Borah
“The most important thing for students to know is that they aren’t alone.”
The
Senator
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VOLUME 53 | ISSUE III | DECEMBER 18, 2012 | 6001 CASSIA ST. | BOISE, ID 83709 | BORAHSENATOR.COM
See more art by Kaira Paris-McDade on page 2
Read in-depth about the library’s Bizarre Bazaar PAGE 11
Catch up on the first portion of the basketball season PAGE 12
See pictures from the choir and orchestra Winter Conert PAGE 15
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Artist Bio
December 18, 2012
Profound artist revealed through photography By Ari Anchustegui
aanchustegui@borahsenator.com Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “To be wise, think of something stupid to say, then don’t say it.” These words are adored by junior photographer Kaira Paris-McDade. “I love that quote. I need it,” she commented. Paris-McDade has used her camera since first receiving it at Christmas in sixth grade. She has since accomplished Photography classes 1-5, as well as having received lessons from her uncle, a professional photographer. She said, “I’ve always loved photography,” as she described taking pictures of nearly everything available, ranging from nature to family members. “In fact, I have a camera in my backpack right now.” Her photography teacher, Debbie Chojnacky, described her as “incredibly creative.” Chojnacky added, “She always looks for different angles and she thinks outside of the box.” Though photography is not her only
Photo by Jaynee Nielsen | jnielsen@borahsenator.com
Junior Kaira Paris-McDade is going to be in photo 6 next semester. She is currently using her mom’s Olympus camera. hobby, “I love orchestra and all types of music,” said Paris-McDade. A pianist since age five, fourth grade bassist and bass guitarist, Paris-McDade has been portioning her passions, but is sure she aspires to become a professional photographer. Her plan is to attend The California Institute of Arts, because she wants to be a cinematographer.
Adept in both digital and film photography, Paris-McDade often has her friends pose as her models. “Her editing is very unique--I think that she’s going to go far in her photography career if she chooses to pursue it,” said a friend of hers, junior ReeAnne Burton, close friend since sixth grade. “I like to take pictures of people. You can tell by looking at a person, even if you don’t know them, you can tell what mood they’re in,” said Paris-McDade. Last Spring Paris-McDade’s Earth Day competition piece was awarded Best in Show, for which she won $125 from The Art Center. Her most cherished piece is a photo she took of her instrument. “I put my camera above the strings and captured the heart shape in the center of my bass,” she said. She added, “I want to be involved in everything, like a hidden big shot, behind the curtain or lens, doing wonderful things.”
Submit a letter to the editor
Is your voice heard? Submit online at borahsenator.com Email your letter to sharrelson@borahsenator.com Bring a copy to room 503
Senator Staff
The Borah Senator
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ADVICE COLUMN Suicide prevention possible ‘Suicide is linked to mental health. We need to work on figuring out what is behind the mental health.’ By Brittni Hanrahan
bhanrahan@borahsenator.com Teenage suicide is the biggest taboo in the United States. Dying by suicide is not as comfortable a topic to discuss as other forms of dying. When someone asks what happened in cases of suicide, people are more likely to evade the real answer; rather than say suicide. A survivor of the deceased will instead tell questioners the person died, was shot, or died in their sleep, for example. It rarely occurs to the person who responds, that suicide is as serious or even more serious than dying any other way, because suicide does not only affect the person who took his or her  own life but also many people around them. Sophomore Amanda Wester is a field advocate for American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). AFSP provides Idaho statistics and prevention resources. Wester teams up with AFSP to coordinate community walks and events.
According to AFSP, some of the signs of depression are: - Change in attitude - Drop in grades - Moody - Off task or Distracted - Show less interest in activities that the person usually participates in - Sleeping all the time - Wanting to stay home instead of hanging out with friends - Pushing friends away - On edge more with peers/parents/ or guardians According to Suicide Prevention Action Network (SPAN), 67 Boise residents completed suicide in 2001. From 20072011, 328 Boise natives were successful in completion. In 2010 (the most recent year available), Idaho had the sixth highest suicide rate, 49 percent higher than the national average. In 2010, there were 38,400 deaths by suicide in the United States, an average of one person every 13.7 minutes. Borah Social Worker, Becky Wood-
land, suggested that if a person is feeling suicidal, he or she should talk to counselor, a friend, trustworthy adult, anyone. “The most important thing for students to know is that they aren’t alone,� said Woodland. “Suicide is linked to mental health. We need to work on figuring out what is behind the mental health then work on it.� Students need to help other students mostly by listening. The person
in this kind of state does not need help with how they feel, but rather by having someone who will listen. Multiple organizations around the Borah area specialize in suicide prevention. Intermountain Hospital is somewhere that people go with severe cases of mental health that can build up to suicidal thoughts that counseling can help with. If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, please, go talk to someone. There are people at Borah that care about you.
Try your hand at this contest, win money Create a name for this sucide educational non-walk-a-thon including the bullet points below. Prize will be $50 from Suicide Prevention Action Network (SPAN) Idaho. The title must include the following guidelines:
*Must be catchy *Appeal to Students *Incorporates HOPE (Hold On, Pain Ends) *School Appropriate
All submissions must be emailed to bhanrahan@borahsenator.com by Jan. 25.
Senator Staff Positions
Editor-In-Chief Savannah Harrelson Senior Associate Editor Grace Gibney Junior Associate Editor Jaynee Nielsen Advertising Manager Brittni Hanrahan Photo Manager Jaynee Nielsen Text Editor Sara Rostron Page Editors Cover Savannah Harrelson Senator Staff Autumn Whittaker Artist Bio Brittni Hanrahan News Grace Gibney Opinion Gustavo Sagrero Life August Mckernan Spread Ari Anchustegui Arts and Entertainment Sara Rostron Trends Ari Anchustegui, Kate Moore Sports Savannah Harrelson, Daxton Williams Photo Essay Jaynee Nielsen Fun and Games August McKernan, Jaynee Nielsen Staff Writers Brittany Perry, Kate Moore, Alissia Harris and Taylor McNitt Staff Photographers Autumn Whittaker, Jaynee Nielsen, and Taylor McNitt Web Edition 2nd period journalism staffers Adviser Michelle Harmon
Health Services for Teens
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News
December 18, 2012
Restrooms vandalized By Sara Rostron
srostron@borahsenator.com It is hard not to notice the recent vandalism in Borah’s bathrooms, especially in the ones near the weight room in the 500 hallway. There have been particular issues with the soap dispensers, leading to the extrication of them until further notice. Senior Krysta Neill said she believes other students “don’t understand how to appreciate [the bathrooms]” and are “trying to change something by damaging them.” Head custodian Rod Eells explained how much work it takes to repair bathrooms that are vandalized. He said he wishes people would think twice before damaging something brand-new, not just because it is a waste of money but it ruins the experience for
other students. “I believe that they are doing it to get back at the school, so they vandalize to get back at the office, but it just comes back to the janitor.” “We have to take care of it. We can’t prevent it, but we do look back at videos every hour, check the bathrooms, then compare.” Every time there is something broken, the custodial crew has to pay for it. Each dispenser costs $10 to replace, but it adds up fast. For example, they have had to replace soap dispensers, smashed urinals, and clean feces off walls. The custodians said they understand it is their job to clean up, but they don’t understand why anyone would be motivated to behave in such ways. “It’s yours, so why mess it up for yourself?” Eells said. “These are supposed to be young adults.”
How do you feel about the restroom vandalism? Submit a “Letter to the Editor” at borahsenator.com Photo by Savannah Harrelson | sharrelson@borahsenator.com
The girls restroom in the Old Gym is missing the outside coverings for both soap dispensers. The dispenser covering shown above was discarded in the sink.
Alumnus donates vintage letterman jacket to student By Daxton Williams
dwilliams@borahsenator.com
Photo by Autumn Whittaker | awhittaker@borahsenator.com
Dan Blanc presents junior William Freels a new letterman jacket. Freels was awarded this jacket for being an outstanding student.
In-House superviser, Dan Blanc, was recently given the task to find a deserving student and award the student with a new letter jacket. With several unnamed students in the running for the jacket, Blanc had to narrow it down to one student, and he chose junior William Freels. “They needed good grades, never absent, and uses time to help out extracurricular activities,” said Blanc. According to Blanc, Freels had all these traits. “William stood out right away. He became the immediate front runner and
stayed the front runner,” said Blanc. “He’s just a good kid.” The former Borah and Boise State letterman award winner, Blanc, said all the staff and students were on board as well. “I got nothing but positive remarks. They’re glad I’m doing it and not them,” said Blanc. Freels was excited to receive the jacket. “It was an awesome feeling that Mr. Blanc would pick me,” said Freels. “At first I didn’t think so, but it sunk in later. I was deserving to receive the jacket,” said Freels. The junior is awaiting the embroidery of the jacket, while he officially received it Dec. 6. “I’ll always tell my story about receiving this jacket,” said Freels.
News Student Council Service Project: Borah’s Anna Donation drive helps students and families in need Benavente places fourth in Miss Idaho Teen Pageant The Borah Senator
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By Jaynee Nielsen
jnielsen@borahsenator.com
Each year Student Council does a project that gives back to the Borah community. This year Student Council established a donation drive. Students donated food, gently used clothes and coats, and--recently added--backpacks. The donations go to the Idaho Food Bank and several barrels of goods are sent to KTVB Cares Day. Korrin Rue, Student Council Adviser, said Borah is always one of the top groups who bring the most food. Last year 100 backpacks were collected and given to Becky Woodland, social worker, to distribute to area schools. Through this donation drive, Borah helps many students and families in need of food and clothing. “It makes me proud to be a Borah Lion,” said Rue. “I am proud of my students and their hard work to put this event together and proud that every year we all come together for great causes.” The donation drive is also a competition between all of the first period classes. The class that donates the most receives donuts and chocolate milk.
By Brittany Perry
bperry@borahsenator.com
Photo by Jaynee Nielsen | jnielse@borahsenator.com
Salvation Army barrels were lined up outside the front office during the donation drive led by Student Council. Food is donated to Idaho Food bank and clothes go to the Salvation Army and KTVB Cares. According to senior Brooke Huffman, Associated Student Body (ASB) treasurer, Student Council does a lot of fundraisers that benefit Borah students:.
Each year Student Council assesses the needs of clubs and communities around Borah, and determines if it can help in any way with fundraisers or donations.
Rowdies fundraise for mascot suit, flag By Sara Rostron
srostron@borahsenator.com Borah Rowdies are selling Costco pizza and hotdogs during lunch Thursdays and Fridays to raise funds to buy a new lion mascot costume for next year’s football and basketball games. Student Resource Officer Steve Kincheloe said the flag they need is $85 and the lion suit is $400. “What we really need to sell are the rest of our Rowdie shirts and sweaters from this year. They are available at basketball games,” he said. “This is a student athlete support group,” he explained. “We don’t have any money of our own, we have to generate it. The main way we had been doing it was by shirt sales, but it doesn’t generate enough. Shelbie Hackett and
I came up with the ideas of hot dogs and pizza.” While they are still hundreds of dollars away from purchasing the flag and mascot, Kincheloe said he hopes sales increase as people get used to it. Parker Dial, senior and committed Rowdie, said the current lion suit is “falling apart,” so “it would be good to get something new.” He added, “We want a suit that will fit some taller people, and one that comes with gloves and feet. Part of getting the mascot is representing the school and showing team spirit.”
Dial also said his being a Rowdie is important to him. “We represent our school everywhere we go, and that’s a factor other schools struggle with.” Jessica Parker, senior, is also a Rowdie and excited for the new lion suit. “The other one is old and smells terrible. With as well as football and basketball is doing it adds to school spirit.” Dial said Borah would be boring without rowdies, and advised sophomores to attend as many games as possible, be energetic, get decked out, and be proud of your school. Photo by Grace Gibney ggibney@borahsenator.com
“If you can dream it, you can do it,” said famous creator Walt Disney. This was the quote that inspired first time pageant contestant junior Anna Benavente. The Miss Idaho Teen Pageant has certain requirements, and deadlines. It requires a big time commitment. Benavente won fourth place and received a $10,000 scholarship to Lindenwood College in St. Charles, Miss. “This was my greatest accomplishment, getting in the top five out of 12 girls. That may not seem like a huge accomplishment but it was a big competition,” Benavente noted. Benavente said she was more than excited to be given the opportunity to participate in such an outstanding program. She ran against girls from all over Idaho, some that have been doing this for several years. “In preparation for this competition, I had to earn $1,000 in scholarships and that was in 15 days! Wow, that was crazy.” Benavente became interested in the contest when she received a Facebook message, which read, “You are a beautiful young girl and would be a perfect contestant for Miss Teen Idaho.” “I thought it was spam, but I was like what the heck, and I emailed her back, asking for the details and it was real,” said Benavente. The pageant requires a copay of $200 up front as a flat fee, $350 for the rest of the entry fee, an interview outfit, bathing suit, evening gown, opening t-shirt, jeans, and three pairs of shoes.
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Opinion
December 18, 2012
Are students in Idaho, Borah schools sheltered? No
By Grace Gibney
ggibney@borahsenator.com Sex. Drugs. Religion. Politics. Controversial issues like these that require individuals to share personal views and beliefs at school are not okay. It’s the responsibility of teachers and faculty to respect such student ideals. This is not sheltering students from society, but rather showing respect for them as young adults who are able to think for themselves. When put in a position to share openly what they believe on personal issues, students often freeze. If the point of view of one student doesn’t identically match that of another, tension sometimes ensues. Students should never have to feel pressured to alter their beliefs to fit more comfortably in a classroom. By lecturing about how they personally feel on a specific issue, teachers infringe on students’ ability to develop their own perspectives. “Our teachers are very open about their opinions,” said Amanda Hendry, senior. “Teachers are very inappropriate at times. To an extent I don’t think they should influence their personal opinions on others. You can talk about it, but you shouldn’t force that on others.” Many teachers believe that by discussing their views on subjects that they are treating students like adults, that they are better preparing students for life after high school. “I don’t think it’s a big deal,” said Emma Poole, senior. “It’s funny how so many people are surprised by it, but it’s a normal part of life.”
Gaphic from Idaho State Department of Education Website
Teachers must abide by the Idaho Department of Education’s policy, pictured above. However, there is a difference between expressing opinions and educating from an impartial position. Teachers that discuss issues academically with an objective position are creating understanding without discrimination -- a more ethical approach to broaching controversy. “I am trying to get my students to be thinking like adults in college classrooms,” said Pam Atkins, teacher. “You can’t just take sex out of the picture. Somehow it has to come into the picture if I don’t call attention to it. In a scholarly territory, issues can be discussed without worrying about stepping on toes.” Borah is not a school that is too sheltered. Each day, teachers toss and weigh different subjects and positions in classroom discussions. Students are left to decide where they stand. When discussing these issues, teachers must be impartial and not infringe on students’ positions.
Yes
By Gustavo Sagrero
gsagrero@borahsenator.com It’s always been a touchy subject, this “sex” riffraff. The earliest remnants that I recall from health education in my years of elementary school is this: presenters handed out free deodorant (that I didn’t get), girls have special lady parts, needles are bad, and AIDS is taking over the world. In junior high, I learned a little bit more. Everything that was learned in elementary was cranked up a notch and then handed back out to us: take showers often, understanding the anatomy of the reproductive organs, don’t do Meth, and AIDS still sucks. An added bonus turned out to be that I could accomplish CPR on someone as
long as I had the Bee Gee’s high-pitched vocals to guide my every move. But something seemed like a crucial part was missing. School Nurse Barb Thompson stresses that, “the district has an abstinence based policy,” a policy that emphasizes teaching the benefits of sex within a marriage. The policy focuses on the harms of not abstaining, as defined by Title V, a law that addresses the parameters of teaching reproductive health. The nurse also said, however, she is not sure if students have access to a lot of information with which to arm themselves when it comes to these sorts of situations. I don’t ever remember from junior high health education that homosexuality would be a conflict for some students, that “suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15-24 years olds,” -- according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website -- how to stay healthy if we’re sexually active during our adult years, or even some basic fundamentals of contraceptives. That last part we don’t even talk about now. As we grew older and became high school students, we made our own discoveries and developed opinions about these topics from experience, word of mouth, and online; rarely have we learned anything about human sexual behavior and hygiene from an accredited source. This is not to say every issue surrounding sex should be taught in school, but that to have abstinence as the rule of thumb when teaching health is an irresponsible tactic to use, especially from educators, and administrators responsible for enlightening young adults.
Commercialization of Christmas ruins the spirit of holidays one sale at a time By Autumn Whittaker
awhittaker@borahsenator.com Each year, commercialization of the holidays becomes more and more apparent. The hustle and bustle of buying is contaminating the holiday spirit. “It should be more about the actual meaning behind Christmas than what is commercialized,” junior Josh Net said.
As a result, Black Friday sales actually started on Thanksgiving day this year. Walmart employees across the country protested this early opening. Even though most Black Friday shoppers didn’t mind the protesters, this just shows how everyone has lost touch with the true meaning of the holidays. According to Statisticbrain.com, 226 million consumers shopped in stores or online on Black Friday alone (2011).
This time of year is about spreading joy not getting that hot new item that “you have to have” on layaway. “It is the same thing over and over and gets very annoying,” said junior Ohran Schlund. Moreover, companies tend to go overboard with advertising during the holidays. “ During the holidays, retailers use advertising to promote sales and special merchandise that you can
only get during this time,” according to lovetoknow.com. “Content of ads get riskier, funnier, bolder and memorable to entice you to shop at their store rather than a competitor’s.” they add. This time of year is now not only about buying but getting. People are so caught up in getting what they want for Christmas that they forget about what the holidays are supposed to be, a season of giving.
Opinion
The Borah Senator
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Safe sex ad sparks debate in newspaper staff Staff Editorial A Health and Welfare ad about using condoms stirred debate on the newspaper staff. The administrative permission to publish the ad was not determined in time for this issue’s publication, but whether the ad should be seen by high school students became an important discussion. The advertisement revealed the possibility of sexually transmitted diseases spreading by being sexually active. It didn’t persuade students to have sex, rather encouraged and advised them to use a condom if they chose to do so, preventing the further spread of said diseases. The newspaper asked Principal Bonita Hammer permission to print the ad. She explained the district’s abstinence policy, so in turn sought permission from district administrators to publish it. Junior newspaper staffer August McKernan explained that her opinion remained the same from the beginning of the discussion through the end. “It’s not graphic,” she said. “The abstinence policy is outdated. Censorship sucks.” So what is the abstinence policy, anyway? It is a curriculum that is abstinence based. Faculty is only supposed to talk
about what the curriculum covers, which encourages abstinence. Nothing can come into conflict with this policy. Editor-in-Chief Savannah Harrelson, senior, said it was important for The Borah Senator to publish the ad because it represents something more than the staff itself. “Our message if we publish is basically that we are willing to represent our student body instead of beating around the bush and pretending stuff like that doesn’t happen,” she said. “If we aren’t to publish it, I think it is a failure to represent the student body equally.” She added, “It is our duty to give the student body relevant and valuable information.” Journalism is not a job as much as it is a duty. It is a service to the community, to send messages, information, and expand ideas consistently and as concisely as possible. That is how the staff decided that whether the district would allow publication or not, we believed the ad contains useful information. As journalists, we believed that it is only fair to give this health information to the students of Borah, and it wouldn’t be doing our job to brush this under the rug. The district’s abstinence policy is one that is outdated and simply put, censoring, and despite BSD’s official decision if this ad would conflict with the policy,
Autumn Whittaker| awhittaker@borahsenator.com
Students learn about abstinence in Chapter 12 of the Glencoe Health textbook. the staff’s decision remains the same: this is information our student body deserves to know. Opinion Editor Gustavo Sagrero, senior, admitted that he didn’t feel the same before our discussion, but changed his mind. “I felt that at first it was a bit risky, but after debating it more, I thought it was responsible for us to do something like this. I think it’s more about facing reality: students do have sex, so there should be some sort of info urging them to practice safer sex.” Ultimately, high school is not some-
where that we should be sheltered. It should be a safe place that we can consider learning not just about academics, but also real life. Simply brushing certain topics under the rug in the short term will ultimately cause harm to our futures. Whether it is looked at with a sexual or health perspective, it is an important issue. The message is we feel, the students at the Borah Senator, whether we publish or not, is that this is something important to talk about, whether on one side or another.
21+ shows unfairly exclude minors from music scene By Ari Anchustegui
aanchustegui@borahsenator.com Silence. Not a bird’s coo, not the splash of a raindrop, not the strum of an acoustic guitar or even the rhythm of bass. No, silence is all that is heard, if you are under America’s drinking age, that is. For those above age 21, however, there are glorious sounds to be heard. Each year there are hundreds of shows played in Boise, and venues that restrict the entry of minors are not only limiting their amount of possible revenue, but muting music from the ears of those who are not authorized to consume alcohol.
An American Jazz artist, composer, bandleader, and civil rights activist named Charles Mingus Jr. once said, “Let my children have music. Let them hear live music!” Notice he uses the word “children”, because music is an intangible gift that should be shared throughout all ears, no matter the size, shape or color. Each ear should be granted the same privileges. This is often impossible due to laws restricting minors into venues with the presence of alcoholic beverages. E.J. Pettinger, manager at The Neurolux, one of Boise’s many downtown bars and concert houses said, “I don’t think it’s fair. I don’t think adolescents
should be able to come into a bar, but it isn’t fair for them not to be able to see the shows due to age requirements.” Live performances are held nightly at bars like The Neurolux, however all entries require a 21 and up ID. Junior musician Khaymen Tylinski agreed, “Teenagers enjoy music just as much as adults, if not more so. So why are we putting it in bars?” He continued, “That’s not equal--we should be equal.” And we should. Concert houses often separate minors from drinking areas; this should be regulated in any area where performances are held. Senior musician and music enthusiast Sam Carlson
described being particularly disappointed when a chance arrives to see one of his favorite artists live, yet is taken away because of his age. He said, “Venues should be more accommodating by having better policies so youth can be trusted not to participate in illegal activity related to the place being a bar.” 21 years is much too long of a wait simply to stand in an audience. In the meantime, students like ourselves will be listening to our favorite musicians via Youtube or Pandora. It shouldn’t be this way, and it doesn’t have to be this way. “Get a kids’ table or something,” added Carlson.
Apocalyp
8 | December 18, 2012
It’s The End Of The World As We Know It By August Mckernan
amckernan@borahsenator.com In the infamous words of Robert Frost, “Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice.” Oh boy, was he wrong. The world didn’t end in a bang or by way of zombie apocalypse or from a calendar running out; it ended in a mishmash smorgasbord of all these theories. And I lived through it, barely. I wasn’t the only one to falsely predict the end of the world. For centuries, people had been predicting the end of days. No one could have guessed what would happen. The world ended on my birthday. I woke up and looked out the window expecting to see sunshine and instead saw a horde of pterodactyls coming towards me. Personally, I always expected that the world would end with the next Nicki Minaj album. Naturally, I screamed and fell out of bed. I jumped up, looked at my blue, footie pajamas and figured this was suitable clothing for the end of the world. I grabbed a butter knife from my kitchen and went next door to see if my ancient, surly neighbor had noticed the carnivorous dinosaurs stalking about. Then again, she was born during the Crustacean period so she probably couldn’t even tell the difference.
The sound of chewing alerted my senses as I push open the slightly ajar front door into her living room. I turned a corner to witness a horrifying sight: old Mrs. Miller was on the ground, guts strewn across the floor while two zombies munched on the leftover bits of her. I froze, slowly and silently backing away from the pink and red macabre sight. Although I was frightened out of my wits and my mind was racing with how I might survive this scene, I had enough of my wits about me to pull out my phone and take a picture. I uploaded the photo on Instagram with the caption: Zombies are renowned for their bad table manners. Can’t even chew with their mouths closed. I felt a small pang of guilt that I hadn’t arrived in time to save Mrs. Miller, but she did always lecture me about my choice in clothes. Plus, the sound of her many cats meowing always kept me up at night. She deserved turning into a Snackable. I exited the apartment building and stepped onto the trembling street, the first earthquake of many to come had just started. I looked around at the explosions and the pterodactyls and the fading sun, pulled out a lawn chair and sat back to watch the world burn, tweeting updates all the while.
If Today Was The Last Day Before The End Of The World.... What Would You Do?
“I would spend it in my AP United States History class because every minute spent in there feels like an eternity.” -Junior, Daniel Felton
“I would tell all people I hate, how much I hate them. Then maybe, if the weather was nice, go streaking.” -Junior, Hailey Moore
“I would throw a crazy party with millions of people to celebrate our joyous lifetime reaching its perilous end.” -Junior, Tea Nelson
“I would adopt all of the puppies from the local animal shelters and die writhing in a happy puppy pile.” -Junior, Ellen Young
“I would focus on running, to freak everyone out, as they will look to see what it is that I’m running from.” -Junior, Andrew Wardle
ypse Now
The Borah Senator | 9
The Polar Shift Theory Scientists believe the planet is due for a polar shift, which happens roughly four times each million years. A polar shift occurs when the earth’s magnetic fields reverse, and the poles transfer positions, meaning the North Pole faces South and South-North. Earth’s magnetic fields play a large role in climate, weather patterns, and migratory habits. So, if the poles did shift quickly enough, earthquakes, volcano eruptions and floods could
The Mayan Calendar Theory The calendar of the ancient Mayans is more formally known as The Long Count Calendar, and began on Aug. 13, 3114 B.C. at 0.0.0.0.1 and ends between Dec. 21-23, 2012 1.3.0.0.0.0. The calendar has proven itself astronomically correct for millions of years, and it is prophesied that when it ends, the world will go with it due to its end date on the winter solstice, when the sun is aligned with each planet in the milky way.
What Do You Think? By Ari Anchustegui
aanchustegui@borahtoday.com The end of the world is apparently approaching, according to theories flooding the internet lately. Many swear that the earth is bound for destruction come Dec. 21. Whether or not we Borah and the rest of the human race will survive beyond these theories of catastrophic events is questionable. Could this be it? Insurmountable doom seems to be the topic in each hypothesis. Here are some possible world endings that can be found with Google searches. As for what is actually going to occur on that swiftly approaching day of December, who knows.
The Bible Code Theory The Bible code was created by Israeli mathematicians, and is an algorithm. The Israelis claimed that it makes predictions about the future. One prediction suggests there will be a large comet, triggering solar eruption sometime in 2012.
The Black Hole Theory According to Einstein’s theory of relativity, black holes are large ranges of space that maintain gravitational fields so strong that nothing can escape them, not even light. The largest black holes are called Stellars, and can have masses 20 times of the earth’s suns. There are many Stellars in the Milky Way and some believe the Earth can be at any moment, swallowed up by one when the Earth aligns with the sun in December.
The Ancient Egyptian’s Theory Much like the Mayans, the Egyptians once carved calendars into the pyramid of Giza that follows a cycle simultaneous to the galactic orbit of Earth; ending on the galactic alignment of 2012. Galactic alignment is the moment that the sun and galactic equator are in line, when the earth moves slowly on its axis and shifts positions of equinoxes. It is believed that when the calendar ends on the galactic alignment, life on earth will end as well.
The Galactic Superwave Theory Galactic superwaves are mass explosions erupting from the center of the Milky Way every 13,000 years. They are accompanied by electromagnetic pulse waves that send large amounts of dust into the solar system, disturbing the orbit of the sun and increasing solar activity enough to end an ice age or extinction.
Illustrations by Ari Anchustegui and Sara Rostron
10
Life
December 18, 2012
Trichotillomania
neurological hair pulling disorder affects millions of Americans
By Grace Gibney
ggibney@borahsenator.com I started pulling when I was five years old. Ironically, it was during the middle of church, and all I could think about was the tiny eyelash pinched between my fingers. I have Trichotillomania (Trich, for short), a compulsive disorder where I pull out my eyelashes. A “trichster” feels compelled to pull out any hair on his/ her body: head, eyelashes, eyebrows, arms, legs, armpits, etc. It took years to realize that Trichotillomania was more common than I thought, and there were others like me who understood what I was going through. According to trich.org, about two to four percent of the U.S. population has Trichotillomania, which is anywhere between two to 10 million Americans. People of all ages, genders, and ethnicities can have it. Trich can start at any age, but generally signs begin to show in younger children or when pre-teens hit puberty. Trichotillomania is a neurological disorder, possibly genetic. A person does not simply choose to pull: it’s literally a part of his/her chemical make-up. Let’s do the math: of Borah’s 1200-1400 student population, anywhere between 25 to 56 students here on campus have Trich. In spite of their invisibility to others, there are many ways trichsters reach out to one another. One way I connect is through a closed group on Facebook titled “Teens With Trich.” We discuss our struggles with pulling along with other endeavors in
Back pack blues?
Photo By Hailey Paine
Hailey Paine pulls back her hair to reveal patches inflicted by Trichotillomania. our lives: friends, parents, college, etc. When I mentioned this story, several on-line trichsters were willing to be interviewed. Although we are open and honest with each other, most pullers are sensitive about others outside of Facebook knowing they have Trich. “I don’t spread Trich awareness because I am currently not ‘out’,” said Daisy Wolford, who pulls out her eyelashes, eyebrows, and head hair. “Only about 20 people outside of my family know about my Trich, and I plan on keeping it that way for a very long time. I am terrified of the judgement and lack of acceptance that you hear about from others with Trich.”
There is no cure for Trich, no pill or shot that can make a trichster stop pulling. However, several individuals have found progress through therapy, obsessive compulsive medications, and support groups. Sometimes finding community among fellow pullers is the greatest cure. Trichster Claire Cameron speaks openly about her pulling in hopes that she can raise awareness. She has spoken publicly about her struggles with Trich, specifically when she was featured in J-14 magazine’s January 2012 issue and posted a YouTube video titled “It’s a Trichy Life.” She encourages teens to watch and share her video.
“I think it is important for people who don’t have Trich to know how much a person actually suffers,” said Cameron. “Trich may not physically kill you, but it is important for others to know that there are dangers that come along with the disorder.” Trichotillomania is personal. Emotions run so deep that many trichsters have problems accepting themselves for who they are. Many of these pullers deal with anxiety along with bullying and negative peer pressure. But this is not the case for everyone. “It’s not something that bothers me,” said a Borah student with Trichotillomania for whom The Borah Senator has chosen to use a pseudonym to protect the student’s identity. “When I used to care, it lowered my self-esteem and I was miserable. I’m not emotional about it anymore. I don’t embrace it, but it’s not something that brings me down anymore.” In my personal experience, most people I have told about my pulling simply don’t understand -- why would someone ever want to pull out their own hair? “It sounds rude, but when people ask why I do [pull] and don’t understand why, I say it’s kind of like cutting or even being addicted to drugs . . . it takes your mind off of things, keeps your hands busy and calms you down,” said Hailey Paine, a head hair puller. “But I guess those things are a choice. Trich isn’t a choice. It’s almost a disease . . . most of the time I don’t even realize I’m doing it and I’ll look down and see hair in my hands.” For more information about Trichotillomania, visit trich.org.
Consumer Reports conducted a survey and found on average, 6th graders carried backpacks weighing 18.4 pounds, and some even had 30 pound packs 58 percent of orthopedists report seeing children complaining about back and shoulder pain caused by heavy backpacks The American Chiropractic Association reccomends that a backpack weigh no more than 10-15 percent of a person’s body weight Backpack injuries account for nearly 10,000 hosiptal visits each year Illustration by Ari Anchustegui aanchustegui@borahasenator.com
Arts & Entertainment
The Borah Senator
11
Bizarre Bazaar invites students to sell work 3rd annual art show will run until Christmas break By Jaynee Nielsen
jnielsen@borahsenator.com Sometimes it is hard to find the right holiday present for friends and family. There were many potential presents to choose from at the “Library Bizarre Bazaar” Dec. 7. Students from ceramics, photography, painting and drawing classes had their artwork on display and for sale in the library There was a variety of art arranged, ranging from ceramic pots, to sketches, to photos, jewelry and even gingerbread houses. Half of the proceeds went to the student who created it, the other half went to benefit the art department. The portion that goes to the art department is either put toward Tuesday afternoon’s open studio or back into the art pro-
Video Games Blurb Assassin’s Creed
Set in colonial times you take the role of Connor, the assassin out to protect his homeland
Playstation all Stars
Taking memorable characters from the playstation brand as well like Ratchet, Jak, and Drake as third party contenders, Bioshock they are set to fight against each other.
Halo 4
Picking up where Halo 3 left off, Master chief and cortana find themselves on a new planet, fighting an new enemy, the Forerunners. Online multiplayer is revamped with new modes and weapons.
Photo by khiscott, flickr
grams offered at Borah. Amy Everson, 11th grade AVID teacher and U.S. History teacher, sold handmade bracelets and necklaces. Everson also sold greeting cards, with little embellishments on them. Junior Alexander “Blue” Randall also sold jewelry. Randall creates necklaces and earrings after school, and whenever he finds the time. Inspiration mostly comes from magazines and online. He thought about giving some of his money he earned to the art department. “I mostly use natural colors - blues and greens,” said Randall. To accompany the shopping, seniors Sebastian Fraser and Jory Edwards provided background music. Edwards played the acoustic guitar and sang while Fraser accompanied him on cello. Benjamin Christensen also sang “Believe” by Josh Groban, a song that tells
This ceramic piece for sale was created by junior Abby Wiffin in her level 3 class. of Christmas cheer, and following your heart. “It is good for them [students] to show their work and put a price tag on it,” said Pat Rose, ceramics teacher. Senior Crystal Davis showed her photography. Davis tends to do close up shots that are dramatic. If the photos were not zoomed in as far, it would not have as much impact. One photo in particular featured at the Bazaar is a water spout with water dripping from it. Though it may not seem like much described in words, it is an amazing piece. “I look for really cool angles, something that feels right,” said Davis. She
Sophomore Ryan Gernes prepared his gingerbread house with the help of Courtney Ghere. also uses high contrast photos to help the images stand out. BEST students made gingerbread houses with Student Counci which were also displayed. Juniors Baeleigh Hamlin, Haeleigh Gregory, and Emma Fife were in charge of organizing the event. All three--Hamlin, Gregory, and Fife--are in Jennifer Compton’s advanced painting class. “There are hardly any art shows,” said Gregory, who is also president of the Arts Community Ecology (ACE) club.
Popular bands always pass over Boise? This is simply a misconception, some say By Gustavo Sagrero
gsagrero@borahsenator.com There aren’t many bands that seem to come to Boise; nonetheless, the wavering Boise music scene is starting to grow. Senior Geoff Miller has seen plenty of bands that satisfy his taste in Boise. Cake, Puddle of Mud, Decemberists, and Metallica just to name a few, have all come to Boise to pay their fans, Miller included, a visit. But they’re still a few bands that seem to stay away from Boise, “We’re in the triangle of death,” noted Miller. He’s talking about how bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Franz Ferdinand visits Portland, Seattle, Las Vegas and even sometimes Salt Lake when they tour in the northwest, but never have a show in Boise, even though the road they take from one side to another passes directly through the city.
Having taken a few trips to Portland to see Metronomy, Coldplay, and a handful of jazz musicians, senior Sierra Kross also knows about how artists seem to cross off Boise from their tour-lists, but in her case she’s used to it.
“For me that’s how I look at it. I was brought up having to travel to concerts,” Kross said. A majority of Boise’s shows tend to be local bands cycled out. “It’s kinda depressing.” Miller noted. But the future does seem bright for the music scene in Boise. With this year came the first major music festival besides Boise Music Festival, Treefort, which unsurfaced a blend of local and regional Indie Rock, synthpop, and chillwave bands to the Boise music scene. The event is schedule for next year, too. Different from what is usually heard on the radio, yes, but it’s a start in the right direction. Hip-hop is taking Boise more seriously, too. New artists to the scene like Macklemore and Tyga both have or had gigs either at the local concert venues, and some old school Hip-hop, namely, Snoop Dogg, and Bone Thugs have concert dates as well.
12
Sports
December 18, 2012
Boys basketball opens season strong, strives for state championship title By Savannah Harrelson
sharrelson@borahsenator.com “We... we believe... we believe that... we believe that we... we believe that we will win!” The Rowdies’ familiar chant seems to set a tone for the boys basketball team this season. Coming off a 5A state championship, the squad hopes to take another title, but in order to do this, they must play each game their hardest. “Right now, it’s just about winning games,” said senior Patrick Muteba, first year varsity member. The boys basketball team presently stands at the top of the 5A Southern Idaho Conference (SIC), holding a current record of 6-0. The remainder of the season includes games a g a i n s t Rocky Mountain, Centennial, and Timberline high schools, all in the SIC’s top five. “We have to take every team seriously and play hard as a team,” said Muteba. The Lion’s powerful defense helped drive them to a successful first half of the season. “We have really good de-
Cheerleading team trains, prepares for upcoming competitions
fenders,” said junior Isaiah Wright, third year member on the varsity squad. Head coach Cary Cada also noted the strength of the team’s defense, especially in their second game against Bishop Kelly. “We played at an exceptionally hard intensity level.” Although defense appears a strong point for the team, it could still use some work, noted players. “We definitely have a lot of improvement to do,” said senior Austin Burgess. Wright commented the team works on improving its “fast break” by trying to move up and down the court faster. “Coach Cada wants us to play fast,” Muteba said. With 11 new members to the varsity lineup, the team hopes to improve on chemistry the rest of the season. Cada said that he has been trying to work the new players “at the next level they need to play at.” Cada also pinpointed a difficulty in “getting everybody involved.” Some players tend to rack up multiple points a game, and one of his goals is to spread out team involvement. “If we want to make it to the state tournament, we have to have every member contributing,” he said. Despite some weaknesses, the Lions have defeated some tough teams so far.
The
By Daxton Williams
On top of all the sporting events the squad attends and supports, the girls practice and prepare for their own competitions. “We are way better than I ever expected,” said Drexler. “Everyone, even the JV is way more motivated,” said senior Delaney Kleven. The coach agreed, “We’re focusing on bettering ourselves this year. We don’t care about championships. We want to get better,” said Freter Coach Freter said the girls have a very busy work schedule. “We are working our butts off,” said Freter. This year the team attended every football game. “The crowd sees us at the games, but
dwilliams@borahsenator.com They show up to every football and basketball game, and they have their own competitions: they’re the Borah cheerleaders. With coaching change after coaching change, the team has finally found a new coach, Amanda Freter. “The girls have adapted really well. I’ve had no resistance whatsoever from any of them,” said Freter. The girls seem to enjoy the new coach a lot. “She’s for the better, she gets the job done. It’s more fun, too,” said senior cocaptain Jordan Drexler.
squad defeated Mountain View 59-38 Dec. 7, the only team that stopped Borah from having an undefeated season last year. In the Idaho media preseason boys basketball poll, Borah ranked first, followed by Madison, Highland, Lake City, and Mountain View. Of these top ranked, Borah will only face Mountain View in the regular season, but will possibly meet up with the other teams in the state tournament. The voters in this poll are comprised of sports journalists from across the state, including the Idaho Statesman. Editor’s note: Our issue was sent to the printer Dec. 14, before the team’s game against Centennial. This issue published Dec. 18, after the Centennial game. A loss against that team would have changed Borah’s standings in the SIC. See borahsenator.com for updated information.
Game Scores Boys Basketball @ Kuna - W 60-27 @ Bishop Kelly - W 53-36 vs. Mountain View - W 59-38 @ Vallivue - W 64-36 @ Meridian - W 59-31 vs. Eagle - W 48-39 Next game: Dec. 19 @ Boise
Girls Basketball @ Kuna - L 41-52 vs. Columbia - W 46-13 @ Rocky Mountain - L 27-58 @ Eagle - L 28-40 @ Timberline - L 26-42 @ Boise - L 33-55 vs. Capital - L 34-64 vs. Mountain View - L 36-52 vs. Vallivue - W 43-39 @ Meridian - L 34-49 Next Game: Dec. 20 vs. Eagle
no one ever comes to our competitions,” said Drexler. The team is preparing for the Idaho State cheer championships March 17. “We have harder stunting, tumbling, and cheers,” said Kleven. The girls are almost ready for the competitions. Coach Freter doesn’t even have to give any motivational speeches.“They’re their own motivation. They keep each other going as a team should,” she said. Although the team is ready for the competitions, the coach said, “We know how supportive you guys are with football and basketball, we would love to see a big Borah crowd at our competitions.”
Sports
The Borah Senator
Sports Med students assist teams By August Mckernan
amckernan@borahsenator.com They carry entire ambulances within their heads. They wait in the sidelines poised for an injury with an arsenal of medical knowledge and techniques at their disposal. They ready themselves
Photo by Autumn Whittaker | awhittaker@borahsenator.com
Senior Britney Fronk puts her sports medicine knowledge to work on the court.
to swoop in and wrap that ankle or ice that injury. They are Sports Medicine students. Sports Medicine is a class, but it’s also a major commitment. Students in both Sports Medicine one, two, and three are required to spend a certain amount of time outside of the classroom assisting various sports teams. Students in one are required to spend 20 hours a semester outside the classroom and focus on the basics of health occupations like CPR and wound care. Whereas Sports Medicine two students are required to spend 40 hours outside the classroom and focus on learning about each body part and how to treat it when injured. The minimum is increased to 80 hours for Sports Medicine three students. Greg Mitchell, Sports Medicine teacher, said the third year of Sports Medicine is “more of a practical class.” Students get to use their acquired knowledge at the games and practices. They have the option to adopt a team and commit to attend every practice and game. “Some of these kids go above and
beyond their required hours,” Mitchell said. Senior Britney Fronk chose to commit to the girls varsity basketball team. She said she chose this particular team because she used to be on it. But when she failed to make the team this year, she decided to remain a part of the team, just in a different capacity. Fronk said, “Playing sports is what really introduced me to Sports Medicine.” Now Fronk, like other Sports Medicine students, attend all their team’s practices and games. She said she’s “in charge of first aid and wound care.” Sports Medicine students are also responsible for keeping water bottles full and cleaning the training room. Mitchell emphasized that students are not allowed to evaluate injuries. He said they don’t have the required knowledge and experience at this point in their education. Junior Amber Cornelius said the help they give sports teams at Borah “makes them feel very thankful and respectful because they have someone to take care of them.” She described Sports Medicine as a very helpful bunch willing to lend each other a hand as one big family.
13
Dance prepares for new performances By Alissia Harris
aharris@borahsenator.com After five years , the Dance Team returned with some newfound desire. Funding for this year’s dance team wasn’t incorporated in this year’s budget, so the team members pay $100 every month to stay on the team. By the end of the season, each dancer will have had to pay $800 out of pocket for this sport. Now that the team is back, it is ready to perform. Most dancers said the shows are a constant motivation to get better and continue working. The team members have been practicing some of their new routines since mid-summer. This year, it has been a lot harder for these first-year dancers considering they have little to no prior experience. Also this is the first year all of these girls have been on a team together; they haven’t had years to bond and gain unity. “My mom tells me stories about her high school dance career and how much she loved it,” said senior Emily Davis. “I feel like I’m getting ripped off since I only got to experience it for one season.”
Q&A Senior Cody Spjute explains his love for basketball By Alissia Harris
A: I plan on playing divisional basketball, but I’m not sure for what college yet.
Cody Spjute, senior, has been playing basketball since he could dribble one. We have seen Spjute as a star athlete on the court, but have you ever wondered about the athlete behind the basketball?
Q: If you could play basketball for any professional team, where would it be and why?
aharris@borahsenator.com
Q: Who was your inspiration to start playing basketball?
A: My dad. He played his whole life and has been my coach since kindergarten.
Q: Who are some of your role models in the sport?
A: Larry Bird, hands down biggest role model. I have the same jersey as him.
Q: When did your love for basketball start?
A: It was fourth grade-my older brother forced me to pick between football and basketball.
Q: With this being your last year of basketball, what are your future plans with the sport?
Q: Is there anything you do before a game to get you and your team pumped up?
A: I’m always the one to do the team prayer right before we get out there.
A: It would be the Boston Celtics. They’ve been my favorite team since elementary school and Larry Bird played there.
Q: What are some of your season goals?
A: Just to better myself everyday and be a two-time state champion.
Q: What is one big highlight of your high school basketball career that will stick with you for the rest of your life?
A: It would probably be winning state championship last year against Post Falls when we beat them by 20 points.
Q: Where does your motivation come from when things get difficult?
A: My mom- she’s always one to point out everything that I’m doing well on and she keeps me focused on the good things.
Photo by Jaynee Nielsen | jnielsen@borahsenator.com
Senior Cody Spjute drives down the court during a game against Bishop Kelly Dec. 4.
14
Trends
December 12, 2012
Horned Homestuckers By Savannah Harrelson
sharrelson@borahsenator.com Racing through time to save a world, horned trolls stand up against aliens and other strange creatures to win a virtual game. They can also be spotted roaming the halls of Borah High School, sporting long red, orange, and yellow striped horns. They are known as the Homestuckers, and they idolize and even cosplay characters from the webcomic Homestuck, found on mspaintadventures.com. Cosplay, which is short for costume play, is an expressed art in which fans of a comic dress up as a certain character and act out their character’s personality. Four students here have chosen a character from Homestuck, wearing their costumes about their daily lives, including at school. Seniors Amber Darrah, Max Marsh, UsaAmera Coronado, and sophomore Willow Gravett-Arnold are also known by their Homestucker names: Sollux, Equius, Gamzee, and Nepeta. The webcomic Homestuck follows four humans given the technology to
enter a game. When the technology activates, the humans are transported to a new reality while Earth is destroyed by meteors, after which the humans must save their new world to complete the game. While in the game, 12 trolls befriend the humans with a goal to help them through their journey. Near the end of her junior year, Darrah grew to love the webcomic, and even dressed in cosplay at school. “I’ve always wondered what it would be like to dress up as a character and go crazy with it,” she said. On yearbook signing day, Coronado complemented Darrah’s outfit, and the shared obsession of Homestuck began. Not even a year later, four Borah students take part in the Homestuck fandom, attending events and cosplaying together. All four adorn the horns at school, made by Darrah. She even commissions the horns for Homestuckers all across Idaho, making them out of Crayola Model Magic and paint. They started wearing them as a group because they “wanted to have our own kind of thing to do,” Marsh claimed.
Students express fandom by dressing up in cosplay
“I saw it as an opportunity to be something I’d always wanted to be,” said Darrah. Although they have had no protest from teachers, some students have attempted to smack and break the horns, claimed Marsh. “It’s fun to see people’s reactions to them,” he said. “It brings us together as a kind of family.” Darrah claimed she has gotten looks of disgust, but tries not to let them bother her. “I can be myself and I’m not afraid to,” said Darrah. “The positive comments I get override the negatives.” These four Homestuckers are not the only fan crowd, however. In the Boise area alone, there are “Homestuck meets” where fans come together to discuss the comic. There is also a group for Idaho fans titled “Idahostuck.” Darrah said this group really helped her discover her social life, commenting, “They got me better at socializing when I was always so bad at it.” She also said during her transition from an “average girl” to a full-blown Homestuck fan, she made friends “left and right.” The four share a common love for Homestuck, and it is this webcomic that
will forever bond them. “I would never change it for any other life,” Darrah said.
Photo by Savannah Harrelson | sharrelson@borahsenator.com
Senior Amber Darrah struts Homestuck memorabilia nearly every day.
#hashtagshashtagseverywhere #doyouknowwhattheyarefor? By Brittany Perry
bperry@borahsenator.com #Soupisyummy. #Catsforlife. Such hashtags are widely used on Twitter, Instragram, even Facebook, basically anywhere and everywhere. A hashtag, according to readwrite. com, was invented as a label for groups and topics in IRC chat. A hashtag refers to adding the ‘#’ symbol before a word or group of words. The hashtag went mainstream because of Twitter. “I am a fan of hashtags,” senior Mikayla Reid said. “I, as well as the people I follow on Twitter, use hashtags more as a way of noting a statement as an afterthought, or trending a topic, rather than as a way to gain followers.” Even though hashtags are meant for Twitter, facebook users have completely changed what they think the hashtag
should be used for. A lot of people do not even know what the purpose of a hashtag is, and take it for granted. A hashtag is not just throwing a ‘#’ symbol in front of whatever is written on a social media site. “By July 2009, Twitter had realized what an ingenious trick its users had invented, so it began to turn hashtags into links. When a Twitter user clicks on a hashtag, it goes to the stream of tweets containing the hashtag. You can also find hashtags using search,” Jon Mitchell said from readwrite.com. “I think they can be really useful! They’re fun and serve many purposes. I just think they’re pretty pointless when you bring them on to site like Facebook. You may as well put a picture of a waffle in front of what you are hashtagging, because it literally serves that much purpose on Facebook,”Reid added.
Photo Essay
The Borah Senator
15
Best of both worlds Choir and orchestra team up for annual Winter Concert
Photos and Text by Jaynee Nielsen jnielsen@borahsenator.com
Music classes consume Senior Esther Roedel’s class schedule. She plays in the Chamber Orchestra, and sings in Ars Nova and CDVE, the jazz choir.
Christmas music filled the air as the choir and orchestra departments performed an array of holiday tunes during their Winter Concert. The Squids--consisting of seniors Nick Cota on upright bass; Valerie Terry, piano; Luke Brandt, drums; and Brent Ruddy, electric guitar--opened for the concert. The show started with a candlelight procession by all members of the choir. Choir instructor Heather Prinzing directed the choir students as they raised their voices for all to hear. Senior Sarah Hart is in three choirsA Cappella, CDVE, and Ars Nova, of which she is co-president. Hart has been singing since the third grade. Making
people feel emotion, Hart said, is the best thing, especially if they are comforted. Concert, Symphonic and Chamber orchestras played several songs, directed by orchestra instructor Christa Rowland. At the end, all of the orchestras collectively played “Christmas Eve/ Sarajevo 12/24.” Sophomore Aidan Transtrum is one of two sophomores in chamber orchestra. He has been playing since he was 3-years-old, which is about 12 years. Transtrum said his mom inspires him, because she was with him in the thick and thin throughout his music career. The night ended with the three choirs and orchestras joining together with people from the audience to sing “The Hallelujah Chorus.”
Senior Jordan Hanks directs the audience in “The First Noel.”
Choir director Heather Prinzing invited all choirs and orchestras, as well as anyone in the audience to sing along to “The Hallelujah Chorus” at the end of the concert. Many family and friends raised their voices as the song progressed.
Senior Kasey Edgar sings during the candlelight procession.
16
Fun & Games
December 18, 2012
Hostess meltdown Panic over loss of beloved Twinkie, filling floods the streets By August Mckernan
amckernan@borahsenator.com A certain yellow shaped log will no longer be gracing your late night snack runs. There will be no more Twinkies. No more Twinkies, that’s right. Sales have been declining at Hostess Brands Inc. due to customers switching over to healthier brands and products and the company’s mounting debt. Here in America, I thought the Twinkie equated to certain ideals like democracy and freedom. I don’t know whether to be pleased or horrified. On one hand, I’m glad that some Americans may be able to work toward a goal of getting off the couch, but, on the other hand, I am fearful for the future. When you take away someone’s life source or reason for living, like these Twinkies are to most well rounded citizens of America, then what do they have left to lose? Other than their weight -
nothing. I predict that the overweight, underrepresented citizens of America will stand up (if they are physically able) and revolt. They will charge grocery stores and harvest every last Twinkie there is until the rivers and streets run white with filling. Once the last Twinkie has been eaten and their stomachs start rumbling, I figure it’ll take about a week for the cravings to start. And just like a meth head denied their next fix, the plump people will begin to hallucinate. Pretty soon, anything shaped like a log or painted a yellow color will seem like sustenance to them. They’ll munch on cell phones and television poles. For those who want to maintain the American Dream (but not their waistlines), I’d recommend you flock to one of America’s many fast food chains, which clog your arteries just as well or perhaps better than a Twinkie.
Directions: Each row, column and block must have numbers from 1 to 9 in them. No number can appear more than once in any row, column, or block. Level: Medium
Homemade Twinkie recipe By Autumn Whittaker
autumnwhittaker@borahsenator.com The beloved Hostess Brands Inc. is shutting down. Instead of running toward eBay and paying for an overpriced Twinkie, try out this simple recipe.
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Ingredients Cake: 4 egg whites One 16-ounce box pound cake mix 2/3 cup water Filling 2 teaspoons very hot water 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 cups marshmallow creme 1/2 cup shortening 1/3 cup powdered sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla Step 1 - Take ten 12 x 14 inch pieces of aluminum foil, fold each one in half and then wrap the folded pieces around a spice jar leaving the top open to get the twinkie shape. Step 2 - Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Fahrenheit. Ignore the instructions on cake mix box. Add water to the cake mix and beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff. Now fold egg whites into the cake mix until well blended. Step 3 - Fill spice jar molds with batter about ¾ of an inch. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Step 4 - To make the filling, mix water and salt in small bowl until the salt is completely dissolved. Let the mixture cool. Step 5 - In a medium bowl, mix marshmallow cream, shortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed. After this is mixed well, add the salt mixture. Step 6 - When the cake is cooked and cooled completely, poke three holes in the bottom with a skewer or chopstick. Wiggle the utensils around to create a space for the filling. Step 7 - Place frosting in a pastry bar or decorating gun and inject it into the holes that were created in step 6.