march 2015 rhhs talon

MARCH 2015 ISSUE FEATURE:

Jenna Leavitt stars in Rogers Little Theater’s

LEGALLY BLONDE

by Carla Archer page 12

JUSTIN & LONDON BERKSHIRE a Portrait of Teenage Marriage in the Ozarks

by Harry Cole page 6

FROM Z TO A

a Tribute to Director Wes Anderson

by William Clift page 18

ARKANSAS RAISES MINIMUM WAGE Workers of Heritage React

by Annelise Mozzoni page 15

TERRORIST ATTACK

on French Magazine Charlie Hebdo Kills Twelve

by Samantha Dean page 16

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Free Community College?

The Kids Aren’t Alright Justin & London Berkshire HHS Spirit Squads Reorganized Prayer Prohibited in School Sports GSA: Here to Stay Kanye Finds Fulfilment in “Only One” Jenna Leavitt Stars in “Legally Blonde” Will Brian Williams’ Credibility Recover?

Arkansas Raises Minimum Wage Charlie Hebdo Attacks A Tribute to Director Wes Anderson “Toy Story 4” Skepticism The Coffee Grind Dress Code Comes Up Short Rethinking American Sex Ed

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THE TALON STAFF EDITOR Carla ARCHER

VICE EDITOR William CLIFT

REPORTERS Callie BARNETT Harry COLE Samantha DEAN Emily GIBSON Haven KIRKPATRICK Annelise MOZZONI ADVISOR Jessica VEST jvest@rps.k12.ar.us

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FREE COMMUNITY COLLEGE? President Announces Plans to Offer Free Education

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NCE HIGH school comes into the life of an adolescent, it’s time to start planning for college. Yes, it’s soon, but a mere four years isn’t that long. When the rest of your life depends on it, isn’t it better to start planning too far ahead rather than too late? For many students, this planning comes to a halt when the reality is that their family can’t pay for further education. A recent study by Georgetown University predicted that by 2018,

by Haven Kirkpatrick 60% of jobs will require some kind of college education. President Barack Obama wants to give students the opportunity to fit into this 60% by proposing free community college for “anyone who is willing to work for it”.

President Obama plans to offer college in this plan to any student with a 2.5 grade point average or a C average and ambition.

If every U.S. state got involved, this could save students $3,800 a year for tuition. Many students work long hours to cover the

cost of college, whether it be because their parents can’t cover it, or just don’t want to. Some post-high school students may not have done as well as they liked to in school or might not have taken the ACT or SAT, so community college is the best option for them. An anonymous Heritage student stated, “I think free community college is a great thing because it allows students to get an education and to further succeed in life.”

Whilst this idea is good in theory, many

think that this program isn’t useful because community college, on average, is about $3,330 a year. Because of the opportunity for free college, young adults could take advantage by going to school for X amount of years and then dropping out. Heritage teacher Mr. Moss said, “I am neutral on the topic. It’s good and gives the students incentive to get started at least, but then again, nothing is ever free.” The students are only required to be enrolled half time, which

means 6-8 credits per semester, and are not supplied books.

With the information at hand, community college could either be a hit or miss for people, depending on their political stance or whether they went to or are going to college. For some, this opens up a door they never considered before, which is a path to a better life.

IN MEMORY OF

TRENTON WHITFIELD 1998-2015

Trenton L. Whitfield, 17, of Rogers passed away February 20, 2015, at Mercy Hospital in Rogers. He was born January 30, 1998, in Amarillo, Texas. Trenton was a junior at Heritage High School in Rogers and was very proud to be a War Eagle. He spent countless hours at the Rogers Activity Center. He enjoyed BMX riding, skateboarding, playing football and spending time with his family and friends. Trenton recently placed 3rd place in the Biscuit Jam in Bentonville.

He is survived by his parents Patrick and Regina Whitfield; his brothers Blain and Brady Whitfield; grandparents Louann Evans, Maurice Evans, Elizabeth and Jerry Whitfield; four uncles and three aunts.

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THE KIDS AREN’T ALRIGHT THOUGHTS FROM YOUR EVERYDAY SUCCESS-SEEKING STUDENT written, designed, and photographed by Samantha Dean

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T IS 12:05 A.M. ON A Sunday night. No, wait. Scratch that.

Monday morning. I have to be up and ready for school in approximately 7 hours. And what am I doing instead? I am guzzling a Monster energy drink as my tired, sunken eyes bore into the computer screen and college-ruled notebook in front of me. I ache with the urge to sleep but more importantly am too terrified by the potential demise of my GPA should I let my body drift off into a sweet slumber.

Of course most of my nights are like this - staying up late to deal with homework that I had been assigned that day, or days before. And, like the semi-irresponsible teenager I am, I opted to take a breather instead of jumping right on that 200-page book and packet of study questions, or that dreadful physics worksheet that I still don’t quite understand how to do. Yes, procrastination plays a big part in my general rush to get things done. But I believe procrastination is a sign of being overwhelmed. When you are too

overwhelmed to focus on any one thing, you tend not to focus on any of them until it is almost inevitable that you step forward and get something done, or you fail at whatever task you have taken on.

In my case, and most others, failure is not an option. It is a word that even when muttered under your breath will inspire a series of gasps and shaking heads.

If you are like me, you have a job outside of school. Not only that, but you have hobbies aspirations outside of academics that you insist on giving time to.

And once your academic, self-sustaining and general interest projects are done, for the time being, you are left with very little time to do anything else, such as worry about your mental/ physical well being before being thrown back into the mundane routine of school, work and personal responsibilities.

This routine leads to unhealthy habits, like the consumption of calorie-and-chemical-loaded caffeinated beverages, ulcers, sleep deprivation and and

general disregard for your own well-being. (I, for example, believe that due to my excessive consumption of caffeinated beverages over the years that, if you were to cut me open.. Well, I’d probably bleed espresso and sugar.) Which could lead to horrible physical and emotional side effects that can last a lifetime.

But why is it that every teenager seems to be struggling with keeping up and keeping healthy? We all have armfuls of responsibility that require our time and not one person has come up with an answer to the question “How do we juggle it all?”

Well, I am here to say that I… do not have the answer to that question because it is something that eats away at me everyday.

But I know if I had a chance to do it all again, I’d do it differently.

I would have waltzed into my first day of highschool knowing exactly the path I wanted to take with my life. I would have come in being able to name

off my strengths and weaknesses and passions. And I could have spit out a four year plan in your hand at that very moment.

But that is not how I came into high school. I came into highschool confused and scared and clueless to the events of my future. It wasn’t until recently that I was able to decide on something to major in once I’m in college, and a couple hand-fulls of colleges that would best suit me. And I’m one of the lucky ones. Kids my age and older are nearing graduation undeclared and unprepared. But that’s okay.

You know why it’s okay?

Because that’s normal. It’s not normal for a kid to know exactly where their life is going when they are only a fifth of the way into it. We are all unique individuals with life plans that vary from those of our peers. We have to understand that our life is long and full of room for mistakes and achievements and space left over for us to try new things.

Take a second, drop everything you are doing, drop that

energy drink, drop that route 44 from sonic, drop that history book and even this newspaper.

And step out of this world for a second. Ignore the pressuring deadlines and applications, ignore the pleads for success measured in the figures contained by your yearly income. Ignore it all.

We all need a breather, we all need a break. Because without one we will all end up fat, stressed out, ulcer riddened, delirious teenagers.

Remember that you are more than a test grade, you are more than a GPA or a ivy league school. You are not your failures, nor your achievements. You are a person, molded and formed by those failures and successes that brought you to where you are standing today. And you’ll be OK.

We have years to figure it all out, we have all the time in the world. It just depends on where your mindset is. Remember that in order to keep going you have to take a breather, or else you’ll suffocate under the weight of expectations.

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HE FIRST REAL difference Justin noticed about London was how easy it was to talk to her. How, even before they had started dating - when they were just high school friends with multiple classes together - Justin could talk to her and be completely himself and not run out of things to say, like he sometimes would with other girls.

Justin Berkshire and London Eoff became friends during their sophomore year at Heritage High School in the fall of 2012. Despite lacking mutual friends, they showed similar interests. They shared five class periods with each other and both ran track.

They were both born and raised in Rogers, Arkansas to parents also from the Natural State. They both had taken an

interest in biology and chemistry classes in high school.

They both were (and still are) strong in their Christian faith.

Early 2013, London started giving Justin rides home after their track practices. Looking back, both Justin and London agree those ten minute rides in London’s car shaped their relationship.

Save Chemistry Club once a week in the mornings, the

two had not spent any time outside school together. London learned that Justin was mature beyond his years and passionate, yet funny. Justin learned that London was reserved but not shy, easygoing but prudent.

At the end of these months, to London’s excitement, Justin asked her on a date. One month later, sitting on a couch at London’s house

watching movies, the couple said that they loved each other. On December 23, 2013, Justin and London Berkshire became engaged.

LEGAL AGE TO MARRY: MALES 17 YEARS OF AGE AND FEMALES 16-17 YEARS OF AGE §9-11-102: MUST have PARENTAL CONSENT. A MANDATORY 5-DAY WAITING PERIOD IS REQUIRED.

Current marriage rates for young people in America have declined.

While in 1960, the average age for a first marriage was 22.8 years for men and 20.3 years for women, average ages for a first marriage in 2010 were 28.7 years for men and 26.5 years for women (Pew Research, 2011). The actions of Justin and London Berkshire, marrying at ages eighteen and seventeen contradict society’s gradual shift to marry later in life.

Justin says he had been interested in marrying early throughout his childhood. Justin says, “It’s how I grew up. My parents married each other early in life.

My grandmother would tell me how she grew up with my grandfather before they got married, and that’s why they’re so close.” After reading up on marriage laws in Benton County and discussing the decision with Justin, Justin’s parents agreed to the marriage.

London’s parents were supportive, yet hesitant about the engagement. After Justin proposed to London by the fountain at the Promenade, he then discussed the situation and a future marriage date with London’s father. The Eoff parents, however fondly they viewed Justin and his relationship with London, wanted the young couple to wait until after high school to get married.

London says, “My parents liked Justin and they liked our relationship, they were just scared that I had made the wrong decision, that I had married too young.”

So London’s parents set conditions. The couple could marry while in high school if they agreed to live with either Justin’s or London’s parents until graduation. The Eoff parents wanted Justin and London to wait for some months to think and pray more about the decision.

They wanted the young couple to understand the seriousness of the situation. Most of all, they wanted London to be happy. They came to a decision: the couple could be married in September of the next year.

“Parental consent” is defined as the consent of: Both parents of the person under 18 years of age who wishes to enter into a contract for marriage.

mony was performed on September 20, 2014, in a small Baptist church in Northwest Arkansas. The couple invited sixty family members and close friends. Justin says, “We didn’t need a large wedding.

Even if we weren’t limited by expenses, we wouldn’t have changed anything about the wedding. We don’t need to draw attention to ourselves.”

For Justin and London, the closeness and intimacy of a small wedding felt perfect.

IF ONE OR BOTH PARTIES ARE UNDER THE MINIMUM AGE PRESCRIBED IN §9-11102 and the female is pregnant:

Justin and London Berkshire are responsible people. They do not go out on weekends to party; they

“The months before work late hours at Braum’s. the wedding, I started seeing Their marriage was not a a different side of London’s result of an unplanned pregfamily,” Justin says. He re- nancy; rather, their faith in members going to the local God shaped their decision to art museum with London and marry early in life. her parents and her dad stop- The couple disapping London to give her a big proves of mainstream telehug before they went in. Jus- vision shows covering teen tin says, “It was the first time pregnancies and marriage I saw how compassionate and such as 16 and Pregnant. Jusloving London’s father could tin and London say the shows be and it made me happy just offer an inaccurate represenbeing around them.” tation of all married teens.

To cover the ex- “We’re not all irresponsible,” penses of the wedding, Jus- Justin says, “Those shows tin worked extra hours at only depict teenagers who Braum’s, the ice cream par- marry because of pregnanlor and grocery where he cies. Television doesn’t show and London both currently people like us.” work. In the end, London’s Justin and London parents decided to pay for the say most teenagers’ biggest whole wedding, telling Jus- misconception about martin to keep the money so he riage is that it will improve and London could save up for or dramatically change a retheir future. lationship. Justin and London

The wedding cere- still talk to each other in the

halls, at work, and around the house the same way they had before the marriage. Marriage changed their day to day lives, their schedules at school and at work, their financial situation, but not the way Justin and London openly communicate and trust one another.

Seniors now, Justin and London are taking lighter course loads than they both had the previous year.

Both leave school after fourth hour to go work at Braum’s for the remainder of the day.

Both have already completed all required credits, hoping to graduate early, at the end of the semester, and spend the rest of the year planning for the future. But Justin and London anticipated the responsibilities when they decided to get married in the first place. The Berkshire and Eoff parents help their children handle legal and financial issues, but leave most things to Justin and London.

Their calmness in all environments reflects their ability to solve problems and make decisions in situations most high schoolers have never experienced. Justin jokes, “I don’t know whether the whole thing has made us more mature or more stubborn.”

OTHER: BOTH MALE AND FEMALE APPLICANTS MUST BE PRESENT TOGETHER WHEN THE LICENSE IS ISSUED.

For Justin and London Berkshire, all the cliches about relationships and marriage have turned out to be

true. Justin and London are best friends with each other; they spend all day at school, then work, then home together. When asked to give advice about relationships, Justin and London do not stray away from overused words such as communication and sacrifice because, in their experiences, all the redundant advice really does help.

Justin and London say marriage has motivated them to succeed in all aspects of their lives. Justin, now eighteen, has recently joined the National Guard and plans to attend the University of Central Arkansas with London next school year. London, now seventeen, plans to study biology and pursue a career in medicine. The couple hopes to settle down one day in Arkansas; they want to stay in the Christian community that brought them together in the first place.

“Obtaining a legal marriage has made us closer,” Justin says, “Marrying young has given us opportunities to develop and grow together unknown to those who wait until after high school or college.” The Berkshires find themselves at a unique stage in their lives. They hold large responsibility and independence, but rely on and seek advice from their parents daily. They are married, but still have years of education and intellectual growth ahead of them. While working for a better, more stable future, they are still happy with where they are now.

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RHHS SPIRIT SQUADS

REORGANIZED for 2015-2016

by Callie Barnett HE HERITAGE SPIRIT squads are undergoing significant changes next year. Rather than a freshman dance and cheer, JV dance and cheer, and Varsity dance and cheer, the teams will be split up as competitive dance and cheer and spirit dance and cheer. Not only is this likely to improve on already great work, but will also give better options to those trying out. Change has been needed, and we pray this will work as planned!

The competitive cheer and dance teams will start practicing in the summer and work their way to competition season in the fall. This way, worrying about having home game performances ready will not interfere with competition routines being crisp and perfected. The competition team members will have the choice of being on the spirit team in addition to competition; however, they won’t get to perform during halftime at games.

Spirit team members

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will also learn dances and routines, but they will be simpler so that they can be cleaned up in a shorter period of time for upcoming football and basketball games. These are the members that will lead pep-rallies and other important school spirit functions.

It is safe to say Coach Wilson has always been a big believer in school spirit, and she has always put it at the top of her list when it comes to the current spirit teams. Now all who agree with her and just want to cheer on our teams and pump up the school can do that! There is no need for them to participate in competition if they don’t want to be there. The same goes for girls and boys who only want to be on the team to compete. We will now have teams of people dedicated to and working towards goals that are more closely aligned with their passions.

Football and basketball spirit teams will also be separated, so if you’re too busy in the fall but have more

photo by Callie Barnett

availability in the spring, you can choose to only cheer for basketball season and vice versa. You aren’t limited to one though!

If you choose to be on all three teams, so be it. If you make all the teams, you are more than welcome to bring on the school spirit and compete with all the passion you’ve got in dance or cheer. There is no force in choosing one or the other. I can almost guarantee Coach Wilson would be more than thrilled for as many spirit members and talented competitors as she can possibly get.

After competition

season is over, those on the team will be allowed to stay in class second semester to work out and improve their skills for the following year, whether that be trying out at Heritage again or working towards college tryouts. Spirit teams for football might also get the chance to transfer over to so they, too, can improve.

The strength of all teams should have a nice gradual (or sudden) rise with these clever, well thought out changes being made.

Kudos to Coach Wilson for the brave differences being made for our cheer and dance programs here at Heritage!

PROHIBITED Student-Led Prayer

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EVERAL STATES have enacted laws authorizing a brief period of silence to be used according to the dictates of the individual - some states have authorized brief times of “silent reflection”, “silent meditation” or “silent prayer”. Now, even though seems to some as a first step to get state-sponsored prayers in schools, Arkansas didn’t hesitate to implement a required moment of silence in its schools last year.

Recently, at a mandatory coaches’ meeting, school attorney David Mathews provided all Rogers Public School coaches with information on the issue of group prayers being actively encouraged at high school sporting events. The rules state that athletes are not allowed to have a student-led group prayer before a practice, a competition, or a game, as this is a mandatory time for athletes to be there. Athletes are not allowed to participate in Fellowship of Christian Athletes, better known as FCA, an organization and club with members who credit God for their success, if it is during a time mandatory for them to attend. Students, of course, can pray or organize an FCA meeting before or after a practice when it is not required for all athletes to be there, and when students are free to leave.

A group can also observe a moment of silence during practice time.

Many student athletes became upset with this rule once it started being enforced. Some

at School Sporting Events written by Emily Gibson

feel that their ability to practice their religious beliefs as they wish has been taken from them.

Franklin Davis says, “It’s not fair for the students that want to participate in FCA before football games but can’t.”

Other students are relieved by the changes. Andrea Plum, a junior on varsity cheer, claims, “I understand and respect the new rules and I am glad they are more specific. I know some people may find student-led prayers and FCA programs to be offensive, and I can see how it could be uncomfortable for someone who isn’t a practicing Christian.”

The answer is simply stated: The school is a government agency that cannot enforce religious beliefs on its students.

Teachers and coaches are not allowed to impose their religious beliefs on students or allow students to impose their religious beliefs on others.

In the United States, there is a separation of church and state, and schools are a government facility. Therefore, you aren’t allowed to bring mandatory religion into the schools, and all religions must be granted equal access to facilities, distribution, and publicity if one religion is allowed.

Others, while not opposed to religious practices, believe that the sports themselves, not religion, should be the priority during practice or game time. While students and teachers cannot affiliate their religion with school or sports, students

Heritage athletes participate in a moment of silence at a basketball game.

Photo by Anthony Nam.

and teachers are still free to practice their religion independently.

Student athletes are free to practice their religion, but by affiliating it with school sports, members of these sports teams may feel pressured to participate in functions like group prayers or FCA organizations. Not every student-athlete is a Christian, and not every student-athlete is religious.

Mrs. Vest, the head of the Yearbook and Newspaper staffs at Heritage, agrees: “I think that while students, teachers, and

coaches mean well, many do not understand the implied pressure put on students to participate in religious practices when they occur during required meeting times. I have known students at other schools that have been the victims of well-intentioned bullying to participate, and understand the stress that bullying put those students under.”

Schools should be a safe place for all students and no student she feel unwelcome or pressured to change their beliefs or feel as if they have to pretend

to adopt the beliefs of others, which is why these rules were enacted to begin with.

These laws do not prevent students from participating in FCA programs during non-required times, nor do they prevent students from praying or worshipping their beliefs on their own; these laws protect students who don’t feel comfortable either pretending to belong to a religion or from being made so publicly different.

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GSA HERE TO STAY

by ANNELISE MOZZONI

Members of Heritage’s newly-created Gay-Straight Alliance aim to instill an attitude of acceptance in the school and the community. Photo by Annelise Mozzoni.

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ORTHWEST Arkansas is at a pivotal point in its history. Fayetteville just repealed a civil ordinance that prohibited landlords and employers from discriminating against a person because of their sexual orientation, gender, or race. The ordinance was repealed with 52%, showing that the conservative agenda still controls the majority, even in a city as liberal as Fayetteville. It is important, now more than ever, for the minorities to seek and share support.

Four months ago,

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Wyatt Cochran, a senior at Heritage, set out on an onerous and seemingly endless journey of heaping paperwork and approvals to finally create a club where all belong. Cochran longed for a place where the less represented at Heritage High School could congregate and converse in solidarity.

He believes that the Gay Straight Alliance can do just that. The culture at HHS can vary between support and acceptance to dismissal and the fear of being bullied, but with Cochran’s resilience, he made it happen. In December, the club finally got approved,

being the first step of many in officially initiating it.

Heritage is fairly young compared to the legacy of the Mounties or the Bentonville Tigers, so it’s not surprising that there have been fewer diversity-driven clubs. Now in its seventh year, Heritage is finally establishing more socially progressive clubs, such as the Young Democrats and Gender Equality club, paving the way for G.S.A. to nestle right into the heart of the club catalogue.

The club welcomes anyone of any sexual orientation.The meetings

are meant to be a place to share thoughts and support without judgement. It will facilitate an understanding and loving community for teens that might otherwise feel socially excluded and can become at-risk teens..

Cochran believes that this club is necessary for Heritage and meant to “bridge an alliance between all sexualites.” He then went on to say: “Hopefully this club will affect Heritage in a positive way and create a positive environment for all and trust between everyone.”

Heading the club along with Cochran are the

club advisors Mrs. Lennon and Ms. Kitty. They all are proud of the progress they have made. So far the club has gathered a significant following.

Cochran is expecting up to twenty-five or more students to attend the first meeting, which is likely to happen towards the end of February. Meetings will be held in room F110 Thursday mornings at 7:50, all are welcome.

NEW FATHER, ACCLAIMED RAPPER

KANYE WEST

FINDS FULFILMENT IN “ONLY ONE” A REVIEW BY HARRY COLE

LEFT: Rapper Kanye West (left) with collaborator and ex-Beatle Paul McCartney // RIGHT: West with daughter North on the cover art for “Only One”

W

HEN KANYE West peaked in 2010 with the epic My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, he was a lonely, tormented soul searching for fulfilment in life and getting lost, probably for the better.

Four years later, in 2014, he finally found it.

So what should one expect from one of the most lionized (and villainized) figures in rap history who married the girl of his dreams and is now a proud father?

Kanye West has been known to change styles, but the post-

Ferguson outrage and cry for justice I had expected from a new 2014 Kanye song was a far cry from the placid lullaby “Only One” he released late New Year’s Eve.

The song marks a progression for Kanye. No longer are his love songs drenched in irony. Gone are the angst ridden screeches of songs like “Black Skinhead” and “I Am a God (feat. God)” found on last year’s Yeezus.

Kanye’s not even rapping here, but singing. The result is the first truly joyous and content song the rapper has

written since the 2005 ode to his mother “Hey Mama”. The song shows that for Kanye, “The storm ran out of rainthe clouds are moving”.

“Only One” is a collaboration with music god Paul McCartney, and the background keyboard performance the ex-Beatle delivers is heart wrenching.

The song is spare, but Kanye shows us, like the best musical artists do, that less is sometimes more, and the song features nothing more than keyboard, Kanye vocals, and plenty of space.

On the song, supposedly and improvisation, Kanye sings from the point of view of his now passed away mother as she speaks gently to Kanye and his new baby, telling him to “Tell Nori about me, tell Nori about me.” It’s the closest thing Kanye has released to a prayer.

Ultimately, the song is sentimental and precious.

Kanye pulls it off because he is Kanye West. Yes, no one would be listening to this song had Kanye West not written it, but that scarcely even matters. And no, “Only

One” does not compare to any of the artist’s best work as a rapper, but this song might be more important. For the first time, Kanye West is not the egomaniac, artistic genius the world has come to expect.

This is Kanye stripped of his pretentions. This is the work of a man truly being himself, comfortable in his own skin, and to me, that’s what great art is all about.

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S

HE HAS BEEN referred to as Cinderella, Chava, a Dynamite, silly girl, mersister, dormouse, and ladybug; but you know her as Jenna Leavitt.

She has already landed twenty roles in theatrical productions-- quite the resumé for a junior in high school.

Jenna Leavitt has performed on countless stages including those of Arts Live Theatre, Trike Theatre, Arts Center of the Ozarks, Classical Ballet Academy- Drama Department, Heritage High School, and most recently, Rogers Little Theater. She made her RLT debut in September of 2014 when she took on the role of Chava, the third eldest daughter of Tevye (and the only role played by a high school student)

in Fiddler on the Roof.

Fiddler on the Roof, one of Leavitt’s favorite shows she has participated in to date, made her fall in love with Rogers Little Theater.

She knew she would enjoy returning to RLT for another show, so when she found out about their upcoming production of Legally Blonde, she was very interested.

With the goal of being cast as a chorus member in mind, Leavitt started training for Legally Blonde back in September, while she was still performing Fiddler on the Roof. She prepared by listening to the music every day and doing cardio to get ready for the dance routines. All that was left for her to do was to try out.

One advantage Leavitt had over some of her competition was

that she had already conquered RLT auditions once before. She knew from experience what was to be expected, so when the audition packet was released one week prior to the audition date, she was on the RLT website, ready to study it.

At 7 o’clock P.M. on Monday, December 8th, approximately twentyfive people wrote on their audition forms that they were trying out under the category of “young women”. They formed a line across the stage and took turns singing a couple of measures from the selected piece, “So Much Better.” Leavitt was the third one to sing, and she evidently made a lasting impression on the judges because she was asked to go to callbacks the following day. Leavitt and the fifteen other remaining

young women were taught three eight-counts of dance choreography and performed it in groups of five or six. The director then assigned everyone parts to read from the script. Leavitt was chosen to read as Elle Woods every time.

Despite the obvious signs of the director’s approval, Leavitt didn’t get her hopes up. She worried that she might be too young to play a college student, especially since most of the other girls who tried out were actually in college themselves. To her shock and absolute, utter excitement, Jenna Leavitt’s twentieth role would be none other but Elle Woods, recent college graduate and quintessential Valley Girl. Leavitt admits, “I found out in my drama class, and I started crying

hysterically.”

On December 16th, just six days after she found out she got the part as Harvard’s beloved blonde, the RLT director texted Leavitt to inform her that she had two days to die her hair blonder for the advertisement poster.

She was planning on waiting until January to go lighter, so this news really stressed her out. She didn’t have an appointment, but she drove to Fayetteville at 8:30 at night to get it done. “The things you do for theatre,” Leavitt joked.

Hair and costumes are important aspects, but acting isn’t all glamour and leisure. Although it is something she thoroughly enjoys, Leavitt emphasizes the difficulties of theatre: “Actors have to train just like athletes do.” In fact, when it comes to Rogers Little Theater, actors have

PHOTO BY RYLEE FINCHER “I had a proud mommy moment when Jenna stepped on the stage today.”

PHOTO BY LINDSAY GLYNN

Woods, Elle // Leavitt, Jenna // most talented human being I’ve ever met”

to practice more than the average high school student-athlete.

While Heritage sports members rest on Sunday, Jenna Leavitt and the rest of the Legally Blonde cast had to practice everyday of the week from January 1st to February 13th, the day of their first show. Weekday rehearsals lasted from 6:30

PHOTO BY MAREK STANLEY

“Everyone should get a chance to see this girl on stage. She is amazing! Seriously, go see her show #LegallyBlonde at RLT”

PHOTO BY ALLIE MORRIS

“Jenna Leavitt, you’re going places #showstoppersaturday”

to 10 P.M., and rehearsals on the weekends started at 1:30 and ended at 4:30 P.M.. It was a very demanding schedule, but it was well worth it to Leavitt.

The cast members’ hard work and determination definitely paid off. I have been to over ten RLT

productions, and although they were all tremendous, Legally Blonde has been my favorite by far. It was hilarious and fun throughout and made me want to get up out of my seat and sing and dance with the performers. Jenna Leavitt’s talent absolutely blew me away, and even though Legally Blonde is

PHOTO BY NATALIE CIFUENTES “JENNA LEAVITT, YOU BLOW US AWAY. You’re a star, my dear, and there is nothing but brightness in your future.”

PHOTO BY HANNAH MARKEL

“Sometimes when you have the flu, you have to go see your super cool friend play the lead in Legally Blonde [because] she’s so stunning and so insanely talented!!!!!”

a lighthearted musical, I teared up when Leavitt stepped onto the stage and started her first song.

The last performance will be Sunday, March 1st at 2 P.M.. Legally Blonde broke an RLT record for ticket presales, so it has obviously been a huge success. If you were unable to support Jenna Leavitt from inside

the theater, be sure to congratulate her if you see her walking the halls of Heritage High School - and consider stopping to ask for her autograph, because you can bet that it will be worth a great deal someday.

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Brian Williams

UNDER FIRE (and not from enemy rockets):

WILL HIS CREDIBILITY RECOVER?

by Emily Gibson

B

ELOVED NBC Nightly News correspondent and Managing Editor Brian Williams has been suspended without pay as of February 10, 2015.

His credibility has dropped due to his acknowledgment of his exaggeration of events that happened in a helicopter in Iraq.

Lester Holt, who stepped in for Williams, will continue as the substitute, according to NBC.

Shows, like that of NBC Nightly News, should primarily be focused on actual news coverage, and while that is something Williams did well, on

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photo by Comcast January 30, 2015, during a Nightly News broadcast, Williams expanded on a story he had been telling at other venues, misrepresenting the events which occurred while he was covering news during the Iraq War in 2003.

It has emerged that Williams has wrongly claimed he was on board a U.S. helicopter attacked by rocket fire. American soldiers, and the pilots of the helicopter, have publicly challenged Williams recollection of the events, saying that Williams was no where near the attacked helicopter.

“This was wrong and

completely inappropriate for someone in Brian’s position,” Deborah Turness, president of NBC News, stated.

Williams had been drawing 9.3 million viewers a night, according to the NY Times, making his position seem to be one that can’t be beat. Williams, who was not only the head anchor of the number-one evening news show, but also the Managing Editor, a highly recognized position in which Williams had heavy influence on what news was covered and how it was broadcasted.

After his supposed helicopter fiasco and

questions about his possible other reportings, the trust in some of his viewers has plummeted. Six months off air is a long time to disappear for a news anchor who has been a regular end to a majority of the American public’s day, and analysts believe it would be difficult for him to re-establish himself as an everyday, beloved, nightly news presence.

There is always the hope that with a six-month break, a full six-months for correspondents and viewers alike to cool off, he’s still got a loyal fan-base.

Williams announced on February 7,

2015, that he was “temporarily stepping aside” from his show because he had become “too much a part of the news” -- showing his compassion and belief that news programs primary focus should be on real news, and not coverage of the drama around it’s anchors.

Williams’ departure is a stinging blow to aspiring journalists everywhere, and while Williams was in the wrong for his actions, his commanding and confident presenting style will be missed by NBC Nightly News viewers.

ARKANSAS RAISES MINIMUM WAGE Law to Raise Minimum Hourly Wage to $8.50 by 2017

T

HE MINIMUM wage is enough to sustain a teenager’s appetite for the trendiest sparkly Uggs and the latest Xbox game, but is it enough to live off of?

Arkansas’ lawmakers earlier this year asked themselves this question. Far below the federal minimum wage, the state’s was $6.25 an hour.

All of that changed during this past midterm election, when a law was passed that will raise the minimum wage in increments over the next several years until 2017, when it will level off to $8.50 per hour. Although it passed with a solid 65 percent of the vote, there are still some who oppose it.

With a majority of teenagers working minimum-wage-paying jobs, this increase might seem like all teens would be in favor, but senior Lydia Colberg disapproves.

Colberg works at Grubs, a local chain restaurant.

“I’m afraid that in order to compensate for the increase, my job will take more taxes out of my paycheck.” she says. That was a concern for lawmakers as well, that is why the increase will happen in small increments over the next few years, and not all at once. Amanda Ray, another senior at Heritage is excited about the increase.

She works two jobs, in hopes

by Annelise Mozzoni to save for college without having to take out student loans. “Hopefully, in the near future I won’t have to work two jobs, and be able to focus on other aspects of my life, without being stressed about how many hours I have to work. It won’t make a huge difference, but every little bit helps,” Ray says.

Teenagers are not the only ones who are supported by minimum wage. With fifteen percent of Arkansans living on minimum wage, this increase could help them afford a more liveable lifestyle. Many minimum-wage workers have to provide not only for themselves, but their children as well. With this raise they will no longer have to worry about basic needs, like food and housing. The increase helps workers and local businesses. With more money to spend, there will be growth in consumer demand and jobs, creating a cycle of cash flow that’s beneficial for all involved. Increasing the minimum wage in Arkansas will help the state’s economy to flourish.

Even though this raise helps Arkansas’s citizens overall, 35 percent still voted against it. Some say it is enough to live off of, but there is another issue to address. Inflation is increasing, meaning that in order for minimum

Infographic by the Economic Policy Institute (www.epi.org) wage workers to stay afloat, the minimum wage has to increase with it. “If you account for inflation, the federal minimum wage is $3 less today than it was in 1968. And that’s the federal minimum wage. Arkansas’s is even lower. Arkansas is supposed to be a land of opportunity where hard work is rewarded. By any standard, the minimum wage today is not enough for a family to make ends

meet.” says Rich Huddleston, executive director of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families.

Opposing the raise is usually a conservative outlook, but even Republican Governorelect Asa Hutchinson voted to raise it, knowing how important this issue was for the state.

It was a major success for Arkansas when the law passed to raise minimum wage.

This

increase is great for the workers, businesses, and the state as a whole. Though it took time, Arkansas is finally catching up with the rest of the country and progressing to better the well being of its citizens.

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JE SUIS CHARLIE IN SOLIDARITY WITH CHARLIE HEBDO VICTIMS

Parisians gather in a prayer circle in the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo attack. (Photo by Getty)

written and designed by Samantha Dean

O

N WEDNESDAY January 7th, 2015, at 11:30 a.m., two masked men forced their way into the offices of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, killing one man. Once inside, they, using kalashnikov assault rifles, forced employees to let them into the second floor conference room where they mercilessly killed the editor, his bodyguard, four cartoonists, three editorial staff members and a guest, after calling them each out by name. Witnesses report that the men spoke fluent French and were also heard shouting “God is great!” and “We have avenged the prophet Muhammad!” in

Arabic when calling out the names of the journalists.

The gunmen then fled the scene, running into a police car that blocked their escape route. They opened fire in the middle of the street and were caught on video by journalists taking refuge on the roofs of office buildings.

No police officers were injured during their flee from the Charlie Hebdo building, but after escaping and traveling up the Northern Carriageway, the men stopped the car and exited, shooting a police officer standing on nearby pavement. After shooting him once and injuring him, one man approached the officer and fired a fatal

shot from close range.

The gunmen returned to their car, but not for long. After driving a bit farther they abandoned their vehicle. The police reported that they found molotov cocktails and two jihadist flags in the getaway car. The attackers didn’t go without a vehicle, though; they hijacked another car and continued to flee. Paris was put on maximum alert, and an additional 500 police were deployed to the streets.

The following day, as police continued investigating the attacks on Charlie Hebdo the day prior, a lone gunman shot two people in the Paris suburb of Montrouge. The gunman shot a

policewoman dead and injured another man before fleeing. The French authorities initially denied any link between the two shootings but later determined a relation in the incidents.

The men were identified as brothers Cheriff and Said Kouachi. The next day, they robbed a gas station and made their way towards northern France. The police continued to chase them, injuring one brother in a shootout. The brothers took refuge in a printing firm and were inside for 8 hours with police surrounding them and shutting off any and all escape routes.

The brothers had told local media they would

die “martyrs’” deaths. They emerged from the building in an explosion of gunfire. Both men were killed and two police officers were injured. We later learned that the men had released one hostage and another had stayed safe by hiding in the building’s cafeteria and communicating with police via text message, unbeknownst to the gunmen.

While police surrounded the printing firm, there was another siege under way in Paris. A gunman took several people hostage at a supermarket at Porte de Vincennes in east Paris. The police quickly surrounded the supermarket. They released the names of two suspects: Amedy Coulibaly and Hayat

Slain Charlie Hebdo editor Stephanne Charbonnier poses with a controversial issue of the magazine he oversaw. (Photo by ZUMAPRESS) Boumeddiene. Coulibaly was said to be the one holding citizens hostage in the supermarket, threatening the lives of hostages and demanding the brothers go free.

Coulibaly was shot minutes after the stand off at the print firm came to an end.

Reports say he was kneeling for evening prayers when commandos stormed the supermarket, killing Coulibaly and freeing the 15 hostages. They, however, found the bodies of four hostages as well. Coulibaly was also linked to the shooting of a jogger in a park in Paris on the same day as the Charlie Hebdo attack. His partner, a female named Hayat Boumeddiene, is still at large.

They believe she has fled the country and traveled to Syria from Turkey.

Since the attacks, France has become a place unsafe for Muslims. There was already prejudice against Islam faith present in France prior to the attacks; now it is worse than ever. Muslim face threats everyday. Though many Islamic countries and Muslims have spoken out, condemning the radicals’ actions, people still believe Muslims as a whole are to blame for the horrible attacks on Paris.

Because these attacks were the largest seen in postWorld War II France, they have made quite the impact not only on France, but on

the rest of the world. Everywhere you turn, the word “terrorist” is used as a synonym for “Muslim”, and that is simply incorrect.

We, as a species, cannot label entire religions, ethnicities, or countries as one thing when the individuals of these groups are all unique, and possess more good qualities than bad. Some 93% of Muslims do not support extremist acts of terrorism.

There are over 1 billion Muslims in the world. Judging a billion people for the actions of an extreme minority is akin to associating all Christians with the Klu Klux Klan.

In the United States, (between 1970 and 2012) Muslim extremists account

for only 2.5% of terrorist attacks. And, in the world, Muslims are the #1 victim of terrorist attacks. And according to the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, “Between 1970 and 2011, 32 percent of the perpetrator groups were motivated by ethno nationalist/ separatist agendas, 28 percent were motivated by single issues, such as animal rights or opposition to war, and seven percent were motivated by religious beliefs. In addition, 11 percent of the perpetrator groups were classified as extreme right-wing, and 22 percent were categorized as extreme left-wing.”

These statistics help

support the idea that any and all groups of people are capable of bad, but any and all people are just as, if not more, capable of good. Just because one egg in the carton is cracked, doesn’t make the rest cracked as well.

The attacks in Paris were tragic; the loss of human lives was horrific. We need to do what we can to keep these things from happening, and that means protecting and respecting each other, regardless of race or religion, sex or political beliefs.

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I

N THE FICTIONAL Eastern European province of Zubrowka - nestled among the dull oranges and hollow browns of autumn - in the lobby of a hotel, the Grand Budapest - once an ageless, immaculate structure of pastel pink and gold, a retreat populated by Europe’s most lavishly wealthy and kept in seamless operation by the frenzied comings and goings of a dedicated staff, a marionette under the scrutinizing command of its legendary concierge, Monsieur Gustave H. - but in the present a forgotten, scarcely-inhabited shell largely indistinguishable from the surrounding landscape, a microcosm of the war-scarred continent that houses it - sits a writer

whose wandering search for a captivating story will soon come to a dramatic close in a building seemingly drained of inspiration.

The hotel its impeccable and impossibly-detailed decor of pink and red and purple and gold, with nary a rose out of place, its nuanced and unmistakably unusual inhabitants, the Klubeks that pass from palm to palm in hurried transactions for stiff white tulips and rosary candles - is the creation of film director, writer and auteur Wes Anderson.

Anderson, like the writer who tells of his stay in the Grand Budapest, seems to find inspiration in the most unlikely corners of life. In his relatively

brief twenty-year career - spanning eight featurelength films, two shorts, and a smattering of extravagant commercials for Prada and American Express - Anderson has created a visual and literary style unprecedented by the history of American cinema. His 2004 film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - a parody and an homage to renowned oceanographer and filmmaker Jacques Cousteau starring Bill Murray and Owen Wilson - is a prime example of the strikingly bizarre universe in which an Anderson film takes place.

Anderson’s cinematic style extends far beyond the personality quirks of his characters - the aggressive precociousness

of Rushmore’s Max Fischer, the depressed, romantic secrecy between Margot and Richie Tenenbaum, or the naïve, self-indulgent rebelliousness of Moonrise Kingdom’s Sam Shakusky.

Pick a frame from a Wes Anderson film and chances are - it is flawlessly symmetrical, bathed in a bright (and remarkably consistent) color scheme, set to a Rolling Stones song, and detailed to a degree beyond what any normal human being could hope to notice in a single viewing. Like a theatre play or a pop-up book, every scene in an Anderson film evolves before the viewer’s eyes like an elaborate string of dominoes; to that end, his films are the most enchantingly unusual in

the industry.

The Grand Budapest won four Oscars - out of nine nominations, the most of any film this year - at the 87th Academy Awards on February 22: Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hair, Best Original Score (by renowned composer Alexandre Desplat), and Best Production Design.

The film’s popularity at the Oscars and since its release reflects the fervour with which Anderson’s style has caught on - and perhaps the immediacy of the end of an era of predictable, formulaic filmmaking.

FIND THE WES ANDERSON FILM FOR YOU!

I

CONCERN AND SKEPTICISM BY CARLA ARCHER

KNOW HOW Toy Story 3 ends (SPOILER ALERT), but I still cry every time I watch Andy’s toys grasp each others’ hands as they hopelessly await their deaths in the fiery incinerator, only to be saved by the three aliens controlling “the claw”. More tears are shed when Andy takes one last look at his toys before heading off to college and whispers, “Thanks, guys.”

When Andy’s car is down the road, and Woody utters his farewell, (“So long, partner.”) I am an absolute, sobbing mess.

An ending so perfect as to provoke such strong emotions with each viewing ought not to be

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trifled with. Heritage senior Katherinne Sanabria agreed: “I think the finale of the third movie was all we needed for closure.

There’s no need for a Toy Story 4.”

In fact, fans all over the world are insisting that there is enormous potential to ruin the flawless consistency of the trilogy by making a fourth film. I am a Toy Story fanatic myself, and even I am weary of the movie that is set to release June 16, 2017.

John Lasseter, who directed the first two Toy Story movies in 1995 and 1999, is returning to the director’s chair after Lee Unkrich stepped in to direct Toy Story 3 that was

released in 2010. We have to wait over two years to see how Toy Story 4 turns out, but Lasseter insists that it’ll be worth it.

Like all of us fans, Lasseter originally thought that a fourth sequel was out of the question because of the third movie’s perfect ending. However, Lasseter ensures, “We only make sequels when we have a story that’s as good as or better than the original… We love these characters so much, they are like family to us. We don’t want to do anything with them unless it lives up to or surpasses what’s gone before.”

Toy Story 4 definitely has a lot to live up

to since Toy Story 3 is only the third animated movie in history to be nominated for an Oscar for best picture (following Beauty and the Beast and Up).

Not much information has been released on the upcoming film, but we do know that the original cast, including Tom Hanks as Woody and Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, will return to the set. It has also been made known that it will, in fact, be a continuation and some sort of love story written by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack.

Toy Story will be Disney’s very first series of four films, and some skeptics are convinced that it

is simply a money-making gimmick. The first three movies grossed more than 1.3 billion dollars, not to mention all the profit made from merchandise.

The fourth sequel will certainly earn substantial revenue, but I seriously doubt the passionate creators would make the film purely for money.

Although I am still worried that Toy Story 4 will not be as good of an ending to my favorite set of Disney movies as Toy Story 3, I am sure it will still be an enjoyable film. I will most likely be at the first showing along with the other anxious, die-hard fans, but until then, I will just have to wait patiently.

THE COFFEE GRIND LOCAL VS. FRANCHISE

BY CALLIE BARNETT

C

OFFEE HAS gone from a daily home brew to a constant purchase at coffee shops. Even with the incredible Keurig coffee makers on the market, people go crazy over trips to coffee shops and are willing to spend two to five dollars on one drink.

But where do most people treat themselves?

We have a great deal of coffee companies here in Northwest Arkansas to grab coffee from or “chillax” and sip for a while, but a known coffee competition here in Rogers, Arkansas is Iron Horse and Starbucks.

Anyone who has been into Iron Horse has most likely seen the signs

hanging on the brick walls and the tee shirts for sale saying, “Never mind the Starbucks, here’s the Iron Horse.”

I know what you are thinking: How can such a small local business compete with the country’s largest coffee franchise?

One reason they can is the price of their coffee. Sure, they are only saving your wallet a small amount of change, but over time that money collects. Substantial amounts of money can be saved in the long run.

Most who purchase these drinks aren’t aiming to save money anyways. If they wanted to, they would be brewing at home.

Whether or not intentional, Iron Horse

has a great location. Being downtown, it makes it easy for residences living out by the lake to stop in on their way to work. It is also a perfect distance from Heritage. Starbucks may be worth the drive some mornings if you are a fan, but it is out of the way for most students on their way to school.

Who wouldn’t want to pop in for a customized bagel and great cup of coffee before heading to school?

Both Starbucks and Iron Horse have food options, but who wants a reheated sandwich from Starbucks when you can have one fresh from Iron Horse for the same price?

Iron Horse has recently

added more baked goods to their menu. Now you can get cake balls and cookies just like you can at Starbucks.

One thing that does make Starbucks better is the great deals. Often around holidays or other special times of the year for the company, Starbucks will give out offers, such as holiday drink cards, buy one get one free, three dollar frappucinos, and many others.

As a franchise, Starbucks has an easier time drawing in their business.

When people who never intend to spend money come across a great deal, it’s much more likely they will open their wal-

lets.

Even without special deals, Iron Horse seems to make their money. There are always customers. Even the times I have gone in right after opening or right before close, I’ve never been the only one.

Iron Horse is no threat to Starbucks, yet Starbucks is no threat to Iron Horse.

The great thing about both coffee joints is the atmosphere. You can easily go in for coffee and relax while you read, work on homework, or write an essay. No matter your coffee preference, both businesses are able to offer that.

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DRESS CODES

OPRESS GIRLS Heritage girls violate the core principals of an excessive dress code by wearing hats and showing their shoulders and thighs.

I

an editorial written & photographed by Haven Kirkpatrick

DROWSILY PULL myself into my father’s car at 7:45 A.M. and he remarks, “don’t you think those shorts are too short?”. Defending myself and my lazy morning fashion, I tell him that it’s fine and should be fully dress code-appropriate. I drag myself into first hour and before I have time to even sit down - what do you know? - I get sent to the nurse’s office for a dress code violation. I get there and dangle my hands to match the length of my shorts - half an inch above my fingertips. 30 minutes later, my dad is in the front office with a pair of pants pulled from my room at home.

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Dress codes, while necessary, are often skewed against girls and against certain body types.

Being 5’9” and a female, I get asked a lot of questions about my height. “Do you play basketball? You’d be really good I bet.” “Is it hard finding a guy as tall as you?” And - one of my favorites - “What’s it like up there?” Stupid remarks aside, the thing I dislike most about my height is finding clothes that fit me well. Should I wear something even remotely short - at knee length or above - I am questioned and asked to stand up and put my arms to my sides.

Whilst in the office, I often see girls walk by wear-

ing shorts half the length of mine. These girls are shorter than me and have shorter arms than me, so when they are asked about their shorts, they can put their arms to their side and walk away with a smiling face. For me and for other, taller girls, this is unfair.

Students in the Rogers School District are expected to wear tank tops with a four inch width, which means no sleeveless shirts to the teachers. Boys, on the other hand, do not follow this rule. I see guys walking around school wearing “frat” or “man” tanks, which are not allowed. Yes, the dress code restricts girls’ clothes more than boys’, and when they

can’t follow their small amount of rules, its a real slap in the face to women who can’t even show our shoulders.

My intention isn’t to eliminate the dress code - limits are needed or else we will have naked teenagers walking the halls of Heritage - but at the beginning and end of the school year, it’s usually very hot inside and out. I want to be comfortable and not have to pull a cardigan over my sleeveless shirt, or have to change into pants because my shorts were half an inch too short.

Girls are over-sexualized by these restricting dress codes. I can’t show my shoulder in school because, according to society, “boys will be boys”. If

boys were taught to better respect girls, they would understand that a shoulder or a leg is merely a part of the human anatomy. By changing clothes when being told it distracts boys, it’s teaching young women to confine themselves to the expectations of the other gender. To make us change when our clothes aren’t doing harm to anyone is to take time away from my education. I go to school to learn, not to be submissive to young boys that should learn to respect women. So please, before you judge a person on what they are wearing, consider what “dress code-appropriate” really is.

WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW CAN HURT YOU:

RETHINKING SEX ED T

HE DEBATE ON SEX education has been going on for years, and with today’s divided government, mixed with the slow decline of teen pregnancies, a solution may come later rather than sooner.

The debate has many of the components it always has; for example, whether abstinence-only or comprehensive programs are the most effective in schools. Education is the prime source of knowledge in a teenager’s life, and a comprehensive sex education is an effective way to teach teens the meaning of sex and the importance of protecting oneself. Comprehensive sex education does not promote a sexual risk, and in fact, teens with proper sex education will become more aware of STDs and how to protect themselves in sexual intercourse.

Even though teenagers have been bulwarked from what might be deemed “inappropriate” sex education content in more conservative regions, teens in states with abstinence education programs are actually having sex earlier and more frequently than the national average.

Because of this, teens are also much less likely to know how to avoid unintended pregnancies.

an editorial by Emily Gibson / maps by the Huffington Post According to Advocates For Youth, “Each year, US teens experience as many as 850,000 pregnancies, and youth under the age of 25 experience about 9.1 million sexually transmitted infections.” Pregnancy during the high school career of a teenager is particularly problematic because of its association with high school dropouts.

Few would argue against the need for a sexual health education. The question is: should a comprehensive sex education be administered in schools, and what exactly should the content call for?

The National Association of School Psychologists’ (NASP) official stance on sexual education is that it should be taught in schools to help young people make healthy decisions regarding sex throughout their lives.

Accordingly, school psychologists have a responsibility to use their expertise to facilitate these programs. Without a comprehensive sexual education program facilitated by a professional who is educated in these issues, teenagers will often base their decisions on misinformation from peers and unmoderated Internet sources.

Thus, without proper sex education, misinformed teens lead

to unintended pregnancies – and this leads to large amounts of high school dropouts and teenagers starting their lives in the “real world” far too early.

Why do states with abstinence-only programs have the highest rate of teen pregnancy? Abstinence-only programs place too much faith in the average teenager.

They leave out crucial information in order to shelter students.

What you don’t know can hurt you: if you are unaware of the dangers of unprotected sex – if you are taught the lies and inaccurate information that abstinence-only programs advise – you could become unintentionally pregnant. You could end up with an STD that you weren’t aware you could catch.

There are dangers in abstinence programs that conservatives cannot see: the danger of an uninformed teen. Abstinence-only programs have little support outside of ultra-right wing ideologies1. The right-wing states have the highest teen birth rates and, most of the time, don’t require sex education to be taught in schools – and when they do, abstinence-only is the state standard2.

So, why is a comprehensive

sex education needed in schools but not abstinence programs? Sexual activity has its consequences. Though the teen birth rate has declined to its lowest levels, according to the National Conference of State Legislators, the United States still has the highest teen birth rate in the developed world.

Teen mothers are more likely to become high school dropouts and are more likely to live in poverty, depend on public assistance, and be in poor health. Because of this, their children are more likely to suffer health and emotional disadvantages, live in poverty, receive child welfare, and end up teen parents themselves. According to The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy and NCSL, these costs add up – teenage pregnancies are estimated to cost taxpayers $9.4 billion annually.

Abstinence-only programs are then said to be a waste of taxpayers’ money. Despite government cuts to programs across the board, abstinence-only programs have seen an increase in federal funding in recent years.

Advocates For Youth states that “abstinence-only-until-marriage programs have enjoyed over a 300

percent increase in federal funding since President Bush took office, from $80 million a year in 2001 to $176 million in 2007”. With that being said, abstinence-only programs’ use of government’s funds actually violates the separation of church and state law. Advocates For Youth have also explained that there have been several federal court cases arguing that a few states’ abstinence programs promote religion – which is not allowed to be promoted in school.

While it cannot solve the problem of unplanned pregnancies completely, comprehensive sex education can help reduce the risk of teen pregnancies and reduce the high school dropout rate that accompanies it. Educating teens about the benefits of contraception would give them a better sex education than the abstinence tactics being provided.

Sex education should send an informative message, not an unclear loophole around a major aspect of all people’s lives. We should prepare teens for the real world, and implementing a comprehensive sex education in all public schools will do just that.

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COLORS DAY