December 2013 by Borah Senator

“Most girls are not going to look like the ones that are represented in media. True beauty is confidence in yourself and happiness. True beauty comes from the inside and in many different sizes and different colors.” See more on page 6

“Honk!” musical adapted from the book “The Ugly Duckling” and premiered at Borah Nov. 21 PAGE 4

Artist Bio Aspiring photographer books clients, creates own brand 2

amazing.” Jones still has two more sessions that will be finished later in the year. “She Since the moment junior Ellen Han- really knows her stuff when it comes to sen got her hands on a little pink Canon photography. She explained everything point-and-shoot camera at 13, she knew to me and I definitely recommend her.” she favored being behind the camera In an attempt to build her brand, rather than in front of it. Hansen created a website on WordPress For the past two years, her passion for which she spent many hours perfecting. photography has grown by immense “I had to do all the customizing. It took measures and now she is currently in about a week to finish.” the process of booking clients and creatAlong with photography, Hansen ing her own brand. is also in three AP classes. “Balancing Hansen’s junior high photography school and photography is difficult for classes advanced her hobby into a pos- me,” Hansen said. “I have hundreds of sible future career. But even before that, untouched files I’m dying to do someher mother encouraged her photograph- thing with.” ic fingers by buying Ellen her first SLR The junior photographer is still keepcamera, a Canon Rebel XSi, which she ing her options open after high school, still uses. but thinks she will pass up the idea of She shares pictures on Flickr, “I found a large university for the comfort of a that photography is so much more of smaller school where she has the ability a world in itself than I ever could have to create her own curriculum and go on imagined,” she said. “In fact, every day adventures. I learn that over and over again.” “I would love to be able to do nothHer style ranges from senior portraits ing but photography the rest of my life. and headshots, to art/conceptual and I hate how job centered society is. I am a fashion/editorial which she hopes to ‘We’re all going to die anyways’ kind of branch into more as her career develops. person so I am going to try my hardest Hansen’s client list includes Borah to have a job I absolutely love instead of students and past alumni. Hansen felt something I force upon myself.” especially proud when 2013 graduate Hansen is currently saving to buy a Teresa Dang asked Hansen to do her se- Canon 6D which is a step up from her nior pictures and pay her. “That was my current camera. On her website, cusfirst paid shoot,” Hansen said. “I felt so tomers can buy one of her pictures for a flattered.” donated amount and all the money goes Stephanie Jones, senior, was also very toward her new camera. impressed with the work she received “I have outgrown my little Rebel, from Hansen. “She was really flex- but I am very impressed by it,” Hansen ible, and had a lot of great ideas I never said. “It’s time to move on to something would have thought of. She took beau- that will let me expand my creativity tiful pictures that were really crisp and and I could not be any more excited.”

December 17, 2013

By Tea Nelson

tnelson@borahsenator.com

Photo by Brittany Perry bperry@borahsenator.com

Ellen Hansen took about a week to customize her own website for her photos.

Advice

The Borah Senator

Want a job? Learn the art of interviewing By August McKernan

amckernan@borahsenator.com Some buns are just pulled too tight. I discovered this halfway through my first job interview at McDonald’s, when I had to ask the interviewer to repeat his question because I was too busy counting down the seconds until I could let my hair down. If you want some really practical advice, I would suggest ladies give their hair a break and for boys to go easy on the cologne. Throbbing skull aside, my first job interview went surprisingly well. And although my palms were slick with sweat, thankfully I managed to wipe them on my skirt before the dreaded handshake. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s rewind. Four score and seven ... just kidding. Earlier this summer, after a lot of “discussion” with my parents, it was decided I should get a job. (Though truth be told, I was motivated by the money as much as the thought of escaping the house.) I started this process by applying online to McDonald’s. I chose this place because I knew this corporation hired a lot of teenagers and my friend also worked there. Career Counselor Josh Ritchie said most corporate establishments have their applications online. It was a simple process. I filled out some basic information -- name, address, social security number, and moved onto the section where it actually asked some questions. For example: Are you willing to travel? Are you available to work part time or full time? Once the online application was complete, I sent it off into the great unknown of the ethernet. Oodles and oodles of

people apply to McDonald’s every day so I had to set myself apart from the pack. It’s important to establish one’s self as dedicated and persistent from the get go. Some ways to do this are: have a professional and organized resume handy (printing it on nice card stock is a good touch too), calling in to check on your applications, and preparing some possible, eloquent interview responses by looking over sample questions. I called the location I was applying to work at and asked to speak to the manager. Our conversation went roughly like this -- Me: Hello. I’m August McKernan Him: Hi. How can I help you? Me: I actually applied to work here a couple days ago and was wondering if you’d had a chance to look at my application yet. Him: Actually, I haven’t. But I’ll be sure to now. Me: Thank you so much. I look forward to hearing from you. I called back a couple days later to check in again. He still hadn’t looked it over. Ritchie said, “The first piece of advice I give about looking for a job is that it should feel more like work than actually having a job.” My persistence paid off. While on the phone with me, the McDonald’s employee, who held my professional fate in his hands, read the application and asked me to come in for an interview. So I did. I dressed in a professional manner -- a black knee length dress and plain flats. For men, jobsearch.about.com suggests, “Business casual is usually appropriate. For example, khakis and a neat tucked in polo shirt would work really well.” Above all else, I suggest you wear something you feel comfortable in. After all, you’re not there to showcase your amazing style. You’re there to highlight the awesome parts of you. My current employer at Albertsons,

Sample Interview Questions 1. Tell me about yourself. 2. What are your stengths and weaknesses? 3. Tell me about a time when you dealt with a problem and how you solved it. 4. Why do you want to work here? 5. Are you more of a leader or a follower? Why?

Service Operations Manager Brad Bacon, said, “I’m more of a feel person. Anyone can tell you what you want to hear.” Bacon said he looks for comfortability in an interview and has interviewed roughly 150 people during his 15 years with the company. In jobs related to customer service or jobs where you have to deal with people at all, friendly, courteous, and patient people are the people who get hired. Make sure to highlight those aspects of yourself in an interview. When deciding to look for a job, it’s also important to consider your schedule and how much time you will be able to devote. Bacon said, “Flexibility is number one.” He described having to work around lots of work restrictions when he’s writing a schedule for 28 people as a “major pain.” It’s important to consider how a job will affect your life as well. You must ask yourself: Do I have the time for a job? The energy? Will this affect my performance in school in a negative way? If you pursue a job, keep these last few tips in mind during your interview -- dress nicely, speak in a calm, friendly manner, bring a professional resume, and lastly (and perhaps most important of all) make sure to bring your smile.

Staff Editor-in-Chief: August McKernan Senior Associate Editor: Jaynee Nielsen Photo Manager: Jaynee Nielsen Advertising Manager: Jason Caughell Associate Ad Manager: Sage Rogers Text Editors: August McKernan, Joy Wilson Web Editors: Jon Ramsey, Joy Wilson Graphic Designer: Edward Dunn Social Media Editor: Erica Rowe Page Editors: Cover: August McKernan Artist Bio: Erica Rowe Advice: Brittany Perry News: Jaynee Nielsen, Jason Caughell Opinion: Harmony Soto Life: Joy Wilson Spread: August McKernan A&E: Sage Rogers, Jon Ramsey Trends: Tea Nelson Sports: Ashlee Gillespie, Taylor McNitt Photo Essay: Jaynee Nielsen F&G: Jake Fletcher Staff Photographers: Jaynee Nielsen Nikki Siharath August McKernan Brittany Perry Writers: Nikki Siharath, Mackenzie Chiles Adviser: Michelle Harmon

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News

December 17, 2013

BSD creates emergency Student Council members text messaging service lead service projects to By Jake Fletcher

jfletcher@borahsenator.com The Boise School District has started a service for students and parents to give important safety and security information to them via text messaging the word “SUBSCRIBE” to the number 68453. This could potentially be a good way to do this because of teens using their phones 24/7. This isn’t a fairly new invention, but a helpful invention. Park Hill School District in Missouri has had this for awhile. According to the Boise School District Newsletter, this service will be available Dec. 18. The text messaging service will be helpful for students who drive and walk. The service will send texts to students and parents about weather problems, and emergencies about students and the schools. The way that information was spread before was online on the school website, and through a phone tree. A phone tree starts with an emergency. When the

emergency happens, one person calls two people, those two people call two people each, and so on. Those options took much more time to do, than a text would, so the text would be much more convenient. Borah Career Counselor Josh Ritchie and Counselor’s Secretary Diane Traub both gave their opinions on the new service. Ritchie said both agreed that the service will be rarely used. “It’s not like a Twitter Account.” Both also agreed that it will be a huge convenience to parents, staff, and students. According to the Boise School District, texts will include information about snow, ice, how cold it is, whether school will be closed, and more emergency information that a student should inform themselves about in order to stay safe and informed about what is happening in the Boise School District. This will be helpful to students that do not have access to a computer, but have access to a cellular device that has texting capabilities.

assist Borah community By Joy Wilson

jwilson@borahsenator.com As a constant presence at Borah, student council holds events to support the community as well as the student body. From Lion’s Closet to the annual food drive, it is always completing a project. This year’s food drive ended with the collection of more than 800 nonperishable food items. At 200 cans, Brittany Smith’s second period government class won the competition. Students have earned a doughnut party to celebrate. All cans collected were given to the Salvation Army to help those in need. Every winter, the student council does a service project. This season, treasurer senior Rylee Randall is leading a clothing drive for Lion’s Closet, a school store that provides used clothes to Borah students and

families that can’t afford them. “The project is focused on how we can help Borah,” said senior class president Eric Garcia. “We are looking for jeans for tall, skinny boys, tennis shoes, sweaters, sweatshirts, hats, gloves, scarves, and dress clothes,” said Garcia. They are also accepting children’s clothing. Donations will be gathered two weeks during December, in second period classes. There will be a point system for different types of clothing, according to Garcia. Each piece of clothing will be awarded one, three or five points. The donations will go to Borah’s Lion’s Closet, run by Study Skills Instructors Missy Wheeler and Susan Dennis. All of the clothes should be in good condition, said Garcia. “It makes me feel good, we are doing good for the students at Borah,” said Randall.

Choir department performs ‘Honk!’ Photo by Jaynee Nielsen jnielsen@borahsenator.com

The play “Honk!” directed by Heather Ray premiered Nov. 21. “Honk!” is a version of the book “The Ugly Duckling.” Senior Brendon French played as Ugly (in the box) and senior Rex Spujte played Cat. Ugly plays hide and seek with Cat, who plans to eat Ugly.

News

The Borah Senator

Archive project alive in newspaper

Photo by Brittany Perry | bperry@borahsenator.com

Past publications are stored in file cabinets in the newspaper room for now. By Erica Rowe

erowe@borahsenator.com Imagine coming to your 30th high school reunion and still being able to look at your graduating year’s newspapers. This is what the Borah Senator is trying to achieve. Michelle Harmon, newspaper adviser, has been working since the summer of 2012 to archive all of the past and present newspapers. “I realized unless I took responsibil-

ity for archiving our print, nobody else would,” she said. Archiving all of these old papers is difficult though, not to mention expensive. To preserve the newspapers, it would cost more than $6,000; the newspaper definitely doesn’t have the funds for that, which is why Harmon has been applying for grants. The group received $675 last year from the Borah Boosters to create the first stage of the archive website, and

$500 this year from the Idaho Humanities Council. The archive is at http:// bsn.stparchive.com. Senior and Editor-in-Chief August McKernan said she thinks it’s important to preserve the newspaper for future generations. She also said archiving the papers will help preserve the history of Borah. “That’s our job as journalists, to capture those moments,” said McKernan. McKernan said she is really proud of Harmon because the staff wouldn’t function without her. She also stated archiving the Borah Senator will help future newspaper staffs find inspiration by building off past layout designs and stories. Looking through issues online is also much more accessible and user-friendly than digging through file cabinets for hours at a time, she said. Now staffers and anyone who wants to take a stroll down memory lane with the Borah Senator don’t have to deal with yellowing papers that are falling apart. “Future generations should be able to look back at our papers to see how much it’s grown,” McKernan said.

Travel to NYC Tactus singers near $72K goal By Harmony Soto

hsoto@borahsenator.com Now, with their trip to New York scheduled a little over a month away, Tactus has raised around $50,000 of the needed $72,000. “All we’ve done this year is fundraise,” said choir teacher Heather Ray. Most of this year’s choir concerts have been performed to raise more money for the trip. December has been full of holiday performances from the Borah choir, a Christmas Bazaar at West Jr. High, and a Borah alumni concert. Moreover, they’ve also put on benefit dinners and had a car raffle. Tactus has its trip scheduled for finals week, and the students will take their exams the week prior. They are accepting donations for the trip.

Trip to Italy planned for Spring Break 2015 By Mackenzie Chiles

mchiles@borahsenator.com “Viaggio di una vita,” translation, trip of a lifetime. For nine days your classroom would be the beautiful country of Italy, exploring Milan, Venice, Florence, Assisi, and Rome. Such a trip will leave you with wonderful memories and new information for your future. For example, toss a coin into the Trevi Fountain, and step foot and explore the coliseum, along with floating in gondolas, viewing historical art work, and taking in the culture all around. For the first time in 10 years at Borah, AVID teacher Amy Everson is teaming up with Education First (EF) tours to give this opportunity to students. This trip is scheduled for March 23-31, 2015. Everson is looking for 30 students to take along, open for all future seniors, juniors, and sophomores. Some other teachers you could see on the trip are AP English teachers Chuck McHenry

and Pam Atkins. Going on this trip could be a benefit in many ways. The cost of the trip with everything included except lunches will come to $2,750. Everson said the group price is about $1,000 less than if someone chose to go by themselves. Another benefit from the trip is being able to travel and experience a different culture. Everson, who is organizing the trip, said, “Being so close to going out on your own, it will help you be more informed and independent.” She also added, “It will help you appreciate what you have when you do go and see around.” According to an AdvancED survey published on the EF tours brochure, “Thousands of young adults said they felt better prepared for college and their careers after traveling with Educational Tours in high school.” Learning and knowing about all cultures is a helpful skill for high school graduates who are on the verge of in-

dependence. Some things this trip could help you with is becoming more confident in social skills, becoming a better communicator, learning how to be respectful to those around you, and thinking more critically. Taking this opportunity may open your eyes to new ideas you never imagined. Studying abroad provides experience for international careers. Junior Baye Danielson plans to go on the trip and said part of the reason it stood out to him is the famous landmarks. “I want to get a different perspective on cultures,” he said. Coming up with $2,750 to pay for the trip may be stressful to think about. With a year until the trip, this leaves lots of time to earn the money. Other options are fundraising and asking for donations. If coming up with the money can’t be done right away, the latest you can sign up for the trip is a month up until the date. The next meeting for the trip will be in February.

Scanned from EF Educational tours brochure

For more information, contact AVID teacher Amy Everson.

Opinion

December 17, 2013

Hate speech is not a joking matter Staff Editorial The use of hate language seems much more frequent among the current generation. However, it’s not being used in the way that it was originally intended. Instead of it being bandied about in a hostile manner, it’s now applied with a much more humorous intention. It’s difficult to go down the halls without hearing kids call their own friends “faggot” or “nigger,” all as a joke, of course. But this begs the question: Should hate language ever be considered a joke? Our answer: It shouldn’t. We think there’s a fine line between being funny and being hurtful, and hate language tends to walk that line. To find where the “joke” truly lies, author Malcolm Gladwell in his article on gladwell.com, “Defining a Racist,” said to consider three things: the content of what’s being said, the intention of the person saying it, and whether the state-

ment represents that person’s views. Combined, each determines whether a joke is really a joke. Jokes can be extremely inappropriate. When one’s with a group of friends, the social practice of being politically correct is more lax, hate speech included. Friends, among themselves tend to get a bit more loud and rambunctious. While we do understand the casual and often harmless intent of hate speech in banter among friends, we also recognize that it does not look good to the outside world. Words have power. Words can express emotions, paint pictures, inspire others, or promote an agenda. They can lift someone up and just as easily tear someone down. Words can also change over time. Words like “faggot” and “nigger” have lost their original meaning among most people. However, we cannot say they have permanently lost their hateful connotations. There are still people in places where

these words are being used to dehumanize and demean others, like Matthew Shepard, who was robbed, beaten, and left to die by two men in 1998. This horrific event became one of the most notorious anti-gay crimes in American history. In October 2009, the United States Congress passed the Matthew Shepard and James Bryd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Which begs another question: When we realize the full potential of hate words, is it even worth using them in a joking tone among friends? We don’t think so. There are ways to try to stop the effects of hate language. The individual could choose how specific hate speech affects them personally, or they could speak up whenever they encounter it being said. Perhaps the best way is for individuals to avoid hate language altogether. It’s not much at first glance, but one person is able to make all the difference.

FBI releases 2012 hate crime statistics There were 5,790 single bias incidences of hate crime in 2012. Of those: •

48 percent were motivated by racial bias

•

19 percent were motivated by sexual-orientation bias

•

19 percent were motivated by religious bias

•

11 percent were motivated by ethnicity/national origin bias

For more information regarding hate crime and the method of hate crime punishments, visit fbi.gov.

Photoshop caricatures wreak havoc on boys, girls body images By Jason Caughell

jcaughell@borahsenator.com Your body image reflects how you feel about your body and is essentially how attractive you feel about yourself. We cannot avoid having feelings about how we look. We are influenced by how others might see us. In recent years, media has started to play a new role in how we perceive ourselves. The media starts every new trend, every new diet, and every new way to quickly lose weight. The way everything seems to spread these days is through social media; as almost everyone in this day and age has a Facebook,

Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, and so on. So how do we shape our body image? We focus on three key points: our age, any illness we might have, and our emotional state. Our age plays a key role in how we see ourselves. Men’s physical development changes four times in their lives, during childhood, puberty, andropause (male menopause), and old age. So what is the real effect of social media? From the ripped models, to the suit and tie “white collar” men, it has a huge impact. We can never live up to these Photoshopped bodies in reality, and thus, we will never truly live up to what social media wants us to be.

Photo from Charlotte Astrid | @flickr

By Ashlee Gillespie

agillespie@borahsenator.com As girls and women become more aware of the media’s portrayal of body image, the negative impact it has is alarming. Body image is the complicated aspect of self-concept that concerns an individual’s perceptions and feelings about her body and physical appearance. The media’s standards of beauty are unattainable and send the message that in order to be beautiful, you have to be unhealthy. Sociology teacher Kate Thompson said, “Media hugely influences how females portray their body. T.V., movies, and magazines show women that, ‘this is what you should look like.’” The media’s representation of beauty is one that shows girls that they need to go to extreme measures to look a certain way. These include eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, crash dieting, and excessive exercising. Not only

do these activities result in physical damage, but they also result in mental damage. According to a study from the University of Central Florida, nearly 50 percent of girls ages three to six were concerned about their weight and 81 percent of 10-year-old girls have already developed a fear of becoming overweight. Influential images for these young girls are the unrealistic images of women in magazines who exist only as a result of computer modifications. So many young girls are concerned with their weight and physical appearance that they’ve forgotten an important aspect of themselves: the belief that they as a person are beautiful. They must believe their beauty is not only about the way they look, but also about their personalities and who they are as an individual. “Most girls are not going to look like the ones that are represented in media. True beauty is confidence in yourself and happiness. True beauty comes from the inside and in many different sizes and different colors,” Thompson said.

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Adopt a family effort reaches impoverished families at Borah By Nikki Siharath

nsiharath@borahsenator.com Borah clubs have volunteered their time and effort to adopt families who cannot afford to celebrate the holidays in a traditional way. Clubs are not allowed to know the identity of the families in order to protect their privacy. They donate holiday food, presents, or money to the families. Junior Alex Nava, co-president of the Spanish National Honor Society, has lended his efforts to the cause. “At the moment Spanish Honor Society is trying to win over some sponsors to donate food or gifts for the holidays,” said Nava. SNHS meetings are on Mondays at lunch when members discuss what they have collected and what they still

have to gather. Nava said, “It’s important to us because we get to help Borah students that don’t get to have a proper special holiday.” Senior Cat Hartman, co-vice president of National Honor Society, has also been participating in the club’s adopt a family efforts. “We have a lot of families at Borah that don’t have everything that the rest of us do for Christmas and we wanted to give something to those families so they could have a better Christmas than they would otherwise,” said Hartman. They had a meeting Nov. 22. to decide who will donate which items. Senior Nick Ceron, an active participant in the Sports Medicine program, said the program adopts a family every year. Sports Medicine meetings are on

Wednesdays during lunch, but they also discuss their plan to adopt a family during their class period. “Since we are running low on money this year, we are going to raffle off baskets for anyone,” said Ceron. The baskets include ham, turkey, presents, potatoes, and cranberry sauce. The raffle will be held Dec. 15 during the boys basketball game. Ceron also said,“We are also asking for donations from local businesses, whether it is money or gift cards.”

d i l o H ar

“My favorite holiday memories center around Christmas nights, viewing lights from houses afar just as snow begins to fall.” Junior Jake Hart

“My favorite holiday memory is staying up all night waiting for Santa with my brothers when I was little.” Senior Hanna Irving Graphics by Edward Dunn, August McKernan edunn@borahsenator.com amckernan@borahsenator.com

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The Borah Senator | 9

Creative, cheap gift ideas make holiday season affordable By Joy Wilson

jwilson@borahsenator.com

Bacon Roses

Roll up bacon like a cinnamon roll, and hold it in place with toothpicks. Place each ‘flower’ on a cooling rack over a baking sheet covered in foil. Put them in the oven for 20-30 minutes at 400 degrees. When they’re finished and cooled, remove the toothpicks carefully and put a skewer through the center of the flower, to form a stem.

Hot Chocolate/Coffee Spoons

Make hot, heart warming drinks a special treat. Dip plastic spoons in melted chocolate or caramel. Place them on wax paper to cool. Add some sprinkles or white chocolate stripes. Then wrap them in colored or clear cellophane.

Bro-quets

Personalized Dry Erase Boards

Dessert-in-a-Jar

Homemade Goodies

These are excellent for any guy who likes to eat. You’ll need a foam block, wooden skewers, and a cup or a small flower pot (all of which can be found at a dollar store). Gather his favorite chocolate bars and candies, snack-sized chip bags, or even bacon roses. Hot glue the treats to the skewers and poke them into the foam block, then place it inside the cup or flower pot. This is an easy, creative present to give to anyone who likes to cook, or has a sweet tooth. You’ll need a jar, a recipe, and the dry ingredients used in it. Layer each dry ingredient in the jar, screw on the lid, and tie the recipe and instructions onto the jar with a festive ribbon. This unique present is sure to be a hit!

Message boards are fun, creative, inexpensive. The supplies are simple: a dollar store picture frame, cloth, and dry erase markers. You can use an old tshirt or pair of pajama bottoms for cloth if you can’t make a trip to the craft store. Cut the cloth to fit inside the picture frame, frame it, and draw on the glass with a dry erase marker. Use a light colored fabric pattern for the best visibility. Cooking treats is a perfect way to warm tummies over the holidays. Baked goods are cheap to make, yummy to eat, and very personal. Not many can resist a gooey peanut butter brownie or a fluffy vanilla cupcake made with care. Be generous with some holiday sprinkles and jazz up your homemade goodie.

Birthdays near Christmas require special attention to both holidays By Jason Caughell

jcaughell@borahsenator.com

“Christmas brings my family closer and I couldn’t care less about the presents.” Sophomore Lissette Garcia

It’s easy to notice the pros and the cons of having a birthday so close to the holidays. If you have one, you’ll know that every family does things differently. There are two main types of holiday birthdays: a person either feels left out because of everyone’s devotion towards the holidays, or overwhelmed with the combined holiday/ birthday experience. Part of my experience with this is often feeling a little disappointed because I often feel like I’m missing out or being deprived because of the lack of my own birthday. You have to always look on the

bright side, you don’t have to cook, organize, or host anything! Everyone is already planning to make the two days the same and the real plus here is you get to eat birthday cake instead of fruit cake. Another thing you learn is if you really want birthday decorations along with the holiday one, you are going to have to take care of something yourself, meaning put some up but do your best to avoid their clashing with the décor. Presents are my favorite part of my birthday. The number one rule in my family is “no birthday presents in Christmas wrapping.” Another thing you can do is set up different gift giving times to help avoid that one person who always gives you the “combo present.” Unless you like that of course.

Life

December 17, 2013

Borah Clubs Gay Straight Alliance We had our first annual movie night with all of the other GSAs in the valley. We also adopted a family for the holidays. Austin Amaro Senior GSA President

Spanish National Honor Society We sent out letters to fundraise food and gifts for Christmas families. We are going to start volunteering at Whitney Elementary.

Ski Club

Jaynee Nielsen Senior 3rd year member

We are doing concessions at the basketball game on December 18, fundraising, and researching trips.

Yearbook

Chris Jones Ski Club Adviser

We have been working hard to finish pages before deadlines. The yearbook staff may be doing a Secret Santa before winter break! Erica Rowe Senior Yearbook Editor

Band Symphonic band is working on its concert sound and the music for clinic. The Jazz band had a concert on Monday December 2 and festival on Friday December 6. The pep band played for a girls basketball game that same day and have another pep band game December 17. Maggie Maness Senior Tenor

DECA

We are fundraising, doing club bonding, and preparing for DECA tests. We are planning to sell suckers around the school. Hailey Neff Senior DECA President

National Honor Society

Photo from istorija | @Flickr

NHS has six Borah families to help for the holidays. We gathered food and gift donations so that we can contribute holiday dinners and presents to these households. Pam Atkins NHS Adviser

Arts & Entertainment

The Borah Senator

‘Catching Fire’ sequel proves worth, causes excitement for next installment By Harmony Soto

hsoto@borahsenator.com When the second installment of the Hunger Games trilogy, “Catching Fire,” opened in theatres, it broke box office records for Thanksgiving. The story begins a couple of months after main characters Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark win the 74th Hunger Games, only to find out they’ll be thrown back into the arena along with the past Games’ victors for the third Quarter Quell. At first, I was skeptical about how well the movie would live up to the book’s standards. While I’m not a huge fan of the Hunger Games plotline in general, I do admit that I got some chills when reading “Catching Fire.” The movie was no exception. Although it felt a bit rushed at first, it had a much clearer picture of the horrors of

the Games than it did in the first film. It also presented a much more vivid example of the Capitol’s control. However, both felt somewhat restricted. The Hunger Games series is far from being pretty, and in order to really present that sort of struggle and suffering, a PG-13 rating limits the movie’s ability to portray the story. I’m sad to say that I didn’t always get the same shocks as I did when I first read the book, simply because it had to be muted for the rating. I was impressed with how the film presented the story from not only Katniss’ point of view, but also from President Snow’s and Gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee’s. Neither of the latter characters had much of a presence in the book, even though both play prominent roles in the Quarter Quell’s progression. It was interesting to watch their interactions in planning the Games, one without

knowing the other was rebelling against him the entire time. The interactions between the story’s love triangle, Katniss, Peeta, and Gale, was dissatisfying. Throughout the book, Katniss is constantly seen batting away both of their advances, despite her onscreen romance with one of them. In the movie, Katniss almost appears to be stringing them both along. Overall, the actors did well for their parts. The most impressive was Jena Malone’s portrayal of Johanna Mason; seeing as Mason’s character is the exact opposite of the majority of the roles Malone has played in the past. It was a surprising casting decision, and an equally surprising performance, ultimately proving that Malone can do more than play the good girl. “Catching Fire” is a must see for all dystopian fans, and will surely please all Hunger Games fans.

Photo from Duncan C | @Flickr

Teachers, students learn ceramic skills in Open Art Studio Participants practiced throwing clay, painting, drawing By Jaynee Nielsen

jnielsen@borahsenator.com

Photos by Jaynee Nielsen jnielsen@borahsenator.com

Top: Art teacher Jen Compton creates flower pots. Bottom: Senior Jacqueline McKay creates a bowl on the wheel.

Playing in clay can be fun. Teachers and students alike can be creative and ‘clayful’ in Open Art Studio on Tuesdays after school. Ceramics teacher Pat Rose invited teachers to participate in Open Studio Nov. 11, during which they could learn how to throw clay, paint, and draw. Rose and fellow art teacher Jen Compton also held demonstrations. Rose and Compton demonstrated how to create Japanese tea bowls on the wheel Nov. 19. Compton showed teachers how to cre-

ate necklace pendants as well. It is a great way to create and give Christmas gifts, said Rose. Open Studio is available to anyone. Rose said he created open studio “to build the community.” Senior Kyle Bieker is enrolled in advanced ceramics and on Tuesdays he gives lessons to a few students from Anser Charter School in Garden City, after the school’s art class took a field trip to the Borah Ceramics room in November. Open Studio is from 3-5 p.m. on Tuesdays. Rose and Compton hold demonstrations at 3:30 p.m. All students and faculty are welcome to attend.

Photo by Jaynee Nielsen jnielsen@borahsenator.com

Art teacher Jen Compton created a flower pot that looks like an owl.

Sports

December 17, 2013

Varsity basketball feels pressure to earn ‘3peat’ Veteran seniors, untried sophomores unite, prepare for season of expectations to repeat championship By Mackenzie Chiles

mchiles@borahsenator.com The boys basketball team has been on a trail of success since winning back-toback state championships in 2011 and 2012. As the 2013 season rolls around, there is talk of a 3peat. But the question is, can it be done? Nick Reed, a senior who has been on the team since his sophomore year, said, “Yes, it’s possible, but it’s going to take a lot of work.” Reed said, “yes, yes,” that work is willing to be put in. A difference between this season and the last is the size, after losing the team’s big man Joe Nelson. Although this may not hurt them, it does alter their strategies. Their quickness and work ethic is what will make up for it. “They haven’t played together, but they will get there,” JV coach Manny Varela said. Varela assists with coaching the varsity team. The key players for this team are seniors Isaiah Wright and Reed. Both have been with the team through

the back-to-back state championships. “I want to step up and be a main leader,” said Reed. “I want us to be as good as we can possibly be.” For point guard Wright, his motivation is at an all-time high. He is ready to go and take that third and final championship of his high school career. “I feel a lot better going into this year,” said Wright. He said being from Idaho makes it harder for student athletes to get recognized, and that a 3peat happening in Idaho is very unlikely. Wright added, “It would be a thing to remember.” The past two years the team record has been 25-1. Just one game was lost in both years: Mountain View in 2011 and Rocky Mountain in 2012. This season they will face more difficult competition, such as opposing teams from Rocky Mountain, Capital, and Boise. With new teams growing and becoming better, competition is tougher. Cary Cada, varsity coach for his 20th season, said, “We’ve got to play every game like it’s the last.” “Isaiah works the hardest, same with Nick, so committed,” Cada added.

Photo by Jaynee Nielsen | jnielsen@borahsenator.com

Borah Lions played against the Bishop Kelly Knights Nov. 30. Borah won 55-34. With the loss of last year’s seniors, quite a few new players are on the watch list: senior Dinko Garibovic, senior Cole Skinner, sophomore DeAndre Jones, sophomore Mark Jerome, sophomore Jake Paulin, and sophomore Rylan Bergersen. Paulin and Bergersen said they are both very excited for this season. “Bo-

rah has done so well in the past couple of years that now all the eyes are on us,” Paulin said, “It’s a lot of pressure.” In addition, he said “I don’t want to look back and think I should have done more.” The team is comprised of only seniors and sophomores. Wright said, “We’re much younger, but it should be fun.”

Junior athlete manages AP classes, jazz band, multiple sports By Sage Rogers

srogers@borahsenator.com

“It helps to have a sharper mind on whatever surface I’m on. It helps me make smarter decisions, and with sports. “They help me with managing my time with what I do, and also think past what’s in front of me and what’s coming,” said Bauwens. Having AP classes along with everything can be time-consuming, but Bauwens gave some advice to anyone who is struggling with school and sports, or even just trying to manage their lives. Bauwens said, “Learn how to prioritize things and manage time. You’re a student athlete for a reason, school over extra activities, even if that means missing a game. Look at what’s ahead, and plan for it so you don’t get caught up with a ton of stuff to take care of.”

Dunn Graphic by Edward

Can you imagine having three AP classes, participating in extra-curricular clubs, and playing multiple sports all at the same time? Well there is a student who endures this painstaking life everyday of the week and said he enjoys it. Junior Noah Bauwens said he spends about three and a half hours doing homework every day, along with being an athlete and a member of concert band and jazz band. “It’s definitely a lot of work,” said Bauwens. Bauwens played varsity soccer in the fall, currently plays JV basketball, and will also play soccer in the spring for his club. Of the challenge to keep up with all

the work, he said, “Definitely, with the time commitment of sports leaving you so much time in the day, homework drags out late, but I get the high majority of it done.” Moreover, Bauwens said he likes to push himself academically. “I decided to give up excess time to do so. And I feel it’s also a better use of time than taking all normal classes and having free time, when I could be learning and applying myself to something worthwhile, intellectually and physically.” For some it can be difficult to excel, but for Bauwens he loves the test. “My parents influence me all the time to do my work,” said Bauwens. The pressure of college, he said, also indirectly influences him. Bauwens said that taking AP classes really helps him with his sports.

Sports

The Borah Senator

Ski club prepares, anticipates season By Jon Ramsey

jramsey@borahsenator.com As some students anxiously await the upcoming break, ski club awaits new powder on the slopes and a new chance to compete. Ski club’s first race of the season is Jan. 4 and new ski club adviser Chris Jones hopes to have at least 40 people join before the first race. “I hope to get more kids interested because a lot of them don’t know what it’s about,” said Jones. Senior ski club member Sarah Draze said, “Things are pretty scattered right now. Jones is still trying to get the ropes but everything should come together when everyone joins and we actually race.” Senior member Garry Reynolds had a different outlook, “[Jones] is really cool. He’s good with working with us and has passion.”

Just like any other team, it had seniors that graduated last year that were an important part of the team. “The juniors from last year need to step up their game,” said Reynolds. “I think it’s going to be a good team this year but you’ll never know until we get on the snow,” said Jones. He said he hopes to promote ski club and the activities it sponsors so students are more motivated to become a part of the team. “Last year, the ski club went to Brundage and Sun Valley, just places you don’t get to go every weekend,” said Reynolds. The ski club’s preseason changes are due to Patty Hamon stepping down from the role of adviser and Jones stepping into the position. “I think me and Coach Burton can get more interest and make it into more of a fun competitive thing to do,” said Jones.

Athletic injuries a common hazard, disruption By Ashlee Gillespie

agillespie@borahsenator.com With the end of the season for fall sports and the beginning for winter, this is the time of the year that athletes become a victim of athletic injuries. The number of injuries differ from year to year, but some of the most re-occurring injuries in high school sports are contusions, sprains, and strains. Ankles are often the most sprained area and strains occur most often in legs and thighs. A large variety of injuries have been treated this school year. Greg Mitchell, sports medicine instructor and athletic trainer said, “We have experienced concussions, ankle sprains, ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) sprains, shoulder dislocations, and much more. The numbers of each vary each year.”

With the occurrence of sports activity, one could assume a specific year had the highest amount of sports injuries. “The number of injuries vary from year to year. The more common injuries you see quite often every year, while other injuries only happen occasionally and you may not see for several years at a time,” Mitchell said. Injuries may affect a player and team dramatically. With the loss of player participation, it may be difficult to function fully as a team. However, every team and player is different. Some teams may cope very well with this, while others may not. “The most successful way to deal with an injured player is to accept that they are injured and then throw themselves into the rehabilitation process to return to play as quickly as possible,” Mitchell said.

Senior varsity athlete excels in sports outside of school

Photo from Brenda Englehorn

By Jaynee Nielsen

jnielsen@borahsenator.com Three varsity sports and weekend trips to Tri-Cities, Wash. for softball: senior Ashlyn Englehorn thrives in sports. Englehorn plays as the goalie for girls soccer, a shooting guard for basketball and shortstop for softball, which is her favorite. On top of that, she plays club softball for the Washington Explosion, a team in which she plays in front of college coaches. Her mom drives her five hours to Tri-Cities to practice two days and drives home on Sundays. Softball coach Missy Wheeler said Englehorn “is a passionate and dedicated three sport athlete at Borah. She understands that it takes hard work and a lot of extra practice hours to be successful.” Englehorn said, “You look behind home plate and you see college coaches. You think, look how far I have come.” There is more pressure put on playing for a club team, she said, due to the fact college coaches watch the players intently. She likes being active and has played soccer for three years and softball for

seven. There is a huge opportunity to meet new friends, she said. “Believe in yourself and believe in your teammates,” said Englehorn. One also needs to have mental toughness that is comparable to physical toughness, she said. “She loves to compete and that helps bring our team to a higher competitive level,” said Wheeler. Englehorn has a good arm when it comes to softball and also understands the game, she said. Her best friends, Erica Dick who attends the University of Northern Colorado and Tori Pogue who attends Mountain View High School as a senior, both play Division One softball. “They motivate me to be a better person on and off the field,” Englehorn said. Coach Wheeler describes her as a gogetter and a hard worker, which in turn makes her a coachable athlete. Her favorite teams to watch are the Croton mens basketball team and the University of Washington and Alabama State for softball. Englehorn is excited for the outcomes of the girls basketball team this year and the goals the team has set for this season. The next girls varsity basketball game is tonight against the Capital Eagles at 7:30 p.m.

Trends

December 17, 2013

Electronic cigarettes gain popularity By Brittany Perry

bperry@borahsenator.com

It is no surprise that the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) and vapes is rapidly increasing. They are becoming more popular everywhere; people smoking them can be seen walking along the streets, shopping in stores, attending schools, waiting at airports. Soon the trendy phrase, “Bro, do you even lift?” may be replaced with “Bro, do you even vape?” According to Wikipedia.org, “an electronic cigarette, electronic vaping device, personal vaporizer (PV) or electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) is a battery-powered device which simulates tobacco smoking.” Several adults, ranging in ages, have turned towards vaping, instead of the traditional smoking of regular cigarettes. However, some question whether e-cigs and vapes are any healthier for smokers? People are beginning to prefer these popular new smoking tools. Because some say it is an alternative way to kick their old habit. Others simply state that it is fun to learn all of the

Senator Shoutouts: How does your winter style differ from other students?

Photo by Tea Nelson | tnelson@borahsenator.com

Vaping is a rising trend among high school students. tricks one can do. A few of the many smoking tricks include mini o’s or cheerios, hoops, vape bubbles, dragon exhale, ghost exhale/inhale, tornado, machine gun vape rings, big rings in small rings,

one side bridge, side rings and numerous other tricks. Names and ways to learn how to do each trick vary. Senior and 18-year-old Andrew Linkowski said he vapes to avoid smoking cigarettes. “The vape juices

“I think my style is more of a casual prep look. I love wearing black because I think it’s flattering on everyone. My style is different from others because most people would wear sweats and yogas on a lazy day, but my lazy days consist of big sweaters, boots, and scarves. I think it’s important to dress nice because you never know who you’re going to meet. I also think shoes can make or break an outfit and I think having good shoes is a must! I also couldn’t survive the winter without scarves!” Senior Emina Tabakovic

take you down nicotine levels.” Linkowski said he would recommend using them, but to do the research beforehand. Twenty stores in Idaho sell all the necessities and flavorings for vaping. Wikipedia.org also stated that, “It generally uses a heating element that vaporizes a liquid solution. Some solutions contain a mixture of nicotine and flavourings, while others release a flavoured vapor without nicotine. The benefits and risks of electronic cigarette use are uncertain. They may carry a risk of developing nicotine addiction, and their regulation is the subject of ongoing debate.” Senior Courtney Garrett said she has not vaped for very long, but she enjoys the tricks you are able to do. “What I love the most is how you can get almost every flavor. Everyone has their own favorite flavors. Mine would be raspberry mixed with watermelon.” She did not have a set answer on whether she recommends them to others. E-cigarettes have become a controversial topic. Many public places allow them to be smoked indoors, but some debate whether or not they should be.

“My winter style is different from other students because my clothing is always coordinated to all match. My shoes, pants, my shirt, and including my pullover I decide to wear that day always match. I prefer to wear the clothing brands Diamond, Obey, Pink Dolphin, and Vans. It’s all about matching when I pick out my outfits.“ Senior Perrin McCluskey See more responses on borahsenator.com

Help the Borah Senator archive more than half a century of print On-line Archive Project

Timeline June 2012

Adviser contacts Small Town Papers about archiving 60 years of print

November 2012

Borah Boosters approves $675 for archive project

February 2013

November 2013

bsn.stparchive.com Single editions from several years go live on website Idaho Humanities Council approves $500 for project

This program is supported in part by a grant from the Idaho Humanities Councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Endowment for Humanities Education.

To donate

Make checks payable to Borah High School

Newspaper Archive Project, 6001 Cassia, Boise, ID 83709

Fun & Games

December 17, 2013

How to build a gingerbread house By Erica Rowe

erowe@borahsenator.com

Ingredients

6 cups flour ½ tsp. baking powder 4 tsp. ground ginger 4 tsp. ground cinnamon ½ tsp. ground cloves or allspice ½ tsp. salt 1 ½ sticks butter, softened 1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 cup dark molasses 1 tbsp. water

Step 1: Make the gingerbread dough

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. Difficulty: Easy

-Whisk together dry ingredients and set aside -Beat butter and brown sugar in a separate bowl until fluffy -Beat in eggs, molasses, and water -Beat half of the flour into molasses mixture -Wrap dough in plastic wrap, refrigerate for at least two hours

Step 2: Create house pieces

-Use a piece of cardboard to create a template for your house pieces -You will need a front, back, two sides, and two roof pieces -Cut out pieces -Cut out a door in the front piece, if desired

Step 3: Bake house pieces

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees -Place pieces on a greased cookie sheet -Bake until edges begin to darken -11-15 minutes for large pieces -6-8 minutes for small pieces -Let cool for at least 15 minutes

Step 4: Make royal icing

Ingredients 2 egg whites 2 2/3 cups powdered sugar, divided into half -Whisk egg whites and 1 1/3 cups of sugar together -Add remaining sugar to the mixture -If you plan on eating your

house, microwave the egg mixture to prevent salmonella poisoning -Beat until stiff peaks form. If they do not form, add a little more powdered sugar until they do -Place a dampened towel over the mixture to prevent it from drying out while you are not using it -Fill a pastry bag (or a ziplock bag with a corner cut off) when you are ready to use the icing

Step 5: Construct the house

-Pick a solid base on which to construct your house (a cookie sheet or sturdy piece of cardboard) -Use a generous amount of icing to fill in between front, back, and side pieces. If you run out of icing, you can make more. -Let set for at least an hour before putting the roof on -Use icing to place the roof on your house. Fill in-between the two roof pieces for extra hold.

Step 6: Decorate house

-Use whatever candies you’d like to decorate your gingerbread house. Some suggestions are: • Gum drops • Miniature candy canes • Mints • Red hots • Licorice • Little lollipops

Congratulations, you’ve created your own gingerbread house!