Hillside Hotwire March 2018

fOOTHILL hIGH sCHOOL | mARCH 2018 | vOLUME 19 iSSUE 3

Toxic territory page 12

Black History Month Almost, maine sleepless dreams

PAINTING A STORY 800 College Drive Henderson, NV (89002) (702) 799-3500

CO-EDITORS Elly Davis, Kaylee Schwurack WEB MASTER Bailey Trodahl STAFF ARTIST Cristine Laxamana STAFF WRITERS Angelina Jasso, Karlee Johns, Jennifer Kelley, Alyssa Napolitano, Emily Nelson, Alexia Stein, Ayla Thompson CUB REPORTERS Skyy Carter, Anthony Clark, Rehya Corral, Mylee Dockter, Delaney Fallico, Mara George, )Zack Jackson, Cristine Laxamana, Cole Trickle, Miguel Navarro, Angelina Sanz-Boulder, Jayce Spears, Alana Stoneman, Lauryn Tillery, Cristina Troyano, Brianna Ventre, Ellie Welch ADVISER 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.

Students paint ceiling tiles in the library

By Kaylee Schwurack • Co-Editor

Jace Ricciuti replaces his tile in the library ceiling.

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hroughout second semester, students have been invited to paint ceiling tiles in the library. These tiles are removed, painted, and placed back as part of Mrs. Susan Ball’s effort to make the library more fun and welcoming to students.

“The project has been really fun,” said Ball.

“I’ve really been trying to make the library more fun and more interesting to students because I feel like our student body doesn’t come into the library, whether to check out books or socialize.

It’s been really fun watching the students paint the tiles and have fun with it, and I really think that the project could improve student involvement.”

Students have painted tiles based off their favorite books, recreating the covers of these books to make the ceiling eye-catching. Students have painted covers such as The Giving Tree, The Fault in Our Stars, and 1984.

Photo by Giselle Bernal

“I painted my tile as The Giving Tree,” said junior Queen Cansancio. “It feels really good to help Mrs. Ball, and I love to paint, so it was really fun. It’s an easy thing you can do to help out on campus and to be more involved. It only takes a few hours, and even if you aren’t an artist, it will be really fun, and you’ll be supporting the renovation of our library.”

Students have taken to the project, and there are about 10 painted tiles so far. The tiles are encouraged to be from colorful, interesting, well-known books, but any book can be painted. There are about 100 tiles to be painted, so students are encouraged to come in and help with the project. It takes a few hours to work on it, but you can come in over a span of multiple days.

Students are welcome to paint ceiling tiles in the library through May, and Mrs. Ball is considering running it through the next school year.

Thieves on Campus It’s important for you to keep track of your belongings and be aware of your surroundings. Don’t leave personal belongings, such as cellphones or money unattended as they are likely to be stolen. Take simple, necessary precautions to protect your belongings at school and anywhere else, which will help prevent theft and keep you safer.

If you have any concerns, questions, or comments about the safety and theft policies on our campus, or if you believe that your belongings have been stolen or damaged, please contact the Dean’s office immediately.

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10 Free Apps to make learning easier

TECH

Alarms, calendars, and attention grabbers you can use while studying

By Elly Davis • Co-editor

Trello Trello is an app that not only is a planner but has checklists for everything that you need to accomplish. Instead of having to remember when the due dates are for different assignments, the app will notify you about them.

Headspace Meditation has been proven to help focus and destressing. In a time in the average teenage lives where we are filled with stress and anxiousness, taking 15 minutes out of a day will help with your focus.

Freedom

Freedom access’ your phone and shuts off apps for a certain amount of time, ideally when you study. It is meant to eliminate distractions from your phone so that more focus can be put on your education. put on your education.

Math Alarm The math alarm clock only allows you to turn off an alarm by solving a math problem, and you cannot choose the problem. The problems are not hard, but when signing into the app you can choose the level of difficulty.

Coffitivity

This app boasts research-backed proof that being a tiny bit distracted helps you be more creative.” Choose from one of three themes “Morning Murmur,” “Lunchtime Lounge,” and “University Undertones” to keep you interested in the work.

TED

The majority of students have heard of TED talks, where experts in their field come together and hold individual talks. The speeches are streamed through YouTube and the TED app.

GoConqr GoConqr is the main app that shows how to work through the different apps.

The apps extensions allow the user to create flashcards, quizzes, mindmaps, and takes notes on the app.

Calculator+

Calculator+ is a scientific calculator app for your phone. If a student does not have $100 to buy a calculator, this is a perfect alternative. The calculator does long Algebra problems and transforms into a graphing calculator.

Alarmy

Sleep if U can is another creative alarm where the student has to take a picture of a set object in a different part of the house in order to turn the alarm off. The app gets the student up and walking before they can try to get back to sleep.

iBabylon

This app helps with the learning of new languages. iBabylon translates more than 75 languages. The app creates flash cards and utilizes different techniques to make learning languages easier.

March 2018| Hillside Hotwire | 3

month of controversy A month for one, or a month for all?

By Rehya Corral • Staff Writer • Student-Written Opinion Article

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Collage by Cristine Laxamana Photos Creative Commons Student-written article

ince Black History Month was founded more than forty years ago, it seems like people of all backgrounds have gone back and forth about its fairness. People of all colors have sought their own months of recognition, as many races and cultures don’t have their own month of celebration.

Excluding the months January, April, July and August, every other month celebrates a certain heritage. However, some races, genders, ages and sexualities have felt demeaned and belittled when the U.S. Government has confined their entire history to one month.

“African Americans are a part of American history,” said English and Speech & Debate teacher, Eric Luchs.

“Not only was the Civil Rights Movement a major event that they were a part of, but their culture has influenced our art, music, poetry, and science, just like many other cultures have in America.”

Students at the Hill had mixed reactions when asked about Black History Month and the apparent racial bias surrounding the celebration.

“Black History is important in that we get to actively be aware of everything black people have been through, and how they

4 | Hillside Hotwire| March 2018

have contributed to our country,” said Jaylah Wilson. “With all the struggles and victories African Americans have gone through, of course black history should be celebrated.”

A common thread in students interviewed about the topic found that, while the importance of Black History month is crucial, they felt there was a bias.

“I think the fact Black History Month is the shortest month is a bit of a coincidence,” said Wilson jokingly, “but I don’t believe it’s something to be worried about because the fact of the matter is, we should be celebrating black history all year. It’s something we have to take with us throughout our lives, especially for African American people.”

As a student of African American descent, Wilson explained how her history is something she constantly remembers and thinks about. “Everyone knows what happened in our country. We know there was slavery and racial segregation, but those who choose to acknowledge and remember it, that’s what’s most important,” she said.

Many other students, not only those of color, felt the same way as Wilson.

“I don’t think there’s a problem with Black History Month,” said Jillian Sullivan. “A lot of people don’t realize why it’s celebrated in February. Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln were born in February, and that has significant meaning because these were people who changed the course of history for African American people.”

Sullivan brings a valid point to the argument. While many people argue the bias about February being the shortest month of the year, they may not realize the actual significance of why it is celebrated during that month.

OPINION

We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality.

We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, “If we compare Valentine’s day with Black History Month, it’s practically the same,” said Sullivan. “Valentine’s Day is there for us to celebrate our love and affection toward someone we love and care about. Even though it’s one day out the entire year, we don’t just celebrate our love on that day. We appreciate [those we love] every single day of every year. The same goes for Black History month. We should respect and acknowledge black history every day of every year, not just one month.”

As a country, we have progressed greatly over the years. Though our progression is slow, we have overcome many obstacles. Many would argue that none of our victories would have ever seen the light of day without the help of progressive citizens.

Others feel that the celebratory month does a bit of a disservice to black history overall. “Black History Month puts less importance on African American history in general,” said Camron Boone. “It’s not really just black history, it’s American history, and that’s what’s most important.”

As an educator, Luchs shared the fact that history in the U.S. is being taught as a white history, not an incorporated history of all races who have impacted the culture of America.

“As Americans, we have to recognize our mistakes,” said Luchs, “and by recognizing the many, many, many mistakes we’ve made, we’re able to accept the diversity of cultures in our country.”

According to a demography study done by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2017, African Americans make up 13.3% of the U.S.

cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities.

We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro’s basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one.

We can never be satisfied

as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their

We cannot

be

dignity by signs stating “for whites only.”

satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote.

-Martin luther king Jr. population, while people of white descent make up 76.9% of the population.

“America is a country of small, but significant improvement,” said Luchs. “We take nine steps back for every ten steps forward, and that’s okay because we still make progress.” Small improvements slowly add up for Americans, which is why it’s very easy to see why

minorities in the U.S. may lose hope along the road for their succession.

“We have to teach Black history, Hispanic history, Asian history, Jewish history, Italian history,” said Luchs.“We must teach history the way it was. We must teach history to learn from our mistakes, to make this diverse country a much more progressive and accepting place for all races.”

March 2018| Hillside Hotwire | 5

Brianna Ventre holds the phone as she gets ready to submit a paper on Google Classroom. “Google Classroom always helps me remember to turn in my assignments on time,” said Ventre.

paper or google?

Students and teachers choose between papers and computers

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ith increased Internet speeds and more student access to the Internet, many teachers have reduced their use of paper in the classroom and have moved more to the web.

Google Classroom made huge inroads across the district as CCSD made Google their official communication software, allowing all teachers to have access to Google Classroom and all students to access to the suite of Google tools.

Although the advantages of web assignments is overwhelming, the cons cannot be ignored. “Paper is easier to remember than a computer app,” said Evrin Peacha. “Using paper, you don’t have to worry about something running out of battery or 6 | Hillside Hotwire| March 2018

By Jennifer Kelley• Staff Writer

having a computer malfunction.”

Secondly, there will be a learning gap between upperclassmen and freshman, who are unfamiliar with the Google suite of tools. “Throughout high school, technology has become more popular than papers, but papers are just easier,” said junior Kirk Moore. Many upperclassmen are used to papers as opposed to digital.

Because of technology’s prevalence, it is assumed that everyone has access to a computer, but that is not always the case. “I dislike [digital assignments,”said Jasmine Painter.

“I’m not good with computers, and papers are just more organized for me to keep track of. Not everyone has a computer, and you get sort of lazy when you have to keep going to the school library to print.”

Organization is a key advantage of Internet assignments. “I actually like computers more,” said Anthony Sepulveda. “They are way more organized and have dates on everything so you won’t forget.” Sepulveda uses his phone for Google Classroom because he doesn’t always have access to a computer. “It is way simpler for edits and way neater when the final product is done,” he said.

Teachers are also feeling the impact of the new technology. “I’m not obligated to use paper and throw away extra work all of the time,” said Jason Domingo. “I used to lug the papers everywhere to grade them, but now I can access them from anywhere. I can give assignments over Google Classroom, so it helps the environment and me.”

FEATURE

off campus

What do our teachers do when they’re not teaching?

By Lauryn Tillery • Cub Reporter

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here are a lot of things about teachers we don’t know.

We don’t know what they do outside of school or a lot about what they are interested in. A lot of times, students don’t realize that teachers are human too. Teachers have families to go home to, and for them, teaching is just one

part of who they are. Their lives don’t actually revolve around school, unlike most of us think. Some teachers enjoy going outdoors, riding dirt bikes, singing karaoke, going to concerts, and some jump out of airplanes. Here’s a glimpse into the lives of four teachers.

songs.

Going to concerts gives her time away from everything so she can recharge her batteries after teaching all week long.

Gideon Huggins Christina Stark

Laurel Borreson

Dacia Overstreet

Ms. Borreson is an English teacher during school hours, and outside of school, she is really into live music at concerts especially if there is travel involved.

“I love live music, and if there is traveling involved, its like a double win for me. Like last year, I went to Paris for a concert,” said Borreson.

She likes the thrill she feels while at a concert, the feeling of being connected to the artist and all the people at the stadium and connected to her friends. Her favorite thing is when they sing older

Mrs. Overstreet likes to hike and travels with her family.

“Don’t get me wrong.

I love staying home with them, but being on an adventure and seeing a new place is a great bond to have with my family, even when we are just going to another state,”said Overstreet.

She likes feeling a sense of adventure with her family.

Mr. Huggins is a health teacher, and he likes to find new ways to exercise.

He makes 14-day workout schedules because they make him feel healthy, and he enjoys taking care of his body.

Like many teachers, Huggins takes his job home with him, but because he’s a P.E. teacher, he takes his physical fitness knowledge home to his family. “I love taking care of my two kids, so I know when they exercise they are living a better life,”said Huggins.

He likes to know that his family is happy and healthy. so finding healthy diets and new exercises for his family to do together relaxes him.

At the Hill, students know Mrs. Stark as a biology teacher, but if you saw her outside of work hours, you would most likely see her outside. She likes to go outside and do fun activities with her family.

Whether it be backpacking or hiking or in her own yard gardening, being outdoors simply just makes her feel happy, and spending time with her family outdoors is even better.

“It makes me feel happy and connected to the world around, and it really puts life in perspective,” said Stark.

March 2016 | Hillside Hotwire | 7

most anticipated games of

2018 2018

By Miguel Navarro • Staff Writer

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onsumer content has drastically changed over the years as games have become bigger than ever.

Games are selling at astronomical numbers, sometimes more than movies. Let’s take a look at the most anticipated games of 2018.

Without a doubt, the most anticipated game of 2018 comes from developers Naughty Dog. Their “Uncharted” series will dive back into the world that is The Last of Us. The trailer was very ominous.

A dark silhouette entered a house covered by persons who we can only assume are the rebellious group known as Fireflies.

The dark silhouette is revealed to be Joel, the lead protagonist of the

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first game voiced by Troy Baker. He enters a room and speaks to a woman sitting on a bed singing. The woman singing is Ellie, who plays the lead protagonist for the sequel, and is voiced by Ashley Johnson. We only get one piece of dialogue, which is Ellie looking up at the camera with a face covered in dirt and anger saying, “I am going to find every last one of them,” setting the game right back to the familiar intense tone.

Rockstar Games returns to the the wild west with the overused Red Dead Redemption II. It was confirmed that it will be a prequel to the first game. Fans of the games have been waiting eight long years for its return.

Red Dead originally had a release window of Fall 2017 but ended up being delayed to October 26th, 2018.

Fans have received two trailers and multiple screenshots for the game so far. Trailer one acted as a teaser and showed the beautiful, vibrant world that Rockstar had been working on.

The second finally gave us information on what the story would be about.

To everyone’s surprise, John Marston, the first game’s protagonist, was not shown at all in the trailer.

Instead, we follow Arthur Morgan, a new character. But we still have a chance at seeing the protagonist

fans fell in love with back in 2010.

Morgan is a member of the infamous Dutch Van Der Linde Gang, the same gang Marston was a member of while he was a young adult. Many are also wondering if players will be able to play with more than one character, similar to in Grand Theft Auto, also developed by Rockstar Games. Will John or any other characters be playable? We’ll have to wait for Spring 2018 to find out.

Sony had the best E3 conference in 2016. They opened their press conference with an amazing orchestra, leading us into the first trailer of, God of War. Sony has finally returned to the franchise after just over 10 years, with a reboot and a Norse mythology setting, much different from the Greek mythology setting in the past.

The story will follow Kratos and his son. Kratos, still living with his dark past, tries to do better by helping his son. The boy inherited the same Spartan rage that led to the destruction of the Greek world. While Kratos wants him to keep it, he wants his son to control it. Through gameplay, it is evident the style has drastically changed. No longer a button mash combat system, fights will take thinking and strategy.

Trailers show Kratos exploring the environment, and a notification appears, saying “New location found.” This new feature reveals the game may be an open world like

Tomb Raider. The game looks to have really changed and is great for people who didn’t get a chance to play past installments. The game was given an official release date of 4/20/18.

E3 was visited by the web slinging, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Spider-Man games were originally produced by Activision.

While those games had some good features, they never felt like the same quality as a Batman:Arkham game.

Marvel has now made the right move and has given the iconic character to Insomniac Games, a studio with great potential that seems to have a grasp on what fans have been clambering for.

Spider-Man fans were greeted with a great surprise as a new suit was revealed. Spider-Man’s iconic symbol is now white but is also complemented with the classic red and blue. It also takes a new feature from the most recent film, Spider-Man: Homecoming, by adding the new expressive eyes that Tom Holland’s Spider-Man introduces. We get to watch ten minutes of gameplay and explore the combat systems, which seem extremely fluid and creative as there are numerous options for using the environment during combat.

Also available was stealth gameplay, resembling stealth from the Batman: Arkham series. The game’s antagonist will be Martin Lee, better known as, Mr. Negative. However, the people of New York seem to know Lee for all his charity work and have no clue about his evil side. At the end, players are greeted with a cameo from Miles Morales. It was also confirmed that Morales will have a bigger role in the game than initially planned.

Sony yet again has one of the

most anticipated games of 2018.

While an official window of release is pending, it would be foolish to not mention Death Stranding. An elaborate entrance more akin to pro-wrestling revealed legendary game maker Hideo Kojima. Kojima has created some of the biggest, most groundbreaking games, such as the Silent Hills and Metal Gear series.

Since the reveal of Death Stranding, there have been three trailers that have a total run time of sixteen minutes. Yet all these trailers leave fans, along with myself, scratching our collective heads at what the game exactly is about. Don’t believe me? Go and watch the trailers yourself. We get to see a beautiful post apocalyptic world that has the vibe of old sci-fi horror movies such as Alien or The Fog with its music and atmosphere.

Kojima revealed details about the game recently when he spoke with IGN and explained a few mechanics ics of the game. Deaths are acknowledged in the game similar to Dark Souls. But instead of returning to a menu screen, players enter purgatory, where they can exit their bodies and

roam, collecting items. There is much more discussed that leaves you more confused but makes you excited to dive into this deeply original world.

2018 is a bright year for games.

Beloved franchises are returning as well as new games. There is surely something that will make players of all kinds want to pull an all nighter.

FEATURE

Caught by Curfew

Teens don’t come home when the streetlights come on. But how late is too late?

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any teens have curfews their parents have set for, ranging from right after school to 3 a.m. But the state also has rules. Minors under the age of 18 can’t legally drive past 11:00 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m.

Fridays and Saturdays. Several students interviewed agreed with the state’s curfew laws, but many disagreed and said the laws should change to allow a later time during the week.

Curfews are set to ensure the safety of kids, but teens tend to not take these rules seriously and end up getting hurt, stirring up trouble, or getting caught doing something not good.

Some interviewed have

Jayce Spears • Cub Reporter

been caught for curfew by officers or parents. Many parents interviewed said that kids are too rebellious these days and tend to want to go against the rules, especially when it comes to being home on time. Several parents remembered having to be home by 9-10 p.m. at the latest. Other’s curfews were at 1 a.m. Today, some kids don’t even have curfews in place by parents, which makes curfew often a touchy subject.

“Sometimes I get worried while I’m hanging out with friends that I’ll be late or I’ll be locked out if I do arrive late or maybe get in trouble because of getting in too late, so I come home sooner just in case,” said Courtney

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Smith.

In some cases, curfew enforcement can have unintended negative consequences. “My friends and I were down on the Strip after curfew, so while we were there we had to avoid the police, but then we lost our friend, so we talked to a security guard to find him, but he called the cops on us, and we had to run and hide from them so we wouldn’t get caught,” said Emma Pratt.

Even some parents feel the curfew could be changed. “Personally, I think the state curfew is a little early, but if my kids were out past midnight,

they would be in trouble, depending on where they were and what they were up to. I think that nine o’ clock is too early for a curfew,” said one parent.

There were mixed feelings among parents. “As a parent, I’m torn between allowing my kids freedom and responsibility and keeping boundaries that help protect them,” said parent George Armstrong.

Therein lies what most see as the problem: some teens become more mature earlier while others need the restrictions of an early curfew to keep them safe from others and safe from themselves.

Sleepless Dreams

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Sleep-deprived try to balance school, sports and family

By Angelina Sanz-Boulder • Cub Reporter

s you arrive home from your sports game, you realize that you have a ton of work to do, and it’s already 10:30 p.m. Sighing, you begin your homework, even though you are beginning to feel like you could fall asleep at any moment. You fight the urge to fall asleep as you start your work, checking your phone along the way to keep up with today’s feed. Soon, you’ve had enough as the clock strikes 1 a.m., and you head to sleep, hoping to wake up in the next 1 to 2 hours to finish up the uncompleted homework.

Although situations like this do not occur to everyone, many students find themselves struggling to balance family, academics and sports, which often leads them to staying up late and sacrificing their sleep. “On school days, I go to sleep around 8:30 p.m.” said Karli Reinhardt, “but it usually depends, because I sometimes work on the weekdays, and that affects my sleeping schedule, causing me to sleep much earlier.”

Similarly, senior Cristine Laxamana said her sleeping schedule is also messed up. “I come home from school and begin my homework for a certain subject,” said Lax-

amana. “After I finish that homework, I take a nap and sleep for the next six hours.” Laxamana realizes it is a bad habit but explains, “I just come home from school really exhausted, and I can’t help but take a nap to restore my energy.” Whatever the case maybe, it is extremely important for teens to get enough sleep.

According to NationwideChildern.org a website that provides pediatric health care and research centers for more than one million patients each year,“The average amount of sleep an adolescent should get is 9 to 9 ½ hours each night.” Studies show that teenagers usually sleep 6-7 hours, causing them to become sleep deprived.

Students who don’t get enough sleep show side effects in their mood, behavior, cognitive ability and academic performance.

To help get enough sleep, it is important to avoid oversleeping on weekends. Although catching up on sleep on weekends seems like it would be helpful, studies reveal it could actually make it harder for teenagers to get back on a school schedule. Turning off televisions, computers and phones is also beneficial before bed, as this eliminates the distraction of staying up late. It’s also important to make the right choices, meaning students hold the responsibility of choosing how their time is being used.

March 2018| Hillside Hotwire | 11

Trash in the desert How littering effects our local trails

By Zack Jackson • Staff Writer

FEATURE

Left page: Top left: spent shotgun casings litter the ground. Top right:

A car frame riddled with bullet holes stands in a ravine. Bottom: a massive pile of broken bottles, tile and rusty wire sits in a canyon in Sloan. Right page: Top left: Zebra tail lizard encountered in Sloan basks on a rock.

Bottom left: A desert tortoise seeks refuge from the heat in a bush. Top right: Horned lizard found in Sloan. Center: Desert blonde tarantula found in Sloan. Bottom left: A mojave desert sidewinder hides under a rock on a hot summer day near the Mccollough trail.

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loan Canyon National Conservation Area is a popular location for outdoor activities. People enjoy walking their dogs, mountain biking, hiking, and even horse-back riding on the trails. There is plenty of wildlife to see, like birds, lizards, snakes, ground squirrels, and even the rare desert tortoise and bighorn sheep. It’s a great place to get away from it all and enjoy nature for a while. However, some have chosen to use this wildlife refuge as their personal trash dump and shooting range. Broken glass, plastic bottles, cans, grocery bags, spent ammo, targets, even entire car frames and mattresses litter the ravines and canyons. The dumping of trash not only makes the trails look dirty and gross, it endangers wildlife, and even pets. Piles of broken glass can cut the paws of animals, and small colorful bits of plastic are eaten by wildlife, making them sick or even killing them. The critically endangered desert tortoise has been known to eat plastic bags and balloons and to later die of intestinal impaction. Piles of trash are also a refuge for all kinds of animals that no one wants around.

Cockroaches, silverfish, black widows and bark scorpi-

ons all thrive in these trash piles. Many of these animals in high numbers can harm the environment and even get into houses. Trash piles also attract ravens and crows, which then attack desert tortoises, which takes a detrimental toll on the population of this endangered keystone species.

Dumping trash is damaging to the environment, the wildlife and the people who enjoy it. This begs the question, what can be done to help? The Bureau of Land Management has several volunteer programs and guided hikes with a focus on education and prevention of litter. “Leave no trace” is their slogan to those who enjoy these areas.

BLM park ranger Gina Mele is often in the Sloan areas to inspect and improve the area. “It’s a great place for the youth to get outside!” said Mele. She sees trash commonly in areas of Sloan and wants to organize a cleanup effort to free this area of trash and return it to its’ pristine and fertile state. “I’m hoping to plan a cleanup toward the end of March,” said Mele. “We plan to get a series of trucks, along with as many volunteers a we can to clean up the trash.” Clubs who are interested should contact the Nevada Bureau of Land Management for more information.

March 2018| Hillside Hotwire | 13

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capturing the moment Angel Vizcainos’ passion for photography

By Alana Stoneman • Cub Reporter

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he art of photography is portrayed through the eye of the beholder and the creator. The creator does not take a photo with no given reason. “I am influenced by fashion and nature,” said aspiring photographer Angel Vizcaino. “I enjoy both nature and fashion, and I love combining the two together.”

Vizcaino is a selftaught young photographer who has a unique style of taking photos, “I enjoy taking portrait photos. I personally like taking photos of people, whether that be actual models or complete

strangers,” says Vizcaino, “I enjoy the monochromatic look. Once I choose a color scheme for a specific photo shoot, I tend to stick to those colors.”

His creative passion for the art of photographer started at an early age.

“When I was in the seventh grade, I took a yearbook class, and I would take photos for the yearbook,” said Vizcaino. “I started taking simple photos just for fun, but once I realized I had a passion for it, I started taking it more serious and advanced my techniques.”

Techniques are very important to be a successful photographer, and in order to succeed, one must

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figure out their own style, just like Vizcaino did. “I like to stay on trend with social media and see what other photographers are doing,” he said. Since he is a young photographer, he figures out his techniques for himself. “I am a self-taught photographer and have been taking photos for about three years,” he said.

As a student photographer, Vizcaino said it’s difficult to obtain professional help. Vizcaino explained how he learns to take pictures. “I read a lot of books and watch YouTube videos about the best cameras or the newest techniques.”

Taking photos can also lead to a new career path.

“I hope to one day further my passion for photography in college,” said Vizcaino, “Ideally I would want to purse a career in photography but that is a one in a million chance that I will get discovered.”

From top left: Jasmine Gutierrez gets photographed in front of a sunset. Azul Ureno models while holding flowers.

“Once I choose a color scheme for a specific photo shoot, I tend to stick to those colors,” said Vizcaino. Carmen Landinger matches the monochromatic look and reppin the stylish glasses for the shoot. “I personally like taking photos of people, whether that be actual models or complete strangers,” said Vizcaino.

FEATURE

art flaunt A day for the artists

By Cristine Laxamana• Staff Writer/Artist

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othing makes me more proud than seeing my child’s artwork at the gallery,” said a parent who was looking at her kid’s artwork.

On March 13, students from art and ceramic classes showcased their artwork in the theater lobby. “We had to do it earlier,” said art teacher Mrs. Sarah Eames, formerly known as Ms. Plough, “because the baby is coming very soon.” Eames has been doing the art gallery for around two years to display the drawings, paintings and sculptures by the beginners and advanced students. “We’re hosting the art show so parents, students and people from the community can see the student’s work,” said Eames.

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“It was fun to do,” said sophomore Paris Darlington, “but it took me about two to three weeks to finish my piece. It made me happy and proud to see other people I didn’t know admiring it [her artwork],” Darlington added.

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Art for some people is truly a good remedy to all the stressful stuff. “It’s fun getting your hands dirty,” said Ms. Stephanie Leslie, the new ceramics teacher. “It is a great way to get away from that academic stuff.” Students from Art I said that they chose to take the class because it was easier than solving equations and problems. “I want to be able to expand my creativity,” said senior Mallorie Larson. “Painting really releases my stress, it’s kinda weird.”

The FHS intermediate orchestra, FHS Chamber Ensemble and the Burkholder Middle School Advanced Orchestra also played musical selections in the theater during the event. Students together with their families watched and appreciate the beauty of art and music together.

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Top 1. A parent looking at the student’s artwork. 2. People wandering around the gallery. 3. Ceramic monsters made by the ceramic class. 4. People appreciating the works of the students. 5. Some of the drawings and paintings from the beginner and advanced art classes. Photo

by Cristine Laxamana

March 2018| Hillside Hotwire | 15

journaling Bullet journaling Journaling bullet Live the artistic life

By Cristine Laxamana • Staff Writer/Artist

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eople nowadays are so engrossed with their phones. They use them as cameras, calculators, calendars or for taking notes.

They don’t even need to bring pen and paper with them because the phone has almost everything. “Texting and typing are much easier than writing on a paper,” said Karli Reinhhardt, “and writing makes my hand hurt.”

Despite this digital era, some people still like to grab a pen and a journal, write their to-do lists and keep track of their goals or habits.

One way to do this is called Bullet Journaling, an artistic way to record your experiences. It is also a good exercise for the brain. A report from the University of Victoria stated that “Writing, as part of language learning, has a positive correlation with intelligence.”

Sophomore Chennel Obis said that journaling makes her feel more motivated. Bullet journaling creates a state of mindfulness and helps prevent you from procrastination and eliminates anxiety as you feel more organized. It also boosts your memory and comprehension.

“I feel like me and my journal have a connection,” said Obis. “My job is to fill all the pages, and my journal gives me the chance to look back on those wonderful memories.”

1. How to get started in bullet journaling. 2. Using different colored pens can also help you make your bullet journal artistic. 3. You can make a chart for your daily moods.

Water is really important, and you can keep track of your water intake using the bullet journal. Making a sleeping log is a very creative way to track your slumber. Journal owned

by Cristine Laxamana.

Photo by Cristine Laxamana

16 | Hillside Hotwire| March 2018

FEATURE

How to bullet journal

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ips on how to start your own Bullet Journal:

1. A bullet journal is just a journal, but many people like using dot grids to help with drawing the layout.

2. You can use different varieties of markers and washi tapes to make it colorful. Keep in mind that bullet journaling is not about writing long sentences. You

just need to jot down quick notes.

3. You can design your own symbols for urgent tasks and not-so-urgent tasks. A bullet journal also contains a mixture of to-do lists, a planner and a diary, and it is a great way to keep track of your short and long-term goals.

4. Design your own future logs or create a calendar in

your own way. You can put birthdays, travel plans and goals. You can revisit every page to remind yourself about these events.

Set up pages like: Movies to watch, Books to read and Places to visit. These can be interesting and help you focus on things you want to get done.

5. Make a habit tracker for each month. If you don’t have the chance to do

something in March, you can always move it to the next month. There are tons of cool layouts online that you can customize. They can be floral, vintage or even just simple.

6. Lastly, your journal doesn’t have to be perfect or fancy. It’s yours, and you can do whatever you want to make it reflect who you are.

1. Using different colored pens can also help you to make your bullet journal artistic.

2. Describe how your day went using colors.

Journal by Alexia Stein.

Photo by Cristine Laxamana

March 2018 | Hillside Hotwire | 17

By Kaylee Schwurack • Co-Editor

Drumline makes a bang at their first competition

22| Hillside Hotwire| March 2018

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anner Norris stands on the gym floor during a preview performance, surrounded by the other tenor drummers on his line.

He clicks his drums into place and gets his drumsticks into the correct position, and waits for a cue. The music begins, and the audience is captivated in a world of color and percussion.

Foothill’s drum line is an award-winning ensemble that begins the season in October, rehearsing and performing through March.

This year, the concept of the show is doorways.

“This year, we are aiming to be bumped into Open Class, which is a higher level of competition,”said Norris. “We have a young line this year, which means we don’t have as much experience as last year. Even though we’re young, we all have a really strong work ethic and have a ton of determination to strive to be better than any ensembles from past years. Our upperclassmen lead by example, and the new members learn fast.”

Drum line’s season started in October, but for them it is only the beginning. The line rehearses three days a week after school until 8 or 9 p.m., and their competitions are only beginning.

“It’s my first and last year in drum line,” explained senior Chase Horne. “It is a lot of hard work and time, but I really enjoy it. At the end of the season, we go to Dayton, Ohio for a big competition, and it will all pay off. I’ve made a lot of friends through drum line, and everyone on the line gets along really well, which makes it all more enjoyable and easier to get better. It’s my only year on the line, but I’ve already made lifelong memories and had a lot of laughs, and I don’t think I’ll forget the experience.”

The first evaluation show was on February 10th at Arbor View, and it prepared the line for their first competition of the year.

“We did great at the first competition; we earned a 79.80 in our new class, which is really good for us,” said Jacob Szczepanski. “We work really hard every day, so it’s really important that we stay focused, especially at competitions. I love drum line and always look forward to the fun and memories that come along with it.”

Drum line heads off to Dayton on April 18th, and director Adam Steff said there is still a lot of work to be done.

“We don’t have everything done yet, so we need to buckle down and focus in every rehearsal if we want to do well in Dayton,” said Steff. “We are really trying to focus on our drill because that always seems to be what needs the most work. At this rate, the line is looking to be really good this year and in Dayton.” Drumline has four more competitions before nationals.

March 2018 | Hillside Hotwire | 19

OPINION

@emily.nelsonn

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ocial media is a part of our daily lives! We keep in contact with our friends through social media apps like Instagram and Snapchat.

Both are used for different things.

“I like Instagram better because I like to slide into the direct messages,” said Logan Gunny.

Instagram gives users more of an artistic outlet compared to Snapchat.

It also has an explore page, where users can find anything from memes to slime videos. “I really like Instagram’s explore page to look up things like Doctor Pimple Popper and dank

20| Hillside Hotwire| March 2018

memes,” said Gunny.

“I like Instagram because you’re able to create a theme for your feed,” said Jadyn St. John.

One thing students said they don’t like about Instagram is how much harder it is to communicate with people. A big part of being a teenager is communicating with your peers.

Also, a big part of being a teen is expressing who you are. On Instagram, you can be a lot more creative and express yourself where that is harder on Snapchat. “I like Instagram better than Snapchat because you can

see more of the store brands on the Instagram stories to see the upcoming sales and when they are releasing more items,” said Moriah Owens.

Instagram enables users to create their own feeds that are completely their own personal style. They can also find more things that interest them, from interior design to football.

Also, most stores have an Instagram feed but not a Snapchat, which allows users to view a store’s hours, see new items and get a feel for the store’s style of clothes before wasting a trip and gas money.

OPINION

School

Foothill High School 18h ago Quick Snap

Noah

Avery “I can talk a lot with people on there, and I feel it is much easier to communicate with my friends,” said Lorenzo Salazar.

“I’ve had Snapchat for like five years, and I like having streaks and talking to my friends,” said Avery Hafen.

“I like Snapchat because I feel it is easier to use and much faster,” said Alana Azizsoltani.

“I like Snapchat because I can talk to my friends, and it is more based on that than looking at peoples’ posts,” said Noah Dusold.

because you get the cool emoji by their name.” There are many emojis someone can have by their name, including streaks, mutual BFs, mutual besties and more. With the emojis, you can see who you have a streak with, who you share a best friend with, who are your best friends and so on.

Also, Snapchat recently added a private story feature. With this, you can make a story that only a few of your friends can see instead of your regular story where all of the friends you added can see it. Students like to make vlogs where

they take videos and post funny pictures so all their close friends can see what is going on in their life. “I love the vlog feature; vlogs are literally my life,” said Alana Azizsoltani.

Even though social media is said to be very dangerous at times, students feel Snapchat is, for the most part, pretty safe. “I think Snapchat can be safer than Instagram because what you post goes away after 24 hours,” said Noah Dusold. “On Instagram, what you post and what other people post stays there forever.”

By Alexia Stein

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here’s been a social media battle brewing for a while now over which app is better, Snapchat or Instagram. They both have similar features, but which one is better than the other? We took it to the Hill and got the students’ opinions on which app they thought won.

Snapchat hasn’t been around as long as Instagram, but it sure caught the attention of teens quickly.

It is an easy way for people to communicate. You can send messages and pictures and post pictures on your story that go away after 24

hours. A well-liked feature has been the filters. Instagram also has filters, but students have seemed to prefer Snapchat’s version better.

Another feature that is liked is the friends feature.

You can have up to eight friends. The way you get friends is if you Snapchat someone a lot. The person you snapchat most will be at the top of your list and is your best friend. “The Snapchat feature that I like the best is the best friend emoji,” said Lorenzo Salazar. “I like that when your each other’s best friends

March 2018| Hillside Hotwire | 21

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Almost, Maine

The school play takes a new direction

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By Mara George • Cub Reporter

n February 8-10, Mr. Greg Gaskill and his theater/theater tech students put on the play Almost, Maine by John Cariani. The play consisted of 11 scenes, with ten different stories being told. All of the scenes occurred in “various locales in Almost, Maine, a small town in Northern Maine that doesn’t quite exist,” said the play’s program. “Everything takes place at nine o’clock on a cold, clear, moonless, slightly surreal Friday night in the middle of the deepest part of a Northern Maine winter.”Aside from a few mentions of characters in other scenes, the stories are not connected.

The prologue had a simple set that included just a single park bench with “snow” around it. Two people, a male and a female, are sitting on a bench. The woman tells the man she loves him, and slides closer to him, saying that she feels closer to him than ever before. He says that she 3

22 | Hillside Hotwire| March 2018

couldn’t be further away, demonstrating with a snowball.

The woman rolls her eyes, then walks off the stage to the right. The man says that she’s getting closer and closer the further right she goes.

The first scene starts when a woman camps out on a man’s front yard, and they have a conversation. She says that she has a broken heart, and the man kisses her. She then announces that she has killed her husband, making the audience gasp. The man kisses her again and says he can fix her heart. The scene ends there.

The second scene tells the story about a man who was left by his girlfriend, who he meets years later randomly at a bar. The thing is, she’s at her bachelorette party. She is getting married the next day. It is revealed that the man had gotten a tattoo, but the artist had 5 misspelled the word “villain,” so the 4

PERFORMING ARTS tattoo actually said ”villian.” This turns out to be the bar waitress’ name, and the scene ends.

The third scene began when a woman, who was doing her laundry, accidentally hit a man in the head with an ironing board. The man tells the woman he can’t feel pain, and says he is fine, if there’s no blood or bruising.

The man kisses her again and says he can fix her heart.

The woman eventually kisses the man, even though she has a boyfriend that she “loves very much.” At the end, when the woman hits the man again on the head, he says, “Ow,” and the stage goes dark.

The fourth scene shows a girl talking with her ex-boyfriend about giving all the love he gave to her back. She brings out many trash bags full of “love” and drops them at his feet. The boy then demands that she give all the

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love he gave to her back to him. She then brings out an engagement ring, in which he had stored all her love. He proposes, they kiss, and the scene ends.

The interlogue has the man from the prologue looking longingly toward where the woman walked off stage.

Scene five opens with two guys on a porch talking about their worst dates. As they go to walk away, one looks back at the other and falls to the ground. He says he is falling for the other. Then they both look at each other and fall down. The stage goes dark while they both crawl toward each other.

A married couple having just gotten done ice skating opens scene six. The wife has lost her shoe and is looking for it. The couple starts arguing, and the audience learns that both the wife and the husband are unhappy in their marriage. The wife asks what they are waiting for, and her shoe drops from above as the scene ends.

The seventh scene showed a woman going up to a house and knocking on the door. A man answers, and she asks to see someone she knew from her past. The woman starts rambling about how she hadn’t answered her boyfriend’s question about marriage, and just left without warning. It is revealed that the man was her former boyfriend, and he is married now to a different woman. She walks off stage in a thoughtful mood as the scene ends.

The eighth scene opens upon two best friends, a guy and girl. The guy gives the girl a picture, but she doesn’t know what it is until after he kisses her. It is shown to be a heart at the end.

The epilogue has the woman from the prologue walking onto the stage from the left, having walked all the way around the “snowball” to be close to the man. The scene, and play, ends at that.

6 1. From left to right, Ian Hughes, Hunter Czaja, Kenya Campbell, Brandon Green, Kamryn Shackelford, Kairi Garrett and Koby Hankins thank the theater tech crew after the play. 2. Pete, played by Hunter Czaja, and Ginette, played by Kenya Campbell, sit on a park bench looking at the stars. 3. East, played by Jacob Kenzevich, kisses Glory, played by Anaya Clark. 4. Gayle, played

by Sydney Shackelford, looks at the engagement ring that Lendall, played by Jared Dollarhide, gave her. 5. Jimmy and Sandrine, played by Tim Jones and Addison Strafella, look on as the Waitress, also known as Villian and played by Jade Deans, picks up Jimmy’s empty beverage bottles. 6. Steve, played by Wakiza Hall, shows Marvalyn, played by Kennedy Guerra, one of his lists.

March 2018| Hillside Hotwire | 23

A Classic Never Goes out of style

The Hill’s Fashion Design program take part in the Fashion Forward Competition

24 | Hillside Hotwire|March 2018

By Elly Davis•Co-editor

FEATURE

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he sound of sewing machines whir throughout the fashion design room. Competition heats up at the Hill as the time draws closer to the final runway show. Students work tirelessly to sketch and finish garments for this year’s Fashion Forward competition in April.

For the past two years, the Hill has been taking part in Fashion Forward, sponsored by the Las Vegas Fashion Council. Schools from all over CCSD compete to show their students’ best work.

“This competition gives the Fashion Design class students an outlet to be creative and to see their sketches come to life,” said Ms. Janet Hough. “Fashion Forward is what most of the students look forward to because it makes them feel as if they are a professional designer.” Each school receives a bolt of muslin fabric with an assigned pattern. First and second year design students are in the design portion while the 3rd and 4th years are in the couture competition.

Design competitors first make a jacket previously selected by the council.

The students are judged on accuracy of the production of the garment and the overall professional sewing.

Then all of the students are assigned a different classic movie on which to base their sketches and designs.

Then, if they

make it to the next round, they actually manufacture that garment. The movies include Sabrina, West Side Story, Star Wars, and many more.

“I was really interested in doing this competition because I’ve never heard of anything like it before,” said second year fashion student Becca Cargile. “I was excited about how there is really no limit to what we can do. We have so much creative freedom.

Initially, I started fashion because it was something I already knew, and I wanted to learn more about. As a kid, I was always fascinated by all the different things people would wear and knew that I wanted to be someone who others would look to for that in the future.”

Three second-years in the fashion program made it to the second level and will now go to the competition’s sponsor,

STAR costume, to receive the fabric and a $30 gift card for notions (zippers, buttons, etc.)

The couture competitors started by making a jumper that qualified them to move on to the next round.

Instead of drawing a sketch of their future garment, they were assigned to create a hang tag modeled after what their future clothing brand logo would look like.

Not until after the students were judged and moved to the next category did the coutures learn what they would be designing. Their category is movie musicals like Grease, Labyrinth, and Dancing in the Rain.

The students, unlike real designers, do not get a choice of fabric.

They receive a box full of three random types of fabrics. Their outfits must be made out of this with the option of getting two extra yards

of fabric to complete their garment.

“I have been participating in Fashion Forward for two years, and this competition really lets me show my creativity,” said Elly Davis. “I randomly selected the musical Grease. Before we found out what we had been assigned, we did not have any heads up that it would be a musical. It is daunting. The fabric I received is quite a stretch from Grease, but I have to make it work.”

Davis was in the competition last year and was one point away from being in the top three. “I learned that the students are mostly graded on the underlying construction of the garment instead of the actual creative design,” said Davis.

The runway show is March 28 at the Palazzo Hotel and Casino in the main theatre. Students will have two and a half months to finish their garments. Let the work begin.

Page One: Sketch by Elly Davis.

Elly Davis sketches her design mockup out of her inspiration from Grease.

“I wanted to make it trendy while also feeling all of the Grease inspiration,” said Davis.

Page Two: Sketch by Rebecca Cargile.

Cargile’s inspiration was the classic movie Sabrina. “I wanted my design to be very classy, while alwso remaining young and fun,” said Cargile. “I believe that the midriff and sleeveless top make the entire design.”

March 2018 | Hillside Hotwire | 25

cliffs of fun

Sophomore Gregor Welch climbs almost 1,000 feet in the air for fun

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eeling the wind over his arms, the smell of the wet rock, and the pain of his hand wedged in between two rocks to keep him from falling, Gregor Welch couldn’t feel more alive. Climbing is a test of his mental and physical fitness, but he feels most alive when he’s in the air with a harness full of gear.

With one misstep, he could fall, but he will be caught by the rope tightly knotted in his harness attached to his waist. He places cams into cracks in the wall, small, springloaded jams that keep him stuck to the rock till he can climb higher in order to place another.

“I started to climb a year ago when my friend Sven

By Ellie Welch • Cub Reporter

Peterson introduced me to it,” Welch said. “The longest climb I’ve ever done is called Olive Oil, which was 1,000 feet.” He practices climbing at Origin gym, a climbing gym where members can practice climbing before getting out on the mountains. “Climbing is more mental than physical,” said Welch. “The second that you lose your head, you’ll fall and hurt yourself.

I’ve never gotten stuck on a climb, though I have fallen from time to time. My worst fall was on Cow Lick Krag, which is an overhang. My hand slipped, and I fell and hit my head on the rock. I was just dangling there.”

Despite some tumbles and minor injuries, climbing is his passion, and he said

he wouldn’t do it if he was scared.

Over the past year Welch has advanced quickly in his grade of climbing.

He’s gone from an entry level 5.4 rated difficulty to a 5.10, the highest being a 5.15b. It’s challenging for him.“It’s an average grade,”he said.

Trad (traditional) climbing, where climbers place gear (cams) into cracks in the wall, is his favorite.

Climbers use several hand holds, and Welch’s favorites are jugs/hand jams (where climbers stick their hands in a hole in the wall to hold themselves), and crimps (tiny holds).

“When climbing not in the gym, where there isn’t a set place to put your hands and

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3 26 | Hillside Hotwire| March 2018

1) Gregor Welch stretches for a hand hold while on a climb. “You can use different hand holds while climbing. Some easy, some hard,” said Welch. 2) Welch gets close to reaching the top of a climb.

“At the top, you can either rappel down or climb down the other side,” he said.

3) Welch rappels down the mountain after finishing a climb. 4) Welch checks out the view. “I’m not afraid of heights, so it makes climbing easier,” said Welch.

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feet, you just know from experience where you put your hands and feet; it’s just using logic. Whatever looks good and will get you up the fastest and safest,” he said.

“To get down, you can either rappel down or climb down the other side of the mountain, depending on how steep it is on the other side,”said Welch. He goes as much as he can and tries to get to the gym or to Red Rock every week.

As he finishes the climb, he stands at the top, taking in the view, proud of himself for climbing this tall monster.

He turns around and walks down the other side, his gear in hand and a smile plastered on his face.

FEATURE

By Mylee Dockter • Staff Writer

THE lIFE OF A gYMNAST Sophomore Bailey Howell shares her experiences as a level 9 gymnast and her dedication to the sport

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eart racing, judges watching, images of the many hours of practice put into this moment spin through her mind.

Howell has been doing gym for 13 years. Her dad was a gymnast during high school, so he put her older siblings in a class at the rec center. “After their class, I would go home and copy everything they learned,” Howell said. “I was always flipping around the house.”

It wasn’t long until Howell was put into gymnastics classes of her own.

“I go to the gym Monday through Friday from 2:30-7 p.m. most days,” Howell said. “That totals around 22.5 hours a week, 12 months a year.” Howell currently holds the position of a level 9 gymnast.

“To reach level 9 takes a lot of years at the gym,” Howell explained. “You have to have certain skills, like a double back on bars, a back tuck on beam, and a pike Yerchenko.”

The team program includes levels 2-10, and each level has certain requirements needed in order to move up. Typically, gymnasts spend one to two competition seasons at a level.

“My best memories are at competitions with my teammates,” Howell said. “As hard as training is, the meets are so rewarding and fun, and we get to meet lots of other gymnasts!”

For Howell and many other gymnasts, the biggest challenge of the sport is overcoming fear.

“The things we have to do are scary. You do flips on a four-inch wide beam and trust that you’ll catch a skinny little bar,” Howell said.

“Sometimes it’s hard to trust yourself when learning new skills, but you have to learn to push through the fear to keep progressing.”

However, being a gymnast has its perks.

The skills learned in gymnastics can be easily transferred to other sports such as cheer, dance and tumbling. “Plus, it’s fun to be able to impress people with some skills,” Howell said.

For Howell and many other gymnasts, being on a college gymnastics team and getting scholarships are the main goals. “But it is hard, and sometimes it doesn’t work out,” Howell said. “If that doesn’t happen, I just want to reach level 10 and be able to use gymnastics in my future, somehow.”

Bailey Howell balances on a beam as part of her routine. “The things we have to do are scary.

You do flips on a four-inch wide beam and trust that you’ll catch a skinny little bar,” said Howell.

March 2018| Hillside Hotwire | 27

Second round Boy’s basketball goes 1-1 in playoffs

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By Anthony Clark • Cub Reporter

fter a hard fought win over Rancho (75-65), the Varsity boys’ basketball team lost in the second round of playoffs to Coronado (75-87), the only team they had lost to besides Findlay Prep during regular season play, ending what some called a Cinderella season that had potential to go to the state tournament.

Every game they won was won by double digits. Foothill versus Basic was 91-53, versus Green Valley 9372 and versus Silverado 89-64. The more they played, the more they got comfortable with each other, and the more they all started to buy into the program.

“Every team wants to win, but no one wants to put the work in,” said Dylan Hushaw. “We worked seven days a week, four hours a day, and that is what it takes to be a Falcon.

The culture behind our team speaks for itself. The dedication, commitment, sacrifice and pain we put ourselves through was all worth it to represent our school.”

Since Kevin Soares took over the head coach position, Foothill has had winning seasons, with each successive team appearing in the playoffs with a legit chance of making it, none more than this year’s team.

“At the head coach position, we’re honored to have Mr. Soares lead our team to success consistently,” added Hushaw. “He puts our players in the best position to prosper.”

The starting five, Marvin Coleman,

28 | Hillside Hotwire| March 2018

Jayce Roquemore, Michael Shaw, Caleb Stearman and Dylan Hushaw created a level of intensity for the rest of the team to feed off of.

Overall, they went 14-6 including preseason and tournaments and 8-2 for league games.

Marvin Coleman led the team in points (452) followed by Jace Roquemore (383) and Hushaw (366). The team also shared the ball well, with 22 assists against Silverado, which helped them to a whopping 77-41 victory.

In practice, they conditioned their bodies so that they could outlast the other teams. For every free throw missed, they ran half a mile before practice. Then, they started with a drill called blowout, so they could get a feel for the ball and create more team chemistry.

After big wins against powerhouse teams like Liberty and Green Valley, they lost to Coronado but then won four straight games, with a huge performance increase from Anthony Martin, the backup point guard. He brought energy off the bench, averaging nine points a game with seven assists, sharing the ball with his teammates. Most of his assists came from Jonah Terrell. The center fed off his passes and brought even more energy off the bench.

They have some good pieces to work with next year, despite losing some prime starters. They are back in the lab ready to prepare for next seasons run.

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Jan 9, Foothill defeats Green Valley 80-50

Jan 11, Foothill defeats Silverado 77-41

Jan 17, Marvin Coleman gets a triple-double and a win

Jan 23, Basic can’t hang, losing 91-53 to our Falcons

Jan 19, Foothill falls short to Coronado

Jan 25, Dylan Hushaw drops a 20 piece for a win

Jan 31, Foothill beats Silverado with 4 players in double digits

Feb 5, Coronado beats us 87-81, the only team to do that this year

Feb 7, Falcons sweep Basic 8158, going 2-0 on the season

Feb 2, The Falcons get the win over Liberty for the second time, sweeping them all season

2 1. Junior small forward Jace Roquemore jumps for the tip-off as the game begins. Photo by Kynlee Zeller 2. Senior shooting guard Dylan Hushaw pulls up from three and drains it in the defender’s face. Photo by Kynlee Zeller 3. Caleb Stearman faces down two defenders while trying to get a shot. Photo

by Leigh Quarles 4. Senior point guard Anthony Martin clamps up an opponent with full court pressure defense. Photo by Kynlee Zeller

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March 2016 | Hillside Hotwire | 33

As Leigh Quarles runs down the field, she prepares to pass the ball to her teammate. “I really feel as if each game just flies by so fast,” said Quarles, “and I always look forward to the next game.”

a Missing sport

By Ayla Thompson• Staff Writer

Foothill, as well as other CCSD schools, are missing a lacrosse team, and students want one now

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oothill sophomore Leigh Quarles holds her position as she watches the ball proceed to the goal. The ball flies toward her, she catches it in her net, and her teammates cheer loudly.

Quarles plays lacrosse for Green Valley, since Foothill does not have a team. “When it comes to getting a team for a school, I believe you just need a coach, players, and then approval from the school,” said Quarles.

Quarles has been playing lacrosse for eight years, mostly as a goalie, and said she has enjoyed every year of it. “My mom played while she was in high school, which led to my brother playing, so I started playing as soon as I was old enough.”

30 | Hillside Hotwire| March 2018

Quarles has watched numerous games, in-person and on T.V. and has hopes of playing on television.

One of my dreams for playing lacrosse is to play at least one game on T.V.,” she said.

Lacrosse is not a popular sport among high schools and does not receive much recognition. Quarles does not want anything about her favorite sport changed, but she “would like it to be more known and for it not to be perceived as a rich person sport.”

She also would prefer that players be more sportsmanlike.

Many of the girls on the Green Valley team believe that lacrosse should be a school sport. Ashlee Junior from Centennial said she knows of many people who would like to

start playing and who have shown some interest in it. “I definitely think that lacrosse could become a known and loved sport in schools if they would just give it a chance,” said Junior. “It could really be as popular as high school football.”

This is also the case at many other schools as well. Cooper Copp, a freshman at Coronado, has been playing lacrosse for three years.

“The game is wonderful, and I wouldn’t change anything about it,”said Cop, who added that she would do whatever she is able to do in order to get a team at her school.

Most of these girls who play lacrosse for Green Valley are always trying to recruit more girls for the team. Quarles said she has passed out many fliers to other students around Foothill.

“We always need more players,” says Quarles. “We have 12 people on the field, and one of those is the goalie.” Sometimes players need to rest during the game, so other players need to fill in, but often there are no players left on the bench. As of now, they only have a Varsity team, and they are putting together a JV team. “ I really think that if girls came out and tried it, they would really enjoy it,” said Quarles. “You don’t even need experience; the coaches can teach you everything.”

Lacrosse is based on what Native Americans played to pass the time, though the stick style has evolved, and the Native Americans played over miles of hills.

“If lacrosse can be the National summer sport of Canada, why not in the United States?” asked Quarles.

Top: Wyatt English pins for the win in an earlier match this season. Photo by Cesar Torres.

Bottom: Robert Silva takes down his Chaparral opponent during a November match.

Photo by Cesar Torres

English wins state In overtime match, English had the will to win

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arsity wrestling had a record of 4-1 this season, only losing to Green Valley.

The season highlight was when senior Wyatt English took his second state wrestling title. English went undefeated this season and won his second state title in sudden victory overtime. “This was a true test of his will,” said coach and father Ryan English via email.

Wyatt ended his high school career as a four-time state finalist and twotime state champion, with a season record of 47-0 and a final career record of 183-12, earning him a spot in the NIAA record book.

Robert Silva, who also competed at the state tournament, lost a very close match by 1 point in the semifinals. This resulted in him going for third and fourth. “Robert wrestled

great and finished in third place,” said Coach English. “This was very impressive for being only his third year wrestling. Robert is looking to lead the team next year, as he will be the only returning state placer.”

At regionals, the team placed second overall, with Wyatt English winning his third Regional title. There was a total of seven state qualifiers this year. “We’ve been working on always cheering on our teammates,” said sophomore Micah Schneider, “and making sure that we look at it as a team, not an individual sport.”

The team worked out a lot and strengthened themselves to ensure they could win their division. “We

have better cardio, and we are the only team that cheers for every single teammate,” said Branson Neff. “No team works as hard as we do, and we’re by far the most conditioned team in the city, so I think we’re a lot stronger than most teams out there.”

Next season, the team will be getting many new people with seven seniors leaving.

“We have to keep the current wrestlers in shape and teach all the new ones how to wrestle like a Varsity wrestler,” said Schneider.

March 2018| Hillside Hotwire | 31

FEATURE

Shooting for the stars Archery club practices their skills

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By Karlee Johns • Staff Writer

llison DeVaney pulls her arm all the way back as she focuses on the target. She takes a deep breath and releases her tight grip on the string.

The arrow thunks hard within the middle of the target.

The Archery Club is a local extracurricular activity that introduces members to bows and arrows. Members can shoot from two different sides. The more advanced members practice on one side of the net, and newcomers shoot from the other side. Many girls said they have seen a great deal of improvement so far and are planning to compete if the school district makes it an official sport.

“Media has influenced my desire to participate in archery,” said DeVaney. “Mostly The Hunger Games, Brave, Robin Hood, and other movies. I enjoy shooting and feeling like all the stress is relieved.

All the heaviness fades away.”

For now, the club, coached by Mr. Paul Desantis, does not compete against other schools.

“The club is just for fun so far, but we will be working more on getting competitive within the next few years,” explained Kyra Pemberton. “We are trying to make archery something more common for girls around Foothill.”

The Archery Club is trying to include the club as a sport during the fall 2018-2019 school year.

“Joining Archery Club has been a great decision I have made,” said sophomore Sariah Hughes. “I suggest it to anyone who has previously thought about participating.

It helps relieve stress of the school day.”

Joining Archery Club is open to any girls at Foothill and practices take place on Wednesdays on the tennis courts. For more information, reach Coach Desantis in the athletic offices.

1. Isabela Torgerson pulls her arm back and prepares to shoot her arrow at the target. 2. Sariah Hughes gets into position, pulls her hand all the way back, and prepares to shoot her arrow at the target. 3.Kayley Tenney pulls her arrow out of the target after successfully shooting it where directed. Photos by Bill Tobler

2 32 | Hillside Hotwire| March 2018

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FEATURE

Competition Season at the Hill Comp season is in full swing for Foothill cheer and dance

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dance

2 1. Five dancers perform the hip-hop routine. 2. Junior Carolina Quinonez leaps in the air during the team’s pom routine. 3. The team stands in front of the ESPN World of Sports complex at Disney World with their trophies after competing.

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o open the season, Varsity cheer tied for fourth place at the USA National competition at Desert Oasis. Over winter break, the team practiced to make sure their routine was perfect. “The week before break, we had a girl fall and break her leg,” said Clara Downes.“Then, as the week progressed, we had another girl hurt her ankle and another girl out due to a knee injury.” The team was down two girls, leaving the coaches to redo the routine three times.

“It was a stressful day,” said Sophia Ng. “We had to relearn everything we thought we knew.”

With their nerves set aside, the team performed the best they could under the circumstances.

They had multiple falls, but it was a tight division with almost every other team not falling.

The team took ninth place at the USA National Cheer competition in Anaheim, California the last weekend in February. “Because we had a couple weeks in between competitions, we had time to change and fix things in our routine to make it the best it could be,” said sophomore Jaylee Arthur.

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By Delaney Fallico • Staff Writer

arsity dance took home 9th and 15th places when they went to Orlando, Florida for Nationals. The girls went to Arizona a couple weeks before to compete with their Nationals routine where they placed first in both hip-hop and pom.

“Winning in Arizona made going to nationals super exciting,” said junior Carolina Quinonez.

“The competition there was more intense than local competitions but still not as intense as Nationals.”

The team performed each routine three different times at Nationals, each time improving on the score sheet. “On the final stage, we hit our best, and we’re extremely happy with what we left on the floor,” said Quinonez.

The team is well known for their stellar hip hop routines, after having place high in that division at Nationals last year and in previous years. The girls came home with a slight disappointment, earning ninth place. “We always have things to improve on,” said sophomore Paris Jackson.

“We are happy with how the season ended, and we are excited to see what comes next year,” said Madison Dion.

cheer

1. Varsity before they competed at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack arena at their second competition. 2. The team rushed off the stage out of breath from their routine. “Competing for the first time gives you a rush of energy,” said Sophie Ng. Courtesy photos

March 2018| Hillside Hotwire | 33

SPORTS

The Season's Last Touchdown

Girls beat Rancho, lose to Cougars in playoffs

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arsity flag football ended the season 12-6, beating Rancho (33-6) in the first round of the playoffs and then bowing out to Coronado (6-34) in the second round. The team had been unable to upset the Cougars all season, their only other loss being to Green Valley in a stellar season of play. They finished third in their division.

“I need to work on having my head in the game at all times and knowing when to run the ball or just

By Jenn Kelley• Staff Writer

pass,” quarterback Maddie McArthur said. As a team, McArthur explained, sometimes, when they are under pressure, they freak out and are then off their game. “We need to work on being on the same page,” she added.

Coach John Hopkins stepped in this season as head coach. “At first, none of us knew what to expect, but now that the season is over, we have gotten comfortable with the new coaching style, and we can all say that we have learned new things this year,” said

Daisy Jones.

With a winning record and a playoff-contending team, Hopkins is hopeful for the future. “We are constantly improving as a team, and if we work hard, then we will do great things,” said Hopkins.

Two JV players were pulled up to Varsity for playoffs, Viola Farias and Allie Williams. “It was a whole different team and plays, but I was excited to see what we could accomplish,” said Williams.

Other players learned a

great deal this season as well. “I’m a lineman, and one of the smaller girls out there, which makes it kind of hard to block, but I just had to be aggressive and move my feet, and everything normally turned out well,” said center Julia Lynch.

Lynch had not played defense since freshman year but started there on Varsity. “It’s a whole different skill level, and it’s harder to read what an offense will do because they aren’t making mistakes or giving plays away,” said Lynch.

Sydney Babakitis, who attends Nevada State but plays for the Falcons, runs down the sideline during a play. Photo by Giselle Bernal

34 | Hillside Hotwire| March 2018

SPORTS

boys' bowling team nearly wins state Girls’ team finishes fourth in Southeast Division

By Brianna Ventre • Cub Reporter

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he Varsity boys nearly won state after a record-breaking season, becoming the division champs for the first time in school history, earning a stellar record of 79-11 (9-1).

“We did very well,” said coach Mark Richards.

“The boys were division champs, and girls finished fourth. The boys are all seniors and had some advantages with being experienced.”

The boys lost to the Spring Valley Grizzlies 2,132-2,333 at State. The Varsity girls overall record was 36-54 (4-6).

“Our season went really well,” said Varsity player Kaitlynn Todd. “We had a lot of motivation and laughter during our matches and practices,”

Players said they thought Coronado was going to be a threat to them at their matches, but it turned out that Liberty was the only team who could beat the boys’ team.

“I need to work on better teamwork with my team and cheering them on even if they miss pins,” said Varsity player Evrin Peacha.

Despite being undefeated, the team still works to improve. “We are doing really well, but our team and myself can work on knowing the lanes better, getting spares when we need them, and getting more strength,” said alternative player Austin Marano.

The team motivates each other to improve on their skills and become better.

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2 1. Knocking them down, one pin at a time is Austin Marano. “I think I could improve on hitting all the pins down and getting more strikes,” said Marano. 2. Bret Rundle prepares to roll a strike. “My strength is having a good curve to hit the pocket of the pins,” said Rundle, “but something I need to work on is consistency.” 3. Leaving no pin standing. “I bowl pretty well, but I need to work on my arm strength,” said Evyn Calverley. Photos by Gisselle Bernal

March 2018| Hillside Hotwire | 35

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