El Diablo October 2018

Online at ELDIABLONEWS.COM

El Diablo Voice of the Students Durango High School

2390 Main Ave.

Durango CO 81301

Issue One

Volume Sixty-One October 2017

New academic athletic policy proves challenging MO MURRAY Sports Editor

The 2017-18 school year is off to a roaring athletic start, with several games from various fall sports within the first couple of weeks. This means that, although the school year has barely begun, student athletes and those who participate in other rigorous extracurriculars offered by DHS have already started balancing a full academic load while remaining eligible for sports. In addition, many students miss class regularly for away games and a busy extracurricular schedule.

In the 2016-17 school year, under the new athletic director Adam Bright, the academic policy for activities and athletics was updated, stating that at bi-weekly grade checks, any student failing one or more classes is ineligible to participate for 2 weeks. In addition, any student who has a “D” in any class is ineligible to miss school for any athletic or activity related events for the following week. In addition, in the 17-18 school year, any students who miss more than one class period during the school day may not participate in practice that evening.

Joey Mynatt Jr. Samantha Pastor studies in order to remain eligible under the new athletic policy.

Students debate

Pros and cons on removing Confederate monuments Paxton Scott Out of 428 students there were a total of 30 total Fs last week (10/02/2017). Each student has roughly seven periods resulting in 2,996 classes out of which there were only 30 Fs.

By holding these students to more strict academic standards than in the past, administrators are attempting to promote and encourage dedication to education as well as athletics or other extracurriculars.

Although the most essential component to success as a DHS student is doing well within classes, raised academic standards mean more stress and responsibility for students.

“You can’t expect us to keep our grades at a higher level than others while we have practice and a job. It’s a lot for a teenager to handle,” said Jr. Dominick Maestas, a member of the DHS football team. These students feel as though the pressure placed on them is unfair because they are already managing more than students who do not participate in a sport or activity.

On the other hand, head girls basketball coach Tim Fitzpatrick feels as though the increasing standards are completely adequate.

“I hold my girls to the policy the school sets,” said Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick believes that the existing policy has enough requirements to maintain a competitive team average GPA and better the program and the athletes within it as a whole, without completely overwhelming his athletes.

Concurrent Enrollment:

Mandatory study hall sessions and frequent grade checks are used during season to help athletes maintain these standards and ensure academic success within the program.

The academic policy, although only officially applied to students participating in extracurriculars offered through DHS, has a significant effect on teachers as well.

“I think we should come up with a new system where grades towards the end of the semester are worth more points,” said Ann Tidwell, who teaches both regular and AP Chemistry.

At the beginning of the year when students first start missing classes to travel with a team or club, one missing assignment can have an extremely negative impact on a student’s grade, possibly rendering them ineligible. Teachers have to figure out how to quickly help students repair their grade, which creates a pressured situation for both the student and the teacher.

Although the recently updated policy hold students to more challenging standards than previous years, the ultimate goal is to help students who participate in extracurriculars maintain high academic standards and stay on top of graduation requirements.

The good, the bad, and the ugly

Page 4

BEARS BOBCATS AND BEYOND Page 5

#BackMyTeam Team spirit at DHS

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Increase in AP Enrollment PAXTON SCOTT Head Editor Since 2015, the number of students taking Advanced Placement (AP) at Durango High School has nearly doubled. The rapid change reflects a national trend —supported by DHS administration— which emphasizes the value of AP for all students and increasing the number AP classes available at all levels.

AP is a program run by The College Board that allows students to take college level courses and examinations to earn college credit while in high school. AP course are certified and audited by the College Board.

“Any school can call a class honors, it means nothing. The College Board standardizes rigor,” said Assistant Prince Darren Tarshis who worked with The College Board on administering AP tests last spring.

Tarshis’ eventual goal for AP is to enroll half of the student body in an AP course, which he believes will help DHS send more students on to a successful college experience.

Jenna Beckley Although the costs of Fort Lewis enrollment are largely covered by the state, students have to cover cost of textbooks, a portion of the class fee, and a $60 parking pass (left). In the class pictured above (right), called Media Literacy, students learn about the positive and negative effects social media sites, like Facebook, have on politics.

SAYLOR STOTTLEMYER Feature Editor Concurrent Enrollment is an option for Durango High School students to earn college credit, become involved at a college level, and take classes that are not available at the High School. This process has many benefits and disadvantages that previous and current students have experienced.

Sam Dippold, a 2017 graduate of Durango High School who took a Sociology class his senior year at Fort Lewis College, thought that it was an inexpensive and important introduction to the college environment.

“Concurrent enrollment is the cheapest and easiest way to earn a college credit in high school, and it also gives you the best look into how college will feel and really start you off ahead of the game. If you aren’t prepared enough to meet the challenges college throws at you, it’s a completely different ball game and you need to treat it that way by having good study habits and mental fortitude” said Dippold.

Similarly, former student Harry Steinberg experienced concurrent enrollment through taking Calculus 3 at Fort Lewis

College, and shared his advice on how to succeed in the program. “[With Concurrent Enrollment,] you get a taste of the real college experience without the complete overwhelming course load. Definitely take a class with some friends at the high school so you can create study groups and work together,” said Steinberg.

Deb Medenwaldt, the 11th Grade Academic Advisor from the DHS Counseling Department, elaborates on the process for students who are unaware about the positive and negative aspects of concurrent enrollment.

“Through concurrent enrollment our school district pays tuition and students pay books and other fees, which is a great saving for families. Most students opt for concurrent enrollment after they have exhausted a course of study here at DHS. Students also take concurrent classes for courses we do not offer here at DHS such as automotive technology,” said Medenwaldt.

Emma Vogel, a current senior at Durango High School, is taking International Politics at Fort Lewis College, and she loves being part of the FLC college community.

“One of the pros is the fact that by

passing the class, you receive college credit. Another pro is that if you pass the class with a C or above, the high school pays for the course!” said Vogel.

However, at the same time, she also said that there were some things that she did not like about the process.

“The only con about my concurrent enrollment class is that sometimes I miss advisory and/or assemblies. I also had to coordinate my DHS schedule so that I had no overlapping classes,” said Vogel.

Sr. Kylee Cosse is taking Psychology:157 currently at Fort Lewis College and she cannot see a con with the program, besides the fact that everyone doesn’t do it.

“Concurrent enrollment is like dipping your toe into the college experience without jumping in fully. This opportunity for higher education allows students to think critically about not only their own lives but about infinite possibilities the future could hold for us all,” said Cosse.

Concurrent enrollment has both positive and negative aspects; it is an option open to DHS students to expand their course selection and get insight into the college environment.

“Taking and passing an AP course at some point in high school is the biggest indicator for success. If you can have that experience in high school, you have experience and have strategies to deal with your first college physics class,” said Tarshis, who taught AP physics before coming to DHS. In addition to preparing students for college level coursework, AP classes are often touted as a way to decrease the achievement gap, the disparity in educational performance between different socioeconomic groups.

Continued on Page 3.

ELDIABLONEWS.COM October 2017

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News

Up and coming: Clark for DHS exceptional student services

EMMA VOGEL Reporter

In America today, there are about fifteen million students attending public high school. Out of these fifteen million, about six million of America’s high schoolers receive exceptional student services (ESS).

ESS is a form of learning provided to students with exceptional needs, such as students with learning disabilities or social emotional needs. Every day while high school students are continuously dragging through classes, do they ever stop to wonder what is being provided for their peers?

Durango High School’s peer influence program was created to give students from all grades an opportunity to positively influence peers with intellectual disabilities.

“Peer influence is multiple fold… it’s definitely to help the student with significant needs. To be able to integrate into the general ed classroom and to be successful in that setting but to also be around their peers,” said Sandy Seibert, one of DHS’s peer influence coordinators.

DHS students have a passion for being positive influences in settings that differ from their comfort zone.

While the PI program is undoubtedly a valuable foundation of our high school atmosphere, DHS has struggled to keep the program consistent.

“We’ve had some turnover in that position that Mr. Clark is in right now, and so it’s hard to structure a program when there’s people coming and going” says Seibert.

DHS has had an abundance of teachers come and go in the general education department over the last five years, making it difficult to establish a steady curriculum for both the students and the teachers.

However, there is a light on the horizon this year for DHS. We have acquired a new teacher in the head posi-

Matt Clark

Durango High School sends ESS students Daniel Ramos (left) and Isaac Balderrama (right) with their peer Jr. Nick Dudley (center) on a fishing trip at Haviland Lake. tion of the ESS program, Matthew Clark.

Clark came to DHS from Aurora public schools with fresh ideas and progressive hopes for our school community.

“For the past 6 years I have taught special education (ESS) in a district where I had to commute from another city to teach. I moved here because I wanted to work for a district where it was also my community and could be a strong advocate for my students in and out of school,” said Clark.

Clark’s dreams for DHS include solidifying peer influence as a whole so that the benefits are felt school wide.

“I want students who are interested in the population I teach and have the same passion to see them succeed,” said Clark.

Clark believes that quality inclusion involves open minded students who are committed to the success of their peers.

Supporting Clark in his up and coming curriculum, Seibert is excited to see what Clark will bring to the table.

“He has a great vision for where he wants the program to go, by second semester hopefully they will be dialed in,” said Seibert.

Peer influence would be a one dimen-

sional program if it wasn’t for the students who are dedicated to and inspired by their peers.

“I was involved to watch the development of the students… and watch as their minds grew and their know-how enhanced” said Dalton Garrett, former PI. DHS’s peer influence program is a thriving lifeblood of our school community. Although the program has seen shaky days, as a school we welcome Mr. Clark, and can not wait to see the benefits he provides to our inspiring program.

Unreported Philanthropists to the rescue natural disasters Local couple saves Durango Nordic Center EMMA JABER Arts Editor

The recent devastation caused by natural disasters all over the world has left many people and places broken.

Hurricanes, fires, and earthquakes have plagued the planet in the past couple of months, but for some reason, some disasters seem to be getting more media attention than others.

So what makes some places more reported on than others? What factors go into the headlines and articles of the most devastating events around?

Houston, for example, was hit by hurricane Harvey between August 25th, and September 3rd, and was sprawled across most headlines and major news networks. Many volunteer workers and aid programs have been in Houston since Harvey, and rightfully so, as many people in Texas have been faced with irreversible damage.

“Honestly, because our news is broadcast throughout America, people aren’t as concerned about what’s happening in other places around the world. This can be harmful because the U.S. is a big enough country to where we have the ability to help others when they need it, but most of the time other countries aren’t covered as much in the news” said Durango High School Junior Stella Hildebrand.

Some of the most destruction caused recently by Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico mid September, and according to CNN, residents were waiting for aid almost a week later. The entire island lost power, and about half of the residents don’t have water.

Fires in Montana destroyed thousands of acres of land, and the news coverage of the fire was not nearly circulated as frequently as some of the other recent disasters. Proximity to a certain disaster can dictate the exposure certain people get to it, and in some cases, some people are completely unaware of the current destruction at no fault of their own.

“I think the media focuses on places that people know and will give more attention to. For example, I’ve heard quite a few people talk about how beautiful it once was when there are also smaller and equally beautiful places that no one hears about” said Jr. Breann Waddell.

And it’s not just some disasters getting overshadowed by others, it’s other popular culture events and rumors taking media precedence over global destruction. Many have taken to social media to express their frustrations with mainstream media and tabloids failing to comment on the severity of current events.

CARTER REITER Managing Editor

Last fall, the Durango Nordic Center, an area of land across from Purgatory Ski Resort, used primarily for Nordic skiing, snow biking, and snowshoeing, was threatened by a massive RV park development. The development would have compromised approximately 160 acres of the trails and land that make up the recreational area. Many efforts were made by the Durango Nordic Ski Club (DNSC) to save the land, but to no avail.

Then, on August 2, 2017, Jane and Marc Katz announced that they had purchased 190 acres in the Boyce Lake and Tacoma Village area, across from Purgatory, thus rescuing the Durango Nordic Center land that had been threatened by the development.

“While we certainly weren’t excited about the motor coach development, I think it’s important to note that DNSC wasn’t actively working to prevent the development from happening, but rather trying to work with the developer to maintain trails in that area and show him how they could actually be an amenity for the development. The developer was not very keen to keep the trails so obviously having the Katz’s purchase the land is pretty much the happiest ending we could have asked for!” said Paige Elliott, the former Head Coach of the DNSC. In an open letter to the San Juan County, The President of the DNSC Board, Tom Holcomb, outlined the desires of the Nordic Center and the DNSC program.

“DNSC wants to partner with San Juan County and the Motorcoach development to conceive a plan that benefits all stakeholders today and

The Durango Nordic Center building across from Purgatory Ski Resort.

into the future. As stated, our request involves securing the ability to maintain in perpetuity the essential function of our current North Loop which critically extends and connects the trail network that straddles San Juan and La Plata Counties. DNSC requests this Commission and the Board to consider measures and limitations that would preserve the current North Loop trail network. Preserving this trail benefits San Juan County, the Motorcoach development, local residents, visitors and DNSC,” stated Holcomb.

According to Elliott, the developer was not enthusiastic about maintaining the trails and made no moves to work with DNSC. DNSC attended public meetings with the San Juan County Planning Commision to provide input on why the affected trails were essential to the Nordic Center.

Prior to the purchase of the land, the land was not public land and was privately owned by Purgatory Resort.

To the Nordic Community, the announcement of the land being bought

Jenna Beckley

in early August, was like first snow that came early. Approximately one third of the nordic trails at the nordic center would have been compromised that have been rescued by this benevolent act.

“Overall, the reason the land was purchased was to preserve the community nordic trails and the landscape. Sometimes, it’s hard, globally, to feel like you have an impact, but by acting locally you make little steps. The biggest summary is that living in this community, so many people help and contribute in so many ways, either by volunteering or coaching or being politically active, and the was [the Katz’s] way of giving back to the community. The land was purchased in the spirit and love of the unique nordic community,” said Moira Montrose, the Katz’s assistant.

The Nordic Center will continue to run and operate the way that is has historically been run. As of September 30, 2017, there will be no changes to the trails inside of the purchased land.

Jenna Beckley The Durango Nordic Center building replaced an older wood cabin that was heated by a wood burning stove. The new building includes office space.

El Diablo

News

ELDIABLONEWS.COM October 2017

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AP Classes are growing, but are they helping? continued from page 1.

“One of the grants I am associated with is AIMES, and their stated goal is to increase college achievement for Native Americans. They see a very direct correlation between the number of AP classes students take in high school and their success in college,” said Robert Aspen, a counselor at DHS. Despite the positive of experience that Tarshis and Aspen have with AP, some experts questions whether AP is necessarily an effectual method to prepare students for college and narrow the achievement gap.

“A mindset that we are fostering is that: I can be an AP student; I can be a successful in AP classes,” - Tara Haller In a review of 20 existing research studies on AP, Challenge Success, a research-based organization at Stanford University, found that studies on AP had extreme difficulty separating causation and correlation.

“We believe that more research needs to be done before we can verify the broad claim that taking AP classes makes students likely to succeed in college,” states the review.

All Info-graphics created by Paxton Scott Each subject is organized by the number of AP tests administered; Art History had the lowest number of tests at DHS at 11 while Calculus AB had the largest number at 62. In both United States History and Chemistry only one student scored a five.

The review argues that to effectively address the achievement gap, the AP program needs to include changes such as extra tutoring, professional development, and extra instruction for students.

It cites evidence that many efforts to increase AP in inner city schools often

Computer Science Principles was a first year AP class and was one of the few classes were zero students received a score of one.

resulted in few students passing the test with a three or higher.

As part of the effort to increase AP enrollment, DHS is offering more AP courses to freshmen and sophomores. In the last year, the number of 9th graders in AP courses jumped from four to 76. The sophomore class also showed a marked increase from 58 students to 122.

One example of expansion of AP classes for underclassmen is the replacement of Honors World History with AP World History.

“Our Honors World History was almost as rigorous as AP world history,” said Tarshis, in support of the modification.

However, some teachers and students question whether asking freshmen and sophomores to take college level course is really in their best interest.

“I do and I don’t support the change to AP. I support the change because it is the change and anytime we change I am going to do my best to make that successful. I still wonder if the honors class in some ways taught the same skills but at a much more high school student level,” said Ed Cash, the long time teacher of Honors World History

who now teaches two sections of AP World History.

As a result of the transition to AP, Cash covers history at much quicker rate in order to cover all the topics necessary for the AP test. He worries that his AP students are not learning to enjoy and love history in the same way that his honors students did.

Difficulty and high expectations of AP classes is part of their value; it’s what sets them apart from regular classes.

Math and computer science teacher, Tarra Haller, believes that increasing AP opportunities is an overall positive trend but also recognizes that taking multiple AP classes is not the right choice for all students.

“I think that we have to continue to talk to our students about making healthy choices around time management and what’s realistic in terms of each individual student,” said Haller.

Administration projects another increase in students taking AP courses for the next academic year. While increased post secondary success, as a result, is not guaranteed, AP courses do represent a chance for students of all backgrounds to earn college credit and develop good study skills.

Reach for equality One bathroom at a time MADDY GLEASON Reporter

Durango High School has historically scored above the state average; however, with more students taking AP classes the percent of students scoring above a three has decreased.

School board vacancies result in new members AUSTIN SWAN Reporter

In the past year the Durango 9-R School Board has had many vacancies and new members. Durango community members will be able to vote on three of the seats on Nov. 7. The three four-year seats that are up for election are District A, District C, and District E Nancy Stubbs, the current School Board President and holder of the District A seat gave me a statement on what she thought about the vacancies and changes to the Board.

“I think change is good, they were going to be up for election anyway and now we have two new people. It’s always good to have new ideas and experience on the board.”

Stubbs is optimistic about the changes and believes that they will all work out.

Principal Jon Hoerl, also gave a statement.

“The most important thing that you could have is a school board that is supportive and backs up what is best for kids, and I think that our school board has done that for several years now.

From what I gather and see it is what is going to happen going into the future as well.” said Hoerl.

Hoerl values a strong School Board, and believes that the new members of the board will do their job to the best of their ability.

Sarah Berggren, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent & Board Clerk, discussed changes to the board.

“I don’t know if you could necessarily say these changes are good or not good, because you started with great and you’re still at great.” said Berggren.

Berggren loves the school board and thinks that the Durango school board is amazing. She values all the different opinions and people on the school board and knows that the changes will work out.

Overall, most people are happy with the changes and are sure that the Durango school board will continue to be amazing. Most agree that the two people who have stepped onto the board to fill the empty seats until the election date have done a good job, and will likely run for election and continue to do good things for the board.

Maggie Maloney The 9-R Administration building on 2nd Avenue, where the executive decisions are made.

One out of eight students at DHS have experienced bullying in their high school career. At DHS, we strive to include everyone, and bullying is not tolerated.

It is a fact that transgender students experience more bullying than other students, and they have it much worse.

Nationally, many transgender teens have felt targeted at school especially since Donald Trump was elected as our president. Nationally, 41% of transgender students have attempted suicide.

Stella Walsh All-Gender Restrooms have started popping up all around Durango, including DHS.

As a student body, we are trying to change this, and our biggest advancement so far is the idea of establishing gender-neutral bathrooms for gender nonconforming students or staff, or anyone in need of a restroom.

“There are single use bathrooms that have been labeled male or female, and that’s kind of a silly thing. They’re single bathrooms, and what does it matter if they are male or female? It’s a gender neutral bathroom,” said Dan Snowberger, Durango 9R superintendent.

DHS is a very diverse school, and a main goal is to make sure all students feel welcome, no matter their race, religion, appearance, sexual orientation,

October 2017

gender orientation, or any other factor.

Equality in the student body and staff is crucial to our learning environment.

With around 10 of these non-conforming restrooms at DHS, all students would have a safe place to go.

“I think there are a lot of people who have discomfort using a group bathroom, and our hope is, by labeling them clearly, students will know there are options,” said Snowberger.

With individual stalls with no specific gender, any student would be able to use these bathrooms.

Statistics show that nationally, 51 percent of people think transgender people deserve the same rights as the rest of the population.

“Durango promotes no place for hate, and people should be accepted,” said one anonymous student.

“We need this so that the transgender community feels safe and respected in society,” said another anonymous source.

However, 46 percent of people in the United States think that transgender people should use the bathroom they were born into.

The 46 percent of people believe that if men were allowed in women’s restrooms, there would be a possibility for assault in the bathrooms.

They also think it’s unnatural and encourages cross-dressing, which is inappropriate for school environments.

But really, how can we categorize humanity?

“Regardless of the individual’s needs, it’s our job to make sure our buildings are accessible. Often times, people will want to make it about one type of student, but our position is all students, all people deserve the right to access our building,” said Snowberger.

The district has put in about 9-10 gender neutral bathrooms in several schools, and the goal is to have around 10 at every school for anyone who needs to use them.

29 out 50 states have failed to pass laws that protect LGBTQ+ individuals.

Fortunately, Colorado does have laws that protect LGBTQ individuals. Although it’s difficult to change the whole country, we can change Durango, and that starts with DHS. “All people deserve a right to access our building, and that’s what we are investing dollars in,” said Snowberger.

ELDIABLONEWS.COM October 2017

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Opinion

Should confederate statues stand?

Word Art

Gillian Holmgren Confederate statue and flag supporters argue that they represent “heritage not hate” while in actuality, they represent a time of terrorism among people of the same country and continue to use it to intimidate and justify their racism.

Clearly, they don’t understand what they’re defending. From the beginning of the Confederacy to its miserable defeat in May of 1865, it stood for white supremacy and continues to stand for it now. Monuments should reflect American values that can be respected by everyone, not arouse negative and hateful ideas of superiority.

Though the Civil War was from 18611865, many Confederate statues weren’t built until the early 1900’s. With the rise of black power and wealth during Reconstruction, white supremacists wanted to find new methods of control; they used this time to further their crusade against the black population. This crusade consisted of the KKK, lynchings, Jim Crow segregation, and rewriting of history through the mass production of Confederate statues.

The statues were strategically placed in areas with a large black population in order to instill fear into the minds of African Americans. White supremacists were focused on maintaining the power

they had over black people and had a concerted plan to do so. Each peak in the production of confederate monuments coincided with a time of blatant racism.

With even the smallest accomplishments in black rights came a targeted backlash in white supremacy and the creation of Confederate statues. This occurred alongside an increase of white supremacist groups, the “Lost Cause” myth, and as the Jim Crow laws were cemented into southern societies. This is not a coincidence, this is a clear sign that confederate monuments are symbols of racism.

If these statues are put in place to commemorate “heroes” of the Confederacy and the Civil War, why isn’t there a single statue of an emancipated slave?

Or any person of color? Why put up reminders of a loss?

Even Robert E. Lee, the center of the Charlottesville rally, didn’t want to erect the statues, saying in 1866, “I think it wiser not to keep open the sores of war but to follow the examples of those nations who endeavored to obliterate the marks of civil strife, to commit to oblivion the feelings engendered.”

For some reason, southerners can’t face the facts about the history of the Confederacy. People walk the streets of southern towns dressed head to toe in Confederate flags and other white supremacist regalia, chanting slurs and hate speech; what does that say about their heritage? These people aren’t protesting against the elimination of Southern culture and history, but instead reacting to their own deluded ideas that white people are losing control.

The South lost the war, but it seems people are still fighting in one with the same core ideas: racism, intolerance, and hatred. And at the center are symbols that represent the most racist and hostile times in U.S. history.

The hypocrisy of Antifa

Austin Swan

Groups on the left love to talk about free speech, but only when it is helpful to the point they are trying to make.

Recently, the left has been quick and strong to defend the free speech rights of NFL players who choose to kneel or stay in the locker room during the National Anthem. Yet, when Milo Yiannopoulos, a conservative activist, tries to exercise his free speech rights by speaking on campus at UC Berkeley, there are riots resulting in his free speech being denied and shut down.

Antifa (anti-fascists) is a militant far left extremist group that has been gaining large amounts of popularity in the recent year due to media coverage - both in their actions and the way the public has viewed/accepted what they have been doing.

Members of Antifa believe that they need to stand up against injustices, fascism and violence by exhibiting physical force and using fascism.

Antifa was recently deemed a domestic terrorist group by the Department of Homeland Security under the Obama Administration. Antifa was labeled as a domestic terrorist group because of their violent actions against individuals and organizations.

Antifa claims to stand against fascism, racism, sexism, the discrimination of minorities and free speech. Even though Antifa claims to stand for all of these issues, their actions don’t always back their rhetoric.

Antifa’s tactic of shutting down the speech of others that differ in opinion from them is, ironically, fascist.

When Antifa labels groups of people as sexists, white supremacists, Nazis, or racists based off of their skin color or gender, they are performing acts of discrimination.

Antifa speaks about standing up for free speech but does the opposite by claiming that hateful or violent speech is not free speech, or that some types of speech are violent and should be shut down. This has happened many times at colleges, most recently on Sept 14, 2017 at UC Berkeley.

Members of this militant band show up to events held by groups of people who disagree with them ready to initiate violence and cause conflict. Antifa members wear masks to hide their identity because they understand that the things they are doing are illegal: attempting to strip people of their constitutional rights.

One quality of most civilized countries is that the police are the only group of people allowed to use legitimate force against others. It is the police’s job to deal with criminal violence and injustices, as well as protect the rights of the public, not Antifa’s.

The best way to slow down and deal with this movement is through the police. The police in cities that deal with Antifa need to shut down violence at the start, and ensure that the public retains their constitutional rights of free speech.

In the past, cops have been told by people in power to stand down in an attempt to lower the amount of violence in the area.

This method has been proven ineffective at best, because the US has seen this strategy being used, and the result is always Antifa getting violent anyways.

An example of the strategy proposed earlier was used on Thursday, Sept. 14th In Berkeley. Ben Shapiro, a very conservative speaker spoke at UC Berkeley.

In total, the college spent $600,000 on security for the event.

Antifa showed up to the event, but no one was injured and no fights occurred.

Nine Antifa members were arrested for possession of a weapon or trying to initiate violence. The only thing Antifa managed to accomplish at the event was a peaceful, if hateful, protest through constitutionally protected modes of expression.

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confederate monuments lose focus of what’s really oppressing them, but doing so also alienates potential civil rights allies.

“This is a total distraction that is undercutting most of the progress we’ve made...these are kids who grew up free, and they don’t realize what still enslaves them — and it’s not those monuments” said Young.

It seems the majority of black Americans agree. In a poll conducted by NPR, 44 percent of African Americans said statues honoring leaders of the confederacy should remain as a historical symbol, compared to 4o percent who thought they should be removed. Nationwide, 62 percent of adults believe confederate monuments should not be taken down.

President Trump’s response to the controversy was met with outrage when he published a tweet condemning the statue removal and suggesting that next, people would call for the removal of monuments to George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

Despite the backlash, it took only hours for the President’s prediction to come true. That very evening, a fringe group of campus lefties called for statues of Washington, Jefferson, and even Abraham Lincoln (evidently because he didn’t abolish slavery soon enough) to be pulled down.

Former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice sees the statues as a reminder of history, something especially important for those who weren’t apart of it.

“You don’t have to honor the purposes of people whose history now shows that they were on the other side of history, but you better be able to remind people. So, I myself am not much for whitewashing history” said Rice in an interview with Cameron Smith.

Taking down monuments of our nation’s leaders because they were involved in a dark part of our nation’s history prevents future generations from learning from past mistakes. Instead, monuments should be added to or revised - a statue of Robert E. Lee with a description of what the confederacy stood for is more beneficial, and certainly more accessible, than a textbook in a high school history class or an exhibit at a museum.

The removal of confederate statues not only erases history, but also provides politicians and political activists a chance to look admirable in the eyes of the liberal public without making any real change for the better. Melting down Robert E. Lee will only distract and divide a country that needs to be united if its racial barriers are to be broken down.

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Caroline Knight On the Editor’s Desk This summer, a white nationalist rally protesting the removal of Confederate statues in Charlottesville, North Carolina sparked a national debate.

Supporters of the removal argue that statues of Confederate leaders are symbols of white supremacy, and only help to encourage hate groups that appear to have been given new momentum under the Trump administration. In reality, the removal of statues — however controversial — does little to fix the issues actually oppressing minorities in America.

Whether the monuments stand or not, black Americans will still face a poverty rate 13 percent higher than white Americans, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found the unemployment rate for blacks sits at 7.3 percent, much higher than the national average of 4.2 percent, and farther still from the percentage of unemployed whites (3.7 percent).Factually, there’s no denying black Americans are at an economic disadvantage compared to whites. The removal of confederate statues will not help a single one of them. It will not drop the unemployment rate. It will not heighten the test scores of black children in under performing school districts. If anything, the uproar over confederate monuments only distracts from real issues facing many black people everyday.

Politicians are more than happy to remove confederate statues; it’s easy, popular, and gives the illusion that they’ve taken on an important issue, without actually doing any grunt work to better their community.

In a recent interview with NPR, Andrew Young, a lifelong civil rights activist who worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr., argued that not only do those advocating for the removal of

El Diablo Voice of the students and official newspaper of Durango High School.

Contact us: Mailing address: 2390 Main Avenue Durango, Colorado 81301 Phone: 970-259-1630, ext. 2221 Fax: 970-375-3987 Email: tjolley@durango.k12.co.us Editors: Head editors: Paxton Scott and Caroline Knight Managing editor: Carter Reiter News Heads: Haley Szcezch and Tierney Brennan Feature head: Lilah Slaughter Feature editor: Saylor Stottlemeyer Sports head: Bekah Moenning Sports editor: Mo Murray Arts head: Afton Mann Arts editor: Emma Jaber Specials head: Brianna Brown Specials editor: Irie Sentner Head photographers: Jenna Beckley and Maddie Dearien Photographers: Tatum Behn, Maggie Maloney, Stella Walsh, Cassandra Blau, Joey Mynatt, Autumn Stevens, Lydia Schertz, Alyssa Robertson, Hailey Voss Advertising editors: Ramon Perez, Gavin Syme Online heads: Gwen Stoddard, Gillian Holmgren Online editors: Tommy Rodgers, Sophie Hughes, Liana Bygel Reporters: Austin Swan, Emma Vogel, Jack Whistler, Sophia Adamski, Maddy Gleason Subscriptions... are 15 dollars a year; please send a check and mailing address to: El Diablo, 2390 Main Avenue, Durango, CO 81301. Thank you for supporting scholastic journalism.

El Diablo is a public forum for public expression produced by the students of Durango High School’s newspaper class under the advisement of Todd Jolley. It is printed by the Durango Herald/Cortez Journal. The paper encourages letters to the editor but will not print unsigned or libelous letters; opinions stated are not necessarily those of the administration, staff or school board.

DISCLAIMER: Advertisements do not necessarily reflect the views of Durango High School students or El Diablo staff.

El Diablo

Feature

ELDIABLONEWS.COM October 2017

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BEARS, BOBCATS, and BEYOND: Conflict between Durango humans and wildlife

Courtesy of Kevinanne Curmano Kevinanne Curmano has had a continuous problem with mountain lions on her property. She captured this image of a bobcat she encountered in her backyard.

MADDY GLEASON Reporter JACK WHISTLER Reporter Here in Durango, wildlife is a major part of our community. Although we embrace wildlife’s contribution to our mountain-town, there are clearly setbacks to all of the wildlife and human interactions. Local experts are calling this bear season the worst since 2002.

The problem has gone past a few tipped over trash cans and random scat. Are we living too close to our furry friends?

David Weisfeldt, a government teacher at DHS, has first-hand experience with the nearly-unmanageable animal interaction in Durango.

It was Christmas break, 2004, when a bobcat snuck through Weisfeldt’s cat door, and crawled under the futon. Unfortunately, Weisfeldt was on that futon and he woke up and startled the bobcat.

This created a game of tag between them, and the bobcat would’ve done damage, but luckily, it was a sick female who had lost hunting skills.

Weisfeldt called the police, who referred him to Animal Control. He was instructed to open all the windows and doors to safely remove the animal from his house. He did so, and after taking a stroll around the dimly-lit neighborhood, he returned to his house and the bobcat had left.

“Animal Control understood the problem, but they were reluctant because they were afraid of the animal,” said Weisfeldt.

Animal control had told him that the older female bobcat had lost some hunting ability, so she was searching residential areas for small house cats, and wouldn’t hesitate to attack a human in it’s way.

Although our citizen’s safety is a pri-

mary concern, we also need to consider the safety of the creatures involved.

Bryan Peterson, a representative at BearSmart Durango, explains how animals and humans coexist in mountain communities like ours.

Bear Smart’s mission is to preserve the well-being of bears by reducing human attractants. So far, efforts in this direction are going slow. BearSmart was started in 2003 in the response to the 2002 bear season.

“You can educate people all you want, but you need some mechanism to change the way people go about this’[It] started with education of community, elected officials, and had its limitations” says Peterson.

Since then, Bear Smart has grown; creating programs which remove human foods from bear environments and assists in removing attractants and electrical fences. “[There’s] loss of habitat due to development. There are only so many places bears can go,” said Peterson.

As Durango expands, more people throw away trash and more bears eat it.

“Bears can benefit short-term from human food, but the end result is higher mortality, and it offsets any benefit they receive,” says Peterson.

“Increased mortality is due to them being killed for nuisance behavior or in vehicular accidents,” said Peterson, who believes we need more diligence for existing wildlife laws.

Bears are just as important as the community in Durango. To ensure that their safety is considered along with ours, we need to remove attractants from our yards and have better products to implement bear safety. However, with the waste management’s reluctance to provide free bear safety trash cans, our community will continue to suffer due to bear interactions and bears will continue

to suffer from their increasing mortality rate.

Kevinanne Curmano, former DHS English teacher, shares her confrontation with a mountain lion. She has had several experiences where mountain lions are on or near her property.

“Sometimes the Division of Wildlife was helpful. At first I was a little bit nervous, but as I have come to love the mountain lions, I feel sad for them. I think we need to realize that we are in their habitat, they are not in ours. This is their land, and we need to give them space and be considerate,” said Curmano.

Waste Management of Durango usually deals with the trash cans and bearproof containers that help us conserve bears and their safety, and fix problems that occur between humans and bears.

Although the Waste Management company is doing little to fix these problems, many citizens and organizations of Durango are striving to conserve bear

and other wildlife populations.

The Colorado Parks and Wildlife association (CPW) deals with injured animals and focuses on the rehabilitation of wildlife.

They attempt to conserve the wildlife resources of the state, and strive to “inspire current and future generations to serve as active stewards of Colorado’s natural resources,” said their mission statement. They are doing this through school educating programs and community bear events.

Melissa Youssef, a city councilor, has an insider’s view on the new policy of changing Durango. As of September 18th, the city sent out an emergency city ordinance where the first offense for bear trash can accidents is a fine of $100, with no warning.

In August, 10 bears were euthanized and 15 were killed in vehicular accidents. Bears are euthanized for coming too close to humans or acting as threats to human establishments or groups of people.

“This is one of the worst years in a long time. It’s a huge issue, but it begins in our community, changing human behavior so bears’ safety is protected.”

“It impacts everyone, and our top priority is to educate the community,” said Youssef.

There are steps we can take, but it depends on the budget. If we want to change, we need more money for the community.

At DHS, several trash cans were broken into by bears, and in response, the welding class built bear resistant containers. If our community makes steps like this, our human and animal interaction rate will go down.

“We need stiff city ordinance, and public awareness is important. There are no bad bears, just bad people who leave their trash out,” said Weisfeldt.

Courtesy of Todd Jolley Bears are present outside the school every night, because there is typically food surrounding the area. They knock over trash cans and look for food all around the campus.

Pencil and paper, or code and keys?

Cassandra Blau Students differ in the type of learning style they prefer: Jr. Risa Whitehead prefers technology for ease, and Jr. Luke Nicholson prefers handwriting assignments for comprehension.

LILAH SLAUGHTER Head Features Editor The age of technology has opened up a new world of learning, with a set of benefits and setbacks for students and teachers alike. Students in high school and even outside mainstream schooling feel the effect that coding has made.

Even when presented the option, some high school students just prefer the old-school method.

“I definitely prefer hand-writing assignments over typing them because I feel as though my thoughts flow better when putting pen to paper,” said Sr. Noah Toro.

Not only may thoughts flow more easily, studies have shown that handwritten notes are often better-retained than their typed counterparts.

For [Pam A. Mueller of Princeton University and the University of California’s Daniel M. Oppenheimer’s] first

study, they took university students (the standard guinea pig of psychology) and showed them TED talks about various topics... When testing how well the students remembered information, the researchers found a key point of divergence in the type of question. For questions that asked students to simply remember facts, like dates, both groups did equally well. But for “conceptualapplication” questions, such as, ‘How do Japan and Sweden differ in their approaches to equality within their societies?’ the laptop users did ‘significantly worse,’” said NPR’s Rachel Martin.

However, students who deal with sloppy handwriting benefit greatly from the neatness and organization of typed notes at the click of a button.

“I prefer typed notes because I feel I can compose them much faster and with less grammatical errors. I also do not have the best handwriting and struggling to read my own writing when

studying for exams is a very significant inconvenience,” said Grand Canyon University Fr. Audrey Chambers.

Although if notes are legible, experienced teachers have seen the benefit of paper-based studying in their own classrooms, in addition to studies recognizing the difference in conceptual information retention. “ One student, in particular, was in my SAT prep course and wanted to increase his verbal score for the SAT. His goal was to raise his score 100 points (quite a lot of points to earn) so that he could qualify for admission into M.I.T. After one semester of thorough practice with handwriting vocabulary words (definitions, analogies, etc.), annotating texts, and handwriting processes of elimination on the test questions, he increased his score and was accepted,” said English teacher Amy Stanton, who has taught for fifteen years.

For many critical-thinking assignments, Stanton requires that they be hand-written for the benefit of students and to prevent cheating.

“I always write my notes, so (Ms. Stanton’s preference) doesn’t really impact me, but I think as an AP college prep class, students should have the opinion to do whichever they want since that’s how it’ll be later,” said her student, Sr. Ruby Epstein.

Epstein’s prediction holds true, especially for universities that are online-based, such as Grand Canyon University. While students attend classes in person, they are all online-based.

Discussion forums are online, so most of the interaction between students occurs over the internet. Textbooks are online, all quizzes and tests are online, and students can expect immediate replies

October 2017

to any questions they email to their professors, which is especially helpful because students don’t have to coordinate their schedules with teachers to meet in person.

“Overall, I have noticed that I am able to manage my time much better through an online learning community.

I can work on my class work anywhere, and that makes a big difference in my academic success because I tend to have a really busy schedule,” said Chambers.

While Stanton sees more benefits to learning from writing than typing, she acknowledges that technology can play a crucial role in supplementing students’ educations.

“Viewing and listening are essential tools for learning new information and technology is a phenomenal resource for these. It is important to use technology and I believe that writing, paired with technology, can only create better circumstances for retention,” said Stanton.

Enrolled in online school, Jr. Callen Rothbauer has also noticed the necessity of balance. Without daily interaction in a classroom with teachers and written material, he’s struggled to stay on top of his work.

“It’s much harder to learn online than in a classroom; if I don’t understand the wording, it’s hard to figure out because I don’t have a teacher to describe the process in a different way, a frustration that often slows or stops my progress.

I now have less motivation because there’s no interaction, no real reason to do it, and no urgency from teachers,” said Rothbauer.

Despite studies, the debate seems to come down to what works best for the individual student in each academic situation they’re presented with.

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Feature

ELDIABLONEWS.COM October 2017

How Well Did you Sleep Last Night?

IRIE SENTNER Specials Editor

Durango High School is filled with dedicated students who do amazing things. Many take full course loads, advanced classes, and participate in a myriad of extracurriculars. But while a busy lifestyle is appealing to most, sleep is often compromised, which can lead to multiple issues inside and outside of the classroom.

The importance of sleep is often an oversight for adolescents, whose active lives can lead to sleepless nights.

“Sleep is extremely important at the high school level because students are often involved in activities after school, followed by family time and then homework,” said district nurse Adeline Bryant. “Without adequate sleep, stress levels can increase and studies often slip. I advocate for 8 to 9 hours of sleep a night for high-school students.”

While lack of sleep often causes stress and academic tension, it can also affect many other aspects of students’ lives.

“Sleep deprivation is somewhat like starving yourself,” said local licensed clinical social worker Darren McKinnis. “Our bodies need sleep. It is our body’s way of rebooting. When someone becomes sleep deprived you can experience a number of things. These include lack of coordination, lack of concentration, weight loss or weight

gain. One way to think of sleep deprivation is to think of pouring concrete on your brain. Imagine attempting to do higher math functions while having the weight of concrete sitting on your brain.

This is exactly what sleep deprivation is like to the body. In today’s society we have little down time and we often find ourselves staying up late attempting to finish school work or things that we did not get done during the day.”

Sophomore Lola Thomas is all-too familiar with having a full schedule.

“Not only am I in advanced classes, but dance competitively at Bella Dance Studio for over twelve hours every week.

After homework, practice, and dinner, I’m lucky if I can squeeze in six hours of sleep.”

Long nights can make a student’s day more difficult; tired teens can hit a productivity wall. “After nights when I don’t get a lot of sleep, the next day can be hard to focus. It takes me longer to do homework and makes cross country more painful,” says So. Anna Pylar.

Thomas and Pylar are two of many DHS students that struggles with fitting sleep into a busy schedule, but working on homework or cramming for exams late at night can actually decrease one’s potential to do well.

“Adolescents have this belief that they can go on and on forever with little to no consequences. This however, is not the case at all. If you pull an all nighter

The GREAT American Eclipse

Maddie Dearien Students are extremely tired during the school day. The couches near the History Department are great place for students to crash when there stress level and sleep are at risk.

for your finals you are more likely to be less smart than if you would have just studied for a short amount of time. As I stated before, your body needs to shut down and recharge,” said McKinnis.

Stress is also a major contributor to student sleep loss. Although some students are unaware of these stresses, they often contribute to lack of rest.

“The life of a typical adolescent is relatively stressful. Although some don’t recognize their life as being stressful until finals or some big event in their life, most experience some sort of stress on a daily basis,” said McKinnis. “Stress is

part of life, but what most people don’t realize it that it has a cumulative effect on the body. Too much stress will cause interruptions in sleep patterns.”

Next time you’re stressed about class, cramming for the final, or thinking about tomorrow’s practice, remember to consider that your brain needs rest. In a world that’s constantly moving at 100 miles per hour, perhaps it’s best to lay down, close your eyes, and sleep.

After all, tomorrow’s going to be a long day.

Getting your Driver’s License:

stories of struggle and success SAYLOR STOTTLEMYER Features Editor

Todd Jolley Mr. Lowe and Ms. McClung view the eclipse with DHS students during lunch on Monday, Au-

LILAH SLAUGHTER Head Features Editor For a vast majority of Americans, the eclipse was a fascinating scientific phenomenon, not to mention a chance to miss school and wear blackout glasses.

For others, corneas were scorched and unusual shadows fell upon everything around them; for others still, the eclipse held symbolic meaning, Native Americans and astrologers among them.

The Great American Eclipse marked a special date for the US, the first eclipse to be visible in a band across the entire continental United States in nearly 100 years. However, eclipses are a much more common occurrence than its media coverage would lead those among us to believe.

“On average, there are no less than two and no more than five solar eclipses per year. Most solar eclipses are partial with a total solar eclipse occurring once every 1 and a half years,” according to an article on Softschools.com.

However, within the next million years, the moon will drift far enough from the Earth that eclipses will no longer be noticeable.

Until then, Native Americans will celebrate each eclipse by remaining in their homes with blinds drawn, avoiding the sight of the eclipses.

“The sun is vested with the concept of and in control of death, and the Moon is vested with an in control of birthing.

When a solar or lunar eclipse occurs, it is believed that a death occurs. A death is a very sacred occurrence… During a solar or lunar eclipse, strict and comprehensive reverence in observing the occurrence of death,” wrote scholar Dennis Zotigh in an article for The National Museum of the American Indian.

An example of that reverence is to avoid witnessing the eclipse, and many students in Durango followed the tradition, including Sr. Avory France of Animas High School.

“We’re somewhat traditional on these types of things. I do know that for Navajos, you’re supposed to stay inside your house and not look at the eclipse because it’s bad luck; you’re not to eat during the eclipse because it will mess with your stomach system,” said France.

While the eclipse symbolizes a time of death, it is also a time of birth for various Native American tribes, a result of the ‘mating’ of the sun and moon.

“It is believed that the mating is to give birth to, or renew, the universe and all creation. During this birthing/ renewal process, the universe and all creation are reborn, realigned, and there is growth and development among all creation as well,” wrote Zotigh.

However, the symbolic power of birth mirrors that of death, and isn’t to be witnessed by Native Americans.

“You’re welcoming negativity into your life, or turmoil, or troublesome times ahead of you, as well as socially, health-wise and spiritually. You’re observing something that should not be observed,” said Bobbieann Baldwin, a Native mother, in an interview for the Denver Post.

Similar to Native Americans, astrologers believe that eclipses usher change into people’s lives. However, it applies less universally than Native American beliefs.

“Astrologers say people who may feel more strongly affected by the eclipse are those with August 21 birthdays, as well as those with Leo, Aquarius, Taurus and Scorpio zodiac signs who were born at the end of their signs, and those with Virgo, Sagittarius, Gemini and Pisces zodiac signs who were born at the start of their signs,” said Melissa Chan in an article for Time Magazine.

Those affected by the change may not experience ‘change’ per se, however will feel emotions that may accompany change.

“It sort of feels like free-flowing anxiety — like something is wrong but you can’t put your finger on it. They’re probably already feeling it,” said astrologer Joyce Levine in an interview for Time Magazine, several weeks before the eclipse occurred.

Though Native Americans and astrologers agree that eclipses hold symbolic relevance, many scientists debunk their theories, claiming nothing occurs beyond an overlap of the moon and sun.

Whatever people may believe, less than seven seconds have become the subject of much debate.

During everyone’s time at Durango High School, they reach the age where they can go to the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and take a driver’s test. Every experience is different, and their stories are both entertaining and educational.

Maggie Wigton, a former DHS student, took her driver’s exam with the DMV and passed the challenge her first time.

“I made the mistake of putting on my turn signal way too late when making a turn and I also ended up parking REALLY badly,” said Wigton.

She also shared some advice to people that are nervous about taking the test, as driving with an adult is sometimes unnerving.

“I was pretty nervous just because the whole process of driving around while someone judges you is a little nerve-racking but the experience was not nearly as scary as I was expecting it to be,” said Wigton.

Samantha Pastor is a junior at Durango High School, and her experiences with getting her license have not been quite as easy and carefree as others. She has taken the test multiple times, and has not been successful. “[My mistakes] were small things like my hands were wrong, or I was to close to the car in front when turning. My advice is to practice in lots of different settings like highways, avenues, during traffic times and when there are no cars...don’t be nervous if you fail you can learn from your mistakes and try again,” said Pastor.

DMV representative Sarah Werner explains the typical mistakes made by

students, and advice for students coming in for the test.

“Honestly the biggest mistake students make is not having all of the forms, but otherwise they are typically more prepared than adults. Don’t be nervous! As long as you complete your driver’s log and drive a lot with your parents, you should do fine on the test,” said Werner.

Another option that is available in Durango is the Four Corners Safety Association, lead by Tim Cunningham, who elaborates on the importance of having a license, and how his company is an option for student and members of the Durango Community. If students want their license when they turn 16, it is necessary to drive with Cunningham when they have their restricted license, or permit.

“Getting a permit/license and holding that permit/license is a privilege and big responsibility and the maturity level of the teen is not at the level of an adult. I enjoy what I do when it comes to teaching and driving with teens. I make it my goal to give students the knowledge and skills so they can be a safe, legal and responsible driver,” said Cunningham.

Passing is not an 100 percent guarantee, and even the best of Durango went through the same struggle as students do today. Dale Garland, the Dean of Students at Durango High School stressed to students advice about going through the process.

“Don’t crash. Seriously, drive like you’re driving with your parent and relax,” said Garland.

For many people, wading through the bureaucracy of the DMV is a also major struggle, as it causes massive wait times and crowded areas full of unfamiliar faces.

Hailey Voss It is a right of passage for many high school students to get heir driver’s license and their own car. Kyle Pritchard was one of those students.

El Diablo

Sports

Online at ELDIABLONEWS.COM

Voice of the Students

Lets Hear It For School Spirit #BACKMYTEAM

BEKAH MOENNING Head Sports Editor

It is no secret that feelings on the Colorado High School Athletics Association organization are mixed and a bit apprehensive. However, CHSAA- being the authoritative voice in high school sports and activities, has launched the new Back My Team contest, testing enthusiastic high school students on who can show the most school spirit, and it is invigorating Durango High School.

Adam Bright, athletic director of DHS, has already seen an improvement in DHS’s school spirit and loves the idea behind this contest.

“I think our school spirit is getting better and better. I just want to see our students go crazy and have fun. The more we make it an experience to be there, the more people want to come. So if we can get bigger and bigger crowds the louder we become,” said Bright.

High school, as much as it is about the education, is about the experience and memories created. This contest allows students to become more supportive of peers and it is an invitation to more people to come and encourage players on the field or court, amplifying the high school experience.

Student council is a significant element in DHS, the program puts a lot of work and energy into the school events and contributes a lot to the fundamentals of DHS’ identity. Edde Lyons, the student council commissioner of school spirit, spares a portion of her time and busy schedule working towards magnify-

ing DHS’ school spirit because she feels it is an extreme way that DHS comes together as a school.

“Expectations are high for the DHS students because we have always been extremely spirited in the past. We expect, but mostly hope continuous participation in school thrown events.

The “Back My Team” contest is a perfect time for us Demons to show that when we come together we are the unbreakable and unforgettable high school,” said Sr. Lyons.

The goal is to not let CHSAA forget Durango High School after the students come together, scream, cheer, and support their teams.

“I definitely feel like I perform better when the support of the school is behind us. Not only does it fuel us individually and as a team, but I also think there is an aspect of intimidation for the other teams who have to face our spirit at our home games,” said Jr. Gus Kidd, a receiver on the DHS’ varsity football team.

As the contest may draw out a bit more school spirit, it has always been present here at DHS and has always impacted the teams and students in a positive way. Kidd believes in his school and what it can accomplish when the students come together as one.

“DHS athletics is unmatched in its ability to draw such large crowds from such a small town and generate the most possible hype. From volleyball to football, our crowds always display multiple chants and traditions unique to DHS, setting us apart from other schools. I certainly think we have what it takes to

Alyssa Robertson A line of red cheers and welcomes DHS’ football team to their game at Bayfield High School.

Alyssa Robertson The bleachers overflow with fans of Durnago High School supporting the football players at a home game.

win this contest,” said Kidd.

To pep assemblies, to home football games, and to the many other schools activities as DHS, the amount of spirit and enthusiasm produced by young students never disappoints. The back my team contest is just an opportunity to show CHSAA how the students choose to represent DHS in the most upbeat way in supporting each other.

Rhonda Blanford-Green, the commissioner of CHSAA, and Tom Robinson, the associate commissioner shared an insight on what exactly they do and what they are looking for.

“In our minds, the back my team contest is a way to promote positive sportsmanship by getting communities together in an intentional manner and making sure that when they do come

together they cheer appropriately,” said Robinson.

Durango has always been a close-knit town and this contest brings everyone as a community closer. The support of the people of Durango as a whole is inspiring and it brings out the essence in DHS. “School spirit is essential for just celebrating the culture of your school. It brings everyone together whether you’re an athlete, not an athlete, whether you’re in student leadership, or music.

School spirit brings together that energy that supports the pride in everything that you come to school for. Your school colors, your school mascot so I think school spirit is important for celebrating the high school experience,” said Blandford-Green.

DXC boys begin their stunning race in Alamosa ate the Joe Vigil Invitational meet, finishing 2nd as a team.

Joey Mynatt

Durango Cross-Country Hosts Regionals CARTER REITER Managing Editor

This fall season, the Durango High School Cross Country team will host the annual CHSAA 4A Region 5 Championships on their home course. After a rousing success at Durango Cross Country’s (DXC) Southwest Sunset Classic, athletes and coaches alike are excited to come back and race on Durango’s home turf.

“I’ve grown up playing golf up at Hillcrest, so I feel like I know the course even better just because of the experi-

ence I’ve had with it, even while it might not be running. Running at the home meet at night adds a lot to the atmosphere,” said Jr. Marcus Flint.

The Southwest Sunset Classic began in 2016 and takes place on the Hillcrest golf course. The five kilometer loop, the standard distance for cross country races, traces the south side of the golf course. This season, the local course will double as the CHSAA 4A Region 5 Championships. The race will take place on Thursday, October 19. In this meet, the top four teams and all athletes who finish in the top fifteen qualify for the 4A State Championship.

The DXC girls team is ranked 13th in the nation after their race in Phoneix.

Joey Mynatt

Joey Mynatt DXC girls crowd together after being rewarded with a win at Joe Vigil Invitation Meet.

“Regionals is really all about doing what’s best for the team. A lot of the time, it’s attempting to run really hard, especially at home, when we might not have to, and end up putting ourselves in a bit of a hole going to state. I think Regionals really comes down to executing a race plan that gets us to the state meet, and then really laying it all out there at State when it truly matters,” said Flint.

The State Championships will take place in Colorado Springs at the Norris Penrose Equestrian Center on October 28. The Region Championships will bring a number of teams from all over Colorado, including Canon City, Cheyenne Mountain, Mesa Ridge, Montrose, Pueblo Centennial, Pueblo County, Pueblo East, Pueblo South, Pueblo West, and Widefield.

“I’m just excited that the [Region Championships] are at home because there is so much positive energy and people that normally can’t come can

October 2017

come watch Durango cross country win!

I’m so excited,” said Fr. Ruth Holcomb.

After wins on both the girls and boys teams at the Southwest Sunset Classic hosting the Region Championships will be all the more exciting. The Demon girls won with 24 points and Alamosa in second with 70 points. The boys won with 41 points, the next team placing being Widefield with 102 points.

“I love everyone on the team and it’s like having thirty best friends immediately. I know [Regionals] decides who makes the State team so I just can’t have a bad race or everything could end there, which I’m nervous about. Either way though, I’m really excited,” said Holcomb.

As of September 30, 2017, the girls team is ranked 13th in the nation. The boys team is ranked 32nd nationally.

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ELDIABLONEWS.COM October 2017

Sports

Honorary coaches stand courtside BRIANNA BROWN Head Specials Editor

The Durango High School Volleyball team started a new program featuring teachers at DHS. The purpose behind this program is to share a little bit of the volleyball experience with teachers throughout the high school, with an overarching goal to receive greater support.

The volleyball team, before each home game, selects three teachers they want to be “Honorary Coaches” for that game. Then, they bring those teachers each an Honorary Coach shirt and detailed instructions outlined on a sheet of paper. The teachers are required to come to the practice before the game for at least 30 minutes and are asked to participate in drills. Then, they are asked to come to the home game and stand with the players at the endline while they are recognized as Honorary Coaches.

“As a staff, we’ve talked about school spirit and the importance of having pride in our school and I wanted to create an avenue through athletics where that could happen. I’ve seen and heard nothing but positive feedback about the program, from our Honorary Coaches to

our student athletes and everyone has had a great time. Our program wants to recognize those staff members who have made an impact on the lives of our student athletes and hopefully help others to appreciate the value of athletics as an avenue for teaching and learning,” said Colleen Vogt, the Varsity Volleyball coach and a teacher at DHS. The Volleyball players’ believe this to be a positive thing started by Vogt. They see more support from teachers and feel like the teachers become more intrigued and feel more respect for student athletes.

“I think it is cool that we are getting teachers involved because I think all staff members at DHS should be involved in extracurriculars as well as teaching. I think it brings student athletes closer to the staff at the school which is really exciting to see,” said Jr. Maura Fitzpatrick.

Walking around the halls of DHS, players feel more connected to their teachers and feel more support from them going into every game.

“Being named Honorary Coach was one of the biggest honors I’ve ever had here at the high school. I had so much fun at practice and was sore for days af-

Jessica Bright stands tall for the Pledge of Allegiance as an honorary coach.

Maggie Maloney

ter and I loved every second of it. I cannot remember when I had more fun at an athletic event,” said Anatomy teacher and Honorary Coach, Monte Jackson.

The teachers who get asked feel excited to be apart of this program. They are enthusiastic about to coming to practice and seeing what volleyball is all about.

“I was so honored and thrilled to be selected as an Honorary Coach and the best part was getting to see the athletes in all their amazing, athletic glory during the practice drills,” said Honorary Coach and History teacher at DHS, Leigh Gozigian.

This program allows teachers to see how hard student athletes work and the talents that each individual has that is sometimes missed during a game.

“All DHS teachers are so supportive of student athletes and it is very important that they get recognized for helping students be successful in the classroom and on the court. This program allows athletes and teachers connect outside of the classroom,” said Sr. Brett Rowland.

The Honorary Coach Program for the volleyball team is looking to continue throughout the years.

Fall Sports Highlights Varsity Football: 3 wins, 2 losses Softball: 1 win, 1 loss Boy’s Soccer: 3 wins, 2 ties, 2 losses Boy’s Golf: 7th in their league DXC Girls: 2nd in the State DXC Boys: 5th in the State

Maggie Maloney Mr. Jackson shows off his honorary coach t-shirt feeling proud to be apart of that.

Wake surfing state champion So. Jordan Taylor Special demon highlight JACK WHISTLER Reporter

While other students are sweating out their summer vacation, sophomore Jordan Taylor is steaming the competition at the lake. Jordan, Wake surfing State Champion, gives us an inside look as to how she came to be a hardcore wake surfer.

Q: Not many people at DHS or Durango know what wake boarding is, can you tell me about it?

A: It’s actually wake surfing, a lot of people get that mixed up. So, you have a boat and the water is displaced and creates an infinite wave. You start out holding onto the rope and eventually you let go and throw the rope back into the boat, and then you’re just on an infinite wave behind a boat on a lake, which is super cool.

Q: How did you first get into wake surfing?

A: My mom has family in Tennessee who lives near a lake and it was first introduced to us there. Then we got our own boat and we started surfing here on Navajo, and I’ve been surfing for three years now.

Q: How do the competitions work?

A: We all go to the lake where the

competition is, and we hop on a jet ski out to the boat. Each age group goes at a different time, mine is women’s 14-19 surf. Then you do a run. A run is four minutes long, so you have four minutes to stay up and earn as many points as you can.

Q: How do you earn points during a competition?

A: It depends on how good you are; certain tricks get you certain points.

There’s airs and 360s, and they never tell you how many points you get for each trick and that’s what makes the competitions unique.

Q: What’s the current surfing community like?

A: Not a lot of people do it in Durango, but there's more surfers than you think in Colorado. At each event there’s 40-50 people there which is pretty big for Colorado. It’s a sport that’s growing and expanding. I do see a lot of people up at Navajo but I don’t know them.

Jordan Taylor poses on a wave wakesurfing away.

Alyssa Robertson

Q: Is there anything else that you want to add before we finish?

A: I competed three times over the summer and I won every single one of them, and then I went on to win the state championship in Colorado. There also might be a regional competition that I might get to go to if it happens.

Jordan hits a jump as she wakesurfs.

El Diablo

Alyssa Robertson

Arts

ELDIABLONEWS.COM October 2017

9

HIGHLIGHT

Sitting Anonymous

Jungle Words Anonymous

Lyrical Poem Jaques Morales

Meaning Hidden Kayla Rubenstein

He sits.

And sits.

And sits.

And though there is no particular brilliance In sitting He does it rather well.

And while he sits, His eyes laugh at meaningless nothings And his hair shines like sunlight on soft morning dew.

His smiles sing songs Of adventuresNot sitting!And his fingers tap to the sound of old wise men.

Dancing to the death of their demons.

And though he is All of this!

He now, So simply, Sits.

Amongst the shadows of words the ocean’s turn Some slurred words begin to stumble.

Through the shispering breeze, trees burn.

Cat Anna Klumpenhower

One day the shadows return, Spreading rumors throughout the jungle.

Through the whispering breeze, trees burn.

Dear mom, How could you be so strong?!

I never see you cry when things go wrong I wish I was you so I’d know how it feels to be someone that is true Sure you tells me he lies, but not all the time You only say that so I won’t have to Cry I don’t care what you say to me even if it’s nothing new I’ll still listen to you I know I am tough to handle at times But at least I help you through those sad times You all the love in my heart from the very start Don’t forget that you are my mom That’s filled with beauty and art.

Young as I was, not young enough For TV Projected fun shows Books played with words A father waiting at the doorway Same question, different answer.

Seen as unuseful, now appreciated Without the nagging, mind blown!

A child would have grown unobservant Yet with such a task to complete I grew up analyzing Looking between the lines Sitting, standing, stuck, searching Staring at a wall Thinking, talking, tempted to stop Unwilling to give up easily Now, knowing nothing, but everything Lightbulb, yellow and bright emerges So far beyond the surface Many interpretation inferring information.

Creating a lesson learned Appreciation arises out of the words An extra piece to think about A lesson to be taught, no doubt.

Whiskers Probing paws Gingerly step and poke beyond doors Where they don’t belong and know they don’t belong But patter past under your nose With a flash of fur and eyes that shine Mischievously as a woodland sprite Who darts and dances in the corners Becoming shadows as they hide and wiggling when they are caught Back to ears and fluff An innocent Restless paws Bright eyes Cat

When will they lear, How to remain humble?

Amongst the shadows of words the ocean’s turn.

There seems to be no concern.

In the mountaints, words begin to rumbe.

Through the whispering breeze, trees burn.

Some came here to yurn, This paradise begins to crumble.

Amongst the shadows of words the ocean’s turn.

Two voices begin to commence creating heartburn, They do not feel like a mumble.

Amongst the shadow of words the ocean’s turn.

Through the whispering breeze, trees burn.

Fall Anonymous I used to love Fall The crunch of leaves beneath me I forgot the cold

Check here for the poetry update in every issue of the El Diablo.

Email eldiablodhs@gmail.com for submissions!

Naked Fat Cat Anonymous There once was a naked fat cat That wanted a great big old tat He didn’t have hair And that caused him despair for all his friends called him rat

Compiled by Afton Mann and Emma Jaber

Rebellious students read banned books SOPHIA ADAMSKI Reporter Banned Book Week is an annual occurrence that celebrates the freedom to read. It particularly pinnacles the value of access to information, and revolves around the idea that all knowledge should be available, even if that knowledge is considered controversial or unpopular. Although most books are merely challenged - at least in the United States - and very few books have been outright banned, censorship is still a prominent concern. “They [students subject to partnership] aren’t getting a thorough education, they aren’t learning any history.” says Audrey Stein, a junior at Durango High School, “The authenticity of it is gone.”

the United States challenged it because it contained Communistic thought, and one group in the United States challenged it because, quote, ‘Talking pigs are abominable’.

One of the driving forces behind challenging and banning books is sheltering children from certain themes. Powell thinks that it’s a struggle at times to find literature that’s appropriate for the grade level, the maturity level, and, to a certain extent, the community level.

“I can give a kid who reads at a lower level an Ernest Hemingway, but what good would that do him? It wouldn’t. It wouldn’t do him any good.”

“Ultimately, the idea of challenging books stems from the fact that words do change. Words evolve, and words change the way we think. They change the way we look at the world. They change the way we do things. Some people don’t like that.” Said Powell.

Durango In 2006, there were a total of 63 challenges to books, materials, events, and exhibits in Colorado public libraries.

“Do people have the freedom to have their opinion? Yes… It’s a fundamental right. Do students, and people, have the right to choose to read? They should have the freedom, not only to choose, but to read period. This is where librarians, teachers, parents - This is where they have to ask ‘Well, at what level do

Joey Mynatt Aja Nakai poses in front of the DHS library where banned book are celebrated and popular.

they read? At what level is it acceptable for them to read?” said Steven Powell, the DHS librarian.

Most books are challenged or banned due to their content, and, ironically,

many challenges, although opposite in thought, function on the exact same ideology. The USSR, Cuba, and China all challenged Animal Farm for being anti-Communist. Several communities in

October 2017

The first Index of Prohibited Books was drawn up by order of Pope Paul IV in 1559.

The lists were issued 20 times through the centuries by different popes, the last issued as recently as 1948, and finally suppressed in 1966.

ELDIABLONEWS.COM October 2017

10 Arts

Compiled by Afton Mann and Emma Jaber

Halloween edition

Positive

Negative

Misc.

Our Advice

Rating

On a scale of 1-5

food Bread

MOVIES It

tv show Five Foot Two Documentary Hot GOssip

Kylie Jenner is Prego?!

WOmen’s Fashion

Tiny Sunglasses

Men’s Fashion Gang Brows

sports Hypothermia Challenge

Music

Look What you Made me Do -Taylor Swift Autumn fun

Pumpkin Patches

Baked fresh everyday!

Good for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or a midnight snack!

Good way to kick off the Halloween season!

Their food is pricey. If you only have five dollars, chances are you’ll only be buying coffee.

(But who cares?! its good!)

Super scary, and your eyes will most likely be closed the entire time.

Not only do they serve bread and baked goods, but also some really good sandwiches.

In order to watch a rated R movie, like this one, you need to be 17 years of age and have proof of ID.

Our personal favorites?

Sow Your Oats cookies and the turkey sandwich.

Take a group of friends and NEVER watch a scary movie

Lady Gaga’s documentary dropped on Netflix September 22nd.

Kind of cool to watch in a sense that you can understand lady Gaga’s life from a credible source.

No one knows if this is true or not and no one knows who the father of the child is.

Tyga posted on social media, when the news first went out, that the child was his.

Is it true? Who’s the baby daddy? We think Yes!

Honesty, we Even though all of the most popular don’t think there’s anything models wear these, positive about these. they still can’t pull them off.

Gigi Hadid and Bella Hadid wear these glasses almost everyday.

Many gangs around the country have been seen with “gang brows”. This is where two lines are shaved into one brow.

Goes more into her personal life and her inspiration for the album “Joanne”.

Another prego Kardashian/Jenner another grandbaby for Kris!

It really isn’t too bad of a look! It occasionally looks good on some people!

A fun way to spend a weekend night with your friends.

She is a very interesting person for sure. Not like your average documentary.

Only certain people can pull these off, and yes, people will think you are in a gang.

IT IS COLD!!!

But a great way to make some quality memories with your friends!

Once a month, from October-March choose a different body of water to jump in to!

Part of the We knew Taylor was Even though the old reason Taylor savage, but we didn’t Taylor is “dead”, she wrote this song know she was this definitely should have stuck to her old self. was to fire at her savage. enemy Katy Perry.

Fun way There is a pumpkin to pass patch in Durango, but time, and the huge one is closer enjoy fall to Farmington. festivities!

The patch in Farmington has animals, a corn maze and food!

El Diablo

THIS LOOK IS TRAGIC. DON’T JUST DON’T. PLEASE AND THANK YOU. Get some advice from your friends before you get these brows.

Have a car warmed up and a ton of towels so that you can bust a move back to your car afterwards!

Gets old after a while, but who knows you may enjoy it!

Fall won’t be here long, enjoy it while you can!

ELDIABLONEWS.COM October 2017

Specials

11

Demons Advocate: helpful advice from your favorite demon CAROLINE KNIGHT Head Editor

Is homecoming free? If not, is it worth it?

No - nothing in this world is free (last year tickets were $10). BUT I’VE SAID IT BEFORE AND I’LL SAY IT AGAIN: high school is what you make it, so make it fun! I’ve been to homecoming both times in my two years at DHS, and if nothing else, it’s been extremely memorable. For lack of a better description, my freshman homecoming was like the last scene of “Sixteen Candles” when Jake kisses Sam over her birthday cake, “If You Were Here” by Thompson Twins playing softly in the background. My sophomore homecoming was like an earlier scene in that movie, where Joan Cusack can’t get a drink out of the water fountain because of her enormous head gear contraption (not as awesome). Despite a less than successful second round, you can expect to see me out there bustin’ a move on October 21st. Homecoming is a perfect place to dance the night away with your friends AND with strangers, and my pals in StuCo do a great job putting it on.

Kids don’t shower after P.E. and they smell like roast beef.

This isn’t even in the form of a question, but I think it’s hilarious so I’ll offer my advice anyway. The issue of smelly kids is a real one and one that often goes unreported. The truth is, there is nothing really to be done unless you want to seem very rude. All we can hope is that in publishing this advice column, roast beef kids will get the message. Please, for the love of all that is holy, shower after P.E. Disclaimer: While this column does contain awesome and solid advice, it does not reflect the views of the entire El Diablo Staff nor of the DHS student body, just those of a teenager.

If you have a question for the Demon’s Advocate to answer, or would like to comment on the column above, please email ELDIABLODHS@gmail.com.

Students gather to welcome the 2017-2018 year

Todd Jolley At the beginning of each acedemic year, students take to the football field to draw out the year. The tradition began during the 2016-17 school year shortly after the new field was completed.

Word on the Street

As the 2017-2018 school year begins, we asked “What are you most excited about this year?”

Demon of the Day

IRIE SENTNER Specials Editor

“To get new experiences and make new friends!”

- Clarise Hise, Freshman

“I’m so excited for all the homework.”

Tatum Behn Clarise Hise

- Logan Fullington, Junior Tatum Behn Logan Fullington

“I’m excited to not be a freshman anymore!”

Autumn Stevens Ann Tidwell is a beloved Chemistry and AP Chemistry teacher at DHS featured in the first Humans of Durango for the El Diablo.

- Emmy Romero, Sophomore

Tatum Behn Emmy Romero

“Being a senior, I’m naturally excited for everything that comes along with the last year of high school.”

- Aristotle Bougas, Senior

Tatum Behn Aristotle Bougas

BRIANNA BROWN Specials Head Editor This issue, for Teachers of DHS, Ann Tidwell is featured. At Durango High School, Mrs. Tidwell teaches Chemistry and AP Chemistry. Students absolutely adore her teaching style as well as her personality. She is a phenomenal teacher who knows how to balance her teaching techniques, but also does what she knows is best for her students. Mrs. Tidwell is always looking to lend a helping hand to any student who crosses her path. Her sincere personality mixed with her wonderful ability to teach is a blessing for everyone.

Tell me about your favorite experience while teaching…

“I wouldn’t say I have a favorite moment, but, honestly, when I make corny jokes and my students laugh, because I do like to be corny.”

What all have you taught?

Everything. I have taught 7th grade English, 8th grade English, Physical Science, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, AP Chemistry, 4th grade, GT, and Earth Science.

Where did you go to college?

I went to school at Texas A&M. What brought you to Durango?

We moved to Durango because of my husband’s job.

How long have you been teaching?

I have been teaching for 26 years.

Besides your love for Chemistry, why do you love teaching such a rigorous course?

“Because it is just such a thrill to me to take something hard and make it understandable to people. I mean, I just love when people go ‘ohhh now I get it’ and they have that epiphany. That is very very fun, but, mostly, I just love teaching high school kids.”

What is your favorite thing to do besides teaching?

I love to walk my dog, run before my foot got hurt, garden, hangout with my husband and go to movies.

Sponsored by:

October 2017

ELDIABLONEWS.COM October 2017

12 Specials

El Diablo Alumni - Tina Lam

Haley Szczech Tina Lam wrote for the El Diablo and later went on to teach at the University of Michigan.

HALEY SZCZECH News Editor Tina Lam is a 66 year old Durango High School alumni, who wrote for El Diablo her last two years at DHS. When she graduated, she wrote for the Fort Lewis Independent and eventually moved to Detroit to write for the Detroit Free Press. Lam lived her dream life and was able to make money by traveling and writing. She also had the opportunity to share her passion with others by teaching journalism at the University of Michigan. Now she is retired and lives with her husband in Durango and Michigan.

What was your position for El Diablo? What years did you write when you were at DHS? My position at El Diablo - I don’t remember. I think we were all just sort of reporters, with an adviser. I think I worked for it in 1968 and 1969. Also, when I was working on the high school paper, I wrote an occasional column (maybe once a month?) for the Durango Herald, about high school activities. I actually remember that a little better, because I could pretty much write what I wanted (but what I chose was tame!).

How was it different to write at the Fort? How did the writing style change? How much more independent was it?

When I went to Ft. Lewis, I didn’t

work for the Independent until I was a senior, and I became editor then. At the time, I had a 9-month-old baby!

My husband took care of him while I finished up my last year and worked on the paper, but my son spent Wednesday evenings in the newsroom, where we and all our newspaper friends put the paper together, laid it out, wrote headlines, etc. My husband and friends started KDUR around the same time, so we had quite a media household.

Yes, the Independent really was independent, mostly. We had a wonderful person as our adviser, and I had known her since I was young - Nancy Elliott. She had worked for years at the Herald and she was one of my heroes, a woman journalist. Because the paper was a weekly, we had a lot of columns since news got stale quickly. People who worked with me at the Indy are still friends of mine 40 years later.

When did you know you wanted to become a journalist? Had you already considered other career paths? Did you major in journalism?

I wanted to be a journalist since I was a teen, mainly following my dad.

He worked at the Herald, writing stories and editorials and even taking photos. I loved going to the paper on a Saturday with him, going into the darkroom and watching him type stories on a typewriter. I loved even the smell of the place.

My father also had a good friend named Helene Monberg, a woman journalist who wrote from D.C. for various papers in Colorado, including the Grand Junction Sentinel. I was awed by her. Female journalists were few in the early 60’s and men treated them badly; she had to fight to be allowed into the males-only D.C. press club where press conferences were held, and I loved hearing about that.

What kind of classes and extracurriculars did you know you had to

take in order to become a professional reporter?

I thought about going into politics, writing books, and majored in Latin American studies at FLC. Much later, after working at writing jobs in Texas and California but struggling to get a real newspaper job, I went to the University of California at Berkeley for a master’s in journalism. It was a 2-year program, and I loved every minute of it. I had internships each summer (required) and they were wonderful. I knew then that writing for newspapers really was my calling. My favorite classes were Ethics and Media Law, which I later taught at University of Michigan at Dearborn.

I felt I had to get a journalism degree because newspapers I applied to before that refused to hire me without one.

Taking classes in science writing, investigative reporting, law, basic reporting and interviewing, all honed my skills and the internships gave me a portfolio.

I got my first job at a 3-reporter paper called the Pittsburgh (California) Post Dispatch, where my 2 fellow reporters had just uncovered a major corruption scandal when I arrived. I didn’t get to report that, but it was tremendously exciting to watch it unfold.

on everyone and a large, impersonal chain bought the paper and made a lot of changes few of us liked.

Still, being a reporter is the best job on the planet. I loved never knowing what my day might hold--covering a plane crash or a court case or getting a phone tip about a corrupt deal. I loved interviewing people, knocking on doors, working the phones on a story, finding fascinating people. It was always exciting and journalists are a wonderful bunch. I was proud to work in Detroit and for the Free Press.

How did you decide to move to Detroit and work there? Was there anything in particular about the city or the newspaper?

My husband, son and I moved to Michigan because my husband had gotten a PhD and got his first teaching job there. I worked for 9 years at the Ann Arbor News, where I became an investigative reporter, and then when my son finished high school, I moved to the Detroit Free Press. I’d always wanted to be in Detroit, because the paper had won several Pulitzers and did great investigations. I loved most of my time there, but the last few years were stressful because of all the changes occurring at newspapers everywhere. It was hard

What can high school students do to keep free press alive?

Having taught media law and issues to students, I’m a huge booster of the First Amendment, as everyone ought to be. We take it for granted and misunderstand it; it’s the basis of democracy. To keep it alive, we have to use it--fight to tell stories, fight to shed light on government and fight to keep government from shutting out the press, as it tries to do daily. Government with a small g, from D.C. to local city councils and boards.

That’s the role of the press. Even though newspapers are still struggling, the news is more important than ever, and the role of it in all our lives is key. Providing that information will be crucial.

How long did it take you to start making money as a reporter?

Because we had a union, we always made decent money in Detroit, better than people might think. Even as an intern, I got paid, and by the end, most of us were making six figures.

What’s your opinion on newspaper vs. television news?

I think newspapers are vastly better than TV news simply because they have a bigger canvas. I have friends who have worked in both media, but most eventually move back to newspapers because there’s just so much more depth there.

Durango lends a helping hand to help victims of Hurricane Harvey LIANA BYGEL Online Editor

Hurricane Harvey devastated many areas in September of this year. With thousands of homes destroyed, people all over the country have joined in the effort to help those affected. Through several fundraisers and donation centers, our own town of Durango has played a part in bringing relief to all the victims of this awful hurricane.

In Houston alone, Harvey destroyed more than 40,000 homes in Houston, it destroyed 500,000 vehicles, and killed or injured more than 40 people. However, with the help of many people and places they are slowly bouncing back.

Amber Glasscock is from Texas, but now lives in Durango. She created a fundraiser to help the people of Port Aransas, Texas by setting up a donation center at the Elks lodge. These donations allowed people with no source of income or transportation in Port Aransas to shop at donation sites set up near them.

“When I threw the fundraiser together, I thought I’d get a few cases of water and some bug spray. In 5 days it turned into 4 trucks and trailers all going south to donation centers,” said Glasscock.

Originally, Port Aransas was reported to be about a 75 percent loss. When Glasscock and locals were allowed back on the island they found that it was closer to a 90 percent loss. “This hurricane was extremely one of a kind, the island is basically a sand bar.” said Glasscock.

Due to the storm, many people were forced to clean the rubble and rebuild from nothing. Our community played

Taken by the Army National Guard Donations raised in Durango donation centers and fundraisers were sent to support the people of Port Aransnas, TX after the severe devastation of hurricane harvey.

a small role in this by raising enough money for Glasscock to buy multiple chainsaws, a generator, hoses, sprayers, fuel tanks and shop vacs. Efforts of other fundraisers in Durango have also been able to donate drywall and wood pallets for building.

“Texans tend to be very proud people so when they ask for help it means they

really need it”, said Robyn Vagneur, the owner of SuperNova Furniture.

Robyn was also born and raised in Houston and has experienced a few storms, so she knew what materials would be needed. She set up boxes inside SuperNova Furniture and received several donations, that she was able to send to distribution centers in areas that

got hit the hardest.

“I am very happy to see what an amazing, caring community I live in and get to raise my family in.” said Vagneur.

Lately there have been intense storms that have impacted the many lives, but great things can happen when communities, no matter how far away, come together to help those in need.

Trees transform through the 2016 seasons

Cassandra Blau Trees in front of the high school change as the seasons change from September to November in the 2016-17 school year. As the seasons change at Durango High School students enjoy activities ranging from hiking through the changing trees to skiing on powder days.

October 2017