October 2013 issuu by Borah Senator

At least 10 homeless students walk school halls

By August McKernan

amckernan@borahsenator.com Home. Homeless. One suffix can transform a life. According to the Boise School District, a student is considered homeless if he or she lives in an emergency or transitional shelter, motel, hotel, campground, car, park, or if they are doubled up with relatives or friends. Social Worker Becky Woodland has identified around 10 homeless students at Borah this year and has yet to locate others. As Borah’s Local Homeless Education Liaison, it is her responsibility to locate these students and ensure they receive the services and support necessary for them to succeed. “I love working with homeless students. They’re so grateful,” said Woodland. “Their eyes always light up when I go to Ross’s to buy them a new pair of shoes.” Woodland is able to provide these services due to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, which is a United States federal law that provides money for homeless shelter programs. This act allows her to buy school supplies, hygiene products, bus vouchers, and countless other essential items for students who can’t afford them otherwise. Sophomore Ayden Kelley, when he was 13, lived in the City Light Home for Women and Children for a year due to family circumstances. Kelley stayed in the shelter with his mother and sister. According to boiserm.org, the Boise Rescue Mission’s website, the shelter provides services that “range from overnight shelter to work-search assistance, GED completion, counseling, New Life Program, and a variety of children’s programs (homework club, summer children’s program, and after-school activities).” See Homeless on page 8

Artist Bio

October 15, 2013

Senior expresses love for One Direction via art By Erica Rowe

erowe@borahsenator.com

Photo by Jaynee Nielsen jnielsen@borasenator.com

Senior Mandy Darrington likes to draw denim because it is versatile.

“You can just sit there for hours without thinking about anything—it really gets your mind off things,” said senior Mandy Darrington. She has been drawing since she was a kid, but didn’t really discover her artistic abilities until her freshman year. She enjoys drawing portraits with unique angles, and One Direction. “Mandy is hands down inspired by One Direction; it’s pretty much all she draws,” said senior Mackenzie Bilger. Music, people, and One Direction inspire Darrington, but her best friend, Bilger, said that the will to improve really inspires her. Bilger also said that Darrington is a perfectionist due to her detail oriented nature. “I’ve never seen someone so dedicated to something; she could just sit there for hours just drawing an eye!” said Bilger with enthusiasm. According to Bilger, most people saw Darrington as an athletic, smart girl; but once she started putting her artwork on facebook, more people got to see how artistic she really is. After finishing a large project, Darrington said she felt accomplished and proud that all of her hard work paid off.

“I’ve never seen someone so dedicated to something; she could just sit there for hours just drawing an eye!” Senior Mackenzie Bilger She said it takes her about six to seven hours to complete a whole work and when she’s finished she just wants to show it off to people. Darrington designed last year’s DECA sweatshirts, and is now designing this year’s senior shirts. She is also painting the health teacher’s, Kailtin Emanuel, wall. “Requests are really fun to do,” said Darrington. She really enjoys doing requests and will draw almost anything you ask her to. She usually keeps most of her artwork, but the ones she gives away, she makes a copy of to put in college portfolios. When asked about her plans for college, Darrington said, “I plan to major in illustration with an emphasis on concept design.” She also said that it would be her dream to go to London to study. She’s

not exactly sure about which college she wants to go to, but she does know that she wants to go abroad to pursue her love of art.

Letter from the Editor

The Borah Senator

Editor-in-Chief wants readers to feel informed, entertained, eager for each issue of the Senator student. I want the paper to interest every reader, English teachers and French Club members alike. I also plan to increase our online presence via our website borahsenator.com and our various social media outlets. In this increasingly digital age, it is important Photo by Jaynee Nielsen | jnielsen@borahsenator.com that we release new content on a regular basis and in a variety of formats Borah Lions, such as podcasts, video, and photo galI swear to devote every effort into leries. making The Borah Senator better than Another one of my goals this year is ever, as I have for the past two years. to encourage more student interaction My transition from journalism stuwith the paper. I hope you visit our dent to Junior Associate Editor and various web outlets frequently and that finally to Editor in Chief has been the each issue of The Borah Senator leaves most significant learning experience of you feeling thoughtful, informed, enmy life. I have transformed from followtertained, and eager for the next one. er to leader and am more than ready to Please feel free to write a letter to the implement all my new ideas. editor via our website or an email to me As Editor of The Borah Senator, my if you have any comments, questions, or main goal for this year is to provide the criticisms. people of Borah with accurate, engaging This year I had the opportunity to reinformation that appeals to every sort of

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design the front page with the help of Lindsie Bergevin, designer at The Idaho Statesman. The layout of the cover page will change from issue to issue, rather than remain stagnant as it did last year. I hope when you first glimpse the front page each issue, it leaves you feeling excited for what lies within. As far as the rest of the paper is concerned, I plan to encourage the use of bolder design elements such as editorial cartoons and graphic designs to further engage our readers. Newspaper Production is not just a class, but an opportunity to gain a footing in the professional world. We interact with talented journalists such as Don Day from KTVB on a weekly basis, attend both national and state journalism conferences, and maintain contact with an advisory committee of industry experts. Newspaper is also an environment in which to develop lifelong skills, to build friendships, and make memories. So I would like to dedicate this issue to my amazing staff. I look forward to making some sweet issues and some sweet memories with you. August McKernan augustmckernan@borahsenator.com

Staff Editor-in-Chief: August McKernan Senior Associate Editor: Jaynee Nielsen Photo Manager: Jaynee Nielsen Advertising Manager: Jason Caughell Assosiate 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 Letters: 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 Staff Writers: Nikki Siharath, Kelsey Trees Adviser: Michelle Harmon

News

October 15, 2013

Career counselor wins annual award Ritchie plans to help every student apply to an Idaho college, even if they don’t see college in their future By Tea Nelson

tnelson@borahsenator.com Borah career counselor, Josh Ritchie, was recently named Counselor of the Year by the Idaho Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers. “It was a very flattering surprise,” said Ritchie. Each year the organization acknowledges a counselor from each area for his or her outstanding work and effort to help students. Ritchie’s plans for the year include helping every student apply to an Idaho college, even if they don’t see college in their near future.

“There are a lot of students who don’t believe college is possible. They have a deep rooted belief that college is just not for them,” Ritchie said, “It’s not an effort to Josh Ritchie convince kids to go to college but rather to give them options.” “Nothing is more rewarding than receiving an acceptance letter,” Ritchie said. Ritchie has brought a lot of aspects to the Career Center that put him in the

running for the award. Last year was the first year each student was given the opportunity to apply to an Idaho college. Ritchie said he didn’t even know if the new idea would work, but the school ended up sending out around 1,000 transcripts to colleges. “The faculty has been very involved,” Ritchie said, “Mrs. Hamon, our registrar, handled all the transcripts very well.” Ritchie also plans to help more students fill out FAFSA forms to help them receive financial aid. Senior Mackenzie Aime is a student who has been working closely with Ritchie. “He got me started thinking

Borah varsity men’s choir invited to Carnegie Hall in the Big Apple Tactus seeks fundraising projects for big opportunity By Tea Nelson

tnelson@borahsenator.com Up until January the boys of Tactus Choir will be very busy. The choir, along with parents and other family members are fundraising in an attempt to travel across the country to New York City. There they have been given the opportunity to sing at Carnegie Hall with other male choirs from around the United States. “Someone took videos from our shows last year and put them on Youtube,” said senior Connor Chapman. They were then invited to the event by a world renowned singer and director. The choir was one of only three other high school choirs to be invited. “This is a very professional opportunity and we hope to gain a new level of maturity,” said senior Rex Spjute. In order to travel to Carnegie Hall, Tactus must raise $70,000. Fundrais-

ing efforts have included garage sales, bake sales, and selling tickets to events like the corn maze and the pumpkin patch. But one of the biggest ways the group plans to earn the money is through grants and donations from sponsors. Spjute said they hope most of the money will come from sponsorships. Each individual had to come up with fundraising ideas which will all be combined into one account. One student plans on selling paracord bracelets to fulfill his part of fundraising. Once all the money has been raised, the group will travel to New York City around mid-January. This will cause the choir to miss finals week. During its six-day trip to the Big Apple, the boys are planning to sing at Carnegie Hall, tour the city, and attend a Broadway play. Senior Stephen Gagnon said the group is very excited, but also very aware of the cost. “This is one heck of an opportunity, and a huge sense of accomplishment to even be invited,” he said.

about resumes, scholarship applications, and intern opportunities,” said. “He has helped me so much--he pushes kids to see what they can do, and what they can achieve.” Aime said when Ritchie helped her with an internship essay he completely demolished it. “Although he tore it apart, he was nice about it. I knew it wasn’t very good, and he helped me reconstruct it, it turned out very well.” Aime is currently looking at a few schools Ritchie has introduced her to. “It should be a choice to go to college, not fear or belief that they can’t,” Ritchie said.

Junior’s suicide prevention efforts awarded By Nikki Siharath

nsiharath@borahsenator.com

Photo by Jaynee Nielsen jnielsen@borahsenator.com

Tactus men’s choir is selling green and yellow paracord bracelets to help fund its trip to New York City.

Wester received the 2013 Advocacy Award from the Idaho Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health Sept. 28. At the event, she learned she was appointed to the Governor’s Council for Suicide Prevention. When she sees others struggling with suicidal thoughts, it provokes a protective attitude in her, said Wester. Wester said she wants to make the world a better place. She wants to be famous for her accomplishments. Wester has been involved in the Idaho Federation of Family for Children’s Mental Health for four years. When she was 13, she was prompted to join because her best friend committed suicide before Wester had a chance to talk her out of it. Laura Wester, Amanda’s mother, helps Amanda with her event photos, flyers, and meetings. “I am extremely proud of my daughter,” she said. “She is making a difference for young people.” “It feels good to have my family support me through everything that I’ve been through,” said Wester.

News

The Borah Senator

Bleachers, bathrooms, door keys updated By Harmony Soto

hsoto@borahsenator.com Over the summer, Borah received a number of upgrades to help improve the school’s security and accessibility, as well as try to boost students’ attendance. Perhaps the most noticeable of all the upgrades is the new one-minute warning bell before first, third, and fifth periods, added to help reduce tardies. “We have a goal to be more on top of attendance this year, and the warning bells help us motivate students to get to class on time,” said Principal Bonita Hammer. She said there’s already been Photos by Nikki Siharath nsiharath@borahsenator.com

The new water-bottle fountain is in the Old Gym and the bleachers in the New.

an improvement in the halls thanks to the new bell. “Students are responding,” she said. “The halls are already clearer, plus, it’s added awareness during those longer breaks.” In addition to the warning bell, new fire alarms, still being tested in the evenings, have been installed throughout the school to better alert students and staff to an emergency. New locks were also installed on the classroom doors. “Before, teachers were only able to lock their doors from the outside,” said Hammer. “Now, to provide better security and help with lockdowns, teachers are able to lock their doors from inside the classroom.” “It’s just an extra precaution for safety,” said Vice Principal Richard Clements.

Both the Old Gym and the New Gym have been treated to upgrades as well. The Old Gym bathrooms and the New Gym bleachers were completely remodeled, and replaced. “The bathrooms were 55 years old and were constantly breaking down. They needed to be replaced,” said Hammer. The bleachers, having been first built in 1992, were left out when the New Gym was remodeled a few years back. Now, they have wider aisles, easier handicap wheelchair accessibility, and move in and out more efficiently. “It’s important for students to have better access points,” said Hammer. More upgrades, such as wireless internet all throughout the school, are to come. “We’ve got a lot of great stuff for a great year,” ended Hammer.

Q&A Assistant Principal: education is foundation for success By Joy Wilson

jwilson@borahsenator.com New to Borah this year, Vice Principal Rich Clements has been teaching for 23 years. He came here from Timberline, and has also taught at River Raft High School in Mata, Idaho as well as Bonneville High School in Idaho Falls. Q: What goals do you have for Borah? A: I want to get to know teachers and students. I want to create a good atmosphere for kids to learn and teachers to teach.

want to be fair, but we are here to work and learn, so I want to help students do that. Q: What is your philosophy on education? A: Education is the foundation of success for most people. For my wife, my kids, and me, education has been the foundation for our lives and jobs. Education is the most important opportunity you receive. I really like public schools because it gives everyone an opportunity to learn. It’s the most fair. Q: How does it feel to be at Borah? A: I really like it. It’s comfortable. We have good teachers, students, and leadership. You’ve all made me feel really comfortable.

Rich Clements

Q: Describe yourself as a vice principal. A: I really enjoy high schools; I love teaching students and staff, and the activities like concerts and sports games. I

Q: How do you want to improve Borah? A: That’s a hard question. I’m new, so I need to be here awhile to assess the good things before making an opinion about what I want to change. Right now I’m just trying to add more good energy, and support teachers and students. I just need to assess the good first. Q: Why did you want to come to Borah? A: Truth be known, I was appointed to Borah. When I heard I was excited though, because Borah is a lot like the high school I went to. It’s really comfortable here. The students are familiar. Q: What do you like about working with kids? A: I’ve been a school teacher for 23 years. This is a great age group, you’re planning your life, being with friends,

developing both socially and educationally. I enjoyed my kids at this age. It’s so fun to watch them grow up. Q: What’s been the most surprising adjustment you’ve made from being a teacher to being an administrator? A: Definitely not having a class to teach. Having a group of students is magical. You build a relationship with 150 kids or more, and not having that is a big adjustment to make. I meet kids through activities, but it’s still a big adjustment. Administrators make it possible to have those kinds of relationships and a safe learning environment. Q: Why did you want to be an administrator? A: I want to create an environment for students and teachers to learn. I want to create the same environment my kids and I had.

Opinion

October 15, 2013

Short Lunch ‘Club’ ineffective Staff Editorial Short Lunch Club has been a commonly debated topic here at Borah ever since it was initiated last spring. Most students can agree that they dislike Short Lunch. Who really likes missing their long lunch, right? Well, completely abolishing Short Lunch is impossible, but making it more effective is more realistic for teachers and staff to do. Some problems students have had with short lunch include kids not doing their work, lots of messing around, classroom monitors who don’t want to be there, and kids simply being confused as to why they are in Short Lunch Club for just one assignment. There are some students who try to finish their missing assignments in Short Lunch but have a lot of trouble because the majority of kids in the “club” either feel they don’t belong there, or they just plain don’t care. We think there needs to be a new way to determine whether a student really should be going to Short Lunch or not, because right now, it’s not working. A lot of students who complain about Short Lunch have decent grades, although they are missing one or two assignments. Instead of completely punishing students that are only missing a couple of assignments, we think they should be warned and notified about what assignments they are missing.

Drive Thru

Make it quick... I had Short Lunch!

Illustration by Harmony Soto | hsoto@borahsenator.com

There also needs to be a standard for whether students do or don’t have to go. Maybe involving the students’ grades in the classes in which they are missing assignments could help determine whether they are referred by the teachers. When a student has below a C in a class, and missing assignments, they should be required to attend Short Lunch.

As far as being a student with missing assignments, and a C or better in that class, they should be informed about what assignments are missing, and still be given the option to go to Short Lunch. However, no student should be forced to go. We feel some students may still make the choice to go to Short Lunch as an option, or at least be glad that they know how they can better their grade.

Admin experiments with assembly tickets By Jason Caughell

jcaughell@borahsenator.com We were all a little confused when all of a sudden we had these “tickets” from our sixth period teachers for a contest. Administration -- in an attempt to increase school spirit and attendance at school events, such as the annual Welcome to the Jungle Assembly, Homecoming Carnival, and powder puff football rivalry between the seniors and juniors -- required tickets for attendance. So was the strategy effective? Well, the “raffle” prize was some Lion’s gear. For people like me who already go to assemblies, the football games, dances, and other school related events, Lion’s gear is a pretty nice

“There were no past numbers to base it off of, but the visuals looked to prove an increase in attendance.” Principal Bonita Hammer gift; my point is that the people like me already have school spirit. This incentive targets the wrong people, because the people who don’t care about school events won’t go anyway, and they most likely don’t want Lion’s gear because of the simple fact that they don’t care. Principal Bonita Hammer said, “There were no past numbers to base it

off of, but the visuals looked to prove an increase in attendance.” The new vice principal, Richard Clements, suggested the ticketing system, but Hammer didn’t know any specific numbers. The tickets did not seem as effective as the school hoped, but it might have scared a few sophomores into going.

Stigma against feminism prevents social change By August McKernan

amckernan@borahsenator.com When you hear the word feminist, what comes to mind? A woman? A woman with unshaven legs? A woman burning her bra? If so, then you are a victim and a perpetrator of feminist stereotypes. Stereotypes like these have strengthened the social stigma against feminism. It’s a shame these generalizations exist, because this movement has greatly improved the world we live in. Feminists have worked to protect women and girls from domestic violence, sexual assault, and sexual harassment. But still, I hear people say, “I’m not a feminist” for fear of being characterized as a radical. I ask those individuals - Do women deserve equal pay for performing the same jobs as men? Are women entitled to the right to vote? Do you believe job discrimination against pregnant women is wrong? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then you’re a feminist. Be proud of that fact. Shout it from rooftops. And to those who claim we don’t need feminism anymore and that women should be satisfied with their ability to vote, I would like to point out how much further we have to go. We need feminism more than ever in a world where women still aren’t paid the same amount as men for performing the same jobs. We need feminism because child brides are still abundant in countries like Niger, Bangladesh, and Guinea. Everyone should be a feminist. Even men. Even women with shaven legs. Even women with their bras secured safely on their bodies.

Non Traditional Families

October 15, 2013

Most parents divorced? Not according to survey Other Divorced Married

The Borah Senator

Q&A Sociology instructor shares views

on diverse family situations in modern era By Joy Wilson

jwilson@borahsenator.com Sociology studies human society and the changes that occur in it, using data and research to do so. Kate Thompson, Borah’s Sociology teacher, used her knowledge and experience in the sociological field to assess the effects of ‘non-traditional’ families on society and personal development. Q: Are teens with divorced parents more likely to be divorced in their adult lives? A: No, there’s really no guarantee. There are so many factors that contribute to divorce, and so much divorce, making it impossible to predict. Divorce is more acceptable in some families. Many religious families are less likely to be divorced because of their beliefs. Q: How does having married parents affect development? A: It’s good to have two loving people raise you, married or not. Kids who have two loving people in their lives have an advantage over those who don’t, because they get double the love.

Statistics drawn from 50 random students at Borah - a sophomore English class, a Western Civilizations class, and a Sociology class. Survey conducted by seniors August McKernan, Molly Lucas, Kaitlyn Parks, and sophomore Kyra Morton. Participants answered the question are your parents married, divorced, or other? The “other” catagory included students whose parents were never married, are still dating, or are remarried.

Homeless Continued from Page 1 He described the shelter as a “stable but emotional place.” It was stable because of the structured environment and emotional due to the sheer amount of women residing in one place. Kelley said, “one of them was bound to be having a bad day.” Stress played a large role in Kelley’s life during this period. He said that living in this new environment and watching his mother work through the New Life pro-

gram to overcome her drug addiction made it difficult to focus on his schoolwork. Woodland said that, in more extreme cases of homelessness, “things like homework are almost impossible to accomplish with no computer and no printer” and that “nothing else matters if you don’t have physical safety.” She stressed that students who meet the qualifications for homelessness should come meet with her in order to qualify for support the Boise School District offers.

Q: Does being adopted affect a person’s adulthood? A: It can. Sometimes people feel the need to understand where they came from. People who are adopted feel a disconnect with their parents sometimes, but even people who aren’t can feel a disconnect. Some kids feel extra love because their parents chose them. Kids who were adopted may turn out a little different because they did deal with the “Who am I?” struggle, and some adopted kids don’t have that problem.

Q: Does being an only child have an impact on life? A: It can. Having siblings teaches you how to deal with other people, but most people figure it out when they get to school. They can have a hard time sharing, and that’s usually fixed in school, but it can be a problem and it may affect adulthood. Q: When people are raised by extended family members rather than their biological parents, are they affected emotionally? A: A lot of times it’s a better situation. They get out of something bad, and that’s a good thing. There’s usually a reason an extended family member steps in, so it’s good. It may have been worse for them emotionally to be raised by their parents. Q: How has family life evolved over time? A: It definitely has become less “traditional.” More moms work. People are over “programed.” There isn’t any time to be a family, and just talk. They all do too much. Life has become less connected. That’s why I cook dinner for my family, to keep connected. Q: Where is family life headed? A: I’m worried family will become less of a priority. People get more and more obsessed with laptops and tech every day. The people who realize the importance of people get it, and will do well. There are a lot of people who value children, husbands and wives. That is absolutely changing. Things have become way more casual. Fewer people cook, because more people work. When you work, you’re exhausted by the end of the day, and it’s much easier to pick something up from McDonald’s. You’re too tired to cook, or even be a healthy family.

Satire: How far should parents go to protect us online? By Sage Rogers

srogers@borahsenator.com Yes, sometimes I check up on my daughter’s Facebook profile--every now and then. I’m just making sure that she’s safe. It’s not like I’m invading her privacy or anything. Oh, hold on just a sec. What? Who’s this Jon she’s in a relationship with? (Yells from across the house to daughter) “Honey! Who’s Jon? Why have I never heard of him before?” The girl cringes with embarrassment as she replies, “Mom OMG get off my Facebook! It’s so creepy when you FB stalk me!” I’m not stalking her. All I’m doing is viewing her profile and checking up on her statuses. From time to time, I message her friends to find out the “411” around her school. Big deal. I rarely care what she talks about on her Facebook, but some of her posts seriously concern me. And I quote, “Lol, my sub fell asleep in math today! Totes awk.” Sometimes I feel like we’re disconnected. I mean, why did I not get to hear about the “totes awk” math teacher. Is she hiding things from me? I know how teenagers can be, I watch Dr. Phil. Sometimes I feel that her Facebook comes between us and the only way I can reach her is by interacting with her online. Though, every time I try to IM her, her status changes from on to offline. When she does that, I have no choice but to find out about her week by checking her timeline, which leads to me getting upset about her posts, and sometimes I leave angry comments. Nonetheless, we need to start having mother daughter time. (Starts to post on daughter’s timeline) “Hey my lovely daughter! We should have a girls night this weekend. I just made an event about it and invited a few of your girlfriends. Let me know if that sounds fun.” Alright, now her and I will be able to fix things between us and we can have some real mother to daughter talks. (Daughter sees event invite) “Mom, why couldn’t you just tell me in person about hanging out this weekend!”

Graphic by Edward Dunn | edunn@borahsenator.com

Life

October 15, 2013

Short lunch isn’t as productive as I’d anticipated By Jon Ramsey

jramsey@borahsenator.com

One Thursday I sat in fourth period, waiting, longing for food. And the more I longed, the more I thought I may not have Short Lunch. I was feeling pretty good because there was only 10 minutes left in class. I’m almost free, I thought. Then suddenly the teacher calls my name and says, “You have been referred to Short Lunch by your English Teacher.” Fantastic; I love waiting 30 extra min-

utes for food; especially when those 30 extra minutes could have been avoided if I had just turned in that essay. Oh well, Short Lunch Club is made to get work done, right? Then I was escorted to my Short Lunch room assignment, feeling like I was being taken to prison. At first, I walked in thinking that the supervisor would be a taskmaster who forced students like me to do work and would help, if needed. Once everyone arrived, the supervisor took attendance and then sat back and relaxed while everyone chat-

ted and socialized with their friends. Some people put their heads on their desks and appeared to sleep. At one point I actually wanted to do some work, but I couldn’t because there was so much noise. Paper balls were flying around, and, at one point during that half-hour, two people started screaming at each other. These distractions are what seemed to make up Short Lunch Club. Although I walked in with good intentions, I just gave up, and talked to my friends. Then one of my friends had the

bright idea to start talking to the supervisor, who, to my surprise, wanted to talk. We asked him why he didn’t stop any of this and he said that he didn’t actually care what we did; he said he just wanted to get it over with, because he was basically just an intern. In order to get it over with, we started playing games like Hangman and Tic-Tac-Toe on the whiteboard. Soon, everyone was playing. A group was singing in the corner. No one was working. It ended up being the opposite of everything the leadership team wanted it to be.

Seniors keep school rivalry alive By Brittany Perry

bperry@borahsenator.com The seniors who repainted the letter ‘B’ at Table Rock the night before Borah’s Homecoming game ran out of paintbrushes, but had no problem solving that issue. They poured the paint down the hill and rolled around in it. Senior Emiley Schoonover said her overall experience painting the rock was fun. “We were playing our rivalries, Boise, the very next day and they wouldn’t have time to repaint it. It was kind of like we owned the ‘B’ for that night.” The senior-gathering to paint the ‘B’ was planned by sending out mass text messages from the school’s spirit organization’s forefathers and it was then spread by word-of-mouth throughout the school day. The repainted ‘B’ was able to be seen perfectly from Dona Larsen Park during the Homecoming game Sept. 12. Other seniors also thought the experience was fun and did not want to be quoted, in fear they would get in trouble for owning up to going. Painting the ‘B’ was a way for the Class of 2014 to represent Borah and everything it stands for, as well as display school spirit.

Schoonover said she was very happy to keep a tradition going that has been around for such a long time.

Photo by Jaynee Nielsen | jnielsen@borahsenator.com

Photo by Jaynee Nielsen jnielsen@borahsenator.com

Seniors make Boise’s ‘B’ green.

Borah varsity cheerleaders preform stunts at the football game against the Eagle Mustangs on Oct. 3. The cheerleaders practice during and after school to prepare for games and competitions.

Arts & Entertainment

The Borah Senator

Senior actress directs first play of year ‘Pieces’ By Harmony Soto

hsoto@borahsenator.com Drama Club will present its first play of the year called “Pieces,” directed and written by club president and senior Kenzie Knutson. The play entails the story of a girl with a dark past named Jane, who’s trying to find her place in the Big Apple. Along the way, she meets new friends who try to help her along, and, eventually, falls in love. “It’s a bit of a tragic love story,” said senior Lauren Hubbard, who will be playing Jane in the production. However, Knutson stressed, the play is not just a typical love story. “The play touches on so many different things--it’s not your typical boy meets girl story. There’s something in it for everybody,” she said. Always writing down poetry, song lyrics, and little stories, playwriting has been something that interested Knutson for a long time. She got her first taste of it last year

“It’s not your typical boy meets girl story. There’s something in it for everybody.” Senior Kenzie Knutson during a field trip for the theatre department. There, she participated in a playwriting workshop, which helped spark the creation for “Pieces.” “I wanted to know how to write something good; something that people could relate to,” Knutson said. So I talked to the workshop instructor afterwards, and he asked me what my favorite movie was. I told him, ‘Perks of Being a Wallflower.’ He asked why, and I couldn’t really give him a straight an-

swer. Then, he told me to go back and watch the movie again, and try to figure out why it gets to me. So, I did, and it just turned out to be little basic things.” After that, Knutson began her work. She wrote the first draft in three days, and spent the next six months editing and revising it. Now, she’ll soon be able to see it come to life on stage. “It’s an interesting experience,” said junior Aidan Transtrum, who’ll be playing Jane’s love interest. “You go in completely blind--you have to create the characters all yourself. It’s an honor to be a part of.” Knutson, who directed last year’s “Harry’s Hotter at Twilight,” said directing was hard. “You’re trying to create your own vision,” she said. “But you have to keep in mind, the actors have their own vision, too.” “Pieces” premiere’s Nov. 7-9 in the Little Theatre at 7 p.m. Knutson’s last words for everyone seeing the play: “Understand you’re never alone. Terrible things happen everyday. You’re never alone.”

Five songs that rock the charts and hearts Cyrus was number one with her song, “Wrecking Ball.” Perry moved jramsey@borahsenator.com down one spot to number two with The music industry has fluctuated “Roar.” Next in line was “Royals” by Lorde, which moved from throughout the years, from number eight to num60s rock to Grunge in ber three. “Blurred the 90s to today’s Lines,” by Robin modern pop. We Thicke featurcould look at ing Pharell and any of those T.I, dropped decades but y Edwar b from numlet’s just fober one to cus on one number four. month. Finally, last The charts but not least; were domiNumber Five. nated by Robin Avicii brings in Thicke and his the last spot with song “Blurred his song, “Wake Me Lines,” which was Up.” number one for a That ends the Senator’s whopping 12 weeks up until Katy Perry took over in the waning segment of music this month. Surweeks of September only to be over- prisingly the charts weren’t taken up thrown by Miley Cyrus, America’s completely by pop. They were were fill up with a strange sort of Indie Pop sweetheart. The last week of September, that everybody now seems to love.

Junior Sage Rogers (left) and senior Lauren Hubbard (right) rehearse a short scene for the Drama Club’s first play ‘Pieces.’

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Photo by Nikki Siharath | nsiharath@borahsenator.com

Borah Senator

Pre-order Monday and Tuesday at break for Thursday lunches Orders can be picked up at Student Store through lunch, even after Short Lunch.

A 6” sub is $3. A meal is $4 (6” sub + choice of chips and cookie). Support the Borah Senator Newspaper and buy a Subway sandwich

Sports

October 15, 2013

Injuries, lost teammates reshape goals for season By Jaynee Nielsen

jnielsen@borahsenator.com The varsity football team has had a few good wins at the beginning of the season, but had a setback with the loss against Mountain View on Sept. 20. However, the Mountain View game was an eye opener for the team; Borah lost 45-21. Senior Trey Fields, jersey number one, said they are looking for more leadership on the field and on the sidelines. The Lions played against Meridian for a 49-27 win, and the team also won 34-2 against the Boise Braves. In order to overcome the loss against Mountain View, the athletes are working harder on and off the field and not just going through the motions, said senior Matt Woolley, wide receiver and defensive back. When the name Borah Lions comes up in sports, it can mean strength and determination, which can also describe the varsity football team. However, players like seniors Spencer Harshman, linebacker, and Ethan Crawford, defensive back, consider the team a family or brotherhood. They spent the entire summer together training and learning drills in hopes

of making the playoffs. Crawford said the team creates bonds among all of the players and one can really get to know others, especially the underclassmen. “It is a different way of seeing people,” he said. “We are students of the game,” said Fields. “We have the skills but need to focus on the game.” Coach Darren Corpus said the team has to “take it one game at a time,” in order to try to make it to the playoffs this year. To make it to state, the team has to run for it and trust in the team and keep mental errors to minimum, said junior Connor Gray, a quarterback for the team. This year there have also been more injuries than previous years, which is an obstacle in the team’s road to state. Harshman tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) at the Boise State football camp this summer. Senior Casey Lindenberg, defensive tackle, and junior Colter Mann, running back and defensive end, also tore their ACL’s in the midst of the season. However, these injuries were noncontact injuries. There have also been a few other injuries including sprained ankles and shoulder injuries. Another setback this season is the

Photo by Jaynee Nielsen | jnielsen@borahsenator.com

Lions go head to head against the Eagle Mustangs. Borah lost 20-35 on Oct. 3 absence of senior Hawkins Mann, defensive lineman, who recently moved out of state. The team is looking for someone to step up to fill the gaps he left in defense and leadership. When asked how Hawkins leaving affected the team, Coach Corpus and members of the football team all declined to comment. However, according to the Idaho Statesman, Hawkins transferred to

a high school in Burbank, Calif. The Statesman quoted a tweet Sept. 13 by @myBurbankSports, which said, “BREAKING NEWS: Boise State verbal commit Hawkins Mann enrolled at Burroughs (high school). 6’4” 220 defensive end is a senior transfer. All-State in Idaho.” Borah plays Capital Oct. 17 and Rocky Mountain Oct. 24. These games will be held at Dona Larsen Park at 7 p.m.

Rowdie forefathers promote, carry on traditions By Ashlee Gillespie

agillespie@borahsenator.com

Photo by Jaynee Nielsen | jnielsen@borahsenator.com

The Forefathers from left to right are seniors Nikki Mather, Emiley Schoonover, Benson Matthews, Rylee Randall, and Mackenzie Chiles. They are shown getting ready for the game against Timberline on Sept. 27. Not pictured is senior Montana Bilger, who played in the football game, and senior Nick Ceron.

They’re here to lead the Rowdies, organize school wide fundraisers, and encourage involvement. They are none other than The Forefathers, the embodiment of school spirit. “This year the forefathers want to get everyone involved. Even if people aren’t that interested in sports, we want them to come to the games and show their school spirit,” said senior Emiley Schnoover, one of seven leaders carrying on Borah’s traditions. The other six forefathers are seniors Rylee Randall, Mackenzie Chiles, Nicolette Mather, Benson Matthews, Montana Bilger, and Nick Ceron. Mather has been looking forward to being a forefather since her sophomore year. “It was the first football game my sophomore year, and senior Claire

Richardson let me be the mascot. That sucked, but that’s what really made me want to be a forefather. I like to rowdie,” she said. The forefathers want to set more game themes (be on the lookout for a Jean Out), get flags for games, earn the Sportsmanship Award again this year, and encourage as much student involvement as possible. The forefathers are doing things a little differently from previous years. They are more independent and able to get their requirements done and cooperate with each other. “The forefathers weren’t as involved with all of the rowdies last year, just their group, but this year it’s way more awesome,” Chiles said. Mather commented, “We’re actually Rowdies.”

Sports

The Borah Senator

Fall sports aspire to create successful teams Varsity athletes participate in various beginning-of-the-year competitions; most already headed for districts

Girls Soccer Borah’s girls soccer team started the season with the goal to play as a team and to communicate with one another. The team has a 3-4 record and the athletes are always pushing each other to become better on the field. Junior Kayla Bryant said, “This year all the girls get along and have fun together which helps us play better at the end of the day.”

Cross Country Cross Country had its meet at Coeur D’Alene Sept. 7. The team was excused from school on Friday, Sept. 6, so they could race the following day. JV girls placed third, JV boys placed fifth, and sophomore Sara Christianson placed first for varsity girls. After the meet, the team went to Silverwood Amusement Park and camped out. This is junior Sydney Dominquez’s first year on cross country. “The team’s progress is really good and everyone’s super nice and very welcoming,” she said.

Volleyball This year’s team hopes to have more student support at the volleyball games. The team is focusing on rebuilding the program and working its way back up this season and having the senior players set examples for the sophomore players. “The team works really hard and the coaches are working hard to be the best they can be,” said senior Anna Benavente.

Boys Soccer The boys soccer team has a 6-3 record and, despite losing seniors from last year, the team still gets along well. Junior Griffin Mullin said, “This year we want to play hard as a team and become better leaders on the field.” Losing seniors means gaining incoming sophomore players who may have less experience. “Every team has struggles, and it was hard to deal with the youth, but we have overcome and have become a team,” Mullin said.

Q&A Senior athlete wins award, plans for college By Brittany Perry

bperry@borahsenator.com Senior Montana Bilger is an all around involved young adult. Whether he is playing baseball or football, studying or helping around with the community, Bilger is always busy doing something. Bilger plans to attend West Point Military Academy and continue to play baseball. Q: Do you have an inspirational/motivational quote you look up to? A: Yes, it’s “Some people wake up everyday and dream of success, while others wake up and work hard at it.” Q: How long have you been playing football? A: Since I was 8 years old. Photo by Jaynee Nielsen jnielsen@borahsenator.com

Senior Montana Bilger plays tight end on the varsity football team.

Q: What is your favorite thing about playing football? A: Winning, the whole experience, and being with friends.

Q: Why did you start playing football? A: My parents signed me up and I loved it. I have loved it ever since.

A: A lot of people got nominated, and four were chosen. I have an interview with the news on October 1st.

Q: Who is your inspiration (while playing football)? A: I don’t really have an inspiration for football, but I do for baseball; it would be Roberto Clemente.

Q: How did you feel about being nominated for the DSA? A: I was really excited and shocked. I was proud of myself.

Q: What do you plan to do next year? Continue playing sports? College? A:I am going to West Point, and I would like to continue playing baseball. If I can’t play baseball, I will still be going to West Point. Q: Aside from sports, you recently won the DSA (Distinguished Student Award). What exactly is the DSA? A: It goes to students actively involved in their school and community. Students who have good grades and are all around good kids. Q: How many people received this award?

Q: How did you qualify for this award? A: The staff at Borah nominated a selection of students, and then we all filled out an application. From there, they chose a selection of the applicants to go on.

Trends

October 15, 2013

Senior’s path to Homecoming crown includes nomination, speech, votes By Nikki Siharath

nsiharath@borahsenator.com

Photo by Jaynee Nielsen | jnielsen@borahsenator.com

Senior Hayley Morse was voted Homecoming Queen out of a group of six finalists. During halftime at the Sept. 22 game, Morse was crowned, accompanied by her father at Dona Larsen Park.

Senior Hayley Morse, after reinventing herself as a personal superhero and delivering a one-minute speech, was voted this year’s Homecoming Queen. Thirty-two club representatives were nominated to compete, but only 23 competed, and six made it to the final homecoming court. Morse was very excited to be in the top 23 girls competing. “I always thought I was invisible, till everyone came up to me saying ‘HEY! I voted for you,’ and I just gave them a smile back.” Morse was nominated by her choir teacher. She said she was really nervous, but confident about her speech. Morse wrote her speech by herself, nobody helped her. She thought about what to say and just wrote it down, and practiced it out loud in front of her choir class and volleyball team. “My family and friends supported me, and it felt really great,” said Morse. “To have my parents by my side, while I walked on the field, it was just a phenomenal feeling.”

Senior Sydney Chapman was one of the six finalists. She was nominated by her cross country coach. While Chapman was giving her speech, she said she was nervous, but excited at the same time. At first, Chapman said she didn’t know what to say in her speech. “My mom helped me come up with different ideas. My mind was blank and she came and saved me.” She said it took her several days to make her speech and poster. Chapman was extremely happy about Morse’s crowning as Homecoming Queen. “I really am glad Hayley won the pageant. Being in the top six was a big enough award for me, so I’m glad she won.” Senior Hailey Neff was in the competition. Her DECA adviser nominated her for the event. Neff said her mom helped her write her homecoming speech. “I was really confident to do my speech, because I really love speaking in front of people,” said Neff. “I wasn’t nervous at all.” Neff said she was super excited Morse won and extremely proud to be one of the top six finalists.

bperry@borahsenator.com

Linder Farms

Location- 7165 S. Linder Rd, Meridian ID. 83642 Price- Ages 12+: $4 (Farm only), $10 (Farm and corn maze). Prices range depending on the day you go, and what you plan to do. Description- Straw bale maze, corn maze, hayrides, 20-acre pumpkin patch, barrel train rides, inflatables and astro jumps, petting zoo, pony rides, pumpkin slingshot, concessions, mechanical bull, laser tag, and more.

Haunted World

Location- 20031 Northside Blvd Caldwell, Idaho 83605 Price- $20 Description- Three separate areas are

available: The Haunted World, which is a 30-acre “outdoor haunt” (it takes about 45 minutes to go through); Skullvania, “a hostel asylum gone wrong” (it takes about 15 minutes to go through); and, finally, the Corn Maze, “15 acres of paths cut through the corn” presented by hauntedworld.org.

Farmstead

Location- I-84 and Eagle Road, Exit #46 Price- Prices range from $7.95-$29.95. Prices vary depending on what day you are going and what you are going to do. Description- Farmstead is filled with a tremendous amount of activities. Farmstead includes Field Of Screams, various mazes, a pumpkin patch, a pumpkin smash, a fun run, pink pumpkins and tons of other things.

By Ashlee Gillespie

agillespie@borahsenator.com

Did you ever think school administration would encourage you to bring your wireless devices? BYOD or “Bring Your Own Device” is on it’s way. When school wide Wi-Fi is installed sometime this year, students will be encouraged to bring smartphones, tablets, and laptops to class for academic purposes. “Once there is Wi-Fi, it will be available to every student and every classroom at Borah. By providing Wi-Fi, students will be able to access websites they need and have the opportunity to do their work in classrooms,” said Vice Principal, Kelly Fossceco. Some individuals said the unlimited internet access may be a distraction as well. “Students who have iPods or devices that need Wi-Fi in order to use the internet or smartphones with limited data now have that privilege, but it’s going to end up being a distraction for students. What’s the point?” said junior Emily Brewer. Junior Amelia Baer also agrees it will be a distraction. “We already have desktops in the school and the Wi-Fi will probably be really slow because everyone will be Halloween Store wanting to use it. The outcome of this Location- 303 N Milwaukee St. will just depend on if students use the Boise ID, 83704 opportunity responsibly or irresponsiPrice- Varies on whichever costume bly,” said Baer. you decide on. According to Fossceco, once Wi-FI is Description- Come get all your Hal- installed computer labs won’t need to be loween apparel at one of the biggest booked as much, which may help roamHalloween stores around. Whether you ing teachers. are looking for a costume, a wig, or decIf students use their own technology orations, one is bound to find a suitable for school work and not the labs, the labs costume. will then be turned into actual classrooms, so roaming teachers will have Boo At The Zoo their own room. Saturday, Oct 26th only! 10:00 “All of the elementary schools have AM- 5:00 PM Wi-Fi, so we thought it was time to inLocation- 355 Julia Davis Dr., Boise ID, stall some in the high schools. Having 83702 Wi-Fi is going to be an excellent opporPrice- $7 tunity for both teachers and students,” Description- Boo at the Zoo will be said Fossceco. filled with costumes, candy, games, Whether installing school-wide Wi-Fi pumpkin patch pictures, face painting turns out to be positive or negative, Boand animals! rah just got a little more futuristic.

Release Halloween spirits with these spooky ideas By Brittany Perry

District to install school-wide internet access

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Fun & Games

October 15, 2013

Horror-scopes By Kelsey Trees ktrees@borahsenator.com Libra: September 23 - October 22 Don’t be frightened by all your problems. You know why? The reason being is because eventually your problems will all come to their solutions. Scorpio: October 23 - November 21 Remember, you can share your Halloween spirit! When it comes to sharing, some people do so because it shows their personality! Believe in yourselves! Sagittarius: November 22 - December 21 Ever feel like you are having a bad hair day? Don’t stress too much about it! It can only mean one thing and that’s: Halloween is coming!

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: Medium

Capricorn: December 22 - January 19 Do you want to get high off sugar? I have the perfect example for you! Go out and knock on people’s doors for candy. Maybe even your teacher’s classrooms, have some fun!

Aquarius: January 20 - February 18 Are you scared yet? That’s good, because the time is coming upon quickly! So stay caught up. You stay caught up, the safer you’ll be. Pisces: February 19 - March 20 You really don’t want to fall back in some trap, do you? I wouldn’t think so! The best way to keep yourself from falling in the dark area is by doing your work! Aries: March 21 - April 19 Do you want to avoid going to that every Thursday spooky club? I know I do but there’s only one way to accomplish that! That is completing and doing ALL your homework! DO IT! Taurus: April 20 - May 20 Being too helpful might cause the other pumpkins to be dependent on you all the time. You don’t really want to let that happen because If you do too much the other pumpkins won’t learn much of anything. Sometimes you have to just lay back and relax awhile. Gemini: May 21 - June 20 Some of you might think you have no talents but trust me, you do! They’re hidden ones. Those hidden talents are not for everyone. Some of you just have the Halloween luck due to that case of being. It is an amazing experience! Cancer: June 21 - July 22 What would you do without your education? You probably wouldn’t know anything important. Your education is a huge part of your life. Without it you probably wouldn’t even know anything about what all the spookiness is about! Leo: July 23 - August 22 You are all responsible for your own character. You must all trust yourselves and move on from the bad to the good things happening in life! You have that power to do so. One of the best yet scariest holidays are coming up, be prepared! Virgo: August 23 - September 22 If you trust, you’ll be successful. If you don’t trust, you’ll possibly fail and I know for a fact no one wants to be a failure, especially with this holiday of all time coming up!