Fleet Street News January Issue

Finals got you down?

Look inside to distract your worried mind!

Issue 4 January, 2018

NEWS January, 2018 KSD Tech Expo 2018 Cancelled 2

By: Ava Cline

The long running Technology Expo put on by the Kent School District has been cancelled for 2018. The Expo is held to showcase the utilization of technology in the schools.

The very first Expo was held in 1998 to honor the first 6-year Technology Levy, according to the Kent School District. While the Expo is normally associated with big venues like ShoWare, it has been held at various other locations, like Kentridge, Kentwood facilities and the Kingdome, demolished in 2000.

Hugh Faulkner, an IT project manager for the district, said that the Expo was can-

celled as “[the district] starts the work of changing what the Tech Expo is and how we

present it.” This entails utilizing the internet to make the Expo available to everyone

Photo Courtesy of Kent School District The slogan for the 2010 Expo was “The Future is Now”, accoring to the Kent School District webpage.

all the time. Faulkner says that this will help “make it a longer-lasting benefit to the community, and one that can be attended by more people.”

The Technology Levy that the Expo hones helped to form the One-to-One Initiative, a program passed in 2010 to give one laptop to each student in the district. By the fall of 2009, every middle school student had a laptop and by 2013, all students in grades 7-12 had a laptop.

Under the 2010 Technology Levy, the District replaces laptops every 4 years and desktop computers every 5 years.

The Tech Expo also incor-

porates student leadership and volunteering.

“We made our robot to show off to people,” said Alyssa Miron, Junior. “We watied there for people to talk to us.”

She attended the Expo in 2011 when she was in 6th grade.

The Expo is an essential part of the KSD community, and it’s cancellation is not the end of the beneficial event.

Faulkner has a bright attitude about it, noting that the district is “working on the Tech Expo of the future” and he expects the Expo to be fully reinamgined by September of 2018.

Throwback Tolo: Kentridge is The Success of New Years’ Resolutions By: Selina LeMay and Blake throwing it back to the 80’s Wimberly By: Tionna Taylor During the Girls’ Honor meetings on December 5th and 6th, there was a final vote for the theme of Tolo along with the finalized details. After all the votes were counted, Girls’ Honor announced that Kentridge is taking it back to the 80’s for this year’s Tolo.

When deciding on a theme, the three options that were voted upon were the 80’s, neon, and dynamic duos. There were no specific numbers given that showed how close the votes were to one another, but Aaliyah Berryman did confirm that the 80’s theme did win.

Besides finalizing a theme, Girls’ Honor also went over all the details for Tolo.

In the previous issue, Aaliyah Berryman said that she was trying to locate Tolo somewhere outside of Kentridge, but that plan fell through and Tolo is now being held in the Kentridge gymnasium just like before.

Not only has the location been decided, but the set date for

Tolo is now March 17th. Even though there is a set date, there is not a solid time set in place.

Now that there are more details and specifications set into place, the Chargers can start to plan for the event.

Photo Courtesy of Creative Commons This is more of a ‘bad boy‘ leather jacket look

It’s always nice to start fresh at the beginning of a brand new year. However, most people don’t keep up to the ideal/goal(s) they set for themselves throughout the year or however long they want to succeed their goal(s).

In fact, about 80% of resolutions this year failed, according to Kelsey Mulvey from businessinsider.com “Approximately 80% of resolutions fail by the second week of February, so the odds are against you.” states Mulvey.

Not all resolutions can fail, but most do. According to Timothy Pychyl, a professor of psychology at Carleton University in Canada, “Resolutions are a form of ‘cultural procrastination,’ an effort to reinvent oneself. People make resolutions as a way of motivating themselves.”

The most popular resolutions for people when the new year is around the corner are to exercise more, lose weight, learn new hobbies/skills, and many more. The list goes on.

Students at Kentridge have their own resolutions. “For me, I

would like to be more consistent with homework.”Jasmine Garana discussed the importance of New Year’s resolutions.

When asked about the impact of new year’s resolutions, she answered with, “They provide encouragement and help people go to their goals.”

Garana’s personal New Year’s resolutions were to “Organize my AP History notes and practice my saxophone more this year.” This New Year gave her a chance to reflect on her 2017 and improve on her past experiences.

New Year’s resolutions are not always a success but they provide an opportunity to better ourselves and help us improve for the next year. The effectiveness of a New Year’s Resolution can deepend on how important the goal is and how willing you are to keep up with it and achieve it.

The problem with New Years resolutions is not making one, it’s keeping it. The Department of Psychology, University of Scranton did a 200 person research project on New Year’s resolu-

tions. Here were their results.

“Seventy-seven percent maintained their pledges for 1 week but only 19% for 2 years.

Successful resolvers reported employing significantly more stimulus control, reinforcement, and willpower than the unsuccessful over the 2 years.”

So, when giving up on a resolution, it is often a lack of wanting to do it and lack of support from people around you. The people that do not have outside encouragement show to have given up fastest.

All in all, New Year’s resolutions can be beneficial, but do not work out all the time. We as people love to watch ourselves become better and when we don’t, we feel some sort of failure. It’s okay to not the at your best right now as long as you’re improving to become better and build yourself up.

3 NEWS January, 2018 Phil the Groundhog’s Day to Shine

Zhana Aglubat What is GroundHogs Day? “We find out if we enter spring or have a few more weeks of winter” Gracie Callia, Junior states.

Yeah, that’s the basic view of what the day is about. But there is more to it than just that.

Jason Bui, Junior, stated, with a lot of sass and a hint of sarcasm, “Of course I celebrate Groundhogs Day, it is something my family and I cherish.”

Okay, so it is not a very popular holiday. But there is a lot of history regarding the observance.

Back when nature worship and animalism was prevalent, people in the area of Europe now known as Germany believed that the badger had the power to predict the coming of spring. So, they watched the badger. By the time

the first Germans immigratesd to Pennsylvania they understood that this was not true, but kept it as a tradition.

Unfortunately there were not many badgers in Pennsylvania so they decided to use a groundhog instead.

Tradition has it that if the groundhog sees it’s shadow on Febuary 2 it will be frightened by it and return to its burrow indicating that there will be six more weeks of winter.

Punxsutawney Phil (the groundhog) held its first Groundhog Day in the United States in the 1800s. The first official trek to Gobbler’s Knob was made on February 2, 1887. It is said that Punxsutawney was named after King Phillip. He was called Br’er

Groundhog prior to being known as Phil. Canada also celebrates Groundhog Day.

The movie “Groundhog Day” from 1993 starring comedian Bill Murray, made Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania famous worldwide. The films plot added new meaning to the term “Groundhog Day” as something that repeats itself endlessly.

Voulnteers holding Phil in the traditional groundhog vewing PicCredit: Creative Commons

Phil the groundhog in Pennsylvania PicCredit: Creative Commons

Senioritis is the terrible disease taking over high school seniors

By Belle Ramirez Senioritis has been something many parents and school staff laugh it, but it is very real.

Senioritis is when older classmen, primarily Seniors, begin to have a significant decrease in motivaion.

Senioritis is incredibly dangerous for students considering how close graduation is to them.

Senioritis can cause immediate harm and damage to a students future. The disease often begins to effect seniors the second semester of their senior year and ca nhave long term consequesnces.

After submitting college applications students often think that their job is done and they now get to sit back and relax.

They are very wrong.

Colleges want students who are motivated and hard workers. Even after acceptance, colleges reserve the right to recind your acceptance if they notice a decrease in your grades second semester of senior year.

It’s not just a spot at their dream schools that students could lose, but scholarship money too.

A study released by the National Association for College Admission Counseling showed that students whose class rank dropped significantly by the time graduation rolled around lost anywhere between $1,000 to $3,000 per year.

Like any other sickness, it is important to identity the symptoms of senioritis. You or a friend could have senioritis if you have noticed a loss of interest in your appearance. Wearing a variation of the same outfit everyday is common behavior when infected with senioritis. Sweatpants become more ideal as the disease takes over and the way your hair looks doesn’t seem as important.

With senioritis comes the overpowering need to rebel, too. You may start to openly snapchat inclass or refuse to follow the dress

code.

Those infected with senioritis also have shorter attention spans and may find themselves to be more antsy than usual when sitting still in class. Proceed with Photo Courtesy by Photosforclass. Cat done with School caution if you find yourself having a difficult time reading texts that are longer than a few paragraphs. And of course, a sudden 1. Keep a calander of deadlines and other imlack of motivation. portant dates. A planner will help you stay on Whether your having a hard track and not overextend yourself. time finding the energy to grab 2. Establish “me” time. School is already stressthat textbook from your locker ful enough without having to think about the or simply can’t think of a good enough reason to get dressed in whole college admission process. It’s important the morning, senioritis is definitto step back and unwind your mind. ily the culprit.

3. Set goals for short term as well as long term.

If you find yourself strugProcasination is dangerous, especially for high gling with any of these sympschool seniors. Remember to take baby steps toms it’s important to create a decent balance between school as you move on with your high school career. and you. Start by talking to your 4. Remember that we have less than 6 moths teachers, let them know your seleft. You’ve worked way too hard for the past nioritis kicked in. They are more three years only to give up so close to the end. than willing to help you kick seIt’s important to finish strong and confident. nioritis to the curb!

How to cure your senioritis:

4 STUDENT LIFE January, 2018 Surving January in Style

By: Zhana Aglubat

In Washington, January is that awkward season of rainy and cloudy with a hint of sunshine on special occasions. In these vague weather conditions it can be hard to find an outfit to go with what the weather is feeling. So stick to the basics and it’ll all work out.

Always be prepared for the unexpected. That is why capri jeans are a must have. Not only can they keep your legs warm, but on the days when it is freezing in the mornings, but burning up in the after noon. You have that little exposed area towards those beautiful ankles. That can keep you cool as the sun comes out to say hi. Word of advice, there is no need to go out and spend money on jeans that are cut short. Just take any form of jeans in the house. They can be skinny or loose, and roll them up a little to let that cool air in. Try this with a hint of cute booties to really spice up the outfit.

Since it is the new year, why

not try something fresh and clean cut. Toss out that wardrobe full of dark and bland winter clothes.

Okay, don’t literally toss the clothes out. But start adding pops of color. SHEIN is a very affordable website that sells the cutest blouses, full of color. When interviewing people about what styles they enjoy during January, Kaori Mcgahee, Junior, actually suggested this website. “ Oh yeah, I order tones of clothes of it,” she stated.

Now, fashion is not just for the girls. Yup that’s right, this ones for you boys. Ready for this, it’s blazer time. Going on the fact that January is the month people change things up. Try a blazer with a pop of color, or maybe even a pocket that can hold a hankerchief. Blazer’s can range from thousands of dollars to fourty bucks. So stick to what works best for the occassion. If there is a fancy party going on then get one that is more suited for it. Blazers are

Date Idea of the Month!

By: Grace Arndt

Winter is one of the most romantic times and I have got you covered if you’re still looking for that perfect date with your significant other.

There are many different dates that occur in the winter whether that’s saving your money and spending time at home cuddled up watching movies next to the fire or spending a little extra to have a winter wonderland experience.

Date Idea #1: This is date is for those who would like to save some money and stay warm!

Go to the store and pick up your favorite snacks and holiday drinks (hot coco or apple cider).

Maybe grab a gingerbread house kit! Then drive to your significant others house and cuddle up on the couch and watch holiday movies next to the fire sipping hot coco.

Later you can build a gingerbread

house together or bake mouthwatering cookies. This date night will be filled with laughter, food, warmth, and fun!

Date Idea #2: This date is for those who would like to go the extra mile, spend some money, and risk being cold.

Take your significant other to Snowflake Lane in Bellevue and walk around the city. Enjoy the lights and the parade that goes on during the night time. It is a very romantic setting! Then after go ice skating! This date screams winter and it will be filled with laughter, lots of romance and fun!

nice because if the weather gets a tad to hot for comfort then it is easy to take them off to reveal the simple tee underneath.

Another way to stay coolis to wear wide leg pants. They are absolutely perfect to let the crisp cool air skim the legs.

So let us talk hats. They are cute and versatile. They are especially perfect for those bad hair days. Now not beanies or straw hats, because beanies are for winter. And straw hats are for the summer. Hmmm, what type of hat fall between those seasons?

Answer: Floppy hats. These hats seem to be able to go with any outfit. These kinds can keep your head warm and the sun out of your eyes.

Sparkles. Yes, sparkles, they aren’t just for the New Year’s Eve party. Thanks to stars like Charlotte Greoneveld and Chiarra Ferragni sparkles are no longer reserved for tweens. If paired correctly, let us say , a sparkly

shirt from J.Crew with a touch of sleek plain jeans and popping high heels, sparkles can shine anywhere anytime.

Let’s recap real quick, to kick January’s butt in style we have capri jeans perfect for any weather vibe, bright colors for that pop of change, blazers for the boys in the back, and you can’t forget the wide leg pants. To keep the head cool and eyes protected there is the floppy hat. And to end with pizazz, there are the faboulous sparkles. Now anyone can tackle January, Happy New Year!

A model wearing loose pants in the streets of London. PicCreditCreative Commons

Male Model, wearing a bright yellow blazer.

PicCredit:Creative Commons

Presidents Break

by Madisyn Wachtler For the past school years including this year, February has a week break called “Presidents Break” or also know as “Mid-winter Break” for students in the Kent school district.

The actual holiday is on Sunday the 19th but our break starts on the 20th and goes until the 27th giving Students a week of no school plus the weekend. This holiday is always on the third Monday of February and it’s a day meant to celebrate our past presidents. For the USA, this holiday is only one day but in Kent school district we get a week off.

Most students dont actually know what this break really means but instead think of it as a simple break from school.

Presidents day was first made in 1885 to recognize our very first president George Washington. This holiday was created on his birthday and according to History.com, “it is still officially called Washington’s Birthday by the federal government.” Even though the actual holiday was to celebrate Geroge Washington, the United States now look at it as a day to celebrate our previous presidents.

Ghohli Martinez, a freshman at Kentridge, says she plans on “Spending time with friends

and going out with family” for the time off. She also stated “Having a break from school makes things less overwhelming.”

If you have no plans for this break, using the time to catch up on school work is something to think about, especially if you have low grades.

This time would also be good to work on missing assignments.

If your already caught up in school work, theres plenty of things to do this break. Some of these things include binge-watching your favorite netflix show or starting a new one, making plans with your family to go on a mini vaction or just spending time with them, reading your favorite book, or maybe even doing chores.

Although we get a week off a lot of other districts unfortuanetly dont get as much time off.

The Federal Way Public Schools district only geta a two day break on the 20th and 21st.

5

STUDENT LIFE

January, 2018

February 2018 Monday

Wednesday

Tuesday

Thursday -Get Up Day: an opportunity to share

Spice up your February Calendar with wacky and bizarre national holidays for every day of the month!

-World Nutella Day

-Plum Pudding Day -Clean out Your Computer Day

-Chocolate Mint Day -Lash Day -Presidents Day

-Pistachio Day -Tell a Fairy Tale Day

5

12

-Frozen 6 Yogurt Day -Lame Duck Day

-Fettuccine Alfredo Day -Periodic Table Day -Send a card to a friend day

-Tortellini Day -Safer Internet Day U.S -Fat Tuesday

-Cream-FIlled Chocolates Day -Ferris Wheel Day -Organ Donor Day -Valentine’s Day

-Cherry Pie Day

19 -Love Your

13

20

-Sticky Bun Day

1

inspiring stories.

-Baked Alaska Day: An omelete-

14

-Freedom Day -Boy Scouts Day 8 -Kite Flying Day

-Cook a Sweet

-Kahula Day

-Chocolate

-Strawberry Day -Spay Day USA

-Floral Design Day -National Tooth Fairy Day -Rare Disease

26 -Polar Bear Day 27 Souffle Day

-Bagel Day -Pizza Day -Toothace Day

-Tile Day

22 -Banana

-Chili Day

Pet Day

-Bubble 2 Gum Day -Groundhog Day -Wear Red Day:

-Gumdrop Day -Almond Day 15 -Singles -Do a Grouch Awareness Day a Favor Day -Caregivers Day -Tartar Sauce Day

21 Potato Day

Saturday

Wear red to show support for heart disease and stroke.

like dessert.

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Friday

Sunday

-Women 3 Physicians Day -Carrot Cake Day -Day the Music Died Day:

-Create a Vacuum Day -Homemade Soup Day -Thank a Mail Carrier Day

-Cream Cheese Brownie Day -Home Warranty Day -Umbrella Day

-Don’t Cry Over

death of singers 22-yearold Buddy Holly, 17-yearold Richie Valens, and 28-year-old J. P. Richardson

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16

23

Bread Day -Dog Biscut Day -Toast Day

10 Spilled Milk Day 11

-Cabbage Day 17 -Random Acts of Kindness Day

-Skip the Straw Day -Tortilla Chip Day

By: Arianna Gazzoli

-Inventor’s Day -Peppermint Patty Day -Shut-In Visitation Day -White Shirt Day -Battery Day 18 -Crab Stuffed Flounder Day -Drink Wine Day

-Chocolate

24 Covered

National Holiday list courtesy of NationalHolidayCalendar.com

28 Photos courtesy of Creative Commons

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Nut Day -Clam Chowder Day

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6

STUDENT LIFE

January, 2018

Girls’ Honor Society

Post of the Month: Twitter Edition

By Belle Ramirez

By Madisyn Wachtler

Girls’ Honor Society is a Kentridge club based off of raising awareness for girls in Kent and helping empowering women They do lots of fundraising for important things such as girls education. They also help at a homeless shelter. Not just that, but they also help out around the school and set-up Tolo for Kentridge

In the club, some fundraisers they do are bake sales to support girls education Club-member They meet once a month with around 86 Averie McSweeney members in the club.

Their main goal is to make women feel empowered and fully support their rights. They help women in other places get better education.

Averie McSweeney who is currently a member of the club says that she likes it because “it promotes women’s rights.” She enjoys fundraising and also said she likes it because “it’s making a difference.”

This club is great to join if you agree with raising more awareness for girls and want to help make a change by fundraising.

Top Nickelodeon Shows of All Time 1. SpongeBob SquarePants 2. Drake and Josh 3. The Fairly Oddparents 4. iCarly 5. Victorious 6. Zoey 101 7. Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide 8. The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius

Student Social Spotlight Instagram: @juliabuchwald

Julia Buchwald is a Kentridge Freshman. She travels lots of places like Mexico and Paris and enjoys posting pictures of places she has been.

Not only does she post about traveling, but she also likes to post pictures with friends and family and lots of selfies.

She currently has 703 followers and has been tagged in numerous pictures with friends and other things.

Her main instagram account is @juliabuchwald, but she also has another account known as her “spam account.” She tends to only accept close friends of hers. On this account she posts about her daily life.

Meme of the Month By: Blake Wimberly

STUDENT LIFE January, 2018 What Ice Cream are you based on your Zodiac Sign?

7

By: Zhana Aglubat

Strawberry Sorbet Aries March21-April 19

Green Tea Libra

Sept 23- Oct 22

Vanilla Taurus

Chocolate Scorpio

Banana Split Gemini

Apr 20- May 20

Oct.23- Nov 21

May21-Jun20

Aries are bright, independent, and energetic. The mix of strawberries into a sweet sorbet is an energizing treat, just like you, Aries!

Libra, the well-known ballence seeker of the zodiac. Green Tea ice cream is calm and soothing. Like libras, it is sure to keep its cool.

Taurus, is the mom of a group.

Realiable, trustworthy, and practical. Just like Vanilla, everyone loves you.

Scorpio’s sit comfortably in their assertiveness and passion. Much like a Scorpio, a scoop of chocolate is bold in it’s delivery.

Let’s get one thing straight Geminis are going to want two scoops of different ice cream. A delicious Banana Split captures your fun loving nature , yet indecisiviness.

Lavender Sagittarius

CakeBatter Cancer

Neapolitan Capricorn

Pina Colada Leo

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

What’s up Daredevil? Sags are ones to take risk and step out of their comfort zone, if they even have one. Lavender is edgy, totally you.

Oh Cancer, you love a walk down memory lane. Cake Batter always gives a nostalgic feeling, just like any cancer with a sweet flashback story.

Okay Capricorn, so you like things neatly placed, just like Neapolitan ice cream flavors perfectly by each other.

Leo, you are so down for a spontaneous trip to the Bahammas. A pina colada is already there.

Aquarius wants to keep everyone happy! So the mix of cokkie dough with ice cream is totally you.

Nov 21-Dec21

Jun21-Jul22

Dec22-Jan19

Aquariius Jan 20--Feb18

Jul23-Aug22

Maple Bacon Pisces

Peanut Butter Virgo Aug 23-Sepy22

Feb19 Mar20

Virgos are the master helper of the horoscope wheel, always to help. Peanuts are good for you in healthy fats!

So there you go!

Pisces, can spark anyones creative side. They also are a dreamer. Maple Bacon is a flavor people dream of!

All pictures credited to Creative Commons

8

STUDENT LIFE

January, 2018

What type of dog/owner are you?

Take this quiz to find out!

By: Arianna Gazzoli

1. What TV show is your favorite to binge-watch?

3. How would your friends describe you?

a. Funny show/ Comedy; friends, the office, etc. b. I usually don’t have time to binge-watch watch TV. c. A makeover show; America’s next top model, etc. d. Sports shows.

a. Determined, but also funny and goofy. b. Sweet, respectful, and trustworthy. c. Sociable, selfassured, and classy. d. Competitive, and passionate.

2. Which one of these might you choose as an ideal side-job? a. I’d like to open my own business. b. I could be someone’s assistant. c. A famous actor, actress or model. d. I wish I could be professional athlete

A n s w e r k e y :

4. What would you prefer to do in your free time? a. Hanging out with friends or a significant other. b. Spending time with family or very close friends. c. Going shopping with a big group of friends. d. Playing sports with friends.

5. What are you looking for in a best friend? a. Someone who is practically a comedian, I love to laugh! b. Someone lifelong-- who I can trust and count on. c. Someone who I do almost everything with-we’re hardly ever apart. d. Someone who play can sports and go on adventures with me.

6. It’s Saturday morning, what are you doing? a. Running errands, getting work done, and trying to be as productive as possible. b. Probably working and staying pretty busy and occupied. c. Either getting a haircut, or getting some new clothes. d. Going hiking, jogging, etc.

Mostly A’s: Bulldog According to Cesarsway.com, “Bulldogs are determined, persistent, and do not give up easily. People who own bulldogs are said to be silly and love to laugh but can be viewed as stubborn at times. They are extremely efficient and methodical in completing tasks. While they appear intimidating, bulldogs are gentle and loving members of the family known for being hopeless romantics with sentimental streaks.”

Mostly B’s: Cocker Spaniel According to Cesarsway.com, “Cocker Spaniels are sweet, respectful, and gentle. Owners of this breed are charming, trustworthy, and affectionate.

Cocker Spaniel owners are said to lead busy lives but put spending time with their family first. They maintain a group of close lifelong friends, which they much prefer to spending time with strangers.”

7. How would you describe how you get ready in the morning? a. I have a very specific routine in the morning to help me get ready in a timely manner. b. I always wake up late and I’m scrambling to get ready on time. c. I wake up extra early to make myself look goodl. d. Sometimes I work out in the mornings, usually I get ready pretty quickly.

8. What is most impor-

9. What’s your advice for living the best life possible? a. Find a significant other to spend the rest of your life with! b. Stay connected with family and make lifelong friendships! c. Leave behind an amazing legacy! d. Travel and live life to the fullest!

tant to you right now? a. Love b. Family. c. Beauty/ appearances/popularity. d. Friends.

Mostly C’s: Bichon Frise According to Cesarsway.com, “People who own bichons enjoy being pampered and are considerate of their appearance. Bichons are naturally sociable and are the happiest when they are part of a family or among a group of friends.

Bichon owners are self-assured and gravitate towards a classy lifestyle. They are often wine connoisseurs and art aficionados who enjoy dining at 4-star restaurants and being seen around the town.”

Pictures courtesy of Creative Commons

Mostly D’s: Australian Shepherd According to Cesarsway. com,“Australian shepherds are

active and thoroughly enjoy being outside. Owners of this breed enjoy playing Frisbee at the beach, going to the park, and camping outdoors. This breed has a passion for living life to the fullest and people who live with Australian shepherds are said to have a lot of friends. Aussie owners can be competitive, especially when it comes to a sports match.”

9

OPINION

January, 2018

Food Review: Red Robin Bacon Cheeseburger

Photo Courtesy of Creative Commons

Veggie Burger

The Bacon Cheeseburger is a burger that everyone will love because it is so simple, so good, and anything’s good with bacon!

The Bacon Cheeseburger has lettuce, tomatoes, mayo, and your choice of cheese. (And of course the bacon and the patty).

This burger was cooked to perfection with just a slight bit of pink on the inside of the burger with melted cheese on top and great portions of bacon to accompany every bite. Not only was the burger great, but the whole meal was fantastic. If you pair this burger with some steak fries, your favorite sauce, and a freckled lemonade, you will be set!

-Tionna Taylor The Veggie Burger is a great option for vegetarians and anyone who enjoys alternative meats. It has a quinoa patty with all the toppings of a regular burger - tomato, cheese, onions, and avocado.

The patty stayed together well, unlike most cheap meat alternatives, and was very delicious. Ordering this with the bottomless steakfries will make a perfect meatless meal.

For a vegan option, just order it without the cheese!

- Ava Cline

Photo Courtesy of Ava Cline

A.1. Peppercorn Burger

The A.1. Peppercorn burger has bacon, tomato, and onion. This mouth watering burger is filled with yummy goodness.

This Burger has pepper-jack cheese, hardwood-smoked bacon, tomatoes, crispy onion straws, and Red Robin’s finest A.1. peppercorn spread. All this goodness is packed inside an onion bun.

This burger is simple with wonderful flavors. It is always cooked to your perfection. It comes with bottomless fries as well! I ten out of ten reccomend this burger!

- Grace Arndt

Photo Courtesy of Creative Commons

The Effects of Final Exams

In the month of January, finals for semester one take place in schools and effect not only teachers but students all around.

Final exams are tests that haVE varieties of units that students have learned in their first or second semester of the grade level they are in. These exams can either break or make a student’s future and their education, causing students to panic and stress over the topic.

As there are some cons that come along with the topic of finals, there are as well pros. Finals are given so that the students will be given, according to Colonelnews. com, “valuable knowledge that they can utilize throughout their lives.”The exams are a requirement to take in both high school and college. These exams are found to be important as the exams help tell teachers know where students are in their learning and what they can and not do. Evirtualguru.com states, “Examination aim at judging student’s knowledge in a specific time frame. They enable the teachers to know how well students

have understood the subject.” The results off an exam can shape student’s goals and their plans for their futures, and help teach teachers what they can do better to help the students understand more in the subjects they’re struggling in.

The tests can also affect parents, as the parents tend to worry over their students grades and their future. According to Evirtualguru. com, “Examinations help the teachers and the parents in analyzing the amount of labor put in by the students in gaining knowledge.”

The weight of finals can also be heavy to students everywhere.

Even if the students did take the exams seriously, they still felt pressure on them. According to Evirtualguru.com, “Most students look towards their examinations with anxiety. They, at a very young age, being to feel the tension and stress of examinations.” The exams can hit students with change in effort and belief in yourself as anxiety in some students is challenged and pushed at.

Sodoku courtesy of Creative Commons

By: Ebony Tyeskey

10 FEATURE January, 2018 Marvel Studios dominates the film industry

Phase 1:

By Belle Ramirez

It’s no secret Marvel Studios is doing sufficiently well.

After the release of Thor: Ragnarok, the series has grossed over $13 billion at the global box office, making it the highest grossing film franchise of all time.

2018 marks the 10 year anniverary since the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) had kicked off, and Marvel Studios’ president Kevin Feige has made it clear they do not plan on stopping anytime soon.

The Walt Disney Company has owned the rights to Marvel Characters since the early 1990’s. They began reclaimging character rights, after distributing them to other studios such as 21st Century Fox and Columbia Pictures, in the early 2000s.

Disney has had a long term deal with 21st Century Fox until late 2017. According to the New York Times, the two companies finally came to a $52.4 Billion deal. Before the buy out, Fox had created multiple X-Men, Fantastic Four, and is currently filming its second installment of the Deadpool Series starring Ryan Reynolds. Fans and crictics became concerned with the MCU timeline, questioning if Marvel would add on these characters to an already complex storyline. Chris Evans, who plays Steve Rogers in the MCU and Johnny Storm in the Fantastc Four, tweeted “So who I do I talk to about a Cap/Human Torch buddy comedy spin-off?

I’m thinking planes, trains, and automibles meets Parent Trap.”.

The overall reaction to the buy out was positive, with people seeing it as a way for the MCU to last longer than originally planned.

The MCU is organized in “Phases”. Each movie, show, after credit, and one-shot plays an essential role to the world of Marvel. The movies are not released in chronological order, but thanks to dedicated fans, they were able to piece together the puzzle in the movie world.

Though some argue that you do not need to watch the shows

to comprehend what is going on in the Movies, others will say it is nice to know the background knowledge. Either way, Marvel has worked hard to provide content that will leave people pleased.

The MCU starts off with each Avengers origin story, the Black Widow and Hawkeye being an exception. It follows each characters story and follows their struggles of being part of a team and saving the world -whether it be with a fellow avenger or not.

There are Infinity Stones that have played a crucial role in the MCU. We saw them first men-

The MCU has a dedicated following, millions of fans over the world arranging time to watch every last second of the film.

Marvel is notorious for having an after credit scene -sometimes mulitple- in all its films. Fans of the franchise have been reportedly told to leave by movie ushers because they did not believe the film was over just yet. Marvel movies will have people waiting until the lights turn back on! Stan Lee, Co-Founder of Marvel Comics, is notorious for having a cameo in each Marvel Film. And not just in the MCU. He has portrayed as a Hot Dog Vendor in X-Men (2000) and as a helpless bystander in Spider-Man (2002). Stan Lee’s cameos in Marvel films have become fan favorites and are always eagerly anticipated.

The MCU has carved the way not only for the movie indutry, but for its actors as well. Sebastian Stan, who portrays Bucky Barnes in the Captain America Trilogy, has claimed that the MCU saved his life, giving him more chances to act. Tom Holland has gone on to to win multiple awards for his role as Peter Parker in SpiderMan: Homecoming. The MCU has helped many stars gain new roles in Hollywood. As the MCU continues to grow, so are their beloved cahracters. Chris Hemosworth, Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, and Mark Ruffalo -the original avengers- movie contracts are finished after

Official Avengers 3 poster tioned in CA:TFA when the Red Skull was talking about the Tesseract. Thanos, who wishes to destroy the universe, attempts to collect them throughout the MCU so far, while our MCU heros try to keep them hidden. Avengers: Infinity War is a highly anticipated film this year, with all 65 existing MCU heroes to band together to defeat Thanos. In the Infinity War trailer, Thanos is seen in pocession of the Purple and Blue infinity stones, and we see the Mind stone being ripped out of The Visions head. We also see Loki holding out the Tesseract to someone- maybe Thanos?

Fans of course have created hundreds of theories, ranging from Dr Strange resuscitating everyone from the dead and Ant Man going back in time to help the Avengers Photo credits to Flickr back in 2012.

Avengers 3. The stars are sad to depart but grateful for the experience.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is known more than just its acotrs. Unlike the DC Extended Univers, which has recieved negative feedback for the lack of quality in films, the MCU is not a mess of storylines, despite the overlapping characters. Each movie flows nicely within the universe and is not too overhwelming on viewers. Kevin Feige’s vision of a world of superheros flows nicely in people’s minds.

There are many other projects down the road for Marvel, ofcourse. 2018 is expecting an abundence of new Marvel content. Starting with Black Panther, set to release February 16, Ant Man and the Wasp on July 6th, and Avengers: Infinity War, May 4th. Captain Marvel is set to release March 8 in 2019 along with an untitled Spider-Man film. The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is confirmed to kick off Phase 4.

Marvel recently hired Jac Schaeffer to write a long awaited Black Widow solo movie. Black Panther recently sold more preordered tickets than any other MCU film yet. Marvel Studios has fans on the edge of their seats awaiting for new releases, everyone eager to see how their favorite heroes are going to save the world again.

Captain America: The First Avenger Agent Carter (S1) Agent Carter (S2) Agent Carter (one-shot on Iron Man 3 DVD) Iron Man Iron Man 2 The Incredible Hulk The Consultant (one-shot on the Thor DVD) A funny thing happened on the way to Thor’s hammer (oneshot on the CA:TFA DVD) Thor The Avengers Item 47 (one-shot on the avengers DVD)

Phase 2:

All hail the King (one-shot on the Thor: The Dark World DVD) Agents of Shield (S1, Eps 1-7) Thor: The Dark World Agents of Shield (S1, Eps 8-16) Captain America: The Winter Soldier Agents of Shield (S1, Eps 1722) Guardians of the Galaxy Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 Daredevil (S1) Agents of Shield (S2, Eps 1119) Avengers: Age of Ultron Agents of Shield (S2, Eps 20-22 Daredevil (S2, Eps 1-4) Luke Cage (S1, Eps 1-4) Daredevil (S2, Eps 5-11) Luke Cage (S1, Eps 5-8) Daredevil (S2, Eps 12-13) Luke Cage (S1, Eps 9-13) Ant Man Agents of Shield (S3, Eps 1-10)

Phase 3:

Agents of Shield (S3, eps 11-19) Iron Fist (S1) Captain America: Civil War Agents of Shield (S3, Eps 2022) The Defenders (S1) The Punisher (S1) Agents of Shield (S4, Eps 1-6) Doctor Strange Agents of Shield (S4, Eps 7-8) Agents of Shield: Slingshit (S1, Eps 1-6) Agents of Shield (S4, Eps 9-22) Thor: Ragnarok Inhumans (S1) Main MCU heros with Thanos

MCU Chronoligcal order courtesy of Belle Ramirez & Collider

11 STUDENT LIFE January, 2018 How singles feel on Valentine’s Day By: Blake Wimberly Valentine’s Day is a holiday most people find positive. No one really looks on the opposing side, though. Valentine’s day can be great if you’re in a relationship or have someone you want to celebrate it with. However, this holiday alone can be a day some people regret or find to be annoying.

“I feel that valentine’s day should be more a day where people celebrate it with their families.” says an anonymous source.

“Not everyone has a significant other to celebrate this holi-

day with, and it seems kind of unnecessary to celebrate it worldwide if not everyone is included.”

A lot of people feel negatively or don’t care about this holiday, as well.

Out of the 276 students who participated in the valentine’s day survey, 13% of single people said they dislike this holiday and/or believe it’s unnecessary. 41% of participants (single or not) said they don’t take this holiday seriously at all. Only 9% of participants take this holiday very seriously and half of the people who

took this survey only kind of took this holiday to heart.

“I don’t really mind being single on Valentine’s Day. I feel that for me it’s just a normal day where I can just sit and enjoy some sushi and sit in my room and watch anime all day with some of my besties.” Says freshman, Natalie Jasmine.

“I think it is nice to celebrate but I don’t really think that it is necessary at all.”

Though it can be an unnecessary holiday for some, a lot of people enjoy it, too.

“Not everyone has a significant other to celebrate this holiday with, and it seems kind of unnecessary to celebrate it worldwide if not everyone is included.”

- Anonymous Source According to the survey, 31% of participants actually love this holiday and feel generally quite positive about it. 11% of those people are single and that shows

that there are opposing sides, as well, rather than one basic or mutual feeling.

you single females and males out there, I got you covered with how to deal with being single on sweet old Valentine’s Day. It can be hard to see what else life has to offer on this daywhen you’re constantly bombarded with romantic comedies on TV, flowers, romance novels and heart-shaped trinkets in the stores, However, you can be happy as a single on Valentine’s Day. Don’t feel pressured to get a date just for this holiday because you can treat yourself.

The number one thing that singles need to understand on this holiday is that they are not the only one and it is not the end of the world.

This day would be a day where you treat yourself and maybe have a cheat day if you are on a diet.

Girls, you can treat yourself to a spa day and a nice mas-

sage.

Guys, have some friends over and play video games or watch you favorite sport, you can treat it like a normal day but with a twist!

One way to cope with this is being able to understand all the benefits you have from being single. Just think about them and they could honestly make you happier in the end.

The biggest thing that you can do is treat yourself! You could go to the full extent of a shopping spree and a spa day.

You could also do a girls or guys night and just hang out with your friends and do the things you love together!

Overall, don’t be sad or ashamed if you happen to be single on this day, go out, treat youself.

Treat the day as if it was an ordinary day with a little twirst to it like i said earlier.

And if you happen to have a significant other on this holiday, treat them right, show them you love them, take them out, surprise them.

Make this day special for the both of you and do they things you love together as a couple.

Sweet Old Valentine’s Day By: Grace Arndt

February 14th, a day that is special to some but just another ordinary day to others. For those of you who have a special someone, don’t worry there are many amazing date and gift ideas out there. And don’t worry single ones, because there are also many ways to cope with being single on valentine's day as well as ways to treat yourself.

Each year on February 14th, many people exchange cards, candy, gifts or flowers with their special “valentine.” It is a day to celebrate your relationship together and to spoil each other with gifts or a cute night out on the town.

Valentine’s Day can be very controversial depending on the people you talk to. Some may love the holiday because they are in a relationship, however some may hate it since they will be spending the day alone.

Look below for some classy and cute date ideas for those of you out there who are wanting to go the extra mile and take your loved one out.

There are also many nice gift ideas that will put a smile right on your significant others face.

Date Ideas: -Ice Skating in Bellevue -Nice Dinner -Movies and Dinner -Stay at home Movie Night -Night out on the Town

“Resist the pressure to couple up if it doesn't happen to be the time for you, and celebrate the moment”.

-Kate Zernicke Now, when it comes to gifts the most classic thing would be flowers and chocolate. But, if you want to spice it up a bit you

could throw in some balloons, a teddy bear, her favorite makeup or perfume/cologne and a hand written letter.

Another idea is to surprise your significant other. Most people love suprises and they will not be expecting it which will make it even better!

Just think of something very

romantic or something that you both love to do together and you will have the best time!

For those of

OPINION January, 2018 “Boys Will Be Boys” is an out-dated phrase 12

By: Ava Cline

We’ve all heard the phrase “Boys will be boys.” It implies an excuse for male behaviors based on their gender, and my initial impulse is a clichéd one – what about the girls? Do they have an excuse to act out of line simply because they are female?

But we should go deeper into the gender politics of this phrase.

It seems to have rooted itself in our behaviors, actions, and words, but why? An extremely important aspect of the phrase’s impact on our society is its timing.

My take is that young boys, and young girls, hear “Boys will be boys” very early, starting at about age 3 or 4. It can be used to excuse acting out like throwing blocks at a friend, or pulling the dog’s tail. But what happens when that same phrase is used to dismiss the actions of a 14-year-

old who gets into fights after school or starts cursing at teachers in class? Is that still excusable behavior based simply on the existence of testosterone?

I believe that the phrase is representative of an antiqued way of raising young boys (and teaching young girls) that there are inevitable acts that must take place as part of ones’ “maleness” and at times, the severity of those acts must be overlooked because of a gender.

This may seem over-generalized, as not all parents of boys treat their sons under control of this simple phrase when they are young. The point of this arguement is that the phrase lies subconsciously in our society and it affects us in ways we are not even aware of – until recently.

As of late, there is an unprec-

edented number of victims coming out to accuse powerful men of sexual assault and abuse, from Harvey Weinstein to Kevin Spacey to our current President Donald Trump. The years that these women have remained silent about their assaults are proof of the repressed idea that men get an automatic pass for their actions simply because we assume their nature.

I want to challenge our society to look past this assumption, to strive to hold all the members of society to a higher standard – one that condemns assault in all forms, including sexual violence against women, without question or hesitation. Once that is put into action, the movement for a more just and fair world will begin its slow roll.

Just look at the Time’s Up

Photo Courtesy of Creative Commons The phrase is linked to deeper societal issues about gender. initiative, which includes a stillgrowing fund for lawsuits of underprivileged women, legislation to penalize companies that tolerate harassment, and a letter published on January 1st and drafted

by America Ferrera, Eva Longoria, and many other actresses, lawyers, and advocates. This is an opposition taken up against

“Boys will be boys”. It is holding men, as well as the rest of society, to a higher standard, trusting that together we can break the cycle of excuses on the basis of gender, and it will not the last. The age of “Boys will be boys” and excuses on the basis of gender is coming to an end.