19 March 2015|Cover |1
THE
ALTITUDE VOLUME 15, ISSUE 4
Hanford High School | Richland, Wash. 99354 | March.19.2015
identity looking through the eyes of the LGBTQ+ community
MEET LEO Growing up, Leo didn’t fit in with the girls. “I wore dresses and stuff but at the same time, every time somebody said I was a tomboy or one of the boys — for some reason, that made me really happy, and I never really understood why,” he said. Now, as a junior in high school, he finally understands why. He isn’t a tomboy — he’s a boy, period. continued on page 6 reporting by elisa apra, alisa chuang, mickey shin, caroline waring graphics by elisa apra photography by mickey shin
inside standardized testing 3 new Counselor Cathy Kuwamoto discusses the reasoning behind the new SBAC test.
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brotherly baseball bond Features a senior-driven team that has played together since childhood.
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internet makeup guru
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food truck review
Freshman Jamie Mears describes her unique job as a YouTube beauty guru.
Compares local food trucks selling diverse meals.
2|News|19 March 2015
THE BUZ Z what have you heard in the news?
“
A guy got shot on a street in Pasco for throwing some rocks. Last month, Pasco police were called in for a disturbance call near Fiesta Foods. Before the police arrived, a witness saw a man throwing rocks at passing vehicles. After authorities showed up, Antonio ZambranoMontes, 35, began pelting them with rocks, according to a family attorney. Officers then fired several shots, and when ZambranoMontes started to run away, more shots were fired, killing Zambrano-Montes.
BRYER RAMSEY (09)
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On Fox News I’ve heard a lot about how Obama is going to outlaw certain types of gun ammunition.
In January, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATF) released their latest “Firearms Regulation Reference Guide.” The guide ruled that “.223 M855 ‘green tip’ ammunition” no longer meet legal requirements. The bullet breaks the “armor piercing ammunition” law that prohibits bullets constructed entirely from tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper or depleted uranium.
KATELYN MCMURRAY (09)
“
I heard it was going to be cold this week.
MADDIE CHAPMAN (10)
Over the past few weeks, the temperature has been in the high 60s, making it unusually warm in the Tri-Cities for this time of the year. This past weekend it was rainy and windy, though the weather has returned to normal temperatures. Gov. Jay Inslee has declared a drought in three Washington regions, including the Olympic Peninsula, the east slope of the Cascades and the Walla Walla area.
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That one guy died – Leonard Nimoy. Leonard Nimoy, the actor who played Mr. Spock on the television series “Star Trek,” died last month on February 27. At 83 years old, he died from end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in his home in the Bel Air section of Los Angeles.
RYAN CLARK (12)
reporting by delaja pena and jesica olson
UP & COMING
courtesy of margaret holloway
Alexander Gordon Smith, the author of the Lockdown series, talks to students at the Cavalcade of Authors, which was held at Columbia Basin College. On Friday, March 13, middle and high school students attended literary sessions taught by the authors.
Authors share their craft jenna wilson
staff writer Cavalcade of Authors, a conference where students can go to meet and learn from some popular young adult (YA) authors, took place March 13 at Columbia Basin College. Seventeen authors and about 1,300 students attended this year. The students who attended consider Cavalcade an exciting opportunity. Freshman Tim Einan has been attending Cavalcade since seventh grade. He was most excited to meet the authors and to learn some tips and tricks on being a writer. “I go to Cavalcade because I enjoy reading and I get good tips on how to be a better writer,” Einan said. “My third session was with Alexander Gordon Smith. He was funny, and I learned a lot about writing in that session.” Authors gain a unique experience from the event as well.“It’s an amazing event,” said British author Alexander Gordon Smith, who wrote the popular YA horror Furnace series and is a two-time attendant of
Cavalcade. Smith said that the conference “went brilliantly,” calling the event a “Cavalcade of Awesomeness.” “It really was such a brilliant day, and just amazing to see so much enthusiasm for books and for reading. I don’t think I have ever seen so many people share such a passion for stories under one roof!” Librarian Margaret Holloway organizes the trip for Hanford students.“We don’t get many opportunities like (this) locally.” Holloway said. To be able to attend the conference, students must read four books, all by different authors attending. Each year, different authors attend. The event, founded by Enterprise Middle School librarian Michelle Lane, has taken place for seven years now. “Those that go really love it. Those that are avid readers love the opportunity to meet these authors,” Holloway said.
BANDS PERFORM AT FESTIVAL
MARCH 20 No School 21 Mead Jazz Festival 24 Benton Franklin Bus Passes handed out 24 Choir Concert @ HHS 25 Consumer Mock Interviews 26 Large Group Choir @ RHS 27 Spring Pep Assembly 28 Benton Franklin Bus Passes handed out
APRIL 8 Senior Meeting/Jostens Delivery 9 Every 15 Minutes 10 Every 15 Minutes 10 CBC Concert Band Festival 11 CBC Jazz Festival 17 CBC Choir Festival 18 ACT Testing 28 Benton Franklin Bus Passes handed out
katie peurrung|photographer
Freshmen Tabitha Soran, Seth Lowery, Fletcher Smith and Mathew Willoughby play in the annual Large Group Festival, which was held in the auditorium this year. Seventeen other bands from around the region came to perform as well. The freshmen band and wind ensemble played four songs each, and the symphonic band performed three. After each performance, the bands were adjudicated by one of four judges, all of whom are college or high school band directors.
19 March 2015|News|3
NEW TEST IN PLACE FOR SOPHOMORES AND JUNIORS alisachuang
copy editor
katie peurrung|photographer
The Smarter Balance Assessment Consortium (SBAC) test will be taken on the Chromebooks. The school has purchased additional sets specifically for the test.
Heads up sophomores and juniors -- there’s a new standardized test in town. The Smarter Balance Assessment Consortium test (SBAC) is the exam replacing the High School Proficiency Exam (HSPE). The only catch? It’s harder than the HSPE. So why did it change? The new Common Core State Standards (CCSS). This set of standards is nationwide, instead of a different core curriculum for each state. The Smarter Balance Assesment Consortium is one of the groups creating tests and curriculum to meet these new standards. “The Smarter Balance came about as a result of aligning [standardized testing] more with the Common Core in terms of reading non-fiction texts, being able to critically think through, analyze data, and also to be able be write for an audience to understand,” said counselor Cathy Kuwamoto. The tests are designed to “promote college and career readiness after high school,” said Assistant Principal Michael Gaddis. Because most educators and test makers agree that the new test is more rigorous than the HSPE, the state is attempting to do some things to help with that. House Bill 1363, also known as the “delink” legislation, is a bill that will insure high-stakes tests (such as the SBAC tests) will not become a graduation requirement.
While the Smarter Balanced assessment is untimed, each subject area is expected to take 2.5 to 4 hours to complete. In addition, all testing is going to be on Chromebooks. This year, juniors will take the English language arts and math SBAC on April 29 and 30. If they’ve already passed their graduation requirements last year through the HPSE or EOCs, they don’t have to pass it, but, according to Gaddis, everyone still has to take it. The sophomores will take the ELA SBAC test on May 18 and 19 and the Math SBAC on May 20 and 21. Then they will also take the math and science EOCs (May 26 through 28) to meet the math part of the graduation requirement. The change in testing offers a new set of information about the progress of schools and individual students in meeting the new standards, but it also creates challenges. “I think standardized testing gives you some information as one piece of data. When you look at a student, it helps you evaluate them, but it shouldn’t be the only thing you look at in terms of the student’s performance and success in school,” Kuwamoto said. “I’m hoping that sometime in the future they find a better balance with the right amount of testing so that we have a balance of learning and testing and the whole focus is not testing. That’s my hope for the future.”
AP Government takes on March Madness srinithi suresh
career editor
mickey shin| photographer
Senior Nicole Calun expresses her view as classmate and opposition Darko Stankovic, also a senior, patiently waits his turn to speak. Even though the same cases are debated yearly, the same case has never won twice.
upcoming asb elections naveenabontha
news editor
Are you a committed and motivated student? Do take pride in your school and want to make a difference? If these qualifications apply to you, then you should think about running for the Associated Student Body (ASB). “People should run for ASB because they want to be a leader, help people and make a difference in the lives of students,” said senior Lindsey Oldfield, the current Executive Council President. “Lazy people or those who just want a title or resume material should not run.” There will be meetings held on March 23 and March 24 during both lunches to discuss the Executive Council elections. Once the candidates have their paperwork in, they can start campaigning. On April 10, candidates give a speech in front of the freshmen, sophomore and junior classes. Voting takes place during both lunches and after school. The candidates find out the results the very next day. If the candidate wants a position on Executive Council but doesn’t want to make
a speech, she or he can interview for an appointed position the following week. These interviews are held by the current Executive Council (excluding current members who are running for appointed positions) and Activities Director Paul Mayer. There is no election associated with the appointed positions. The interviewees will be notified in late April or early May, after turning in applications and paperwork. Another way to lead is through running for a position on the sophomore, junior or senior councils. There will be informational meetings starting in May, and the election will be at the end of the month. The candidates will not need to make a speech to run for these positions. “If someone is interested but nervous, I say they should go for it! You never know unless you try,” Oldfield said. She also recommends talking to current officers about positions and which council to join. “It`s good to put your name out there if you truly care about making a difference,” she said. “There are also many ways to make a difference even if you don`t win.”
It’s that time of the year again – the AP U.S. Government and Politics classes are in the heat of their own March Madness. This is a competition teacher Steve Perez created a few years back, his own take on the wellknown college basketball tournament that happens in March. “[I started the activity] the second year I started teaching this class, so like 2010/2011,” Perez said. He makes a bracket for each class, like the ones in the actual tournament, and randomly matches students up. Each student selects a Supreme Court case and must convey to the class why his or her case is more important than the opponent’s case. The class then votes for the case they think is most significant, and that presenter moves on to the next round. It engages the entire class in a lively competition. Perez started March Madness
as a way to engage students and help them learn about important cases. “Each kid becomes an expert on one, and then they learn pretty in-depth about a bunch of other Supreme Court cases,” he said. “[It is] just a way to do the Supreme Court cases and have a little fun.” Senior Nathan Mars chose the case Schenk v. U.S., which sought to “resolve whether the U.S. government was able to restrict speech in order to help the U.S. win a war and to protect the national interests,” Mars said. He, among other students, seems to enjoy the assignment. “It’s kind of fun to be able to learn a lot about different cases and try to figure out why cases really matter as opposed to just saying ‘Oh, that case was important because…,’” Mars said. “You actually have to look at the exact reasons why the case is important and why it still matters today.”
4|Sports|19 March 2015
ellie mendoza |photographer
The 11 seniors of the baseball team pose for a picture before practice. The team is comprised of seniors McKaden Manderbach, Tanner Heiman, Matt True, Jacob Anderson, Jon Miles, Sawyer Herny, David Juergens, Brady Heid, Trevor Romero, Steven Quadrel and Bryce Logan. There are four juniors on the team as well.
A TEAM, A DREAM, AND A LOVE FOR THE GAME How a team that’s been playing together since Little League just might have a shot at state bencasas
staff writer Playing whiffle ball in the back yard then heading to Little League practice with your friends may be one of the best childhood memories a kid could have. For most, these events end as everyone gets older, but for seniors on the baseball team, their childhood is still an active part of their lives. With 11 seniors on the team, the team chemistry is stronger than ever. “The chemistry we will have as a team will be one of our biggest advantages,” said first baseman Tanner Heiman. They all have been playing with or against each other since a very young age, dating all the way back to Little League for some. Adding on to that, leading pitcher senior Jacob Anderson said, “We are a really tight knit group of guys who have been playing together for a long time.” Having that type of the team chemistry gives Hanford an advantage over many other teams this year. “All of the experience we have from years past gives us an edge over
our opponents who are less experienced than us,” Anderson said. Because of an abundance of talent and the great connections between players, the team has high hopes for the rest of the season. “I think the team is really something special this year and has a shot to make a deep run in the playoffs,” Heiman said. Baseball hasn’t won a state title since 1987, and this year could change that. With Brady Heid at short stop, Tanner Heiman at first; Jon Miles and Trevor Romero catching; McKaden Manderbach, David Juergens and Steven Quadrel in the outfield; and Jacob Anderson, Bryce Logan, Sawyer Henry and Matt True on the mound, the team is set all around the field. For baseball, with 11 returning seniors on the team, experience is at an all-time high. “With 11 seniors on the varsity baseball team, we are highly motivated and really focused. This drive that we have helps us perform better in games, so the leadership on the team is really strong because we have so much experience,” Anderson said.
Not only is the team set up for success, but they are willing to work for it as well. Coach Tom Dewitz said, “There’s nobody out there that works harder than us. Nobody works harder than Hanford baseball.” Each senior on the team is on a mission. Not only do they want to go to state, but they want to leave their mark as well. “Since this is my senior year, I have more drive to leave my mark in Hanford history, not only personally, but with this team as well,” Heiman said. “I think the team is really something special.” With the pieces set in place, they just have to go out there and play their game. “I think we have the athletes and we’ve got the skills to be a very good team. We just have to go and prove it,” Dewitz said. With a coach and an entire team striving to get to the top, there’s little that can stop them. Anderson agrees: “I am really motivated to win state this year. The last time Hanford won state for baseball was in the ‘80s. I want to change that. I think this team can.”
ROAD TO RECOVERY shantakatipamula
staff writer “I just remember being in a toboggan wrapped up and being asked a bunch of questions and waking up in the hospital.” On December 14, 2013, then junior Steven Quadrel went up to Mission Ridge Ski Resort in Wenatchee with his friends for the first ski session of the season. As Quadrel undertook what should have been a routine backflip, something went wrong. He sustained a skiing injury that resulted in a broken femur and severe concussion. As a result, for the first time since he was six, Quadrel did not pick up his baseball bat when spring rolled around last year. While both his brain and leg recovered, he was forced to sit out and watch, which according to Quadrel, was no easy task. “It was really frustrating because I’m just used to being a starter and always getting playing time and always being at the top of the lineup,” Quadrel said. In addition, he hated not being able to instantly return to life as normal. “Feeling like everyone was treating me really fragilely
was the worst part. Just feeling like you can’t do what you want to do.” Over a year later, Quadrel finally feels like he’s back to normal. “I’m playing this year and my leg’s fully healthy again, so I’m running, and it’s really right about now that actually I feel completely 100 percent.” When he went skiing for the first time after his accident, Quadrel wasn’t nervous. “Skiing to me is just like riding a bike, so I was just excited to get back on the snow,” he said. He said he expects to be rusty, but believes that he’ll be able to play baseball using muscle memory because he has been playing for so long. “It just might take a little extra practice this year,” Quadrel added. With no major aspirations for the baseball season beyond finally being able to play the sport he loves, Quadrel hopes to “just go in and have fun, hopefully surprise myself and do better than I think I will, but mostly just have fun and have one last baseball season before high school’s over.”
max weil |photographer
Senior Steven Quadrel swings at a pitch at the Hanford vs. Gonzaga Prep game on March 16. He is a designated hitter as well as an outfielder.
19 March 2015|Sports|5
THE FRESH FACES OF TENNIS “I’m really looking forward to the challenge of playing at Hanford.” Patrick Monahan (09)
“I’m looking forward to getting to know people on the team better and spending time with them.” Molly Fleming (09)
“I’m very excited to go to practice every day to improve my skills.” Victor Kuan (09)
“I’m excited to meet new people and gain experience by playing in matches.” Siena Stephens (09)
SAYING GOODBYE TO HIGH SCHOOL Stories of final games, last goodbyes, regrets and giving it all to your senior season bryce logan
staff writer
As school comes to an end, many of the senior athletes have had to face a tough goodbye to a sport that they may have been playing their entire life. For some the departure is easy, but for others it is filled with broken dreams of lost potential. For senior Brady Heid, the final game of the basketball season was rough. “When we lost the last game of the season, it hit me immediately. When the buzzer sounded, I fell to my knees in shock. I couldn’t do anything else.” In the locker the team had a tough time coming to terms with what had happened. “The last moments in the locker room with my teammates were tough for all of us, especially knowing we lost to a team we had beat by 30 points both times we played them in the regular season,” Heid said. This season meant a lot to Heid, and the aftermath of the game was an emotional time. “I’m not afraid to admit that I cried because it meant so much to me. It was a tough fact to get over that I wouldn’t ever play competitive basketball again.”
Even though the season didn’t end how he wanted, the team captain was still proud of what he had accomplished throughout his playing career, saying, “Every practice and every game I put in 110 percent effort and never took any plays off. Knowing that throughout my whole career I gave it my all, that’s all that matters.” Another senior that had to face a tough goodbye was soccer player Jacquie Deichman. “My senior season was everything I expected it to be,” Deichman said. “We didn’t get as far as I had hoped, but the team made such huge gains by the end of the season.” With few seniors on the soccer team, the underclassmen played a big role on the team. In the final game against Southridge, “the whole team played with their hearts and it meant a lot to the seniors to see the underclassmen step up,” Deichman said. While the season was filled with many unexpected wins and losses, there was a point in the game when Deichman knew her season was over. “After Southridge scored with about five minutes left and again with two minutes left,
I knew we had lost and it was definitely heartbreaking, but I’m glad I finished my career standing on the field,” Deichman said. Deichman was sad, but also proud of what she and the team accomplished. “It’s sad to think I don’t have any seasons left, but I accomplished some really cool things like a game-tying header goal against Walla Walla, and fall Mid-Columbia Conference student-athlete from Hanford, along with really important wins like Kamiakin at Kamiakin and defeating Chiawana,” Deichman explained. Similar to both Heid and Deichman, senior Blake Llarenas knew going into his senior year that he had to give everything he had left. “Going into my senior year, I was confident entering every match and knew I had to leave it all on the mat at the end of the day,” Llarenas said. Because of his hard work and dedication, Llarenas was able to achieve a spot wrestling in the state championship match. Blake lost by one point, but was happy with his second place finish because he knew he gave his all. “Knowing I did everything I could to win is all that matters.”
SHOW YOUR SPIRIT @ BASEBALL
BOYS SOCCER
SOFTBALL
TENNIS
TRACK & FIELD
3/20 @ Pendleton 3:00 p.m.
3/21 @ Southridge 11:00 a.m.
3/24 @ Hanford 4:00 p.m.
4/07 @ Hanford 4:00 p.m.
3/21 @ West Valley 11:00 a.m.
bryce logan
THE
BRYCE IS RIGHT March Madness
M
arch Madness is officially upon on us, folks. It’s time to start thinking about who will be crowned the champ, attempting to predict the many upsets that inevitably will take place, and trying to decide who the bracket-busting Cinderella team will be. The selection committee has begun their process in deciding seeds 1 through 16 – so you probably should too. My pick to win the tourney? Obviously, the undefeated Kentucky Wildcats. They have two teams that substitute in for each other, meaning they always have fresh legs in the game. No other team in the country can say that about their squad, and it is pretty hard to compete with that. They also have the Harrison twins who both have NCAA tournament experience (which is rare for a Kentucky team). And let’s not forget the freak athlete we’ve all seen in Willie Cauley-Stein. He’s 7 feet tall, extremely athletic, a threat offensively and a presence inside on defense. The Kentucky team has six guys averaging over eight points per game but not one person averaging more than 12, so you could say they are well balanced offensively. Yes, they have had some close games; however, Kentucky has shot poorly in these games and still managed to get that win. Very few teams in the country can match up with Kentucky, let alone stay with them the whole game. Kentucky should have little trouble making their way through the bracket and on to winning the tourney. Will there be any teams that have a chance at contending with powerhouse Kentucky? I’m not sure, but I think Duke will make a deep run in the tourney because of the strong play by center Jahlil Okafor and guard Tyus Jones, even though they have shown weakness by losing to North Carolina State and Miami. Maybe Virginia has a chance, too, because they play lockdown D and only have one loss to the hands of Duke. Honestly though, Kentucky will wreck both of these teams, so don’t get your hopes up Duke and Virginia fans. And about that Cinderella team, in the past years it has been Virginia Commonwealth University and Butler. It will probably end up being a team very few have heard of, and fans will be left in shock after their team gets knocked out in the first or second round. All in all, Kentucky has the talent to go all the way, but Duke and Virginia will put up a quality fight.
6|Identity|19 March 2015
AN LGBTQ+ HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT
26 WILL HEAR AN AVERAGE OF
ANTI-LGBTQ+ SLURS A DAY data from the gay, lesbian & straight education network
19 March 2015|Identity|7
LGBTQ+ DEFINITIONS This glossary covers some of the most commonly used terms when discussing LGBTQ+ issues but is not comprehensive.
GAY
LESBIAN
BISEXUAL
A term generally used for those attracted exclusively to the same gender, primarily men
A woman who is attracted to other women
A person attracted to more than one gender
CISGENDER
TRANSGENDER
GENDERQUEER
A term for those whose gender identity and gender expression matches that of the gender they were assigned at birth
A term covering all people whose gender identity or gender expression does not match that of the gender they were assigned at birth
An umbrella term covering people whose gender identity or gender expression falls outside of the traditional male/female binary
QUEER
ASEXUAL
AROMANTIC
Historically a slur, this has been reclaimed as an umbrella term covering people who are not heterosexual and/or cisgender.
A person who does not experience sexual attraction to others
A person who does not experience romantic attraction to others
THE TURMOIL OF TRANSITION Growing up, Leo* didn’t fit in with the girls. “I wore dresses and stuff but at the same time, every time somebody said I was a tomboy or one of the boys. For some reason, that made me really happy, and I never really understood why,” he said. Now, as a junior in high school, he finally understands why. He isn’t a tomboy — he’s a boy, period. The road to that realization was not an easy one. “It’s not something that society likes at all. So obviously I’m not going to want to identify as it,” he said, adding that only after he found safe places on the internet to explore his gender identity and began to read others’ personal accounts did he finally come to terms with his identity.
i’ve never been able to look in a mirror and actually recognize myself. Due to an unsupportive family, Leo is only out to a few close friends, and being forced to present as female is often a harrowing experience. “I’ve never been able to look in a mirror and actually recognize myself,” he said. “I’m conscious of the fact that that’s me, but it doesn’t look right.
That’s a really strange feeling, to never see yourself.” He added that constantly being misgendered and referred to with his birth name is painful: “You get to look at yourself and it’s just — wow, this sucks!” Transgender people are also often forced to deal with invasive questions from cisgender individuals. “It’s something you can figure out in fifteen minutes from a google search, instead of asking someone who’s probably really uncomfortable with it and is scared and doesn’t know what you’re going to do,” he said, later adding, “It’s none of your business what people’s body parts are.” Beyond the pain of being forced to present as his gender assigned at birth, Leo is also forced to worry about his safety due to being transgender. The National Transgender Discrimination Survey found that 26 percent of respondents had experienced physical assault due to anti-trans bias; accurate statistics on anti-transgender violence are difficult to ascertain due to frequent misreporting. “It’s terrifying. You walk out of your house and somebody could assault you,” Leo said. While he has been fortunate enough to avoid any attacks thus far, he says that he’s heard many stories of those who have not been so lucky. “Just knowing that could happen
is hard. I’m glad nothing has happened to me, but it’s still scary,” he said. Currently, Leo said he does feel safe at school, but he doesn’t believe he would be if he came out publicly. “You can go and you can look on a school’s website, and you can see their antidiscrimination policy and it’s right there, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to get enforced,” he said, adding, “There’s always an underlying fear of — what if somebody knows, what’s going to happen to me.” In hard times, he often turns for help to the same online communities where he first began to examine his gender identity. “You have a place where you can put your opinion out and other people are able to say, ‘Yeah, I feel the same way,’ and there’s a pretty important sense of validation there,” he said. In the future, he hopes to attend a college with a more tolerant environment and begin transitioning. “I look up colleges and the first thing I look up is ‘what do you cover [in your insurance]?’” he said. He takes strong issue with the view of transitioning procedures, like surgery and hormones, as merely cosmetic processes. “Hormone replacement therapy, that’s not considered a necessity, and honestly, it is. People kill
themselves over this. I’d say that’s important,” he said. Despite potentially providing access to funds for transitioning, the prospect of college is fraught with its own issues. “Freshmen almost always have to be in a dorm, have to be on campus. How do I know they’re going to put me in the right room? That’s something that outs you immediately,” he said.
it’s not just a costume. you can’t put it on, and i certainly can’t take if off. Unfortunately, as so many transgender teens are forced to do, he plans on cutting ties with his family before transitioning. “I don’t think I’m going to have a happy future with them, so I want to break that off,” he said. While there have been a few more appearances in recent years of trans characters in movies and films, like Laverne Cox’s role as Sophia in “Orange is the New Black,” transgender people are still struggling to receive positive portrayals in popular culture. “You’re constantly the butt of the joke. You’re something to be laughed at, or something disgusting that
everybody should be hushed away from,” Leo said. Additionally, several recent high profile female transgender characters have been portrayed not by transgender actresses but by cisgender men. “Having a cis man play a trans woman — it’s like saying being trans is just putting on a costume, and you’re still really what you were assigned as at birth. That’s hurtful. It’s not just a costume. You can’t put it on and I certainly can’t take it off,” Leo said. When asked for words of advice for teens who are unsure or questioning their gender identity, Leo said “Do as much research as you can on your own time, and make sure that you’re doing it in a way that you won’t get hurt.” Despite constant calls for LGBTQ teens to come out, safety should take first priority. “It’ll be hard to keep it a secret, but it’s better than living on the street,” he said. “Do your best to find out what you can, and don’t let anybody else’s perceptions of those things determine your identity. You need to figure it out for yourself.” *Leo preferred to have his name remain anonymous.
8|Identity|19 March 2015
55.5% felt unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation
30.3%
missed an entire day of school in the past month because they felt unsafe
Finding comfort in faith Aiden* knew he was bisexual from sixth grade. He felt it with concrete assurance, a two-way attraction. “I just realized, hey – guys are hot and girls are hot and, hey, – everyone’s hot,” he said. “I never quite understood why everyone couldn’t just like who they liked. I still don’t.” Christianity was also a constant presence in Aiden’s life. He was a consistent churchgoer, a reliable youth group attendee, a Facebook friend to his youth pastor and, though it may seem contradictory, these connections never stopped once he first kissed a boy. “Funnily enough, in my church two-thirds of the teens in the teen group aren’t straight. I think that even though the church I’m involved in has mostly senior people, they are all very accepting people at the same time. A lot of churches give off that bad vibe, but there are
74.1%
a few safe havens like that that you can go to,” Aiden said. Aiden recommends faith in more difficult times. “Religion doesn’t necessarily have to be Christianity. It’s just something you can believe in, and if you feel uncomfortable with Christianity, find something else to believe in, because it will help you get through it. It’s just believing in something at all.” Believing in something has been a refuge for Aiden, particularly when he’s surrounded by disbelief. “My mom is a special case. She’s one of those people who believes that bisexuality doesn’t exist. It is either one or the other.” He came out on April Fools’ Day. “I posted on Facebook, ‘Hey guys, I’m gay,’ and I was like, ‘Just kidding, I’m bi, April Fools!’ It was all a very confusing time for everyone. My mom didn’t believe
I was bi. She thought I was lying. She believes me now, but she still thinks I’m going to marry a girl. She just kind of pushes it aside,” Aiden said. He still doesn’t know what his brother thinks, though, and he doesn’t really care either way. “The most notable aggression I’ve faced
i never quite understood why everyone couldn’t just like who they liked. i still don’t. was my brother constantly calling me a faggot. Even before I had come out. And it wasn’t supposed to hurt, and it shouldn’t have hurt, but it did.” “When I hear someone say the word faggot, it’s like someone taking a tiny little knife, and just
poking me in the skin, and when you hear it again, it’s like another one, and another one, all over my skin. And it just built and built and built, until one day I punched [my brother] in the face over it. Which erupted into a little event that ended with him getting kicked out of the house.” Even strangers can have a negative impact. “People come up to me and ask if I have a boyfriend, and I’ll be like no, and then they’ll ask about setting me up with a guy and I’m like, ‘How do you know I’m gay?’” And for those unsure of where to go next, submerged in a well of some unknown sexuality, he has one piece of advice: “Just look it up. Just go on Google and look it up and find yourself.” *Aiden chose to remain anonymous
of LGBT students were verbally harassed in the past year because of their sexual orientation.
90.8% reported that they felt distressed because of this language. all data from the 2013 National School Climate Survey conducted by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network
For regard comes that hi gradua Alec W cally si Wh identifi confor in 2008 like ma myself and, in of LGB “By the attitud I notic becom individ Aft to a big tion. “I in Seat explor identit comfor White Unl gradua concep think I tity, bu strugg said. U identit bullyin faculty
19 March 2015|Identity|9
alec white
anthony rogers
It gets better
WHAT WE CAN DO
Life after graduation
r many students, the pressure ding their sexual identity s from the toxic environment igh schools often harbor. For ates Anthony Rogers and White, life has changed drastiince graduation. hite, who graduated in 2012, fies as gay and gender nonrming. “I started high school 8, and at that time I felt ajority of people, including f, were pretty homophobic n general, not very accepting BTQ+ people,” White said. e time I was a senior, social des really began to shift and ced more and more people ming supportive of LGBTQ+ duals.” ter graduation, White moved gger city to pursue his educaI go to UW now, and being ttle has allowed me to fully re my gender expression and ty in a way that I never felt rtable doing back home,” said. like White, Rogers, who ated in 2010, had a clear pt of his identity. “I don’t I struggled with my idenut everyone else did. They gled to see who I was,” Rogers Unfortunately, due to his ty, Rogers had to deal with ng. “I felt that staff [and] y weren’t properly equipped
to help me when I was dealing with the constant bullying. They say they don’t ‘tolerate bullying,’” Rogers said. “The next day I’d see my bully down the hall going about their day.” Leaving high school was beneficial for Rogers. “As soon as I graduated high school, I moved to San Francisco, California and began to love myself even more because I got to explore the gender roles that I wasn’t ever allowed to explore in high school,” Rogers said. Both graduates believe that schools have become better equipped to create a more welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ students. “Now schools are much more aware of what’s happening to their students and taking proper steps to ensure safety for all,” Rogers said. “When students are in high school, they feel safer by concealing their orientation when really it’s nothing to be ashamed of – rather it should be welcomed and celebrated.” White attributes the problem to the age of high school students. “In high school it’s difficult to talk openly about topics like sexuality and gender because of the mere fact that everyone’s about 14 to 17 years old – not quite a child but not quite an adult,” White said. “This poses the question of what’s appropriate to discuss in an aca-
demic setting and what is not, and unfortunately this tends to sweep controversial topics like sexuality and gender under the rug, leaving many students to find this information on their own.” Sometimes traditional beliefs also force stereotyped roles. “Unfortunately, we live in a society that likes to label things and behaviors as either ‘masculine’ or ‘feminine,’ and we believe the two are complete opposites, forcing people who identify as male to act in a certain way and people who identify as female to act another. In reality, we’re all complex and naturally expressive beings with a wide range of emotions and behaviors,” White said. Both graduates believe that although positive change is happening, the problem is far from being solved. “Homophobia is sadly something that we still face in our society on a daily basis, and there’s no one way to deal with it. I would just say for anyone who’s dealing with bullying or harassment to remember this quote: ‘What other people think of me is none of my business,’” White said. Rogers suggested that students “treat people the way you’d like to be treated. Kindness goes a lot farther than ignorance.”
AVOID ASKING INVASIVE QUESTIONS THINK TWICE BEFORE COMMENTING TREAT EVERYONE WITH RESPECT DON’T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE
WHERE TO GET HELP COUNSELING CENTER The counseling office provides assistance and referrals to any student experiencing difficulties. Melanie Cushing, Community in Schools Coordinator, specializes in support for non-academic needs for students; she can direct students to further local resources, including the ones listed below..
VISTA YOUTH CENTER
The community cares While LGBTQ+ teens can often feel isolated from the adults in their lives, organizations like Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, or PFLAG, are actively working to provide support for LGBTQ+ youth. PFLAG works to “keep families in loving relationships by helping them understand and affirm their gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender family members,” Maria Stephens, a PFLAG member, said. Keri Lobdell, another PFLAG member, explained that PFLAG focuses “on education, advocacy and support.”
keri lobdell and maria stephens
PFLAG has several initiatives dedicated to these goals, including monthly meetings where parents, family members and friends of LGBTQ+ people can “ask questions, wrestle with issues, find out what’s going on in the community and connect with other families who may be
going through similar concerns, issues and questions,” Stephens said. “We seek to change hearts and minds, often one person at a time. We are committed to securing the same basic rights, liberties, and opportunities for our sons and daughters, which all Americans are entitled to.” PFLAG also has several other programs focused on protecting students from bullying and harassment and strengthening allies in schools and workplaces. One of the most beneficial groups in Lobdell’s opinion is the Gay Straight Alliance Club (GSA). “The club not only creates a safe space for the LGBTQ+ students and their friends and allies, but is often a place where students that just don’t feel like they belong anywhere else find a community,” Lobdell said. “It’s important to have a club on campus, but it’s also important to belong to that club and keep it active – it helps the whole school.” Lobdell believes that the Tri-Cities is already an accepting place for young LGBTQ+ members to find help and begin exploring their opportunities. “There is a very supportive community here in the Tri-Cities that has many resources and we are here to help connect people
to those resources and to the community,” Lobdell said. “It can feel overwhelming, and it can feel like you are carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, but there are people and organizations that are inclusive and supportive; you just have to let us know what you need and we can help get you connected.” However, Stephens would like to see a more overt display of that support. “If you are an ally (you identify as a straight person and are supportive), please remember ally is a verb. Show your support and speak out when you see people being marginalized, harassed or discriminated,” Stephens said, adding, “The support, actions, and attitude of staff, administration and students make a difference for every person in your school. Be the change you want to see, because each of us makes a difference.” To LGBTQ+ teens, Lobdell has some words of advice. She warns them to use their individual brains and not to follow some rule ingrained in society. “Avoid stereotypes, think critically and don’t ever think you are alone this,” Lobdell said. “Be yourself, know your rights and know your resources.”
2625 W Bruneau Place Suite E Kennewick, WA, 99336 Phone: (509) 396-5198
Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 3-9 p.m. Email: program@vistayouthcenter.org Website: www.vistayouthcenter.org
The Vista Youth Center provides LGBTQ+ youth from 14 through 21 with advocacy, education and a safe place. First time visitors receive a brief interview in order to identiy any specific needs, and then have access to a variety of activities including socializing with other LGBTQ+ youth, art activities, family-style meals on Friday, and field trips.
BENTON FRANKLIN PFLAG 1153 Gage Blvd. Richland, WA, 99352 Phone: (509) 795-1665
Hours: Second Tuesday of the month, 7-8 p.m. Website: www.bfpflag.com
The Benton Franklin chapter of PFLAG offers a monthly support group for parents, family and friends over 18 of LGBTQ+ individuals, providing access to education and resources.
THE TREVOR PROJECT Phone: (866) 488-7386 Hours: 24 hours daily
Email: support@thetrevorproject.org Website: www.thetrevorproject.org
The Trevor Project is a national toll-free suicide prevention and crisis intervention hotline for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults.
10|Features|19 March 2015
screenshot of mears’ youtube video
Freshman Jamie Mears explains how to grow hair quickly and healthily in her most-watched YouTube video. She keeps each video fun and entertaining by adding in her own brand of humor.
freshman gains fame jordan rodgers
courtesy of ryan warren
Junior Ryan Warren looks over the construction of his bathroom builder project. He has been working on the project for several months in order to become an Eagle Scout.
Building for the community diana wang
staff writer
For some students, maintaining exceptional grades and keeping good social relations are hefty projects themselves, but not in the case of junior Ryan Warren. Warren goes beyond the norm and is undertaking a project no high school student can imagine: building a public bathroom. Warren devotes a large portion of his time and energy into Boy Scouts. Boy Scouts in turn has helped Warren by teaching him life lessons and morals. “I have been in Boy Scouts since I was in 6th grade,” Warren said. As Warren reaches the end of his service for the Boy Scouts, he must tackle his Eagle Scout Service Project – the culmination of the Eagle Scout candidate’s leadership training, which requires significant effort on his part. “The Eagle Scout project is the highest level a Boy Scout is privileged to. You have to do a big project and
so for my project, I’m building a bathroom,” Warren said. While most Eagle Scouts end up building a water fountain or a bench, Warren decided to invest his time in constructing a bathroom. A major requirement for the service project is that it must benefit an organization other than the Boy Scouts of America. To Warren, that meant his church and the park next to it. “I go to the Richland Lutheran Church,” Warren said. “Stevens Park is used a lot, and my church is right across the park so we use the park fairly often. It will help the facility to function.” Coming up with the idea was the easy part. However, Warren was struck with a long list of responsibilities as the leader of this project. “I had to propose [the bathroom idea] to the city, and then present it in front of the city council, and finally they ended up approving it,” Warren said. “While I was building it, I had to ask for
987-1697
donations in order to afford all the material. I then had to line up my jobs to coordinate everything, so like get all the professionals and offer help to them through the scout.” Regardless of how immense the project may seem, Warren is optimistic with the progress and is looking forward to its completion. “There are four parts that are essential to the completion: the base, the walls, the roof and the fixtures. I just got done with the base so the next step is the walls,” Warren said. As much as Warren would like to finish, the immense stature of the project has its restraints and cannot be completed with haste. “The bathroom will probably be done by the end of the summer,” Warren said. However, Warren knows that his contribution to the park will benefit his church as well as the many community members who spend time there.
staff writer Freshman Jamie Mears is exploring the world of YouTube by making and starring in her own videos about makeup and comedy. Mears started making her YouTube videos three years ago when she was in sixth grade. “I started making YouTube videos because it was a fun way to have fun with my friends and make people laugh,” Mears said. It is hard to balance everything in life like school, sports and sometimes even work, but Mears finds a way to do all three. “Sometimes I ask friends from school to be in my videos with me, and I’ll just go home from school, do my homework then film and edit a video.” Mears said. Ever since she started, her YouTube channel has taken off. In fact, Mears’ most-watched video has over 52,132 views. It is about ways to keep hair healthy while growing it out. Companies can pay for YouTubers to have their products in videos and in the future, Mears hopes that many sponsors will want to put their products in her videos. Some YouTubers get paid over $100 to review a makeup product, or even to act like they use it in their everyday life. Some people have started to pay Mears to review products. This is a huge career advancement, especially
since Mears wants to continue building her business in the future. “Once you get enough subscribers, companies will pay to put ads on your videos, so it will be a fun way to make cash,” Mears said. One of the companies that Mears reviewed for pay was Dial Smile, maker of a tooth-whitening pen. They paid Mears $100 to review the product, and she was allowed to keep the pen. People who have many YouTube subscribers have to be consistent in posting so their subscribers can count on them. Since Mears has over 1,400 subscribers, she is constantly filming. “I try [to post] once a week but they usually come out twice a month,” she said. Even though Mears has been at this for almost three years, it took her up until about two months ago to build up a fan base. Most of the time when people start making YouTube videos, the videos don’t gain any traction. Only a few YouTubers ever get really famous, though those who do make it big can have over one million views on their videos. Mears, though, hopes that in the future she can make videos for everyone to see. “My plan for the future with this channel is to help people in any way I can and to have fun,” Mears said.
Introducing Happy Hour, every day, 2pm til Closing! All drinks are buy-1-get-1 half-off! 2171 Van Giesen St. in Richland
19 March 2015|Features|11
RAD RIDES
courtesy of natalia tasama-santa
Sophomore Nathalia Tasama-Santa (left) and her family and friends watch Colombia play in the World Cup. After the Colombian team won a game, the whole country errupted in celebration to show pride and support for its team.
A Mid-Columbia Colombian sonali matta
staff writer Sophomore Nathalia TasamaSanta is not an average high school girl. Not only is she a fluent Spanish speaker, she also lived in a South American country that not many of us talk about too often: Colombia. Tasama-Santa was actually born in New York, but moved to Colombia soon after. “My entire family is from Colombia, but my parents had me in New York because they wanted me to be an American citizen,” she said. Tasama-Santa lived in Colombia until she was nine years old, and then moved to the U.S. with her mom for her stepfather’s job. When asked about some of the differences between Colombia and the United States, Tasama-Santa described an average day in the city where she used to live, Cali.
“A typical day for me in Colombia would be waking up not too early, eating a good-sized breakfast with my whole family, going to school, coming home to a homemade lunch and then just doing my homework and relaxing,” Tasama-Santa said. She explained how most Colombian families have an empleada, or a nanny/caretaker, who would cook meals and clean the house since both parents were usually at work all day. Tasama-Santa talked about the outgoing Colombian spirit and how everyone inquires about how her day is going whenever she visits. “Everyone there is so friendly, and good-hearted and so passionate for their country.” There are also a lot of differences between Tasama-Santa’s two cultures, especially between schools and climates. She
described how most schools in Colombia are combined elementary through high school and have open-air campuses rather than closed buildings like in the U.S. As for the weather, TasamaSanta emphasized the warm temperatures that stayed all year in Colombia. “We don’t even have seasons there because it stays hot all the time. Even when it rains, it’s warm rain and very humid,” Tasama-Santa said. Tasama-Santa still misses Colombia a lot and loves to visit every chance she gets. However, she has also adjusted well to her life in the United States. “I was terrified to move here. I thought school would be like it is in the movies, like ‘Mean Girls.’ But it’s not like that at all,” Tasama-Santa said. “We adapted to the way life is here, but we brought our own Colombian roots with us.”
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katie peurrung|photographer
I drive a 2003 Dodge Stratus. I love my car because of how fast it is. I can get up to 140 miles an hour. My car is probably the best gift I’ve ever recieved.” Dylan Hart (11)
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katie peurrung|photographer
I drive a Honda Accord. I love my car because I didn’t have to buy it.” Garrett Bates (12)
LARP fights back victoriously
mickey shin |photographer
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LARP member junior Jackson Smith holds up a shield to defend himself from fellow member junior Anthony Pacheco’s oncoming blow. LARP meets with Gamers Club on Fridays after school in Tara Smith’s classroom, Room 2205.
kayla wilke
staff writer LARP, or Live Action Role-Playing, is an activity where participants fight with foam swords and dress up in various costumes. It took a few tries, but junior Jackson Smith was finally able to revive LARP Club this year. Jackson Smith discovered LARP when he was pretty young. “I first heard about it when I was nine. I watched a movie called ‘The Role Models,’” he said. One of Smith’s fellow members junior Anthony Pacheco explained the type of role he plays in LARP. “I’m a warrior. I use big weapons,” Pacheco said. Smith also elaborated on what LARP was to him. “It’s basically sword fighting. It requires mental and physical skill,” Jackson Smith said. When Smith was a freshman, he heard that our school had a huge and successful LARP Club to which over 70 people came. He was disappointed that it wasn’t still going. The club started up again Smith and Pacheco’s sophomore year with the help of science teacher Sara Flores-Anderson. Pacheco says that when he joined last year, fewer
than 10 people were coming to the club. Last year’s club was actually doing all right until someone chipped a tooth,” Smith said. “It was a miserable failure.” Flores-Anderson then decided the club was too dangerous. The club is a lot more organized now with Smith and Pacheco leading its comeback. “[The club] is better planned and better to be in the club now,” Pacheco said. There are no prerequisites for joining the club. The only requirement is coming to the meetings. “Basically, you just show up,” Smith said. In the past, Smith paid $20 out of his own pocket to buy materials to make all of the equipment the club needs. “The club wasn’t making any money because only five people were coming,” Pacheco said. “An average of 20 or more people come now.” To help the club expand, Smith decided to team up with Gamers Club to help keep LARP alive. Even though it’s stressful to start a club all over again, Smith is optimistic. “Because of what’s happened this year, I’m probably going to continue next year.”
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katie peurrung|photographer
I drive a Honda Accord. This car was my older brother’s car passed down to me, but just because I didn’t have a choice about what car I can get doesn’t mean I don’t love it.” Steven Joplin (11)
katie peurrung|photographer
I drive a 2005 Nissan Titan. I love my truck because I can pretend in my mind that I can run over people and other smaller cars.” Katie Smith (12)
REPORTED BY SEAN ELLER
12|A&E|19 March 2015
BIG SEAN
ALBUM REVIEWS ‘Dark Sky Paradise’
katie peurrung
peurrung
on
SOCIAL M E D I A More than selfies
A
s I write this, my oldest and first photo I ever posted to Instagram sits at the bottom of my feed, nearly untouched at 111 weeks and three likes. Since then, I’ve gained quite a few more followers and followed plenty of people myself. The main purpose of my Instagram is photography – a shared interest among most of the people I follow. After two years on the platform, I’m confident in saying that I have found some of the most unique users, from an evaporating landmark to a true king of composition. @dalberda More than just for dance lovers, Devin Alberda’s account offers a unique perspective of the premier New York City Ballet. One can expect to find a wide range of photography, from candid pictures of pre-show nerves to gallery-quality action shots. Whenever I’m lacking inspiration or just want to transport myself somewhere far more interesting than third hour, I look to @dalberda. His photos truly illustrate the enormous amount of work that goes into the renowned performances of the New York City Ballet. Even if your best is a sub-par Macarena, you’ll enjoy this amazing photography account. @karlthefog Next up is a close friend of mine, Karl, commonly known as the San Francisco fog. Karl is always there for you, just over the hills. Without him, the Bay Area wouldn’t be the same. This famous collection of water molecules floats across iconic landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge, the Painted Ladies and Sutro Tower. Keep up with Karl as he proves that blue skies are overrated. Who knew a cloud could be so witty? @snowshelleyjackson “A story in progress, weather permitting.” Each winter, watch Shelley’s story grow with every frozen-fingered post. This account might be the most unique Instagram I’ve ever run across. Look her up and you’ll find almost 300 pictures of words thoughtfully etched into different snowy scenes. As a new photo goes up, one more word is added to the seasonal account. Read these in reverse order, starting at the bottom, to uncover her story. Check her out, before the snow melts. Whether you’re the type of person to follow the entire Kardashian family or just your closest friends, photography is something everyone can enjoy and appreciate. Next time you find yourself sitting (suffering) through your third PowerPoint of the week, give these guys a look.
ben casas
In the most competitive music industry in the world, the phrase “Win some and lose some” is one you hear quite often. In a highly potent rap game, Big Sean released his third studio album “Dark Sky Paradise” with guest appearances by Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Drake, Chris Brown, Ty Dolla Sign, Jhené Aiko, PARTYNEXTDOOR, John Legend, E-40 and Ariana Grande. This album is the best album of his career. It’s all around fire. With big names on his album, this big rapper doesn’t disappoint. After failing to meet standards in 2013 for his second studio album “Hall of Fame,” Big Sean bounced back. With his distinct voice, Big Sean murders his verses by taking time to make sure every line is crisp and meaningful. He avoids being one dimensional by
delivering with more than one type of style. From “Paradise” to “One Man Can Change the World,” Big Sean shows how versatile he can be. He slows things down from his usual upbeat style with “One Man Can Change the World.” With Kanye and John Legend featured in this song, Big Sean puts out the best song on the album. Kanye doesn’t rap, but sings the first chorus right after Big Sean kills the first verse of the song. He inspires listeners by saying that you can have a lot of drive to be successful, but that you need to keep having that same drive for continued success. Kanye wraps up that verse by leading into the chorus. If you’re a fan of hip-hop or rap, this is a must-have. Even if you’re not, I really suggest you give this album a listen because it’s not a stereotypical rap album purely about money and women. It truly has a deeper meaning behind it. Big Sean finally reached the number one album in the Billboards Top 200. Like Big Sean said in the song “Dark Sky,” he truly did make it to the sky scrapers.
Food truck roundup
FALLING IN REVERSE
wyatt beck
“Just Like You,” the third album from Falling in Reverse, has a very ‘80s punk rock feel to it, and I like it a lot. The title song “Just Like You” has a peppy rock essence and is exactly what this album needs to round it out and spice it up. I like this song because it has an upbeat tune, but darker lyrics that I think are actually pretty funny. This song is about feuding band members that realize they have one thing in common. They know that they’ve made mistakes, and that it’s time to move past their differences. There is a fast transition to “Guillotine IV,” a song that won’t let you forget that this band is still capable of scream and heavy guitar solos. Lead singer Ronnie Radke shows his vocal range in this song, demonstrating why he is an essential part of the album. Due to recent album releases,
‘Just Like You’
my standards for today’s music are very low. I believe that the glory days of rock are over, but this album was one of the few exceptions where a modern artist blew me out of the water. This album caught my attention because I believed it would fit into any ‘80s punk rock collection without question. They remind me of a newer Pantera, a heavy metal band that had its height of popularity in the ‘90s, but not quite as good. It takes a special touch to be able to make this kind of album and have such a large fan base to back it. Falling in Reverse made this album to keep its current fan base content, not in hopes of expanding it. Their first and a more popular album, “The Drug In Me Is You,” pales in comparison to “Just Like You.” In my opinion, this album has to be one their best yet. That being said, parts of this album may be viewed as vulgar and sometimes inappropriate. If you are offended by foul language and suggestive themes, then you may want to avoid this album. Overall, “Just Like You” is an amazing album, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys Falling in Reverse or just the punk rock scene in general.
Ellie Mendoza visited three food trucks in the Tri-Cities. Photos by Max Weil.
TACOS GARCIA TACO TRUCK Carne Asada Tacos
Appearance
Taste
Not great, but not terrible either. I’m a regular taco truck customer, so I consider myself a bit of a taco connoisseur. From what I can tell, these tacos look about average. Nonetheless, I don’t think anything can really look good in a white styrofoam container, so I’ll give it a try.
Solid. I’ve had better, but the price is good. The carne asada is a bit fatty for me, but the cilantro is fresh and the tortillas aren’t too greasy. Also, the green salsa has the perfect amount of spice. If you’re looking for some fantastic tacos I recommend venturing over to the streets of downtown Pasco, but for West Richland, these aren’t too bad. I’d go here again.
PORTER’S REAL BARBECUE Pulled pork sandwich with original sauce
Appearance
Taste
Pretty good. It looks like an elevated classic pulled pork sandwich and comes in a cute brown cardboard box with gingham paper lining.
Unfortunately, it looks better than it tastes. The original sauce has a pretty strong mustard taste that I can’t say I’m a fan of, and the meat wasn’t very warm. The bread-to-meat ratio was good, but it was served cold with only a mediocre taste. This item does not find a place in my heart as a winner.
THE STREET GRILL The Beale Burger
Appearance
Taste
It looks super appetizing and I’m not even a huge burger fan. The homemade chips that it comes with look sort of interesting, but overall I’m really excited to eat this.
This is a fantastic burger, especially for the price. Everything tastes fresh and delicious and the burger is juicy, and it’s obvious that it was just prepared. There’s a generous amount of everything, which I can definitely appreciate. I highly recommend The Street Grill to anyone and everyone.
19 March 2015|A&E|13
THROWBACK THURSDAY MOVIE REVIEW Kyle Reisenauer and Dana Small take a look back on ‘90s classics Acting
Acting
Acting
Alicia Silverstone, who portrayed Cher, did a good job playing the stereotypical blond California teenager. Paul Rudd did an admirable job playing the annoying friend who eventually figured out he had feelings for Cher. Brittany Murphy, who played the role of Tai, acted wonderfully as the lost teenager who desperately wanted to fit in.
Tom Hanks carried the movie on his star power, but Meg Ryan was very stiff and hard to watch. The characters had little depth and no motivation. It felt like they just read the script for what it was. Nevertheless, they obviously appealed to some audiences, as the film achieved mass popularity.
Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles, who play Patrick Verona and Kat Stratford respectively, were outstanding as the social outcasts. Joseph Gordon Levitt, who played Cameron, portrayed a convincing lovesick junior. There was no awkward mid-film change of personality. All of the characters felt real and believable.
Plot
Plot
Plot
“Clueless” follows Cher Horowitz – a snobbish, rich stereotypical Valley girl. When her school gets a new student – a frumpy girl with no etiquette – Cher makes it her life’s mission to help the new girl fit in and be cool. Over the course of the movie she starts to fall for Josh, a soon to be lawyer who is working with her father on a case and also happens to be her ex-step brother (awkward?). Cher begins to realize that helping others in need is better than trying to help someone fit in. This is a good adaptation of 1815 novel “Emma” by Jane Austen. Although it has a thin plot, the characters make up for it with countless laughs.
A struggling small bookstore owner, Kathleen, has an online affair with Joe, who is the head honcho at the mega chain bookstore Fox Books. While they have a romance via e-mail (remember – this is the ‘90s), they are enemies in real life because Joe has opened a nearby chain store that threatens to put Kathleen’s store out of business. As the movie progresses, Joe realizes that Kathleen is the online girl he loves, and by the end gets her to fall in love with him. While it sounds like a nice plot, it is riddled with coincidences and slowly paced. Towards the end of the story, many characters changed attitudes – which could be confusing to a viewer.
When transfer student Cameron James starts at a new school, he is instantly smitten with sophomore Bianca Stratford. The only problem is that Bianca can’t date until her anti-social older sister Kat has her first date. Cameron hatches a plan to pay the resident mysterious bad-boy Patrick Verona to take Kat out on a date. What starts out as a scheme soon turns into love for Kat and Patrick as they realize they are perfect for each other. Sure, this is could be described as your typical romantic comedy plot, but it was executed in an enjoyable fashion. The entire movie was well timed had a nice flow and a witty script to support it.
Watchability
Watchability
Watchability
This movie may be 20 years old, but it’s one of the few films that teenagers from any generation can relate to. Not only is it enjoyable, but it has a message to go along with it (even though it’s a pretty cheesy one). As long as you understand the girl talk, you’ll have a good time watching “Clueless.”
This was a boring, sappy movie that you should watch only if there is nothing else on TV. That being said, it was good for one watch, but we don’t think we could sit through it again. We will admit that Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan did have a notable chemistry. All in all, for a movie regarded as a classic, I’m a little confused as to why.
This is one movie that is definitely worth watching. It was funny and witty, and it wasn’t hard as a viewer to become absorbed in the characters’ struggles as lovestruck teenagers. While some movies can become tiresome after too many views, “10 Things I Hate About You” has yet to fall under that catergory.
‘CLUELESS’
‘YOU’VE GOT MAIL’
‘10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU’
COMING UP MARCH 31 “Kintsugi” Death Cab for Cutie
MARCH 20 “Insurgent”
MARCH 24 “Bloodborne”
APRIL 2 “Project CARS”
MARCH 31 “Human” Three Days Grace
APRIL 17 “Paul Blart: Mall APRIL 3 Cop 2” “Future Hearts” All Time Low
APRIL 14 “Mortal Kombat X” APRIL 2 “Furious 7”
MAY 4 “Wilder Mind” Mumford & Sons
MAY 1 “The Avengers: Age of Ultron”
‘The Order: 1886’
high quality graphics can’t save a low quality game
JADON FICKLE
My parents always told me that when you critique someone, you always start out with the good, so I will. “The Order: 1886” is beautiful. These graphics are a perfect representation of what the PlayStation 4 console can do. “The Order: 1886” is the greatest-looking game, graphics-wise, that I have ever seen. In the opening cutscene, the graphics make the game seem like
a movie. Game creators always try to make their cutscenes look as lifelike as possible. This one does something completely different: its actual gameplay looks just as amazing as the cutscenes. This game takes detail to a whole new level. On the characters, you can see the individual strands of their mustaches, the fibers in their clothing, even the reflections in their eyes! The game, essentially, is a playable movie. However, no matter how good the graphics are, they really don’t do much to distract you from the terrible quality of the gameplay. This game is boring. The game makes fun ideas boring, the character development is nearly
nonexistent, and worst, the plot is ridiculous. It starts out in the old times with the Knights of the Round Table fighting a bunch of half-humans, which was plausible enough. The game then says, “Hey! Why don’t we just add magical water that makes the Knights live forever?” This is why the game takes place in 1886, and even then scientists are inventing zeppelins and other advanced technology half of a century early. Now, I can understand most outlandish plots, and I can understand plots that almost don’t exist, like those in “Destiny” because they make up for it with good gameplay, but “The Order: 1886” has nothing I understand.
bookmark cafe 13 cookies for $4.62
955 northgate drive lobby of the richland library richland, wa 99352
Buy 2 large bubble teas, get 1 free
14|School&Career|19 March 2015
AP TEST STATISTICS
Below is a graphic with the most popular AP tests and the number of people who took them in the last two years. For questions on tests available this year, contact Cathy Kuwamoto in the counseling office. This year, AP tests are May 4 - 15.
72 Language 2014
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
70
Psychology
58
Literature
49
Statistics
90 Language
shelby schumacher|photographer
Senior Cameron Johns stands in front of the resources available for prospective students who wish to enlist in the military. Johns enlisted in the U.S. Army when he was 17.
senior chooses service shelbyschumacher
staff writer Not all students go to college after graduating high school. Some start working, some go to vocational schools, and some join the military. Every year, a handful of students from the graduating class pursue a career in one of the branches of the armed forces. One such student is Private Cameron Johns, a senior who enlisted in the Army at the age of 17, going through basic training the summer before his senior year. “The benefits are amazing,” Johns said. “I’ve always wanted to be in the Army.” He has the opportunity to go to any in-state college for 50 percent tuition because he decided to serve in the armed forces. Not all military jobs involve being on the front lines, in the line of fire. A good portion of them involve technical skills in order to support those few that fight. Johns is a Signal Systems Support Specialist who makes sure that radios and computers are working properly. “I’m basi-
cally an IT guy,” Johns said. There are multiple job opportunities available to students who decide to join any of the branches. Staff Sergeant Cora Gjorgievski, who enlisted in 2002, and Airman First Class Tyler Calzadillas, who is fourth generation Air Force, are currently a part of the recruitment program that provides information to prospective high school students. “We let them know that this is an option and also recruit them,” Gjorgievski said. “[We] are here to answer any questions if they are interested.” In order to volunteer, a military hopeful must be at least a junior in high school and 17 years old, like Johns. Recruitment officers like Calzadillas and Gjorgievski help potential recruits make the process both easier and smoother. “If they are interested at all, definitely have them give me a call, and I will make sure that they are pre-qualified,” Gjorgievski said. “[We] can have a one-on-one sit down, and I can answer all their questions.”
2013
T
62
Psychology
50
Calculus BC
47
Literature reporting by ryan wang
Comparing student jobs RETAIL
FAST FOOD
For junior Austin Dreyer, the choice between a retail and fast food job was an easy one. “I chose retail over fast food to avoid the urge to constantly consume unhealthy food and also to not be enveloped by the smell of grease,” Dreyer said. Dreyer is currently employed at Shopko, where he works an average of 12 hours a week. His main duties at work are assisting customers, organizing merchandise, and stocking shelves. Overall, Dreyer finds his job enjoyable and loves being on the move and helping customers. While he finds there are numerous positive aspects to his job, there are a couple downsides. “My least favorite parts are how repetitive daily tasks can become. And the olive green work shirts.”
While many teenagers dread going to work, the opposite is true for sophomore Rose Dimmick. Dimmick works 19 hours a week at Dairy Queen where she is always busy. Some of her duties include taking orders, making ice cream, cleaning, stocking and taking food to customers. While she enjoys the work that she does, she enjoys the people she works with even more. “I absolutely love my job. My favorite part is the people: they’re kind, and it’s a very fun time,” Dimmick said. When asked about her least favorite part of the job, Dimmick came up empty. “I don’t dislike anything about working at Dairy Queen. Going to work always puts me in a better mood. reporting by natalie schueddekopp
DIFFERENTIATING DRIVING SCHOOLS 9-1-1
Quality
Parkside
Location: 6607 W. Canal Drive, Kennewick, 99336 Cost: $450
Location: 4602 Kennedy Road, West Richland, WA 99353 Cost: $390
Location: 1107 Lee Blvd., Richland, WA 99352 Cost: $410
DISTINCTIVE FEATURE
All the instructors at 9-1-1 were once law enforcement officers; they know and give their insight on the consequences of safe versus unsafe driving.
Quality has a lower price rate because they believe that everyone should be able to drive, no matter their financial circumstances.
Parkside has been a part of the Tri-Cities community since 1997 and focuses on supporting our community.
STUDENT COMMENT
“I thought it was very educational, and it taught me to be a safe and respectable driver.” Gabrielle Turner (09)
“I learned quite a lot at Quality Driving School.” Blake Nelson (10)
“All the people are really friendly, and they were flexible with my schedule.” Chloe McClendon (09)
LOCATION/COST
reporting by ashton johnson
Adventures Underground www.AdvUnderground.com books@advunderground.com
1391 George Washington Way Richland, WA 93954 Open 10 a.m. -10 p.m. Every day
New & Used Books, Comics, Music, Art and Games
1.509.946.9893
19 March 2015|Opinion|15
Open our eyes, respect our peers We can all agree that we’ve heard “gay” used in the wrong context. But the issue goes beyond careless words in the hallways – what one person believes to be an offhand adjective is another’s identity. The word extends beyond the flippant confines of casual language and serves as a means of identification and celebration. From one background to another, the LGBTQ+ experience begets a variety of discrimination and hatred, whether intended or not. When we think of “gay,” we all too often think of an ostracized group of welldressed, one-dimensional metrosexual men with flamboyant mannerisms and theatrical voices. However, LGBTQ+ people can be as inconspicuous as any other high school student. We come in contact with them every day, more often than we realize.
Because they don’t fit into our preconceived ideas, we make assumptions and end up marginalizing them without knowing it. We struggle to open our eyes and accept our peers. Ignorant and inconsiderate opinions are all fine and dandy, but when they are inflicted upon others at the cost of freedom and self-expression, everyone gets hurt. In an effort to showcase both the ordinary and unique aspects of experiencing high school while identifying as LGBTQ+, we’ve interviewed students and graduates who shared with us their stories, both positive and negative. They shared their experiences in hopes that others may gain insight and perspective into their daily lives, and perhaps find some solace in similar circumstances. Recent LGBTQ+ graduates Alec White and Anthony Rogers both reflected that
high school limited their self-expression. The faculty and student body at the time were not accustomed to sexuality outside the norm and did not welcome White and Rogers with the tolerance and acceptance that all individuals deserve. However, White and Rogers both assert that life after high school is a relieving and liberating experience, one that all students should look forward to. They were given new opportunities to educate themselves on the diversity of gender and sexual expression. Everyone has a story, and we all have the obligation to show mutual respect. The staff editorial is the concensus of the Editorial Board.
SBAC TESTING: From what I’ve seen of it, it seems to be very rigorous and I’m not sure how much benefit students will get from it. We have to take time away from learning when we could be teaching. Kevin Joyce, math teacher
Honestly, this SBAC sounds pretty difficult. I just hope that it won’t be too difficult. The only part that seems good is that there’s a group essay to it. George Zhang (10)
Coach Jay seems like he really wants to turn this team around, for the better. I’m pumped to see what changes he brings to the culture of our team, and can’t wait to see how this upcoming season will turn out. Grant Cowen (11)
I’m excited to see what he [Brett Jay] has in store for us next year! I could tell in the meeting he’s a fast paced serious coach, which is always a great coach to have in football. And I hope he will guide us in the right direction! Tyler Miller (11)
I understand [Michelle Obama’s] point, but some of the stuff doesn’t necessarily make sense because selling candy, or not even candy but other goods, is a way to fundraise for students and it’s hard to come up with other ideas that people would actually participate in. Kiera Lucas (11)
[Michelle Obama’s] intention is good, you know we probably shouldn’t be all fat, it’s just annoying that we can’t eat what we want now. Jason Serkowski (11)
FOOD REGULATIONS:
One of Michelle Obama’s biggest campaigns is changing American nutrition. She has set strict regulations for the amount of sugar and fats school foods can offer.
19 March 2015 issue 15.4
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF mickey shin
EDITORS
alisa chuang, copy ryan wang, business manager elisa apra, design naveena bontha, news ellie mendoza, sports srinithi suresh, career emily tan, features valarie milbrath, features shibani datta, a&e caroline waring, opinion
PHOTOGRAPHERS
calvin carr, sawyer henry, katie peurrung, maxwell weil aydin akyol, wyatt beck, kyle campbell, ben casas, sean eller, jadon fickle, ashton johnson, shanta katipamula, tanna king, mae landsman, tiffany liu, bryce logan, sonali matta, delaja pena, jourdan plante, jessica olson, kyle reisenauer, danica richards, jordan rodgers, natalie schueddekopp, shelby schumacher, dana small, diana wang, michelle wang, alex washburn, raelynn webb, kayla wilke, jenna wilson
ADVISER
nancy e. smith
NEW FOOTBALL COACH:
Following the resignation of former head coach Rob Oram, Hanford hired Finley native Brett Jay. Jay coached the River View Panthers for six seasons before moving to Oregon.
ALTITUDE
STAFF
CONTEMPORARY OPINIONS The SBAC is a test designed to ensure that students around the nation are meeting a minimal standard of math and language arts education. It will replace the HSPE.
THE
reporting by emily tan
Editorial Policy: The Altitude is an open public forum for the student community at Hanford High School. The paper is published by Hanford Student Media, informing and entertaining its audience in a broad, fair, and accurate manner. The reporting and opinions published in the Altitude do not represent views of the Richland community, school board, administrators, faculty, or student body of Hanford High School. Advertising Policy: The Altitude accepts advertising for most products and services available to the public. Advertising which promotes illegal products under Washington law, opposes any religion, is written in bad taste, or which includes false statements will not be accepted. The Editorial Board has the right to refuse any such ad. Letters to the Editor: Signed letters to the editor will be accepted and published. The staff reserves the right to edit the letters for poor taste, space, libel, and grammar. Memberships: WJEA, JEA, SPLC Printing by the Daily Sun News, Sunnyside, Washington.
the tyranny of prom thinking about twitter drama
ryan wang
In roughly a month and a half, prom will be taking place and before that, the grueling process of electing prom royalty. The very idea of royalty is ironic, and the royalty isn’t even decided through traditional monarchical means anyway. If we’re going to call them royalty, then the prom king and queen should stay the same people until they die and then be succeeded by their first born. If the prom king never has children then the next king will be decided by a combination of the differing wills of the clergy and aristocrats
at the school. Besides, history has shown that democratic elections only lead to incompetent, reactionary leaders who change the state about as much as a potato would. Take American presidents for example: Andrew Jackson, better known as Old Beat the Indians with a Hickory-Stick; Andrew Johnson, the cross-dressing KKK enthusiast; and James Buchanan, who doesn’t even deserve a nickname because all he did was sit on his fanny and twiddle his thumbs. The nomination of powers is doomed to cause the ultimate failure of the state. So if both monarchies and democracies don’t work, what left do we have to design our prom after? The answer is obvious: we must elect a revolutionary vanguard to lead us through the drudgery of capitalist oppression, and to steer ourselves towards an egalitarian, free society – a communist utopia.
naveena bontha
On most Friday nights, I like to sit down on my favorite sheepskin blanket with a bowl of popcorn and the Twitter feed streaming on my phone. It doesn’t matter what time of day or whatever is trending, there’s always a good fight to be witnessed on Twitter. In January, people usually fight about the elections and politics. February is dominated by relationship drama (my favorite). In March, people like to show off their spring sports schedules, which invariably leads to some nasty subtweeting about how softball isn’t actually a sport. April is
spent obsessing over grades and tests, so usually Twitter is pretty quiet. May usually starts with some girl morosely begging for a prom date, and then all of the popular upperclassmen gang up to make fun of her. As I’m going through these months, are you seeing how ridiculous this is? Twitter is used as nothing more than a tool to verbally eviscerate people who made the mistake of posting a little bit of their life on social media. Twitter used to be a fun place to tell interesting things about your life. People would tweet about their experiences for their followers to enjoy. But then an interesting phenomenon happened. People realized that the best way to gain followers and attention was by attacking other students in the form of the friendly class clown. The funny jokes then led to some not so funny posts, which
then eventually led to people viciously attacking each other. All behind the “safety” of their computer screens, allowing them to say things they would never say in real life. I think that the line between funny and hurtful always gets blurred when people are hiding behind their phone screens. Without the presence of strict boundary lines, people start to say unkind things, which make other people reply with unkind things, which leads to (drumroll, please) a Twitter fight! And then, some random kid from Arkansas gets involved – like what? Now I know some people are reading this article, and shaking their heads, thinking “lol what does the weird nerd girl know about Twitter?” If the weird nerd girl can find and witness these fights, so can every college and university you apply to.
16|Opinion|19 March 2015
The faults of #meninists
natalie schueddekopp
Meninism: a mockery of feminism that proves women can’t request equality without men making everything about themselves. This is the Urban Dictionary definition of meninism, and sadly, it is not far from the truth. If you’re on Twitter or any social media, chances are you’ve heard of meninism. Whether it’s the hashtag or the numerous accounts, it’s almost impossible to scroll through your feed without seeing it mentioned. The meninist hashtag started out in December as a satire on the feminist movement and as an outlet for men to complain about the problems they face in the 21st century. However, what started out as a joke quickly escalated into thousands of misogynistic and hateful tweets attacking feminists and equality as a whole. The meninism hashtag inspired other more radical ones, such as #notallmen, #feministsareugly, and #womenagainstfeminism.
Shortly after the huge growth of #meninist tweets, meninist Twitter accounts began popping up rapidly. These accounts proved to be no more than an extension of the anti-feminist and misogynistic views portrayed by the hashtag. What’s more alarming is the complete mockery of abortion, domestic violence and rape that is demonstrated by these accounts. One of the most popular images to surface from these accounts is an image depicting a pregnant woman being pushed down the stairs by a man, with the caption “Plan C.” The fact that these accounts are advocating for domestic abuse is beyond sickening, and what’s even more disturbing is the overwhelming number of both men and women that are supporting it. These accounts take rape and other important issues into punchlines of jokes that are 100 percent offensive and 0 percent funny. The accounts are willing to do anything to offend a feminist, even though their idea of a modern day feminist is completely absurd and completely off the mark. Meninists view feminists as men-hating women that blame men for every single problem in the world while aiming to have
rights superior to those of men, when in reality, feminists simply aim to establish rights that are equal to those of men. Another disturbing trend brought on by the meninist movement is the #meninist t-shirts being bought and worn by mostly teenage boys and girls. On any major social media site, one is able to find a slew of pictures showing young people displaying their meninist apparel, often accompanied by captions expressing how proud they are to be a meninist. Whether they say it’s all a joke or not, by buying meninist t-shirts these men and women are directly supporting and perpetrating the misogynistic and hateful culture that goes along with these meninist ideals, diminishing the notion of ever establishing equality. Meninism is not a joke. Hundreds of thousands of men and women supporting blatant misogyny and the ideals that have set back and oppressed women for as long as they’ve been alive is not a joke. Women who are fighting for the equal rights and respect that they deserve should not be met with harsh ridicule and searing hate for it. The oppression and hate women have to deal with every single day is not a joke, and trying to make it into one is not funny.
SIDE BY SIDE BY SIDE: Pasco and Police Brutality
The guy was throwing rocks at them, so they were being attacked slash assaulted. Obviously, they shouldn’t have killed him, but they should have done something. A lot of the time, people can’t understand the actions of policemen because in hindsight, what seems like an easy decision for you wasn’t so clearly the right thing to do at the time. In a case of shoot some kook or potentially be shot, you’re going to shoot. Daniel Dohnalek (11)
I think it was police brutality because he was just throwing rocks, and it was three people versus one guy. He didn’t deserve to die for throwing rocks. This stuff happens because of the mentality of the police. People of color are automatically thought as criminals before they commit a crime, causing the officers to overreact with any little thing. Abum Okegmbo (10)
Well, there’s no question there’s police brutality. But it’s a personal thing, never a department issue. I see it periodically, like, “Oh, you threw that guy awfully fast. If you waited another 30 seconds, they might have cooperated.” There’s a perception by a law enforcement officer sometimes that the public wants you to handle things and handle it now, when sometimes the best thing is to slow down. Not all officers use that, not all situations call for it, but it’s one of those things that is a tough judgment sometimes. Dave Neumayer, science teacher reporting by caroline waring
Police brutality hits home
alex washburn
We’ve all heard about the shooting in Pasco, right? Antonio Zambrano-Montes, a Mexicanborn farm worker residing in the country illegally was shot and killed by police after throwing rocks. According to relatives, Zambrano-Montes suffered from depression after his wife filed a protection order against him, alleging abuse, separating him from his two daughters. According to family, he was further depressed after, just prior to the shooting, a work-related incident broke both his wrists. Later, Zambrano-Montes had spent time in a homeless shelter. On February 7, ZambranoMontes was allegedly chucking large rocks into traffic and at the officers who arrived to detain him. When low level commands and a Taser failed to stop Zambrano-Montes from his kyle campbell and mickey shin
rock throwing, he literally turned around and began to walk away. As bystander video shows, police jogged after the assailant, when Zambrano-Montes suddenly whipped his torso around with his hands up in a possibly threatening manner. That’s when he was greeted with a hellfire of bullets — 17 of them, five or six striking him before he died. After officials searched Zambrano-Montes’s body, it was clear he didn’t have any weapons on his person. Everything about this ordeal is messed up on so many different levels. The police officers involved could have easily tackled this man to the ground. If Zambrano-Montes had been deported back to his home after his first incident, he would most likely still be alive. Zambrano-Montes’s wife is now swooping in, taking advantage of the situation and suing Pasco city $25 million dollars for her husband’s death. So, everyone is at fault here. The police should’ve tackled and arrested Zambrano-Montes, he should’ve never gone outside and thrown rocks into traffic, and the government should’ve sent him back to his country safely so he would have had a chance to turn his life around.