Altitude 16 4 by hanfordaltitude

SPRING TEAMS SPORT NEW UNIFORMS

Altitude VOLUME 16.4 • 3.31.2016

Fresh season, fresh look see page 5

Hanford High School • Richland, Wash. 99354

inside 2 HAPO

News of the new stage and students who will perform at the grand opening.

MAD MARCH

DROWNING

Commentary on March Madness.

An in-depth look at mental health in the school and in teens.

BVS REVIEW

FEMINISM

Student opinions on the new take of the classic characters.

An op-ed on feminism in the aftermath of UN Women’s lemonade stand controversy.

up & coming April 1 Spring pep assembly

April 4 Spring break

April 13 Senior meeting Cap and gown distrubution

April 15 ‘Our Town’ play premiere

DROWNING

photo illustration by katie peurrung

It’s like choking, the water clogging your throat, taking hold of your lungs. But you still look forward, say you’re fine, ignore the restraints in your gut. When twenty percent of adolescents have some form of mental illness and we still can’t talk freely about it, there’s a problem. Inside you can find the stories of fellow student Tanna King and teacher Kim Maldonado, read the daily schedule of someone with mental health issues and learn about the perspective of professional psychologists and doctors. continued on page 6 reporting by emily tan, caroline waring graphics by emily tan photography by katie peurrung

April 27 Prom assembly @ 5 p.m.

April 29 Show choir concert @ 7 p.m.

News

THE BUZZ

3.31.2016

Students become the teacher

what have you heard in the news?

“

I heard that Obama visited Cuba. On March 21, President Obama landed in Havana, Cuba. This is an important historical event, because the president of the United States has not visited Cuba since 1928. This visit symbolizes a new and improved chapter in the relationship between the two countries. The two presidents, Obama and Castro, enjoyed two days together and even went to a baseball game together.

ERIC VO (09)

“

I heard that there were terrorist attacks in Brussels.

ANNA SUYAMA (10)

This past week, terrorist attacks took place at an airport and a subway station in Brussels, Belgium. Over thirty people died, and about 230 more were injured. Following the attacks, the city was mostly shut down, especially transportation stations that link the country to other European countries. This included the Brussels airport, the country’s main international airport. It has been confirmed that the Islamic State was involved in the attacks.

“

I heard about voter suppression in Arizona. Last week, Arizona Democrats were forced to wait in a line for over five hours until they could vote in the primary. This was because, in contrast to the usual 200 to 400 polling stations, there were only about 60 open due to cost cuts. Activists say that this is unfair and inconvenient to voters and probably caused many people to be unable to vote in the election. katie lober

HAZEL WILBURN (11)

“

Virginia is no longer in March Madness. On March 27, the University of Virginia lost to Syracuse, 68-62. This means that Syracuse will move forward to the Final Four of March Madness. March Madness is the annual month-long NCAA college basketball tournament.

CLAYTON PORCARO (12)

reporting by lydia schelly photos by katie peurrung

ASB step-by-step 1

Students interested in the positions of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Activities Coordinator declare their candidacy and fill out a participation agreement.

These positions are chosen by the student body vote on April 15.

The positions of Senior Recognitions Officer, Community Outreach Officer, LASC Representative, Publication and Promotions Officer, and Tech Representativeare also open for executive council. Anyone interested apply to these positions.

The current executive council conducts an interview with the applicants and choose the best choices for these five positions at the end of April.

Voting for class positions – President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Activities Coordinator, and Senators – takes place in May. reported by brett schumde

Every year, students from Katie Rowley’s Intro to Biotechnology class take a trip to STEMcon, a math and science-centered convention at WSU Tri-Cities, sponsored by PNNL and other science programs to teach underclassman from Delta High School, a STEM-based school, about the application of biology in the real world. This year on March 16, 17 Hanford students took the journey across the street to the college campus and transformed from students to teachers. Students provided a fun, hands-on lesson about DNA and its connection with crime scenes. Biotechnology students applied what they have learned over the school year by creating different exciting scenarios. “It was kind of cool to teach it and be on the other end. To be Mrs. Rowley and see kids learn, it’s like ‘I remember when I did that a really long time ago.’ It was cool to see how we all knew the material and could apply it,” junior Chris Williams said. reported by eman ahmed and dana small

Show me your jazz hands! Jazz members prepare for opening of HAPO Stage SONALI MATTA A&E editor

On April 9, students, families, friends and members of local arts organizations will gather at John Dam Plaza from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. to commemorate the grand opening of the new HAPO Community Stage. Around 20 different performing arts groups will play, dance, sing, act and even display visual art throughout the day, including the Mid-Columbia Musical Theater, Mid-Columbia Symphony, the Urban Poets Society and a variety of others. Aside from professional organizations, high school students have also been invited to share the stage for a night of celebrating the arts. Some jazz band students will be playing a twenty-minute set as a small jazz combo group, led by sophomore Gary Stivers. Stivers created a biography for each musician, wrote a list of technical needs and called a rider for the gig. “Another stage in town gives all the musicians more opportunities to play for the public, which is always fun. I’m grateful that I get to play for the grand opening,” Stivers said. Music teacher Chris Newbury received the invitation to play at the new stage and thought it could be a good learning opportunity for the students to become versed in the process of booking gigs for themselves. “It’s really important for the students to learn real life skills and to begin to use their talents in a professional context. It helps them understand the business side to music in addition to the performance side,” Newbury said. Mid-Columbia Ballet will also be among the groups performing at the grand opening of the HAPO Stage. The local arts group has been raising arts awareness for years, with its annual production of “The Nutcracker,” elementary school performances of “Peter and the Wolf ”

and “The Ugly Duckling” and its support towards the construction of a performing arts center. On opening day, the Senior and Junior companies will be performing the circus scene from “Madeline” on the new stage, last seen at Mid-Columbia Ballet’s Spring Production. Sophomore Paige Suttich, a member of the Senior Company, has been dancing for thirteen years and has performed many roles with Mid-Columbia Ballet. “We have been rehearsing ‘Madeline’ for about two and a half months, Monday to Saturday. It’s an amazing feeling to get to be the first artists/dancers to dance on a new stage in a new environment,” Suttich said. The venue not only brings a proper stage to the area, but it is well equipped with restrooms and dressing rooms for performers, sound and lighting equipment and casual audience seating. Food and beverage vendors will also be available. A ribbon-cutting ceremony to welcome the new stage will kick off the day at 10 a.m. The event is free and open to members of the public, and audience members are encouraged to bring a blanket or chairs to enjoy the performances. The opening of the HAPO Community Stage is not only a celebration of arts in our community but a thank you to local arts organizations and another step towards supporting the arts around us. “It’s important to raise awareness because so many young adults and children haven’t seen the value that dance gives us. The new stage helps the arts because it’s another way for us to show the community what the arts have to offer and how much talent is put out throughout our community,” Suttich said.

News

3.31.2016

No grim reapers this year ASB and administration decide to go in a new direction MEG JOHNSON staff writer

After spring break this year, students will not find grim reapers lurking the halls as part of the Every 15 Minutes program. According to Principal Tory Christensen, the administration decided Every 15 Minutes won’t be taking place this year because they are taking a step back to reevaluate if the program is serving the school’s needs. “We thought we’d take the year off and see if there’s another focus that we could really implement here,” Christensen said. Previously, this school event involved a student volunteer becoming a “victim” of drunk driving every quarter of an hour. He or she would be adorned with white facial makeup and black garb to represent their “death.” To complete the effect, “dead” students refrained from interacting with anyone for the rest of the day. This program was designed to bring awareness to the deadly consequences of drunk driving. This event requires an immense amount of work, and not just from students. Because of this commitment, the administration is directing its time to other issues relevant to students. “It takes a lot of hours from our school resource officer and the local police departments,” Christensen said. “I know that Every 15 Minutes is a great program that has brought awareness to students about drinking and driving. Whether we need to continue to do that

or consider if our focus would be better on, maybe, drugs [prevention] or would it be better focused on something else.” Senior Maxwell Weil, vice-president of the student council, is disappointed that the event is postponed. He was a photographer for it the past two years and has looked forward to when he could participate in this senior-oriented program. “I do wish we had it this year. I mean, they obviously gave good reasons for why we aren’t having it, but as a senior...I’m kind of disappointed we don’t get to experience it. I think it’s a really good and useful experience for a lot of high schoolers to see,” Weil said. According to Weil, deaths from drunk driving rates have decreased, but there are other driving issues that need to be addressed. The council is planning to continue promoting safe driving practices. “I know that we’re doing a campaign not necessarily related to Every 15 Minutes this year that’s related to texting and driving that will be starting up soon,” Weil said Senior Courtney Meigs looks forward to the revised campaign because she appreciated Every 15 Minutes. “I think it shows and proves a point. I lost a dear friend and ever since [my freshman year], I’ve wanted to partake in this touching movement,” Meigs said.

courtesy of hanford drama

Drama poses for a group picture upon arrival at the Washington State Thespian Festival in Ellensburg.

dana small

Junior Hailey Howard and Senior Riley Smith practice outside before their performance of “Fight night.” “Fight Night,” a collection of fight scenes, was under the direction of Anna Newbury.

Drama goes to CWU for state ROSE WANG staff writer

sonali matta

Maren Benedict is leaving her old job as a seventh grade science teacher at Enterprise Middle School to become the assistant principal here. She will be taking over the position previously held by Tory Christensen, who became principal when Ken Gosney resigned to become head of Goodwill.

New assistant principal hired NAVEENA BONTHA features editor

Maren Benedict, a life sciences teacher from Enterprise Middle School (EMS), has been named assistant principal. She replaces Tory Christiansen who became principal after Ken Gosney’s move to Goodwill. “She’s an awesome and happy person with a really positive attitude,” said Assistant Principal Mike Gaddis. “We’re really excited to have her down here.” Benedict joins Gaddis and Gary Bradley in the assistant principal role. “Primarily, I will be supporting teachers and students, while fostering the falcon culture,” she said. “As a teacher, I am fortunate to have taught many current Falcons. Students and parents can both look forward to positive energy and support.” A job posting on the RSD website drew Benedict’s attention. Multiple candidates submitted their resumes, which led to an extensive candidate screening process and background check. Then, the candidates were invited to a two-and-half hour interview by a 25-person board. After the first round, the remaining candidates took part in a one-hour interview with the superintendents, the assistant superintendents and Christensen. While Benedict has been a teacher for

the last ten years, she is eager to become an administrator. “As I began to take on more leadership roles as a teacher, administration seemed like the natural progression. As part of my internship this fall, I was able to spend two weeks at Hanford. I immediately felt at home and was excited to apply for the open (assistant principal) position,” Benedict said. She will, however, miss the depth of the student-teacher relationship that she was able to form in the past. That being said, she would also like to get to know every student at Hanford. Most of all, Benedict will miss sharing her love of science with students, although she does “plan to stay current with the exponentially expanding base of scientific knowledge and encourages students to help (her) with this.” Junior Jason Harris had Benedict when he was a seventh grader at EMS, and he always looked forward to her classes. “She was really funny, but what made the class really fun was that she knew what she was talking about, but she also really loved science,” Harris said. “I think her positive attitude and enthusiasm about learning really contribute to the environment here at Hanford. This is a really great school, but once Mrs. Benedict joins, I think it’ll get even better.”

The weekend of March 17-19, drama students competed with other high schools from around the state at the Washington State Thespian Festival at Central Washington University in Ellensburg. Students brought home awards, nominations and elected positions. Junior Natalie Mote was elected a State Thespian Officer for the 2016-17 school year. Mote is active in the leadership of the Washington State Thespians and will now be a student representative of Washington State. As a State Thespian Officer, Mote will plan thespian events across the state. Washington State Thespian Officers are also hoping to fundraise to allow students to travel to Nationals and represent Washington state. “The fact that so many people in our state support me feels amazing,” Mote said. “There are so many things that I want to do while I am in this position, and I can’t wait to meet people from all over the state. It’s going to be an unforgettable year!” The Advanced Drama class performed an excerpt of “Urinetown” as a Work in Progress, or W.I.P. The audience gave “Urinetown” a standing ovation. Ten minutes of the show was performed, and the final song presented was “Run Freedom Run.” Senior Devin Duggan was featured in this piece. “It’s very much a soulful, spiritual type song, a personal favorite,” Duggan said. “The song ends with this super high note and a big flourish. As soon as I hit it, the whole place went nuts. People started standing and cheering. It was just electrifying.” Another production showcased at State was “Fight Night,” a show composed of eight Shakespearean stage combat scenes. “Fight Night” received a Superior rating. Receiving an almost perfect score, the cast and crew were overjoyed. “Everyone from Hanford that wasn’t involved in ‘Fight Night’ came to watch. It was amazing to look into the audience and see that kind of support. All of the hard work, dedication and focus put into the show really paid off,” said sophomore Hannah Fewel. “Fight Night” was performed locally in the fall, but was perfected for State. “The actors worked very hard on their stage combat to get ready in a new type of stage. Instead of the Black Box, it was up on an actual stage,” said drama director Matt Leggett. The costuming crew also took home several awards. Senior Zach Harper and junior Dana Small received an award for Quickest Costume

Quick Change. Harper also won an individual award for Quickest Button Sewing. “I was overjoyed! Winning these awards was an affirmation to me that I have skills and I can perform under pressure,” Harper said. “Dana, my awesome teammate, definitely helped us win the costume change award.” These awards did not come around by natural-born talent alone, but by dedication and work. Matt Leggett attributes the cast and crew’s hard work to their success at state. “The actors dedicated themselves to it. That’s why ‘Fight Night’ did really well. ‘Urinetown’ did well too, because people really concentrated and worked hard on their performance pieces,” Leggett said. “We’re all talented, but it’s really about hard work and dedication that really pays off.” In addition to competing, the students were able to watch and learn from the shows of other schools. “My favorite part about State was seeing different schools perform shows. Roosevelt High School’s production of ‘The Game’s Afoot’ was my favorite,” Harper said. Workshops and clinics were available to the students, and many students were able to improve their skills and widen the scope of their talent. “I took two dance workshops, where a professional Broadway choreographer taught us a dance to ‘Hairspray’ and ‘Newsies.’” said sophomore Kanako Kawabe. “I also took a workshop about song interpretation and auditioning for college.” Drama students competed at Individual Events Festival in Spokane on Jan. 16. In Individual Events, several students received blue ribbons for being in the top 10 percent. These students include sophomore Hannah Fewel, senior Whitney Holland, and senior Reilly Smith for individual monologues, and seniors Devin Duggan and Emma Pope for a duo scene. Seniors John Davis, Devin Duggan, Josh Smith, Reilly Smith, Whitney Holland, Easton Benson, Trityca Stubbs, Sarah Schroeder and Kaarin Von Bargen and junior Hailey Howard received yellow ribbons for being in the top 20 percent of monologues. “Since I am going to be pursuing acting in college and as a career, for my skill to be recognized was reassuring,” Holland said. “The positive remarks from both the adjudicators and everyone else I shared my work with filled me with gratefulness and confidence that encourages me to continue and always be sharpening my craft.”

Sports

3.31.2016

Tennis participation surges, teams get bigger JV and varsity tennis experience the largest turnout in years

KYLE REISENAUER sports editor

Most sports see active participation from dozens of students every season. Tennis is no exception. The tennis teams are experiencing the largest student participation in several years. Between the girls and guys junior varsity and varsity teams, there are over 100 players signed up to play this season. This large number of players comes as a result of United States Tennis Association regulation. The USTA strictly enforces a no-cut policy, advocating for the opportunity and chance for every student and child to pick up a racquet and play tennis. Schools are not allowed to cut players, due to the USTA’s policy, sometimes making the teams really large. Having a large team presents unique challenges and opportunities for both coaches and players. Coach Dan Gleason, who helps

coach the junior varsity team, said, “Sometimes it’s almost like herding cats or crowd control.” Coach Gleason has particular trouble remembering everybody that’s on the team. “It’s hard to memorize everybody’s name. For the first two weeks I always ask people ‘What’s your name, what’s your name, what’s your name,’ and they have to tell me ten or 15 times.” Junior Andrew Blacketer said that having so many players “makes us less cohesive as a team.” Blacketer is in favor of a cut policy. “I think that if coaches were allowed to cut people then people would take tennis more seriously.” He says that many of the people who join tennis don’t take it very seriously. “They wouldn’t be skipping practices. They’d be more committed. A lot of players show up to practice and think ‘Oh, they can’t cut me.’ A lot of them just

screw around,” Blacketer said. “If they cut people, even just a few, then people would have more motivation to practice.” Blacketer said. However, having a large team may help promote school spirit. Coach Gleason said, “The players want to play more and they have fantastic team spirit. I see the team spirit every day when we are around here.” As a coach, instructing this many players seems challenging. Coach Gleason tries to coach as many players as he can during practices. “So we just try and improve their strokes and so it’s really fun,” Coach Gleason said. Coach Gleason hopes that the team will grow in years to come and he thinks that having a large team means that people want to play and compete and that the sport is rising in popularity and accessablility for students. katie peurrung

Coaches Woodward and Buck talk to the JV tennis team at a practice. Because of the USTA no-cut policy, this is the largest tennis participation in several years,

Dance shines at state A new coach in town Evan Woodward brings new energy to girls tennis Dance state champs in two events, second in another

courtesey of mariah johnson

The dance team poses with their trophies after taking first in dance and kick and third in pom. Dayla Hathaway (12) Dayla Hathaway. Dayla Hathaway was sick AMANDA ANDERSEN staff writer The result of the hard the week prior to the compeOn Saturday, March 28, at work this year was two first tition. the Yakima Valley Sun Dome, place titles in dance and kick “Unfortunately, I started the dance team competed and third place in pom. to get sick earlier in the week to keep their reigning State Hathaway said, “I think and found myself on Saturday title in the kick and dance that the Falcon Fever Dance with a fever, body and head categories. ache but worst of all dizzy, but But being a part of a through all that we managed I am so, so proud to team that has won over 15 to pull out two first places and be a part of this team, first-place titles over the last a third place!” she said. and the reality is still 10 years is not constant kicks Hathaway said that it sinking in about the and flips. Preparing for any was a good way to end her accomplishments that competition requires hours of high school dance career. “I we have achieved. practice, music recitation and will always look back on this Dayla Hathaway (12) APX workouts. experience as a great team,” “We prepared for state by Team taught us teamwork, she said. “I am so, so proud to working on the technique and determination, and hard work be a part of this team, and the skills within the dances. The does pay off.” reality is still sinking in about team focused on timing so the At the competition, some the accomplishments that we routines looked sharp, and our dancers had some obstacles to have achieved this year.” movements were,” said senior overcome.

katie peurrung katie peurrung

Coach Woodward leads a group of girls during tennis practice. This is his first year of coaching the girls tennis team. He has coached girls basketball for sixteen years. WILLIAM ZHANG staff writer

Coach Evan Woodward has added another sport to repertoire of coaching positions. Woodward is taking over the position of girls tennis head coach after James Wilson, former history teacher, retired last year. Woodward currently coaches the girls basketball team and has for 16 years. He has coached just about every sport, including middle school cross country, football, boys and girls track. He has been coaching sports for over 24 years. According to Woodward, these past experiences help him with “relating to the kids that are out there working hard and keeping it fun for them and pushing them to do better.” Woodward has never coached tennis before, and it is an exciting opportunity for him. “It’s a sport that I have

loved my whole life, so it’s been fun. I enjoy the opportunity to coach here at Hanford for the girls and the guys,” Woodward said. He has exciting goals for team members. He wants to “improve each individual player,” he said. According to Woodward, this means taking “their game from where they start in the season to a much higher level as we progress through the season.” As for competitions and championships, he has high goals. “As a program, we definitely want to win League and Regionals then make it to State and place,” Woodward said. “I think we have some individual kids that can do it, but it would be fun to do it as a collective unit too.” Sophomore Molly Fleming likes Woodward’s intensity and the charisma that he brings to the team. “It’s kind of intense but it’s also fun,” Fleming said. She says that Woodward has changed things for the team.

“I think we’ve all started working harder,” Fleming said. “He is very determined and works really hard to help us be motivated and work hard to improve ourselves,” Fleming said. “We do conditioning that has helped make us stronger, and we also do different drills that improve our strategy.” The players also work on their mental game. “We also talk a lot about our mental game and being confident which is a super important component of tennis because a bad outlook or attitude can make you lose an entire match,” Fleming said. Coach Woodward also gives inspiration and advice to his players. “Today we talked about being fearless and not being afraid to make shots which is something I think we can all work on as a team,” said Fleming.

Sports

3.31.2016

Athletes show off new style Tucker Anderson (12) • track “I’m a big fan when we changed from the all black back to the purple uniforms. I also like how the uniforms don’t have too much purple.” The track team sold oranges and grapefruits to help pay for their new uniforms.

katie peurrung

Connor Sutey (12) • baseball “I like the cream color. The cream is something and looks good with our purple socks and hats.” The baseball team raises money each year for their new uniforms by selling Falcon Gold cards. The cards are collections of coupons for local stores and restaurants.

shelby schumacher

Will Eldred (12) • boys soccer “I like that they are light and weigh nothing because the years before they felt like dumbbells on your shoulder. “ The boys soccer team raised the money for their uniforms by selling team t-shirts to family and friends.

cash phillips

REPORTED BY RUBY MACIEL

Seahawks host football camps Justin Britt and Thomas Rawls host football camps in the Tri-Cities

courtesy of wesley rawlings

Players practice with Seahawks Justin Britt and Thomas Rawls at the Hanford football field. The players worked on improving their skills. SONALI MATTA a&e editor

On March 14, student athletes had the opportunity to train with two professional football players, running back Thomas Rawls and offensive lineman Justin Britt of the Seattle Seahawks. The two professional athletes held football training camps for smaller communities in Washington. Out on the football field, Rawls and Britt held a session from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. for 7-12 year olds and a session from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. for 13-18 year olds. “You could really tell how Thomas and Justin were really passionate about teaching kids and helping them get better at football and in life,” sophomore Ross Rawlings said. Rawlings has been playing football since he was in eighth grade, and he played on the varsity football team last fall as a running back and linebacker. During the 13-18 year old session, athletes went through warm-up exercises with the Seahawks and later split into two groups, a linemen group and a skill group, for more focused drills. Rawlings, a member of the skill group, participated in footwork drills and other exercises.

“One challenge for me is being confident. You have to know that you can do your own job or else you will get into your own head,” Rawlings said. Rawls and Britt have held multiple football camps around Washington to give back to the community. Part of the proceeds from the training went the Prosser branch of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Benton and Franklin Counties. As part of their stay in Richland, Britt, Seahawks mascot Blitz and two SeaGals also gathered with students at Carmichael Middle School to present a $60,000 check to the Richland School District. Each school’s Fuel Up to Play 60 program will receive $4000 to support the encouragement of nutrition and fitness among kids. For Rawlings, getting the chance to work with professional athletes was inspiring. “A lot of the camp, they were talking about how hard work will get you places in life. It was really awesome, especially because I’m a big Seahawks fan!” Rawlings said.

kyle campbell takes on

NCAA BASKETBALL MARCH MADNESS

wo seconds left on the popular team picked to win clock. A three-pointer the National Championship. will win the game. He jumps, No one team is sure to win, and throws up a final heave. even if the odds of winning This one basket determines are 100-1. a trip to the biggest stage in The heavyweight college basketball. At that matchups stand tall against very moment the crowd is their foes. Only one team silent – swoosh. will move forward, but that It all started with a last doesn’t discard the monumensecond steal. The coach tal clashing of bitter rivals. quickly called a time out and Even when one conference sketched out the final play. (the Pac 12) looked like they It’s simple. Pass the ball to would do damage in the tourthe free throw line, dribble it nament, they were knocked up to mid court, and propel out early, leaving the hope of a 9.55” ball 47 ft. into an 18” the conference to one team. rim. Simple, right? But miss Many of the historical the shot, and it’s game over. favorites still seem to own One tiny mistake and you’re March Madness. Kentucky, taking the first plane ride Duke, North Carolina, all home. having impressive reputations The miraculous happens. in previous years, appear as The ball goes in. though they will In seconds, all make a deep run you hear is a ball A rank determines your into the tournaposition on the bracket, ment. The Atlansliding against but these numbers the net making tic Coast Confermean nothing to those that iconic ence (ACC) had that want to win. Anyswoosh sound. an impressive six The crowd excit- thing can happen, even teams reach the the unthinkable. edly cheers on Sweet 16. This their team. They shows that their are now one step closer to the conference is still the most dream of holding up a nation- competitive. al trophy. A whole $1 million is givThe feelings are comen to the winner of a perfect pletely different for the losing NCAA College Basketball team. They came so close bracket. Sign me up in a to victory, but lost at the heartbeat. Though, according last second. Almost instanto USA Today, your chance to taneously, their dreams are win is one in 9.2 quintillion. shattered, and for the seniors, You have a better chance to their careers are over. In their win the lottery than you do wake, new faces will emerge to win a one-page bracket. to take the spotlight. This is It’s the thrill of knowing why we love March Madthat your bracket is always ness – the ebb and flow of in constant danger of being greatness that is inherent in destroyed that adds an extra the tournament. layer of involvement and inSixty-eight teams are given tensity to the already exciting a one-way ticket to the big March Madness. dance. Only one is crowned a In this tournament, only champion after six rounds of the teams that want to cut heart-racing stress. A rank dedown the nets and hoist the termines your position on the trophy for not only their bracket, but these numbers personal glory, but the glory mean nothing to those that of their school, move on. It want to win. Anything can might be a once in a lifetime happen, even the unthinkable. experience, and they aren’t This is college basketball. giving up. Precedents are constantly As a basketball fanatic, I being broken, which changes only dream to have a wellthe history of the game. It’s fought intense game, none of the first year a fifteen, fourthis blow out nonsense. Who teen, and thirteen seed have wants to watch their favorite won in the first round. team get blown out of the A common favorite, Mich- water? I, of course, don’t. But igan State, lost in the first this is basketball. Teams can round. I mean, come on! It come back from an 11-point shattered almost every brackdeficit in 32 seconds or come et, including mine. I, for one, back from being down 20 didn’t have the highly-anticpoints. Anything can happen. ipated Michigan State losing The March Madness season is in the first round – actually, upon us. I didn’t have them losing at all. They were the most

Drowning

3.31.2016

You’re not alone.

Nearly 1 in 5 Americans suffer from some mental illness.* Teaching and mental illness CAROLINE WARING editor-in-chief

One morning, four years ago, Language Arts teacher Kim Maldonado’s chest constricted, heart pounding, body shaking, thrown into what seemed like a heart attack. “I went down and I talked to Mr. Christensen—because he used to be a counselor, he was the assistant principal then—and I said, ‘I think I might be having a heart attack or a panic attack, I don’t know!’” Maldonado said. After Christensen determined it was a panic attack, he drove her home to rest. “It lasted for three days, like I could not quit shaking,” she said. While this was Maldonado’s first panic attack, she was not unfamiliar with its relatives, depression and anxiety. Maldonado first experienced depression in her mid-thirties, an illness part of her family’s history. “It’s hard to describe to someone who doesn’t suffer from depression, or any mental illness, I had just gotten into this dark hole that I couldn’t get out of, and I knew that was not right and I could not find joy in my days,” she said. “I was prepared because I didn’t want to be ignorant about how to take care of myself, and I had seen my mother go through it, and I had seen my sister go through it.” According to Stanford Medicine, depression in a parent or sibling increases the likelihood of it developing by two or three times. “People think—oh, it’s mental health—and there’s a stigma around it, and it isn’t what people think. It is caused by a chemical imbalance,” Maldonado said. While anxiety and depression tend to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental interactions, triggers do occur, mounting a rush of panic on top of the general, underlying worry. “When I don’t say no, and I become overwhelmed—it can cause me a lot of panic and anxiety. That’s the hardest part for me, is to learn what I can and cannot do,” Maldonado said. Maldonado employs a vast array of coping strategies in order to deal with all the stress, from hanging out with her dogs and playing with her grandchildren to volunteering, keeping her mind off herself and focusing on others instead. But she has a couple of less conventional methods, too. “I also play with my earrings a lot. I’ve lost I-don’t-know-how-many earrings. I rub them, be-

cause just the repetition is a calming thing for me, which I thought was weird, but I asked a therapist about it and she said, ‘No, people do that,’” Maldonado said. “I also play with paper clips and twist them into odd shapes, because if I keep my hands busy, it for some reason calms me down. So I’ve got this big bin of paperclips I bought for a dollar at the estate sale—I mean, it’s huge, and I just go there, get a handful, manipulate them throughout the day,” she said. “I know that sounds really crazy, but do what helps you.” Her personal experience with mental illness has increased her sensitivity towards students who might be similarly struggling. The first time she ever divulged her history was to a student she knew had been suffering alone, feeling as if he had no one to talk or relate to. “And he and I are still in contact. He’s 25 years old now, and is doing great,” she said. “But I think it made him feel better that an adult he trusted listened to him and said that he was going to be okay. That there was a way out.” “A lot of people want to say, oh it’s just teenage angst, and all that, and it’s not. They need to be heard,” Maldonado said. But it’s not all darkness. “It does get better. I know when you’re in that dark hole, you don’t think so, but it does, and it can get so much better than you ever thought.”

MALDONADO’S TATTOO OF A SEMICOLON AND A TULIP. THE SEMICOLON REPRESENTS THAT THOUGH LIFE MAY GIVE YOU PAUSE, THE SENTENCE CONTINUES ON, WHILE THE TULIP REPRESENTS HER FATHER WHO WAS HER “STRONGEST SUPPORTER.”

*statistic reported by Newsweek on Feb. 28, 2014, from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

3.31.2016

Drowning

Drowning under EMILY TAN editor-in-chief

Up until two years ago, senior Tanna King had led a joy-filled life: Her mom was her best friend, she had a great relationship with her sister, and she felt complacent with her decisions for the future. Then, for no apparent reason, things started to slip downhill. “I started to not get along with my parents and my sister, and my grades were like slipping and everything,” King said. “I never really understood what was going on. I was kind of like why? It just kind of all happened at once.” Unbeknownst to King at the time, she was developing early signs of depression – a mental illness that approximately 20 percent of adolescents have experienced. “I didn’t realize that it was like depression. I just thought, oh, it’s like a teenage phase maybe you know?” King said. Finding it difficult to express to others how she was feeling, King chose to try to mask her feelings. That is, until a year ago when she hit rock bottom.

ROCK BOTTOM

“That day was really bad. I ended up in the hospital. I actually felt like I wanted to kill myself. Thankfully I was smart enough to realize that something was really wrong,” King said. “It [the day] feels like a dream. I remember I woke up that morning, and I was at my friend’s house actually, and it was the worst feeling ever. I just didn’t wanna be there so immediately I texted my mom and I just remember telling my mom ‘something’s really wrong, I think I need to go to the hospital.” Her mom, recognizing King’s seriousness, picked her up and drove her to the hospital where she was held in a room for six hours and interviewed by a multitude of different doctors and therapists. They asked her questions about her family background, friendships, if she had any history of abuse, etc. At the end of the six hours, she was offered two options: one, go to a mental hospital in Yakima where she she would live with other teens suffering from a similar condition; or two, stay in the Tri-Cities and seek counseling along with possible medication. Eventually, she decided that she was determined to help herself overcome this illness in the most self-helping natural way possible: she would stay, and she wouldn’t take any medication. Immediately after her hospital visit, King was assigned a psychologist and began participating in therapy sessions that included reflective activities such as using a sandbox to build a representation of her family.

ROAD TO RECOVERY

KING’S TATTOO OF A MOON SURROUNDING THE SUN. “THE SUN REPRESENTS THE MEANING OF LIFE AND TO LIVE. AND THE MOON REPRESENTS MY BEST FRIEND.” HER FRIENDSHIP WITH MIKAL SANCHEZ IS “TO THE MOON AND BACK.”

However, she didn’t really start feeling better until she met senior Mikal Sanchez. “I had a class, Mrs. Shively’s, with Mikal, and we started talking and becoming friends,” King said. “One time, she just like texted me and asked ‘Are you okay?’ I didn’t even know her, but I just told her, like, no, I wasn’t and then I just told her everything that’s going on, and she said that she would be there every step of the way since day one and she’s still here. And we talk every single day on the phone if I don’t see her. It’s ridiculous how amazing it is.” Since then, Sanchez has introduced her to the rest of her new

friends. King’s new circle of support is the reason for her willingness to become more open regarding her depression. “Everybody goes through it, even though I definitely felt like I was alone,” King said. “[I felt like] there was no one else that was feeling the same way as me. Just know that you’re definitely not alone, like even if someone else isn’t feeling the same way as you, you’re still not alone.” Though she’s been able to make a timely recovery, her body still took a hard hit during those worst times. “It just felt like I was like drowning, and everyone else was floating above me. It was the worst feeling ever. I would just not feel alive. Like mentally and physically, like my body would hurt. I wouldn’t feel human. I wouldn’t think correctly or act correctly. I actually went two weeks without eating, and I lost like 40 pounds,” King said. “It’s just like when people say you walk through hell, I walked through hell. I never gained the weight back.”

LOOKING BACK

“The thing that sucks is like I wasted half of my high school years, and I didn’t get a chance to do what normal kids in high school do, you know, like boyfriend and parties and just like doing fun stuff,” King said. “I would just stay home. I didn’t want to do anything.” Now that she’s recovered, King is trying to make the most of the precious moments she has left. “Now that’s it’s senior year, I’ve finally gotten the chance to do everything that I’ve wanted to do. And now since I’ve gotten better, it just feels so amazing to have come this far and faintly do what I’ve been unable to do,” King said. “It just makes me a little sad thinking about how I just missed out on so much. I feel like I didn’t have enough time with my new friends to really make a lot of memories, you know?” Even now, King will still occasionally lapse back into a depressed state, especially when she thinks of all the uncertainties the future holds. With the help of her support system and friends, she’s usually able to catch herself before it goes too far again. “Honestly, I will slip back every once in awhile and get a little sad and think things are getting bad again. I just try to stay positive. Mikal tells me this quote: “Positive mindset leads to a positive outcome’ and honestly, it’s like so true. Like if you think positive, positive things will happen. And that’s what I try to do. Like there’s good in everything, and it will get better. It won’t be like this forever.”

LIFE LESSONS

The struggles of the past two years has led King to walk away with a changed view of the world. “It changes your view on a lot of things. When you meet someone, you realize they’re not how you imagine them,” King said. “They all have a story to tell. Everybody has their own problems, some are just more severe than others. So, be nice to everybody because you just never know.”

Drowning

Q&A What are some resources that you use to help kids? Carlson: First of all, we do what I call psychological Band-Aids. Like I can help you with whatever you’re dealing with in that moment, like say you’re upset or stressed or something’s really wrong, I can deal with that. But I call it a Band-Aid because we can’t do that weekly comesee-me-once-a-week for a year. Because traditional counseling isn’t a quick fix, it takes years of seeing that person, so I have a whole entire – this is like a resource directory, and so I know whatever the student’s problem is, I can find resources in the community to help them.

So how do you help kids who come in? Withers: I mean, we are also here to help the entire student body, so my philosophy is to meet a kid where they’re at. So I really like to spend time listening and trying to help identify what the underlying issues are, and be able to refer out or address those if we can. So: is it a teacher conflict? Can we facilitate that way? Is it a mental health need, and if so, we have lists of providers that we make sure that we help the kid contact. Like, there have been times where we’ve had them sit here and make the phone call and actually done the introduction over the phone, to the counselor, because kids are scared to make that first step, because it’s a huge first step.

Seen any recent changes with openness? Withers: I think in the past calendar year, especially with what has happened with our student body in January, it is a conversation that’s prevalent. We talk about it as a psych group district wide, we meet twice a month and it’s something that we’ve talked about multiple times: How are we supporting our kids? I know the administration here, we’ve had conversations, are we doing enough, what else we need to do, what is the student body going through and how do we help them. So I think there have been a lot of conversations, I personally would like to see us move on some things. Take some more action. I don’t want to speak for our counselors, but we’ve had an increased amount of traffic since January. Anxiety and depression are more prevalent than people realize. Carlson: It’s huge and it’s okay to talk about it, it’s okay to admit it. It’s not a bad thing, it’s an IS thing, y’know, it just is. You’re having anxiety or you’re having depression, it’s okay, let’s just deal with it and help. Withers: The goal is to teach coping skills.

3.31.2016

WE SAT DOWN SEPARATELY WITH SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS KATRINA CARLSON AND ANGIE WITHERS AS WELL AS KADLEC FACULTY MEMBERS DR. ERICK ISAACSON AND DR. PRAMA CHAKRAVARTI, DISCUSSING ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH.

What are some common stressors? Carlson: Boyfriends, girlfriends, tests, anxiety, depression, drug and alcohol abuse – it’s pretty prevalent because we self-medicate, a lot of kids do because they’re stressed about stuff. Some sexual or gender identity kind of stuff, not a ton, but they’re welcome to come and talk to us. Some mental health, but we don’t get a ton of that. Again, I’m going to refer those kids out, they need more support than I can give them because I can’t be here every day.

Whenever we think of depression, we think of sadness and loneliness, but especially among children, depression can be represented as anger and irritableness. How does depression present itself in teens? Chakravarti: Whenever we think of depression, we think of sadness and loneliness, but especially among children, depression can be represented as anger and irritableness. Of course, withdrawal from their common group of friends can be one marker that something is going on, you don’t necessarily have to diagnose, but you know something is going on. I was just reading a little bit in terms of manifestations of depression and changes in sleep and appetite, so maybe the closer group [friends, family] can track that down better. So sudden changes in sleep and appetite, willingness to be with other friends and, yeah, anger and irritability.

How can mental healthcare improve for young adults in the United States? Isaacson: Accessibility even for adults let alone adolescents and preteens – the need for mental health providers is huge – and the number of people going in to mental health is not high, not nearly what the need is. So that’s why in our residency training, we try to raise awareness for it and how to screen for it, and Dr. Chakravarti helps us a lot in that and providing us with resources.

Chakravarti: There is also access concerns in terms of insurance coverage, like how much insurance is going to cover or access as in our setting. What we’re trying to do is providing mental health care in the doctor’s office itself. It’s much easier to not only access, but also continue that tier, or care is way better and guaranteed as well. You come to this setting, you see your physician and if need be, you can see a psychologist. You can meet with our pharmacist, and so that’s an improvement. So kind of having mental health providers in settings which adolescents access more often. I think primary facilities will be what they will access. Even in schools, I still think there’s that stigma there. If you get seen walking through the counselor’s door, it can be problematic. And generally education and awareness about what you can and cannot do as friends. Isaacson: One thing that I think is helpful for students, if they don’t know already, is that they can independently, without parental permission or even inform them, seek care for mental health concerns from age 12 up, and for drug and alcohol care, abuse, sexual. That independent ability to seek for help is available at a young age. The trouble then is how does a 12 year old know that they’re depressed?

How do medication and treatment work together? Isaacson: They both work very well. Sometimes they work better in combination. But really the deciding point is the patient because there’s lots of folks where I might think medication might be very helpful, but that’s not an option that they wish to consider, so then cognitive behavioral therapy helps me understand what stresses you out, what reaction it creates in you, then creates that awareness that stress response is something that we can control. It doesn’t feel like it when you’re in the middle of it, especially when you’re overwhelmed by emotions, but through skilled people like Dr. Chakravarti, you can start backing away from that immediate go-to-red response or of the depressive response, or of the “I’m out of control of my situation” response, or the “everything’s hopeless” response. So, there’s been a lot of studies and it’s controversial, it looks like medicine may work no better than placebo, or might work a little bit better than placebo, but clearly the combination of both is the most beneficial to get people out of an anxious/depressed state of mind. That’s sort of how I decide about meds or therapy, usually try to talk to people into both, if they’re at the point that they’ve come to see me, troubled in their life, failing to accomplish the tasks in life that they need to – so, getting to school, doing homework, attending a job, occupying their role in family and friends – if that world is collapsing then medication or therapy can be very, very helpful. If that world’s not collapsing, then just maybe therapy, maybe they just need to talk.

A DAY

A STUDENT REVEALS A DAILY IS A TYPICAL DAY.

wak 5:30 Sometimes I lie in bed for • cause I don’t feel like doi •Get ready for school: bru

clothes, brush hair, in tha

6:00 •Sometimes take anti-anxie •Since my anxiety revolve

ing and my eating disord of the day that spikes my •Thoughts spin in my head breaths, try to relax and e

6:20 •Listen to music on the wa

down, focus and take a b

6:55 •I enjoy this class, but it’s a start to the day. •Occasionally, I will be bo

but I try to relax and not other people think. They through, so they just both even though it really doe

7:55 •Usually start to feel weak •Snack means increased a

8:55 •If snack doesn’t go well in snack in 2nd hour. •Increase in anxiety.

9:55 •One of my least favorite s

I try not to eat in this clas around eating while in str •If I’m still feel weak, I sna

10:55 •I used to eat the rest of m this hour.

11:55 •One of the most crucial ti

most anxiety-inducing eve mom brings me my lunch warm to eat. Since I cons I tend to get quite nervou friends, which helps a littl •I normally don’t finish all eating in public, especial

12:25 •A very tiring class period

eating, so sitting for an ho

Drowning

3.31.2016

Y IN THE LIFE

Y SCHEDULE WHILE DEALING WITH ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND AN EATING DISORDER. THIS

ke up for zero hour

r 5 to15 more minutes being anything (depression). ush teeth, wash face, change at exact order (OCD).

eat breakfast

ety medication. ANXIETY LEVEL es around eat5 der, this is a part anxiety. d when I eat, so I take deep eat.

leave for school

ay because it helps me calm break after eating.

zero hour

also a somewhat stressful

sixth hour 1:30 Finishing off my school day with a challenging class. • I’m not sure how I even manage to keep up along with everything else that’s going on. •Sometimes I eat a light snack during this period if I’m feeling faint again.

go home 2:25 •Sometimes my mom and I stop at a restaurant and pick up food before going home, but I mostly prefer homecooked meals.

eat an early dinner 2:50 Take another dose of anxiety medicine. • I don’t eat dinner at a normal time because • 9

ANXIETY LEVEL

I need to eat as soon as I get home. If I’m anxious, I have a tendency to spit out my food while chewing it. I can’t ever swallow my food when I panic about eating it. I used to have panic attacks while eating, but I’ve gained more control, I’m able to eat a small amount.

othered by other people, think too much about what don’t know what I’m going her me like nothing is wrong, es hurt.

first hour

k, so eat a snack. ANXIETY LEVEL anxiety.

second hour

n 1st hour, eat

ANXIETY LEVEL

7.5 third hour

subjects and most stressful. ss because I have anxiety ressful situations. ack on very little things.

fourth hour

my snacks/lunch in

ANXIETY LEVEL

practice music 4:00 •Playing music is a great stress reliever and a fun activity to take my mind off of stress.

counseling ?:?? •Once a week, I go to a counselor that specializes in eating disorders. She’s been amazing with helping me understand what my mind is going through and how to manage my anxiety. She even guides me through eating my dinner sometimes.

homework after school •I typically get through homework pretty easily. I don’t like dealing with the stress of homework, so I try to get it done as soon as possible while still producing quality work.

shower after school •I don’t have energy in the morning, so I shower at night.

lunch

imes of the day and also the ent. For most of the week, my h so that I’ll have something sider this a “legit/full meal,” us while eating. I eat with le with trying to distract myself. of my lunch. I have a fear of lly full meals.

fifth hour

d. I tend to be tired after our is exhausting.

snack after school I typically drink Ensure (nutrition smoothie) to get • extra fats and nutrients.

watch TV after school •Cooking shows (to make myself hungry), crime shows, and maybe a movie on a weekend.

9:30-10:00

go to sleep

REPEAT.

Resources If you are struggling: • Talk to someone you trust: your parents, a teacher, a friend. • Talk to your primary care physician or a school counselor. • Try to find relaxing strategies that work for you — write or draw in a journal, visualize a tranquil place, go for a walk.

If a friend is struggling*: •Find out if the person is getting the help and care they need. •Express your concern and support. •Remind them that help and support are available and that

mental health issues can be treated. •Ask questions, listen to them and be responsive. •Reassure them that you care about them. •Offer to help them with everyday tasks. •Include them in your plans. •Educate others about mental illnesses. •Treat people with mental illnesses just as you would anyone with an illness — with respect and compassion. •Offer to stand with them, whether that means attending a therapy appointment with them or just giving them a hug on a bad day.

Community resources: •For immediate help in a crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, available 24/7: 1-800-273-8255

•If you’re uncomfortable talking on the phone, you can text

“GO” to the Crisis Text Line to chat via text: 741-741 •Talk to the school psychologists in the office or the counselors for community resources and therapist recommendations. •Get a therapist or psychiatrist recommendation from your primary care physician.

Self-care resources: • Download some mood- and habit-tracking lifestyle apps, like

Habitica or Pacifica, both free in the app store. • Look on the internet for calming websites. See the time be transformed into color at thecolourclock.co.uk, listen to the calming sound of rain at rainymood.com, or create your own nebulas at 29a.ch/sandbox/2011/neonflames. • Exercise to increase endorphins, from yoga to weight-lifting. *including tips from mentalhealth.gov

Features

3.31.2016

7044 MILES: FROM NEW ZEALAND TO RICHLAND JESSICA OLSON staff writer

katie peurrung

Onyinye Chigozie (11) and Chukweubuka Chigozie (10) just moved from Hamilton, New Zealand, to Richland, Washington. Both the teens were excited to move to the United States for education and more opportunities.

For many of us, moving to a new city or state is a huge upheaval. But for junior Onyinye Chigozie and sophomore Chukweubuka Chigozie, the word “upheaval” doesn’t come close. Moving from New Zealand to Richland, Washington, these teens now face new culture, new practices and new schooling. They moved here for education and all of the different opportunities that America has. “I was pretty excited just to see what it’s like to live in another country,” Chukweubuka said. Onyinye and Chukweubuka brought all of their belongings on the plane with them. It may have been difficult to bring everything, but they weren’t discouraged and they looked at the positive aspects of the move. “It was pretty exciting. You know, a new place and different experiences,” Onyinye said. Like many people who move, there are some things that the two siblings miss

about their old home, New Zealand. “I miss different friends and things are that familiar there. It’s hard to go about without them, but it’s good, it’s good to come and experience different things,” Onyinye said. Along with their friends, they also miss the natural beauty of New Zealand and the different activities that they used to participate in. “I miss rugby and the other different sports we used to do,” Chukweubuka said. Since the United States is on a completely different continent than New Zealand, there are many different activities, foods, climates and even cultures that are different from what they were used to, forcing them to adapt to another lifestyle. One of the biggest changes for the students is timing. “We started school a little bit later, at nine. It’s just that everything is different. And we were in summer before we left, so we had to get used to the change in climate,” Chukweubuka said. The little things also make

a difference, like the way we talk, or the way that here, we drive on the right side of the road, while they drive on the left. Although it was hard for them to acclimate completely to a different lifestyle, there are some things that they really like about America.They like the cuisine and how much cheaper it is. “There’s a lot more places to eat, and the food is cheaper. A lot of different things are just cheaper,” Chukweubuka said. They also enjoy some of the different leisure activities. “I like shopping, it’s definitely a bigger thing here,” Onyinye said. This period of transition may be a stressful time, but Onyinye and Chukweubuka are determined to make the best of it. “It’s cool to get to experience different things that I haven’t done before, which is always great. I’m loving that. I’m also loving telling all of our friends about America because they all want to come over,” Onyinye said.

FASHION FRENZY WITH KETSIA KAHAMBWE

KARLA TORRES (09)

KABRIAH RULLMAN (10)

NICK SHEELY (11)

“I don’t dress up to impress people, I dress nice to impress myself.”

“I look up to Beyoncé for a lot of outfit choices; she’s really fashion forward, and it’s inspiring.”

“

Word of advice: you can never go wrong with a turtleneck, a basic piece trending since the seventies. Turtleneck sweaters and long sleeves have been a staple piece in the American closet of both men and women, but as the centuries have passed, the once uptight collar, has relaxed into more of a “cowl neck.” Karla picked her café-toned outfit this morning because she simply wanted to look nice. Adding her distressed skinnies added a younger, fun and modern touch to the sweater’s more mature personality. Her riding boots are a perfect complement to the gray skies that afternoon. When asked where she got everything, Karla answered with a giggle, “I actually borrow a lot of my mom’s blouses, sweaters and shoes because we’re the same size.” As a freshman this year, Karla says her fashion sense hasn’t changed that much. “I’ve never been one of those girls that buys my clothes at a certain store, because everyone else does.”

The style and cut of dresses have been shifting and modifying themselves for as long as women have been wearing them. From bodycon to A-line and swing dresses to linen shifts, the fashion world has seen them all. Currently in trend are exposed shoulder dresses. Originally designed as blouses, they are now becoming popular as dresses. The floral print on the dress also adds a feminine touch. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, try finding a dress with a spunky geometric pattern, the perfect mixture of modern and high fashion. Kabriah, a sophomore now, thinks her fashion sense since middle school has changed tremendously. “I used to wear mostly T-shirts, sweats and shirt shirts, but now I actually try in the mornings,” Kabriah said. Cute sandals always add a trendy final touch to a flowy dress. To copy Kabriah’s outfit from head to toe, Tilly’s should be on your go-to shopping list.

When in doubt, wear a flannel. Flannels have been trending for the past couple of years, for both men and women. Either tied around the waist, or worn straight up as a shirt, they’re a versatile fashion item. Flannels can also lend themselves to any outfit, pattern or color combination. Nick prefers “simple, uncomplicated pieces.” Paired with some true blue denim jeans, Nick embodies the look of a comfortable get-to-work kind of guy. This look is paired with simple Vans sneakers, which have been a go-to shoe style for both girls and guys. From classic white slider Vans to trendier palm tree leaf Vans, these shoes can either dress up or dress down a look. In Nick’s case, his Vans complement the simple, yet trendy look. Nick got his flannel and denim jeans from Walmart and his Vans from Famous Footwear.

“

“I chose this in a frenzy this morning. It was cold out and this seemed like the best way to go.

3.31.2016

Features

Ready for spring break

MAYA NIEPLOCHA (10) - NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK katie peurrung

Mariah Johnson (11) and Allison Sijgers (11) pose with the drinks they gave up for the 40-day period of Lent. Both students originally struggled with their sacrifice, but they found purpose in the process.

Giving up to gain more MICHELLE CHOU staff writer

An important tradition in many Christian denominations, especially Catholicism, is Lent. Lent is a religious observance that begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts six weeks before ending on Easter Sunday. During this time period, participants sacrifice something that they would normally enjoy, like watching their favorite shows on television or eating their favorite foods. “It is a time when we sacrifice something from our lives to replicate the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for us,” junior Mariah Johnson said. Lent also ties into a specific biblical event. “It is the time of year when we spend 40 days resisting against temptation, like Jesus did in the desert, as we prepare ourselves for his resurrection,” junior Allison Sijgers said. However, sacrificing a cherished item or habit for 40 days isn’t as easy as it sounds. “I tried especially hard to sacrifice something that I could actually maintain,” Johnson said. This year, Johnson and Sijgers looked at their habits beforehand and chose items that they could benefit without.

“This year I was drinking a lot of sugary drinks, and I wanted to treat my body better, so I chose to give up drinks other than water to work on caring for my body,” Sijgers said. Sijgers gave up all drinks except water and milk, while Johnson gave up all drinks except water and apple juice. Giving up something as trivial as coffee can show how much you’ve depended on it. “I think the hardest days were when I woke up early and couldn’t have coffee, like the SAT,” Sijgers said. Junior Kara Shibley decided to give up candy and ice cream, replacing those with daily devotional reading. “It’s hard going places or being with my friends and not being able to eat something because of Lent,” Shibley said. Fortunately, all of them were able to gainbenefit from their sacrifices. “I’ve been a lot less stressed and I’ve felt a lot closer to God,” Shibley said. Sijgers agreed, saying, “It is often a time I don’t necessarily look forward to, but it is the time when my faith most grows, and I get to share it the most.”

WHERE ARE YOU GOING: MN: I’m going to New York City! PURPOSE OF THE TRIP: MN: I’m basically going to the city to see some shows and go check out possible colleges. WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT: MN: I’m really excited to go see “Hamilton,” the Broadway musical. I’m also going to see “An American In Paris,” “Something Rotten,” and maybe some other ones. I’m also going to go tour Columbia University and New York University, and maybe some other schools.

GEORGIA COLEMAN (11) - FLORIDA KEYS, FLORIDA WHERE ARE YOU GOING: GC: I’m going to the Florida Keys, then driving through the Everglades to Sanibel Island on the Gulf Coast. PURPOSE OF THE TRIP: GC: We’re going to go snorkeling in the Keys, shelling at the beach, maybe some geocaching, and we will probably stop at some nature parks to see things like alligators, and other wild animals. WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT: GC: I’m really excited to go to the beach, and I really can’t wait for the warm weather!

Club Spotlight: UNWC NATALIE SCHUEDDEKOPP staff writer

Joining the influx of new clubs and organizations is the United Nation’s Women’s (UNW) Club. Founded by sophomores Eman Ahmed (club president) and Navnoor Khurana (vice president), the club works to expand women’s leadership and political participation, enhance women’s economic empowerment, end violence against women and incorporate gender equality into governance and national planning. The club is a branch of the global UNW organization. In the school, the club aims to solve issues pertaining to gender inequality, or at the very least, start a conversation among students about the different forms of discrimination. “The UNW Club promotes the equality of genders, races, minorities and everyone in general, and aspires to spread awareness on international issues,” Ahmed said. Although it’s in the name, this club isn’t all about women, or open to only women; the club is made up of a diverse student group. Club meetings are full of discussion, usually on topics related to inequality. They discuss a wide variety of issues, ranging from the wage gap to human trafficking.

Sophomore Genevieve Hunsaker joined the club because of the personal importance of gender equality. “I enjoy having a place to talk with other people who share the same ideas as me and growing from each other’s individual viewpoints and experiences,” she said. “Mostly, we discuss our thoughts and ideas on issues that feminism and gender equality strives to change and how we can educate others on those issues so that everybody can work on fixing them.” The club also does projects and fundraisers to raise awareness for their causes. Recently, the club did a lemonade fundraiser where they sold lemonade at a price of $1 for boys and 77 cents for girls. The fundraiser was done to demonstrate the wage gap that exists between genders. “Our lemonade sale this past week was an interactive way to spark conversation around the school and raise awareness about wage gaps. I think it went pretty well,” Ahmed said. Students interested in learning more about the issues that affect millions of women, men, and minorities today can join the conversation. The club meets every other Thursday after school in Jackie Cable’s room, Room 1009.

CAMERON TRADER (12) - NEW YORK TO COLORADO WHERE ARE YOU GOING: CT: We’re flying into Philly, taking a train to New York, flying to Denver, and then coming back home. PURPOSE OF THE TRIP: CT: The main reason we are going is to check out colleges. First Lehigh university, then RPI, then University of Denver, and finally CO State (Fort Collins). WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT: CT: We’re going to go to a New York Rangers game so that should be pretty exciting. The Rangers are my favorite team. They have been since I was really young. I’ve never seen them play live before, so I’m really excited for that. Also, being able to visit Madison Square Garden, where so much sports history has happened, would be amazing. reporting by naveena bonotha

Adventures Underground www.AdvUnderground.com books@advunderground.com

1391 George Washington Way Richland, WA 93954 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Every day

1.509.946.9893 New & Used Books, Comics, Music, Art, Games and Cafe

A&E

3.31.2016

THE PRIME OF THE PARKWAY

Isabel Bartholomew heads to various Parkway eateries to put her experienced taste buds to the test Graze Stone Soup Porter’s Frost Me Sweet

Pulled pork, brisket, gouda mac and cheese, banana pudding - $22

One of the only places to get good barbecue in the Tri-Cities – and, in my opinion, the best. Their meat is sourced locally. Their brisket is made from local cattle, and their pulled pork is from Oregon. We ordered a half pound of pulled pork with a brioche bun and a half pound of brisket with a bun. Sadly, the bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers were all out when we ordered. Let me tell you, Arby’s is lying – Porter’s has the meats. The pulled pork is about as good as it gets. The brioche bun is heavenly soft, and it stands up to the meat and sauce without getting soggy. The brisket? It falls apart in your mouth. I recommend trying it with the spicy sauce, which has chipotle and red pepper flakes. The banana pudding had a whipped consistency, almost like banana-flavored Cool Whip. The gouda mac and cheese was creamy and mildly flavored – not at all spicy. I would recommend adding some sauce or even some meat Overall: Best in the Tri-Cities for authentic barbecue. Almost no wait time, because all the food is made ahead of time. Not for vegetarians, though the banana pudding is a delicious option.

The Sexy Time panini and caesar salad - $12

This place does a mean sandwich. We ordered the Sexy Time panini with caesar salad on the side. It was $12 for the combo. We tried the salad first. The lettuce was fresh, and the ratio of dressing to lettuce was well-balanced – it wasn’t poured on. There was also freshly grated parmesan on top. It’s pretty hard to screw up caesar salad, so this was good. And then there was the Sexy Time. Boy, was this a sexy sandwich. The brie and provolone cheese created majestic melty cheese strings. I was pleasantly surprised by the thicklysliced bacon and chicken and how well they were complemented by the caramelized onions. There was also a hint of spiciness from the chili flakes. There was also a nice crunch to the bread – it was so delightfully crusty. Overall: The Sharehouse of sandwich shops. Clean, “hip” place to catch a laidback lunch or dinner. Nice interior design – tall windows let in lots of sunlight. Fresh ingredients. Lots of vegetarian options – long list of soups and salads. Top-notch paninis.

New Yorker sandwich, pasta salad, chicken enchilada soup $11.32

The Bistro panini, garlic parmesan fries, crab cakes, the Grasshopper cupcake - $30

I ordered the New Yorker sandwich with pastrami, provolone and coleslaw on marble rye bread, $7.75, with a side of pasta salad. I also got a small 8 oz. container of the chicken enchilada soup, known to be “famous” on their website. The total was $11.32. Service was quick – I received my lunch, which I opted to eat in the restaurant, within five minutes. Prices may be a bit high, though, for someone just looking for a cheap lunch. The food was pretty good. The soup was creamy, the bread was soft, and the vegetables – both in the soup and on the sandwich – tasted fresh. I would suggest, though, to ask for bread toasted – my sandwich kind of fell apart because the mayonnaise made the bread a bit soggy. One delightful surprise about the lunch was the inclusion of a free cookie! My two friends and I all received a delicious vanilla cookie with our order, though we had only ordered one sandwich and soup to share. Overall: Good place for a fast sandwich. Friendly service. Laidback atmosphere, though I imagine it gets busier during lunchtime.

Now, I’ll tell you right off the bat – this place is not exactly cheap. Entrees average $12-$14. We decided on The Bistro – mozzarella, Roma tomatoes and basil on house-made garlic focaccia bread. The focaccia was robust. The garlic flavor wasn’t overpowering at all; it complemented the flavors of The Bistro perfectly. One thing I wanted, though, was more melty mozzarella cheese. Our panini came with legendary garlic parmesan fries. Thick shavings of real parmesan cheese and minced garlic come sprinkled on top of a bed of crispy fries. We also ordered crab cakes. The dish came with three crab cakes on top of aioli sauce. The breading was crisp, and the crab filling was well-seasoned. For dessert, we chose the Grasshopper, a chocolate cupcake with mint buttercream frosting and a creamy mint filling. The mint buttercream frosting was the highlight of the cupcake. Overall: Almost always busy. Splitting the bill or sharing entrees may make it a bit cheaper for everyone. Don’t expect a fast food level of efficiency – this isn’t that type of restaurant.

Movie Review: ‘Allegiant’ Nyah Nguyen reviews the third Divergent installment

nyah nguyen

Set in Chicago, Illinois, director Robert Schwentke’s “Allegiant” begins the third and last book of the Divergent novel trilogy written by Veronica Roth. The movie starts out with the faction system gone and everyone in a frenzy. Four, played by Theo James, and his mom Evelyn (Naomi Watts), who is in charge of the people of Chicago, judges those who betrayed the factions to help Jeanine (Kate Winslet) back in the second part of the Divergent series, “Insurgent.” One of these people includes Tris’s (Shailene Woodley) brother Caleb, played by Ansel Elgort. Tris, Four, and their companions Caleb, Christina (Zoë Kravitz) and Peter (Miles Teller), successfully penetrate the barrier walls surrounding Chicago, wondering about the secrets the Council has been trying to hide from the people of Chicago. As they attempt to find out what secret the Council is trying to hide, a war begins

back in Chicago between the Allegiant and Evelyn’s followers. Hearing all the commotion about this movie and the whole Divergent series, I wanted to see what everyone was talking about. I thought the first “Divergent” movie released in 2014 was remarkable with all the excitement and adventures. “Insurgent,” on the other hand, wasn’t as good. The characters spent more time talking and planning out what they were going to do next rather than taking any action. Then we got to “Allegiant.” The movie had a lot of holes in the storyline. For example, why is the outside of Chicago just red, dry land? Why was there toxic-red rain? The movie gives no details about what happened. All you can do is make assumptions. Seeing as “Allegiant” will be split into two movies, I feel as if the directors are trying to drag out the series just as what happened with the “Hunger Games” and “Twilight” series. Many think that this will add more suspense to the series, but it’s just making the audience even more impatient. I feel like the Divergent series is cliché with its post-apocalyptic yet futuristic theme. Many shows and movies have this type of theme, and it’s being overused nowadays.

With Tris, Four and the others jumping over the barrier of Chicago to find out what’s been kept secret from them, the movie gives you a feel of “The Maze Runner” or “The Giver.” Though some of the futuristic special effects look great, others were horrid. Once Tris and the others jumped over the barrier of Chicago, they were met with what appeared to be red, dry land, which reminded me of Mars. It was confusing, and on top of that, it started to rain toxic-red liquid when they got to the Mars-like area. I didn’t like this because they told no detail of what happened, and if someone was watching this movie for the first time, they’d think that it was actually set in Mars instead of Earth. When Tris and the others move farther from Chicago, they’re met with a secret area that is hidden with an invisible force field. This area almost resembles “Tomorrowland” with its futuristic flying vehicles and modern architecture. If I were to give “Allegiant” an overall rating, I’d give it a one and a half out of four stars because of the way it was put together. There were many holes in the storyline which made some things confusing. Though I’ve said a few bad things, I still hope for the fourth movie, “Ascendants,” to be a great finale to this series.

JUST WINGIN’ IT

sonali matta

Shibani Datta tries out the newest wing joint in town

shibani datta

When I hear the word “shack,” I don’t think of a warm, inviting restaurant. I think of a wooden shack in the middle of nowhere, lacking good cell reception. Fortunately, the Chicken Shack was neither built of wood nor had poor cell reception. Located on Van Giesen in West Richland, the Chicken Shack has a typical American eatery vibe – flat screen televisions broadcasting basketball, beer signs gleaming from the walls and exposed pipes crisscrossing the ceiling. Now for the menu. There were the obvious

wings, garlic and regular fries, a few burgers and sandwiches, sides and, surprisingly, even salads. They also had a wide selection of sauces, which earned them quite a few points. A quality wing establishment needs to host at least five different sauces. That’s one of the golden rules. I ordered the combo #1, which consisted of six wings, fries and a drink. This was about ten dollars, definitely on the pricey side, but I’m willing to take a chance for some good wings. Let’s start with the fries. Often overlooked, fries are a crucial part of any meal, and these fries did not disappoint. Although they were on the saltier side, the crispiness made them the perfect companion for the wings. They were extremely thin cut, which made me feel better about the amount I ate. And of course the ultimate test of good fries – each time I said I was done I would take two more. Now the main event.

The wings were coated in sauce, but not to the point where you have to question if there is more sauce than meat. It was just enough to where I could lick my fingers afterwards and relive the experience all over again. The barbecue sauce was flavorful, but not overpowering. The wings were smaller than I expected, though, since each one was about a buck. The crunch was what really brought these wings to life. Each bite had that slight crunch that transformed them from frozen wings you can buy at Costco to something more. Chicken Shack made a 180 for me, going from a sketchysounding joint to a respectable restaurant. I felt offended by the price of a single wing, and in all honesty I don’t know if I’ll be coming back here. However, if you’re tired of WingStop and WingStreet, Chicken Shack might be the place you’ve been looking for.

A&E

3.31.2016

‘BATMAN VS SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE’ Kyler Kitchens and Kyle Evers analyze new portrayals of classic characters in an iconic battle of superheroes

kyler kitchens

I have seen a lot of superhero movies in my life. Some have been incredible motion pictures that draw the audience in, and some have shown inconsistent patterns of clichés that every moviegoer dreads to see. “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice” disregards the normal superhero sequence of events . With incredible performances by the two leads, Ben Affleck as Batman and Henry Cavill as Superman, the movie delivers a powerful message of defining the hero within you, whether that be natural or supernatural. With Batman and Superman finding out what justice means through the motives of their alter egos, I found myself more satisfied than disappointed when I walked out the theater.

PROS + Endearing character portrayal of a clasisic superhero + Talented acting skills from Henry Cavill, especially with his anger toward Batman + Superman’s alter ego, Clark Kent, is well done as a studious reporter type

CONS

SUPERMAN

-- Lois Lane is portrayed as a stereotypical damsel in distress, constantly needing to be rescued by -- Superman Shows unrealistic strength, even for a superhero -- Poor presentation of villain Lex Luthor by Jesse Eisenberg

It’s the age-old question, which superhero is the best? The newest movie by the vaunted DC Comics franchise, directed by Zack Snyder, once again attempts to answer that question by pitting the Dark Knight against the Man of Steel. I, for one, was rooting for Batman the entire time. Needless to say, it was the viewers who lost. I give “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice” a one and a half stars out of four on the account that the plot was poor and was next to pointless, and the two main characters in the movie never really developed, and they strayed too far from the true roots the the characters themselves. kyle evers

PROS + More accurate to comic book character than Christopher Nolan trilogy + Character development of Alfred, the butler, and Batman himself is well done + Aesthetically pleasing design of Batmobile and Batwing

CONS

BATMAN

-- Confusing plotline, especially when Batman dreams of seeing The Flash -- No sense of mortality, even though Batman is a regular human being -- Unrealistic destruction when Doomsday instantly destroys an entire city

MOVIE REVIEW: ‘MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 2’ Michelle Wang shares her opinion on a disappointing sequel to the classic, well-loved tale of Grecian romance Following the trend of making sequels over a decade later, the Portokalos/Miller family has returned to the big screen 14 years after the release of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” Fortunately, Toula and her family have ditched the outdated clothing and hair, but everything else about the movie seems a bit like deja vu. The family is as michelle wang loud and stereotypically Greek as before, another “big fat Greek wedding” takes place, and Toula’s old glasses from the first film even make a cameo.

Sure, there were multiple instances that prompted laughter, but overall, I was not impressed. Rarely do rom-coms focus on married people, and for good reason. The characters are married. The audience knows that they already love each other and it’s not some huge mystery whether the guy likes the girl back. That aspect takes away from a lot of the anticipation that makes most movies so enjoyable. In addition, the chemistry between Nia Vardalos and John Corbett is basically nonexistent. Their portrayal of a married couple was almost as cringe-worthy as the sound of nails running down a chalkboard. Another uncomfortable thing to note is the amount of awkward topics this movie hints at that no teenager wants to think about. Maybe the fact that my friend and I were in a theater with a

bunch of middle-aged adults laughing hysterically had something to do with it, but it was just really unpleasant at times. Basically, if you go see this movie in theaters, be careful of who you go with. It’s not very family-friendly. Besides the rather crude content, lack of chemistry between characters, and the mere fact that it’s a sequel, what bothered me most throughout the movie was the complexity of the plot. The writers crammed six major plotlines in about an hour and a half, resulting in most of them being hastily resolved and confusion at times. It was a good effort, but like they say, sometimes less is more. Overall, I wasn’t a huge fan. Honestly, unless you’re obsessed with the first movie and are dying to know what happens to Toula and Ian, I wouldn’t recommend spending your money on this.

ZAYN: ‘MIND OF MINE’ Dana Small reviews Zayn Malik’s comeback album

987-1697

Last spring, the world was shocked with the unexpected news that Zayn Malik was leaving the popular band One Direction to pursue a solo career. dana small Nearly a year later on March 25, Zayn released his new album “Mind of Mine” showing the world what he could accomplish by himself. After being one part of five, venturing out on his own had many wondering what the artist had in store for the world. Seeing Zayn in the news this past year portraying a carefree rebellious attitude, one may think that he would be heading towards genre of music filled with explicit content, hard rock instruments, and an overall feeling of anger. But upon listening to the album for the first time, I was surprised with how soft and smooth the album is. The genre of the album is R&B and that is perfectly executed in all the songs throughout the album. While the album does have some upbeat tunes such as “Tio,” the majority of the album consists of instrumental, slow tempo songs that allow Zayn to show off his falsetto voice and the range which he is capable of singing. Before the release of the whole album, people got a taste of what to expect with his first single release of “Pillowtalk.” “Pillowtalk” was an instant media hit being talked about all around the nation and making its way to constant play time on the radio. The song really captured the power of Zayn’s voice and how strong it can stand on its own.

This was a strong choice as the first single release because it was a fun and catchy song that could be played over and over without becoming tiresome. One of my personal favorite songs on the album was “Fool for You.” This song sounded more like a ballad, really showcasing the softness of Zayn’s voice. A constant piano and drum beat accompanied the lyrics allowing for Zayn to have all the focus. The song is filled with powerful crescendos at tense moments, adding dramatic flair to the song, and it has an old-timey vibe that allows the listener to get a feeling of Zayn reminiscing on the past. But Zayn really used dynamics to his advantage to properly show what he was feeling. The artist also takes a moment to reach into his Pakistani roots with “INTERMISSION: fLoWer.” This short interlude provides a break in the album, cleansing your palette of the traditional American pop songs as Zayn sings in his native language, Urdu. While I would certainly listen to this album again, there were some areas I feel could be stronger. While the songs were enjoyable, I would like to see a bit more variation in style from Zayn. I understand wanting to keep the album cohesive, but there was almost too much of a basic tempo in every song where there could have been more of a range. Overall, I was impressed by the range of emotions Zayn provided in “Mind of Mind.” He showed a softer, more timid side of himself allowing the public to grasp how serious he is about his solo career. He easily could have gone too over the top in this album but chose to showcase what he was capable of doing all on his own. While his departure from One Direction will always be a sad memory, I expect that Zayn Malik will be fine all on his own.

School & Career

3.31.2016

Sea Cadets provide military experience DAISA DAMEROW staff writer

courtesy of daisa damerow

Standing together in their military uniforms at a property in Pendleton, Oregon, Jade Noggles (11) and Daisa Damerow (11) participate in combat maneuvers, a group exercise. During the maneuver, cadets were watching out for “enemy combatants” hiding in the range. The exercise provided experience in military tactics.

AP ADVICE “

It’s 8:00 Saturday morning. Jade and Dakota fall into formation with 12 other teenagers. They stand at attention in their digital blue hats, blouse and pants, black polished boots, and a proud look on their faces. They are part of the Sea Cadet Corps, a youth military program. Jade Noggles, a junior at Delta High School, has been in Sea Cadets for three years. “I’ve always been inspired by PJ’s (service personnel who recover and medically treat people in the battle field for the Air Force), Navy Seals, pilots. I would see the commercials . ‘There’s Strong, then there’s Army strong!’ Who wouldn’t want to be Army strong?” At first she was going to join the Young Marines, another youth military program, but she decided to go with Sea Cadets instead. One of her greatest challenges was physical training (PT) and keeping a positive attitude.“PT can be demanding, but the real challenge is keeping a positive attitude even though that can be difficult.” According to Noggles, the Cadets face extra physical training when one of the shipmates doesn’t stand at attention correctly or if something from the uniform doesn’t meet the requirements. She said part of being in Sea Cadets is “being able to keep your chin held high and come out on top of it all. That’s one of the biggest challenge every Cadet faces.” Dakota Damerow, a junior at Kennewick High School, has been in the program for a little less than three years. He joined Sea Cadets so that he “could get some more military experience.” Damerow plans on a career in the military. “I was in the Young Marines, and I wanted to continue my progress learning about the military,” he said. “Sea Cadets was a much better choice because I was learning more about improving myself.”

Beck Bartrand (12)

“

Don’t use the Baron’s AP Test books. They’re a waste of money and they don’t help at all.

“

I go on study dates with my friends because they make me feel better. Kiera Lucas (12)

“

Don’t freak out and eat a lot of snacks.

Samuel McKinnon (12)

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You’ll get the score that you deserve.

Ingrid Jennings (12)

To join Sea Cadets, contact Scott Kiser, Commanding Officer at 509-948-1740 or you can email cbbseacadets@yahoo.com for more information.

WSU Tri-Cities off to a running start

Study. Don’t procrastinate.

Porter McMichael (12)

Damerow’s eventual goal is to be a military police officer,so he participated in Master at Arms Training, a training where cadets learn the basics of becoming a police officer. “It was a perfect choice for me. I have always been interested in the military and being a police officer, and this training just helped enforce that I wanted to do both.” His greatest challenge has been passing the PO2 (Petty Officer Second Class) test. “To rank up, you have to do coursework, and you have to take tests over it,” he said. “The tests can be pretty difficult.” Damerow said, “I had to take the tests three times to pass it. By the time I took the third test I was very happy to be done.” Scott Kiser, the head of the Sea Cadets Unit, sees huge benefits for young young people in the program. He said, “I have seen cadets with little or no self-confidence become leaders by learning to apply themselves.” Cadets meet every second Saturday for drill and throughout the month, they participate in community service. Other opportunities include summer training. Cadets tour and sleep on nuclear submarines, train with Navy SEALs, become SCUBA certified or operate heavy equipment with the Sea Bees Construction Battalion. These opportunities require meeting physical fitness and testing standards. There’s also a cost involved for the programs. Kiser believes anyone who puts in the effort will learn “discipline, self-confidence and leadership,” he said. “All these things will help you whether join the military or go to work in the civilian workforce.These skills will help you advance and succeed.”

katie peurrung

Adriana Iturbe (11) walks to her next class at Washington State University Tri-Cities. She is taking English classes and a math class in the Running Start program. SHABANI DATTA opinion editor

In the hallways at Washington State University Tri-Cities, one can spot t-shirts and keychains coated in crimson and gray cougars, but every now and then a splash of purple and gold will

emerge from the crowd. For the first time, students can take advantage of the Running Start program at the neighboring campus. There are thirty-nine juniors and seniors from Hanford in the program this year. The most common reason is to get a college experience and gain credits that can be transferred. Senior Jason Serkowski plans to attend WSU Pullman in the fall, so the program was a perfect fit. “I figured I could get a head start on some classes before even leaving high school, so when I get into college, I already have a few extra credits. It’ll make life a little easier,” he said. Junior Adriana Iturbe knew that the college had a great reputation and decided to jump at the opportunity. She noticed differences between college and high school, both good and bad. “I think that it’s better in different aspects. The people in college are more mature, and you get more free time because it’s only two times a week or so. But it’s worse than high school because there’s way more homework and way more compromise,” Iturbe said. The school offers many courses, ranging from basic English 101 to Art History 210. Students do have some freedom to choose specific classes of their liking, but the school district determines what courses are required in order to graduate, so students must follow district requirements. The classes are free, but students pay for books, supplies and lab fees. As the program ends its first year, students like senior Holly Harris have given positive feedback. “I thought that WSUTC Running Start was a great opportunity. It gave the rigorous courses that challenged me and gave me the independence that I was seeking. I loved being able to manage my time as well and be able to have a lot more time,” Harris said.

KADLEC OFFERS SUMMER COURSE This summer Kadlec is offering a new summer opportunity for high school students. Heather Newell, the Student Services Specialist, organizes this program. Newell discusses the benefits of the Healthcare Summer Program: “If the students are interested in health care at all or even interested in exploring that as a possibility for a career, then it will give them a wide variety of experiences in the healthcare field. It’s a good combination of hands-on experience, shadowing experience and also working as a team on projects.”

WHEN

COST

REGISTRATION

REQUIREMENTS

June 20-24, 2016 or July 11-15, 2016 Sessions run Monday Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

$40.00 for the week (daily snacks and lunch provided)

Application will be available at www.kadlec.org/camp or by emailing Heather.Newell@ Kadlec.org

Students must be at least 16 years old by the start of their selected week and entering 10th, llth, or 12th grade by fall of 2016.

Submit application by April 15, 2016. Applications are accepted until program reaches capacity.

reporting by kyle campbell

Students must be able to commit to the entire week they select.

Limited number of scholarships available and students must be able to commit to the entire week.

Opinion

3.31.2016

SAYING GOODBYE TO THE STIGMA

aking care of someone with mental health issues is like the safety video on an airplane: put your own mask on before helping the person next to you. In other words, take care of yourself before taking on the needs of another. High school makes it hard to take care of ourselves. You can be in a handful of clubs, a couple of AP classes, trying to get a job or applying to college, all while fighting to keep your grades up. And as much fun as high school can be, all these factors can be overwhelming. When you have an essay due in the morning and had a game the evening before, the obvious solution is to stay up late finishing work. You’ll have a rough day, but you’ll be fine by the end of the week, right? But then you have a project to finish. Or a test to study for.

All these days spent with too little sleep and too little time spent taking care of ourselves add up quickly, whether we notice it or not. These habits that endanger our happiness can cause symptoms of mental health issues or exacerbate latent problems. Whether you have a diagnosed mental health problem or not, you’ve probably felt quite a few of the symptoms of common mental health disorders, like anxiety or depression. Yet we don’t talk about our mental health. We’ve all had low points, whether we’ve been stressed beyond our limits or just been kind of sad for a while, but we refuse to acknowledge this shared human experience, as if having any sort of mental health problem brands you as less-than or different. There is a stigma around mental health, and this stigma is not benefitting anyone.

For the most part, mental health sits in the shadow of physical health, despite the fact that poor mental health has many physical symptoms such as exhaustion, a racing heart, or weight fluctuations. Why can we discuss a broken arm with no hesitation, but at the mention of depression, the entire room seems to shift? Mental health disorders and their symptoms are common and affect all kinds of people. In our school community and beyond, we need to be brave enough to reach past the stigma of mental health issues in order to have open, healthy conversations about our well-being. And, hey, take care of yourself. The staff editorial is the consensus of the Editorial Board.

Candidates, caucuses, campaigns, oh my! Washington’s Democratic caucus took place on March 26, with Bernie Sanders winning the state’s vote with 29 delegates and 72.7 percent of votes and Hillary Clinton receiving nine delegates and 27.1 percent of votes (AP). The Republican primary will be held on May 24 to determine the GOP candidate delegates. Students shared their opinions on which candidate they hope will win the presidency in November’s election.

Bernie Sanders I support Bernie Sanders because his character speaks volumes to me. Just anybody can speak “words,” but producing actions mean that much more. The DNC has declined him, yet he pushes on. Eleven months ago they told him that he would be nowhere, and now here he is, neck-to-neck with Hillary Clinton. If Bernie Sanders won the presidency, he would fight for the people, as he has for over 40 years. His opinions haven’t changed from now, or when he was arrested at 22 for fighting segregation. To me, he is what a president should be: not a leader, but a public servant. Junior Kyle Nicora

Hillary Clinton As a former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton has the most experience dealing with foreign policy. She’s also the only one that doesn’t have ideas that are completely unrealistic. Junior Max Beeson

Lemonade stirs controversy

naveena bontha

ecently, the UN Women’s Club sold lemonade at different prices to raise awareness about the gap in wages between men and women, but the fundraiser was quickly shut down. The club members were accused of furthering their feminist agenda. And this sparks the debate, what exactly is a feminist? What exactly is this feminist agenda that needed to be stopped oh-so quickly before it could wreak havoc amongst the minds of impressionable high school students?

I wish I could say that we’re slowly moving to the ideal world of equality. Unfortunately, we’re sliding backwards. When a girl is raped or sexually assaulted, she was asking for it – asking for the loss of her self-pride, dignity and security. Violence against women is at an all-time high, with sexual assault happening approximately every 107 seconds. But here’s the thing – when I bring up violence against women, it doesn’t mean that I’m invalidating violence against men. If you take one thing away from this opinion, please let it be this: by acknowledging one person’s pain, as a society, we are not ignoring another’s. If a man says that a woman has violated him, then by all means, please arrest the woman. I stand for those who don’t have the means to speak, those who have had their voice taken away from them.

I stand for the thousands of women who are viciously raped at parties, schools and even in their own homes. I stand for the millions of women who work just as hard as any man, but get paid significantly less. I stand for a world where having a woman as a leader, political or industrial, isn’t a rare occurrence. A world where girls never have to fear being told that their dreams are too big, never have to put aside their dreams. I stand for a world where we read about gender discrimination in history textbooks and ask ourselves, “What were the people in 2016 thinking?” For all the men and women out there who proudly declare that they are not feminists, look up what feminism is and ask yourself: then what kind of world am I advocating? I’m a feminist. I was a feminist yesterday, I’m a feminist today, and I’ll be a feminist tomorrow. Sue me.

Donald Trump Donald Trump speaks for us little people. We don’t have much of a voice. We have politicians who will throw us meaningless bones and make big promises they will never keep, but Trump isn’t like any of those others. Trump actually discusses the concerns of the middle-class, blue-collar worker. Bringing jobs back to the American worker is something about which most politicians care little, if at all. Junior Maddi Morrison Ted Cruz Ted Cruz actually stays true to conservative values and principles. I support all of his decisions. His voting record in Congress has been consistent and true to his party. However, the two others – one’s an establishment Republican who just goes wherever the money is, and the other is an egomaniac. Freshman Ansel Bartrand John Kasich I associate myself as having Republican/conservative views, and of the Republican candidates, Kasich is only candidate that anyone should even consider voting for. I would vote for Kasich because he’s the least insane. Senior Isaac Leggett

A LT I T U D E 31 March 2016

volume 16.4

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF emily tan caroline waring

EDITORS

isabel bartholomew, copy dana small, news naveena bontha, feature kyle reisenauer, sports kyle campbell,school&career sonali matta, A&E shibani datta, opinion katie peurrung, photo amanda anderson, humor

PHOTOGRAPHERS calvin carr shelby schumacher

STAFF

eman ahmed, hannah bryan, michelle chou, daisa damerow, kyle evers, jadon fickle, kevin jenkins, meg johnson, ketsia kahambwe, kyler kitchens, sarah latka, jessica olson, natalie schueddekopp, lydia schelly, brett schmude, michelle shin, aleece stillman, michelle wang, rose wang, kevin weng, will zhang

ADVISER

nancy e. smith Editorial Policy: The Altitude is an open public forum for the student community at Hanford High School. The paper is published by Hanford Student Media, informing and entertaining its audience in a broad, fair, and accurate manner. The reporting and opinions published in the Altitude do not represent views of the Richland community, school board, administrators, faculty, or student body of Hanford High School. Advertising Policy: The Altitude accepts advertising for most products and services available to the public. Advertising which promotes illegal products under Washington law, opposes any religion, is written in bad taste, or which includes false statements will not be accepted. The Editorial Board has the right to refuse any such ad. Letters to the Editor: Signed letters to the editor will be accepted and published. The staff reserves the right to edit the letters for poor taste, space, libel, and grammar. Memberships: WJEA, JEA, SPLC Printing by the Yakima Herald, Yakima, Washington.

Tolerating the intolerable

sarah latka

s the 2016 presidential election comes closer, news coverage primarily revolves around politics. The political realm highlights the latest scandals and stories, which both politicians and voters use to support their stance. In the world of tabloids and social media, it appears as though some campaigns thrive on the dirt of politics. This presidential election, there are some clear outliers who don’t embody the typical politician. Meaning, they don’t

try to suppress their thoughts or words to gain mass appeal. I’m not naming names, but a certain toupeed man has become increasingly popular for his lack of self-censorship and his controversial ideas. Should we support each other in the name of free speech, or should we stand up for what we see as morally and politically right? All of us are entitled to our own opinions, no matter how outrageous or crude. To say that one person is not allowed to have an opinion takes away from the democratic ideals the United States was founded on. If you attack the flaws of another person’s preferred candidate, you’d better look pretty close at what your candidate believes in. PSA: no candidate is perfect. For example, it seems like one tactic to gain voters is to use childish strategies of attacking fellow nominees.

Many are known for doing this; it’s not only Donald Trump who exploits methods like these. All candidates are known for using other’s mistakes to strengthen their own platforms. However, this is not to say that people aren’t allowed to form opinions on rival candidates. I encourage people to challenge the nominees’ beliefs and values. But I do not condone people attacking other’s beliefs on the basis of disagreement. Our political system is built on being able to decide for ourselves, not determining what’s right for others. All Americans are deserving of the freedom to choose who they vote for. That’s non-negotiable. If there is one thing that makes us all similar, it’s that we have opinions that shape who we are and how we live our lives.

Humor

Making America great again Lessons learned from everyone’s favorite toupe-wearing, spray-tanned giant

ryan wang

t this point in the lecture, I’d like to make a distinction between two types of people in this world. There are the winners, and there are the losers. I, for example, am a winner. An internationally successful businessman with countless quality companies under my name. Everybody loves me. The Mexicans love me, the Chinese love me, the British love me, the Black communities love me – do I need to say anymore? I am very, very wealthy, and I am very good at making

deals. a guy who sweats half his body Bernie Sanders? Has he weight during every speech to ever made a deal in his entire be president? life? He wants to socialize Do we really want someone everything, he’s practically a who has to ask his mother for communist! Trust me, he is support to be president? crazy and he is dangerous. Do we want the Zodiac If I had to compare him to Killer to be our president? someone, and I’m not saying Do we want a man who he’s exactly the same as this sleeps for 16 hours a day to be guy, but if I HAD our president? TO compare him No, of course. They’re losers. The to someone, I’d not. They’re losers. compare him with bunch of them, but The bunch of they’re very nice losJoseph Stalin. them, but they’re ers, and I think they’d He is a senile very nice losers, do very well in lower old radical. Comand I think they’d positions. pared to him, the do very well in Republicans are lower positions. saints. We’ve gotta start fighting I’ve got my issues with against the Chinese. We’re Jeb, Cruz, Rubio, Carson and constantly losing to them. We the bunch, but they are saints consume and consume and compared to Sanders. We all consume, and we keep making have our issues together. China richer. We fight, we throw some They’re eating us alive! insults, we talk over each Then they send their other, sure. And those other people over here to work as candidates just don’t have the scientists and engineers, so that backbone for presidency. they can continue to leech off I mean, do you really want our wealth.

Here’s the truth. They aren’t sending us their best. They’re sending us their geeks, their nerds, their social outcasts and, I assume, a few good people. We can’t keep letting this go on. This oriental invasion will continue to poison our strong, American individualism, until we become a bunch of pansies who can’t even stand on our own feet! The Chinese are dangerous in so many ways. Once I become president, I will ban all immigration into the U.S. by Chinese citizens. If it comes down to it, I will build ANOTHER WALL across the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean and through the Arctic and Antarctic to keep them out. Remember everybody, we’re gonna – (he waits and then the crowd says in unison:) MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

3.31.2016

spring break fantasy v. reality AMANDA ANDERSEN

1 Strolling along the white sand beaches.

vs. Strolling to the gas station to get more candy.

2 Eating ice cream on the Santa Monica pier. vs.

Eating a quart of Ben and Jerry’s in one sitting.

3 Not worrying about school. vs.

Parents scolding you for not studying 24/7.

4 SHOPPING! vs.

Realizing how broke you actually are.

5 Actually getting enough sleep. vs.

Worrying all night about looming AP exams.

Crocs return?

kevin weng

aleece stillman

hen I first heard I had to write an article about Crocs making a comeback, I immediately thought: what the fudgesicle are Crocs? Apparently, Crocs are porous, soft, extremely comfortable (the most comfortable shoes ever, according to Urban Dictionary) sandals – not vicious, reptilian animals that’ll leave me with bloody, infected stumps where my feet were. Also, Crocs are definitely not practical. Are Crocs going to protect me when John Cena falls from the sky and lands on my feet? Are Crocs going to help me run a four-minute mile in P.E.? Are Crocs going to help me flee from my Calculus teacher, undoubtedly chasing me because I fell asleep in class for the tenth time that week? Back to the topic at hand: are Crocs making a comeback? According to the first few websites on that pop up when I Google “are Crocs making a comeback?” the answer is, unfortunately, yes. Crocs are making a comeback because they fit perfectly into America’s lazy society.

Crocs are super comfortable – perfect for binge-watching 12 hours of “The Office” or keeping the average American’s feet comfortable while they die from eating six Big Macs at the same time. The Croc’s spoon-like shape even allows it to act as an industrial-sized ice cream scooper for scooping ice cream into one’s fat, pudgy mouth. Crocs actually have some real benefits, though. They’re apparently really nifty for sailing. Perfect for protecting one’s feet when a school of jacked-up steroid sharks with AK-47s decide to attack his boat. Also, according to WebMD, Crocs have a variety of therapeutic benefits. They are designed specifically to eliminate feet pain, so the next time someone decides to repeatedly shank your feet with a hot butter knife, get some Crocs, fam, and you’ll be fine. For those who have nasty foot fungus, Crocs eliminate feet odor, so you won’t have to worry about people gagging or choking on sketchy feet smell. But are Crocs really worth the cost? Who wants to spend up to $99 to buy a piece of Styrofoam? I COULD GO TO CHIPOTLE AT LEAST SIX TIMES WITH THAT MUCH MONEY. FOR THE SAME PRICE AS FIVE PAIRS OF CROCS, I COULD BUY A HUMAN SPLEEN. Stop the comeback. Spend money on useful things, like spleens.