Hanford 16 2 by hanfordaltitude

Altitude VOLUME 16.2 • 11.24.2015

‘MOCKINGJAY’ REVIEW A look at the finale of the fourpart hit series. see page 8

Hanford High School • Richland, Wash. 99354

inside 2 PRINCIPAL

Tory Christensen discusses his new duties.

WE LEAD

REFUGEES

CHEERLEADER

BWW

New club aims to change school culture and foster leadership.

Statistics and stories about refugees residing in the Tri-Cities.

Cheerleaders discuss trying out for the AllState team.

A review of the new Buffalo Wild Wings.

up & coming Nov. 25 Early release

Nov. 26 Thanksgiving

Dec. 1 Bowling v. Chiawana @ Atomic Bowl

REFUGEES AT HOME As the refugee crisis escalates, the refugees at home share their stories Last year, 70,000 refugees arrived in the United States. Of those, 226 found themselves stranded in the Pasco airport, suitcases stuffed with every last remnant of their past homes. Iraqi students Noor, Abbood, Maryam, and Athraa are among these Richland refugees. From traveling through multiple countries, listening to bombs as they fall asleep, and eating Turkish foods, they made it to a safe haven, a land for new opportunities. The resettlement process was lengthy and rigorous, but after finally passing through the impalpable legal borders, they are ready to start anew. But does residency really translate to integration? continued on page 6 reporting by emily tan, naveena bontha, kyle campbell, caroline waring graphics by emily tan photography by katie peurrung

Dec. 5 Boys’ B-Ball v. Eisenhower @ HHS

Dec. 9 Wrestling v. Kamiakin @ HHS

Dec. 17 Yuletide celebration choir concert

News

THE BUZZ what have you heard in the news?

“

Donald Trump -- he made fun of immigrants.

11.24.2015

CHRISTENSEN MOVES INTO NEW ROLE Administrative changes

Donald Trump is known for repeatedly making racist remarks and controversial statements. Recently, Trump claimed that immigrants “have lots of problems” and that “they’re bringing those problems with us.” After making prejudiced comments during his campaign in June, major corporations ended their business relationships with Trump. After the recent Paris attacks, Trump continued his comments, saying “anybody that’s brought into this country from the migration is going to be out.”

SAI KUKKADAPU (09)

Tory Christensen is the new principal, replacing Ken Gosney. He took this new position Oct. 20. Previously, he served as the assistant principal. The current administrative staff includes: Tory Christensen | Principal Mike Gaddis | Assistant Principal Gary Bradley | Assistant Principal Eric Davis | Assistant Principal/ Athletic Director Jeremy Dueno | Administrative Assistant

“

The Paris attacks, that’s obviously a really big one.

Last week, Paris was attacked, resulting in 129 fatalities and over 350 wounded. Three ISIS suicide teams bombed six locations on Friday night, including a sports stadium, concert venues and multiple restaurants. The French military is currently targeting ISIS in Syria, trying to hunt down the source of the attacks.

katie peurrung

DANA SMALL news editor

DAHLIA SHTAIH (10)

“

The earthquakes in Japan and Mexico all happened in the same day as the attacks in Paris. An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 hit Japan the past week, producing a minor tsunami. The tsunami hit the southern Nakanoshima Island. There were no reported fatalities or injuries. Another earthquake with a magnitude of 4.3 struck Baja California, Mexico, on the same day with no account of injuries or damages.

GABRIELLE CLEGG (11)

“

The University of Missouri -- the teachers were yelling at the journalists for trying to interview and photograph protesters. At The University of Missouri, journalist and photographer Tim Tai took photos of protesters who linked together to form a “safe space” on the campus quad. The protesters prevented Tai from taking photos, leading to a debate between the journalists and protesters about withholding the media from public areas.

KAARIN VON BARGEN (12)

On Oct. 20, Tory Christensen became the new principal, replacing Ken Gosney, who took the position as executive director of Goodwill Industries of the Columbia. It was Gosney who told Christensen he should apply for the position when Gosney announced he would be leaving. “I knew we could continue to make Hanford a great school and I wanted to be a part of that,” Christensen said. Tory Christensen has worked at Hanford High School for nine years, five as a counselor and four years as an administrator. Three weeks after sending in his resume, he went through his first round of interviews. “It was easier than I thought it was going to be because I had a lot of friends around. The teachers and everyone on the committee were people I knew and respected,” Christensen said. After the first day of interviewing, he got called in for a second interview with members of Richland School District, including Superintendent Dr. Rick Schulte. “So I was able to talk with them and convince them I was the guy,” Christensen said. Christensen said transitioning from assistant principal to principal has not been what he was expecting. He has more responsibilities, including meetings with the Richland School District

Administrative interns from around the district are also rotating through the office, supporting the administrative staff.

and a lot more planning. He still wants to be a part of the school and to be able to work with the students like he did before. He works to schedule his meetings not directly before or after school, so he can be at school interacting with the students. Most of the feedback Christensen has received from the kids has been positive. “Some of them were like, ‘Oh, you’re the principal now?’ They saw me in a familiar role as one of the administrators,” Christensen said. One student who is particularly excited is junior Adam Strmec, who dressed as Christensen for Halloween. Strmec has known Christensen for six years and admires how Christensen always brings a smile to those around him. “I was in academy for AP Chem and Mrs. Stordeur was telling Mr. Koch, and I yelled ‘yes’ so loud that it could be heard throughout the Science hallway,” Strmec said. As the new principal, Christensen wants to keep Hanford progressing in the same way it was when Gosney was the principal. “As you look around Hanford High School, it’s great because we have a diverse group of students and a diverse group of parents coming in. As we go through the changes, we are hoping to continue to have the same culture and same successes we have had.”

reporting by michelle shin and trevyn wong

Jeremy Dueno has recently been hired as an administrative assistant for the rest of the 2015-2016 school year to support the administrators. Dueno’s previous job was with the Air Force where he worked for 20 years, 8 months and 16 days. ”It is pretty gratifying that I can influence kids when they are at that point in life where they are going to make a decision about how they are going to go, and to help them make the right decision,” he said.

Old holiday made new International and Drama Club celebrate traditional holiday JADON FICKLE staff writer

This Thanksgiving, some school clubs are having their own “family meals” together to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. One club that is having a celebration is International Club. They are showing foreign exchange students how Americans celebrate Thanksgiving. Their celebration took place on Nov. 19. “The intent of International Club is to make sure that foreign exchange students get to experience Thanksgiving,” adviser Chris McKee said. The goal of International Club is to give foreign exchange students the opportunity to experience American events and holidays. For Thanksgiving, all of the foreign exchange students are invited to bring their favorite foods from their home countries. Other members of the club also sign up to bring food to share, while McKee cooks the main course: turkey, mashed potatoes and more. “They celebrate it with

their host families, but this is an opportunity to have it with their peers,” McKee said. Drama Club also celebrates Thanksgiving, but they add their own personal touch to the holiday by calling it Friendsgiving. “The freshman are kind of the ‘new kids’ so we try to get them to build relationships and friendships,” senior Zachary Harper said. Building relationships is very important to Drama Club, as they work together on many plays throughout the year. Strong friendships are key to working together fluidly. Sometimes, however, the relationships built are more than just friendships. “Friendsgiving is a way to bring the drama department together as a family,” Harper said. International Club also embraces these ideas of family. They hold several different game nights and movie nights throughout the year, inviting everybody to participate. “I try and make it as family oriented as possible,” McKee said.

Both of these events have one thing in common, and that is embracing family. The goal of both clubs is to get people to experience new things and come closer together through family celebrations. “My favorite part is probably the comradery coming out of Friendsgiving, and just how much closer of a drama family we will be,” Harper said. While Thanksgiving is an American-celebrated, family oriented holiday, the clubs have taken those ideas and changed them, creating a new family, and inviting others to celebrate with them. Students become involved with each other, mixing cultures and building relationships. The bonds created are those of a second family and bring new light to traditional ideas. “It’s a way to bring us together as a family,” Harper said.

katie peurrung

KATIE PEURRUNG

On Nov. 17, 18, and 19 approximately 95 students auditioned for this year’s musical “The Little Mermaid.” High school rights for the show were released late this summer and Hanford will be one of the first high schools to do the full Broadway production.

News

11.24.2015

KATIE PERRUNG

katie peurrung

Construction workers finish up the final paving details on the new Fairchild Cinema, including paving the the road to the new parking lot. Fairchild Cinema is being built behind Gold’s Gym off Duportail Road.

New movie theater opening in December New Fairchild Cinema opens Dec. 4 on Duportail in South Richland, offering upscale movie viewing RUBY MACIO AND DANA SMALL staff writer & news editor

The view on Keene Road is changing in South Richland. Behind Gold’s Gym, construction workers are putting the final touches on the red and gold building. Fairchild Cinema’s newest theater opens on Dec. 4, offering distinctive seating, food and drink choices. One person excited for the theater’s new seats is senior Courtney Meigs. “I’m looking forward to the trays on the chairs, so when I’m

watching a scary movie, my food doesn’t fall out of my lap when I get scared and jump,” she said. The new Fairchild seats will be offered in every theater and are capable of reclining. They also come with a built in tray to hold food and drinks. Fairchild’s manager Veronica Mendoza said that Fairchild wants all viewers to feel at home. She feels that having comfortable seats that recline will make it a fun experience for all viewers. The theater will be allowing patrons to

buy their movie tickets and pick out a specific seat online prior to their show. As for the new concessions, Fairchild Cinemas will be offering a wider selection of drinks in the new theater. They will be offering a greater selection of pop products, and after the first month, they will be selling alcohol. Mendoza said that many adults have expressed their pleasure that alcohol will be sold. When the theater opens, the staff expects they will be busy with a lot of excited patrons and employees. One movie that is expected to

be most popular is the new “Star Wars” movie, which opens Dec 18. It is predicted to be one of the most popular movies in the first few months. Compared to the old Fairchild Cinemas in Pasco, Meigs said, “I think it will be better because it’s more spacious, comfortable and a little more homey.”

New SRO supports safety

NONPROFIT BANKS ON FOOD

The school resource officer partners with district mission

The Food Bank uses funding from the Federal Government as well as companies from the Tri-Cities to get donations. According to Bill Kitchens, the executive director of the Tri-Cities Food Bank, “The Federal Government gives us grants, and individual companies like Second Harvest as well as Northwest Harvest gives us money as well as food. Sometimes we’ll even get companies like McCurley and Yoke’s that teamed up and donated 20,000 tons of food last year.”

ROSE WANG staff writer

Throughout the halls, you may have seen an officer dressed in a black tactical vest, bearing the badge of the Richland Police Department. Officer Jory Parish started working as a Student Resource Officer (SRO) this year after former SRO Bonnie Meyer left. School Resource Officers work full time in schools to address certain needs and ensure the safety of the student body and staff. “My job is basically to ensure the safety of all of the people that attend the school here, as well as the staff,” Parish said. He has been working on patrol as a police officer with the Richland Police Department since 2004. After Officer Meyer, Parish decided to take up the job of School Resource Officer because he wanted a new challenge. “I’ve been on patrol for 10 years and just thought it would be fun to do something else,” Parish said. Parish takes great care in how he ensures the safety of the school and puts in lots of time and effort in maintaining a safe environment. “Probably the biggest thing that I try and do is do research on previous incidents and learn from those incidents. I then make changes to what the school is currently doing so that we don’t have the same mistakes that other places made,” Parish said. To become a Student Resource Officer, Parish had to undergo some special preparation. There are several National Association of School Resource Officers trainings, including

Basic and Advanced School Resource Officer courses, where attendees gain knowledge about the teen brain, youth trends, violence, victimization, drugs, threat response, diversity, and school law. “There’s some specific training that goes with it,” Parish said, “then, mentally preparing for the type of encounters you could have here.” In the school environment, there are different sorts of problems that Parish has to attend to. Switching from being a patrol officer in the Richland Police Department to School Resource Officer has created some major changes for Parish. “The environment and the clientele that we deal with are the biggest changes,” Parish said. “We’re here not because kids are in trouble . . . [T]ypically, when we get a call on patrol, it’s because somebody is doing something wrong.” Despite all of the hard work this job takes, there are some benefits for Officer Parish. “The thing I enjoy the most about this job would be interacting with all of the different people and getting to meet kids, teachers, and get all sorts of different backgrounds,” Parish said. As is, our school is a safe environment. However, Parish still sees room for improvement. “I would like to see the campus a little more secure, and I would like to see a better effort between the school and the police department to communicate and make changes together.”

Average amount collected per week

Average amount of food companies donate

= 2,000 tons of food

INFORMATION COLLECTED BY KETSIA KAHAMBWE

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Sports

11.24.2015

“It was a building process. This is the start of something great. The players are feeling out the system. We are getting better year after year. We are building a championship team.” Teeson Alford (10)

“The season started out strong. They played exciting games. The games were high scoring. The team had lots of energy.” Landon Taylor (12)

katie peurrung

reported by kyle reisenauer

katie peurrung

FanThreev.perspectives Player v. Coach on the football season

“We need to learn to be more consistent. We laid a good foundation for next year that our seniors helped us build. Overall I’m proud of the way we played.” Football Coach Brett Jay

We Lead sets sights on changing school culture EMAN AHMED staff writer

We Lead, a new program to unite student athletes, began this fall to promote a positive school culture. A group of student athletes from all grades and sports were selected to model that culture and mentor other students. “Somebody saw something in these people for them to be part of We Lead,” said Coach Tom DeWitz. “Whether it be a dynamic personality, or somebody people are attracted to, or somebody who leads by example,” he said. During their biweekly meetings, members talk about core covenants and how to model them for the student body. These covenants are part of an acronym: F.A.L.C.O.N., which stands for Family, Attitude, Leadership, Competing,

One Position/One Play, and No Excuses. Members of We Lead “arm [themselves] to go out into the field or the court and be the best leaders [they] can be, not only for [themselves], but for [their] program and teammates,” Evan Woodward, head girl basketball coach said. Students also work outside of meetings to spread this mentality. “We cleaned up the stands after the football games and we got kids out making videos . . . [W]e’re trying to make an impact in the hallways,” said DeWitz. Senior volleyball player Mikal Sanchez takes great pride in the projects she’s participated in, especially the community pizza lunch that the seniors put together on the baseball fields in October. “This is a chance to introduce

yourself to people you don’t know,” she said to students at the event. “Hanford is a safe environment . . . one big family. It was just a blast seeing the [comfort] we had with one another, even though most of us just met,” Sanchez said. “I will work tremendously hard until I reach my goals,” student athlete Jazmin Grant-Ruud said. She hopes to “become a greater mentor . . . and show the younger kids what it means to be a Hanford Falcon.” And that’s exactly what the coaches would like to see for the future of We Lead. “Our ultimate goal is for our leaders now to be the next teachers of the next group, so it kind of continues to grow and snowball as the kids that we train this year pass on the message next year,” Coach Lesley Guereca said.

danica richards

Riley McCrea (12) participates in a biweekly We Lead meeting led by Coach Brett Jay. We Lead focuses on teaching student athletes how to become leaders for the school.

FRESHMEN JOIN THE BIG LEAGUES

TERESA SIJGERS

DAVID GOSNEY

RAFA AL-KAHELI

ELIZABETH LOWMAN

LOUIS WERNER

“Yeah, I was nervous. I was looking forward to playing basketball and running “

“I was just looking forward to playing basketball. I just wanted to play and learn more ahout basketball.”

“I felt full of energy and really enthusiastic about the first day. And so far it’s going really well and I am enjoying it.”

“My sister played, so I was just happy to be there with her and the rest of the team.”

“I was really nervous. I thought it was going to be hard to make it.” reported by jourdan plante

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Features

11.24.2015

Cheerleaders take home statewide honor NAVEENA BONTHA features editor

calvin carr

Seniors Michelle Wang and Kiera Lucas and sophomore Bree McMurrich pose atop their pyramid. All three of them placed in the top 25 at the All-State tryouts. All three of them placed in the top 25 at the All-State tryouts to make the team.

The weekend of Nov. 14 senior Michelle Wang, senior Kiera Lucas and sophomore Brie Buchanan were named a part of the Washington State Cheerleading Coaches Association (WSCCA) All-State Team. The three of them were invited to try out for the team on Nov. 12 based off of their cheerleading and academic success. All three of them have been cheerleading since they started high school, but Buchanan started gymnastics in fifth grade, which prepared her for cheer. “I wanted to try something different than gymnastics,” she said, “I wanted to participate in a high school sport.” Lucas, however, attributes her interest in cheer to a simpler reason. “I was really good friends with Michelle in middle school; we had a lot of the same classes. When we came to high school, Michelle told me that she was going to try out for cheer, so I decided to try out too,” Lucas said. For Buchanan, her favorite thing

is stunting. “I like the challenge, and the way you have to depend on your teammates, because you need four people to go up and four people to bring you back down,” she said. Lucas loves how cheer combines different aspects of several different sports into one big activity. “It’s not just dancing, or tumbling, or stunting,” she said. “It’s not like any sport you’ve ever seen.” “At the competition last weekend, [along with the skills portion] they also had us answer an interview question to see our personality,” Buchanan said. “I was really anxious and the entire experience was really nerve-wracking, but I was excited to win with my friends.” Lucas and Buchanan both stress one point, though. “Cheer isn’t just shaking pom-poms. There’s the physical aspect, but there’s also a mental aspect, like grades and personality,” they both said. “It’s probably one of the hardest sports, and you get really frustrated, but at the end it is really rewarding,” Buchanan said.

FASHION FRENZY WITH KETSIA KAHAMBWE

“

KAIYA WARREN (9)

I love street style. And I like this shirt a lot with these pants. Kaiya’s outfit is probably one of my all-time favorites. Joggers have been really popular this year along with crop tops, and she combined these two trendy items to create a really “hip” look. Adding a gold chain, bracelet, and smart watch as accessories was a great idea. It finishes off the look nicely, adding a nice polished look to it. The tennis visor was a random accessory, but surprisingly, I really liked the sporty aspect it gave to the look.

“

NATHAN BELKLE (10)

EDEN SHELBY (12)

This is basically what I wear every day; it’s quick and fast to put together in the mornings.

“

Nathan’s outfit appealed to me the most in the mass of hoodies and sweatshirts because of how cohesive everything was. His grayish purple beanie matched well with his purple plaid flannel, which matched his lavender crew shirt. His Chuck Converse completed the very purple Portland grunge look. Although each piece was simple on its own, what makes this outfit is the fact that each piece had another piece to match with. Prescription or not, the glasses finished the outfit off perfectly.

Being able to put different pieces together is important, but it must also be cohesive. Eden’s outfit was the perfect mix of boy meets girl. Her skirt indeed does give her a slimmer waist because of the A-line cut. It’s paired uniquely with her high top sneakers. Her vibrant lip color and backwards ball cap captures her spunky and unique personality; almost like something Zendaya would wear. All in all, each individual piece tied together worked very well because of the colors being on the same palate.

buy your

YEARBOOK Dec. 7-18* $50

last chance for name engraving - $5 pay at bookeeping office or online. checks made payable to rsd.

I picked this skirt. It looks cute and gives me a slim waist.

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

Refugees at Home

Where are they from?

Refugee

Crisis

With the Syrian civil war escalating and terror attacks ravaging the world, international attention directed at the refugee crisis is at an all-time high. Borders are closing, photos are circulating, bombs are detonating. Propelled by all this global scrutiny, we decided to take an in-depth look at the impact refugees have had locally, interviewing Iraqi refugee students, the organization that helped them -- World Relief -- and their teacher, Bertha Rachinski.

“Picture yourself surrounded by unfamiliar, glassy buildings, lost and jobless, unable to communicate... CAROLINE WARING editor-in-chief

That’s when World Relief comes in, to alleviate the tension. Scott Michael is the director of World Relief Tri-Cities, a nonprofit with an office in Richland that works with refugees. In 2015, World Relief helped over 200 new refugees resettle and adjust to life in the Tri-Cities, guiding them through unfamiliar motions in a strange land. Of primary importance is the language barrier, which catches even many highly-educated professionals. “Many of them end up in entry level positions, and they have to learn English to get back into their field. Often times even after that they have to get back into school because their certifications and their degrees don’t necessarily transfer over,” Michael said. “It’s a very difficult thing, especially for people who are well-educated. If they speak really good English, sometimes they can get back into their fields pretty easily, but the key on that is that they speak really good English.” Then, of course, comes in the difficulties in adjusting to a new standard of living, for better or for worse. “We have refugees for Iraq that helped the U.S. government and had to flee, and they lived basically what we would call a middle-class lifestyle, and then we have refugees that come from camps, cooking over an open fire,” Michael said. “We’ll try to show them the stove, and they’ll look at it and say, you’ll have to come back tomorrow because we can’t figure this out yet, we need more help. Because they have not used a stove like that before.” Refugees end up in Richland most often on the basis of family, so preferably a niece will live with an uncle, a child with a parent. There are other attractive qualities that distinguish the Tri-Cities, however. “The crime is lower, the schools are good. It’s kind of a smaller community as compared to somewhere like Seattle where it just seems so overwhelming. The cost of housing is lower than Seattle,” Michael said. “A lot of the same reasons why I live here—it’s a good place to raise a family.” While many politicians are closing borders to refugees, Michael sees them in a different light. “When you look around here in the Tri-Cities, not many Americans are all that excited about picking apples or packing potatoes, or some of these other things that refugees have been willing to do,” Michael said. “I know that it’s not a set in stone thing, but I think that refugees help our economy.” Many refugees send money back to their relatives and friends in need, assisting some of the world’s most vulnerable. “It’s really rewarding because we can help them be able to get a job and be able to pay their bills,” Michael said. “I know they’re going to send their money back to people who are in awful situations, literally the people who need food and medicine, and that makes

11.24

it even more rewarding and even more important to help them.” One of the most important things Americans can do to better understand the refugee experience, though, is to befriend a refugee themselves. “I hope that sometime in their lives everyone gets to meet a refugee and realize that they’re just like them, just another person, but someone who had to leave their own home,” Michael said, “Other than that, they’re just like us.”

12-18 1975 250 thousand

months to become an official refugee

the year World Relief refugee resettlement began

refugees resettled by World Relief in over

80 countries

Refugees tend to settle in families, so that they may find company and help from a relative. The Tri-Cities has been a historically small hotspot, at least comparatively. In fact, we take in roughly 0.286 percent of refugees arriving in the U.S. each year. In contrast, the Tri-Cities makes up about 0.08466 percent of the total U.S. population. This graph demonstrates the Tri-Cities’ refugee population’s most popular countries of origin. All raw data was provided by World Relief Tri-Cities.

So Un

Syria

Colombia

6 2

Step 1

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees decides you meet the legal definition of “refugee.”

Step 2

The UNHCR, U.S. Embassy, or an NGO refers you to the U.S. government.

Step 3

A Resettlement Support Center collects your personal and background information and presents it to Homeland Security.

Step 4

The State Department, using the collected information, runs your name through a CLASS (Consular Lookout and Support System) name check.

Step 5

You may have to undergo another security review, and get cleared by a number of U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

Step 6

If you meet the minimum age requirement, a U.S. government employee takes your fingerprints and photo.

Step

Step Step Step

Step 1

How to become a refugee: A Rigorou

Refugees at Home

4.2015

Burma (Myanmar)

Refugees Among Us

Iraq

Down in the English hallway, there’s a classroom where you can hear rapid conversations in Spanish and joking in Arabic. This is Language Acquisition, a class of ten students from Mexico, the Marshall Islands and Iraq, taught by language arts teacher Bertha Rachinski. She said the following about working with these students:

Somalia

oviet nion

Cuba

Sudan

23 60 60 46 8 7 7

An officer from U.S. Citizenship and Immigrant Services travels to your country of asylum to conduct a detailed, in-person interview.

If the officer finds you qualify, your application is sent to the State Department. Approvals become final after you pass all previous security checks.

You undergo required medical screening by a designated physician.

You’re assigned to a voluntary agency in the U.S. which will assist you when you arrive.

You’re offered cultural orientation while you prepare for final processing.

A second interagency check is conducted before you depart.

Once you arrive at one of five designated U.S. airports, a Customs and Border Protection officer conducts additional security checks one last time.

us Process

How can we help? The following is a list of common items that World Relief requests to assist refugee families, taken from the World Relief website: o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Lamps and lamp stands Forks, knives and spoons Plates, bowls and cups Sauce, baking and frying pans Mixing/serving bowls, beverage pitchers and Tupper- ware type containers Kitchen utensils and can openers Towels and wash cloths Sheets, blankets, comforters and pillowcases (linens can be new or gently used – please be sure gently used lin ens are washed in hot water) Alarm clocks Paper, pens and pencils Waste baskets and trash bags Kitchen tables and chairs Chests of drawers or similar clothing storage

World Relief is located at 2600 N. Columbia Center Blvd., #206, Richland, WA 99352. Items may be brought from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday. You can call the director, Scott Michael, at 509-734-5477 x100 or email him at smichael@wr.org to schedule a drop off time. More information can be found at worldrelieftricities.org under “Donations.”

“I love working with this population. In spite of being from different countries and cultures, these students are teenagers like all of you. They want to get to know each other; they want to have the high school experience; they want to have fun and to make friends. I love that in my room we can sometimes help that happen. I love that we get to be a part of their new life in a new country. Sometimes it can be hard and lonely, and I love that we get to offer support and encouragement. I have worked with this population a lot in my 20 years in this district. When I go to the grocery store or the hospital or many other places, I often run into former students. It is such a good feeling to see that five or ten years after high school, my former students have settled into our community and have jobs, have bought homes and are raising families. They have learned to speak the language. I feel I have been a little part of the American Dream.” EMILY TAN editor-in-chief

There is a consensus among the Iraqi students of Bertha Rachinski’s third hour Language Acquisition class: Iraq, bad. “There were bombs everyday near our house,” Noor Naji, a senior in the class, said. “We could hear them when we drove to school.” Most of the students came as refugees for a better education and a safer life, eager to escape the multitude of dangers in their native country. For some of them, though, like Abbood Algburi, a freshman, and his two sisters Maryam and Athraa, who are juniors, the journey from Iraq to the Tri-Cities wasn’t a straight path, but rather a trek filled with hardships. “I moved to Iraq, then Syria, then Turkey, then Georgia, then here. I go to Georgia, my friend here in Washington said here good, the money good, job good, no war, good,” Abbood said. “I come here and then my friend go, no help, didn’t help me at all. Liar. Call my mom and tell me to come to Washington and then he go, no help at all. He just left us.” Despite their friend ditching them, the Algburi family wasn’t left completely alone and without help. “The United Nations and family members helped us come to the United States,” Maryam and Athraa explained. “World Relief through the UN also helped us out.” Of all the places the siblings have traveled through, there is one definite winner. “Turkey [is our favorite]. Everything is so nice, beautiful. People are kind, beautiful,

everything is nice,” Athraa said. “I love Turkey!” Abbood, his two sisters and his mom now share an apartment with their grandmother and aunt who live here. They also have an older sister who still remains in Iraq. Abbood explained that they have tried many times to bring her over, but because she is married and her husband doesn’t want to leave, it is against the custom to oppose her husband. Someday, after finishing school in the United States, they hope to be able to go back and see their sister again, along with the rest of their family in Iraq. They might even tour Turkey again. For now, they take solace in being able to frequently contact the friends and relatives they left behind through technology and social media. “I talk to my friends and family in Iraq, and I Facebook message them,” Hussein Naji, Abbood’s friend in the class, said. “All of them have Facebook.” Hearing about Iraq, Abbood is reminded of how different life in the United States is. In Iraq, a typical evening for Abbood would consist of playing soccer, eating out, going to arcades, and then strolling through the city with his friends until early into the morning. “There is no talk here. No fun,” Abood said. “I can’t do anything here.” When asked what they missed the most about Iraq, their first answer was, to no surprise, their friends and family.However, after a short pause, as almost an afterthought, they hurried to add: “And the food! The food here is no good!”

A&E

11.24.2015

SIDE-BY-SIDE: THE ULTIMATE COMEBACK KID One Direction’s ‘Made in the A.M.’ is a worthy opponent for Justin Bieber’s ‘Purpose’

natalie schueddekopp

[ NEXT UP ]

Following Zayn Malik’s exit and the announcement of a one year breakup, all eyes were on One Direction as doubts of possible recovery and success circled around the group. In the midst of the rumors and controversy, the group released their fifth album, “Made in the A.M.” The album is not only a brilliant testament to how well the band can do without Zayn, it might also be their best album yet. It’s certainly their most

As a fan of Justin Bieber since the hair flip days, even I can admit that he has had a rough couple of years. Since the release of his last album “Journals” (which was largely unsuccessful) in December of 2013, Justin had almost completely fallen from grace in the eyes of the public. And then he released “Purpose.” “Purpose” is hands down the best album Justin Bieber has ever made. This album proves that Bieber is a talented and skilled artist who should be taken seriously in the music industry. In this album, Justin expresses his struggles with the media and his journey to find his own direction, making this album feel very personal. The songs on this album, such as “I’ll Show You,” are a reflection of Justin’s emotions, with lyrics like “Don’t forget that I’m human, don’t forget that I’m real.”

diverse album, filled with strong lyrics and rock influences that give the album a very mature feel. The group shows off a new sound with songs like “Olivia,” a playful Beatles inspired tune, and the folky acoustic hit “I Want to Write You a Song.” The album gives off almost an old school vibe, with sounds similar to those of The Beatles and Fleetwood Mac. “Made In the A.M.” can be compared to past albums “Four” and “Midnight Memories” because of the rock vibe these albums all give off, but is ultimately set apart by its focus on rock rather than pop. From upbeat pop ballads to classic rock tunes, this album contains an array of different styles and sounds. One Direction aimed to leave their fans with a strong album to carry them through the band’s upcoming hiatus, and they did just that.

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

The album isn’t all emotional confessions, though; it also includes upbeat EDM pop tracks such as “Sorry” and the chart-topping single “What Do You Mean?” There are many collaborators on this album, including Halsey, Big Sean, Travis Scott, Nas, and Skrillex, who all helped to give this album a distinct sound compared to his past albums. Although some of the sounds that come off the album are easily comparable to those of “Journals,” “Purpose” altogether gives off a new feel, a combination of R&B, EDM and hip-hop. This album is a way for Bieber to make amends with his flawed past and prove that he is worthy. If Justin intended for this album to serve as an apology, he is certainly forgiven. Whether you’re a former fan that has fallen off the Bieber wagon or a diehard hater, this album is definitely not one to miss.

JANUARY

“the good dinosaur”

“macbeth”

“Sherlock” (season 4)

“royalty” chris brown

“sisters”

“ride along 2”

“the danish girl”

“star wars: episode vii”

“this is acting” sia

‘Mockingjay Part 2’ Katniss and Peeta make their last appearance

michelle wang

With every conclusion of an acclaimed book series adapted for film comes the incredibly high fan expectations that the producers and directors are tasked with trying to meet. “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2” is no exception. Overall, this movie met -- and then exceeded -- my expectations. It remained consistent with the book, and the omissions and additions worked to enhance the movie rather than hinder it. Jennifer Lawrence does a beautiful job in portraying the emotionally unstable state of Katniss and is very believable, making it easy for the viewer to sympathize with her in all the difficult choices and internal conflicts she must deal with.

Likewise, Josh Hutcherson does a remarkable job in portraying Peeta, who works on recovering from being a crazed and brainwashed capital mutt for the entire movie. Generally speaking, all the actors and actresses were incredible, but Sam Claflin, Elizabeth Banks, and Jena Malone were especially wonderful at portraying their characters in a way that was very similar to what I had imagined from reading the books. Speaking of Finnick, Effie, and Johanna, those three characters, along with Haymitch, seemed to provide the only source of comic relief in an overall depressing plot. Johanna’s snarky comments toward Katniss, Finnick’s never-ceasing smirk (even when multiple machine guns and bombs are going off), Haymitch’s blunt remarks, and Effie’s idiosyncrasies provide the only source of laughter throughout the two hours. Maybe it’s just me, but I can’t take two straight hours of gloom and doom. I’m pretty sure everyone in the theater was secretly judging me for whimpering, screaming and covering my eyes for the majority of the two hours.

The beauty of such wellknown book-to-film adaptations such as “Mockingjay” is that the director can almost expect every viewer to know the key plot points of the story. Francis Lawrence takes this idea and runs with it. He keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat, even during the especially violent and tragic death scenes. The only main criticism I have is that I found the epilogue unnecessary. It was ridiculously cheesy and predictable, and I just found it awkward. There could have been so many other ways to end the entire series, and although Katniss’s script lines tie the whole series together, I just wasn’t feeling it. It was a good effort, but I think it could’ve been executed much better. Despite that, this movie overall was quite enjoyable. It was a satisfactory conclusion to a four-part series, and I thought it contained enough plot and substance to stand alone. If you’re a die-hard fan of the books or even just remotely curious, I would recommend going, for it won’t be a waste of time or money.

‘Fallout 4’ meets hype After massive wait and anticipation, Fallout satisfies

brett schmude

Few video games in recent years have generated as much excitement as “Fallout 4.” The game was put on many “Most Anticipated Video Games” lists years before it was even announced. Seven years, a spin-off, countless hoaxes, one of the biggest announcements for a video game ever and one ruthless marketing campaign later, “Fallout 4” is finally here. Does it live it up to the hype? If you weren’t aware of it, “Fallout” is a series of post-apocolyptic roleplaying games. They’re set far into the future, but not our future. They’re set into the future as pictured by an idealistic 1950s America. The previous games have been critically acclaimed, but

never developed by the same company twice. “Fallout 4” is the first “Fallout” game to be developed by the same company as a previous installment. One of the first things you’ll notice is that the game actually looks pretty good. It’s no “Crysis” or “The Witcher,” but it certainly can hold its own against other recent games. The gunplay is pretty solid as well. The combat in past “Fallout” games has felt more like attempting to hit a pin-sized target with a giant concrete hammer. It’s much more fluid and satisfying now. Bethesda’s depiction of Boston is one of the best parts of the game. From crashed airliners to decrepit truck stops to Fenway Park, Bethesda absolutely nailed the design of the world. Many of these locations even allow you to build your own home or settlement in them. This all sounds great, right? So what’s the catch? Bethesda has an unfortunate, but well-deserved, reputation for releasing games that are more or less bug-ridden messes. “Fallout 4” is no exception: low frame

rates, countless physics errors, game-breaking glitches, crashing and freezing, among much more. I’ve personally gotten the dreaded blue screen of death twice while playing “Fallout 4.” In short, “Fallout 4” is a great addition to a great series. Just know what you’re getting into first.

Rated: M (Mature) Developer: Bethesda Game Studios Platforms: Windows PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One Price: $59.00 on PS4 and Xbox One

A&E

11.24.2015

COOKS CORNER Recipe belongs to Dana Small (11) Skill Level: Intermediate Prep Time: 15 minutes Makes about 16 brownies

INGREDIENTS ½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 eggs ½ cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup Hershey’s Cocoa Powder ¼ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt ½ cup chopped nuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS SONALI MATTA

Buffalo Wild Wings opened on Gage Boulevard on Sept. 21, replacing Tony Roma’s Steakhouse. Wild Wings is known for their variety of chicken wings and saucess, as well as their lively atmosphere.

Buffalo Wild Wings Flies In

Another chain restaurant fails to live up to expectations

blake stephens

The two major things I took away from Buffalo Wild Wings were that their symbol from a distance looks like the Bat-Signal and that their buffalo having wings was a play on words. Besides those two things, the rest I have to say isn’t that stellar. I didn’t have ridiculously

high standards for Buffalo Wild Wings. They’re wings, after all, not some fancy gourmet food, but when you can tell the food is all prepackaged – fake grill marks and all – you have to raise an eyebrow. I ordered their buffalo mac and cheese, which, on reflection, may have been my fault, because I generally don’t trust mac and cheese from massive chain restaurants. The mac and cheese came with boneless wings in it. The wings themselves reminded me of the chicken you get in a microwavable dinner. It almost tastes like chicken, but you can easily tell that it’s some weird chicken imitation. That’s their mac and cheese, but what about the rea-

son you actually go to Buffalo Wild Wings: the wings? The wings were alright. They weren’t so bad that they made you want to barf, but they weren’t worth the trip. I’m no wing connoisseur, but I can easily say I’ve had far better wings. Other wing places you go to, you’re eating one wing after the other, you’re on rapid fire, but when it comes to Buffalo Wild Wings, you have to make the conscious decision to eat another wing, because you don’t want to waste the food. The sauces, what they are “famous” for, were plasticky and generic. There wasn’t much in the flavor department. You could easily find similar tasting wings from a better quality

Introducing Charlie Brown

place. Buffalo Wild Wings seems to be more style over substance. The actual restaurant looks awesome, and it’s plastered with enough TVs to watch every single game from every single angle. The layout of the actual restaurant reflects why you go to Buffalo Wild Wings. The center of the restaurant is the bar, plastered with TVs, and on the outskirts of the restaurant are the actual tables for eating. If you plan on going to Buffalo Wild Wings to catch the game, it’s great and highly recommended; you will be satisfied. If you go there expecting good food because you have a craving for wings, I’d give it a hard pass. Go to Wing Stop instead.

amanda andersen

Everyone’s favorite “blockhead” is back after 35 years, and he’s got a new look this time: three-dimensional, with enhanced colors. In “The Peanuts Movie,” Charlie Brown embarks on an adventure to get the new girl in the neighborhood to talk to him, while Snoopy creates a story where he is a flying ace in World War I, saving a beautiful poodle pilot from the infamous Red Baron.

keeping them the same. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Snoopy and Woodstock bickered and Lucy teased Charlie Brown, just like always. As expected, I danced when Schroeder played the theme song on his little red piano. And I grinned when everything worked out for Charlie Brown. Even though I was most likely the oldest person in the movie theatre besides small children’s parents, I laughed just as much as the little ones when Lucy pulled the football back as Charlie Brown tried to kick it, or when he slipped and fell on the frozen lake. From 6-year-olds to 16-year-olds who grew up watching Charlie Brown movies around the holidays, “The Peanuts Movie” is one the whole family can enjoy.

STUDENT OPINIONS Allison Sijgers (11): “My family usually only cooks Betty Crocker box brownies. This one is good but I definitely like the box brownies better. The texture is a really heavy creamy bread in the middle with a light, crusty overlay. It’s like if you pudding-ified bread and made bread as pudding.” Nicolas Fraga (12): “Pretty good. Kind of dry. A little crumbly. Not sticking to my teeth. Seven and a half out of ten.” Bethany Wang (10): “It’s moist, but it’s not gooey. It has a good chocolate taste but it’s not overpowering. It’s right in the middle: it doesn’t fall apart in your hand but it’s not like a brick.”

Adventures Underground

‘The Peanuts Movie’ is a classic for generations to come When the Little RedHaired Girl moves in across the street from him, Charlie Brown instantly becomes smitten and tries almost everything he can to show her that he isn’t a blockhead. He reads all of “War and Peace” for a book report in an attempt to make her think that he’s smarter than he actually is. Of course, obstacles arise, like slipping on spilled punch at the Winter Dance or being unable to fly a kite, but Charlie Brown eventually wins her over. As a long-time lover of Charlie Brown and the gang, I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical about the new movie, thinking the producers would change the personalities of Pig-Pen, Sally, Peppermint Patty, and the others. The original creator’s son and grandson did well in

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease nine-inch square baking pan. 2. Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla in bowl. Add eggs; beat well with spoon. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in nuts if desired. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. 3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely.

www.AdvUnderground.com books@advunderground.com

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

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

School & Career

11.24.2015

Students Perform at WIBC katie peurrung

Junior Nathan Fickle and sophomore Ciara Varnum-Lowry practice their saxophones together. Both musicians were selected for Western International Band Clinic, an international honor band.

Playing together for WIBC SONALI MATTA opinion editor

katie peurrung

Senior Aly Brines plays flute and studies government. She currently studies at three schools: Tri-Tech, Hanford, and CBC.

Senior juggles three schools KYLE REISENAUER sports editor

Getting to school every day is a challenge for senior Aly Brines. She spends part of every school day on “a combination of school buses, city buses, convincing my parents to drive me, and paying my friends in Taco Bell to give me rides.” Why? Brines currently attends three different schools: Hanford, CBC and Tri-Tech. Brines entered the Early Childhood Education program at Tri-Tech at the start of junior year and soon discovered that she was having trouble traveling between Tri-Tech and Hanford, where she was taking government and wind ensemble. “I was late to my fourth hour class every day, which made it really hard to keep up. I was in Honors Pre-Calculus, and I’d miss the majority of the lesson each day.” She dropped out of the class and

as a way to earn all of her credits, she began to take courses at CBC. As one might suspect, she has a larger workload than most high school students. The amount of homework she does probably rivals that of some college students. “Between the three schools, each week I usually have around three or four essays, five or so chapters to read out of various textbooks, a bunch of worksheet-type assignments, and then as much studying as I can cram in between it all!” she said. Because she remains in wind ensemble, she continues to go between three schools in the course of one day. “It takes a ton of time management. It’s easy to get the due dates and test days mixed up in my head,” Brines said. Her balancing act can create high stress situations. Brines said, “I have a lot of ‘Oh no, I have a four-page

essay due at 10 p.m. and it’s 9 p.m.’ moments, but somehow, I always manage to pull through and get it done!” The workload will only increase from here, because she has class until 9:40 p.m. next quarter. Of course, all of her hard work goes toward college. “I’m planning on going to a four-year university… and getting my bachelor’s degree majoring in Elementary Education with a minor in Psychology!” What started out as a way to earn enough credits to graduate while participating in Tri -Tech’s Early Childhood Education program has become a diverse and challenging educational career paths. Even though it’s difficult, Brines said, “I really liked the challenge and variety of classes.” She even recommends it to other students. “If you can get it all done, it’s a great experience!”

McDonald’s gets new home on G-Way MICHELLE CHOU staff writer

On Sept. 1, the golden arches gleamed, brand new. Now on the corner of Williams Boulevard and George Washington Way, the remodeled McDonald’s has been experiencing an increase in customers. Gone are the faded white bricks and the cramped spacing – McDonald’s has been given a modern look. Both the design and the furniture have been refined, and the interior gives off a chic new feel. Senior Emma Tyree said that “the new style of McDonald’s is very modern. It’s not really close to how McDonald’s used to be.” New technology has been implemented. Senior Austin Keck, an employee at McDonald’s, says that they “got a brand-new type of McCafe blender that makes making smoothies and frappes easier, and we are the only store on the West Coast as of now that has one like this.” The store has also been optimized for efficiency, starting with the drive-through lanes. There are now two lanes, allowing the orders to be taken twice as fast when compared to the old store, which only had one lane. “I was fine with how it used to look . . . there would be more space if they had stuck with the booth. But it’s

a really nice environment . . . the employees are very respectful and caring,” Tyree said. The new McDonald’s has been more focused on the drive-through. Fewer people seem to be actually going in and sitting down to eat. In comparison to the old McDonald’s, the work environment of the new store is “a little more stressful but still a lot of fun . . . I mean, everything is still super happy but definitely more exciting,” Keck said. This stress has been largely due to the location, which is more accessible to motorists driving through Richland. The reviews have been good for McDonald’s; however, McDonald’s is still not usually the first pick for a student looking for a job. McDonald’s is commonly thought of as a second choice for high school job-seekers. Keck attests, though, that the environment is exciting and happy and the management is respectful, caring, and overall high-quality. But for Keck, it wasn’t his first pick for a job. “I wanted to work in the mall, but I heard from people how nice McDonald’s is and how willing they are to work with your schedule, and especially how respectful and caring the managers are.”

Some of the finest high school band students from the Northwest and Australia came together in Seattle last weekend for a series of clinics and concerts. Western International Band Clinic (WIBC) brings musicians together through auditions to create an international honor band ensemble. “This is my first year doing it, but I was selected to the top honor band so this is a pretty good opportunity for me and I’m looking forward to it,” junior Nathan Fickle said. There are four possible bands to be selected to: Thunderbird, Firebird, Sunbird and Phoenix. Each of these honor bands holds rehears-

als throughout the weekend where students come together to play together and meet each other. Apart from rehearsing, students also get to listen to some of the top ensembles in the world. “We get to see some really good wind ensembles play and also the Canadian Brass. I think that’ll be the best part,” sophomore Ciara Varnum-Lowry said. Fickle, Varnum-Lowry and hundreds of other students have been preparing for their auditions since the first few days of the school year. Each student had to submit an audition recording consisting of four pieces of music such as a ballad, an allegro and scales. “We were working on them in class every day until October

20,” Fickle said. At WIBC, students attended clinics with speakers like Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser, a past Executive President of Bands of America. As students gain new knowledge and more experience, they also had individual goals for the weekend. “One thing I want to get out of this clinic is getting the chance to play more challenging music,” Varnum-Lowry said. Upperclassmen, such as Fickle, are also looking out for their futures. “There’s a lot of great conductors and composers there. A lot of these guys are college composers, so this might be able to give me opportunities to do music in college,” Fickle said.

shelby schumacher

Senior Austin Dreyer speaks at the Veteran’s Day esembly. He is planning to join the Air Force.

Students plan for military careers DAISA DAMEROW staff writer

As seniors prepare to graduate, many are sorting through college applications, but there are a few seniors who are pursuing a different route for their future. They are preparing to join the military. Senior Austin Dreyer plans to join the Air Force through the Air Force Academy. He joins nearly 9,000 students who apply each year; the Academy accepts only 16.6 percent of applicants. Dreyer has been interested in the military since he was a child. He especially became interested “as a kid watching military shows.” His greater inspiration, though, lies in his own family. Both his grandfather and his father were in the military. Dreyer said, “My dad inspires me on how he did

such a sacrifice being in the Navy for over 10 years, going through so much to protect our country.” Senior Ellie Hoffner plans on joining the Navy. She has applied for a Navy ROTC scholarship. Like the Academy, the acceptance rate into her program is low, so if she doesn’t get the scholarship, she plans on enlisting. Hoffner said, “I became interested in the Navy because my family has a history of service.” Her biggest inspirations have been her brother and father, because they have also given their time in the military. Her brother, 2013 graduate Ben Hoffner, is currently attending Notre Dame on a Navy scholarship. There are teachers, as well, that have given their time in the military. Math teacher Steven Klug served almost seven years as an intelligence

analyst in the Army National Guard. He pursued the military because he wanted money for college. “What I got of the serving,” he said, “was a newfound sense of self-respect, leadership skills, and the idea that I could help others affect change.” He also learned more about the world. “I got to visit other parts of the planet. I got a lot of positive things, and I learned just how far I could push myself. So I got all sorts of good stuff.” Students have practical reasons for joining the military— scholarships and travel—but Dreyer has been inspired to join by personal reasons as well. He is inspired everyday by “how honorable those men and women are, who so willingly sacrifice so much for their country.”

Opinion

11.24.2015

STEP INTO SOMEONE ELSE’S SHOES

When we reflect back on our year, one vivid picture stands out. You might remember this image. A little boy in a red shirt and blue shorts lays facedown on the coast of the Mediterranean sea. His lifeless, limp body is found on a Turkish beach, while his parents were lost at sea. We feel bad for a moment and then move on with our lives. We hear about the refugee crisis on the other side of the world, and we feel safe in our little bubble, oblivious to the trials others are going through. What we forget is that we are all from somewhere, whether it be Adam from Illinois, or Ahmad from Iraq. If Adam’s dad lost his job in Illinois and decided to move to Washington for a new

job, would you blame Adam and his dad for the high rates of unemployment? Would you ask Adam and his dad to leave the country? No, you wouldn’t. So how is it that when Ahmad and his family move to America in search of a better life, we blame the refugees for terrorism and send them out of our country? How do we justify not giving them a place in our society and the means to make a better life that we graciously grant to other people? As a country of big talkers, we don’t provide the proper support needed for people who have made the journey escape oppression. From 2012 to September of 2015, only 1,854 Syrian refugees have been admitted to various cities in the United States, whereas

Germany has taken in 92,991 refugees since 2012. On Nov. 19, 2015, the House of Representatives passed a bill to suspend the program that allows Syrian and Iraqi refugees to enter the United States until national security agencies verify that these migrants do not pose a security risk. Although there is a limit to the resources available, these refugees deserve to be treated to the same rights and liberties available to citizens of the United States. It is our responsiblity as a nation to not only allow them in, but to also accept them into our culture, classes, and most importantly, our friend groups. The staff editorial is the consensus of the Editorial Board.

The rising costs of college tuition

20.2

million students attend colleges or universities in America

“

If you need help there are a lot of things that can help you, you just have to go out and find them. If you’re not poor, and you’re not that smart, then you’re in a lot of trouble. You just have to work hard.

Nicolas Fraga (12)

13.2 7.0

“

College tuition does have a huge impact on decision, because all the schools I want to go to have an extremely high cost because they’re out of state and they’re private institutions. That’s definitely a factor in deciding, so you’re limited to in-state and public schools.

million attending four-year institutions million attending two-year institutions

“

State schools charge a bit too much and they don’t provide a lot of scholarships compared to private schools. Private schools seem expensive but really they have a lot more opportunities for scholarships.

Lexi Frederickson (12)

Isabel Lin (12)

$79

average cost of a new college textbook in 2013

15%

I don’t care about apathy However, I ask again, when should we start to care? If I were to choose to not try in school, then I probably could still pass with C’s. So then why should I try in college? I can still get C’s if I don’t try, so I suppose I’ll settle for that. Then someday I’ll get a job in the real world! MAXWELL WEIL

I have an F in math. I don’t care. I got pulled over yesterday for speeding. I don’t care. I didn’t get home last night until 1 a.m. I don’t care. But when should we start to care? Students tend to be overwhelmed by feelings of apathy and often lack a sense of societal responsibility. Many of us seem to believe that we shouldn’t have to care about what our grades look like or how we treat our bodies - after all, it is just high school.

We try to tell ourselves that just because we’re indifferent now, it doesn’t mean we will be later on. Yet I find myself not really caring about what I do. I could be employee of the month, but eh, who cares? And a couple years down the road, I start my own family! But why should I try to be an A+ father when I know I can just be a passable C father if I don’t try? I mean, really, why not settle for average? What does

it matter? Things like not doing my chores today may not matter a whole lot now, and they may even not matter much in the future. We try to tell ourselves that just because we’re indifferent now, it doesn’t mean we will be later on. But our outlooks and attitudes that we form now generally stick with us throughout our life. When we nourish our apathetic selves by settling for mediocrity, we increase the likelihood of being more apathetic in the future. We cannot become victims to indifference. We have to overcome these feelings. The ways in which we do this may vary, but the principle remains the same. Today does matter. I am not the person I was yesterday. I do care.

increase in college tuition for in-state public university students over the last five years in Washington

A LT I T U D E 24 Nov. 2015.

volume 16.2

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF emily tan caroline waring

EDITORS

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

PHOTOGRAPHERS calvin carr meagan hansen shelby schumacher

STAFF eman ahmed, amanda anderson, michelle chou, daisa damerow, jadon fickle, sarah latka, ruby maciel, jourdan plante, danica richards, brett schmude, natalie schueddekopp, michelle shin, blake stephens, aleece stillman, michelle wang, rose wang, kevin weng, trevyn wong

ADVISER

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

How S’bucks (didn’t) steal Xmas

AMANDA ANDERSEN

Scrolling through my Facebook and Instagram feeds, I find them flooded with selfies of the stereotypical “white girl” attire: festive cable knit sweaters, Pumpkin Spice Lattes and Peppermint Mochas. As a proud Starbucks lover myself, I always find myself jumping with excitement whenever they release the signature PSL in the holiday cups. This season, Starbucks has opted for a more simplistic design: a plain red cup. Since

the release, the world has been in an uproar over lack of holiday cheer and usual Christmas sketches, like reindeer and snowflakes. What is the big controversy about? People are claiming that the lack of holiday symbols is an attack on Christmas. Contrary to past years where there have been ice-skating figures, polar bears, and artsy snowflakes (apparently a major part in the ideology of Christmas), a plain red cup has people saying that Starbucks hates Jesus and Christmas. Twitter and Facebook have been full of angry protesters that encourage others to boycott Starbucks for not being “Christmassy enough.” As I see these hateful posts, I reflect on the true meaning of Christmas and the holiday season. The holidays are about gathering with your family

and loved ones and enjoying each others’ company. A lot of people get to see family members they haven’t seen in a long time. To get upset over a simple red paper cup defeats the purpose of the holiday season. If there were something to be upset at Starbucks for, it would be the price of the drinks. I am a regular at the Starbucks on George Washington Way; the baristas even know my name and drink. I go a few times a week, and $5.05 each trip hurts my wallet. But it is worth it when you end up spending the whole day there cramming for a math test you probably should have studied more for, or catching up with a friend you haven’t seen in awhile. And it all brews down to this: it’s just an overpriced cup of coffee. It doesn’t define Christmas. It is just there to make you feel warm and cozy.

Humor

11.24.2015

Do’s & don’ts of a holiday party Tricks and traps to guide the unaware in their choices at the food table

naveena bontha

Here come the holidays! But more importantly, here come the piles of homemade cookies, the precious pies with those oh-so-golden brown crusts, and the ultimate question: will putting that extra piece of cake on my plate cause my stomach to split in two? Bear with me, dear reader, as I lead you through the do’s and don’ts of the 2015 holiday culinary wonderland. DO: Act like you are a famous food critic, looking for the “next big thing” in the

category of “these cookies are the only reason I come out of my bedroom and socialize at these shindigs.” Speak with a snazzy French accent and carry around a notepad, while making little notes to yourself such as “How many of these can I put into my mouth before anyone notices I need CPR?” or “Did Aunt Dorothy confuse the dog food and the flour AGAIN?” DON’T: Attack the desserts around the adults. The attack must be perfectly planned out, right down to the second. Any lingering about the dessert table, and you’ll find yourself being forced to answer all of the hard questions – “What are your plans for college?” (I don’t know, does this look like the face of somebody who actually knows what they are doing with their life?) or the dreaded “How much are you going to exercise

to work off those calories?” (cue old lady laugh). You know what, Marsha, I am actually the bee’s knees. DO: Bring a large backpack filled with Tupperware containers. Here’s the skinny: a backpack looks like you’re the self-sacrificing teen who is giving up his or her precious holiday time for the priceless gift of education. Little do they know that the backpack is a clever ruse to take home buckets of baked goodies. Just don’t make the mistake of taking the goods too fast, or you’ll be caught in a sticky situation. DON’T: Be fooled by things topped in whipped cream. Whipped cream looks like a gift from the gods, but be warned, my friend. Whipped cream is the best cover-up for baking disasters. Overbake a cake? No worries, just squeeze some whipped

cream on it and shazam! You’ve got yourself a culinary masterpiece. I speak from experience. The year was 2008, and my parents had decided to throw a festive party. The guests filed in one by one, holding assorted holiday treats. One guest, I’ll call her Marsha, stooped low and handed me a pie. It looked delectable, with swirls of whipped cream covered in sinful dark chocolate shavings. I took the pie into the kitchen and tore into it. I shoved the first piece into my mouth and almost screamed in horror. Were those chunks of mushy banana? Under a cloud of fluffy whipped cream? Is this what betrayal actually feels like?

reasons I can’t hang out with you SARAH LATKA

1 I lost my shoe.

2 My turtle is having respiratory problems.

3 I have to buy bagels.

4 I’m making baklava with my mom.

So, dear reader, I hope you take my advice to heart this holiday season. Just remember: if you can’t recognize it, it may be best to skip it.

I fractured my spleen.

6 My cousins from Lichtenstein are in town.

7 I don’t usually go out on days ending in d-a-y.

8 My brother has been abducted by aliens.

9 I don’t want to.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

sarah latka

aleece stillman

woke up one October morning to see a message from my sister: several boxes with questions marks in them. She’s probably just being weird, right? Later, I see more boxes with question marks. You can imagine my confusion until my sister tells me that the trend of boxes with question marks in them are the new emojis, which my phone can’t register. WHAT, NEW EMOJIS? I honestly have never felt so out of the loop as in this moment. Now knowing this information, I race to update my phone – I need these new emojis. More than anything, I need a bacon emoji. Apple has made many attempts at representing all aspects of Apple users’ lives, but fails to include quite possibly the most important food group: bacon. The anticipation was killing me as the final seconds of the download loaded. As the update was completing, the white Apple logo appeared similar to a ray of sunshine

from the heavens. As I scrolled through the new additions, I came across many amazing emojis: new animals, yellow faces, and food – cheese, of course, being the highlight. There are so many new emojis that I can finally fulfill my need to text solely in pictures. The additions are truly magnificent. I mean, think of all the times I can use a taco emoji – how versatile. A unicorn for all those times you need to text something mystical. Even a turkey, so this Thanksgiving my Snapchat story can have the perfect vibe. Even though I can now send almost any message I want using only emojis, my mind keeps going back to the nonexistent bacon emoji. The squirrel, though absolutely necessary, cannot fill the hole in my heart – the one only bacon can fill. I have always had a persistent need to discuss the lack of bacon representation. But I guess a better question is, why are there ten emojis having to do with mail? I have yet to use those in any form of writing where emojis are appropriate. And don’t even get me started on the emojis that aren’t even something recognizable. I can only hope Apple reads the 476 urgent emails that I sent them . . . and adds a bacon emoji in the next update.