Hillside Hotwire March 2019 by Bill Tobler

Volume 20 Issue 3

March 2019

FOOTHILL HIGH SCHOOL

c W re k e d

FUTURE

Every 15 Minutes showcases the effects of drunk driving

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Hillside Hotwire • Contents

Hillside Hotwire • Feature

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WEB MASTER

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Zack Jackson, Rehya Corral, Jade Eary, Dustin Jensen, Alexia Stein, Ayla Thompson

CUB REPORTERS

4 National Guard

you be 12 Should immunized?

Bill Tobler

PRINCIPAL

Lisa Burkhead

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the Hillside Hotwire are the author’s and do not represent the opinions of the administration, faculty, staff, or students of Foothill High School. Student-written articles are the individual, private speech of the student and are NOT endorsed or sponsored by Foothill High School or the Clark County School District. The staff reserves the right to reject any advertisement deemed inappropriate. Letters to the editor may be edited for content, clarity and brevity.

March 2019

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February 2019

Hillside Hotwire • News

Hillside Hotwire • Feature

Home, Country, Family

To serve and protect By Elly Davis • Co-Editor

Those who serve

National Guard, Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard

he new recruits, clad in crisp camo, march on the desert landscape, training for a future where the skills they learn will be a necessity. These are students who have dedicated their future to the United States and to its citizens as part of the National Guard.

The National Guard has recruited the most students from Foothill compared to all other military branches this school year. National Guard members can still have a regular life while being in the National Guard, which is why it often comes off as the most appeal-

For Information Contact: Sergent Paul Duncan (National Guard): (702)460-7061 https://www.military.com/join-armed-forces

March 2019

ing of the military branches to join. To join, recruits “meet with a recruiter, decide to join, take the ASVAB, pick a job, do a full physical, finalize their contract, and get sworn in,” said Army Sergeant Baggett a recruiter for Foothill. Every recruitment has their own reasons for wanting to join the military. “I always had other people in my family who had been in the military wanting to serve my country,” said Shaina Day. Joining the military even can help students plan their lives. “I knew by the time I walked out of training that I’d be stronger, more skilled, more disciplined, and I’d have my life together,” said Miyah Gornot.

Recruiters have some insight for reasons to join. “Some people want to experience something different, like different cultures around the world or just the diversity found within the Army ranks. Others just want a stable income that regularly increases and is much better than a dead-end job,” said Baggett. “Some people are interested in the excitement aspect; they join to jump out of planes and helicopters or shoot big guns. The last reason people join is for the respect that we in uniform receive,” said the Baggett. Whatever the reason or the branch, every military personnel is serving their country. Recruiters truly make all of

the difference when deciding to join the military or not. “My recruiter is Sgt. Paul Duncan. He is amazing,” said Gornot. “I never considered the military ever until I saw his presentation.” Some recruitments are already drilling for their new career. “Being in the military so far has been pretty exciting, especially starting on this new journey and being able to go and experience something completely out of my norm,” said Day. Drilling happens once a month for an entire weekend, where it is a miniature basic training to get the new recruitments ready for the official basic training. “Drills are fun in the way of

being disciplined as well as understanding a whole new lifestyle,” said Day. Joining the military is not without its struggles. “All jobs in the military have different lengths for your training, and I’ll be gone for 27 weeks, which is a long time to not be with my family,” said Day. “The Army teaches you to be confident, and if you aren’t, they will force you out of your shell, which is scary,” said Gornot. “ I used to have this mentality where I’d question my abilities to perform my duties, even when I knew I could do them, but now I feel confident in doing so and am not afraid to fail.” Basic training is much more structured than that of

a regular day in the military. “You wake up really early and train all day. You learn how to shoot, march, first aid, land navigation, and rank structure. You do obstacle courses, go through a gas chamber, and, of course, you do a lot of exercise,” said the sergeant. “In a normal unit, you do physical training for an hour or so around 6:30 a.m.. After PT, you shower, eat, change and then and show up to work at 9:00 a.m. and work until 11:30. From 11:30 to 1:00 is lunch. Then you work from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. After that, you do what you want to do as long as it’s not illegal.” Reimbursement for joining some branches of the

military include free college and paychecks throughout your service. “The number one benefit that persuaded me to join would have to be getting college 100% paid for,” said Day. Those students who join the military are serving their country and its citizens, and that includes the student body. Joining can be a difficult decision, but if you want to serve our country, it is always a viable option.

1) Kylee Peterson silhouette is shown behind an American flag. 2) Left to Right: Jaxon Pierce, Kylee Peterson, Miyah Gornot, Shaina Day, Brock Jenks and Conner Johnson. Photo by Elly Davis

March 2019

Hillside Hotwire • Feature

A little dirt don’t hurt Motocross vs. Mountain biking: engines vs. pedals Layout by Bailey Trodahl • Web Designer Zack Jackson • Satff Writer Karena Alexander • Cub Reporter

H 6

ess Petrolia lets the clutch go and holds the throttle wide as his front tire lifts off the ground because of all the power beneath him. Petrolia takes off and hits the first jump, the landing being a relief after he broke his collarbone and was out of the sport for awhile. “ I broke my collarbone in two places and had eight screws and a plate put in,” said Petrolia. “ But it didn’t stop me from riding.” Common injuries from riding dirt bikes are sprained ankles, ACL tears, broken collarbones, broken or sprained wrists, and shoulder injuries. “I enjoy motocross because it is a fun and competitive sport, and I enjoy scaring myself every once in a while,” said Josh. “I usually go to Western Raceway because it is close, and me and my brother get some good practice in there.” Western Raceway has multiple tracks depending on what level of a rider you are. Another track that is pretty close is the Mesquite track, which also has multiple tracks. “It’s

7 2 definitely one of the coolest atmospheres to be in because everyone is there for a good time, and whether you know them or not people help each other with everything which I think is really cool,” said Hess. Professional motocross riders are put on special diets, and work out on a regular basis to get better at what they do. Like any other sport, practice makes perfect. Hess’s twin brother, Josh Petrolia also competes in the event.

H 1 1) Hess Petrolia stands at the Mesquite motocross track. He hovers over his Yamaha ready to ride. “Riding gets me out of my own head,” said Petrolia. 2) Petrolia is shifting gears and lapping everyone out there on the track at Western Raceway.

March 2019

e grips the handlebars with his gloved hands, his backpack strapped to his back, then scrunches his torn up sneakers on the pedals. Beneath him is a $2,000 mountain bike, a Giant. Zack Jackson has been riding for two years and loves the sport for more than one reason. “I love riding mountain bikes because it allows me to be outdoors, and riding gives me that thrill,” said Jackson. “It’s a sport and a hobby at the same time, and it’s something that I can do individually or with a group of friends.” Mountain biking uses manpower instead of horsepower, so it’s more physically involved than motocross. If you are looking for some good exercise and want to get outdoors,

then mountain biking is a good sport for that. The price of bikes can be expensive, but you do not have to pay for gas or oil. It can also be dangerous. “I’ve broken my radius, my pinkie metacarpal, and one time I injured the ligament in my thumb, and it tore a splinter off of the bone,” said Jackson. Mountain biking usually involves going at fast speeds over treacherous landscape and jumping dirt mounds and gaps. “I love the feeling of flying down the trail at high speeds,” said Ethan Wolf. “There is nothing like flying down the trail on my bike and hitting a nice jump perfectly.” Wolf and Jackson often ride together at the Nitro trails, helping each other improve and learn new mountain biking skills.

4 3) Zack Jackson hits a jump on his Giant Trance. Photo by 4) Zack Jackson comes off of a jump on the Nitro trails. Photo by Ben Moeller Ben Moeller

March 2019

Hillside Hotwire • Campus

Two decades later

Twenty years of principals Bob Johns 1999-2002

Sue Dallenbach 2002-2004

Gretchen Crehan 2004-2007

Jeanne Donadio 2007-2014

Joe Caruso 2014-2015

Lisa Burkhead 2016-

Foothill’s OG’s talk about how the Hill has changed since it opened

By Naomi Carpenter • Staff Writer

wenty years ago, a new school emerged in Henderson. The year it openend, it overwhelmingly was made up of students who had formerly attended Basic, and many still remained loyal. So loyal, that during their first football game against Basic, the team marched into the visiting locker room chanting, “Once a Wolf, always a Wolf.” Two decades later, Foothill has found its own place in the district, created its own traditions and has been recognized for its success in academics, athletics and performing arts. Since 2001, its population has more than doubled, going from about 1,200 to nearly 3,000. Many staffulty members have worked at the Hill since the beginning. The Hotwire spoke to a few original Falcons about changes they’ve witnessed.

Q: How has the school changed in two decades? A: Coach Kevin Soares: “Foothill

has grown. We opened with 1,200 students. Now we’ve grown to almost 3,000 students. So, along with the population, there’s definitely a change. It was almost like a family atmosphere when we first opened up, and now it’s like a big city.”

Ms. Dee Nuanes: “We initially

had no senior class, just freshman, sophomores and juniors.”

Ms. Sheila Rappel: “I don’t see a

lot of change, but whenever a new principal comes along, they have different ideas and directions for the school. It really just depends on the leadership. The emphasis on academics has waxed and waned. Some leaders have cared more about activities and getting kids involved in those things while others cared more about March 2019

academics and preparing kids for college and for the work force. I think the current leadership has a good blend of both.”

2001 Yearbook

Original letters and awards that could be earned

way you did back in the day.”

Ms. Nuanes: “The whole family atmosphere. It was a real closeknit faculty.”

Q: What changed for the Ms. Rappel: “I’ve been here better? 20 years, so I’m the last original A: Coach Soares: “All of the math science department person. So I was initially taught at CSN, so now kids don’t have to cross the street.”

Ms. Nuanes: “One of the things

that we can remember is when we first opened; we didn’t have a 700 hallway. So they built that later on. Some of the kids were going to CSN for math.”

Ms. Rappel: “Trying to get kids

more involved in school and their academics.”

Q: What do you miss? A: Coach Soares: “The faculty

was a lot closer because it was smaller. And now, we have over a hundred teachers here. You don’t really get to know them like the

miss my old science buds.”

Q: What does Falcon pride mean to you? A: Coach Soares: “It means a lot; I wish the kids who go to school here understood what it means. Stuff like keeping the campus clean, keeping your lockers clean, keeping classrooms clean, showing up to the athletic or fine arts events. Supporting everyone: that’s what Falcon pride is.”

Ms. Nuanes: “Just tradition.

There’s no tradition anymore. Usually, people are proud to attend this school. They don’t really stand up for their school now. It’s like

This patch is given to varsity players in any sport.

Given to an athlete who plays three sports in one year or plays one sport for all four years.

there’s no pride from the kids who come here anymore. They used to be proud of the Hill and used to do anything they could to make it a better school. That seems to have disappeared, which is sad [for the school and its students].”

Found in the Time Capsule ,this patch is no longer used at the Hill. It was formerly given to scholar-athletes, but the criteria is unknown.

This patch is given to athletes if they play a sport and keep a 3.5 GPA or higher.

The Hillside Hotwire used to be called the Bird’s Eye View. This issue commemorated the first senior class graduating.

Ms Rappel: “Definitely pride in

the school, that you can look back and be glad you went to school there. That you can look back and say, “I did well. I got a good education. I contributed something to the school, and it was a good experience for me. When you’re in the school, Falcon pride is doing what you can to make the school better and getting involved with the school.” March 2019

Hillside Hotwire • Personal Profile

Drive-by dining

Is food truck dining more for the food or the experience? By Rene Federico • Cub Reporter

here are many food trucks in Las Vegas and Henderson offering every type of food, from tacos to burgers to Chinese to waffles to lobster trucks. “Food trucks are great, but they are too expensive,” said Steve Murray. Despite the expense, some see them as an alternative experience that gives them great-tasting food much quicker and cheaper than getting it at a restaurant. For example, El Taqueria is like an upscale version of Robertos. One of the things they are known for is their nachos. They became so popular that they also opened a brick and mortar restaurant at the Galleria Mall. One of the complaints about food trucks is that they’re hard to find or that they are in sketchy areas that might seem unsafe. For example, the food at one truck

FOOD TRUCKS “Food trucks are great, but they are too expensive.” -Steven Murray

could be great, but it is all the way across town or in a bad neighborhood, and you wouldn’t want to be in that part of town. Most food trucks are in areas where people go to have fun, like malls or areas with other attractions like escape rooms. However, some like the adventure of trying to track down a food truck and don’t mind driving around, as they see the journey as part of the experience. When dining at a food truck, customers often don’t eat outside of the food truck. They grab their food and walk, which is part of the experience. They’re not going there to have an intimate dining experience with a waiter. For example, in San Diego, customers can often be seen strolling on the Mission Beach boardwalk, food in hand while they watch the sunset. One of the drawbacks of food trucks can often be poor service. The limited area they have for food prep often makes service slow and lines long. Many ignore this feature though because the food is worth it.

Hillside Hotwire • Feature

Is it really just a cold? How accurate is self-diagnosis from a medical website?

By Sierra Johnson • Cub Reporter

ou wake up with chills and a headache unlike anything you’ve ever felt before. You roll over in bed and groan as you sniffle and cough. You are sick. But is this really just a cold? You frantically reach for your phone, typing a mile a minute and head straight to Google. After looking up your symptoms, you have…rheumatic fever? A lot of the time we’re sick, we look up our symptoms online and try to diagnose ourselves. Most of the time, it ends up saying we have some kind of crazy sickness or disease. “Whenever I Google my symptoms, I usually end up just wanting to plan my funeral and say goodbye to my loved ones right then and there. It never makes me feel better about how I’m feeling,” said sophomore, Carter Stagg.

How credible even are these websites in the first place? “I seriously don’t even know who these people are, and now I’m basically trusting them to tell me I have some kind of disease,” said Haylee Zwahlen. Some students leave Google feeling more stressed than they were prior to searching. “As soon as I search it up, I automatically expect to die because of the way I’m feeling, and then I rush to the doctor,” said Dylan Divecchio. “One time I ended up on WebMD, which is another medical website, and it said I had some kind of cancer and had a good chance of dying in a couple months, all because of a headache. Are you kidding?” said Stagg. It might be better to avoid Google altogether when you’re feeling under the weather, because you might think you have something life changing, when it’s really just a common cold.

Top: Carter Stagg looks searches for information about his illness. “I was so surprised with what I saw,” said Stagg. He usually Googles his symptoms whenever he’s sick. Dylan Divecchio searches WebMD to find out more information about his diagnosis. “Sometimes this website is really good about helping me, but other times it can scare me,” said Divecchio.

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March 2019

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March 2019

Hillside Hotwire • Opinion

Hillside Hotwire • Feature

Balancing it all

The case for common sense Why vaccinations should continue to be employed By Zack Jackson • Staff Writer | STUDENT-WRITTEN OPINION

efore vaccines, populations suffered under massive disease epidemics, often resulting in the deaths of millions. In the 1300s, the Bubonic plague, one of the largest disease epidemics killed over half of Europe’s population. In 2019 this disease still exists, but we don’t see it’s effects due to vaccines. One would think that after seeing the tremendous good vaccines have done in nearly eradicating diseases like smallpox and polio, that they would be widely accepted and celebrated. This is not always the case, and in recent years, a movement against vaccinations has taken hold. Concerned parents have begun choosing not to vaccinate their children due to perceived “unpredictable” side effects of vaccines. Those opposed to vaccines incorrectly link many conditions like autism and Down syndrome. This has never been scientifically proven and is impossible. Both of these are genetic diseases that are contracted while the child is still developing in the uterus. “Autism and Down syndrome cannot be contracted,” said physician’s assistant Tom Miller of Box Canyon Primary Care. “They are genetic conditions and exist independently of factors that occur after the child is delivered.” This means that a vaccine injected when the child is an adolescent could not cause

12 School

Student athletes battle a heavy workload

them to contract autism or Down syndrome. Failure to vaccinate one’s child is a risk to the child’s health and a potential risk to society as a whole, as the disease can mutate and infect those who have been immunized. As of February 4, the state of Washington experienced a measles outbreak of over 50 cases. Nearly all had not been immunized due largely to the state having the sixth lowest measles vaccination rate in the nation. Before the vaccinations, the U.S. experienced around 4 million cases per year. In the year 2000, the measles virus was declared completely eliminated due to the widespread acceptance of vaccines. Now, the virus has returned due to the lowered vaccination rates. The Washington State Department of Health said on their website: “There are confirmed cases of measles in Washington every year. The best protection against measles is to get vaccinated.” If a larger portion of the population adopts this anti-vaccination movement, it could be an enormous public health risk. Vaccines work, and they have worked for over a century. Vaccines are the best and often only way to go to insure public health crises remain minimal and that epidemics that bring about suffering and death become something only seen in history books.

By Steven Murray • Cub Reporter Layout by Elly Davis • Co-Editor

pperclassmen can have difficulty balancing many activities and responsibilities, such as school, sports, work, and social time. An intense schedule can leave these athlete-workers completely exhausted. “Balancing school, baseball, and work is a lot, and it’s not easy at all,” said Varsity baseball player Jake Perales. “The worst part about all of these responsibilities is not having as much time to relax as most people and always having to be on the go.” Having such a busy schedule can be a lonely and stressful experience, and overall,

moved back an hour?

it is both mentally and physically draining. “My life with this busy schedule is pretty chaotic with everything going on, but I wouldn’t change it for anything else,” said Perales. Having such a tough schedule can teach responsibility and build maturity into a teen’s character. It can be a positive growing experience if you’re willing to deal with the stress and fatigue that comes along with it. “I wouldn’t change anything at all. Yeah, it can be stressful, but I like to be busy and on the go, it’s just how I was raised,” said Perales.

What would happen if school started at 8:00 rather than 7:00?

By Paul Castillo • Cub Reporter | STUDENT-WRITTEN OPINION

he most obvious pro with starting school later is more sleep for students. Students typically wake up around 5:45 a.m., but they go to bed at around 10 p.m. to midnight. The reason students go to bed so late, they claim, is because of homework. It’s no secret that students are assigned a lot of homework. Because of this, kids stay up late to finish their homework. Some of the downsides of not getting enough sleep include anxiety, high blood pressure, heart disease and even obesity and diabetes. Students who didn’t get enough sleep typically scored lower on tests and assignments and were more likely to fall asleep in class and behave erratically. Many people agree that school should start later, including FHS counselors. “As a mom it is challenging to get two children up and out the door in time for me to be here by 6:50,” said counselor Bree Crine. “I know my high school students are a little bit more tired, so to give them an opportunity to sleep in a little bit longer would make them more effective as students.” Despite seeming like there is nothing wrong with starting an hour later, there are some drawbacks. For one thing, with school starting later, school would also get out later. Getting out at 2:16 instead of 1:16 doesn’t seem like a big deal, but some students like the extra time they have in the afternoon. “We like how it’s early because we get out early,” John Thomas said.

March 2019

CCSD high schools start so Students sometimes have a tough time staying awake during lessons, especially early in the day. Research suggests later early because the school start times are beneficial for health and grades. district only employs enough buses to to transport one section of students at a time, so the same buses used for high school are also used for middle and elementary schools. Each one of them starts an hour later than the other. CCSD does this so that they can reuse buses for middle school once the high school students are dropped off. Pushing the time back an hour will make high school butt times with middle school, or it would have a domino effect and push the middle and elementary times back too, which creates its own set of problems. The district could buy more buses and hire more drivers, but this would take millions from somewhere else, and the district is already dealing with overcrowded classrooms, buildings in disrepair and a teacher shortage. So while the only downside of starting later may be the lack of free time, the bus situation definitely makes the solution seem improbable. So while study after study says student health and test scores improve with later start times, the district has not yet found a financially sound way to start school earlier. If a student could sleep in just an hour longer, it may have great benefits for the school and the district as a whole, so the district should be looking at viable options that could make this happen soon.

Dylan Hushaw dribbles down the court looking to make a lay up. “Every game has a new adventure, and every school day has a new assignment,” said Hushaw. Cutout by Ryan Backman.

VS By Jade Eary • Staff Writer

Netflix has recently stepped up their game with new original shows and movies like “Birdbox” and “Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.” However, Hulu’s affordable prices and endless lists of TV shows, including shows like “Family Guy” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” make Hulu a fierce competitor against the other streaming service. But which one is better?

Benefits of Netflix

-Netflix streams in 4K and offers HDR video -Content on Netflix is available for download -Allows for multiple streams at the same time

Benefits of Hulu

-Hulu has Live TV -Traditional plan is cheaper than Netflix subscription -More licensed TV (like “Bob’s Burgers”)

“I have both of them, so I can definitely say that they’re both equally good for different reasons,” said senior Leah Sayson. “If you like TV shows, Hulu is for you. Netflix does have some good TV shows, but their selection of movies is way better.” “Personally, I watch Netflix,” said senior Kylee Brewer. “I’ve never tried Hulu, but I’ve heard that it’s pretty good. I like to use Netflix because it has a lot of good, original shows and some of my favorite Marvel movies.”

March 2019

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Hillside Hotwire • Fashion

This is your Runway

•Have you ever thought about walking down a runway in your best dress? Today is that day. Let your inner fashionista shine through and let it out. All the frills, embroidery and extras are on trend, so let them be free.

Wings to Fly

•Jump out of that denim jacket and leap into a feathered one. Let your feathers show.

YOURSELF

By Elly Davis • Co-Editor Photos by • Bailey Trodahl

Natural beauty

•Bring the earth back into your style, with neutral colors and natural fibers.

Golden Child

•Yellow is the color of spring. Let your light shine so that you can stand out.

BIKER CHIC

Surf’s Up

•Endless summer is back again, and greater than ever. Throw on that swim wear, with wetsuits and ripped up tees to show your athleticism.

Class

•The “Gossip Girl” scarf is back, and so is the spring classy vibe. Tie it in your hair or around your neck to intrigue the eyes of others.

Days in the Sun

Left to Right) Becca Cargile, Elly Davis, Sierra Johnson

March 2019

•The hippie chick is the returning vibe. Tie dye and flower the heck out of your style. You will be a free spirit with freestyle. March 2019

Hillside Hotwire • Art

Art the Hill

around

Hillside Hotwire • Art

Who will be the Hill’s next Picasso? By Malia Latham • Cub Reporter

“I got this idea based off of the Aquaruis sign from Zodiac signs. The background of green and blue represents the ocean. The orchid flowers represent her birth flowers. I chose purple and blue for the flowers because it symbolizes royalty.” --Jennifer Nguyen

“This piece was actually supposed to be for a contest. It was very difficult to do; I actually had to work an extra week to finish all of the small details.” --Abigail Santoyo

“The different colors of the butterfly were acctually inspired by a tattoo I saw online. I really liked the style, and I wanted to apply it to something I loved. I’ve always loved butterflies, so I decided to paint it.” --Emilie Jacob

“I found inspiration in my sister, so I made it for her. To create the vibrant and loud colors I put in the piece, I used acrylics. It was challenging to do, but having the shading and her facial expression work out despite the colors made me proud and satisfied with it. --Paris Darlington

March 2019

Va len t i n e LANE Hillside Hotwire • Music

J 20

90s 90s Takeover Takeover

Some feel that it should come back, others say it should die By Sasha Rivera • Cub Reporter

Jane Early’s Music Career

The 2000s The 2000s

By Rehya Corral • Staff Writer

ane Early* walks through her middle school halls humming to herself a tune thats been stuck in her head for the past three days. She’s decided to finally fulfill the melodic torment and write lyrics for the infectious earworm. The words begin to flow right out of her hand onto the paper. It was then that she discovered her love for songwriting. “I started songwriting at an early age,” said Early, “and I still have notebooks and papers full of my ‘not so serious’ songs. They were terrible, obviously.” Her earliest songs were for her eyes only. Writing the songs was a coping mechanism she used to vent the emotions she was struggling with during that time. “Depression crept into my life around seventh grade...and it didn’t go away for a while,” said Early. “I started to hate my body. I hated the way I looked. I hated the way I thought. I hated everything about myself, and I never felt like I could talk about it.” Middle school took its toll on Early’s mental health and trapped her in a dark hole from which she saw no escape. “When I wrote my first song, ‘Take Me to the Constellations,’ I knew I had found my escape,” said Early. “This was the definitive point. I had recorded myself singing, and I posted it to Instagram and held my breath.” Early was incredibly nervous and expected negative feedback. To her surprise, her friends, family, and followers loved her video and supported the idea of her pursuing her music career. At this point, she decided to take her music skills seriously and focus on songwriting. “The first batch of songs was incredibly depressing,” said Early, “only because my inspiration for songs came from people and situations that happened in real life.” Because of her depression, she focused on songs based around the void she felt on a day to day basis. More recently, she decided to switch up her writing style to songs with happier tunes and more optimistic lyrics. “Regardless of what I want my fans to hear, songwriting will always be my coping mechanism to help me deal with whatever I’m going through,” said Early. While it might be something she wants to pursue, a music career is evidently questionable for Early. “In the future, I truly

March 2019

Hillside Hotwire • Fashion

hope to do this for a living,” said Early. “Even though being a musician is an unstable path, I’ve seen the way my music has helped people. I’ve seen the way people relate to the songs and how I’m feeling, and they find more people who feel the same way, and it spurs a chain reaction--it was all because of me.” Early loves the process of songwriting. From a scribble on a napkin to being produced with instruments and vocals, each song is a new project which she loves to tackle and accomplish every time. “I’ve written songs about everything,” said Early, “my grandpa’s death, my parent’s divorce, my abuser, toxic friends, my suicidal thoughts, and other incredibly difficult issues that I’ve had problems with talking about.” No matter what, Early said she will never stop writing songs, regardless of whether or not she makes it a career. “Music has helped me gain confidence,” said Early. “I used to be so quiet playing music, and now, everyone tells me to shut up when I belt my soul out in my room.” “Valentine Lane was the street I grew up on as a child,” Early explained. “It’s the place with some of the best and worst memories-- and it’s where I found my beginning.” Early released her latest EP in December. “I’m incredibly proud of myself for making this EP,” said Early, “not only that, but I’m so grateful for each and every supporter who has been there along the way.” Throughout the seventeen years she’s dealt with depression, anxiety, divorce and much more, Early has finally found the outlet which allows her to express her emotions in a way which many of her supporters can relate. “So many people have this stigma to never go for your dreams,” said Early, “because its too risky, and it’ll probably never happen. I’ve never been afraid of that for some reason. This is one dream I will never give up on because it never gave up on me. Music saved my life, and I will forever be in its debt.”

The 90s

Marissa Barajas poses to show her hip style. “90s fashion is super colorful and cute. I like it because it takes many people out of their comfort zones, especially with all of the colors in the clothing items,“ said Barajas

ashion has evolved throughout each century, but in 2018, the 90s came back, and it appears that most have welcomed it’s return! However, some feel like the 90s should have stayed in the 90s. Others were conflicted about their feelings. Sophomore Cescili Beason feels like today’s teens should make their own styles and be more creative. “The 90s should come into the 2000s, but we should create our own styles too,” said Beason. Freshman Eden Hope had the same idea. “Some parts should stay, others should stay away,” she said. Others feel that the 90s aren’t really taking over. They think that we take simple ideas from the 90s, like hair scrunchies, and make them our own. Sophomore Kyle Vazquez feels like current fashion allows us to wear whatever we want whenever we want. [Our fashion] is a mix of everything; everybody wears whatever they want,” said Vazquez. “My good friend Moises

Moises Ortiz sits on the stairs of the 800s rocking his throwback style. “I like all of the designer clothes in our generation. The 90s should stay in the 90s, they already had their time,” said Ortiz

Ortiz likes certain things about 90s fashion coming back. For example, the half up, half down hairstyle, but he also dislikes some fashion choices as well. Personally, I don’t like the baggy jeans or mom jeans that came with the 90s fashion coming back.” Chrissy Crespo likes how simple our fashion is. “I like the simplicity and minimalist style we have today,” said Crespo. “We can jump outta bed, grab a shirt, jeans, sneakers, and we are out of the door. It actually reminds me more of fashion in the early to mid 80s.” Other teens think a 90s takeover would be great for our generation. Many think that old school is the new cool. They want everything from the 90s and the 80s to come back in the new year. Many fashion choices like

“

denim on denim, mixing patterns, Vans, and mom jeans are the next IN thing. The 90s was much more colorful than the 2000s, and that’s why many people said they would greatly appreciate a 90s takeover. Marissa Barajas dislikes the fashion of the 21st century. “It’s very plain, black and white; the 21st century’s fashion is trash. The 90s coming back will add the happiness our depressed society needs,” said Barajas. “Everyone is very gloomy; you rarely see color on the streets and in the classroom. The 90s will help bring out the bright and colorful wild child we all are.”

90s fashion adds the spice we all need in our gray, plain lives.

”

March 2019

Hillside Hotwire • Life

good vibes only Staying positive in 2019

By Rehya Corral • Staff Writer | STUDENT-WRITTEN OPINION

O 22

nce again, for many, the new year brings a promise of a better self experience for the next 12 months while others begin the year off with a negative outlook. According to www.whatihavelearnedteaching.com, starting the year off with a positive mindset and practicing beneficial routines is enough to better a person’s whole year experience--especially for students. Although it’s only three months into 2019, it’s never too late to establish healthy habits. It seems that the new year has an overwhelming amount of negativity surrounding the premise that it will be a bad year. Even at Foothill, some students have a bad feeling about 2019. “I’m incredibly scared for what the new year will bring,” said junior Brandon Arnold. “I think it’s mainly because I have no idea what will happen. I’m not necessarily thinking everything will be bad, but I also don’t think this will be the best year ever.” Several other students shared similar feelings while others feel the exact opposite. “I think 2019 is going to be an amazing year!” said sophomore Ally Costa. “I’m so ready to be more organized this year and be my personal best. I’m taking this year to focus on myself and people who are close to me.” Costa’s enthusiasm is exactly what people need to practice around the globe this new year. However, those who have a negative perspective on 2019 need the most guidance on how to begin the new year off on the right foot.

March 2019

Fresh Start

he first important tip I’d have to start the new year off with is to be aware that it’s a new year. Time may just be a concept created by humans, and there may be no such thing as a “new year” or “restart button,” but the only thing we can do is to put ourselves in the perspective of a fresh start. Putting 2018 behind us and imagining a fresh start is incredibly relieving. Being able to start 2019 with a new perspective rather than base it’s interests off of last year is the first step to a better year.

Resolutions??

ew year’s resolutions are a huge tradition many people participate in every January 1. Let’s be honest, who actually follows through on their resolutions? Exactly, no one! Too many modern resolutions are the cliche and run of the mill goals for the new year, something along the lines of “losing weight” or “ studying harder to get straight A’s” is what we want to avoid in 2019. While these resolutions are easily attainable, they’re more unpredictable than anything else. The so called “resolutions” that people need to focus on this year are more along the lines of self help and practicing good behaviors. Towards the beginning of the year, you need to be able to set reasonable, personal goals. Nothing too hard, something such as, give one compliment to someone different every day, or even get a full eight hours of sleep every school night. Regardless of what it is, your 2019 resolution should be focused on improving your well being.

Picture 1, Alexia Stein poses against a light post holding a drink and smiling in the sun. Picture 2, Alexia Stein and Abby Scott sit on the bleachers beside the football field. Picture 3, Alexia Stein dances in the soccer field with a coffee in her right hand.

We aren’t here forever

hen one of our own Foothill teachers, Mr. Mark Swena, passed away January 12, we were reminded of how fragile and temporary life can be. However, adults are not the only people who die (obviously), which is why I must stress the importance of showing gratitude toward the ones you love in 2019 and for the rest of your lives. Telling someone you love them and how much you appreciate them being in your life can have a massive impact. Yes, doing this every now and again won’t prevent their inevitable passing, but it will help reassure you and that person that you both appreciate and love each other.

Good Vibes Only

ersonally, 2019 is going to be a year in which I focus solely on improving my character and forming healthier habits. I strongly believe this should be everyone else’s goal as well. During the new year, we usually take a moment to recognize the mistakes and struggles the world dealt with. Not only that, but we tend to reflect on what we did right and wrong and how we can correct our vices and continue our virtues. Perhaps, some let unhealthy eating habits get the best of them, or maybe some experienced an immense load of drama last year. No matter what you personally realized was beneficial or damaging to your well being and those around you, 2019 is your time to fix it. It doesn’t have to be all right away either! In fact, gradually taking the steps to correct old habits and enforce better ones would help more than quitting cold turkey. If you had eating problems last year, try portion control and tracking calories. If you found you had trouble connecting to people in positive ways last year, try a different approach that consists of positivity instead of negative drama. 2019 is not the time to shut in, break down, and give up. If anything, 2019 is the time to dive deeper into your character and work on yourself. 2019 is all about good vibes and showing the world your value no matter what anyone else says, thinks, or believes. 2019 should be dedicated to you, and anyone who says otherwise hasn’t found the true meaning of the new year.

March 2019

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Hillside Hotwire • Campus

What happened to Sadie’s? Foothill hasn’t had a Sadie Hawkins dance since 2016 Story & art by Sadie Hale • Staff Writer

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ddy Simons carries balloons and a poster around all day so she can ask a guy to be her date for Sadie’s. Many girls go to this extreme for one of their biggest chances to ask a guy out. Sadie Hawkins is a dance where the girls ask the guys in a creative way. After this, the girls plan the night and then go to the dance with their date. “My date asked me while we were at a friend’s house, and she knows I like Bob Ross,” said Jacob Hale. “So she painted a picture that looked like a Bob Ross painting’ and it said, ‘Make me a happy little tree, and go to Sadie’s with me.’” For the last three years, Foothill hasn’t had a Sadie Hawkins dance because, “it was the least-attended dance, and ultimately, the school lost money,” explained Student Body President Joey Pagan. Sadie Hawkins started out as a

comic strip by Al Capp in 1937. Sadie was the daughter of a wealthy man in the town of Dogpatch. In this made-up story, none of the characters found her attractive, so she was an “ancient bachelorette.” Because of this, her wealthy dad created a race. During this race, whoever his daughter Sadie caught would be legally bound to marry her. Ever since then, there have been Sadie Hawkin’s dances. While there is no dance at Foothill, the girls still ask the guys and go on a fun activity instead. “I celebrated Sadie’s by getting a group together and doing fun activities like go-kart racing and paintballing,” said Abbey Flinders. “Usually, in our group dates, the guys have no idea what the girls are planning, but it’s always something fun, and I’m looking forward to it,” said Hale. Tips for a successful Sadie’s when forming a group: Always be aware of potential drama and try to avoid it by

selecting couples who will all get along. Also, choose activities that everyone can participate in. One of the biggest warning is: don’t go in the same group as your ex. Foothill does Sadie Hawkins with a spirit week, and then on that Saturday is when everyone celebrates it. One of the biggest things about Sadie’s, other than the girls asking guys, is “to match clothes with your date, take pictures, and go do something fun,” Addy Simons added. “A lot of people like Sadie’s because you don’t have to dress fancy or anything, and it’s more laid back,” said Torie Louie. “Most people go out to dinner, do an activity, and get dessert while matching with their dates.” This drawing shows an empty dance floor at a Sadie Hawkins dance. It shows this because nobody would ever come to the Sadie’s dances, so Foothill decided to stop having them. Art by Sadie Hale.

March 2019

Hillside Hotwire • Campus

wrecked

The Every 15 Minutes program comes to the Hill

By Kaylee Schwurack • Co-Editor

cKenzie Manzaneres lays lifelessly on the hood of a car. She’s been involved in a car accident caused by a drunk driver, and now has blood coming out of the wounds on her head and neck. On her 18th birthday, she and her friend Megan Perdue were struck head on by another vehicle, and they now both lie unconscious on the front of and

March 2019

inside the car. On January 24th, students were able to watch a simulated car crash put on by the Every 15 Minutes program. The program is put on every two years by the Henderson Police and Fire Departments, and is designed to raise awareness about drinking and driving and distracted driving. This year, former varsity cheerleader McKenzie Manzanares, junior Megan Perdue, club rower Gabe Kristoff, and varsity football player Devin Cabrales were chosen to be part of the car crash staged in the parking lot. “Every 15 Minutes is a really great program,” said Devin Cabrales, who played the drunk driver in the crash. “I was really lucky to have been a part of this program that brings awareness to

something so important. It will definitely leave an impact on people and will help them see the impact of their decisions. I think it will save lives because it was all so realistic and the video shows it really well. Because of this program, I personally am going to be extremely cautious about my decisions in the future.” The crash was a live reenactment of what happens at a DUI-related car accident. The first responders identified those involved and then began to remove people from the scene. When paramedics arrived, they removed Manzanares from the hood of the car and waited for the coroner to arrive, and then removed Megan Perdue from the same car after removing the door to get her out. A helicopter landed on Heather Drive, and she was then airlifted to the hospital. From the other car, Gabe Kristoff was removed after not being able to feel anything from the neck down, and Devin Cabrales was told to step out since he was not injured. He then began being tested for driving under the influence, and was later sentenced to 60 years in prison. The coroner then arrived and took Manzanares to the coroner’s office to identify cause of death. “I am honored to be a part of Every 15 Minutes,” said Manzanares, while getting her makeup finished. “I think it is going to show people the real consequences of their actions and how quickly your life can be changed or taken away. The video is going to be the most impactful part because it shows what happens to the families involved and how they are affect-

ed after the death of their child. It’s going to make an impact on so many peoples’ lives, so I’m excited for everyone to see it all happen.” Juniors and seniors swarmed to bleachers in the parking lot on Thursday morning to witness the crash. Sniffles were heard throughout the crowd as they saw their friends and people they knew involved in the horrific crash or standing on the sidelines as ghosts from previous accidents. Some victims were pulled out in first hour and had their obituaries read, while others were already getting made up to look like ghosts or like crash victims. After the scene on Thursday, selected students cut off communication with their loved ones and gave their classmates a chance to see what it would be like without them. “I’m really glad I got to be a part of Every 15 Minutes,” said Gabe Kristoff. “I’m planning to go to college and play sports, so it was cool for people to get to see how all that could easily be ruined. I was the one that got paralyzed in the crash which I think was a perfect role for me. I’m really invested in rowing right now and am planning to continue on with it, so it was all really overwhelming for me and my family to experience. I think it will be easy for people to see that this can happen to anyone and that everything can change so fast.” The video, produced by FST News and shown to students on Friday, showed what really happens after the crash. It takes viewers through the process, from the crash, to the hospital, to the coroner’s office, and to the jail. It also strikes emo-

tions by showing what happens to the families afterwards. Students involved in the crash and in the program spent the night at a hotel on Thursday night and were given the opportunity to listen to people who have been affected by drunk driving at a seminar. Additionally, they were cut off from the rest of the world and were unable to contact their friends and families or go on social media. “We heard from a lot of speakers that have been affected by it, one of the biggest ones for me was a mother who had lost her son in an accident,” said Megan Perdue. “We also did a lot of team building activities and got to know each other really well. At the end of the night we wrote a goodbye letter to our parents, which was really emotional for me. It was an incredible experience and is definitely going to make me think about all my actions in the future and the decisions that I make.” Many students who watched the video and witnessed the crash agree that they’ve been genuinely touched by it, and the program hopes to continue putting on events for years to come throughout the valley and across the United States. •

Left: McKenzie Manzanares lies on the hood of a car involved in a head-on collision. Her on-scene death suggests that she wasn’t wearing her seatbelt, and flew through the window when the car was struck. “A lot of the time a seat belt can save a life,” said an officer at the scene. “It is important to take all precautions when you get behind the wheel because you never know what people are going to be like on the road.” Photo by Hayden Perdue

Top Right: Megan Perdue sits unconscious in her passenger seat in the struck vehicle. After the scene, Perdue was airlifted to the hospital where doctors worked on her and tried to save her life. The video, shown to juniors and seniors on Friday and to underclassmen the following week, highlighted her time at the hospital and how her family reacted when they were told that she had passed away in the crash. Photo by Hayden Perdue Bottom Left: Devin Cabrales, chosen to play the drunk driver, undergoes the tests to see if he was driving under the influence. Police frequently test drivers by having them do a finger-to-nose test, have them walk in a straight line, and blow in a Breathalyzer. After the tests were seen positive for the police, Cabrales was arrested and put on trial at the Henderson Correctional Facility where he was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison. Photo by Leigh Quarles

Bottom Right: In addition to the students involved in the crash itself, students were pulled out of their classes by the grim reaper. Tombstones were added to the cemetery as the day went on to show a total of 27 students, representing the total amount of lives that would be lost in just one 6-hour school day. Photo by Leigh Quarles

March 2019

Hillside Hotwire • World

The Plastic

Reality I

How plastic straws are taking from the real pollution problem By Kaylee Schwurack • Co-Editor

n 2018, a new ecological trend became skipping out on the plastic straws that come in drinks from fast food places and restaurants. People asked for drinks without straws, and people around the world became disgusted by pictures of adorable baby turtles that had suffered a horrible death at the hands of the green straw from your iced coffee this morning. This is real, and it’s a problem that gets no recognition and will surely lead to the demise of our planet in less than 20 years. Except it’s not. A total of 150 million metric tons of plastic now float in the world’s oceans. “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch” became a worldwide phenomenon after educators from the Ocean Cleanup Project released photos and claimed that this patch covered 9.94 million of the Pacific Ocean’s 64.6 million square miles. Recycling was stressed to us throughout elementary school and we learned songs about the help we could do for our planet. Green signs cover the streets throughout the pacific states as protestors demand

March 2019

that we ditch plastic and start being more friendly to the planet. The sad reality is that this part is real. Beached whales have been cut open and hundreds of plastic bags have been found in their stomachs. Turtles do become deformed from the plastic squeezing their bodies. Sharks do eat plastic bottles and suffer, and dolphins have surely inhaled your food wrappers and eaten that Starbucks cup from a few weeks ago. However, there’s one big competitor that has been taking all the attention away from these immeasurable problems. Its name is the plastic straw. To understand the history of the straw freak-out, we have to take it back to the beginning of the movement. In 2011, a 9-year-old named Milo Cress noticed people taking straws out of their drinks at a restaurant and realized that we would be much less wasteful if restaurants offered a straw before giving it to them. He started a campaign called “Be Straw Free,” and his biggest finding was that Americans use 500 million plastic straws a day. His fatal

Hillside Hotwire • World flaw was that this was his biggest finding, and that this statistic is from just one source. Nevertheless, Cress is now 16 and is the face of the new straw elimination movements that have touched Starbucks, McDonald’s, and just about everything in between. Fast forward four years, and marine biologist Christine Figgener came across a sea turtle with a plastic straw stuck up its nose. The heartbreaking video quickly went viral and ignited a new flame to a movement that was not well known before, and pulled some strings in the hearts of some important people. Websites like thelastplasticstraw.org started popping up and getting loads of recognition, and, suddenly, those who wanted to be eco-friendly had yet another thing to complain about. The video, probably intended to raise awareness about general plastic pollution (the REAL problem), sparked the fire to a movement that has now gotten plastic straws banned in major cities like Seattle, and will soon ban them in California. Here’s the reality. In 1907, the first piece of synthetic plastic was produced. Now, in 2019, we have 150 million metric tons of it floating in our oceans. This would mean that in just 112 years, just around four generations, we have covered about 10 million square miles, and 15% of the Pacific Ocean. If we follow this trend (and it is likely that our waste will only increase from here), our great grandchildren will live in a world where 30% or more of the Pacific Ocean will be covered in plastic

and waste. Most ocean pollution originates from Eastern Asia and the Pacific. Coastal towns in this area have the most mismanaged waste (likely to enter the ocean on its own), and 60% of inadequately disposed waste comes from Asia. On the contrary, only 0.9% of mismanaged plastic waste actually comes from North America. While we do have a lot of waste in America, we do have a well-managed waste stream. In fact, according to ourworldindata.org, if North America and Europe were to completely eliminate plastic use, our mismanaged plastic waste would only decrease by 5%. Straws are surely the most talked about piece of waste of all plastic waste we consume. If you go by piece, straws account for only 4% of all plastic waste. If you go by weight, straws only account for 2,000 of the 9 million tons of waste that enter the oceans every year. Needless to say, it isn’t the biggest problem that we have. Instead of focusing all of our attention on plastic straws and creating huge campaigns based on something that is only 4% of our waste (at most), we should focus on the bigger problems. Plastic packaging is our biggest source of plastic waste. This includes food packaging, grocery bags, and plastic water bottles. If we want to get rid of plastic waste (or at least greatly reduce it),

this is where we have to start. Honestly, it is annoying that people focus so much on the straws. Straws are a miniscule issue in an ocean of problems, and they aren’t hurting nearly as badly as many people say. If straws are going to be banned, why are the bans centering on something that doesn’t even really matter? If you really want to help, you don’t have to scream “No straw!” in the barista’s face when you’re ordering (trust me, it annoys them big time). When you go shopping, bring your own bags instead of using the plastic ones. Instead of drinking out of plastic water bottles, invest in a reusable water bottle. Instead of leaving your plastic bag laying on the sidewalk, dispose of it properly. Instead of taking plastic wrap on items you purchase, buy things wrapped in eco-friendly material or that aren’t wrapped at all. All in all, straws are the smallest piece of this 150-million ton puzzle. The media should absolutely be focused on the real, bigger problems than just straws if they truly want to tackle the plastic waste issue. Saving the environment is

a great trend to have, but not when something as small as a plastic straw is blown up into a problem bigger than the real ones. Left: A bird stands on a piece of plastic among the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in an effort to migrate back to where it came from. The patch covers 10 million square miles of the Pacific Ocean and is responsible for the death of marine life at the hands of plastic waste. It has accumulated through four generations and is only projected to grow in size and effect. Photo from Creative Commons Right: The Garbage Patch isn’t the only place to find plastic waste in the ocean, and the rest of the world’s oceans are also polluted from our waste. A plastic bag floats around through the open ocean. Animals like the whale shark, with bad eyesight, easily mistake these plastic waste products for their food and consume them. The plastic, unable to be broken down quickly in their digestive system, clogs it, and builds up over time. Plastic bags can easily be mistaken for food like jellyfish, and other waste is comparable to fish, plankton and other food commonly eaten by aquatic life. Photo from Creative Commons

March 2019

Hillside Hotwire • News

Fernando makes an appearance after hatching from his egg. “Well, I was just born and was hyped to represent the people at Foothill High School,” said Fernando.

Falcon mascot makes a comeback as Fernando The Hill revamps the new tradition of a Falcon Awesome Mascot By Alexia Stein • Staff Writer

March 2019

ver the past few years, our school has been lacking one thing: a mascot. This year was the first time in years we have had mascot tryouts, and from now on, you will see Fernando in the stands or on the floor/ field at every game. The last mascot Foothill had was in 2017. “We don’t really know what happened to the old mascot, but I decided to bring it back this year,” said cheer coach Ms. Kaela Boersma. “I think it brings in school spirit and is just a part of what high school should be like.” Tryouts were held, and three students were chosen to be the mascot on a rotational basis. Their names are kept secret so that they can better embrace the craziness of being a mascot without fear of anyone teasing about their antics later. “It’s awesome to be the mascot,” said one mascot. “I’m able to be myself and just get everyone hyped during games and support my school.” She said that being mascot comes easy to her; the only hard thing is the costume. “It can get really hot, but it is all worth it.” Another mascot loves that he gets to express himself by being the mascot. “I feel like I can just do whatever I want,” he said. “I can dance like an idiot and just have a fun time.” Another mascot said she always really wanted to bring school spirit back to the Hill. “I just want our school to have more school spirit and for people to look forward to the games,” she said. And by putting her spirit into the mascot, she

feels that she has. At the tryouts students had to show off their school spirit and awesome dance moves. “We had to dance to YMCA and the fight song,” said the mascot. “It wasn’t too hard, but they just tried to see how we moved in the mascot costume.” Most schools have a mascot, and she feels that having a mascot will boost basketball attendance. “We have the most school spirit out of all the schools in southern Nevada,” said one mascot. “I think that having a mascot who will always be hype will help increase our current level of school spirit.” The mascots have enjoyed seeing students’ reactions. “The best part of being the mascot is seeing all the smiles that we put on peoples’ faces and seeing how proud and excited they are to be a Falcon,” said one mascot.

“You have to have a lot of school spirit and know how to get a crowd on their feet! ”

March 2019

Hillside Hotwire • Critique

Hillside Hotwire • Ads

No script

1) Hunter Czaja and Tim Jones play style, scene given, shout out differet warp, western, childrens, and documentery. 2) Michael and Macey Shackelford act as if they are living out their days in an old western. 3) Brandon Arnold grabs shoulders of Tim Jones and Teegan Moss playing add-in. whihch is when they add people into the scene, add to the scene.

Improv’s first performance draws laughs

By Hanna Bell • Cub Reporter

hespian club left us all stunned with their newest show ofimprovisation and creativity. Ten Foothill students created fun and joy for the audience as they created a scenario without a script or any advance planning. “The show is meant to entertain the audience as well as show the skills of improvising and confidence on stage,” said Kairi Garret, the president of Thespian Club. Overall, the whole idea was to show the skills of the members of the club and how they can show their creative potential. “The best part of performing on stage was being next to my closest friends while doing what we love and being in front of a super supportive audience,” said Melody Shackelford. “I was nervous but super excited.” The improv show allowed the students to become more familiar with presenting on the fly, making them more confident. This show also included the audience. The cast brought a few audience members up and acted with them. “I felt nervous, but once the clapping started, it went away,” Garret said. Each of them used one another to create the scene and worked to make an interesting story with no script, and the audience loved it. The students impressed the crowd, making a joyous experience for the audience and themselves. “Don’t look directly at the audience; look above them, or just pretend that you’re in rehearsals and nobody is there, and once you’re on the stage and performing, it gets a lot easier,” Shackelford said to those wanting to join.

March 2019

Hillside Hotwire • News

Hillside Hotwire • News Ellie Welch took a visit to the University of Nevada-Reno. “I went there to visit my cousin at UNR. It’s where I want to go to college, so I thought it would be cool to go check the place out.” Ellie toured the campus and spent her time there familiarizing herself with the area. “I liked walking the campus and seeing one stairway that was just filled with paintings. It was really cool because they made this hallway so there would be no graffiti around the school, just in this one place.”

Leah Sayson went on vacation to Utah for a few days. “We went there to compare what the mountains looked like in the summer and how it’d be all snowy in the winter,” said Sayson. “I noticed that the place was pretty old-fashioned and traditional.” Leah also mentioned that she saw many people riding their ATVs instead of their actual cars. “I really enjoyed my time over there. Hopefully, I get to visit again and sightsee some more.”

Graffiti in a hallway at University of Nevada-Reno. Welch took this photo during her visit to the college campus. Photo by Ellie Welch

Leah Sayson took this picture of the scenery while she was on vacation. This mountain is located in West Utah. Photo by Leah Sayson

Senior Kylee Brewer took a trip to Disneyland this past winter. Brewer went with her mom, grandma, cousin and her cousin’s girlfriend and baby. “My experience there was fun. It was decorated for Christmas, so it was super pretty and cold. It was also Mickey Mouse’s 90th birthday, so it was super crowded.” Kylee really enjoyed spending time with her family and visiting Disneyland again. “My favorite part of the trip was seeing all the decorations and lights at night. I don’t really travel often, so it was nice to go on vacation there.”

Chris Jiminez took a trip to Austin, Texas to visit family and friends during the holiday season. “I usually visit them in the summer, but I had an opportunity to go during winter break, so I went,” said Jiminez. “The weather was pretty nice most of the time, so we got to do a lot of things over there. I went to a concert in Austin and to a college football game down in Houston.” Jiminez also mentioned that he spent Christmas on his grandpa’s ranch and got to meet up with all of his cousins for New Years. “I only get to see them once or twice a year. It was really nice seeing them again.”

By Jade Eary • Staff Writer

The Magic Kingdom was lit up at night for the Christmas season. Brewer took this picture during the Mickey Mouse birthday celebration. Photo by Kylee Brewer

March 2019

Across the Country Across the Country Across the Country

Chris attended a college football game while he was in Houston. The game was between Baylor and Vanderbilt. Photo by Chris J.

March 2019

Hillside Hotwire • News

"He was taken from us too soon. It is shocking to think that Mark is gone."

The Four A’s come to the Hill 38

ver the past few weeks, a new addition in front of the library has been added to our school. The trophy cases are being added to showcase awards for academics, arts, athletics and activities. Sophomore Jillina Jeffries said she hopes that band awards will be included in the cases. “There are tons of trophies all around the band room,” said Jeffries. “It would be great if we could be able to put some of the important ones out in the cases to show our achievements and to make more room in the band room.”

March 2019

New trophy cases will showcase all Falcon accomplishments Ayla Thompson • Staff Writer

“I really think that the case will be a big source of pride for our school” -- Jillina Jeffries Jeffries said that she’s glad that the cases are being added because she thinks it will be a good source of positivity and pride for the school. “I think it will be able to boost the school

spirit in our school and add a ton of school pride.” Principal Lisa Burkhead said, that since it is the 20th year of Foothill High School, she wanted an area for preserving the

boring. “He told stories all the time, and those stories always made the class more fun and entertaining,” said Carlson. Sophomore Destiny Jensen was in Mr. Swena’s first hour and shared her own favorite memory. “He joked differently with each individual,” said Jensen, “like when I took three days off for a surgery I was having, I came back, and he was like, ‘If you got an extended vacation why didn’t I?’’’ Along with Jensen and Carlson, freshman Jonathan Little said that Mr. Swena was the type of teacher who could take the class seriously but be carefree as well. “He could joke around, and no one would be upset at his jokes, but then at the same time, he could be serious about the lesson.” Staff members as well gave their condolences. “Mr. Swena will be greatly missed,” said Principal Lisa Burkhead. “He was a very kind man and an important part of our staff.” Swena’s funeral service was held January 16, and many memories of him were shared at that time. Junior Roman Jorgensen said he had Mr. Swena as a teacher sophomore year. “He was one of the nicest teachers I have ever met that year,” said Jorgensen, “There was one thing he taught me, and I live by it, and that’s, “You give me respect, I’ll give you respect.”

school’s history and artifacts. “When the cases are finished, I think our students will feel proud,” said Burkhead. “Tables will be placed nearby so that students can sit and hang out, and that the area can become a focal point for our students.” When complete, the cases will be gold and navy, and have Falcons written on them. The cases are to capture the hard work of the school’s past 20 years. “The main beauty of the display is the trophies that will be housed,” said Burkhead, “and I think by doing so, it will promote school spirit for all Falcons.”

In memory of

Mark Swena By Ayla Thompson• Staff Writer

Foothill students and staff remember beloved history teacher Mark Swena

n Saturday January 12, Foothill teacher Mark Swena passed away from complications with diabetes. Swena taught world history, and students were informed of his passing January 14, the following Monday. One way that students and staff dealt with the shock of his loss was by sharing their favorite memories of Mr. Swena with each other. Swena was born March 31, 1968 in Las Vegas, Nevada. He lived with his parents Marv and Kaye Swena and his two siblings Billy and Lloyd. While he was

young, Swena took part in football and baseball. His love for sports carried on into his adult years as well. He graduated from Western High School in 1986, got his associate’s degree from CSN, and finished off by getting his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from UNLV. Sophomore Emma Carlson was in Mr. Swena’s first hour history class and said that when she found out, she felt a great sense of loss. “I can’t describe the emotion that I was feeling when I found out; it was shocking,” she said. Carlson also said Mr. Swena took the class seriously, but not too seriously to where it was

Excerpts were taken from Mr. Swena’s obituary from Palm Northwest Mortuary and Cemetery.

March 2019

Hillside Hotwire • Off Campus

Life 360

Ready for a fur baby?

GPS Location

Everything you should know before adopting.

Find My Friends

I-Spy

•

Parents and students’ views on tracking and being tracked

H 40

ave your parents ever tracked you? Have you ever been caught sneaking out? This is a common problem teens have across America. We took a poll on the Hillside Hotwire Instagram which showed that 50 percent of students who took the poll get tracked by their parents. There are many reasons parents track their kids, whether it is for safety or to make sure kids aren’t doing something they shouldn’t. Many students feel their parents don’t trust them when they decide to download a tracking app on their phone. “Our parents got away with way worse things than we will ever get away with,” said Marcos Jimenez. “I feel that my parents don’t trust me.” Some parents even go farther and track phone use. Sophomore Alissa Huntsman said that her parents not only track her, but track how many minutes she is on social media. “They are able to turn off my apps at a certain time so that I am unable to

March 2019

By Alexia Stein • Staff Writer

use social media after I hit a certain amount of minutes,” said Huntsman. She feels that her parents are too extreme and need to be more lenient, especially because she is turning 17 soon. “I don’t like how they track the amount of texts I send and put a limit on it,” said Huntsman. “I just want to

talk to my friends and make plans with them, but it is hard with only having a limited amount of texts I can send per day.” On the other side, students who don’t get tracked feel that they have a much better relationship with their parents. “I feel that I am much

closer to my parents and tell them a lot more,” said Lorenzo Salazar. “I am more likely to text my parents where I am going and what I am doing considering the fact that they don’t track me.” Some parents feel that these apps give them a sense of security because they know their child is safe. Junior Kendyl Groth’s mother claims that she does not track her daughter, she “monitors her location as needed.” She mainly uses the app to see if her daughter has made it to her destination safely. “Sometimes I text Kendyl, and she doesn’t answer in a timely manner, so then I can check and see if she made it to her destination safely.” Even though she has a tracking app, she said she still trusts Kendyl. “I do not check the app every day,” said Mrs. Groth. “I maybe use it once a week.” In an emergency, the app could help bring aide, and it can also help find lost phones.

By Agustina Maruelli • Cub Reporter

wning a pet is not for everyone, and it is certainly not easy. It takes a lot of responsibility, as it involves grooming, bathing, feeding and shelter. People who don’t take these items into consideration usually are the ones who end up neglecting a pet or taking it to a shelter. Before considering adopting a furry friend, or even a scaly one, read the following tips to see if you are ready for a life-changing decision.

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Pets require grooming, bathing, feeding, etc. This is a whole other area of responsibility you might not have thought much about. Have a supply list before adopting and note all shelter requirements for the specific breed of dog or cat. Make sure you have the right environment for the specific breed you’re looking to adopt. Not all breeds require the same environment. For example, apartments are best for small breeds. Keeping a big animal indoors is just cruel. Dogs need some sort of physical activity as well, just to make sure they stay fit and strong, which means you need to walk them daily or have a yard for them to run in. Training is also important for your dog to at least know the commands of being an independent, well-trained dog. Do your research! Search for the breed you’re looking forward to adopting because not all breeds are the same.

•

Statistics: About how many animals go to shelters each year?

According to the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), approximately six million animals enter animal shelters nationwide. The real question is, why? A part of the reason is responsibility. People just don’t take in to consideration what it takes to take care of an animal responsibly. Some people can barely take care of themselves. In addition, many don’t realize how much the feeding and care of animal takes. According to ASPCA, the total first-year cost of owning a dog is $1,270 and for a cat it’s $1,070. And that’s not all. After the first year, the cost is well over $500 to maintain a cat or a dog, and that’s if it doesn’t get sick and need veterinary care. Yes, all these pets do need home but they also need love and care. Know your information and have that research done before adopting so that your dog or cat doesn’t end up in the same place. Don’t be that owner!

The Birdbox challenge

How each year’s challenges get more dangerous

he Birdbox challenge. It seems like every year, a new challenge comes along to test how stupid the general public can be. First, it was the cinnamon challenge, then the ACS ice bucket challenge. Later, it was Tide pods. It seemed as if the public was willing to throw all common sense aside to try the next weirdest thing that just might kill or maim them. “What exactly is the Birdbox challenge?” Well, first, let’s back up a couple months. It’s mid December of 2018, and the hit Netflix thriller Birdbox had just been released. Characters in the movie must blindfold themselves so they don’t see these invisible entities that make them want to harm themselves. The challenge then grew from there. People would blindfold themselves

Story by Aidan Binette • Cub Reporter

and try to do common tasks. the relevance is still uncertain, it After trying the challenge, I most likely won’t be going on for found that it is indeed very danmuch longer (thankfully), due to gerous, due to the fact that one of Birdbox’s sudden disappearance your main senses, sight, is stripped from Netflix’s promotional area away from you as you fumble and America’s intrepid yet bizarre around trying to figure out which interest in the next challenge that direction will lead me to the least might bring them, maybe even still amount of injury. blindfolded, to their local emerAfter telling you that, you are gency room. probably asking me why I did it anyway. Well, it was Aiden Binette doing to see the appeal of it and his own Birdbox chalto understand why other lenge to try to see the people do it, and I have appeal. to say, while dangerous, it was a whole lot of fun. While I definitely don’t condone doing it, it can be fun in a closed-off environment while someone else watches to make sure you don’t hurt yourself. While

March 2019

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Hillside Hotwire • Sports

Finishing strong Girls’ Varsity ties with GV and Coronado by Neve’a Smith • Cub Reporter

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inning 13 games, including their tournaments, the girls varsity basketball team has the communication and teamwork that paid off. The girls said that the team worked somewhat the same this year as last. Sometimes their emotions got in the way of the game, but they always came back dominant in the end. “This year has been a learning experience because we have such strong individual skills, and we have had to adjust and learn how to use them together,” said Laurel Rockwood. Despite a enviable record, the team did lose a few games. “I think we didn’t push ourselves and keep our intensity up, and we got in our own heads,” said Alpine Williams of the few losses, one of which was in post season to Bishop Gorman. “We are a super young team,” said Rockwood. “Half the team are sophomores, so they had to learn to play at the mature level of Varsity. Going into playoffs as the third seed, we were in a pretty hard bracket. There was a three-way tie between Green Valley, Coronado and us for second place, and it came down to the points, and we came in third because of a one-point deficit.” The girls believe they had a strong season, and they hope to continue to play together next season and even finish stronger, and they are ready for the new adventures ahead.

1) Number 20 Jailyn Johnson dribbles around her competitors. 2) Laurel Rockwood goes around a competitor hoping to make a layup. 3) Aqua Williams scores while going in for a layup.

March 2019

Motivation wins

The boys net a stellar season of wins

he boys Varsity team is on a run this year with a 12-9 overall record and 4-2 in league games. Teamwork, has been the biggest part of their winning. “Going out of town with each other, and honestly having the boys come over for dinner has really helped them get to know each other and trust each other,” said coach Paul Desantis. “Like every team, they struggle with things that they continue to fix. For our team, it’s rebounding. Everyone on the team is a different size, so it’s made it kind of challenging.” For some of these boys, playing this good had landed them scholarships. “My first basketball coach, Rocky DiAntonio inspired me to keep playing and get as good as possible so I can play in college,” said Dylan Hushaw. “I have interest from 6-7 different schools and will be deciding after the season which one I want to go to.” Hushaw has played on the team for four years, and now that it is coming to an end, there is a lot of emotion behind it. “Honestly, it’s a bunch of emotions, both sad and happy,” said Hushaw. “I’ve been playing with these guys since I was 12, so it’s also sad because I’ll never play high school basketball again.” Another player who got a scholarship is Collin Russell. “Playing basketball after high school has been a goal of mine because basketball is my main passion in life,” said Russell. Many on the team are motivated by someone or by some thing. For Russell, it was his brother. “My little brother, who passed away when I was 14, has been my motivation,” said Russell. “Every time I step on to the court, I play for him.” At press time, the boys were in the midst of playoffs, pounding Desert Oasis 92-74 but losing to Clark 67-88.

1) Caleb Stearman goes up for a layup and scores to tie up the game. 2) Jace Roquemore is breaking ankles and taking names while twisting away from his competitors.

by Abby Scott • Cub Reporter

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What I’ve learned Collin Russell “The greatest lesson is to work as hard as I can for anything I want to accomplish because there’s always someone else out there trying to work harder for your spot.”

Dylan Hushaw “The greatest lesson I learned is to keep pushing myself, no matter how tired I think I am.”

March 2019

Hillside Hotwire • Sports

Tales from the Mat

Foothill high School takes over the wrestling scene once again... By Chris Jimenez • Cub Reporter

T 46

he wrestling team has some individuals who represented the team at the regional and state tournaments. Micah Schneider, Justin Wirig, and Julian Bradley have already placed first this season, with more wrestlers gaining experience. “There will be more names to list off who have won in first place,” said Frank Pellegrino, who placed fifth at the 15th annual Dan Slayer wrestling tournament in Arizona. The team improved throughout the season, finishing top three in their conference, and usually in the top two at most tournaments.

Varsity this year finished 18-5. Robert Silva, Jeremy Evans, Joel Serrano, Micah Schneider and Julian Bradley represented the team for state this year. Schneider placed third in state and finished 41-5 this season. Junior Varsity had a solid group with wrestlers ready to make Varsity in the years to come. Junior Varsity finished 15-5 this season. With the season over, there’s new matches and memories that the wrestlers have. One match Robert Silva remembers was when he was tied up with his opponent, and they went into double overtime with both of them very tired. After Silva gave it his all, he won the match. “It all came down to who had

more heart, and I went after it and won.” Frank Pellegrino fought for all three periods against his opponent and finally, in the third period, he was able to secure the win. This win meant a lot to him because it was his first Varsity win. “It was such a crazy feeling because it showed all the hard work I had put in to get into Varsity,” he said.

1) Joel Serrano laughs on the sidelines while discussing his upcoming match. 2) Justin Wirig pins down his opponent as the ref counts down. 3) The match begins, and Justin Wirig goes to slam his opponent onto the mat. 4) Micah Schneider pushes his opponent’s head down while keeping his grip in order to pin him down. 5) Joel Serrano and Frank Pellegrino look back at a match while waiting to get weighed in.

, s t o o h S e H ! s e r o c S e H By Meah Cronkright • Cub Reporter

5 1

hat do you like the most about lacrosse? “I like that the sport is very versatile,” said Aaron Wicks. “It’s also a really good atmosphere and everyone has fun.” The fastest sport to be played on two feet is lacrosse, and in 1890, the first women’s lacrosse game was played in Scotland. The abbreviation for major league lacrosse is MLL, and all of the lacrosse gear costs from $40 to $300. The lacrosse teams are new this year. Started under the direction of coach Paul Rapant, a former player and coach, the team formed as a club this year, and will most likely become a NIAA sport next year. Students joined for various reasons. “My dad played and he got me interested,” said Peter Delgiorno. Over the last two decades, lacrosse has grown exponentially in popularity. “It’s fun, it’s a different environment, really interactive and the team has good people and a great coach,” said Zachary Minard. 3 Mason Mosey said “my favorite part of lacrosse is how it keeps me running and in shape, I love the feeling I get after I make a goal and I like the people I play with, they have my back and I have theirs, we play as a team”. When the ball is shot into the opposite team’s net, one point is scored. There is a two-point line, and anything scored behind that is worth two points.

Hillside Hotwire • Sports

Foothill Lacrosse flies th rough their first season

2 1

1) Zachary Minard (right) trying to get the ball from Mason Mosey (left). 2) James Penney jumping to get the ball and making a successful catch. 3) Peter Delgiorno (left) and Aiden Browning (right) fighting to get the ball from Zachary Minard (middle).

March 2019

Hillside Hotwire • Sports

No grass stains, stains, no glory 2018-2019 flag football season

by Lorelai Yinger • Cub Reporter

rooke Lynch takes the snap and launches it to Isabella Demos in the end zone for the game-winning touchdown. During the girls flag football season, the girls won ten games and finished their season with a 7-12 loss to Clark in the first round of the playoffs. The team earned a 4-6 league record under new coach Tom Mayes. “A new strategy we tried this year was trick plays, sending two rushers, and decoding on the sideline,” said sophomore Demos. Mayes helped the team create new plays and new ways to win their games. “Another strategy we tried this year was drawing up our own plays and calling them out to the players on the field ourselves during the game,” said Allie Williams. Some girls’ strategies were to just rely on each other and do their best as a team. “I think we won the games we won because, when our team allowed happiness inside, our confidence was outstanding,” said Demos. “We won the games because we all trusted each other.” Many team members agreed with Demos. “I think we won games because we didn’t take any huge risks, and we just played the game,” said Lynch. “We lost games because of lack of communication and confidence,” added Demos. 1. With the ball carrier in view, Niyah King takes off from the line for the tackle. “I was charging to get the flag and got blocked in the face, but I blocked out the pain, and got the flag,” said King. Photo by Bill Tobler 2. Rushing towards the opposing team’s quarterback, Alexis Lockwood starts to pull the other girl’s flag. Photo by Cesar Torres 3. As the ball arrives, Jazmin Painter receives the hike and gets ready to throw the ball to the other girls on the field so they can go toward the end zone. Photo by Cesar Torres

2 March 2019