Hanford14 7

4 June 2014 Cover 1

volume fourteen issue seven

ALTITUDE

Hanford High School | Richland, Wash. 99354 | June.4.2014

sawyer henry

photographer

2 Physics at Silverwood

Physics teacher Tim Faix talks about the 17th annual Physics and Science Day at the Silverwood Theme Park in Idaho.

Students especially enjoyed the SpinCycle, a ride that’s like a pendulum, except that it goes around 360 degrees.

Many students submitted their creative works for the annual literary magazine.

See pages 17 to 20 for other students’ artwork, photography and writing.

4 Austin Kitchens

Hard work and determination brought senior Austin Kitchens a long way from just being a freshman on the track team.

Though the 4X400 relay team took fourth, Kitchens doesn’t let the success go to his head.

6 Swingin’ gigs

For musicians, gigs are the best opportunities to actually put into practice all the stuff learned in band class. The members of a jazz combo talk about their extracurricular performances.

From Cloverstock to Cruising for a Cause, students and friends are busy putting together projects for freshman Ryan Vandersommen after his recent cancer diagnosis. For details, see page 15. maxwell weil

photographer

10 Senior map

See where seniors are going next year and what they’re planning on doing, whether it’s attending college, joining the military, or going on mission trips.

14 From the admins

School administrators didn’t necessarily start out with their current careers in mind. Some discovered what they wanted to do through working hard and growing to love the job; others started out as middle school or high school teachers.

2 News 4 June 2014

MURMURS

WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD IN THE NEWS?

Two little girls were hung on a mango tree.”

Cassandra Elkins senior Last week, two sisters in India ages 14 and 15 were gang raped and then left to hang on a mango tree. According to the old Indian caste system, the girls belonged to the lowest-ranked “untouchables,” and their assaulters were of an upper caste. Two police officers also from the same upper caste, additionally, were arrested for “dereliction of duty” in this case.

Steve Ballmer bought the Clippers.”

Danny Aimone junior For $2 billion, Steve Ballmer bought the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team. The opportunity to bid for the Clippers arose when the former owner, Donald Sterling, was banned for life from the N.B.A. because of a scandal related to his use of racist comments. Sterling cannot conduct league business, be at any Clipper facilities, and he cannot be present at any N.B.A. games or practices.

Chromebooks at our school.”

Tabor Patten sophomore Some of the newer computer carts at Hanford contain Chromebooks, developed and sold by Google. These most recent laptops include features such as fast startup times and a sleek design. Although the login process proved to be slightly difficult for some students, the Chromebooks remain a useful resource.

maxwell weil

photographer

Senior president Gia Scovazzo looks on as senior council coordinator Victoria Russell gives a quick speech at Senior Sensation. Over 200 seniors were awarded with a“best of” or “most likely” award for their class. The program included a catered dinner and entertainment and music provided by some of the band students.

Abs-olutely sensational seniors As reward for finishing four grueling years of high school, the seniors got a special night to themselves and their families where they could feel sensational. Senior Sensation, held at the Three Rivers Convention Center on May 29, was a catered dinner and entertainment night.

“Senior Sensation is an annual event that started way back in 2000 with Mrs. Knirk as a dinner and a dance for the seniors, but the students no longer wanted the dance, so now it’s a dinner for the seniors and their families,” said Victoria Russell, the senior class council advisor. “We provide the entertainment that’s performed by some of the seniors and issue the senior favorites and reveal the senior video.”

The variety of entertainment brought the night alive, including singing and instrumental music provided by none other than the students themselves.

“You know, as a teacher, my favorite part is all the talent in the program. This year we had a wonderful jazz ensemble,” Russell said. “Hannah Mowry plays the trumpet, Caylee Olson plays the base fiddle, Scott Kovacs on the piano and Paige Foelber, who has a beautiful voice.”

Tim Zilar played the guitar.

Brooklyn Fisher agreed. “The jazz ensemble was great, and Paige Foelber sang like an angel.”

The highlight of the night still was the senior favorites, which the seniors nominated themselves. “The kids love the senior favorites, and they laugh since they

know it fits their class,” Russell said, “so the senior favorites is their favorite part of the event.” Seniors who won awards included Fisher for best abs and Lena Rachinski for best excuses.

“Senior Sensation was cool,” Fisher said. “I loved the speech given by Mr. Perez and finding out the senior favorites.”

“I was really surprised when I found out that I won something—especially because it was the best excuses award,” Rachinski said. “I guess it makes sense though; I do make a lot of excuses.”

However, others were less surprised.

“It felt good,” Fisher said. “My chiseled stomach is finally getting the recognition it deserves.”

Silverwood provides a learning experience

anne liu

photographer

Students ride the SpinCycle ride during Silverwood’s 17th Annual Physics and Science Days. According to the Silverwood website, the SpinCycle is a thrill ride that “rotates 360 degrees at 13 revolutions per minute while at the same time swings like a giant pendulum all the way upside down 104 feet above the ground bringing riders all the way around over and over again at three and a half times the normal gravitational pull.”

“During Silverwood’s 17th Annual Physics and Science Days, we turn our theme park into one of the world’s most unique classrooms.” These words on the Silverwood Theme Park website are written regarding an event that many physics and Engineering Design students attended on May 22 at Silverwood Theme Park in Athol, Idaho. The website describes the event as “an event where students can test the principles of physics and science for themselves using rides, games, and other attractions.”

“It’s an opportunity for students to take a break after they’ve learned concepts in mechanics about forces, motion and rotation and have fun experiencing some of those things first hand on thrill rides,” physics teacher Tim Faix said.

One of the applications of physics that junior Sean Thompson saw during the trip related to the intensity of the rides.

“You use physics equations to figure out the intensity of rollercoasters, so it’s not too intense or too boring,”

Thompson said.

The park, according to the site, has four rollercoasters and over 70 “rides, slides, shows and attractions.” Among these rides is one of the “top rated wood coasters in the country,” according to the website. This top roller coaster, Tremors, reaches a speed of 63 miles per hour and has a 103-foot drop.

The track is 3,000 feet long and includes four tunnels.

Another one of the thrill rides experienced on the trip was the SpinCycle. According to the Silverwood website, the SpinCycle is a thrill ride “with a cylindrical-shaped vehicle that seats 24 people facing outward, with legs dangling and wearing only a harness,” depicted at left. It “rotates 360 degrees at 13 revolutions per minute while at the same time swings like a giant pendulum all the way upside down 104 feet above the ground bringing riders all the way around over and over again at three and a half times the normal gravitational pull.”

“It was the first time I rode the SpinCycle ride,” senior Gordan Gavric said. “I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’ve ridden a lot of other rides, and this was the least scary and most fun.”

4 June 2014 News 3

Leaders take their positions

an wang

photographer

Students line up during lunch to vote for the respective class council positions of president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, activities coordinator and senators. Voting was held on May 21 and was preceded by a frenzy of campaigning efforts.

CLASS OF 2017 *President: *V.P.: *Sec. *Treas. *A.C. *Senators:

TATUM NIELSEN KEIRSTEN FLOWERS NAVEENA BONTHA HAZEL WILBURN JEWELIANA SENTER SHIBANI DATTA PAYTON MOORE BLAIZE VARGO

CLASS OF 2016 *President: *V.P.: *Sec. *Treas. *A.C. *Senators:

VIVIANE GIURGIUMAN EMILY TAN KIERA LUCAS DIANA WANG TRITYCA STUBBS JADE COMEAUX JOSIE HANSEN SETH KING

With votes counted and class councils selected for the 2014-2015 school year, the three newly elected class presidents are already planning for what is ahead. Junior Marissa Savitch, next year’s senior class president, already knows what her duties will be.

“For senior class president, you plan graduation and everything that goes along with that,” Savitch said. She’s also happy with her fellow executives. “This year I have a really good council working with me, so I’m pretty excited for that,” she said.

Sophomore Viviane Giurgiuman, who admitted that she is already planning for next year’s prom, will be the junior class council president. “I’m really excited for next year,” Giurgiuman said. “I can’t wait to work with my council. I have a lot of ideas for prom, and I can’t wait to share them with everyone who will attend next year.”

On the sophomore class council for next year is freshman president Tatum Nielsen.

“What I’m going to enjoy about it,” she said, “is planning Sadie’s and helping the sophomore class next year.”

Nielsen will “get more involved and try making it really fun for

everyone,” she said.

All three class presidents remembered the arduous campaigning season, the nervous excitement of election day and their tough opponents.

The posters that decked the halls were each the result of a campaigner’s efforts.

“I ran to get involved with my school and to be a positive influence,” Nielsen said. “The hardest part was definitely making posters, but it was really fun at the same time.”

Giurgiuman said, “I put a lot of work into my campaigning. I had help from my mom, sister and friends. I purchased loads of candy and made a lot of posters.” Despite the support she had gathered, Giurgiuman said that the outcome of the election was difficult to predict. “I was very surprised with the results. I had no idea I was going to win,” she said.

“Both my competitors had a lot of supporters, so it was fair game.”

Savitch, whose campaigns largely featured geckos in the form of both posters and candy, wanted “to make people laugh.” Now that her campaign is over, she can’t wait for next year when she will officially be in office as senior class president. She said, “It’s always been a dream of mine ever since I was really little.”

CLASS OF 2015 *President *V.P. *Sec. *Treas. *A.C. *Senators:

MARISSA SAVITCH DAVID JUERGENS GRACE DAI KAYLA BURNIGHT HALEY GOLDEN JACQUIE DEICHMAN BRADY HEID ELLIE MENDOZA

Students recognized for their achievements

virginia kuan

photographer

Seniors are honored on stage for their different scholarships and achievements throughout their high school career. Each cord that a student wears represents a certain recognition.

At the Senior Awards Night on May 28, seniors were honored by counselor Teresa Knirck, Leadership teacher Paul Mayer and Principal Ken Gosney in the auditorium for the scholarships or awards they received and are planning to accept. As their names were called, students took their seats on stage.

After a brief introduction, the National Merit Scholars, National Merit Commended Scholars and Washington Scholars were announced.

White valedictorian cords were then presented to the 10 valedictorians, one salutatorian and four summa cum laude.

Purple and gold activity cords were presented to a total of 43 students, which is the “most students to have ever receive the honor in a graduating class at Hanford,” Mayer said at the

assembly.

Then followed a lengthy but worthy recognition of students who are in the top 10 percent of students in Washington State, all of whom received the Washington State Honors Award. According to Knirck, 20 percent of the class of 2014 is in the top 10 percent of students in Washington.

Individual students were then recognized for scholarships and honors from their respective colleges. Sara Corral is a Washington State University Regent Scholar, which is the “highest honor at W.S.U.,” Knirck said.

Students were also recognized for their accomplishments in drama and music, not to mention community service awards such as the Kadlec Regional Medical Center Scholarship, which Sarah Sanvictores was honored with. Beverly McCarthy was also awarded for

being an all-around good citizen; she received the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award.

Coco Gall received both activity and athletic cords, the Northwest Nazarene University Riley Academic Scholarship, the Northwest Nazarene University Athletic Scholarship, and was listed as a National Honor Society member. “It’s really cool,” Gall said. “It’s exciting to get acknowledged for your achievements.”

Ryan Colson was recognized more than a couple of times as well. Heading off to the University of Puget Sound, Colson is a valedictorian, a Washington State Honor Award recipient, and a recipient of both activity and athletic cords. “I’m happy for receiving [these honors],” he said. “But I don’t do any of the things I do for recognition.”

4 Sports 4 June 2014

Spreading Flames For most senior baseball players, the rough playoff game against Mount Spokane on May 24 was the end of their career in the sport many of them have played since adolescence. An exception to that group is senior Aaron Enderlin.

Along with other members of the 2014 varsity baseball team, Enderlin is giving baseball another shot through the summer league team, the Hanford Flames.

“It was sad that it was our last game,” he said, “but I get

to play again, so it’s not nearly as hard for me as it is for some other people” to end the season with a loss.

The Flames will play a total of 64 games this season, a majority of them in the scorching summer heat of June and July. Enderlin, who plays as the starting catcher, has his work cut out for him. While the 2014 baseball season was one of the best in the past decade, Enderlin is happy to be moving on to a fresh start.

“It’s nice to just get another season going, so we don’t have to think about our loss for a long time,” Enderlin said.

After summer league, Enderlin plans on continuing his baseball career even further as a member of the C.B.C. Hawks baseball team for the 2015 spring season. Even through he only played on the varsity team for two years, his career in the game dates all the way back to childhood.

Not only has baseball made Enderlin a better athlete, but it has also helped him become a better person.

“I’ve made a lot of friends through it,” he said, “and I’ve become a lot more of an outgoing person through baseball.”

courtesy of gary heid

Senior Aaron Enderlin winds up a pitch against the Pasco Sun Devils. Enderlin is playing summer league baseball with flames one more time before he moves on to C.B.C.

Kitchens: running with character One boy, two legs, three events, four years and one ultimate goal: making it to state. Senior Austin Kitchens has been running on the track team for four years with the dream of one day eventually competing at state. This was his year.

Throughout the season, Kitchens competed in the 400, the 800, the 4x4 and the 4x1. At state he competed in the 400 and the 4x4.

“The 4x4 I knew we were going to go because we had been a dominant figure all throughout the Tri-Cities,” Kitchens said. But even though it was clear that the 4x4 relay team was going to get its shot at competing in state, the boys on the team, Kitchens, senior Ben Kelly, senior Seth Cook and senior Grant Mickelson didn’t let that knowledge go to their heads.

“Yeah, we knew we were good,” Kitchens admitted.

“But we didn’t go out and tell people that.”

For years Kitchens watched friends and other athletes succeed and let the success go to their heads.

“They would go into the

state meet thinking they were number one, they had been number one,” he said, “and they would totally tank.”

Track athletes built up the endurance to race others in circles. Yet there is much more to track that makes it a worthwhile and enlightening experience. “It’s weird; people think that track is an individual sport, and it’s true, you can compete individually, but without the support of your teammates you wouldn’t do as well as you do in your individual events,” Kitchens said.

He made the closest group of friends through track. “The people that I got to know — Ben, Seth, and Grant,” he said, “we became so close throughout track, and it honestly made one of the best memories I’ve ever had.”

Kitchens hasn’t always been a track guy. “I was a massive baseball fanatic,” Kitchens said, explaining that because he threw his arm out while playing baseball, he decided to try his hand at track.

“I started running, and I tried my best, and I was actually starting to get pretty good,” he said.

Going back to the old cliché, one door closed and another door opened for Kitchens. The door that opened led to a blindingly bright future in track and, for an eighth grade Kitchens, planted the dream of perhaps one day competing at the collegiate level.

A dream that in four short years would become a reality. “I can’t wait to compete at the collegiate level,” he said. “Right now, I don’t know, it’s tied between Spokane Community College and, well, there [are] three options, Spokane Community, P.L.U., and then Concordia in California.”

Although Kitchens is unsure of where he will be competing next year, he said, “I think the greatest part about it is that, you know, we live in a country that we can compete in sports, freely however we want. So I am going to take that to the utmost advantage.”

Although Kitchens can proudly stake his claim to a fourth place in state, he doesn’t take the success lightly. “Character is everything,” he said.

One of the biggest things Kitchens took away from

competing for four years on the track team, besides his fitness, was the concept of character.

“After every meet since my middle school career, I have gone around and shaken every official’s hand after the meet saying, ‘Thank you,’” he said. “I couldn’t go out and run without somebody timing me or somebody running the clock or anything like that.”

At the state meet, Kitchens did his usual rounds after his event. He took his time to go and shake everybody’s hands, including the competition’s, and was surprised when not much later he was called over to the timing tent.

There, he was awarded the only sportsmanship medal given at the meet. “It just showed that everything falls back on your character,” he said.

From a young age Kitchens was told, “You are given one name, and when people call your name they are going to think something of it.”

“So that’s what I wanted my life to be defined by,” he said, “how my character is, how I respect everybody and appreciate everybody.”

courtesy of greg kelly

Senior Austin Kitchens shakes hands with a judge as he is handed the sportsmanship award. Kitchens had a tradition of going around and shaking every officials hand after each meet since middle school. Keeping his sportsmanship throughout the many years since then, Kitchens was recognized for his ability to stay true.

4 June 2014 Sports 5

How did it go? spring wrap

boys soccer

baseball

maxwell weil

photographer

Senior Jacob Bogen rushes past defensive players with the ball during a game. The boys went up to the first round of playoffs once more. But unlike last year the boys did not make it past the first round. They lost two of the three matches between Kennewick lions and our boys. In the regional playoffs the lions won 3-2.

maxwell weil

photographer

Junior Jacob Anderson winds up a pitch in a game. The boys seemed unstoppable this year, dominating the baseball fields at home and away games. However, the boys were defeated at regionals on May 17, losing the first game against Mt. Spokane, and then they ended the season in the round of 16 at state.

boys golf

softball sydney galbreath

photographer

Senior Kayla De La Paz looks for a ground ball coming towards her. The girls worked hard in the scorching sun and played all up to the first round of regionals against North Central on May 20th.

girls golf

ainsley gettis

photographer

Senior Thomas Hannu putts a ball in carefully at a golf tournament this season. Hannu, senior Eric Dahl and sophomore Ryan Ray all went to state. Senior Thomas Hill was an alternate. The boys ended the season fourth in state. Dahl tied for fifth place individually.

track ainsley gettis

photographer

courtesy of greg kelly

Senior Beverly McCarthy carries her golf bag after a golf tournament. The girls golf sent two of their girls to state this year: Junior Lacy Skwarek and sophomore Michelle Troup. Troup did not make it past the first day, losing her match. Skwarek placed twelfth at the end of the matches.

Senior Ben Kelly runs at the state meet last weekend. Kelly placed 6th in the 100, 8th in the 4x4, 2nd in the 200. Senior Austin Kitchens ran his split in the 4x4 in his fastest time ever at 49.3 seconds. In regionals Senior Amy Pfaff got second in the 800 in 2:19:47 and Senior Charlotte Kiehne took the title with a time of 2:18:66.

field

tennis courtesy of greg kelly

Senior Dallon Grinder throws a shot put on Saturday in Mt. Tahoma High at the state competition of the final event. Grinder wanted a state title in discus but instead, falling short, he won the gold medal in this event, gaining a state title for the first time with a winning throw of 53 feet, 10 1/2 inches.

ainsley gettis

photographer

On doubles junior Sean Thompson and his brother, freshman Will Thompson, played together at state. They lost their first two matches. Junior Darko Stankovic and sophomore Cyrus Stephens went to state in singles last Friday and Saturday. They both lost their first two matches.

This year no girls made it to state, but sophomore An Wang went to regionals the week before state. And the week before regionals senior Beatrice Giurgiuman and sophomore Emily Tan went to districts and got fourth in doubles.

6 A&E 4 June 2014

Gig’em: jazz combo

Seniors Caylee Olson, Hannah Mowry and Tim Zilar pose with their instruments. The three participated in a jazz combo all four years of high school.

The instrumental music department is thriving. It is filled with passionate musicians who spend countless hours practicing, preparing, and performing at concerts during the school year. However, the passion does not stop at school events for many students.

Seniors Hannah Mowry, Caylee Olson and Tim Zilar have been in a jazz combo since their freshmen year of high school. Mowry has been playing trumpet for seven years, Olson the bass for eight years, and Zilar guitar for nine years.

A new member was introduced to the combo this year,

freshman drummer Simon Hampton. A drummer since he was three, Hampton’s musical skill fit in perfectly with the star-studded group despite being only a freshman.

Even with all that experience, though, being a part of jazz combo is not a walk in the park.

“I had a lot of fear doing gigs as a freshman and a sophomore,” said Mowry. “As a junior I was forced to do a lot of gigs and that’s when we started getting comfortable with them.”

Becoming comfortable involves getting to know the other members of the group.

“I love hanging out with Tim, Hannah, and Simon during

the gigs,” said Olson. “It just makes things a lot more comfortable and easier.”

“Combos are a lot of fun because they’re a lot more relaxed than normal jazz band,” Hampton said.

Even though the combos are considered “relaxed,” finding gigs can be somewhat challenging and frantic. At times they can be scarce, but at other times they are almost every weekend.

“We get a lot of gigs at the last minute,” Mowry said. “In the springtime, from March to May, we have gigs every weekend, but in the winter it’s only about once or twice a month.”

The fluctuation in frequency is primarily due to the

nature of the gigs themselves.

The winter and fall consist of fundraiser events while the warm spring and summer seasons contain many weddings and other formal events that require live music. Events that go through the school or partner with other schools run year round.

“We had an opportunity to play at the Emerald of Siam once with the Chief Joseph Middle School which ended up being a very cool gig,” said Zilar.

The variability in the events can be good or bad. Schoolrelated events can run often, which take up more space in students’ already busy schedules, while non-school related

events don’t run as often, but students get paid for their performances.

Zilar has a mixed attitude toward his schedule.

“Combos are kind of a hassle during the school year but also a gift at the same time,” explained Zilar. “You get people on the outside that say ‘Wow, hey, you guys really rock, do you want to do this or this?’ which can be a private gig away from Hanford, or even the Emerald of Siam event that went through [CJMS]. But it does show the Tri-Cities that there’s a lot of talent coming out of Hanford, which is a win,” Zilar continued.

As three members of the combo are graduating this year,

venkatesh varada

photographer

all pursuing music in college, they explained that doing jazz combos was one of their best decisions, and encourage all music students at Hanford to pursue them.

They explained that doing jazz combos was a learning experience that had very funny memories, such as Olson forgetting her bass for her first gig and Zilar assuming that venues provide their own amps. (They don’t.)

Zilar said the key to success for being in a jazz combo is to be over prepared and to always remember your sound above all.

courtesy of kelley muntean

Art students see Miró Advanced Art students journeyed to Seattle on May 15 to gain a better appreciation and understanding of art by the Spanish artist Joan Miró.

Most known as an artist of the modern and surrealist variety, Miró died from heart disease in 1983. His art, however, still has a lasting impact in the world today. Senior Kade Christensen came away from the Miró experience with a sense of “how powerful” and “important” art could be.

“I think it was fun to see how Miró saw the world,” Christensen said.

Sophomore Markus Orman

expressed a similar point of view. “It’s fun to see other people’s artwork,” he said.

These visual experiences weren’t even the end of the entertainment; students’ gustatory senses got their turn to be appeased and amazed as well, according to junior Katie Smith.

“We found a really cool place at a market that had really good twist wrap [bread] things,” Smith said.

Overall, despite the almost eight hours spent on the school bus, students enjoyed the field trip experience.

Senior Veronica Voogd summed it up. The Advanced Art students, she said, “got to

miss school, see some art and go to Pike’s Place.”

The main purpose of the trip, though, was to view Miró’s art. “It definitely gave me a better appreciation of modern art,” Voogd said. “It’s more impressive in person.”

Students also visited the Bellevue Art Museum. Two Hanford seniors, Haley Meyer and Shea Bradley, competed in the Passing the Torch art contest sponsored by the Seattle Metals Guild. The competition focused on high school jewelry and metal working students.

Their works are currently on display in the Bellevue Art Museum.

courtesy of kelley muntean

Two art pieces designed by seniors Haley Meyer (left) and Shea Bradley (right) were on display at the Bellevue Art Museum. Students also visited the Miró exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum on May 15.

4 June 2014 A&E 7

cinema: villains and heroes ‘Maleficent’: ambitious, but fails to deliver

michelle wang I’m not going to lie—I’m a sucker for Disney movies.

Maybe it’s the happily-everafter endings or just being able to immerse myself in a faraway land filled with magic and adventure for an hour and a half, but there’s something special about them. Consequently, I went to watch “Maleficent” with very high expectations.

In the movie, Angelina Jolie plays Maleficent, the original villain of “Sleeping Beauty” who curses Princess Aurora into pricking her finger on a spinning wheel when she turns 16 years old. Aurora falls into a deep sleep that can only be broken with a true love’s kiss.

The movie gives the previously hated and feared villain

a heartwarming backstory and puts the whole tale into a new perspective.

I’ll give Disney props for trying to change things up and put a new twist on the classic fairy tale “Sleeping Beauty.”

However, the end result was overall very predictable. Maybe there’s a new feminist movement going on that I haven’t heard about, but Disney manages to show that true love doesn’t always have to be presented in a romantic way.

Sound familiar? Oh yeah, that’s because they use that idea in the movie “Frozen,” which came out seven months ago.

And what was supposed to be a huge plot twist ends up being very obvious, and I definitely called it.

Now, let’s move on and talk about the good. To start off, the graphics and special effects are simply amazing. Disney doesn’t disappoint in that area.

The kingdoms and portrayal of the fairies’ magic were very well done and made the movie a lot more interesting.

Another thing worth mentioning is Jolie—her demeanor,

expressions and cheekbones.

Throughout the entire film she has only one expression—a slightly creepy, sinister, pained expression that remains constant no matter what. It bugged me a lot, but I realized that it captured my attention and worked perfectly for her character.

And then there are her cheekbones.

Personally, I think they go a little too far in making them look prominent and jut out. The result is just flat-out creepy.

I have mixed feelings about “Maleficent.” Although I appreciate and admire Disney for putting a spin on a well-known and classic story, the end result is a movie with a lackluster, predictable plot, and the talent of brilliant actors and graphics is gone to waste. My advice: save your money and wait for it to come out on D.V.D..

‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ soars

michael tyree “X-Men: Days of Future Past” is the seventh “X-Men” film. Time travel merges the cast of the initial “X-Men” trilogy with the new cast found in the prequel “X-Men: First Class,” which is set in the 60s.

In the future, gigantic robots called Sentinels have taken over the Earth. Their main directive: to destroy every mutant on the planet.

In order to save the mutants’ existence, Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page) uses time travel powers to send Wolverine’s (Hugh Jackman) subconscious into his younger self from 1973, which will allow him to prevent Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) from killing an

anti-mutant scientist (Peter Dinklage) and altering the path of devastation.

In the past, the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis (seen in “X-Men: First Class”) spawned the beginnings of the Sentinel program, and with every passing moment in the future, the Sentinels get closer to eliminating the last of the X-Men and destroying all hope of altering history.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Oh man, another Marvel superhero movie.

There’ll be some fighting, Hugh Jackman’s chest, and some silly one-liners. Why should I bother to see it?

Haven’t we seen this stuff before?”

And to that, I say, you are ignorant, sir. That’s part of why “X-Men” is so great and why it’s a successful franchise.

Not only are there great fighting sequences—which any true American can enjoy— there’s a deeper underlying theme within the series itself.

The “X-Men” franchise has always drawn its strength through its metaphorical em-

bracing of diversity; a celebration of the talented misfit in an age of bland conformity.

At some point in our lives, we feel shunned or outcast by the norms society expects us to follow. We’re constantly told by the media to buy these clothes, get this haircut, change the way we think and act in order to be accepted.

President John F. Kennedy said, “Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.” Diversity is what drives humanity to search for better ways to enrich the human experience. Without it, we’d just be bland suits coasting through our lives until we die.

So unleash the Beast, put on your super suit and don’t be afraid to be mutant. Also, go watch this movie.

sophie lin

photographer

The Willies: a last hurrah Senior Spencer Anderson (left) described the Willies as a “fun, but bittersweet night.” Anderson played Scarface in “Spell Block Tango.” Senior Camren Bleiler, who won Spirit of Drama, looked back at his drama career. “To be passionate is a choice, and it’s a choice I’m glad I made.” Senior Sara Staven, who won the M.V.P. award, had a technical role with the Drama Department. “It is amazing to know that people recognize what I do,” she said. The Willies is the annual awards ceremony honoring graduating seniors and outstanding participants.

BEST OF

Summer Hangouts Survery of 155 students conducted on May 30

the river my couch the pool roasters the mall

44% 24% 12% 12% 8%

8 School&Career 4 June 2014

Getting a head start

JOB SPOTLIGHT: sawyer henry

Hours of filling out paper applications, days spent proofreading application essays, and weeks waiting for the interview call, which may or may not come. Every year dozens of students apply for a variety of internship programs to give high school students a glimpse of their possible future careers.

One of these is the Kadlec internship, which gives students an up-close, in-depth experience with the inner workings of a hospital. The process to apply is arduous, but the experience gained is certainly worth it.

The chance to work in the environment of her planned career is what drew junior Srinithi Suresh to this internship. “A year or two ago, I was interested in becoming

a doctor, and this internship gives me experience,” she said. “I’m just following nurses, but being able to see what they all do still gives me good experience.”

Senior Sierra Gosney has already finished her internship, and she knew just how great things were after being accepted. “My favorite thing about the internship was being able to work in the different departments throughout the hospital and the nurses that I shadowed,” she said. “It really helped me to get a feel for what it would be like to actually work there.

One of the most memorable moments of my internship was when another intern and I were at a live C-section, which sounds pretty gross, but it was really special for the two of us interns to be able to witness. The experi-

ences helped me realize what a rewarding career healthcare is.”

Getting an internship is the same as landing a job.

“We would usually go twice a week after school for two hours, but sometimes we were scheduled for [a] fourhour night shift with respiratory therapy or the emergency department,” Gosney said.

“Those were always really exciting, because nights in the E.R. were never dull for more than a few minutes.”

This opportunity was enlightening for Gosney, and it is a moment in her life that she won’t forget. “I definitely learned a ton through the internship,” she said. “I think that anyone who is interested in any field of health care should apply for it, because it is an experience I will never forget.”

photographer

Senior Gabe Myers: Lifeguard at C.B.R.C. What do you do?

I starting my [lifeguard] training in spring 2012, where we trained in water lifeguarding skills and tested at the end of a five-day course. I [now] lifeguard the waterpark at C.B.R.C., since last summer, and [am] going to do it this summer.

What do you like about your job?

Basically, all of the lifeguards that work there become friends, and we’re all really nice [to each other]. All the staff gets along really well. My friends come to visit me sometimes after they work out, and I get spend a lot of time in the sun too.

What don’t you like about it?

I don’t like the kids that don’t listen. Like running on the deck, those types of things.

Has anything interesting happened while at work?

On one of our breaks a co-worker of mine jumped off the diving board and hit the line of flags that hang over the pool. My reaction was to laugh a lot, along with my other coworkers that saw it. My boss wasn’t too happy, however. [My coworker that jumped off the diving board] was okay though.

Interview conducted by catalina le.

Summer school thrives For most of us, even hearing the words “summer school” is a source of dread.

However, the summer school program in the Richland School District is flourishing, and many students at Hanford are enrolling.

Freshman Sarah Latka signed up for health recently. “I signed up for health because I wanted to get the credit, and it seemed like a faster and easier way to take the class over the summer,” she said.

There are students like Latka who sign up for summer

school to get credits out of the way and others who just sign up for fun and to further their knowledge.

Another reason to take summer school is if your school schedule is too booked to take all of the required classes, as in the case of junior Trevor Shibley. Shibley has been taking online P.E. for the past two summers. “I take too many classes during the school year, so P.E. isn’t a priority,” Shibley said. “I have a job at Energy Northwest and a lot of A.P.s next year, too, so it’s easier to take P.E. over the summer.”

The program offers classes in all subjects: English, math, history and a few electives including psychology and Art Appreciation.

Classes cost $180 per semester and need to be completed between June 11 and July 24. Classes are completely online, and students are required to take tests at Richland High School and check in with advisers who look over homework and approve test scores.

If you are interested in getting rid of a few credits or just want to learn more, summer school might be a good way of doing so.

sawyer henry

photographer

Senior Jeff Weyand holds up his mission letter that states he will be sent on a mission to Nicaragua. Other seniors such as Sydney Otte and David Skouson will be going on missions as well.

Going on a mission As the 2014 school year comes to a close all graduating seniors are faced with the same question: “What next?” In February, senior Sydney Otte, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, realized what was going to come next in her life: a mission.

“I’d never planned on going on a mission,” she said.

“I never really thought about it. Going on a mission was never part of the plan.”

After Otte witnessed her brother prepare and leave for his mission to Taiwan, however, she found that the odds of her going on one herself became a lot higher.

“When I thought about going on a mission, it felt right,” Otte said.

Others chose this path much earlier in life. Senior David Skouson similarly had a desire to go a mission because he had heard what

others had experienced on their own missions. “I have wanted to go on a mission for as long as I can remember,” he said.

Going on a mission means something different to each person who chooses to go on one, but no matter whose opinion it is there is still a common goal. “Missions allow you to grow and allow many people to be blessed through your actions,” senior Jeff Weyand said. “You go through countless growing opportunities, and God makes up for your shortcomings. You help people all around the world, and that’s your only job.”

“I guess what a mission really means to me is sharing something that I love with others,” Otte said. “In general, I’d say missions are about spreading the gospel (which they are), but it’s also so much more than that. Missions are about bringing hope and blessings to others. Not

everyone will want to listen to missionaries, and that’s fine, but for the few people who will/might, that’s what a mission’s about.”

Skouson said, “To me, going on a mission is a way to help me want to make good choices and do what is right.

It is a way to help other people in ways that I couldn’t before. I used to think that a mission was just something that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints just did because other people did it too, but now it seems to be more of an opportunity to become a better person and to help other people come closer to Christ.”

Weyand leaves July 23 for Mexico where he will go through six weeks of training and then leave for Nicaragua. Skouson also leaves July 23 for the Korea Daejeon Mission. Otte still awaits her mission destination.

4 June 2014 Seniors 9

SE

I N OR

S

10 Seniors 4 June 2014

WA Le Courdon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Colin Almberg Academy of Interactive Entertainment Shea Bradley Animal Behavior College Amanda Welch Cascadia Community College Matthew Pitts Columbia Basin College Nicole Boggs Michael Boutwell Clint Bowman Danielle Bowman Lindsey Bowman Rachel Bowman Hannah Bradley Tristan Brush Oliver Campa Ryan Cantwell Dalton Cartwright Rylan Cartwright Samuel Chisholm Kade Christensen Danielle Collyer BreAnne Conrad Michaela Constant William Cruz Eric Dahl Dustin Doremus Blaine Elzie Aaron Enderlin Tanner Ezra Trevor Gaines Brandon Gardner Douglas Geisleman

Sierra Gosney Kendrick Graber Makenna Hall Tyler Hampton Shawn Harries Cody Hausenbuiller Morgen Hildreth Ashley Hopkins Henry Howerton Taylor Jackson Taylor Jones Diana Kain Chrystyanna Landsman Madison Leinen Ivan Martinez Jasmine Martinez Nathan McGehee Samantha McKenna Rachel Moore Danyka Mudd Gabriel Myers Brigg Nalle Whitney Nash Kevin Navarro Carl Olson Kacey Patterson Kaitlin Rhodes Keely Rowan Sabrina Sanchez Paranveer Singh Hailey Slone Kelley Smith Ashley Stephens David Stephenson Masie Studdard Taylor Tanninen Kaytlin Waggoner Taylor Wallace Rees Wasney Kelsey Wenrich Madison Whitlock

Clark Witte Chase Woodall Kaleigh Wilson Central Washington University Riley Hamilton Mason McCrea Ashley McCutchen Geoffrey McKay Hannah Mowry Tyler Willis DigiPen Institute of Technology Collin Kummer Eastern Washington University Seth Cook Megan Edwards Linnea Hoff Angelica Klima Paige McClendon Gavin Rouse Monica Rowley Sydney Shintaffer Quinton Tiller kathleen Vandervert Shania Walker Timothy Zilar Gonzaga University Annalise Rogalsky Elizabeth Stewart IT Tech Victor Ibarra Local Union 59 John Jackson Northwest University William Bishop Pacific Lutheran University Sarah Giomi Courtney Olsen Victoria Sondall Perry Technical Institute Jesse Enriquez

Seattle Pacific University Camren Bleiler Stephanie Butcher Paige Foelber Seattle University William Wertz Spokane Falls Community College Emily Busselman Jacob Craig Taylor Fievez Benjamin Kelly Mario Zarate Union Apprenticeship Patrick Kelly University of Puget Sound Ryan Colson University of Washington Isaac Benard Kristen Campbell Nicholas Carlson Tyler Cowen Brooklyn Fisher Emma Garcia Beatrice Giurgiuman Timothy Gormley Anna Hansen Nismeta Kabilovic Nicholas Kelly Karl Kintner-Meyer Michael Kozlowski Trenton Lam Lucas McMillan Jane Moon Gianna Scovazzo Jacob Shelton Nicole Sinton Samuel Smith Sasha Townsend Venkatesh Varada Veronica Voogd Tenley Weil

Jenifer Yi Walla Walla Community College Lane Lobdell Robert Stevenson Washington State University Israa Al-Shaikhli Evan Anderson Spencer Anderson Brian Baciu Jacob Bogen Jack Bredt Michael Carlson Sara Corral Cassandra Elkins Sydney Galbreath Thomas Hill Wafiq Hossain Matthew Johns Mitchell Johnson Marina Kassianova Austin Kitchens Bethany Lawler Kirby Marden Sarah Mendoza Nate Mitchell Natalie Moursund Madisson Olds Martijn Oostrom Richard Ozanich III Santhosh Paila Anthony Porcaro Peter Qafoku Matthew Reynolds Jr. Sarah Sanvictores Parker Schumacher Mateja Sekulic Austin Sisayaket Emelia Stephan Trent Tagestad Timothy Tefft

WI

CO OR

Concordia University Kadi Patterson Eastern Oregon University Dallon Grinder George Fox University Thomas Hannu Amber Young Northwest Christian University Kyle McMurrich Oregon College of Art and Craft Haley Meyer

CA

UT

Oregon State University Victoria Smith Taylor Stephens Pacific University Kelly Wahl Portland Community College Jerrdan Washburn Portland State University Olivia Anderson University of Oregon Miranda Menard

Rio Hondo College Thomas Deleur Bethel Bible College Alyssa Grose UC Berkeley Minji Kim San Diego Mesa College Kendal Saueressig Stanford University Carolyn Rice Lucy Wang University of San Diego Katharine Zorich

Colorado State University Jamieson Hopp Jessie Wagner Lincoln College of Technology Josue Feliciano Gaspar

Brigham Young University Haley Porter Jeffery Weyand Utah Valley University Jesseca Faulk Brittany Martell

NM

NV

AZ

Arizona State University Grant Mickelson Destiny Ridge

Western Washington Un Emily Doughty Hannnah Duffy Nicholas Eddy Samantha Fento Jessy Frey Ainsley Gettis Steven Lutz Natasha Mosley Brooke Patton Lena Rachinski Kelly Smith Ashley Stewart Emma Walter Tyler Zirker Whitman College Sara Staven Whitworth University Hannah Fulton Caylee Olson Work Force Elijah Juntunen Heather Peterson Brandon Merkel WSU Tri-Cities Cory Cleavenger Jacob Ellis Megan Greenwo Ajanae Kinsey Charlotte Leinen Taylor Riker India Buck Miranda Foraker Brook Fowler Gordan Gavric Scott Kovacs Catalina Le Michael O’Toole Maria Rodriguez

KS

MO

OK

Oklahoma Baptist University Selena Pascual Jacob Thiel Oklahoma State University Alexandra Stormont

TX

AR

LA

4 June 2014 Seniors 11

niversity

on

ND

MT

Work Force Alex Trifilov

University of Montana Carroll College Clifford Wilcox Kathleen Smith Rocky Mountain College Work Force Rhett England Taylor Tisdale Boise State University Juniper Dulaney Zachary Haigh BYU-Idaho Victoria Lawler Sydney Otte College of Southern Idaho Daniel Page University of Wyoming Lewis-Clark State College Desirae Laird Randi Bowman Northwest Nazarene University Colette Gall University of Idaho Emily Carlson Jonah Bartrand Hannah Jensen Bret Baysinger Elizabeth Biancosino Hailey Olds Lindsey Snyder Jenna Billings

ID

MN

SD

Carleton College Konrad Krogstad

WY

n

r

IA

NE

ood

n

r

VT

NY

Onondaga Community College Weli Aden Cornell University Haydn Lenz

MI

z

ME NH

Calvin College Jared Osborn

IL

IN

University of Notre Dame Beverly McCarthy

OH

Dartmouth College Chenchen Li

PA

Pennsylvania State University Anne Liu University of Pennsylvania Sathvik Ramanan

MA

Boston University Virginia Kuan

NJ

where they’re going KY

AL

GA

Georgia Institute of Technology Niraj Suresh

CT

RI

MD DE WV

VA

College of William and Mary Clive LePage Southern Virginia University Shelby Winsor Virginia Tech Henry Trease

TN MS

Denmark Freja Elrod Gap Year Elisa Garrett Air Force Kathleen Spang Army Robert Price Zacharie Shaw Coast Guard Sierra Bowman Marines Britt Albertson Dylan Kempf Blake Marske Jose Rodriguez Austin Clement National Guard Kenneth Brackensick Lane Lerner Malik Slack Navy Brandon Allen Graham Geeting Jes Sherman Michael Tyree Mission David Skouson Adam Muhlestein Mason Whitlock

FL

NC SC

University of South Carolina Lela Ramsey

Survey results were self-reported by students between May 19 and June 2.

12 Seniors 4 June 2014

Nismeta Kabilovic

Colin Almberg

My mom stayed at home all the time and seemed to have it easy and not have to do anything. I wanted to be a mom.

India Buck

I wanted to be a mermaid/witch. I just know that I made a broomstick out of a stick and pine needles and tied my tabby to the back.

courtesy of adam muhlestein

Adam Muhlestein

When I was in kindergarten I wanted to be a teacher. My kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Wiles, was cool; she was the best.

courtesy of colin almberg

courtesy of india buck

courtesy of courtney olsen

courtesy of lela ramsey

Courtney Olsen

I really wanted to be an author.

That was my dream for a really long time. I wanted to write books like “The Magic Treehouse”; I loved them. I made my sister, who was a senior, read them to me.

Lela Ramsey

I wanted to be the next Jackie Sherrill. He was a successful head coach at Mississippi State, which was an underdog program. I wanted to be the first female Division I head coach of an S.E.C. N.C.A.A. football team.

Senior Nismeta Kabilovic is going to become a doctor. Many other people have this goal, but Kabilovic doesn’t plan to practice medicine exclusively in the United States: she plans to return to Bosnia for a few years after she earns her medical degree and help the people there.

“They don’t really have [modern medicine] in Bosnia. They use leaves and trees and nature,” Kabilovic said.

There is a personal reason for her selflessness: her aunt contracted cancer and died in Bosnia. “She could have had it cured here in America,” she said, “but in Bosnia they didn’t really know what to do.”

Kabilovic was born in Bosnia and lived there for seven years. Her family came to the United States in part due to war in Bosnia and in part so that Kabilovic, a first-generation

college student, could go to college here. “The ability to go to college and, after college, have the opportunity to get a job,” she said. “That’s why my parents came here.” To compound the obstacles, her father died. Her mother works two jobs and is now remarried.

For Kabilovic, the biggest difference between living in Bosnia and in the U.S. is the community. “I have a lot more family in Bosnia, so it’s more close-knit,” Kabilovic said. “Here [in America], people kind of just fend for themselves. In Bosnia, it’s kind of like, ‘Let’s help each other.’ Part of that is because of the war, though.”

The biggest deviation from her family’s expectations about the U.S. was the weather. “There was one year when I was little, and there was no snow, and my mom was expecting snow,” Kabilovic said. “In Bosnia, they get like three feet of snow, and here there was no snow.”

Maria Rodriguez Going to college as a first-generation student is a unique experience because there is uncertainty about everything—application, housing assignments, financial aid and classes, to name a few.

“I’m going to attend W.S.U. Tri-Cities and major in business administration and possibly minor in computer science,” said Maria Rodriguez, a first-generation college student.

Rodriguez hasn’t always wanted to major in business administration. “Sophomore year I wanted to go into pharmacy,” she said, “so I took A.P. Chem that year, and it was really, really hard.”

Rodriguez has always had the goal of going to college. Her parents influenced her, placing emphasis on the value of attending college.

“I’m motivated to go to college because I want to do something big with my life, not only to make money and have a nice house and

sawyer henry ainsley gettis

all that,” Rodriguez said, “but also because I want to be able to make a positive impact on people’s lives, and I want to be able to set an example for my future kids and family.”

Rodriguez and her mother were born in Venezuela and moved to the United States when she was 12 years old. Rodriguez chose to attend

photographer

Charlotte Leinen (left)

W.S.U. Tri-Cities because of her younger siblings; she does not want to miss their growing up. Another reason why she has chosen W.S.U. Tri-Cities is that she doesn’t want to move anymore; her stepfather, an engineer, has moved all over the U.S., and Rodriguez wants to stay in one place.

&

photographer

“My favorite part of high school was being able to watch my friends grow and figure out who they are and what their passions are in life. “

courtesy of tommy mcmahan

Tommy McMahan (above)

from the class of 2014 courtesy of charlotte leinen

“My favorite part of high school was when I transferred to Hanford my sophomore year.

I instantly made friends and I enjoyed every year with them. “

Monica Rowley

“My most memorable moment of high school was being a part of the every 15 minutes program. It was really emotional but it made me a more grateful person. It also brought me closer to a variety of people with different personalities within the senior class. “

Nate McGhee (right)

“My sophomore year during football, we were playing Richland. Jerret Snow-White was a senior at Richland, and I had to block him. The first kickoff return I laid him out.

The second one however, he knew I was coming and gave me a concussion.”

courtesy of nate mcghee

courtesy of monica rowley

Hannah Mowry

Emma Garcia (right)

“My favorite memory of high school was taking sweepstakes at the Yakima Harvest Festival with the marching band in 2012.

The feeling of hearing Hanford's name called for sweepstakes winner was indescribable. I cried like a baby.”

“My favorite memory of high school was my junior year when my friends Miranda Menard, Tristan brush, Tyler Cowen, Mario Zarate and I went on a road trip up to Spokane to watch the boys basketball team play in regionals. The trip up and back was truly my first amazing memory of high school, jamming to mix CDs Mario made, eating at McDonald’s three times in one night, and just having the best time ever.” courtesy of emma garcia

courtesy of hannah mowry

4 June 2014 Opinion 13 THE ALTITUDE

4 June 2014

issue 14.6

Editors-in-Chief jonah bartrand chenchen li

Editors

carolyn rice, copy anne liu, business manager emily tan, news an wang, news mickey shin, features venkatesh varada, a&e nikki kabilovic, sports jane moon, career virginia kuan, opinion emelia stephan, humor tiffany liu, lit mag

Photographers ainsley gettis sawyer henry

Staff

elisa apra, naveena bontha, alisa chuang, shibani datta, taylor jackson, shanta katipamula, natasa kvesic, olga laskin, catalina le, miranda menard, ellie mendoza, sydney otte, austin sisayaket, michael tyree, lucy wang, michelle wang

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 the Newspaper Club, 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 Daily Sun News, Sunnyside, Wash.

What was your favorite memory?

What are you sad to leave behind?

Chenchen Li: That’s hard. I think you should skip me.

Carolyn Rice: Just a memory.

Jonah Bartrand: One that sticks out.

CC: Hmm. I don’t know; there’s so many trips and stuff that have been highlights.

Knowledge Bowl, Science Bowl . . . Silverwood [laughter from people who went on that trip]. I really like these last few months, just ‘cause, you know, everything’s winding down, and a lot of classes are just hanging out with people, playing cards.

Yeah, it’s been pretty great.

Emelia Stephan: This is probably not my favorite memory, but it’s one that always makes me laugh. I’ll just be like about to go to bed, and it’ll come back to me, and I’ll just start laughing. [I was] a little freshman, and it must’ve been the second month of school, and I was walking down the hallway, and I was even shorter than I am now, and then this guy—he was really, really tall, like he must’ve been over six feet tall—and I wasn’t watching

CC: I think people, like I’ve grown attached to this school and also because I’m moving to Seattle, so all my Tri-Cities friends, I’ll have to visit them separately, and I don’t know if I’ll do that that often.

E: Yeah, even though I’m excited to leave, I’ve lived here my entire life; this is like all I know, so I think even though I’m so ready to leave Richland-so happy to leave, it’ll be kind of sad, and leaving all the people I’ve known for a really long time behind, because there’s no guarantee that I’ll ever see them again, even if I come back here because a lot of people are moving to other places with their families.

J: Definitely friends. I think that we’re lucky here to have such a high-achieving peer group. I mean like in the high school that I would have gone to—if I were actually going to the high school in my home district--there aren’t people like Chenchen, Lucy or Carolyn.

Or Virginia, or Nikki, or people like that.

where I was going, I just ran smack into his crotch. He pulls me back, and he holds me, and he crouches down to my level, and he’s like, “Oh my god, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I was super embarrassed, and he pats my

I think I have very fond memories of journalism editing. carolyn rice back and sends me on my way.

C: I don’t think anyone can top that.

J: I think for me, the most memorable class would be A.P. Bio. CC: Starting U.S.A.B.O. was a highlight. That was fun.

J: But, um, Mr. Johns is such an [pause] eccentric teacher.

Nismeta Kabilovic: This is going in print.

J: This may require some

editing.

Virginia Kuan: I really can’t pick out something that stands out. But, yeah, like Chenchen said, the past few months have been pretty nice. And probably going on trips like Silverwood.

N: Okay, in San Diego this year, Natasa and I late at night went exploring, and we found this huge, like, ballroom and just ran around in circles and did cartwheels until the door mysteriously opened, and so we sprinted toward the other end, but there was no one there.

C: I think I have very fond memories of journalism editing.

CC: Uh, late nights. Those are fond memories?

C: Yeah! ‘Cause it is a deadline.

J: Not when they’re actually happening.

C: But looking back on them . . . , just like hanging out with people, but still working. But also trips I’ve gone on: band clinics, Silverwood and Leavenworth and those sort of things were really fun.

sawyer henry

photographer

Senior newspaper editors Emelia Stephan, Virginia Kuan, Chenchen Li, Carolyn Rice, Nismeta Kabilovic and Jonah Bartrand.

Senior newspaper editors sat down one morning and had a conversation that looked back on their four years in high school and also looked beyond to the pros and cons of starting a new chapter of their lives.

Advice for underclassmen CC: Try out a lot of stuff— I think that being able to try out all these things in high school, like now when I go to college I know exactly what I’m going to do—like what extracurriculars. I’m really glad about that. I think high school was my time to experiment— like find out, try things like art, a lot of music stuff, different academic clubs, and just like find what I really enjoy doing.

So try things out.

J: So you’re implying that you’re not going to try stuff in college; that’s what it sounds like.

CC: Yeah.

C: Aw, do you not want to try new stuff in college?

CC: I want to be able to focus in college. I want to to narrow down things and be more involved in what I do. Not be so spread out maybe—but being spread out is really fun too.

E: I have two things in mind: you walk on the right side of the hallway, oh, my god. [laughter] And you don’t stop in the middle. If you want to stop,

CC: And Emelia J: Sorry Emelia. I’m going to say you’re on my blind side.

V: I don’t want to leave behind people, because most of the people I know really well I’ve known for a long time, like since middle school or elementary school—deep ties that are breaking off, and it’s sad. I also don’t want to leave behind all the local things that I haven’t tried yet, like little shops and all those things. Hopefully during the summer I can visit those because, there are hidden gems everywhere, even though “Tri-Cities is super small.”

N: I’m sad to leave my mom’s cooking. And my family. And people I kind of like—that I tolerate. My acquaintances.

C: I’m sad to leave my kitchen and all the friends I’ve made here. But I haven’t lived here my whole life; I think I have these four-year-long relationships that are now becoming much closer, and now I’m leaving them, and I haven’t had those since childhood, so that’s kind of sad.

walk off to the side.

Second piece of advice: like Chenchen was saying, you want to try a lot of new things.

Don’t let fear or lack of confidence stop you from taking what seems to be like a really good opportunity, because if you just buckle down and take it and don’t let the fear stop you, you’re going to make a lot of new friends, and you’re going to gain confidence from it. And it’s exciting to try new things and find out, “Oh, I actually like journalism.” You find out things about yourself.

J: One thing is that it is okay to procrastinate on some things, but don’t make a habit of it— until your senior year.

CC: Heh, valedictorian speeches. [laughter] J: Another thing: don’t wait until the deadline to finish your college applications.

V: Don’t be scared. I was scared during freshman year and didn’t do anything except for French Club. I signed up for Key Club; I paid the dues but didn’t go to a single meet-

ing. [laughter] It’s really sad.

Just because I didn’t know like when the meetings were, and how they worked and what it even was. If you really wanted to do something you should ask.

N: Oh yeah, the cafeteria food is not that great. [laughter] Kay, that’s my advice: bring your

Don’t let fear stop you from taking a really good opportunity. emelia stephan own lunch.

C: Well, I didn’t really start getting involved in lots of, or more than one or two extracurriculars, until junior year, and I kind of regret that because I think I could’ve done a lot more and been more involved in things, like Science Bowl, which I only started

this year, for various reasons.

So definitely be involved in as much as you can, because even though you’ll be busy, it’ll pay off because you’ll make lots of friends and do lots of really fun things. I said “a lot” a lot. [laughter] Even though you should really focus on schoolwork and stuff, and whatever you want to do after high school, I think you should also try and like chill a bit, eat good food and do fun things like watch movies.

CC: We’re saying that the Tri-Cities is a really small city, right? But I’ve realized that there are so many opportunities here that you can get like if you just ask for them. Art, especially, and music.

J: Internships.

CC: Like all you have to do is ask for them, and people will give you these opportunities that are really, really incredible.

J: Study your calc formulas regularly. They actually do come in handy outside of the calc class.

What are you excited for?

CC: Everything. I’m excited for all the people who would have very similar interests to me, I would think. I don’t know. Just being somewhere new. It’s really exciting. Also, the classes; I’m very excited for the classes.

E: I’m excited for meeting all the new people. Going to a different place. Starting a new chapter of [my] life.

And it’s gonna be a lot of fun continuing to study something I personally really love.

J: Yeah, not taking any more English classes. No offense to Mrs. Smith but. . .

CC: Jonah, we’re publishing this in the newspaper.

V: I’m excited to get away from Richland. And I’m excited to meet new people. And to try the food at Boston.

CC: And we can visit each other!

V: Yes! N: I think just being in a big city. Tri-Cities is really small.

C: It is.

CC: It’s not that small. Not as small as where I’m going.

N: And eat all the food. I’m excited for food.

C: Food is definitely a highlight. I’m also excited to leave

Just being somewhere new. It’s exciting. chenchen li the Tri-Cities. It’s not the smallest place I’ve lived, but it’s definitely small still. Yeah, I’m excited to meet new people who are both similar to me and very different from me because I think I’ll learn a lot from the people I meet. The opportunities I’ll have where I’m going and the food again.

N: We’re on the same page.

14 Features 4 June 2014 @HHS

TRENDING #SANDALS

Foreign adventures

“

My other pair of sandals broke, and so I bought a pair like this because I like bling!

Destiny Ledesma freshman

courtesy of lauren townson

French students pose for a group photo during one of the montly meetings at Madame McMenamin’s house. Each of the meetings centered around a cultural topic.

“

If you get tan, the design burns onto your feet, and that’s super cool.

Annika Lawrence sophomore

“

Socks and sandals represent the fight for love and justice.

Ryan Wang sophomore

“

They’re cuter than regular flip flops.

I like the color as well!

Israa Al-Shaikhli senior

interviews conducted by michelle wang

The Eiffel Tower and the Normandy beaches, among other attractions, await nine French students who will be visiting the north of France from June 12 to June 26.

Junior Ann McCracken, who went on the trip to the south of France two years ago and is going again this year, said, “I decided that it didn’t have to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and it’s not going to be the same trip. It’s going to be completely different.”

“I’ve been to Normandy before,” French teacher Sarah McMenamin said, “but I haven’t been to Brittany, so that’ll be nice.”

The itinerary includes a six-day stay with a French family as an opportunity to be completely immersed in French society. While freshman Amy Huo has been out of the country multiple times before, she said, “This is probably the first time I’ll be staying with a family that’s not my own. So it’ll be interesting. I’ll get to see what it’s like living with another culture.”

“I’m really excited to get to know them,” McCracken said of her host family, “because my last host family I got super close with, and I want that same relationship with them. I’m a lot more educated now, and I’m a lot less focused on how scared I was about [the trip] and a lot

more focused on how excited I am about it. So I’m not dreading the home stay; I’m not scared about leaving my mom for two weeks again.”

Huo is most looking forward to both French food—“It’s just really good,” she said—and sightseeing. “I heard about where we’re going, like the D-Day beaches and everywhere else, and so I was interested,” she said. “I’ve heard France is really pretty.”

Over the course of the year, the students have had monthly meetings with McMenamin.

“At each meeting there’s a different theme,” McMenamin explained. “One meeting is about meals and table manners; one is about how to pack; one is about Paris and planning what we’re going to do there and how to get around; one meeting is about host families.”

To prepare, Huo said, “I’ve been learning a lot of French, and slang, like more than I learn in French class, which is more the basics. In the meetings we’ve had, I’ve been learning how to basically hold a conversation in French.”

“It sounds super cheesy,” McMenamin said, “but the best thing about these trips is watching my students apply what they’ve learned, and that moment when [the students realize], ‘Oh my gosh, it’s amazing! I can do this.’ That’s the best part.”

Principal decisions “I never really thought I’d ever become an assistant principal, ever, until I was one. It was not in the plans,” Assistant Principal Tory Christensen said. “I decided to become a school counselor because I liked to help kids. And I liked coaching basketball. And I thought a good opportunity to do both would be to work in the school and coach.”

By following different paths, he learned the value of effort in shaping a career. “I think that in anything you do, you can learn something, and I think that I’ve learned from my life that if you put in hard work, you can do whatever you want to do,” he said. “My goals changed throughout my careers, and there’s been different jobs, but I never would’ve guessed that I would be an assistant principal or an administrator in high school, but as you do things, and you do them well, and you work hard at them, you just end up in a good place.”

Assistant Principal Mike Gaddis taught middle school science and math before he became a school administrator. His mother was a teacher, and while helping in her first grade class one day, a spark of inspiration ignited in his mind.

“I liked being able to help students and being able to help people, so I decided to go into education,” Gaddis said. His favorite class in high school was material science, in which he once made a legitimate, working cannon.

“Teacher gave me permission for it,” he said.

“It was metal. I made it in the shape I wanted it, then I put a hole down through the middle of it, put a little bit of black power in it, and lighted it.

I broke it,” Gaddis remembered fondly.

Assistant Principal Gary Bradley was a math

teacher for five years before becoming an assistant principal. “I knew I wanted to be at Hanford High School more than anything. And at first it looked like my odds were stacked against me,” he said. “By the time the interview rolled around, there were 75 applicants for three positions. Now, that’s 75 for three positions district wide. I had no experience at all as an assistant principal. There were other assistant principals with athletic director positions or experience. A person with no experience really had an uphill battle.”

He continued, “I really didn’t think about what I wanted to be when I grew up until I actually went off to college and thought, what am I going to major in? I knew I wanted to respect and give back to what some teachers had done for me. There are two key teachers in my life, Mr. Langston and Mr. Higgins, that were also coaches of mine that I really wanted to kind of give back what they gave to me. Seeing Mr. Langston show care and extend himself to students and work with students in the athletic world was important to me. Mr. Higgins made us feel important as people. He was very strict, and he held us accountable for our behaviors, but he also did that with care. He had his students’ best interests at heart.”

Bradley keeps in mind the best interests of his students. When he taught math, he would often start off the beginning of school with a pun or two. “Well, any jokes I have would be corny math jokes,” he said. “One I really enjoy and always opened up the beginning of my geometry class with was, ‘What did the little acorn from Texas say when she grew up? “Gee, I’m a tree!”’”

4 June 2014 Features 15

maxwell weil

photographer

Senior Tenley Weil models a t-shirt at Cloverstock to show support for freshman Ryan Vandersommen, who was disagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Much of the money made at Cloverstock went towards funds for Vandersommen, including $1 from each t-shirt sold at Cloverstock.

Support shines through for student On Tuesday, May 13, as the boys soccer game paused for halftime, a handful of leadership students grabbed clear jugs and stood on the sidelines in front of both the home and away crowds. As senior Sarah Giomi started a oneminute countdown, the remaining leadership students ran through the crowds, pausing only to collect the cash being donated. The donations were not for A.S.B., but rather for freshman Ryan Vandersommen.

Vandersommen had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, and within 10 hours of finding out, Leadership students had already started planning ways to help out. “Mr. Gosney knew of his situation for a while, but we found out because he decided to finally ask for help,” Giomi said. The Miracle Minute, held at the

12

[I want to] climb Mount St. Helens, backpack around Cramer Lakes in Idaho and then go deep water soloing.

I make [a bucket list] every summer because I really like planning things. If I make a list then I’ll do it.

HAILEY GROFF

“

one of our peers going through such a hard experience,” Douglas said.

It’s not just leadership students that are rallying for Vandersommen. Cruising for a Cause, which is a group of skaters and longboarders who raise awareness for diseases and do community outreach projects such as teaching autistic children to longboard, is jumping in as well to show Vandersommen, a fellow long boarder, its support. Senior Danny Page, co-founder of Cruising for a Cause and the current curator, is leading the group in making Vandersommen feel loved, an effort that at the moment is primarily occurring through Facebook.

“We are going around individually and are pushing hard to friend mob Ryan, essentially,” Page said. “We are putting in a sincere effort to get him as many friends as possible both from H.H.S. and anyone else who [wishes] to support

him to let him know that we really do care.”

Page is also making sure that once Vandersommen is cleared by his doctor, he can come back and skate. “He has expressed great interest in joining us when he can, and we want to welcome him in with a brand new board once we can have one set up,” Page said, noting that he makes regular phone calls to a company in British Columbia called Landyachtz Longboards to try to get a board ready for him when he comes back.

Giomi is excited about all of the various projects and is confident that the momentum will not stop when the school year ends. “Hopefully next year kids will and can take it on as their project,” she said, “and can focus on making him feel welcome and loved all the way from home.”

10

11

STEPHANIE BUTCHER

“

May 13 game, was the first of many projects that Leadership is organizing. It was hugely successful, even more so than what Giomi had expected. “I was hoping for $100,” she said, but after finding out that $503 had been raised, she said, “I immediately got so happy for Ryan and was just so astonished and proud of our school and the help of Kennewick at what we accomplished in just one minute. I was so happy and shocked.”

Leadership is also donating some of the funds from Cloverstock to Vandersommen. “A dollar from each T-shirt goes to Ryan,” Giomi said.

Junior Shane Douglas, who performed at Cloverstock, was thrilled to have the money go to a good cause. “It makes me really proud and excited to participate in such an awesome event, especially knowing some of the money will help

[I want to] go camping, play messy Twister, and take clothesline pins, write what you want to do on them and attach them to the clothes pins.” She mainly uses Pinterest to keep her list organized.

interviews conducted by shanta katipamula and graphic design by elisa apra.

DANIEL DOHNALEK

“

I want to read a lot of non-fiction because I found that that was kind of interesting this year, and I also want to learn some programming languages that I don’t know. I wanted to build a raft and that’s something that requires a lot of investment time-wise.

SUMMER BUCKET LISTS

16 Humor 4 June 2014

Txt u l8er: this is not how you talk in the real world

shibani datta

I

f you start LOL-ing or BRB-ing, there’s a high chance I might throw a phone at your face.

Don’t worry. I’m just trying to remind you that we are in the real world: a world defined by articulate verbal communication between two parties. So, really, I’m helping you with that phone to the face.

To start off, I must say that I, like most people, am guilty of using “OMG” or “TBH” every once in a while. But once

you decide that text language is an acceptable way of speaking we have an issue.

I’ve heard fellow students squeal, “OMG, WTF, whatevs, YOLO, TTYL ILY!” After you hear those words come out of someone’s mouth, they lose more than a few points in the game of life, and you lose some of your soul. And those are points that they can never win back.

People, please. Stop yourself before such words even have the chance to escape your mouth. Stop. Look into a mirror and re-evaluate your life.

I suppose what drives many of us insane about using text lingo while talking is that you actually have the time to say the things you need to say. Will it really make a major time difference if you say “TTYL” rather than “talk to you later”?

Or “BC” instead of “because”?

If it does, well you must be A) Extremely busy; B) need to pee, or C) a combination of the first two (in which case, I understand).

Aside from the whole

People, please.

Stop. Look into a mirror and re-evaluate your life. time thing, it, like, just sounds stupid. I hate to, like, bring out the stupid card but some things need to be said.

It’s more common to hear “BTW,” “LOL” and “OMG” from girls, usually underclassmen (cough, freshmen, cough).

I’m not sure if it is supposed to seem flirtatious or cute. But it isn’t.

Trust me, girlfriend, don’t throw around the “LMAO”s and “ILY”s around that special someone. If anything, you might get a confused smile.

Then, said boy who you were previously all “OMG” about will back away from the conversation and eventually your life. And there will be no “TTYL”-ing.

Side note to both girls and guys: don’t forget to refrain from using “LMFAO.” We all know what happened to those guys.

So, next time you hear someone say “BRB” and “YOLO,” just give them a look that says, “Really, dude? You’re better than that,” and hopefully we can end text lingo in verbal speech for good.

Either that or throw a phone at their face. Whichever feels right.

Don’t trip (Mateja)

naveena bontha

I

f we could read the minds of the seniors sitting at their graduation ceremony, 20 percent would be thinking, “Man, I am so done with this high school thing. Can we just graduate already?” Five percent would be thinking, “I really, really hope they pronounce my name correctly!” A good 40 percent would be in awe, thinking, “We really are graduating.

Someone pinch me so I know this isn’t some weird dream.”

But that final 35 percent is sitting there, paralyzed by fear, thinking, “Please, please, please don’t let me trip over my gown!”

The graduation ceremony is always an emotional journey.

It starts off with valedictorian speeches. These are interesting.

They range from the heartfelt ramblings of a scarred teenager to the monotonic class nerd, whose speech may have been written with feelings but comes off as overly long and superior sounding, like, “Ha ha, all you fools. See you at the unveiling of my cancer cure.”

After the valedictorian

speeches come words of wisdom from the advisors, principals, the senior class president and other executives. How do I keep myself entertained? I get a camera with a good zoom and randomly take pictures of people sitting on the stage.

Whoever catches someone picking their nose gets 10 points.

Finally, after a good hour of waiting comes the moment every proud parent, family member and friend has been waiting for, the handing out of the diplomas. Remember, seniors, you only get to walk up there once, so don’t mess it up. Make sure you smile while shaking the hand of the principal, and make sure it’s a good smile. The parental units plan on posting your smiling, graduating face on every viable surface, frame it and put it on a milk carton, just to show what a great student you are.

And then my personal favorite part, the throwing of the caps. There is something magical about seeing those caps fly in the air, knowing that if the weird guy who sat in the back of your history class and picked his nose and ate the nose waste can graduate, so can you.

So graduates, get ready to take your place in real world.

For us underclassmen, the countdown begins. One year down and a few more to go.

Don’t mess up.

the witticism:

ellie mendoza

A

s the lovely members of the class of 2014 say their final goodbyes and prepare to go off to do bigger and better things, those of us who aren’t graduating are reminded that we will soon be at a higher level on the Hanford High School food chain. Juniors will become seniors, sophomores juniors, and, congratulations, freshmen, you will no longer be harassed.

Moving up a grade is a rite of passage, and while for most it’s a transition filled with excitement and joy, frankly, I’m not too stoked.

I am a child.

I am not ready to grow up.

I still need my mother to pack me lunch every morning and my father to stand by my side when I have a mean teacher. I don’t know how to pay a bill or write a check. My mom still does my laundry and puts my keys on a special hook just so I don’t have to tear apart the house looking for them in the morning.

The excitement of becoming an adult is not beckoning to me.

Sure, turning 18 seems cool. I mean, I now have the freedom to go get that tattoo mickey shin

of Zac Efron I’ve wanted since the first “High School Musical” came out. Go back eight years to a fourth-grade Ellie, and you’ll notice my red backpack showcasing Troy, Gabriella and the phrase, “Get your head in the game.” In all seriousness, I had full intentions of having that tattooed on my lower back, similar to a tramp stamp, but in place of a butterfly or swirly lines, I’d have Troy Bolton. Genius, right?

But, besides the fact that I now have the freedom to tattoo the entirety of my body, growing a year older is a task I can’t say I’m prepared for.

Recently I’ve been experiencing the equivalent of a midlife crisis. We’ll call it a “preadulthood crisis.” The other night I cuddled up next to my mother in a pair of monkey footie pajamas and watched my favorite childhood movie, “The Cat in the Hat.” My eyes welled up with tears in realization that the movie is jam packed with crude adult humor that I now understand, which ruins my childish, innocent love for the Dr. Seuss classic.

As much as I try, I cannot escape adulthood.

I believe that I, as do most who are my age, have a knack for being young. Facing the fact that your youth is a quickly fleeting entity is a gut-wrenching slap in the face that’ll we’ll all one day endure, even if it hasn’t hit you yet. So enjoy these last few years of youth while you can.

YOCO (You Only Childhood Once)

4 June 2014 LitMag 17

*It’s the lit mag.

To wrap up the last pages of the last issue, we have included the poetry, art work, photography and short stories from students who submitted their work. Due to space, not everything could be included and due to color pages, not everything could have color. The following is a showcase of just some of the talent here. Enjoy!

OMNISCIENCE sarah harrington

Omniscience would bore me.

There’d be nothing left to learn.

You’d have lived your life entirely Before you’re even born.

Nothing to discover And nothing to create.

No room left for loving And no room left for hate.

They say that knowing’s power, But it can also bring you down.

Secrets that you have to keep Not spread all over town.

But ignorance is rarely good.

In fact, it causes harm.

People take advantage Of the child, safe and warm.

JOHN BARROWMAN

You’ve got to have a balance A perfect in-between.

But just remember, child.

The world’s not how it seems.

morgan hildreth

THE COLLECTOR bethany lawler

Nolan Graves was extremely discomfited to discover that he was sharing a train car with a murderer.

He twisted the ring on the third finger of his right hand in agitation as he watched his fellow passenger make himself comfortable in the seat opposite.

The revelation that he was sharing the car with a killer would not normally have provided him much discomfort, he had been known to take a few lives when the need arose and his colt was tucked securely in his shoulder holster, but the truly disturbing fact was, the man didn’t seem to realize that he was a murderer.

“Aren’t these a beauty!” the man crowed cheerfully. “I collect them myself.” He bobbed his head vigorously in time with his words. “There’s a big market in London these days! Collectors coming from all over.” He proudly held up a shallow wooden box fronted in glass. Inside, against a background of black, were pinned dozens of tiny winged bodies.

Nolan gazed in silent agony at the tiny, twisted forms, each surgically skewered with cool iron pins, and twisted his ring. Each miniscule body was frozen in a pose of terror, their final moments written on their faces. The man across the way continued.

“Take this beauty for example,” he pointed to one of the bodies with dusty silver-blue wings. “Phengaris arion, or Large Blue, is fairly common on the continent. I caught this one just outside Northampton! It’s one-of-a-kind, I tell you!

One-of-a-kind!” Nolan nodded his head mechanically, his eyes riveted to the miniscule figure’s expression of final dread.

In his mind he could just see its last moments, its wings pinned to the soft fabric by this man’s rough, unforgiving fingers. Its limbs flailing in some kind of vain defense as a cruel pin descended from above. That final moment when it realized that escape was impossible and death was upon it.

His morbid train of thought was interrupted by a query from his fellow passenger.

“What?” He asked, completely missing the question.

“I said,” the man repeated patiently “that you have the air of a collector about you. Would you be interested in buying a set?” He offered the largest of the boxes. With numb hands, Nolan grasped the smooth wood frame and drew the case closer. He barely glanced at the contents. Instead he reached for his wallet, extracted a few notes, and offered them without looking at their denomination.

The man across the aisle grabbed at the bills and a gasping choke emerged from his throat as he looked at the amount.

“I’ll take them all.” Nolan murmured quietly. Across the compartment the man bobbed his head more vigorously than ever.

“Of course, of course! I’ve got everything here! Take it! Take it!” He hurriedly transferred his teetering stack of boxes to the seat beside Nolan.

A moment later the train lurched as it pulled into the station and Nolan stretched out an arm to keep the boxes secured on the seat. Nolan stood as the train stopped and the other man popped up as he stood.

“A pleasure doing business with you!” the man held out a hand to shake. Smiling grimly, Nolan took the proffered hand and shook it. As he did so his ring flashed in the last rays of the afternoon sun.

“A pleasure.” He released the man and scooped up the pile of boxes. As he threaded his way down the crowded corridor he heard violent coughing followed by a pain filled gurgle. A moment later something heavy thumped to the train floor.

Nolan smiled again. He knew just the place to bury their poor broken corpses.

18 LitMag 4 June 2014

IRIS

annika lawrence Bursts of stubborn, controlling red overflowing murky pools of saddened blue set upon a friendly horizon painted yellow there is a solitary throb of a painful grey as I sink further into the pool caked in black I reach the bottom and taint the water a deep violet suddenly the world explodes into fits of breath and white the color warms up to the comforting arms of pink I sit upon the chair and around me the chitter chatter remains yellow trying to cover up the tears of melancholy blue the pain is unbearable as it attempts to stain the red but the everlasting color surges through my veins auburn crimson scarlet

SALEM WITCH OF 1692 giovana pinheiro

GONE TO GOLD paige stanco

I am all and I am nothing I am here there and everywhere I am a lock without a key that you do not hold.

I am a book with no words that you do not write.

I am a day with a sun and you do not hold the moon.

I am inspiration without a muse.

I am words to which do not fit your lips.

I am a question That only I know the answer to.

I am darkness where no light dwells but I am light enough to shine.

I am all and I am nothing Whispering away into solid gold before even you become a mist.

SCENIC caleb brown

4 June 2014 LitMag 19

GRATEFUL TO BE HERE weli aden

OWL

I am not an American citizen yet, but I still have many reasons that I am proud to live here. The reason I moved away from my country is because of civil war. Many people died every single day. In Somalia at that time if you survived today, you don’t think you will survive tomorrow.

When I came to United States, it was the happiest day in my life. I got free education, a peaceful place and people that are very kind to each other. I started school in 8th grade.

There were wonderful students in school, but the problem was I couldn’t communicate with them because I didn’t know any English at that time.

I worked the hardest I could to learn how to read and write. At home I used to read books and study vocabulary words with my brothers. Teachers did their best to help me understand about what we were learning.

I remember this teacher who used

to help me more than other teachers because she was my English as a second language (ESL) eacher. She used to pick me from home to school. We went to the library after school so she could get me books that I could read.

The food and housing were difficult to have in my country. But in 2009 when we arrived in America things changed for us. We lived in this big house that has five rooms. The food is cheap. We didn’t worry about anything else except our relatives and all other people who are in danger. I feel bad for them because they didn’t have the opportunity to come to United States.

I want thank to the United States for giving me this opportunity to come here. I can now help my people when I finish college get job and also live the American dream. I am so proud soon to be an American.

haley golden

MOUNT OF OLIVES jonathon fickle

The sun was beating down through the burnt trees onto the browning grass and the lush green mossy rocks of the mountain side. The winding dirt path made its way about halfway to the top before giving up and going back down.

The creek near the base of the mountain lazily made its way between trees, rocks, bunkhouses, and across the dirt path as well. Beating down, the sun shone on a small line of people working their way up the trail, and two more walking side by side.

One was a boy: he had a black hat on sporting the logo of the Green Bay Packers, and a gray t-shirt and jeans. The charred black from the trees covered his hands, pants, and face, making him a sight to see. His brown hair was just barely visible from under his hat. His white skin listened from the sweat of the sweltering July sun. The other walker was a girl. Her hair, curly and red, hung down to just below her shoulders, touching softly her light blue t-shirt. Her face had none of the boy’s war paint, but instead was covered in a smile. Her skin was also glistening from the long hours of climbing. Despite all of the exercise in the sun, she did not seem tired, but rather radiated an excited energy which was somewhat in contrast with the boy’s calm existence.

Their tennis shoes plodded on up the path, kicking up puffs of dirt from the ground that settled back to the Earth after just a second. After another half hour of walking, the trail disappeared and turned to a grassy field with desert flowers spread around in random intervals that led up to a rock. That rock marked the top of the mountain. That otherwise insignificant rock meant that they had

made it. The rock with a large crack meandering its way halfway to the bottom held a book, a small leather book, preserved in a plastic bag.

The real race to the top began at the field as all the hikers began a mad sprint to reach the rock, trying to claim the title of “King of the Mountain”. The boy reached the top just after two thin, wiry looking boys sporting Cabela’s camouflaged baseball hats. The girl arrived just a few seconds later. When they could finally see the other side of the mountain, they saw rolling green hills stretch as far as they could see. Watching in awe as a herd of elk paraded proudly across the hills, the hikers breathed heavily. Their shoulders rose and fell with their ragged and shallow breaths. A few moments later the bag was retrieved and the brown leather book was produced from it along with a plain black pen. In order of arrival all the hikers signed their names and put the initials of the church building they were from beside it. Sweat drops speckled the page like freckles as the book was passed from camper to camper.

After the signatures were all signed, a guitar was pulled out and the chords to White Flag were strummed into existence. Head swiveling, the boy searched for the girl. As the campers all began to sing the boy and girl found each other and sang happily with the rest that had made the journey to the top. When the song had faded into non-existence, all of the hikers gathered for a picture by the rock.

The girl hopped up to the rock and sat while the boy contently leaned next to her dangling legs. Their exuberant smiles shone as the picture was taken and the moment was captured forever.

20 LitMag 4 June 2014

FROM LAVENDER AND FROM RAIN isabel lin

I’m from gardens and from rain the pine forests of Oregon I’m from the overgrown bines of tomatoes the cucumbers and snow peas hidden in the glistening dew of the morning I’m from fresh huckleberries and scarlet rose petals from thorns and thistles I’m from lavenders and the perfume of peonies from rivers and mountains and the deep cerulean waters of Crater Lake I’m from dark skies and fireflies from floating paper lanterns from candles and scented soaps whose wonderful scents linger forever in the air I’m from wishes and wells with a shiny new penny for every wish I carry I’m from skyscrapers and family farms dark coffee and fresh milk from cherry and apple blossoms to branches broken by the winds I’m from soft blankets of snow from warm fireplaces and cold frozen toes to secrets beneath my pillow bubbling with hopes and dreams to spread my wings and reach beyond the stars

OUT OF HABITAT natasa kvesic

UNTITLED katie smith