InFlight Auburn Riverside Student Voice OCT 15, 2013 • VOLUME 19 • ISSUE #1
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Opinion
InFlight Oct 15, 2013
Next generation consoles battle it out Dylan Johnston STAFF REPORTER
The next generation consoles have been revealed, the Xbox One and the PS4. The thing I noticed was it seems like they want to make the consoles more like a computer. With the way the consoles are designed one can only hope that’s the case, because being able to upgrade your console with new parts like a PC would be incredible. Both of the consoles are coming out around the same time. The PS4 comes out on Nov. 15 and the Xbox One on Nov. 22. The Xbox One Costs a whopping $500. Now some might be thinking that’s super expensive, but the hardware in the system is great. You are basically buying an average gaming PC. The PS4 costs $400 and has very similar hardware. Both sys-
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tems come equipped with 8-core processors, 8gbs of ram (the PS4 is a little bit faster), 500gb HDD, and to top it all off, both come with a custom-built AMD graphics card. The biggest improvement that I saw was the consoles run in 1080p at 60fps. To most this would seem unimpressive, but I assure you, it is. Most games on the PS3 and Xbox360 run 30fps, some of the newer games run at 60fps, but the older games do not. The Xbox One is more of a “family”oriented console. It comes with Netflix, Hulu, iHeart Radio, and also comes ready to stream directly to Twitchtv. Twitchtv is a website where people who want to play video games live can stream it to the internet. This is kind of like Youtube except there are no videos, it’s just a live broadcast from the person you would be watching. The PS4 on the other hand is more of a social media hog, it comes with Facebook, Twitter, and the whole nine yards. Now of course you can use both social media and things like Netflix on both consoles, but both of them specialize in dif-
ferent fields. The yearly/monthly fees on the consoles are still the same as they were on the older gen, except the PS4 is no longer free. It will cost you $5 a month just to play online with your friends and family. However, it will still allow you to use things like the internet and Netflix for free. The Xbox One requires you to pay for Xbox Live to be able to use external services, which is super expensive; you would be paying $60 plus all of the external services on top of buying the console for $500. The PS4 is no better. The Playstation is notorious for have terrible internet connections and online services. Remember when the PS3 got hacked by anonymous, it took Sony a long time to get the online services working again. Think what would happen if the PS4 online services got hacked again. The people who bought a PS4 would be super angry and dissapointed. Originally, the policy on the Xbox One was that it had to have an online connection all the time and you couldn’t play used
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games. Microsoft had to change these policies, or they would be at a disadvantage to the PS4. Now, you only have to connect to the internet once every 24 hours. Also, there are used games again but with a twist: you can get used games, but you have to pay an extra fee to get them licensed to your account. Want to share a game with a friend? Then they have to pay a fee to get it licensed to their account. Overall, the Xbox One policies are stupid and they are clearly there just to make more money. The console itself is really REALLY good, like the specs and the ability to stream directly to Twitchtv without having a computer next to you, or needing a capture card. The next generation consoles look amazing. Both consoles need a little improvements here and there.
Crowded hallways push students too far Mackenzie Brown STAFF REPORTER Our school every year loses a class of great kids and gains a class of inexperienced students. We start off the year with a group of people who don’t know what they’re doing, and that’s okay, because as the year goes on, everyone falls into a comfortable pattern. Many students think that this year, the hallways have become much more crowded than usual. Surprisingly, there are actually fewer students this year than there were last year, which makes us wonder: why are the hallways so crowded? Last year, our school had a student body of over 1600 students. That was a lot, and we all felt the impact of a large population as we traveled to our classes. This year, we have almost exactly the same amount.
InFlight editor-in-chief Mackenzie Brown
cover photo Mackenzie Brown
business manager Karlee Johnson
staff reporters Mackenzie Brown Jude Hanno Karlee Johnson Dylan Johnston Alex Vasquez
website editor Dylan Johnston social media editor Jude Hanno adviser Patrick Swenson
guest reporter Maddie Nassirian
“I don’t think it’s really the amount of people, but how people always stop in the middle of the hallway,” junior Erykah Johnson said. Which is true. How to walk through the hallways isn’t really something they teach you in freshman orientation, but for those of us who have come to know the school over the years, it can be annoying. Two rules that students should follow are: 1. Walk on the right side 2. Don’t stop and talk to friends if you’re going to block the hallway. “It’s really crowded. There are people on top of each other or people walking the wrong way,” freshman Gabi Greer said.
InFlight policies InFlight is compiled by the student newspaper staff at Auburn Riverside High School, 501 Oravetz Road, Auburn, WA 98092. The InFlight staff strives to maintain accurate and objective reporting for our stories. However, opinion stories are included. Any commentary which is signed by the author accounts for his or her opinion only, and not necessarily that of anyone else on staff. An unsigned editorial reflects the majority opinion of the InFlight staff. InFlight accepts student, faculty, and community members’ letters to the editor,
For people who only have five minutes to get across the school, trying to get around a group of chatty teens is difficult. If you’re talking with friends and you notice people struggling to get around you, don’t keep talking. Move. Chat it up in the bathrooms for all we care, just get out of the walking area. It seems like very specific parts of the school get very backed up and crowded, while the alternate routes to classes stay clear and unused. Johnson believes the part of the school that gets the most crowded is “the stairway and hallway area when you leave
the choir room.” Once you get down the stairs, if you have to get over, there are too many people coming at you. It’s like driving a car . . . that is, if all the lanes intersected one another, everyone was in a hurry, and there were no stop lights or signs. Shoving past people, cutting them off, or stopping right in front of them are the types of things that make our hallways such a hassle. Being considerate and kind could really change things if more people would give it a shot. For some reason though, we choose to be inconsiderate because we think that being kind is a job for other people, or maybe even because we haven’t ripped up our cool cards yet. If people followed the rules more, things might be a little easier. We all share this space, so we should probably stop pissing each other off to the point where our hallways become a straight shove-fest.
PHOTO BY DYLAN JOHNSTON
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Opinion
Auburn Riverside High School
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Trick or treating: Is there an age limit? Alex Vasquez STAFF REPORTER It’s officially October! Now, October may bring fall weather and beautiful fall colors, but other than that what does it bring? That’s right, Halloween and trick-ortreating. Now we’ve all gone trick-or-treating at some point in our lives, some maybe more than others. It’s just a yearly tradition most children grow up loving. Dressing up as your favorite superhero, princess, or just whatever you wanted, and then going out with your parents to neighbors’ houses and getting free candy. Perfect, right? But as the years go by and you get older, trick-or-treating is labeled as “childish” and “uncool.” Is that true? Not for everyone! “No matter how old you are it’s still fun,” Marine Thurman said. Not all high schoolers go trick-or-treating, just the ones who do really love it. Just because you get older doesn’t mean that you can’t stay in touch with your younger side. Even though trick-or-treating as a teen can seem pretty intimidating when people are questioning your age and looking at you funny, don’t let it bring down your Halloween spirit! Junior David Pingree sure doesn’t. “I go trick-or-treating every year, and if someone ever comments on my age, I just keep repeating ‘trick-or-treat’ until they give me candy,” he said. There are so many different reasons why trick-or-treating is beneficial to a high schooler. One of the main reasons is free candy! (I mean, who doesn’t want that, right?) Also, you can dress up as something silly, and you’ll actually have an excuse too! “I usually go trick-or-treating, and this year I’m planning on dressing up as a witch,” sophomore Megan Theimer said. Pingree agrees. “When I dress up, I usually dress up as a vampire because I have vampire teeth, so it works.” You don’t even have to go trick-ortreating alone. Get a big group of friends to make it fun, or even take your younger siblings out and spend some quality time with them. You can even be bold and do both!
Pro Either way, it will sure give you something to do other than answering the door every ten minutes. Just leave that to your parents and go out and have fun!
Mackenzie Brown STAFF REPORTER Every year on Halloween, the streets fill with spirited costumes and children hyped on candy. Whether you’re out on the streets or standing by at the door, the last person you expect to see on your front porch is a full grown teen. Trick-or-treating while in high school is weird, and it’s a tradition that should be dropped when you hit
PHOTO BY DYLAN JOHNSTON
Two high school inspired Halloween costumes include a vampire and a Christmas tree.
Now, we all know we have to grow up eventually. But who wants to start now? I would much rather hang on to my childhood by ripping up my cool card, and going trickor-treating. Simply because I’m still young enough to, and I recommend the same to you! You don’t have to grow up too fast and give up some of your favorite traditions just yet. So enjoy Halloween this year!
your freshman year. Free is great. Being teenagers, everything these days is expensive. The thought of free anything is awesome, like a free sofa on the side of the road, free music, or better yet, free candy. We want free candy, but we’re at the age where going house to house to get it is something that should be for kids. The candy you take is less candy
CON for kids. You’re literally taking candy from a baby. “If they can buy candy they should buy their own candy,“ junior Drew Warren said. Teenagers can buy their own candy, they don’t need to get it for free. There are so many things to do on Halloween that don’t include trick-or-treating. You can go to a party, hand out candy at your own house, or you can even go egg someone else’s house. (I’m kidding. Don’t do that.) It’s awkward to answer your door and find that the person on the other side is taller than you. You expect to look down at a cute tiger or a small fairy, not a 6’2” 18-year-old in a costume they threw together in three minutes. Sophomore Bailee Trinidad said the last time he went trick-ortreating was when he was in 5th grade and instead of going trick-or-treating each year on Halloween now, he now takes a different route. “[I] hang out with people and walk around.” Halloween is kind of just a childish holiday. We as teens have adapted it to be something we can still do. We watch scary movies, we party with our friends and we don’t go trick-or-treating. If you’re totally set on walking around, you can trick-or-treat for UNICEF. Instead of collecting candy, you collect money which then is used as aid for children and mothers in developing countries. It doesn’t matter what you do on Halloween. The point is, we should be growing out of our yearly childhood routine. Eventually, we’ll be giving out Halloween candy to young ones, and when you see teens come up to your front porch, you’ll wonder why kids who are clearly too old for trick-ortreating are at your house. This year, instead of going trick-or-treating, try finding a happy alternative!
Popularity affects opinions, causes bandwagoning Karlee Johnson STAFF REPORTER Everyone loves the cool new bands and the Seattle Seahawks—or at least they think they do. Many people get interested in things just for one reason: everyone else is doing it. The real definition of bandwagoning is “being associated with fans who are suddenly becoming fans due to their recent success.” This is extremely evident in the local football team. The Seahawks have been doing way better now than they did in the past. Due to their accomplishments, everyone wants to be a part of the Seattle bandwagon. When the Seahawks were a team that lost almost every week, nobody wanted anything to do with them. This is
the perfect example of the term “bandwagoning.” We should be prideful through thick and thin, not just when things are going good for our home team. I come from a family that absolutely adores football, so I had to learn to love the Seahawks. Others around the school feel the same way. “I think its annoying and irritating because they are such hypocrites,” junior Anna Gennette said. People used to bash Matt Hasselback the quarterback for the Hawks for as long as I can remember. What people seem to forget is that during Hasselback’s first year of playing with the Seahawks, he took us to the Super Bowl. Also, while I was asking around, people didn’t really know what bandwagoning was until I explained and gave an example of it.
The fact that no one really knows what it is could be a primary cause of it happening. If you have been with a team from the beginning then stay with them, support them to the end. You come from a place where sports basically take over the world. The new fans of the Seattle Seahawks, who are only interested in the Seahawks because of their recent success, have no business being called true fans. Be proud of your team, or don’t follow them at all. It’s as simple as that. Another annoying bandwagoning trend is when people like a certain band or artist when they only know one or two of the only popular songs. “OMG, I’m that band’s biggest fan,” said the annoying wannabe supporter. The bands I see that are most “loved” as a form of bandwagoning are Fun and Imagine Dragons. After hearing “We Are
Young” by Fun, everyone jumped on the love for Fun when they only knew the two popular songs, along with “Some Nights” that came out. This was quickly followed by people’s love for Imagine Dragons, which became evident when “It’s Time” came out that they’d be a hit on the bandwagon train station. As “Radioactive” became more popular, and many students described Imagine Dragons as their “favorite band,” Imagine Dragons had officially been bandwagoned. Bandwagoning happens all the time and nobody ever really notices it. I guess you could say I don’t like it. It shows that you don’t really love what you say you do. That, to me, is a no-go situation. Let’s all jump off that bandwagon of being a follower. Let’s enjoy the team for who they are; with successes or without.
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News
InFlight Oct 15, 2013
ASB has great ideas in store for new year Jude Hanno STAFF REPORTER ASB, the Associated Student Body, is stepping up this year with new ideas and new events. With freshman elections just around the corner, the new additions to the ASB are Alyssa Williams for President, Yeh-Sun Lee for Vice President, Abby Amis for Secretary, and Juliet Yu for Treasurer. There has also been only one senator elected who is Garret Rosin. The other two senators will be elected in the near future. The older generations of ASB officers have a lot of exciting things in store for the school this year. Sophomore class president Kasaiya Alaalatoa ran for many reasons. “Last year I was elected [Vice President], and now I’m ready to take on more responsibility this year with the sophomore class. So I decided to run for president!” Alaalatoa said. “I would have been happy being elected for any position, as it allows student leaders and those passionate about leadership to spread their values and positivity faster. When people say to me, ‘You can do whatever, you’re the president,’ my response is always disagreement. It’s just a title, not an aggrandizement that allows me to vali-
date only my opinion as though I’m more important than anyone else.” Alaalatoa believes in the importance of having leaders to represent a school.
The ASB officers also prepared for the new year by doing many important things during the summer. Senior Executive Board leader Nicole Coppola explains what they
PHOTO BY DYLAN JOHNSTON
Meri Benedict’s zero period ASB class meets before school every day to work on introducing leadership to Riverside.
have accomplished. “We met throughout the summer and also some of us went to Mt. Baker leadership camp at Cispus. Later in October, we’re going to have an ASB lock-in so the entire ASB will have a chance to bond with each other and also have the chance to brainstorm ideas that will benefit the entire school.” When asked what new things are coming up, Alaalatoa said, “We have a lot on our plate in this upcoming month, including the end of this month, what with Homecoming, SPLASSC, and many other [confidential] events being planned and coordinated as we speak! It’ll be a great surprise and loads of fun.” Coppola also tells us of more important things that are being done this year. “We definitely want to get more students involved here at Riverside so we’re going to be starting town hall meetings and also a club fair, as well as many other things throughout the next year.” The new leaders for this upcoming year are ones who are dedicated to bringing happiness, pride, and excitement to all the students here. Overall, get ready to be excited and be sure to anticipate the many events the ASB has in store for us. There will be many positive changes coming to Riverside.
Grading scale changes with Core “R” time for “Once Upon a Time” Dylan Johnston STAFF REPORTER Another school year has started and with it came a new grading scale. The grading scale was used to a degree last year, but is not required by all teachers. Before, teachers were able to make their own grading scales for their classes. In one class it might be a 98% to get an A, and in another it might be 92%. “We wanted the students to come into class, knowing exactly what they need to do to pass the class,” Principle Halford said. This “new” grading scale is only here. For now, this grading scale will stay the same. However, there is a new curriculum/ test for math, science, language arts, history, and CTE that every single school in the U.S. follows. No matter where you go, the teachers will be teaching the same thing you were learning here. Curriculum aligns to the Common Core Standards.
There is no more EOC for math, or an EOC for science. It is now replaced by the Common Core Standards. The same for the HSPE: it will also be replaced by the Common Core Standards. This will not take place until 2019. In 2015-2016 there will be a pilot test for language arts, and science. In 2017-2018 there will be a test for language arts, math, and science. The math standards are differernt than that of everything else. Everyone nationwide is using these standards. They did this because of how different the tests were. Like the MSP or the HSPE, or the WASL. Those tests were there to see how good the schools were at teaching the students. The Federal Government catagorized the states in order of how hard the tests were. Suprisingly, Washington placed in the top 10 hardest tests. Now, with the common core standards, everyone will be at an equal level of learning.
New Grading Scale
A ......................93-100% A- ...................90-92.99% B+ ...................87-89.99% B ...................83-86.99% B- ...................80-82.99%
C+ ...................77-79.99% C ...................73-76.99% C- ...................70-72.99% D+ ...................67-69.99% D ...................60-66.99%
Anything below 60%........Fail
Alex Vasquez STAFF REPORTER It’s that time of year again! Start ordering dresses and planning your night, because Homecoming is finally here! Homecoming will be held on Saturday, Oct. 26th at 8:00 PM. Homecoming is a yearly dance that all high school grade level students are able to attend. It is even open to students from other high schools as long as they go with a Riverside student. This year’s Homecoming theme is “Once Upon A Time.” The theme had been narrowed down to three choices at the end of last school year by the cheerleaders and then the students had a chance to vote on which theme they liked the most. The theme was announced at one of the home football games this year by the cheer team with a huge banner. The cheerleaders have already started planning for this event. “We’ve already ordered all the cool props and have started working on the handmade stuff at practices,” said junior Kendall Aresu, a captain on the varsity cheer squad. Although some students assume that Homecoming will be boring and tacky, the cheerleaders are working exceptionally hard to prove them wrong. “We’re trying to make it super fun and interesting so people will come,” Aresu said. There is a special Homecoming tradi-
tion which is the Homecoming song. Each year, about a week or two before Homecoming, a song is picked and an audition held. This gives three students the chance to sing the song separately at the Homecoming assembly, at the Homecoming game, and at the actual Homecoming dance. This year’s Homecoming song is “Kiss Me Slowly” by Parachute. Auditions were held last Thursday, Oct. 10, and the three singers were chosen. One person will sing it at the dance, one person at the Homecoming game, and the third singer will perform at the Homecoming assembly. The school’s cheer team has already starting making plans and getting things in order by ordering the main decorations for the “Once Upon A Time” theme. Lastly, Homecoming is not free. Tickets will cost $25 for singles and $50 for couples. Enjoy this year’s Homecoming, Ravens!
Auburn Riverside High School
Welcome new teachers! Jude Hanno STAFF REPORTER
Maddie Nassirian GUEST REPORTER
This year, six new teachers were hired to the staff. These teachers have worked hard to get these positions at our school, and are greeted warmly to their new home. The new staff includes language arts teacher Marcus Yzaguirre, history and Flight Team teacher Bryant Thomas, biology teacher Angela Desjardins, history teacher Glenn Dickson, Japanese teacher Akiko Newcomb, and art teacher Anita West. The experience level for the new staff ranges from six months to ten years, and they have worked as close as Federal Way to as far away as the Middle East. Another thing that varies between them is their teaching styles. “I’d say I’m entertaining and interactive,” Glenn Dickson said. His teaching style is one where the students get excited to attend his class. It’s fun and exciting while learning, as well. Several students also described Dickson with those words. Another new addition is Anita West, who will be teaching art. “She likes to keep things very organized and orderly,” freshman Ashton Serratos said when describing West. Although some of the teachers came here because of the school’s reputation, a couple of them have additional reasons such as for coaching reasons or to spread their knowledge to the new generation. “Coach Yzagguire (language arts teacher) and I came here to move forward with our coaching to make Auburn and Lakeland proud,” US history teacher and coach Bryant Thomas said. The football team has been performing incredibly well due to the coaches’ dedication to the teams. The new Japanese teacher, Akiko Newcomb, has a lot of motivation towards her happy addition into the school. “I wanted to bring Japanese to the students,” she said. She also feels as though the community is one revolving around kindness. “Riverside seems nice!” Another addition to the new teacher team is biology teacher Angela Desjardins. Although this is her first year actually teaching at this school, Desjardins was a student teacher here for six months last year. Desjardins really enjoys her time spent here. While she was here, she met a plethora of students who love and appreciate her as a teacher as well as an individual. “It felt like the place for me,” she said. The hiring process for new teachers is not a short one. “It can take months,” said principal Dave Halford. “It can take quite some time.” Halford explains how there are many interviews, background checks, and even more interviews that take place before a teacher is able to teach here at school. The new teachers fit right in with our school’s spirit and culture. It’s hard being the new person around, so if you see any of these teachers on campus, be sure to extend your welcome to them as well.
Feature 5 Cool cards get ripped up Dylan Johnston STAFF REPORTER
cepting of the new theme, and there is a big change in the vibe here,” senior Drew Wallen said. “Everyone at ARHS has already ripped up their cool cards before the year even Coming back to the new year, students were greeted started.” with a new school spirit theme at the first day of school asTo “Rip up Your Cool Card” is a choice to be made on sembly. The phrase “Rip up Your Cool Card” means you are your own. You don’t take a piece of paper with “cool card” not too cool to go and see that football game or to walk up to written on it and rip it up, unless that’s your style of course. that new kid and say hello. You mentally make the choice to be In order to come up with “uncool” and to participate in more the theme, the ASB officers school events or to help out around went on a retreat looking for your school by whatever means that ways to change the school in may be. “Ripping up Your Cool Card” a positive way. The person is trying to break the social norm of who came up with this idea being “cool.” was senior Joey Lucchesi. He Random acts of kindness: think says he heard the idea from of ripping up your cool card like that. someone else and liked the Think of it as not being cool for no idea of it. reason, but doing it to be a leader or A cool card is a card evto set an example. Treat “Rip up Your eryone carries, no matter Cool Card” like RPOE; it’s another who they are. It’s a card that way to get our school more spirited influences our decisions in an and positive. attempt to make us “cool.” “It’s getting out of your comfort Students this year are to take zone and doing something others their cool cards and make the don’t think is cool,” Lucchesi said. tough decision to rip them up. As speaker Stu Cabe said two It means you have made the weeks ago, break the bad habits choice to get involved with you have and be nice every day and this new idea. It’s reaching every second of that day. Break the PHOTO BY DYLAN JOHNSTON out to the students and staff bad habit of being too “cool” to do who may or may not have Senior Mattias Gildemann rips up his “Cool Card” to anything school-related, or being too found a place here. “cool” to help out that person you show school spirit. “I feel the school is acdon’t know.
Rick Riordan writes to impress Jude Hanno STAFF REPORTER
cy Jackson series, the first 39 Clues book written by Riordan, and has began the Heroes of Olympus series. “Riordan is awesome. I like how his writing style is different from Most of us know about the Percy Jackson movies, which other authors and he’s really fun to read!” tell a modern story based on Ancient Greek history. What Junior David Pingree agrees. “I haven’t read any of his many did not know is the interesting series of books that other books besides Percy Jackson, but I really liked how the movies were based on. The author of these books is cool and interesting it is. It’s a lot different from anything Rick Riordan. According to the official website of Riordan, I’ve read before.” his last name is pronounced “Rye-er-dan (rhymes with fireContrary to popular belief, Riordan does not have a say men, sort of).” in the movies. “When an author sells the rights to a book, Rick Riordan is a best selling author. He’s written typically full creative control goes to the movie studio or award winning books such as Percy Jackson and the Light- director,” Riordan said on his website. “I have absolutely ning Thief, The Kane Chronicles, and Heroes of Olympus. nothing to do with the movies. I understand there was a Sea Riordan has also written many adult novels and specializes of Monsters movie in August of 2013. But that is the extent in adult mystery novels such as his famous series, the Tres of my knowledge. I know nothing else about it.” Navarre books. Rick Riordan also believes in the magic of reading. “I The Percy Jackson series, by far the most successful, may be biased as a novelist, but I believe if you have a centers around a boy named Percy who finds out he is a book, you already have the best version of a story. There is demigod (half god, half human). The series takes Percy on no way a movie can ever create images as good as the ones adventures from finding lightning you actively create in your imaginabolts to fighting the parents of the tion as you read.” His website Q&A also shows gods at the Empire State building. Riordan got the inspiRiordan also has a funny sense of ration for the series from humor. He actively tweets sassy and telling mythology stories to snarky comments on Twitter about his son, Haley, as bedtime his fanbase. For example, many of his readers get upset by the many stories. When his son asked Riordan to make up his own deaths that take place in the novels. stories based off of the inHis response was to quote the first teresting mythology, Riorpage of the Percy Jackson series: dan could not resist. “Being a half-blood is dangerous. Sophomore student Most of the time it gets you killed.” Alonso Tirado really enjoys Riordan then added the phrase: “U reading books by Rick Riorexpected no deaths?” dan, and claims Riordan to Are you a fan of Riordan’s books? PHOTO COURTESY CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE, FLICKR.COM be the “best author ever.” If so, which book is your favorite? Tirado has read many books Author Rick Riordan at his book booth at the Let us know what you think at our by Riordan, such as the Per- 2010 BookExpo Convention in New York City. website: arhsinflight.com.
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Arts & Entertainment
InFlight Oct 15, 2013
Drama Club presents Curious Savage Jude Hanno STAFF REPORTER The Drama Department is at it again with a new show coming up this fall. Get ready for the production of The Curious Savage, which is written by John Patrick, directed by Karla Seman, and performed by the Auburn Riverside Raven Players. This production is an interesting one, with its setting in a mental institution for a very rich woman who isn’t very mentally ill at all, but just pretends to be. The play follows her life and story as she meets new people who have valid reasons to be in mental institutions and explores their lifestyles living in a place for mental care. Director and language arts teacher Karla Seman tells us more about the plot of the fall production. “It’s about a wealthy woman named Ethel who decides to give away her riches; but ends up being sent to an institution due to her children believing her to be insane.” Seman also shares a fun fact: “Savage, from the title, is actually this woman’s last name!” The actors cast for this production are excited for the play to open. Sophomore Cami Werden auditioned for two reasons. “I thought it was a really funny and clever play. I also always try out for the productions here. They’re so much fun!” Cami is excited to be an active part of this production and to work with other members of the
PHOTOS BY DYLAN JOHNSTON
Seniors Kyle Nacis and Nicole Coppola rehearse a scene out of costume involving a teddy bear. The play The Curious Savage opens Nov. 7.
drama club. Sophomore Ellie Bube, who is a first time Raven Player, is looking forward to the production as well. She is trying to improve upon her talent, so she takes after the other upperclassmen actors who she believes are better equipped to play their big roles. “I’m excited to learn from the other actors who are a lot more experienced,” said Bube, who plays an extra. Her favorite character is named Hannibal, who is played by sophomore Isaac Stocker.
Seniors Nicole Coppola, Rizelle Rosales, Mahaley Loma and junior Summer Ramirez practice a scene together.
Stocker, who has been involved in drama since the fall production when he was a freshman, is a talented actor, according to Bube. “He’s so funny and quirky,” she said. “He plays his part really well!” Bube said she’s learning from experienced actors that have been in multiple productions, such as Stocker. The Curious Savage is somewhat different from the past productions. “It’s an older play, and it also features a lot of dialogue,” Seman said. “It’s a lot more wordy.”
The play will open on Nov. 7 and end on Nov. 15. Also, on Nov. 13, a production will take place after school with free admission for audience members who bring a can for the food bank. Not only will you be helping people in need, it will also be much more convenient that it’s during a time where most students are already at school. Mark your calendars with the quickly approaching upcoming dates and enjoy a wonderful production featuring the thespians of Riverside.
New sushi place offers few surprises Karlee Johnson STAFF REPORTER Lakeland Hills has added a new restaurant to its chain of restaurant groups within the loop next to Haggen (formerly known as Top Foods). A new sushi restaurant named Sushi Konami is their latest addition, so I went to check it out. After hearing about the new restaurant, I wasn’t too sure if it would be something I’d like. But I was willing to give it a chance. The outside of the restaurant was really casual. Nothing too extravagant. It is basically like every other normal sushi place. On the interior, it was really nice, and the people working there were very helpful and polite. They had amazing customer service. The menu has a variety of things to choose from. There are items such as chicken teriyaki, the California Roll, spicy tuna roll and tons of other foods to choose from. For people who know about sushi, the menu is filled with a lot of interesting choices, not just pre-packaged sushi you can pick out of the cooler section at a gas station. I had the Maki Bento, which was the California Roll, Spicy Tuna Roll and a Kappa Roll. Bad sushi has been known to have some nasty side effects on the stomach, so going to a new sushi restaurant was a litle nerve-racking. However, I can assure you,
PHOTO BY KARLEE JOHNSON
A plate at Sushi Konami, before any bites were taken, shows the small portions.
my experience left my stomach perfectly happy. After I tried the spicy tuna roll, I came to the conclusion that it was only so-so. It was fresh, which was nice. Also, the restau-
rant really specialized in sushi; it wasn’t just something they made on the side. I was hoping the second visit I took to Sushi Konami would redeem the first, but sadly, it wasn’t meant to be. All in all, The chicken teryaki was not what I was expecting. Unlike many teryaki-serving restaurants, the portions were weirdly small. When the plate was served, all that was on it was about nine pieces of chicken and two scoops of rice. At most places, you can get a lot more than that, and probably even a salad. The worst part was that it cost over ten dollars. The most important part of a meal is its flavor. Some of the nicest restaurants in the world serve tiny portions with the best flavors. The teryaki’s verdict? Not too good. Overall, the prices, decor, and the taste gave it an okay appeal. It wasn’t great, but it also wasn’t too bad. Next time you’re in Lakeland, try Sushi Konami for yourself.
Auburn Riverside High School
Arts & Entertainment
7
Gravity fails to hold its ground Mackenzie Brown STAFF REPORTER
It’s not very often critics give a movie a fantastic review, which is why I had to see Gravity. The cinematography was beautiful, but the movie itself was frightening, depressing, and heart-dropping. Gravity was closer to a horror film than to an adventure film. Gravity, starring Sandra Bullock, who plays Ryan Stone, and George Clooney, who plays Matt Kowalski, is about an astronaut
(Kowalski) and an engineer (Stone) who struggle to survive in space after being separated from their ship. When you watch the previews for the movie, it seems like it’s entirely about someone just floating through space. The worst part is, it actually is just about someone floating through space. From the very beginning, it’s people fighting to save their lives as things go nothing but wrong for them. The entire movie is climax. From the very beginning, it’s explosion after explosion, dozens of brushes with death, or even
R
aven uling
Students share their opinion on current topics and pop culture
Seahawks
88%
Our home team has been kicking some serious competition this season, which could be the cause for all the popularity. Then again, Seattle fans tend to be pretty loyal, even when the team is at its worst.
Sushi
62%
a ship malfunctioning. It very scarcely dies down. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a movie with five characters. You really only meet two, and then, out of the five, three get their faces ripped out from exposure to space. Awful. Spending the entirety of the movie watching George Clooney and Sandra Bullock wasn’t too bad though. Every movie has a ratio of happy to sad. Gravity’s ratio was heavily balanced on the sad side. The movie started downhill and only got worse and worse. The entire time it’s like being trapped in some horrible nightmare. Being lost in empty space, drifting alone or slowly losing oxygen are all examples of horrible fears. Gravity is just watching characters endure this while trying to survive. Looking past the depressing plot, the cinematography is spectacular. The beauty of space and the details of the world are really brought to light in Gravity. Seeing it in 3D just made it all the better. Gravity put the 3D to good use, especially with the explosion of several satellites. Thankfully, the movie was only 90 minutes. It’s still hard to believe that is was 90 minutes wasted watching someone float through space. Even with it being fairly short, it felt like an eternity, probably due to the boring/nonexistent plot. A lot of the movie was quiet and awkward. There were entire ten minute long
scenes of Sandra Bullock floating and heavily breathing. In one scene, she spent a solid minute barking and howling like a dog. In the process of using great innovation, it looks like director Alfonso Cuarón forgot that the plot it also an important part of any movie. It was creepy, and frankly, a waste of 90 minutes and thirteen dollars.
iOS7 for iPhones
89% Scary Movies
71% Facebook
65%
For iPhone users, it was all about the hype. For Andriod users, it was all about staying loyal to non-Apple products. Either way, it looks like iOS7 failed to do well amongst teens.
They’re creepy, spooky, horrifying, and not for everyone. Scary movies always become more popular when Halloween comes around and the consensus says they’re great.
As new social medias come and go, Facebook has been losing its touch. While some users still hold on, most have moved on to Twitter, Instagram, or maybe even Pinterest.
Cool Card Theme If there’s any food out there that you really have to have a required taste to love, it’s sushi. While most say no way, there are some oddballs out there who love that raw fish taste.
56%
Every year we get a new theme, and it can be hard to impress a group of ‘too cool for school’ teens. However, the “rip up your cool card” theme has been doing surprisingly well anyways.
8
Sports
InFlight Oct 15, 2013
Football has best start ever Seahawks score big with fans Alex Vasquez STAFF REPORTER
pect tons of support, the same guideline as the Seahawks’ 12th man,” Thomas said. Coach Thomas just started coaching at Riverside this season. This is going to be his first Homecoming game for AR. “I’m excited, and am expecting a large crowd with tons of spirit,” Thomas said. “As well as a win.” Due to the Oct. 9 printing deadline for this issue, InFlight did not have the score of the Raven’s most recent game against KentMeridian. Catch the Ravens this Friday at their away game against Curtis High School at 7 p.m.
So far, the Ravens have come out with a great season, staying undefeated (as of Oct. 9.) They have shown great teamwork at games as well as at practices. “We put in a lot of work,” junior Larkin Williams said. “We stay late for practices sometimes. We also give up our lunches to watch film as well as on our own.” This year’s Homecoming game will be played against Kentwood, on Oct. 25. Although the game is still about a week away, the team is still excited. “I’m very confident about the game,” junior Cole Huckaby said. “I have a lot of faith in the people I play around.” Coach Thomas expects a lot from the team. “I expect the team to come out and play hard,” he said. “I want them to represent the name on the front of the uniform: Riverside.” PHOTO COURTESY DHC PHOTOGRAPHY He also expects something from the Senior quarterback Kevin Thomson stretches for the endzone in the upset crowd as well. “I ex- win against the Tahoma Bears on Sept. 20.
Karlee Johnson STAFF REPORTER
The Seattle Seahawks are the best in the NFC West as of right now. This is the year they might bring home a Super Bowl win, which everyone is hoping for. The Seahawks recently had one of their biggest games of the season against the 49ers. It was the game that separated them from the other teams. The game was obviously going to be a problem due to the noise level in the stadium. This was also the game where it would be the loudest ever in Seahawk history because the 12th man succeeded breaking the record for the loudest stadium in the world. The game was put on delay due to the weather, yet the Seahawks still managed to win with a 29-3 blowout. Now, the Seahawks have had a really good season with an almost perfect record, but teams also undefeated are looking forward to any chance they get to beat them. Russell Wilson, the past few games, has been having to run the ball with nearly no protection from the defensive line.
In the game against the Texans, they were almost beaten because they didn’t have all of their first string defense players. In the end, they got lucky. They started to pull together to make something happen. The Seahawks have many other challenges heading their way. The Minnesota Vikings are going to be a tough team to beat along with the San Francisco game scheduled for Jan. 8. The Seahawks went from almost having a perfect record to losing their first game on Oct. 6 against the Indianapolis Colts. It was a really close game, with a lot of bad calls between winning and losing. Seattle fans were not only devastated with the loss, but also saddened with the fact that it was the game that kept us from a perfect season so far. The Seattle Seahawks have given the people in the area a little bit of hope that maybe this is the year fans can finally say “Yes, we are Seattle Seahawk fans and Russell Wilson took us to the end with a victory.” To those who have been there and supported the Seahawks: stick with it, because this could be their year.