April 07, 2017
Volume 96, Issue 8
An Open Forum for Student Expression
Supporters of The Garfield Messenger Benefactors Bridge Partners Susan Byrnes Patrons Anonymous (2) Beth Britt Ellen Chestnut Gabrielle Coulon Harry Cheadle Kim & Michelle Gould Tana Lin & Paul Holland Friends Anonymous (9) Ann Hollar Argeres Family Deborah & Keith Ferguson DeBody, LLC Elana Jassy Heath Foster Psychology Janet Gwilym and Bing Tso Jay & Alicia Edgar Joseph Hurley Julie Wohle & Rick Kolpa Karin Brooks & Simon Woods Kristen Rooks Laura Gardner & Hiroshi Matsubara Margaret Sullivan Nancy Sapiro & Lincoln Miller Phebe O’Neil Porter Family Shelton Family Theatre of Possibility Thury Gudmundsdottir Tracy Rowland & Larry Reid Trina Blake These contributions help make the production and publication of The Garfield Messenger possible. If you would like to support The Messenger, please contact us at garfieldmessenger@gmail.com
Editorial and Letter Policy The purpose of The Garfield Messenger is to present student perspectives on issues and events related to the Garfield High School community. The Messenger’s editorial responsibility lies not in presenting a particular viewpoint or agenda, but in representing a variety of opinions. Views expressed in publications by The Messenger do not necessarily represent those of our staff, supporters, or the Garfield High School student body and faculty. The Garfield Messenger welcomes responses to our publications as well as opinions concerning issues relevant to Garfield. Please send editorials, opinion columns, or letters to the editor to garfieldmessenger@gmail.com Contact The Garfield Messenger The Garfield Messenger Garfield High School 400 23rd Ave Seattle, WA 98122 Phone/Fax: (206) 252-2270 E-mail: garfieldmessenger@gmail.com
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The Garfield Messenger 04/07/2017
Contents
Volume 96 Issue 8 April 07, 2017
NEWS
A&E
Get to Know: Juan Fernando Gonzalez. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Spring Sprouts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
by Lily Laesch
by Cipher Goings & Flora Taagen
News Briefs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Dreadheads in the Lobby. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
by Sydney Santos
by Jamaica Aytch
From Activist to Politician. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Staycation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
by Jessica Morales
by Lily Laesch
Educate to Counter Hate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Seattle’s Best: Bookstore Edition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
by Jasmine Fernandez
by Julia Lin
Your Privacy Policy’s Been Updated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 by Ann Shan
No Child Left Behind. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 by Susana Davidson & Cipher Goings
No More Peace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 by Delphi Drake-Mudede
SPORTS March Madness. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 by Alex Ferry
On to the Next. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 by Josh Chestnut
Breaking the Silence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
FEATURES
by Esther Chien
Upstander of the Issue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 by Quinn Sullivan
Seattle’s Fight for Ethnic Studies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 by Sydney Santos
The Kids Aren’t Alright. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 by Bella Rowland-Reid
OPINION APPartheid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 by Claire Boudour & Delphi Drake-Mudede
Writing Executive Bella Rowland-Reid Graphics Executive Cora Andersen Bicknell Graphics Editor Elliott Hoppe Section Editors Hannah Tacke • Quinn Sullivan Elena Orlando • Emma Cooper Business Executive David Willner Advisor Corey Allan Martin
Writers Alex Ferry • Ann Shan • Cipher Goings Claire Boudour • Delphi Drake-Mudede Esther Chien Flora Taagen • Jamaica Aytch • Jasmine Fernandez • Jessica Morales Josh Chestnut • Julia Lin • Lily Laesch Susana Davidson • Sydney Santos Photographers Freya Wiedemann • Peter Kubiniec Ruby Seiwerath • Toby Tran Illustrators Ana Matsubara • Ariel Cook • Brianna Kleckner Business Staff Paulette Argeres • Julia Reguera
APPartheid, pg. 9 Art by Ana Matsubara Cover photo by Elliott Hoppe
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News
Get To Know
News Briefs Juan Fernando Gonzalez.
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ou may have noticed a new face in the halls and out on the soccer field this year. Juan Fernando Gonzalez is a senior exchange student who hails from Cali, Colombia. He is attending Garfield for the entirety of this school year before he heads back to Colombia, where he will attend college next year. Gonzalez has a primary reason for coming to study abroad. “First, I want to learn English, that’s the most important thing for me,” he said. His aspirations have landed him here, as a temporary bulldog. “I think that Garfield is really special,” said Gonzalez. “It’s really [diverse] and is really different [from] what I thought a high school in America is.” Juan had the option to live and study in lots of smaller cities across the United States, but he ultimately settled on Seattle. “I came to Seattle because I wanted to stay in a big city,” explained Gonzalez. Although he enjoys many aspects of Garfield and Seattle, he still misses many things about his life back home.
“I miss my parents and my family and my friends,” remarked Gonzalez. “I [also] miss the food.” However, Gonzalez has found many new friends among the Garfield soccer team this spring. Gonzalez played center defender for his high school team in Colombia, and is now an addition to the Garfield boys soccer squad. Although he is not allowed to play in games due to insurance logistics, he can always be seen training with the team. “They are a family and I am the new brother,” said Gonzalez. “I think they are a really good team, everyone on that team [has] something special.” Gonzalez has high hopes for the team this year, and is grateful for the comradery among the players. “I think this year we are going to win State. Everyone [makes] so much effort,” said Gonzalez. “Everyone loves everyone.” So, whether you need to touch up on your soccer technique or get help with Spanish homework, keep an eye out for Juan in the halls. Photo by Ruby Seiwerath -LL
By Sydney Santos
Trumping Climate Change
President Donald Trump released an executive order on March 28th that revoked six climate change and emission regulation laws created during the Obama administration, considerably changing the country’s views on environmental policy. The President argued that this move was to save American jobs that were inhibited by Obama’s regulatory laws, and that a strong economy would instead save the environment. Overall, the executive order will mean less enforcement on US corporations, decreasing the monitoring of emissions and other industry outputs.
Alice Waters at Montlake Elementary World-renowned female chef Alice Waters visited Montlake Elementary, an alma mater of many Garfield Students, on March 24th. Waters’ fame began in Berkeley, California as the owner of Chez Panisse, a restaurant that soon became internationally known for it’s dedication to the organic food movement and made Waters one of the most respected chefs in the world. Waters is also known for her interactions with public schools through her program, the Edible Schoolyard Project, where she has incorporated garden and cooking classes to increase the quality of cafeterias for students. A few of the elementary school’s teachers and Seattle Parks officials visited the Project’s home in Berkeley last year, creating a partnership that brought Waters to visit Montlake’s own greenhouse and teach the students and faculty about home gardens.
Trivia Club places 3rd in State On Saturday March 18th, Garfield’s own Trivia Club participated in the State Knowledge Bowl at Arlington High School, taking home the 3rd place trophy. After getting 4th in regionals earlier this year, the GHS team was able to compete against 18 other high school Trivia Clubs in their 3A division. The club has improved a lot over the past year; at the 2016 State championship, they placed 10th. Mr. Nomura, the club’s advisor, thinks that Trivia Club’s achievements won’t stop this year: “We have a pretty young team, with only one senior this year. I think they will be really successful next year.” Trivia Club meets Fridays at lunch in Mr. Nomura’s room.
Trivia Club members Jr. Emilia Barnecut, Sr. Will Edgar, So. Bryce Groen, So. Juliette Jones, So. Jacob Linden, and Jr. Jonny Sabath (team captain) cheese with their new trophy.
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The Garfield Messenger 04/07/2017
News
From Activist to Politician Nikkita Oliver runs for mayor. By Jessica Morales
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t the beginning of March, member of the newly established People’s Party, Nikkita Oliver announced that she would be running against Ed Murray for the position of Seattle mayor. According to Oliver’s website, the People’s Party is “a community-centered grassroots political party led by and accountable to the people most requiring access and equity in the City of Seattle.” Seattleites involved in social justice issues may be very familiar with the name Nikkita Oliver. Oliver, who holds a Masters of Education from University of Washington, has dedicated much of her time at local Seattle schools. Not only does Oliver teach part-time at Washington Middle School, but also at south Seattle’s Franklin High School. In fact, last year she worked alongside Arts Corps for writers workshops here at Garfield. Activist, spoken word poet, attorney, and educator, much of Oliver’s community work stems from her background experiences. Some would certainly consider Ed Murray to be a progressive politician. After all, Seattle is known for being one of the more liberal and politically, socially aware cities. However, following the recent elections and long-felt disappointment in communities of color, Oliver recognizes that it can be hard to trust the current political institution of a traditional two-party split between Republicans and Democrats.
Oliver’s website states, “The People’s Party recognizes the troublesome nature of the current political structure and seeks to be a meaningful alternative...Government, including local government, is not working for the people. The obstacles impeding justice for all are greater than ever before--even in ‘progressive’ Seattle.”
Oliver and her party acknowledge that politics have often failed to create profound change for underserved people. As a result, the People’s Party was recently established as an alternative, that is, a third party. Oliver’s platform centers the needs of communities directly, including those of working class people, immigrants and refugees, womxn, those who
will be or are affected by the new youth jail, police bunker, and the Dakota Access Pipeline. On her social media, Oliver has discussed the many instances in which she has been negatively confronted for running against Murray. Questions such as, who she thinks she is for running, or if she think she would even be able to talk to white Seattle voters. “In the next few months I am sure I will be asked more questions that no one should ever get used to and I will answer them honestly. Telling the truth and being honest is not to be applauded, but rather it is to be expected (especially when it comes to our public servants).” Though Oliver was approached by multiple members of her community, she wasn’t yet convinced to run - that was, until older members urged her to. In her interview with South Seattle’s Emerald, Oliver stated that after the U.S presidential elections, many community members gathered to discuss how to go about creating transformative change. “We decided that if we wanted to make sustainable change it would have to be done at the local level and involve local politics in terms of a transformational election process.” If elected, Oliver would be the first black woman to serve as mayor. Oliver has stated that although winning would be a stepping stone for many to activiely seek change in their communities and in government, she believes her party’s message and beliefs have done enough.
Art by Ariel Cook
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News
Educate to Counter Hate
Recognizing transgender lives as human lives. By Jasmine Fernandez
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s April begins to settle, losing a grip on reality in the midst of cherry blossoms, rising temperatures, and the countdown ‘til summer becomes an effortless task. But in spite of the joys that accompany spring, an increasing violence against transgender people throughout the nation has inflicted anything but joy into the hearts of many: agony. In 2017 alone, Jamie, Mesha, JoJo, Keke, Chyna, Ciara, Jaquarrius, and Alphonza have become the victims of transtargeted crimes. While the events are no doubt grievous, anti-transgender violence is nothing new. According to GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), a media force aimed at accelerating the acceptance of the LGBTQ community, 2016 replaced 2015 as the deadliest year for transgender people in the U.S., witnessing 27 deaths. This figure, which does not take into account the homicides of those misgendered in news stories, police reports, or by their families, is a rate of more than two deaths per month. Elayne Wylie, a director of the Washington state-based Gender Justice League, noticed the presence of certain trends within this growing statistic. “The rates of murders of trans women over the last several years have had a sharp increase. What we’re seeing is that it primarily [affects] trans women of color,” she stated. “I am a white person of European descent, and I can say I’ve never experienced
the level of violence that I’ve seen other trans women [of color] have. So, I’m speaking from my privilege here.” Violence perpetrated against transgender people tends to be more common among women of color, including all eight women killed this year. Wylie recognized that this is a result of transgender women of color living on the intersections of racism, transphobia, sexism, and criminalization, factors that often produce inflated rates of unemployment, homelessness, and poverty. “As we unpack intersectionality, we recognize that people of color are often marginalized in society through both the invisible and visible effects of white supremacy. A trans woman may receive certain levels of discrimination for who she is, and then, because of the color of her skin, she may be further marginalized.” With anti-transgender violence being a prevalent issue in today’s society, especially among women of color, Wylie does not think there is adequate attention brought to this problem, or the community altogether. She believes the reason why transgender people do not fit the “perfect victim” mold is due to the media’s unawareness surrounding how to portray their stories in compelling, sympathetic ways. So, why do organizations like the Gender Justice League believe it is critical that the media makes a greater effort to accurately represent transgender people? According
to Wylie, “[Since] most people in America don’t interact with trans people on a daily basis, one way that they can learn about [them] is through the media.” Essentially, news articles, online blogs, or footage on TV may be the only means of exposure to the community that some people have access to. This is why the media plays such an important role in fueling anti-transgender violence: constant portrayals of transgender people as criminals and anything short of human can result in violence based on fear of the unknown. In order to counter hate against the transgender community, Wylie strongly believes it is essential for the media to make greater efforts to humanize its members. When transgender people are identified as athletes, teachers, writers, or soccer moms, opposed to merely “the trans person” or “bad guy,” emphasis is placed on the fact that they are no different than the greater populace. Moreover, the inclusion of transgender characters in television shows, like Laverne Cox’s Sofia in Orange Is the New Black, further normalizes the community as regular people. When efforts like these are increasingly made to ensure that transgender lives are treated as human lives, positive attention will be brought to the genuine character of transgender people. Once this happens, everyday people will be encouraged to protect the community, not destroy it.
In 102 episodes of scripted TV containing transgender characters catalogued by GLAAD since 2002:
20% of the characters possessed the same occupation: sex workers
21%
21% of the time, they were casted as killers or villians
40% of the time, they played the roles of the “victims”
54%
20% 40%
54% of transgender characters were negatively represented
61% of all the content included anti-transgender slurs, dialogue, and language
61%
Your Privacy Policy’s Been Updated What a recent repeal of an Internet privacy regulation means. By Ann Shan On Monday, President Trump signed the repeal of an Internet regulation that had been passed last October after Congress voted to repeal the regulation late March in a party line vote. The law would have required Internet service providers (ISPs), such as Verizon or CenturyLink, to receive consent before sharing sensitive information to marketers. The personal information in question includes full browsing history, precise location, financial and health information, and app usage information, among other things. The repeal sparked outrage among both sides of the political spectrum, and Garfield sophomore Hannah Fairbanks has to agree. “There’s incognito mode for a reason,” Fairbanks said. “I don’t want people to see that, [or use my history] without my permission.” The Obama-era regulation was scheduled
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to take effect this year, but the idea of having browsing and other information sold to third parties is not a new one. Companies like Google and Facebook are regulated separately from service providers and under looser regulations and are already selling anonymous profiles based on this type of
“[ISPs] have access to all your information,” Schnelz said. “They’re trying to level the playing field, but ISPs have access to so much more.” Take Google, for example. If a user is not comfortable with the information Google collects, they have the choice to switch to
information for the purpose of ad targeting. But a lot of advocates for Internet privacy don’t think that it’s a valid comparison, and senior Charlie Schnelz agrees.
another search engine like Bing. On top of that, Google can only collect information from sites and services they own or have contributed to, whereas ISPs can see the en-
The Garfield Messenger 04/07/2017
tirety of someone’s Internet use. According to a report by Pew Research Center, most teens are confident in their ability to manage their social media privacy settings and aren’t concerned with or aware that their information is shared with third parties by social media sites like Facebook. The information shared is only one nameless piece of data among thousands, and in the short term this repeal won’t have a noticeable impact on anybody. The precedent it sets, however, is enough to make people feel uneasy about where the future of Internet privacy is going, including sophomore Jennet Mitikie. “We should be more aware of what we’re putting ourselves into,” Mitikie said.
No Child Left Behind
Features
Meany Middle School reopens after eight years. By Susana Davidson and Cipher Goings
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dmond S. Meany Middle School, which closed in 2009 to make way for Nova Alternative High School and the world school program, will be reopening in the September of 2017. Their incoming faculty are working hard to combat claims of reduced racial pluralism within their student body. This is due to rising 6th and 7th grade Scholars (formerly known as general education students) who live in Capitol Hill that will be transferred from Washington Middle School to Meany. “One of the things that is important to me is a term called Honors For All,” says Chanda Oatis, Meany’s incoming principal, referencing a program that has already had a prominent impact on Garfield. “I want all students to have access to every opportunity. If it’s something they can handle, it should be in the classroom for them, not just for students in a separate track.” Despite the backlash this transfer has received from parents concerned about the lack of racial and cultural diversity in the school, many teachers are looking at the benefits associated with it. “The decrease in Washington’s [Middle School] student body will definitely be a positive,” said Susan Huntley, the tutoring coordinator at Washington Middle School. “The individualized
attention that we will be able to provide, we will really be able to get to know students and see what their opportunities are.” Parents are also growing to like the idea of
a new beginning for their students. “Families have been very curious and ask a lot of questions, like what courses will be offered, or about the staff. But as their questions are being answered, there seems to be a growing level of excitement around creating a new school,” says Washington Middle School and former Meany Middle School teacher Robert Rose-Leigh. Regardless of high hopes and plans for the future, the reopening of Meany as well as the transfer of students from Washington will undoubtedly make changes within Washington Middle School, and the community at large. Friend groups will be broken up, teachers will leave classrooms, and perhaps
the factor that has received the greatest amount of criticism is the presumed prioritization of higher education, white students. “The parents of HCC [Highly Capable Cohort, previously APP] students are often the ones with the loudest voices, are often the ones who volunteer the most and are often the ones who have the biggest pockets. And money talks,” says Huntley. Although Meany is a comprehensive school, a school that does not select its intake on the
basis of academic achievement, Scholars from Washington who live in Meany’s area will not have an option to stay at their cur-
rent middle school. This can affect families who want their students in higher education program. Despite this education zoning, Meany’s staff are working to promote pluralism within the school. While Meany was still open, Rose-Leigh expresses how the middle school was incredibly diverse and hopes that the re-opening of the school will be just as much if not more demographically spread. “It was approximately 55% African American, 15% Latino, 15% Asian/Pacific Islander, 15% White. It was a wonderfully diverse student body, and I had an excellent experience there with students and staff,” he says. These new features, programs and plans, although ambitious, are being worked on and constantly developed by the faculty at Meany who are dedicated to creating a diverse educational experience for their students. They, along with faculty at other middle schools like Photo by Toby Tran Washington are attempting to combat the manifestations of institutionalized racism within the education system.
No More Peace
The eviction of Omari Tahir-Garett. By Delphi Drake-Mudede Dozens of protesters gathered in the rain as was our community. So they decided they The Peace center has had to temporarily explained, it is devoted to empowering SeThe Umoja PEACE center faced eviction, would fracture our community with gentri- move a few blocks to the Midtown Shopping attle’s black population, particularly youth, and the long-time Central District icon was fication,” Said Tahir-Garrett. Center through a variety of programs. Tahir-Garrett boarded up by contractors. The center is an Tahir-Garrett and his family have experi“They attacked the peace center, so we has dedicated his life to Civil rights Activism, institution devoted to empowering Seattle’s enced gentrification before. Less than a had to move over here. It’s just so ridiculous. Pan-Africanism and Black Empowerment. black population. week before His own eviction, Black Dot, a You see our kids just shooting at each other He has been socially and politically active in Omari Tahir-Garrett has been a Central business co-founded by Tahir-Garrett’s son, and gang banging and stuff. This is why we the Central District since the sixties. District resident for over seventy years, al- faced an eviction as well. need a peace center,” Said Tahir-Garrett. “We were fighting in 1969 and 1970 at the most the entirety of his life, and has been opThe displacement of Tahir-Garrett and The center remains one of the few symbols black culture center for an African-Amerierating the Peace center for over eight years. the Peace center has caused controversy in of Seattle’s historically black Central Dis- can academy, an African-American museum His sudden eviction came as a shock to many the commutrict. As Tahir- and an African-American commissioner,” members of the community. nity. Garrett Said Tahir-Garrett “Eventually all of these Throughout his many years, Omari has seen came into existence”. the process of gentrification overtake the Although the sudden displacement of Central District. the Umoja PEACE center came as a “In the sixties when [Black surprise to Tahir-Garrett, he people] said ‘Black has stated that business Power,’ the will continue power running as structure per usual. realized that Photo by Peter Kubiniec our power base Sign on Tahir-Garrrett’s former residence tells passerbys about Umojafest Peace Center, Central District youth cultural facility.
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Features Upstander of the Issue Meet Chardonnay Beaver. By Quinn Sullivan
Seattle’s Fight for Ethnic Studies
How the community is combatting Eurocentric courses. By Sydney Santos
What is BPS? BPS initially started with us in middle school and we were noticing in the Central District just some friends who we’ve grown up with in elementary school either join gangs, or get into drugs, or alcohol, and stray away from school and their academic path for success. And it really scared us. So we want to encourage that no matter what life you live, say “no” to drugs because there’s always alternatives and if you need a voice or if you feel like you’re voice isn’t heard, we are here. What we have been doing this year is working on how to get that message out there. We aren’t trying to preach “don’t do drugs, don’t drink,” but instead “this percentage of students don’t do drugs, join the party.” What other big things are you focused on right now? Mediating with students is something that I’m really trying to work on this year and actually get going here at Garfield, whether that’s teacher-student mediation or student-student mediation. What that looks like is me just sitting down with the student and talking about the conflict. A lot of these issues are about unintentional or irrational reactions so my goal is to come in as a leader and just as a peer. So come in and, you know, “What I hear you saying is this. Can you explain it to that person so they get a clearer view?” Fixing misinterpretations so that they leave the meeting feeling good. Where does your passion and motivation come from? It’s a series of things, but my dad has always taught me that there is value in people and so when you go out of what you think is your path, you realize that as you interact with others, they are pushing you even further to where you want to go. The more interactions that I have, the bigger I can build the community. Community has always been important to me and I think that just starts within my family. It’s important to me that I build a community because my family started here and just knowing where I belong, but also making sure that others feel like they belong, whether I agree with your beliefs or I don’t, I am still going to honor your position within the community because it’s valuable. It’s like we all carry a brick and the more we piece our bricks together we can make a wall. What outlook do you have around the future of Garfield and the community? The more people are able to look at the positive, the better their scope is of the school. If we just focus on the positivity and the energy of each other and we know how to act off of that, there are so many things we can do. If you are interested in talking more with Chardonnay about her work, feel free to stop by the Activity Center during 2nd period/email her at chardonnaydbeaver2001@gmail.com.
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The Garfield Messenger 04/07/2017
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What leadership roles do you hold in this school? I am sophomore class president. Other programs that involve my leadership are Bulldog Prevention Squad (BPS). I actually started this with a group of my close friends in middle school and so we decided to continue our legacy and bring it to Garfield.
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An Upstander is someone who acts to make positive change. Sophomore Chardonnay Beaver is an active leader at Garfield and involved in her own programs to make a difference. Here is what Chardonnay has to say and a few among many reasons that she is an Upstander:
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Photo by Freya Wiedemann
A diverse group of students, teachers, and parents attended the Seattle Public School board meeting on March 15th to advocate for a district-wide integration of non-Eurocentric curriculums, particularly in history departments. These curriculums, better known as ethnic studies, aim to provide an education of world history from the viewpoint of cultures outside of the Western influence and allow students of color to learn more about their own ethnic backgrounds, both in America and overseas. The push for ethnic studies demands both a change in existing classes, as well as a whole new course covering the topic. This push recognizes that white students may take for granted the knowledge correlated with the disproportionate prominence of caucasian history in modern education; Senior Bailey Adams, president of the Black Student Union (BSU) at Garfield, explained that many minority communities haven’t been given the same education about their ancestors as their white counterparts. She said that “People [of color] really want to learn...how [ethnic groups] impacted America on a greater scale...not just black and white, but a bunch of other cultures too.” Even though organizations like the Seattle/ K i n g County National Association for the A d v a n c e m e n t of Colored People (NAACP), have advocated for the integration of more ethnic perspectives into our education, the push for ethnic studies courses gained attention in January at Garfield’s MLK Holiday celebration. Rep- resentatives from the Seattle/King County NAACP told an audience that they had proposed a resolution for making ethnic studies a required part of public school curriculum over a three-year span. This resolution also aimed to make bigger changes in public education, outside of history classes: to combat institutionalized racism and the realities of white supremacy inside all curriculums.The NAACP chapter had given this resolution to Seattle’s school district, from whom no immediate response was given. The March 15th board meeting was used as a way to advocate for the NAACP’s January resolution. Testimonies spoken by members of the crowd, especially those from students of color, were influential enough that the district’s Board of Directors unanimously expressed their favor of incorporating ethnic studies courses. As of April 1st, they have yet to formulate an official response. If the district agrees to follow the NAACP’s resolution, supporters hope that the ethnic studies courses will become an integral part of many students’ educations. Adams detailed this ideal: “It would be a whole new class, and...you get a history credit for it…it’s not an elective, with teachers trained around it.” The Seattle/King County NAACP and the rest of the ethnic studies movement needs as much support as possible to show SPS that students and families want this change. Visit their website (www.seattlekingcountynaacp.org) or scan this barcode with a QR code scanner app on your smartphone to sign their online petition for getting SPS to adopt the NAACP’s resolution.
Opinion
APPartheid
How Garfield’s classrooms exclude students of color. By Delphi Drake-Mudede and Claire Boudour
“Last year I remember we were learning about world religions so we watched a bunch of videos about Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism, and everyone that was interviewed as a historian or academic was white and a male, and when I brought it up to [the teacher] , he just ignored me.” -Jaya Duckworth, 10th “No matter what, even if there is an effort made to include you or diversify what we’re learning, since white students make up the majority of the class, it will always be molded for them. Also, in my classes there are people who say things to intentionally hurt people of color, and that is just an uncomfortable situation for me to be in.” -Naomi Haile, 10th “I did a group project on self-segregation for which we handed out a survey about why people self-segregated and a lot of the white people took no responsibility and essentially blamed it on chance.” - Amira Abdel-Fattah, 12th
Two years ago, the McGraw-Hill textbook company came under fire for an entry in its 9th grade World Geography book that read, “The Atlantic slave trade between the 1500s and the 1800s brought millions of workers from Africa to the Southern United States to work on agricultural plantations.” By describing the millions of slaves brought without consent during the Atlantic Slave Trade as “workers,” people claimed the textbook minimizes history, and completely ignores the fact that these people were forced here against their will. Textbooks and curriculum are painfully lacking in perspective, particularly in Advanced Placement (AP) and Honors classes. When history is almost always written by highly educated white men, the stories we hear in classrooms are unbelievably one sided. AP and Honors classes are undeniably missing diversity, as they almost always have predominantly white and Asian students and teachers. Although there are certainly teachers who make an effort to diversify their classrooms with additional primary sources from a variety of perspectives and inviting students of color to share their perspectives, these efforts can be outweighed by harmful microaggressions, intentional or not. Furthermore, when a unit is taught about people of color, it is more often than not about the struggles these people have faced, rather than the achievements they have made and the ways they have positively impacted society. The numerous accomplishments of Japanese-Americans aren’t taught in most history classes, but the Japanese Internment is almost always addressed. When students of color don’t see themselves reflected in curriculum or receive equal attention from their teachers, it can be difficult for them to succeed. This problem doesn’t only exist at Garfield. A 2016 study by the Stanford Center for Education Policy Analysis reported that Seattle
Public Schools’ Black students test, on average, three and a half grades lower than their white peers. Similarly, the gap between white and Hispanic students is around two and a half grade levels. When compared to the 200 largest public school districts in the country, Seattle’s achievement gap is the fifth largest. The school district is aware of these issues, and work is being done to correct the problems on a city-wide scale. “At Seattle Public Schools, our fundamental belief is that every student entrusted to us will attain high academic performance and will achieve academic excellence. While this is a reality for some of our students, it remains a dream deferred for many of our students of color (African-American, Latino, Native American, Pacific Islanders, and Southeast Asian),” explained the school district website. “That is why we are declaring our commitment to eliminating opportunity and achievement gaps and accelerating achievement for each and every one of our students.” The parents of white students, particularly those on the APP track, have sometimes reacted negatively to these goals. Complaints are often made that their children are not receiving equal attention or resources, when compared to students of color. The implementation of Honors for All at Garfield received a fair amount of pushback from parents of students that were already on the honors track because they feared the program would hold their children back. What these parents fail to realize is that diverse classrooms and a variety of perspectives in curriculum will only make learning more interesting and valuable for every student. We at Garfield owe all students equal opportunities and should continue to work to make sure every student feels included and welcomed in our classes.
“At the beginning of the school year, we were watching this movie about the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, and there were like three Black students in the class. The whole time we were discussing the movie, he would ask all three of us to be a spokesperson for all of the Black people in the United States. It was just really awkward because I can’t speak for the millions of Black people in the country. It was really uncomfortable because [the teacher] really just points at students to be a spokesperson and give the whole history and story of all people, but that’s just not your place to do that so it’s really weird.” -Hailey Gray, 10th “In middle school, I was in APP, and there was only one Black student in the class. We had this old white lady as a substitute one day, and the first thing she did when the bell rang was to ask the Black kid if he was in the right room.” -Anonymous “My [World Lit Class] is all white and it is super uncomfortable when we talk about race.” -Cecilia Hammond, 10th
“[One of my teachers] makes a point to pronounce students of color’s names wrong. Like she either just hasn’t made an effort to learn anyone’s name or she’s trying to be funny, but it’s just not okay.” -Angelena Tran, 10th
“In my Spanish class, which is predominantly white, a lot of students treat the culture we learn about as a joke, which is really uncomfortable.” -Anonymous, 9th Art by Ana Matsubara
The Garfield Messenger 04/07/2017
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The Kids Aren't Alr By Bella Rowland-Reid
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PR called it the silent epidemic. Psychologists Today dubbed it a crisis. Time Magazine painted it as the “heartbreaking portrait of why young people are suffering.” But for an estimated 37% of Garfield students, untreated mental health issues are just another chainsaw to juggle as they navigate school, family, friends, and everyday life. This statistic, which stems from the 20162017 Garfield Healthy Youth Survey, reported that 33.5% of students had frequent feelings of worrying and hopelessness, both symptoms of depression. Additionally, in the last twelve months, 17.5% of survey-
taking students seriously considered suicide. With a clear decline in teenage mental health over the past ten years, professionals are scrambling to continue providing resources to students in need. It’s no secret that adolescents are more overwhelmed than ever. A combination of sports,
jobs, clubs, hard classes -- most of which are done to stand out amongst the ever-growing competitiveness of college applications -leave students with little to no free time. If you have a big family, your nights and weekends are spent babysitting, cooking, even balancing a budget. If you live on your own or with working parents, these everyday stresses are multiplied. For students, particularly those coming from homes where instabilities tend to be an issue, worrying fits or anxiety episodes become the norm. “Mental illness is a really sensitive thing to talk about,” said senior Rheana Dale, who is a member of Garfield’s Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). Three times a year, CORE organizes a trip for students filled with forums and opportunities to discuss topics such as drug addiction, body image, and mental illness. “A lot of people [on the trips say they] are feeling depressed or anxious, usually either because of schoolwork or social interactions with other people.” The issue doesn’t end with the nationwide declining mental health of students, however. Instead, the focus is on finding teenagers with mental illness the support they need, particularly in communities where mental health issues are disregarded and assistance is inaccessible. In 2014, an estimated 20% of teenagers showed symptoms of diagnosable mental health conditions. More than 80% were left with insufficient or no treatment. That means, of the twenty-five kids in your third period math class, five are battling issues
surrounding issues of mental illness prevent many from getting the assistance they may need. “There’s a stigma generally, but particularly within teenagers, because they want to be the same as other people,” said Moore. “They may not be able to identify some of the symptoms that they have[…] they may relate it to just stress and school and not be able to fully understand that it’s developing into a mental illness.” Stigmas penetrating these issues aren’t easily fixable. In many communities, particularly those of African descent, generations of trauma have translated into a legacy of severe mental health issues. Historically, however, these issues have often been ignored in said communities, asking sufferers to turn to the church, family, or bottle it up rather than seek help for their illness. Because of this generational disregard, these traumas may follow people their entire lives. “I think a lot of students don’t believe in therapists or psychiatrists, and they think they can help themselves,” said Dale. “A lot of people think they can do everything on their own, and if there is a resource available to you [...] they should take advantage.” Even when students recognize symptoms of mental illness, many are hesitant to seek professional assistance. Because of this, high schools and universities are cutting funding for mental health programs. According to Mental Health America, American universities will often offer only one mental health specialist per 1,000 students.
In 2014, an estimated 20% of teenagers showed symptoms of diagnosable mental health conditions. More than 80% were left with insuffIcient or no treatment.
Art by Cora Andersen Bicknell
with mental illness. And of the five of those, four are not receiving the help they need. “The statistics are very alarming,” said Rosie Moore, the mental health counselor within Garfield’s Teen Health Center. Available in multiple schools across the district, Teen Health Centers provide different types of specialized care to students. “The Teen Health Center is here to provide medical and mental health services to students of Garfield,” explained Moore. While mental health resources are available within the Teen Health Center, the stigma
“There are 1,800 students at Garfield and only one mental health specialist,” said Moore. “This is replicated in college.” It has also become evident that mental health issues and trauma in youth can follow people for their entire lives. Recently, a study done by the University of Pennsylvania found that women who experienced episodes of trauma and/or mental illness as teenagers or earlier were more likely to experience diagnosable depression than women who had not experienced said events. “Anything that is left untreated has the
right potential to get worse,” said Moore. “If you had cancer, you would get treatment for it and have a lot of support [...] the same is not awarded to mental health.” Even while resources like the Teen Health Center and mental health hotlines are available free of charge to students, the cultural portrayals and romantic rhetoric surrounding teenage mental illness often poorly advise youth on how to deal with their own mental health issues. Similar to how MTV’s Teen Mom falsely paints teenaged parenthood in a glamorous light, the Internet seems to have newfound obsession with self harm and suicide, which can be extremely damaging to impressionable minds. Particularly on sites like Tumblr, where “depression blogs” fill browsers with
proaches a school counselor hours before committing suicide. This scene, along with others throughout the series, shows mental health assistance as almost a last resort, only once one has bottled so much inside that they are no longer able to escape their own thoughts. “This isn’t how we should be taught to reach out for help,” wrote Cline. “We should be watching real-life, sit-down conversations with parents that show how to ask for help surrounding mental illness, bullying, or anything else.” As television shows and novels portray mental illness as a dramatic storyline rather than a real-life issue, viewers can remove themselves from the real consequences of these situations, contributing to the ever-
in the last twelve months, 17.5% of students seriously considered suicide. photos of beautiful girls with teary eyeliner and poems illustrating the appeal of a razor, suicide and depression are discussed unrealistically, without mention of the harmful truths behind the illnesses. “If you’re in the wrong chatroom, you could get support for your suicidal feelings,” said Moore. “There are websites even telling you how to [commit suicide]. It can be very dangerous.” Perhaps the new Netflix original series Thirteen Reasons Why, based on the bestselling novel by Jay Asher, is guilty of this trend more than any other current teenage phenomenon. The highly hyped series, which premiered late March, was described as a “teen suicide drama” that followed the aftermath of a high schooler’s death and her classmates as they decipher thirteen tapes left behind that explained her suicide. Many critics claimed the show oversimplified the issues of mental health and depicted unhealthy messages to its teenage audience. In an article for Teen Vogue, writer MollyKate Cline claimed that the series -- which depicted Hannah’s friends battling drugs, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and bullying as they cope with her loss -- “[increased] the stigma around mental illness by not directly addressing it and dancing around it.” Not once, Cline claims, does the show mention mental illness it its entire thirteenepisode first season, nor does it directly address the youth as they discuss their own mental health issues, save one of the final scenes in the series, where Hannah ap-
increasing stigma surrounding reaching out for help, particularly in high school. While statistics show that suicide is currently the second leading cause of death in youth ages 17-24, it should be noted that teenagers are beginning to recognize the state of their own mental health. “Each year, people become more aware,” disclosed Moore. “Because people are losing resources, they don’t have families or neighbors to talk to about what’s going on, they are becoming more aware of how they’re feeling.” Additionally, as mental health has become more visible in the past decade, more over-the-phone and free resources are becoming available to youth specifically. “Teen Link is a great resource. They have teenagers and young adults [operating] the phones [...] you can call and get advice from people your own age,” said Moore. “There are also a lot of community resources. Children’s Hospital has a great department of psychology, along with the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic… There are many different places to go in the Central District.” As mental health becomes more prevalent in youth, and resources such as the Teen Health Center and Teen Link become available, it is important to remember that you are not alone. If you are struggling with mental health issues, please contact the Teen Health Center in Room 102 or call the 24-Hour Crisis Hotline at 866-427-4747. Remember that help is always an appointment or phone call away.
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Spring Sprouts
How to get a green thumb this spring. By Cipher Goings and Flora Taagen
HOW TO
WHERE TO
Starting a garden can seem overwhelming and confusing, but finding the perfect space to use makes everything else easier. “Space is a very big issue [but] it’s very easy to make a bed for your plants. Making beds for your plants allows you to water easily and just simplify the entire process,” says sophomore and home gardner Hattie Sanders. To create a 4-by-8-foot garden bed, the supplies you need are: two 2-by-12 planks, each 8 feet long, two 2-by-12 planks, each 4 feet long, 12 pieces of rebar, each 2 feet long, and a rubber mallet. For a step-by-step guide to building your garden bed, go to rodalesorganiclife.com. Before setting the bed in place, make sure to staple wide mesh hardware cloth to the bottom of the bed to keep out weeds while still allowing access for earthworms that enrich the soil. Once the soil of your choice has been added to the bed and the seeds have been planted the workload significantly declines. When picking a soil type, you want to keep Seattle’s climate in mind. Ideal soil for planting in the 206 is “Loamy” soil, or soil that is mostly comprised of sand and possesses a smaller quantity of clay. “[When] the seeds are planted the maintenance is not that bad. The only real maintenance is the weeding and thinning [removing certain plants to make room for others],” says Sanders.“Plants are a lot easier to keep alive than you think especially living here in Seattle with all of the rain. Just be aware of how much light your plant is receiving and when [to plant] specific plants.”
Living in an urban city can initially appear to be a limiting factor when it comes to gardening. That being said; lush plantlife, rich soil, and a communal setting is in fact right around the corner in many dense Seattle neighborhoods. P-Patch is a local community gardening program that devotes itself to community building through its 90 plots in the Seattle area. Founded in 1973, this program grants many city residents with the opportunity to start a garden of their own. “Usually the desire for a P-Patch bubbles up from the community,” shared Kenya Fredie, a PPatch Community Garden Coordinator. “[The community] either wants an unused area to be made more safe or they want to beautify it or they want to bring their community together.” According to Fredie, P-Patch works in constant collaboration with both the neighborhood of the plots and Seattle parks funding. Anyone interested has the full ability to sign up for a plot in a P-Patch garden. To sign up for a space Fredie said,“You either go online or give us a call and we put you on the entrance list. When the plot opens up we give you a call and then you move forward from there.” Some entrance lists are longer than others, but usually someone will recieve a plot within one to three years.
TIPS AND TRICKS -Buying tomato plants allows you to get more bang for your buck: less seeds, more produce! -Plastic covering over garden beds reduces the need for you to start any plants inside. The plastic contains a lot of heat and moisture that plant needs to thrive. -Making flower beds makes the entire gardening process a lot easier and provides a lot of space for your plants without taking up the entire yard. - Go online and research plants that grow best here in the Northwest. - Spring time gardening here in Seattle, limits the amount of water you need to use on your plants.
Dreadheads in the Lobby Rise of the independent rap artist. By Jamaica Aytch We’ve all pulled out our phones, put our heads down, or shied away from the person on the corner that will say those dreaded words: “Aye man, you wanna buy my mixtape?” For most people it’s hard to compare these individuals to those living in luxury at the top of the charts. Chance the Rapper represents an emerging phenomenon as he diverges from the usual path to success, claiming that listens on SoundCloud is a marker for his success, while still choosing to submit his music for Grammy nominations. Chance has recently come under fire for calling himself an independent artist as he received $500,000 for his album Coloring Book, which was originally released strictly on Apple Music. Independent artists are classified as
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those not affiliated with the big three of music recording and distribution: Warner Music Group, Sony Music, and Warner Music Group. These corporations are responsible for 80% of the musical markets distribution, making them an apparent necessity to the livelihood of mainstream artists. Getting signed by one of these labels represents “making it” to up and coming talent, as they expect it to lead to their shining name on the marque. While the appeal of immediate payment after signing and long term loyalty to the artist can certainly be enticing, signing to a label doesn’t come without consequences. For one, these advances don’t last as long as expected. The cost of producing the album itself, along with the cost of touring and in some cases promotion, many artists wind up in debt, relying
The Garfield Messenger 04/07/2017
on the measly 15% of the profit from sales they receive to stay afloat. Many of the contracts distributed by these labels feature a “work for hire” undertone, stating that the employer of the artist essentially owns the rights to the product, causing the artists to
lose out on profits. Art by Brianna Kleckner With these drawbacks it’s understandable why independent artists and labels seem to be the way of the future, as this alternative gives the artist more freedom
to produce music at their own pace, and hold onto at least 25% of the money made through sales. In giving up excessive advertising and mainstream influence, the artist retains his/her rights to their product, making their revenue from major streaming services more opportune. Independent artists are also able to avoid what major labels call “artist development” which allows the label to demand a certain sound or theme of an artists project at the threat of delayed release or other inconveniences. More and more mainstream artists are shying away from major contracts, recognizing the faults and fall backs of the larger corporations and validating Chance the Rapper’s statement given in an interview with Rolling Stone: “There’s no reason to sign to a label. It’s a dead industry.”
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Staycation: By Lily Laesch
$25
08 Brunch Run
Grab your friends and head over to Magnuson Park for a 5k run beginning at 9:30. Once you cross the finish line, reward yourself with a selection of brunch bites from 15 different local brunch restaurants.
$15$100
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Half Price Night
Whether you’re a die-hard baseball fan or just an avid stadium food lover, take advantage of half price night at Safeco Stadium. The Mariners face off against the Houston Astros at 7:10pm.
$22
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Free*
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Food Truck Round Up Are you a food truck fanatic? Indulge yourself at the Food Truck RoundUp at the Fremont Sunday Market. Local and handmade goods are also for sale.
$12
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Laser Beyonce Show You’ve heard her music on the radio for years, and maybe even live in concert. But have you listened to Queen B amidst a background of dancing lasers? From 2:15 to 2:45pm, enjoy a matinee laser show at the Pacific Science Center.
Free
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What to do in and around Seattle this Spring Break.
$10
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Silent Movie Mondays Craving something quiet? April 10th is the first day of Silent Movie Mondays: Comedy Classics at the Paramount Theatre.
Free
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13th Movie Screening The Central Branch of the Seattle Public Library is hosting a screening of Oscarnominated documentary 13th from 7 to 10pm. The film explores the topic of the racial disproportionality in the prison systems across America.
Free
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Glassblowing: A Closer Look
Black Lives Matter March
National Park Free Day
At 9:15 on Friday, learn more about the eccentric art of glassblowing at the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum. Guests will enjoy a full demonstration and tour of the exhibition.
From 2 to 6 pm, join thousands of others in Westlake Park to demand equal taxation, which this march focuses on. This event is hosted by the Black Freedom Front.
Get out of the big city in honor of National Parks Free Day. Washington State is home to North Cascades, Olympic, and Mt. Rainier National Parks, any of which you can enter for free on Sunday.
* Entrance is free, prices of goods will vary
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The Garfield Messenger 04/07/2017
The Garfield Messenger 04/07/2017
What is the best gift anyone could give you? a. Nice headphones b. Season tickets to a Seattle sports game c. A nice camera d. The gift of friendship
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If you could be any fictional cartoon character you would be… a. Ferb from Phineas and Ferb b. Pikachu c. Tina from Bob’s Burgers d. Patrick Star from Spongebob
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What is your favorite genre of book? a. Fantasy/adventure b. Non fiction c. Realistic fiction d. Mystery
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Book stor e Edit ion
Which reality TV show should have a spin off about Garfield… a. American Idol b. Survivor c. The Bachelor d. Master Chef
Which elective should exist at Garfield? a. Music production class (surprise! This class actually does exist!!) b. Surfing and skydiving c. Social justice seminar and 21st century issues d. A class where you get to play with puppies for the whole hour
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Whether you’re an avid book lover on the hunt for your next pageturner, a social media maven looking for a good place for an artsy photo shoot (yeah, you know who you are), or just hoping to explore the city and learn some cool new stuff, we’ve got a place for you. Take this quiz to see which bookstore you should check out first!
If you could have one mediocre super power what would it be? a. The ability to choose what song is stuck in your head (no more listening to the car pros jingle on repeat) b. Super speed but only for 5 minutes at a time c. The ability to tell when an avocado or mango is perfectly ripe d. The ability to talk to animals but no one believes that you actually can
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14 By Julia Lin Photos by Elliott Hoppe
SEATTLE‘S BEST
Look below to see which bookstore you should go to!!
Which song is your go to right now? a. Chanel- Frank Ocean b. Anything by Drake c. Library Magic- Head and the Heart d. Jazz, classical, you name it, I basically like all music
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What is your ideal weekend plan? a. Just hangin with friends or listening to music b. Playing or watching some kind of sports game c. Drawing, painting or craftin it up d. Doing something outside or playing with my pet
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You really like music and you have a bright and colorful personality. Third Place Books, a new and used bookstore with three branches throughout the city, exemplifies the magic and vibrancy of second hand book stores so it’s a good match for you. The Columbia City location is connected to a cute restaurant giving it the perfect amount of background noise and energetic buzz to compliment the bright colors of the huge selection of books they have. Where’d You Go Bernadette?, a novel set in Seattle which would be a good summer read for you.
If you got mostly A’s...
Quiz Results
Overall Best Book store: Twice Sold Tales
You’re an energetic person with a passion for exploring. Your answers lead me to believe that you are pretty sporty so you should try reading Boys in the Boat, a highly acclaimed book about the UW crew team. If you’re looking for a good place to read it, you should check out the Suzzallo Reading Room at the UW. Yes, I know this isn’t actually a bookstore but it’s Hogwarts-like appeal would make a great place for you to study for finals or just enjoy the quiet magic of the world renowned library.
If you got mostly B’s...
You’re an artsy teen looking for a relaxing place to browse for a book, grab a cup of tea or get into a deep conversation. The Elliott Bay Book Company, a local bookstore that has been in Seattle since 1973, can provide all of these things and more. From a wide selection of books for people of all ages to a little cafe and plenty of chairs for lounging you’ll be set for any of your book lover needs. You may be a bit of a history nerd so Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, a story of great significance to the International District will check that box.
If you got mostly C’s...
You are an animal loving, fun-loving quirky human bean. Your curiosity will take you places. One of these places may happen to be Twice Sold Tales where your passion for books and animals will flourish. My recommendation for you is Your Heart Is a Muscle the Size of a Fist by Sunil Yapa, which tells the true story of the history of protest and politics in Seattle. If that doesn’t seem quite right for you, since you love animals, consider The Art of Racing in the Rain, which is also set in Seattle and tells the story of life from a dog’s perspective.
If you got mostly D’s...
Animal lovers, book worms, artists (and anyone else in between) rejoice! Walking into Twice Sold Tales is like walking into another world. It is eclectic, delightful and homey; a solace in this busy city and time. There are books covering every inch of the place, squished into shelves that reach all the way to the ceiling, stacked on the floor, everywhere you turn you see a rainbow of covers weaving into a maze of books that one could happily get lost in for hours. The most magical thing about the place? Somewhere hidden in the labyrinth of books are a few adorable cats who, if you are able to find them, will happily curl up in your lap while you read.
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The Garfield Messenger 04/07/2017
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Sports
March Madness Recap Players tell all. By Alex Ferry
F
rom what began as just a fun tournament and the majority of Messenger’s funds, Garfield’s March Madness has been slowly rising as one of the highlights of the year. The competition has been growing without a doubt, but it’s the smack talk and bragging rights that made this year one for the books. For those who missed out on the madness– here’s a quick recap. There w e r e very few upsets this year, things went fairly as planned. The weak were trampled, the dead hurdled. God is Good took out You Got Schooled in the sweet sixteen, a huge upset considering the teachers have taken the championship for the past two years. Meanwhile, on the other side of the bracket, the lax players plus noah breezed through their first three games, reaching the finals to play God is Good. In the end, God is Good came out with the upper edge, winning 32-28. The biggest difference between this year and years’ past, was that the tournament was condensed into one week rather than two. “The tournament was very fast paced this year, but I’m glad we got to get out there and play every day,” said senior and God is Good teammate, George Otis. However, Otis also has some advice for next years’ Messenger crew. “It was pretty easy, next time you should get some guys who can compete with us.” On the technical side of things, there was one gaping hole in the tournament compared to last year. “Joe Bland was a big part of setting up the gym and making sure the games were running smoothly. This year was a big difference without having him to set up and organize everything,” said counselor and 2-time champion Daniel Lee. Yet it seems the students out-organized the faculty on all aspects of the tournament this year.
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“Next year, we will definitely try to be more organized, and come in with a game plan,” said Lee. “These other teams had a game plan–they were coming for us–and it worked. Their strategy worked and we didn’t have an answer for that,” he said. Star player of God is Good explains their well thoroughly organized game winning plan. “Our strategy was only use me when needed. And obviously I was very needed,” said senior and varsity player, Markelle Lily. Lax Players Plus Noah had a very similar game plan, but were still not able to come out with the dub. When asked what the most successful part of their plan was, varsity player Noah Neubauer said it all. “Me.” During the tournament itself, the competition stayed high and the drama seemed low. But the second “God is Good” laid eyes on that trophy, the smack talk began. “We won the past two years, and this year we felt like we had to allow the students a chance,” said team captain of You Got Schooled, Daniel Lee. “It would’ve been very selfish to win a third time, we did it for the
babies, we wanted the kids to have their moment in the sun.” Markelle Lily speaks for God is Good in response to the teacher’s’ statement. “If they WANTED to lose, they shouldn’t have been double teaming and crying about fouls,” said Lily. “That just sounds like something a sore loser would say. My condolences to the teachers and their pride.” Lee explains that there were many mixed emotions about this year’s tournament, and their upset game against God is Good. “There was a little too much talking going on after our loss, we initially felt like we did the right thing, but then all this talking started happening and it just really made us feel like okay, that’s some motivation for next year,” said Lee. “I mean, we were initially disappointed, but ultimately it was all part of the plan. Next year I think we’ll be back though,” he said. It was great to see both immense passion and humbleness from
God Is Good 3 poses with coach Max Nall after their championhip win.
The Garfield Messenger 04/07/2017
both teams in the finals this year. “I just wanna say that before the tourney started, I told the messenger that I was going to win...and I did,” said senior Markelle Lily. “Teachers...Maybe next time.” Not only is March Madness a fun time, but the bragging rights are only redeemable once a year. “This is what we’ve waited for. This is what I’ve always wanted,” said champion George Otis. If you’re an aspiring champion looking for some tips to get the gold, just remember, champions are made in the off season. “We did some recruiting in the off season and it paid off. We’re finally champions,” said senior and champion Jae Abrams. Photo By Bella Rowland-Reid
Sports
On to the Next
Bulldogs take their talents to Feather River. By Josh Chestnut
I
n the middle of Northern California sits Feather River College, in the little town of Quincy. With a population of barely over 5,000 people in the city and being over 600 miles from Seattle, this school seems like an unlikely option for a Garfield student to attend. But oddly enough, a group of students at Garfield have found a safe haven in Feather River College, specifically as football prospects. After a very successful season under the management of Coach Joey Thomas, many Bulldog footballers are looking to advance their talents to the collegiate level. One of these ambitious athletes is Cerra Slade, a senior middle linebacker for the Bulldogs this previous year. For Slade, the decision of going to Feather River Com-
Art
by F reya Wie dem ann
munity College was in large part due to a lack of options. “My freshman and sophomore year I didn’t take class seriously and it kind of put me in a hole, so Feather River, being a Junior College allows me to get back on track and potentially get me playing Division I football,” said Slade. Feather River College’s tight connection with Garfield is found in the strong relationship between Coach Thomas and the Feather River coaching staff, often resulting in interest from the school in Garfield football players. “The coach was given our game tape from Coach Thomas because they are friends and he noticed two or three players on our team that stood out, leading to him coming down here to see us play in person sometime in December,” said Slade. The idea of having a Junior College as an option has been very appealing for athletes everywhere, but Slade especially values the second chance. “My problem was that I was not NCAA eligible because the NCAA requires a 2.4 grade point average and I didn’t have one at the time, so even though I had offers from Montana State and Washington State University I ended up at
Feather River, which I am very excited for,” said Slade. But Feather River can be incredibly appealing in other aspects, found in the low cost, great opportunities, and the remoteness of the campus. “It’s a quiet area, so there’s no distractions there which would allow me to focus on my academics and also my football,” said Slade. However, the decision made by Slade to go to Feather River was not done individually and involved a lot of communication with Thomas. “I had one big discussion with Coach Thomas and we were able to collaborate and make a decision that would be good for me,” said Slade. “I know Coach Thomas has a lot of experience with Junior Colleges because of his connections with the Feather River coach and from his past at Ballard where he helped out some players there.” The decision of which college to attend obviously took a lot of collaboration, yet Slade is still excited to see the campus for the first time. “I still haven’t been to the Feather River campus, but I know that it is basically surrounded by trees with a nice athletic facility with a very personal feel to it,” said Slade. Similarly, Desmond Masaniai, a senior left guard for the Bulldog’s football team is highly interested in attending Feather River as well. “I heard about Feather River from my friend [Garfield senior] Marquis Williams and I thought it would be cool to play with people I was already familiar with,” said Masaniai. “I have not committed yet but I am almost sure that Feather River is the place where I can furt h e r m y ed-
ucation and talents.” A lot of the praise from Masaniai has been put on Coach Thomas, in fact that is a large reason why the senior is deeply considering Feather River. “Coach Thomas really helped me mature in my first year playing football and the fact that he is friends with the Feather River coach makes me feel good because I’d expect they’d have similar coaching styles,” said Masaniai. The Feather River coaches, have been a great resource for football prospects like Masaniai and they’ve been able to draw in players with strong personal connections through a desire to get to know their potential players and how they are doing. “[Coach Sparano, the assistant coach,] is a tremendous guy; he just seems very transparent and actually interested in taking time out of his day to check up on me which really makes me feel special and comfortable,” said Masaniai. But Masaniai does see how Feather River College could potentially be difficult to get through, especially away from home. “I’m very big on family and being around them a lot, so moving states could be a tough step, although I’m sure it will benefit me and my independence,” said Masaniai. One thing that is sure is that the Garfield football team is driven and tightly connected and Masaniai has fully bought into this concept, in large part instilled by the Bulldog’s coaching staff. “Once I get to college my mindset is to grind from the start and make my family and football brothers proud, while also following our team’s motto, T.O.P. [Totally Optimized Potential],” said Masaniai. On top of Slade and Masaniai, senior Keith Edwards will be attending Feather River College, while their teammate Marquis Williams is still in the deciding process as well. The Bulldog football spirit seems as though it is still intact, even at the collegiate level. Feather River College and Junior Colleges like it are often undervalued and not taken advantage of. Through the encouragement of Coach Thomas and his coaching staff, Garfield student athletes have been able to play at the collegiate level, sometimes despite a lack of experience on the field, or even academic struggles. Feather River has become a valuable option for many Bulldog football players and for good reason.
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The Garfield Messenger 04/07/2017
Sports
Breaking the Silence April is sexual assault awareness month. What will you do to stay informed? By Esther Chien nvision the best collegiate football player you know. There’s a good chance his fame is attributed to how aggressive he is, praised for his merciless attitude. While this mentality suits the field, it can translate onto college campuses. A case study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania revealed that certain environments encourage aggression over others. Societies with higher levels of male dominance, tolerance of violence, and greater gender segregation tended to fall into this category. These characteristics aren’t just found in tribal societies, however, as they also are prevalent on college campuses. Despite having hundreds of sexual assault cases each year, most colleges take little action to resolve these cases. In fact, only 20% of female sexual assault survivors report cases, the rest believing that it was too personal to share, or that if they did, the police wouldn’t listen to them. If they did report, it was more common to report to local police rather than the campus police, in fear that the universities would turn them away. Just two years ago, Stanford swimmer Brock Turner was convicted of raping an unconscious woman behind a dumpster.
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Convicted of multiple charges, he should have faced a maximum sentence of fourteen years in jail, but the judge’s verdict significantly reduced this number down to only six months, three if on good behavior. The public viewed this decision as too lenient, but these types of decisions aren’t unfamiliar nor uncommon. At Baylor University, a NCAA Division 1 school famed for its athletics, numerous sexual assault allegations have been made directed towards the football team and the university itself. In 2015, a football defensive player, Sam Ukwuachu, raped a former Baylor female student. He was sentenced to six months in the county jail despite that there was enough court evidence to indicate that the victim was indeed raped. When an independent party researched the larger problem of the University’s approach to sexual assault cases, president Ken Starr was demoted after the study revealed the University’s failure to take action from 2009 to 2016 when at least six female students filed sexual assault claims. Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, another NCAA Division 1 school, is yet an-
other example of the correlation between athletes and sexual assault. Four former football players were accused of rape and defense attorneys blamed the school’s culture surrounding drinking and partying. Cory Batey and Brandon Vandenburg, two of the football players and alleged rapists, faced minimum sentences of 15 years of incarceration, while the other two have yet to be tried. Sexual assault cases involving athletes also occur at a local level, and are not limited to female students only. In 2014, at Juanita High School in Kirkland, Washington, five freshmen on the football team assaulted the volunteer team manager, an 18 year-old male student with special needs. Consequently, the students were charged with second degree attempted rape, and immediately expelled from school afterwards. These cases are examples of how sports culture, especially football, often stems from rewarded violence, which has a lasting impact on the student-athletes in daily life. Subconsciously, they may resort to aggressive tactics outside of sports, aware of the success it brings them on the field.
For potential victims, this can be quite threatening, especially when the case is brought to court. Even with substantial evidence, many accused athletes have been defended by coaches while victims were blamed for dressing inappropriately or failing to control intoxication. In addition, athletes are often protected by the school because of the reputation and entitlement athletes boast, and are offered top-tier legal representation provided by the school. While there is a significant portion of student-athletes who commit sexual assault, not all athletes are responsible. Research shows that perpetrators generally come from the high-performance and high-aggression sports like football, basketball, and hockey. Amidst all this controversy, the responses from the public have garnered an increase in sexual assault awareness. In fact, universities all around the country have implemented counseling services and hotlines for students, hoping to provide a safe space for all students.
RECOGNIZE RED FLAGS
The assailant will likely be someone that you know, and will try to isolate you and use debilitation to take advantage of you.
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HAVE AN EXIT STRATEGY
Your voice can be the greatest tool in prevention. It draws attention and intimidates your assaulter.
RESORT TO PHYSICAL SELF DEFENSE Let your eyes travel to the next page.
90%
Around of sexual assault victims do not report the incident.
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1 in every 5 women in college The Garfield Messenger 04/07/2017
are raped.
Sports nose Strike the nose with the heel
of
your hand as hard as you can.
throat A karate
chop to the throat effectively blocks off the attacker’s breath and causes choking.
groin A kick or a punch to this area will distract your attacker momentarily, giving you a chance to flee.
S E C
fingers Take the attacker’s
pinky and
bend as hard as you can.
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ES otlin ) R F l h HOPE O T tiona-656S I nse L e na 800 f e (1-
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ns al s o c i o l ess sse s a l c ng i y, l l e t s n nd an a t r cou d mpo cate i t du s e o m ng ed i e b ar p e pr
1 in every 16 men in college are raped.
Art by Cora Andersen Bicknell
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The Garfield Messenger 04/07/2017
The Backpage Presents...
gossip gurlz GHS edition
WELCOME Gossip Gurlz here! Your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Garfield’s elite. Walking through the crowded halls of Garfield High School, there are snakes and scammers everywhere. You might not know who they are, but boy do we. You send the secrets, and we spill the tea. Without us, you would have nobody left but Twitter and screenshots to expose the fakes. And who are we? That’s one secret we’ll never tell. You know you love us xoxo, gossip gurlz
Spring has sprung, and you know what that means. Garfield groups are jet setting around the country on some fabulous and not all that academic school trips. But what really went down on orchestra’s trip to New York? And what’s happening in Hawaii right at this very moment? Don’t worry gossipers, we have the latest dish and we can’t wait to share. Our insider source in New York didn’t just give us the scoop, we received some pretty incriminating evidence that could result in serious consequences…….but we’re not quite ready to save the details. But let’s just say a certain musician got up to some funny business in the middle of the night. And that’s not all, another orchestra member helped Yo-Yo Ma tune his strings (if you know what we mean) backstage. The Hawaii trip started only a few days ago, but we already have some hot gossip that we’re dying to share... Click here to read more Posted: 4:13 pm
EXPOSING EXTRAVAGANZA
Goodmorning our little ghs gossipers!! Has everyone noticed the new popular trend of having usb drives?? From what we’ve heard, it seems as if students are using them to input information into their mouths. Is it test answers or secret communication? We’ve also had reports of smelling mango and “creme brule” aromas throguht the halls. What are these new trendy gadgets ALL the cool kids have?!? You know what to do... send in your JUUicy info !! xoxo, Gossip Gurlz Posted: 9:30 am
This past year we’ve been receiving some juicy information from all of you little gossipers! We’ve saved up some of our favorites for just the right moment, and now that time is here. We’ve made an effort to maintain anonymity for all parties involved, but that doesn’t mean you can’t all do some digging of your own;)