gleave added. If that weren’t strange enough, there was a man in a green Gumbi suit: “He told me his name was Pringles,” Caughey commented. Overall, the crowd that formed at this event was very diverse but shared a common interest in their love for dancing and music. *bro-tank: a sleeveless cotton shirt, most likely patterned or designed, worn by guys who want to show off their arms.

A&E Arrrmack gears up for swashbuckling silent film Pepperbox

Grace Lovell

Art Director

he talented young musicians of the ArMack Orchestra are preparing for what promises to be one of the most exciting music-related events of the year: the biannual Orchestra trip to New York, where ArMack will play at Carnegie Hall. In preparation for their big musical adventure, the Orchestra is busy getting ready for their fundraiser of the year: the silent film.

September 28, 2012 | 29

“Silent film is my favorite part of orchestra!” cellist Kira Weiss exclaimed. And this year’s silent film is raising the barrr. On October 18th, 19th and 20th, the ArMack Orchestra will play the music to the 1926 silent adventure film, The Black Pirate. Also on the silent film agenda are performances at McKinleyville High on the 25th, 26th, and 27th of October and a private screening for members of the Elk’s Club on October 28th. Carol Jacobson, ArMack’s maestro, said, “Silent film is such a

Silent film is my favorite part of orchestra! - Cellist Kira Weiss

1242 G St. in Arcata 1734 Central Avenue in McKinleyville Open Mon-Sun 10AM-11PM

unique experience… It’s so great watching all these kids take on the role of the music, and it’s fun for the audience because they really get to use their imagination. They can participate in the film by cheering for the heroes and booing for the villains. It’s great.” Violinist Skyler Wrigley said all the members of the Orchestra are looking forward to playing selections from “Pirates of the Caribbean” as the opening to the film. Concertmaster Carson McHaney stated that the Black Pirate features “lots of gunshots and pirate ac-

tion… I’d say, go see it.” Tickets are five dollars and can be looted from any member of the Orchestra. Shiver me timbers!

Grace Lovell/PEPPERBOX

Concertmaster Carson McHaney rehearses for the upcoming silent film.

30 | September 28, 2012

A&E

Pepperbox

Pump up music: From athletes and kings Lumina Adams

Reporter

magine: drowning out the world with your headphones, your pulse speeding up, your heartpumping, anticipation over comes you as the beat flows through you. You're ready for it all, the game, the crowd, the season. Music is the motivation.

Raven Marshall (10th grade): “Mercy by Kanye West gives me so much stamina and builds up my energy and ready to play!” Julie Angles (Administration): “Love Shack by B52's makes me want to get up and dance and jump up and down!”

Tahnia Campbell (Dean of Students): “Eye of the Tiger helps me work through the pain!” Jeff Boydtsun (Health Teacher): “Garry Glitter is a motivational song that makes me want to put on a uniform and just say, PUT ME IN COACH!”

Hannah Cosgrove (9th grade): “My favorite song that gets me motivated would have to be Buzzin' by Mann and 50 cent, I get so pumped and ready to ball up, and its just fun to get down to!” Georgie Cavinta (11th grade): “Lumiere by Blue Scholars gets me motivated the most before a game, and gets me focused on contributing to the teams overall play.” Ella Dixon (11th grade): “Hey Ladies by Travis Porter gets me so pumped up and motivated to dance! Me and my friends always getting down in A-Town to that song!” Chad Blickenstaff (12th grade): “Chief Keef everyday! I KNOW I play better when I listen to Chief Keef! Always gets me motivated to put the ball in the end zone!” Matthew Mayer (10th grade): “Ndyahimbisa Mulcama is good Forrest Lewis/PEPPERBOX African Tribal music. When I lisSelecting the top 10 songs of all time is quite the dubious task, even ten to it song I envision greatness.” for a king.

Mr. Johnson

The King

eing asked to list the 10 top songs of all time is a dubious task. It reflects a snapshot in time. The time of right now, today. Then given the nebulous request of ten top songs. Based on what criteria? Ones to sing along with? Those with particularly poignant lyrics? Of social. political, or cultural significance? Of commercial success? American music? Roots music? Had this request been made a week ago, a year, ten years, the same list would likely not appear. There would have been more Neil Young. Given all that, here is a try… Louis Armstrong- “What a Wonderful World” Woody Guthrie- “This Land Is Your Land” Hank Williams- “Lost Highway” Muddy Waters- “Rollin’ Stone” Chuck Berry- “Johnny B. Goode” Johnny Cash- “Jackson” Bob Dylan- “Like a Rolling Stone” Booker T. and the MG’s- “Green Onions” Neil Young- “Southern Man” Graham Parsons- “Hickory Wind”

Pepperbox

Life

September 28, 2012 | 31

My Story

Steve Sheets On trying to quit smoking

am a living example of the push and pull relationship with tobacco. Like the waves in the ocean, its harmful pull can sweep you out into a sea of addiction. Then you become weary and tired as you fight your way back to shore, in good hopes to quit, but then it relentlessly takes its control! My first cigarette was when I was thirteen. I found a half smoked cigarette on the ground in the gutter and lit up. All I remember after that was spitting all over the place and complaining about that bad taste lingering in my mouth. But two years later at my ex-girlfriend’s house during my freshman year, I smoked my second cigarette. Her dad was a smoker so I said, “Why not?!” I took out a cigarette from his pack on the coffee table, lit up and went to town. I couldn’t really stand afterward because of the head rush I was experiencing and then I found myself smoking his entire pack. About two weeks later, I stopped. Then last year came along and that all changed. I began smoking cigarettes every day. My friends all did it and I had smoked before. Before, I wasn’t really opposed to

it and I didn’t have a problem with addiction so I joined in. Little did I know it would lead me to where I stand now, right in the middle of it all, treading the suffocating waters of addiction. Now, I think if I could go back, I would. It took hold of me like a viper with its prey, injecting its venom, only to kill slowly. It’s so hard to quit. You find yourself on a bus to another town just to bum cigarettes off of people or running around town, just looking for someone with a cigarette stuck in their face. The worst for me is when I don’t have one and begin to sweat and become very uncomfortable and angry for no reason whatsoever. So the question most of you might ask is, “why are you trying to quit if it makes you feel this way?” It is because I don’t want to feel this way. Here is my advice for you: DON’T START! And if you do smoke and want to quit just remember that it’s not easy at all. Find someone who motivates you to quit, but everyone is different and works differently when struggling with something like this. Oh, and one more thing, just remember: you are not alone.

It’s so hard to quit. You find yourself on a bus to another town just to bum cigarettes off of people or running around town, just looking for someone with a cigarette stuck in their face.

2012 AHS Homecoming Nominees Question: Why should we vote for you?

Kasey: “I'm the new and improved Will Taylor” Chad: “My character.” Sydney: "Chad’s character.”

Will: “Because I'm Will Taylor.” Megan: “Because I'm a ginger.”

Monday

Colleen: “Feel bad for me. I have to run with Kasey.”

Mason: “I'm the only Rammptor on this page.”

Andrea: Kaylee: “Blondes al“Deep down ways have I am a prin- more fun.” cess.”

Taylor & Aleric: “Because we love each other.”

Andy & Hannah: "Because we have hot moms."

Homecoming Schedule:

Lunch: Rap Battle & Performance by Humboldt Rockers After School: Float building

Tuesday

Ben: “Why not elect the king of the nerds to more than one office?”

Lunch: Battle of the Bands (featuring The Secretary Band) After School: 5:30 & 7:00 Volleyball vs Mack @ AHS gym

Wednesday

Friday

Thursday

1:00 Homecoming Parade 5:00 & 7:30 Football vs Fortuna @ HSU 9:00-12:00 Homecoming Dance @ AHS gym

Lunch: Free Barbeque & Line Dancing After School: 6:00-9:00 Bonfire Lunch: Tie dye T-shirts in front of school

ASSEMBLY

Special performance by The Teacher Band

After School: 6:30 Hall of Fame induction