InFlight May 2017

Auburn Riverside Student Voice May 10, 2017 • VOLUME 22 • ISSUE #6

4 1 . g p c i s u M n i This Month

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News

InFlight May 10, 2017

Key Club impacts community Robotics rocks competition Sara Koenig Staff Reporter Key Club just held their latest and last event which was the Auburn Clean Sweep.

This took place on April 22 at 7 a.m. This event allowed students to help clean up the trash around their community.

Their last meeting of the year will be on May 10 in the school library at 7 p.m.

This meeting will be the end-of-year Key Club banquet which will honor all recipients of varsity letters for community service through the club.

Meetings are usually held right after school and usually end between 3-3:30 p.m.

Key Club is well known for the opportunities they give students and the community.

Students who have never been a part of the events Key Club hosts, are always invited to participate.

Key Club has run annual events such as Trick or Treat for UNICEF. They also hosted an Australian exchange student. This year Key Club also partnered with the Fash-

ion Club to run the Homecoming and Prom fashion shows to help kids who can’t afford a regularly priced gown still feel beautiful at the dance.

“A portion of the profits were donated to Kiwanis Children’s Cancer Program (KCCP),” Key Club President and sophomore Hailey Blum said. “With both shows combined, we raised awareness and over $1,800.”

According to the KCCP website, “the goal of the KCCP is to fund three or more Fellowships at the three hospitals in our district. To achieve this goal we will hold district fundraisers, seek public donations, corporate sponsors, and receive funds from our clubs in the Pacific Northwest District.”

Key Club also has a parent organization known as Kiwanis, which is an international organization with chapters throughout colleges and cities across the country.

The Key Club motto, according to their website is: “We don’t make keys, we make a difference.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF HAILEY BLUM

Key Club members are waiting for the bus that was going to take them to the District Convention at the Oregon Convention Center in March.

InFlight

Greetings from Newspaper

editor-in-chief Jessica Perez business manager Sara Koenig photographer PJ Sills social media editor Sasha Terry cover photo PJ Sills

Hey guys, it’s Jessica. This will be my last issue as Editor-in-Chief before it’s passed on to next year’s Editor. I’d just like to say thanks for reading, and I hope you continue to do so throughout your time here.

adviser Patrick Swenson

staff reporters ZaReah Barren Bella Coronado Sierra Fox Alexus Jacobs Chloe Knox Sara Koenig Maya Martin Jessica Perez Alyssa Shrader PJ Sills Sasha Terry Bailee Youngren

PHOTO COURTESY OF KAMERON MARKHAM

Robotics Club builds their way to the top with their robotic creations. They hold meetings after school in adviser Bill Sumner’s room.

Alyssa Shrader Staff Reporter Robotics Club is one of the many school clubs that allows students to have fun, develop skills, and make friends.

This is the club’s third year, starting back in 2014. The club is always looking for new members, and anyone can join. The only thing needed is the willingness to learn.

“There is bound to be something that appeals to you,” junior Tashana Williams said.

The club recently competed in a competition that started on March 24 and ended on Sunday the 26.

“Part of the competition [was for the robot] to climb a rope onto the ‘airship,’” Williams said. “Our rope took too long to climb, so we made a new [robot] that could climb in about six to eight seconds instead of twenty to twenty-five seconds.”

While no skill base is needed, as stated earlier, there are strict safety protocols to the process of building and testing of the robot.

Supervision is needed when students use the machinery, and a clear testing area is needed for the robot in case of any potential mal-

functions. Thankfully, the club has not dealt with any harmful malfunctions.

Before the robot can enter a competition, it must be inspected. If the robot does not meet certain standards, the team is allowed to make “tweaks” before entering the qualification round. Competitions give club members the opportunity to practice improvising in competitive environments while interacting with other teams and large companies—such as Google, Microsoft, and Boeing—that offer scholarships for robotics.

There are a number of different positions in the club: programing, mechanical, electrical, public relations, and safety. Everyone contributes to each department, and to the overall design of the robot.

From a wider scale, robotics has had a large impact on society in technology and medical fields, and are well underway to reshaping the future.

“Robotics are the way to the future,” sophomore Kira Kopcho said. “Those of us in Robotics may continue to pave the way in our careers after high school.”

“I plan on working as an engineer for a big company like Boeing so I can continue to apply my skills,” sophomore Emmett Grames 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, artwork, opinions and comments.

However, we will not print any unsigned letters or work. Please contact us in room 402, through email at pswenson@auburn. wednet.edu or by calling 253-804-5154.

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News

Auburn Riverside High School

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Cornish art gallery presents student projects ZaReah Barren Staff Reporter

PAINTING COURTESY ANA DUEÑAS

This painting, Elemental Goddesses by Ana Dueñas, focuses on powerful Latina women. The one on the left represents wind, and the one on the right represents fire. This painting was from Cornish’s 2016 Exhibition, and is now hanging up at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Institute.

Cornish College of the Arts is having their annual Art and Design exhibition called “The Visual Arts 2017 BFA Exhibition.” According to Rosemary Jones, the Director of Communications at Cornish, the event will be hosted from May 3 to 7, and May 10 to 14 from 1 to 6 p.m. The grand opening of the showcase will be April 28 from 5 to 9 p.m.

There is more than just paintings. In past years, there have been holographic videos, student animations, moti on designs, sculptures, and many more designs. This year interior architecture, film and media, design, and art will be showcased.

All galleries will be free and open to the public on Cornish’s South Lake Union campus in Centennial Lab, showcasing Art/ Film & Media. In the Beebe Building on the Cornish campus, there will be Design/ Interior Architechture.

314 Pies Food Truck will be catering the gallery with food available for purchase.

Light refreshments will be served at the event as well.

The art displayed will be products of Cornish’s senior class. This will be their fi-

nal showcase as students. Their biographies and portfolios will be on Cornish’s website, www.cornish.edu, until May 14. There will also be a page for the exhibition on Cornish’s website, where some pieces of students’ art will be shown along with a short description written by the artist. The artists will be there to discuss their work and answer any questions the public might have, or just to talk about their piece.

Some students at Riverside are not planning to go to the event. “I don’t like art,” said junior Ariel Thompson. “It doesn’t intrigue me.”

But others want to attend. “I don’t know if I’ll be attending, but I would go,” art and drawing teacher Christian Miller said.

Miller also stated that he works with Cornish because his students take a field trip to Green River Community College annually, and a representative from Cornish comes and interviews the students.

Senior year at Cornish is more than just the art exhibition. Their website states that they participate in cross-disciplinary critiques and reviews. Professional practice is embedded in their studies and these skills are applied throughout the year via networking, commissions, self-promotion and related writing.

Police expect more violence at May Day protests Alexus Jacobs Staff Reporter [May Day protests happened the night after InFlight went to press. We present the article here as is.]

May Day protests in Downtown Seattle are a thing residents have grown familiar with. Local news has covered the chaos and destruction they often bring. This year, associations such as Socialist Alternative, plan to strike against the current United States president.

Past protests have centered around the actual holiday, International Worker’s Day. The day, which takes place on May 1, was established in September of 1887. The Second International chose International Worker’s Day to give a voice to socialist, communist, and anarchist political parties. Many people take the opportunity to peacefully protest, taking a stand for what they believe in.

Seattle city councilwoman Kshama Sawant, was quoted in the article Why We Should Strike On May Day, calling for people to stand up against the U.S government, specifically on May 1 of 2017. According to Sawant, if large amounts of people go on strike from work, it will show big companies that immigrants who are being deported actually provide the services people take for

granted.

“Historically May Day has been a day of mass working class action,” Sawant said. “Immigrants restored the tradition of May Day to the United States in 2006, when they organized rallies and hundreds of thousands of people went on these strikes as part of “A Day Without Immigrants” in response to brutal Republican attacks.”

Sawant gave reasons as to why the people of America should be enraged with the way things have been going since the new president was elected.

“In the last week alone more than six hundred immigrants have been rounded up by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE),” Sawant added.

PHOTO COURTSEY OF CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE, WIKIMEDIA.ORG In a Kiro 7 article, “Seattle prepares for marches and may- Many people make signs showing their innermost thoughts on political issues, hoping the government will listen. hem on May Day 2017,” reporter Josh Kerns talks about the expections of bricks and a Molotov cocktail last year, officer bitten last year. Officiers are fearful which was new in the equation.” of even more violence to come this year— this year’s May Day protest.

Although most protests are peaceful, possibly even past May Day. “There is definitely more of a threat of violence in the air (this year) than in past an officer during a riot in Downtown Seyears,” Kerns said. “We saw rocks, bottles, attle was hit by thrown rocks and another

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Opinion

InFlight May 10, 2017

Students share their opinion on current topics and pop culture

Peeps candy

74%

The Marshallow Peeps candy were first made by Sam Born in 1953. There are a lot of different flavors of Peeps. These include: fruit punch, cotton candy, and green apple. Even though 700 million Peeps are bought by Americans each year, Riverside students don’t seem to like them.

Sports and Clubs

50%

PHOTO COURTESY CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE, WIKIMEDIA.ORG

Just look at these creepy Peeps staring you down. Why would anyone want to eat this? What if it comes to life and stabs your uvula.

Half of the people interviewed were in afterschool sports or clubs. With the spring sport season having already started, many students have decided to go out for a sport.

May Day

84%

May Day was on a Monday this year. This is a day for different protests in downtown Seattle.

People can protest anything they want, but most find it unnecessary or are just against it.

Century Egg

83%

Also known as the Preserved Egg, this Chinese recipe involves an egg that’s preserved in ash and clay for three months, then cracked and eaten. Most Ravens decided this concoction wasn’t for them.

Jessica Perez Editor-in-Chief You’ve probably heard of the iconic Peeps, the flavored marshmallow candy that tastes like puke and has everyone going crazy around Easter time. Peeps have been around for a long time, since 1953. And for some reason they are really popular.

I cease to understand why people find them delicious because when I put them in my mouth, they taste like fruit flavored Children’s Tylenol.

Peeps come in many flavors, all of which taste like what I imagine urine tastes like mixed with artificial flavoring. Every time Easter comes around, I want to avoid going to the store at all costs just so I don’t have to look at those chicken-duck demon-looking things. What even are they? Are they ducks?

Chickens? Baby geese? Someone tell me please because they don’t look like any of these animals individually. They look like a mixture of all three and it’s creepy.

Peeps not only come in marshmallow form, there are now Peep-flavored drinks.

These diabetes-inflictors come in Strawberry Peep, Orange Peep, and Green Apple Peep. If that’s not the most disgusting thing you’ve ever heard of then you are a lost case.

If you’ve ever tried the drinks, I’d like to hear about what led you to try something so gross-sounding. If Peep-flavored drinks are the company’s way of marketing, let me just say it only goes downhill from there.

Don’t even get me started on the bunny shaped Peeps. They taste exactly the same, but the company puts them in a bunny shape. Even the people who make them have noticed that Peeps are super creepy and that bunnies sell more I guess. The bunnies don’t even look appetizing! They look like mini stuffed animals that should be in the dog toy aisle at Sam’s Club.

Peeps are pretty disgusting on their own, but what really makes me want to cringe is when people try to make s’mores with them. What kind of wacko world are we living in, that makes people think flavored s’mores with extra chocolate is okay?

I mean I guess it makes sense, since Donald Trump was elected president. Anything goes, right?

That’s not the only weird combination that’s made with the Peeps candy, however.

Some people put them in their cakes, others make “Peep-tinis,” a spin on martinis, and the worst one I’ve seen is Peeps in beet juice.

If these crazy combinations are people’s attempts at making them taste better - it won’t work. If anything, that makes them taste worse. Just looking at these combinations makes me want to break the computer screen.

The world would be a much better place if Peeps did not exist. So if you are thinking about getting someone those after-Easter on sale Peeps, don’t. They are forever cursed to taste like trash... I take that back: trash probably tastes better.

Opinion

Auburn Riverside High School

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Sara Koenig Staff Reporter

Dream Vacations Bali Bali is home to some of the cheapest activities around the world. A three-star hotel costs somewhere in the realm of $34 each night.

Bali has now topped TripAdvisor’s best destinations for 2017 with its beautiful beaches, volcanoes, and idyllic coral reefs.

Called the ‘Island of Gods,’ Bali is a world of unique wonder, from their white sand beaches, to jungle treks—anyone can find something for them in Bali.

Among the innumerable things to do in Bali, there are dozens of traditional art and dance performances, including the Devdan dance performance, which only costs $.08 in U.S. currency.

Greece Within Athens, Greece, the average three-star hotel costs around $69 and five-star hotels around $150.

When planning a trip to Greece, you can’t leave out the food, architecture, and most importantly the grandeur of Ancient Greek history.

If you go to Greece you must immerse yourself in the Mediterranean culture it welcomes. Music and dancing have played a key role in Greek culture for centuries,with more than 400 dances from all regions of the country and instruments unique to them such as a bouzoukis.

Within Greece, Athens holds some of the richest history with the Olympic Stadium, and the Athens Acropolis, which is from 500 BC.

A day pass to the Waterbom Water Park costs only $.04 in U.S. currency. This waterpark is known as the best in Asia. Very few things are in U.S. currency originally, but those that are, are still remarkably cheap comparitively.

Canyoning, a sport involving cliff jumping, rappelling, and natural slides along the waterfalls of Bali, only costs $100 for the cheapest option or $170 for the most expensive.

The Bali Zoo costs $.03 for a basic admission ticket and only $.04 to upgrade your ticket to spend the night at the zoo.

Another option for things to do is a day-long cruise along crystal clear waters with snorkeling along some of the best coral reefs around. Afterwards, try a barbeque picnic on the beach before visiting a rustic village to watch traditional wood carvers.

Other things to do include visiting the Temple of Zeus, the Plaka district, or the Acropolis Museum.

Greece also includes some of the most beautiful islands in the world, including Crete, their largest and most notable island.

On Crete you can visit the Samaria Gorge, a national park that has been around since 1962, which contains one of the most notable hiking trails in Europe. Also on Crete, is the oldest city in all of Europe, Knossos, an ancient Bronze Age archaelogical site containing palace, ancient history, and museums. This is all before you explore the beaches, private islands, and the Parthenon built in 500 BC.

Saint Lucia Saint Lucia is an Eastern Caribbean island. While costs are always changing, the currenct cost on bookit. com to stay in the all-inclusive, five-star Coconut Bay Beach Resort and Spa costs $154 each night. The hotel features multiple pools, oceanside views, and a lazy river on the property.

One of the best attractions to visit while in Saint Lucia is the Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens and Mineral Baths. This attraction is home to the most colorful waterfall in the Caribbean and is less than a mile from the Soufriere town center. They also maintain botanical gardens and mineral baths, which were originally built in 1784 for French troops by King Louis XVI. The entrance cost is $7 with an additional $7 to

enter the baths.

Some notable hiking trails include the Tet Paul Nature Trail and the Lucian Country Life Trail. And no visit to Saint Lucia would be complete without riding horses along sunlit beaches, hiking among mountains, or snorkeling with the turtles in their natural environment.

Saint Lucia also includes some of the best scuba diving places, mud baths, and waterfalls in the Caribbean. Visit the Sulphur Springs Mud Bath in Soufriere. It has a 20-acre crater with more than 20 hot mud pools. For those who know how to scuba dive, it’s absolutely mandatory at this location. One of the many amazing dive sites includes Dinosaur Reef, which looks like a sleeping dinosaur and includes the wreck of a small freighter.

Opinion Why cats 6

Maya Martin Staff Reporter Imagine being handed a basket of tiny purring fur balls that obtain all the love one will ever need in life. Yes, cats make the best pets by far. Not only are they loyal - they are perhaps the cutest beings alive and are more cost-effective than dogs.

To begin with, how can you deny the adorableness of a little feline? Kittens and

InFlight May 10, 2017

are purr -fect pets cats alike are just so cute: tiny wet noses, poofs of silky fluff larger than Einstein’s hair, deep soulful eyes and ears that perk up when being called. Cats love to roll around on their backs and play-fight, which is just so funny and somehow precious at the same time.

Just as important, cats are amazing comforters. Whenever I’m upset, my cat can sense my sadness and automatically rushes over to comfort me. Cats can detect a vast

range of emotions, and are somehow always able to tell when you might need a little extra love.

Many argue that dogs make better pets than cats. However, according to a study by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, cats cost $570 less than an average-sized dog per year.

Not only are they way cheaper, cats don’t have to constantly be taken out for walks or groomed. They also leave behind miniscule

chunks of feces, perfectly deposited in a little orderly box, whereas one will have to haul out the backyard shovel to scoop up a dog’s doings.

All in all, cats are clearly the best pets by far. They’re a triple threat; adorable, comforting, and cost-effective. So the next time you find yourself being handed a basket of tiny purring fur balls, just go ahead and whisk it home. Cats, I can ensure you, are definitely purr-fect.

Trump’s proposal: economic, political disaster

Sara Koenig Staff Reporter Trump’s budget has been heralded as both the epiphany we needed and the pitfall of a nation, but no matter who you are, you will think there’s something wrong with it. All in all, Trump’s budget is an economic and environmental failure.

According to CNN, Trump has proposed increases in “law enforcement and infrastructure, while decreasing foreign aid, and funding for the Environmental Protection Agency.”

Right now many Americans, myself included, are questioning what this budget really means for us as a country. Currently, we are the world’s leading economy and we spend a bunch of our budget on defense. According to the National Priorities Project, a shocking 37 percent of global defense spending comes from the United States and American taxpayer dollars, yet Trump proposes that we increase that spending. The Pentagon doesn’t need the $54 billion dollar raise that it will be seeing should this budget pass.

According to Time, under Trump’s proposed budget, the IRS would see a 14 percent decrease.

While many Americans detest the IRS, it is needed as a middle man for collecting taxes— giving it last place among 13 government agencies is not benefical to this nation. This loss of funds would not only cause taxpayers to have to wait longer, but it will also cause the government to lose money.

According to IRS.gov, for every $1 spent on the IRS, they generate $7 in unpaid tax money retrieved.That may not sound like much, but according to Time, the IRS has missed the chance to collect between $7 and $8 billion each year because of cuts and if that continues so will the loss of money.

According to CNN, in the early stages, there was a proposed cut in funding for the U.S. Coast Guard, despite the massive increases in defense spending. The money that should be going to them

was then going to go towards President Trump’s “Great Wall of Mexico.”

The list of agencies that might lose funding under this proposal is long and potentially devastating. Some of these include the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and the National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities— which would be defunded entirely. According to The Boston Globe, the Environmental Protection Agency would receive a $427 million cut which would destroy its ability to continue programs such as the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

“Public defunding of the arts is never a good thing,” junior Aaron Baker said. “The arts are how we define our culture, and without a culture what are we defending? What’s most concerning are the proposed cuts to the EPA, because we can scientifically and definitively see those impacts. Cultural cuts are a concern as well because it has negative implications about the sort of country we want to live in.”

It costs less than $2 in taxes to pay for the NEA and PBS, which manage to significantly influence the education of the public. Funding these things costs very little to the average American taxpayer, and takes up a small portion of the overall budget; however, funding the military costs $3,174.

William Becker, a representative from the National Association of Clean Air Agencies, has pointed out the risks toward public health.

“Nearly seven million people each year die of pollution-related illnesses,” he said. “In addition, nearly half the population of the United States is in an area that is dangerous to their health—due to carbon emissions and other such pollution.”

Overall, President Trump’s budget is a disaster for the economy and the environment.

One can only hope that his plan doesn’t see the light of day, or that several necessary changes are made to the proposed budget.

CARTOON BY ALYSSA SHRADER

Opinion

Auburn Riverside High School

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Addicts: treatment over punishment PJ Sills Staff Reporter One hit. One pill. One drink. One time shooting up. All of these “ones” can become forever. They’re dangerous, and they can be found easily in your medicine cabinets and drawers at home.

According to DoSomething.org, by the eighth grade, 28% of adolescents have consumed alcohol, 15% have smoked cigarettes, and 16.5% have used marijuana. Not only that, but more teens die each year from prescription drugs than heroin and cocaine combined.

Drugs and alcohol are destroying our cities and people, and those who fall victim to them need help.

The United States spends nearly $16 billion a year fighting the war on drugs, when what people need is treatment, not punishment. There is no point in using taxpayer dollars and resources to fight something that will only get worse with retribution. The war on drugs is a war on people.

Addicts face a struggle and a 40-year prison sentence won’t get someone to take the needle out of their arm or the pills out of their hand; people need rehab, therapy, support from professionals and former drug users who have been in their shoes.

“If it gets to the point where it’s put before your family or yourself, it’s an addic-

PHOTO COURTESY CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE, PIXL.COM

Every day, 2,700 teenagers try a prescription medication to get high for the first time. It just goes to show how something so small can change someone’s life in a big way.

tion,” sophomore Nevin Pettygrove said. “It’s a big issue because people aren’t at peace with themselves and they use it as a way to deal with their problems.”

People fall victim to drugs at absurd ages as young as elementary and middle school level. These habits and dependencies become more dangerous with time, and it becomes evident by high school.

At Riverside, drugs and alcohol have become a constant struggle in life for some. Sophomore JT Swepston knows how some kids are

affected greatly and how people get involved with drugs in the first place. “[Students] are just really curious because of strict families who aren’t open about talking about it,” he said.

Addiction is a disease. Addiction is a lifethreatening, destructive, and near irreversible affliction. It’s grueling to try to heal - to copewith something so strong, especially for high school students.

“You can’t exactly blame them, it’s hard to not be influenced by something so addictive,” junior Gage Bailey said. “I know some-

one who was addicted to marijuana, but she’s better now. She has a kid and she knows now there’s more to life than just getting high.”

Alcohol-related driving accidents are the leading cause of deaths in the U.S, with over 1.4 million a year. This only further demonstrates the dangers of drug addiction and dependency.

It’s horrible to think about how a plant, a pill, or a Coors Light could rip someone out of your life, or ruin your own. It’s tragic how someone with such life could just be gone in the blink of an eye, or with the sudden swerve of a steering wheel while intoxicated.

People are heavily influenced, to get involved in drug and alcohol addiction. Drugs are a monster, a beast that will devour you whole and never spit you out. These devils are ripping off the wings of our Ravens.

All that can be done if someone refuses help is being a positive influence on them. Aid those who are struggling and need support, and deter those who are impressionable.

Parents need to talk to their kids about drugs and alcohol at a young age; we need to get over the stigma that drugs are cool and that using them makes you a hardcore badass.

We need to be careful, we need to be smart. We need to take the misforunes of our friends and family to heart, use their tribulation as a warning, and spread the word about the dangers of drugs in our schools and community.

Parental pressure affects student success Bella Coronado Staff Reporter

High school students are put under the most pressure when it comes to academics.

It seems like every single thing we do has to be put towards our future college. Parents push all of us to get good grades, find a job, and still be involved in our family and social lives. When they think they are helping us by scolding us to do better in school, the stress they create can actually cause a loss of motivation, failure, and altogether disengagement.

Everyday, we go through enough social stress, between friends and relationships. By throwing school work on top of everything else, we undergo situations that seem impossible to get through. The last thing we want to hear is a comment from a parent about how we could get better grades. AP classes, SAT prep, and competition for college is a lot to balance.

When we get assignments for every class, it can be hard to switch from one subject to the next. High schoolers are expected to understand every concept, do every problem, and complete every aspect of an assignment for six classes max. Social media is also a huge distraction that students have a hard time putting down, having to keep up with

the social lives of everyone else.

According to an article about Highschool stress featured in The Atlantic, “adolescence is an important time to learn to deal with stress because teens can then deal with it better in college and in their adult lives.” While stress is preparing us, too much of it can lead to anxiety and depression.

Many students actually end up doing worse in school when they are stressed out.

Because it can cause anxiety, pressure ruins student’s performance on simple schoolwork and tests. The stress factor can be so great, it diminishes any chances the student feels to complete all their work.

I feel this constantly when my grades start to fall and homework keeps piling up. I obviously know I need to focus better on school work, but on top of everything else, I have a job and other commitments. Little by little, stress can consume high schoolers lives.

Everyone copes differently. Some students actually do well under pressure, and others manage to find ways to get everything done. However, some could turn to other, possibly harmful things to rid their stress. It becomes a downward spiral of failing grades and health implications.

Because of this, parents should recognize

PHOTO BY BELLA CORONADO

Students are constantly stressed out with all the assignments they are given by teachers and parents.

Pushing them to do well doesn’t really help the situatuion.

how much stress is too much. They should be encouraging us to take personal time to relax.

There should be a balance between stress and relaxation, keeping school work at a productive rate, but also knowing when it’s okay to take a break.

It is so important to take time for yourself.

When you are drowning in homework assignments, try to spend time outdoors or with friends. When things get really tough, simply stop what you’re doing, put in some headphones, and close your eyes for a little while.

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Opinion

InFlight May 10, 2017

Stereotypes not accurate

Education vs. teachers’ lives Chloe Knox Staff Reporter

PHOTO BY SASHA TERRY

Senior Alfredo Reyes believes the stereotype for the Mexican race is that all people like tacos.

Sasha Terry Staff Reporter Stereotypes have really changed the mindset of people because they believe false accusations from the media and peers. Both men and women face stereotypical gender roles every day because they learned those gender roles from past generations.

A stereotype is an idea or belief someone may have about a thing or group based upon how they look on the outside, which may not reflect a person’s character. Stereotyping people is a type of prejudice because what is on the outside is a small part of someone’s identity.

Stereotypes should not define a person’s character. Stereotypes outline differences, making them seem bad; therefore, people make generalizations about other people that might not be true. People should get to know the person before making up stereotypes that could damage relationships and hurt others.

According to an article about gender stereotypes by writer Abigail Beall from the Daily Mail, gender roles are the same today as they were in the 1900s. These roles have been passed down throughout many generations.

“The strongest gender stereotypes for women are that they are more emotional, aware of others’ feelings, kind and warmer than men, and more likely to look after the house, and cry,” Beall said. “The strongest gender stereotypes for men were that they are more competitive, feel superior, and that they should be head of household and re-

sponsible for household repairs.”

Minority and racial stereotypes are also a huge problem in today’s society. People are so quick to judge others without confronting or having a conversation with them.

In an article about racial profiling, a contributor for the U.S. News and World Report, Jeff Nesbit wrote that racial bias has poorly shaped the United States throughout the years and how stereotypes are degrading.

“We aren’t born with prejudices about race. It isn’t something that’s encoded in our DNA. It’s based on perception. It’s something we learn over time through repetition in all forms of media, in conversations, in dialogues, in the way that we interact socially in our daily lives.”

Stereotypes are common because people are naturally born to have judgement. It’s hard to change a perception, but people can keep their perception to themselves rather than telling others how they negatively feel about it.

According to an article by the Guardian, a study was conducted on how stereotypes affect a human brain. Hugo Spiers, a neuroscientist at University College London, led the research and found that negative groups were treated more negative than before. “. . . the brain responds more strongly to information about groups who are portrayed unfavorably, adding weight to the view that the negative depiction of ethnic or religious minorities in the media can fuel racial bias.”

Stereotypes do not accurately reflect a person’s character and people should not assume something that may be common for other people.

We’ve all been in classes where the teacher talks more about their personal life than the actual subject. You feel as if questions on the test should be about the teacher themselves, rather than the content we went over for five minutes. How many kids do they have? Three. Names? Claire, Miller, and Kate. When’s their spouse’s birthday? October 17. What caused the Civil War? I don’t know, you didn’t teach me.

It’s one thing if your teacher tells you about their day the last five minutes of class, or after school when you go in to receive the work you need to make up. But if your teacher takes up half the period telling you about their cat and how they adopted it, I’d rather not hear about that. They blab and blab about their lives, and then assign an entire essay due tomorrow. How do you expect me to get this done, when I have 11 minutes left in class, and other commitments tonight? How would you even get this done, since your life is obviously so busy? Or do you actually have no life and just make up stories to waste our time? Seems just as likely.

Walking through the crowded hallways, there is nothing you want more than to get out of the river of students, and into the safe sanctuary of your classroom. However, when your teacher’s last name is “TalksAlot,” the last thing you want to do is go to their class. I’d rather drown in the hallway and get trampled than spend extra time in my next class. Believe me, you’ve told me how your brother’s wife’s son’s fish died.

Four times this week. And it’s Tuesday.

I understand how it must become a little routine to teach the same content five times a day. I understand your grown-up friends may not care about your relative’s dead fish.

But guess what?

I DON’T EITHER. Thank you so very much for considering that I’d like to waste my time in your class, but I’d much rather you only open your mouth if math will be coming out of it.

Thanks.

As I sit there hearing about your dinner for the third time, and how it gave you heartburn, I cannot possibly hold back my eye-roll anymore. So I look down at my lap and almost strain my eyes from rolling them so hard. I think I win the world record for eye-rolling everytime this happens.

Now, I will admit that occasionally

listening to a teacher stall is just what is needed to get some last minute notes or problems done. That, I am thankful for.

Telling me about your week or how your night was is all right, once a week. Hearing you talk about this daily, however, doesn’t get you my “best teacher award,” but rather the “laziest teacher award.” Since you obviously have no motivation to teach me about the subject at hand, I’d much rather sit and stare at the ceiling than listen to this whole story again.

Let me put this into perspective. Do you think a teacher would like to hear all about their students’ lives? Or where they went out with their boyfriend or girlfriend the night before? They wouldn’t care too much, would they? It’s one thing for a few students to share their life stories with them, but when they get to hear it from all their students it gets old. So as a student, I urge those teaching to stick to teaching, and to stay away from their autobiography.

I enjoy getting to know my teachers the first few weeks of school, hearing about their kids, and how long they’ve been teaching. But after a couple weeks of you telling me the same story again, yeah, no thanks, I’m okay.

PHOTO BY CHLOE KNOX Freshman Espi Gonzalez displays her utter annoyance with situations such as these. Students grow to be irritated when their teacher doesn’t teach to their particular style.

Feature

Auburn Riverside High School

Who’s behind locker #...

9

Kari Holte

Shamara Perry

Julian Gulchuck

Stephanie Neu

7029

3146

2048

7418

InFlight: If you could change your age for one week, what would you change it to?

KH: 21.

InFlight: If you could add a day of the week what would you call that day?

KH: Other day.

InFlight: What phrase do you find yourself saying often?

KH: Oh wow.

InFlight: What sport do you spend the most time with?

KH: Cheer.

InFlight: If you could be a Disney character for a day, who would it be?

KH: Ariel.

InFlight: Do you like spicy food?

KH: No. InFlight: Would it be harder to tell someone you love them or hate them?

KH: Love.

InFlight: If you could change one thing about you what would you change?

SP: To eat more healthy.

InFlight: Name a celebrity you think is lame.

SP: Bella Thorne.

InFlight: What’s the most beautiful place you’ve ever been?

SP: Mexico.

InFlight: What are three of your favorite movies?

SP: Divergent, The Fault in our Stars, and Monsters Inc. InFlight: What historical figure would you like to be for a day?

SP: Christopher Columbus.

InFlight: Would you rather be the most popular or the smartest kid in school?

SP: Smartest.

InFlight: What is your favorite word?

JG: Relax.

InFlight:Who is your favorite actor?

JG: Jim Carrey.

InFlight: What Netflix TV show do you binge watch?

JG: The Flash.

InFlight: If you had to see one color for the rest of your life, what would it be?

JG: Blue.

InFlight: What have you always wanted?

JG: My own watch.

InFlight: Have you ever made a prank call?

JG: Yes. InFlight: Who is one person you trust with your life?

JG: My mom.

InFlight: What’s your perfect pizza?

JG: Hawaiian.

InFlight: What is one thing you remember about kindergarten?

SN: In my kindergarten picture I was wearing a pair of pink overalls.

InFlight: What is your favorite homemade meal?

SN: My mom’s mac and cheese.

InFlight: Would you rather live for a week in the past or a week in the future?

SN: A week in the past—in the 1920s.

InFlight: What’s your favorite childhood book?

SN: The Penderwicks.

InFlight: If you could ask your pet three questions what would they be?

SN: I would ask my dog why he likes cheese so much, finds our lawnmower so fascinating, and doesn’t like our hardwood floors.

freshman

freshman

senior

junior

10

Feature

InFlight May 10, 2017

Wacky foods from around the world Maya Martin Staff Reporter

Bird’s Nest Soup (Indonesia)

Blodplättar (Finland)

Casu Marzu (Italy)

Bird’s nest soup is an expensive and prized delicacy in much of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and China. The “Nests” are made of a swallow’s solidified saliva and are dipped in hot water. Then they’e gelatinized to sweeten the soup. Edible bird saliva nests are very difficult to find, so that’s why the soup is so pricey and valued.

This Finnish dish is just like a pancake, except for the fact it’s made almost entirely of pork blood. The ingredients are whipped together in a pan, and then are fryed into a thin and crisp flapjack. It has been compared to the British blood sausage dish “black pudding” and is often served with mashed potatoes and reindeer meat.

This cheese’s top is cut into little holes and placed on a wheel so that flies can nest inside.

They lay their eggs to produce maggots, and deficate in it as part of the fermentation process.

When this has been completed, the dish is ready to be devoured. While eating, people have reported the maggots jumping up and down inside their throats.

Century Egg (China)

Crispy Tarantula (Cambodia)

Fugu ( Japan)

This Chinese delicacy starts with a raw duck, chicken, or quail egg. It’s mixed with clay, ash, quicklime and rice hulls, and is then preserved. After a couple of months, the egg is ready to be consumed. The hydrogen sulfide and ammonia turns the yolk a greengrey, and makes it creamy and flavorful. The egg whites morph into a brown, salty, translucent jelly.

Under the Khmer Regime, Cambodians barely had enough money to get by. So what did they do? Make cheap food. Out of what? Tarantulas. Yes, you heard right. They deep-fried them in oil and served them up fresh. It soon became a tradition, so that’s why the snack is still available today. According to some daring eaters, it tastes like a combination of prawns and crab.

This dish has got to be the most dangerous of them all. It can actually kill you! Japanese chefs carefully prepare the dead pufferfish so that the lethal ingredient, tetrodotoxin, can be removed.

In the 1980s, 44 people died every year from eating this dish. Today, the yearly average death toll ranges from 0-6, with 34-64 cases of poisoning.

Feature

Auburn Riverside High School

11

Mother’s Day traditions continue Sierra Fox Staff Reporter Mothers: they’re always right by your side when you’re feeling down, when you need some help, or you just went through a terrible break up. Mother’s Day is one occasion where mothers are celebrated. This holiday is right around the corner, when kids can show their appreciation to their mother for all that they have done. The origins of Mother’s Day, however, are surprisingly more than appreciation towards mothers.

The topic of where Mother’s Day began is controversial. Legacyproject.org says the earliest Mother’s Day celebrations can be traced back to ancient Greece, where they worshipped the goddess Rhea, the mother of all gods. People would offer flowers, fine drinks, and honey-cakes to Rhea.

The Romans also worshipped a goddess who they considered to be the mother of all gods during this holiday. This was called the Festival of Hilaria. It was celebrated in March, and gifts were brought to the temple to please her.

National Geographic has a different view on the origins of Mother’s Day, however. It is believed that the holiday may have been

created for mourning ladies to remember deceased sons who were soldiers and fight for peace. West Virginia women’s organizer Ann Reeves Jarvis held Mother's Day work clubs in 1950 to keep things sanitary and help lower the infant death rate by fighting disease and milk contamination. The groups of women tended to groups of wounded soldiers as well. This was during the Civil War era in the United States.

Mother’s Friendship Day picnics were arranged by Jarvis to unite former foes. Julia Ward Howe, the composer of “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” issued the Mother’s Day Proclamation in 1870. This called for women to take a political role in standing up for peace.

These few ideals on how Mother’s Day was established are different than what most people would expect.

Even if you weren't aware of how this loving holiday came about, it's still a great time to thank your mothers on this special day.

PHOTO COURTESY CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE, WIKIMEDIA.ORG

Mother’s day is an opportunity to celebrate those who gave you life. Those who don’t have a mother can always celebrate a female relative who has been their role model.

Quoth the Raven What do you plan on doing for your mom on Mother's Day?

"Probably make her breakfast in bed and get her a card."

--Freshman Aaron McCurdy

"I'm going to say good morning... make her breakfast, and give her a hug."

--Sophomore Lucas Oliveira

"[Get] her flowers and make her breakfast."

--Junior Rylie Tew

"Make her breakfast and do chores for her around the house."

--Senior Taylor Berkley

12

Feature

InFlight May 10, 2017

Fifteen students enter, one Annual Easter traditions thousand five hundred wait celebrated around world Sierra Fox Staff Reporter

PHOTO BY BELLA CORONADO

A hoard of hungry and impatient students crowd the commons as they wait for their lunch.

PJ Sills Staff Reporter Americans hate waiting. From cheeseburgers being given to them within minutes out of fast-food line windows, to robots on wheels that can bring those same burgers to customers on a silver platter, everything today is about convenience.

With a 15-person limit in the lunch lines now being applied, the majority of students are more upset and impatient than ever. You may roll your eyes into space and give off a sigh of irritation. One must question, however, how much longer do the new lines truly take?

“Some students think it takes longer to get lunch,” Vice Principal Frank Ramirez said. “Now, it’s actually much quicker and more manageable inside the lunch area and in the cashier lines.”

In the Commons, most students aren’t rushed on time to eat their lunch. The last people in line will have approximately 15 to 20 minutes to eat their lunch.

However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t students who don’t finish all of their lunch in time.

“I’m still hungry after any time I get lunch here,” junior Lynsey Romero said.

Romero has been getting lunch less and less since the lunch lines have undergone the new 15 student system. “I’m never able to finish all of my food, so I’ve just stopped getting lunch.”

The pace which a student takes to eat is going to vary, especially since there are some people who get full course meals, compared to others who get merely a sandwich and milk.

However, unless you’re at the very end of the lunch line and get a completely full lunch tray with all of the fixings, staff ex-

pects that you would finish without having to rush. For those who aren’t finishing their lunch within the 30 minute slot designated, it means food is being wasted, and school money that’s being thrown away in the process.

“We’ve had a lot of theft and a lack of supervision in the lines,” Vice Principal Shawna Leonard said. “I’ve never had to experience this from a student’s shoes, but we’re looking to make changes for next year and improve.”

Whether it truly takes longer to get your lunch may not be the real flaw with the new lines. Romero’s main issue with the new policy is that “the people at the doors let their friends in and not others,” and “they don’t even count to 15.”

The idea of students running the lunch line may indeed throw in the factor of arbitrary favoritism, rather than a true 15 body capacity. A solution to this could be “adults could run the main lunch line and they set up another line so there are two lines,” freshman Alex Baker said. “If you have more lines and more reliable people watching them, it will be more efficient.”

But Ramirez begs to differ; he knows that things aren’t that cut and dry. “We have limited HR and if we had more lines it would require more personnel, which means more money.”

Ultimately, like any new policy, there are going to be bugs, pros and cons. Some love the new lines, others hate them. It’s a matter of opinion: do the pros outweigh the cons, or the latter? It’s based upon how much you get to eat.

Whether you’re the first one in line to get lunch, or the person who waits ten minutes in line and gets an arm extended out in front of them at the last second before they enter, it seems the new lines are here to stay, at least for now.

[This article was originally going to appear earlier online. We’re sharing it with you now in its entirety.]

Easter is a well known holiday that many people celebrate all over the world, whether they celebrate the religious aspects or not.

The holiday was first established around 30 AD, and it spread worldwide. Apart from the usual: bunnies, candy, and pastel colors we think of when we hear Easter, different cultures may have a rather different perspective on this day.

There are many traditions people follow on this day that may seem unusual to us, but make sense for them. It’s all a matter of perspective.

In Poland, they do something called Smingus-Dyngus. According to Womans Day.com, male citizens soak women in their towns with water any way they can. It is believed that any female who gets wet will be married within the year. This tradition may have been derived from the baptism of the Polish Prince Mieszko, in 966 AD. Another intriguing tradition occurs on the island of Corfu, in Greece. The people who live there throw pots and pans out of their windows, smashing them on the ground below.

There are two theories of where this may have began. The first is that it might have come from the Venetians, who threw their old belongings out on New Year’s Day. The second theory is that the throwing of pots and pans symbolizes the beginning of Spring and the newly grown crops will

have sprouted from the pots.

Of course, one knows about the dyeing of eggs on Easter. But most people don’t know know this common activity has a deeper meaning hidden behind it. Those who have Christian beliefs say Mary Magdalene was the first person to see Jesus after his resurrection.

Magdalene held a plain white egg as she stood in front of the emperor, claiming the resurrection of Christ. The emperor claimed her statement to be nonsense and said it was about as impossible as the egg in her hands turning bright red. After he said this, the egg she held in her hands began to turn bright red before his eyes. This is what RealSimple.com had to say about this popular Easter habit.

This has now turned in to people dyeing eggs for decoration and why the plastic eggs used to hide candy in are colored.

Then there's the familiar Easter egg hunt that we’re all aware of. Wilstar.com tells us this actually originated from pagans, who would incorporate this activity in their Spring festivals that celebrated fertility. Unlike many pagan traditions, this one has carried on throughout the years.

With different cultures, there are different meanings to the Easter holiday and there are many different ways to celebrate it.

The traditions mentioned are just a few seen here in the United States. There are probably a lot more Easter traditions we don’t even know about from around the world.

These traditions may leave our minds boggled, but to those who carry them on it’s just another regular Easter.

PHOTO COURTESY CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE, WIKIMEDIA.ORG

Eggs are often seen as an Easter symbol because children hunt for eggs full of candy to celebrate the holiday.

Auburn Riverside High School

Arts & Entertainment

13

Gabi Greer’s makeup looks continue to amaze Jessica Perez Editor-in-Chief Senior Gabi Greer has been posting makeup looks on Instagram and Twitter since her freshman year. Over those four years, she has received lots of attention on social media pages. Her makeup looks consist of elegant tones of eyeshadow for everyday use and other more extravagant looks, such as her Disney themed looks. Greer has done eye makeup containing images of Moana, Cinderella, and my personal favorite, Up. “The Beauty and the Beast look started it all, and I did that look because it’s my favorite movie,” Greer said about her Disney thread. Some other looks she has created are: her Harry Potter series, her Disney villain thread, and she has even managed to make herself look like an avatar.

When asked what inspires her to create all these looks, Greer said everything.

“Inspiration is all around: nature, colors, the sky, clothes, pictures, and magazines,” she said. “I have never taken inspiration from YouTube. I usually come up with my own ideas alone.”

Every look Greer creates has such amazing detail. When one looks at Greer’s looks they can tell that she puts effort into every

single stroke and line she makes. Greer uses a variety of eyeliners and pallets to create her looks. She also mentioned that she takes people’s suggestions for looks sometimes, but prefers her own ideas.

Some of the most recent looks she has created are her Disney villain ones: Ursula, Jafar, and Scar. All of these looks containing key elements from these villains, and the way she captures them through makeup is truly incredible. In her Scar look, she actually included the scar he has over his eye; in her Jafar look, she does the dramatic and thick eyeliner that Jafar has in the movie; and in her Ursula look, she includes three small tritons.

Greer says that each looks takes her less than an hour—if that isn’t skill then I don’t know what is. Most girls take an hour just to do their eyeliner.

Greer is thinking about attending beauty school to get her makeup license but clarifies that won’t be her only career. “I’ve always wanted to help people, so I always looked into becoming an RN nurse, but I really love makeup so I’d love to have my own brand and donate 50 percent of the proceeds to charities and groups that like to help people I can’t help alone.”

Hopefully Greer continues her career in makeup, for she has quite the future in it. I look forward to seeing her new looks throughout her Instagram and seeing how she develops as an artist.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GABI GREER

These photographs don’t do justice to how incredible these looks appear in color. To see these in color, look for this story on our website at www.arhsinflight.com

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Arts and Entertainment

InFlight May 10, 2017

“We’re an interesting group. We care about others and have a burning passion to create music to the best of our capabilities.”

—Robin Wessel, junior

PHOTO COURTESY CAT MANIVANH

THIS MONTH

IN MUSIC “I get to sing all the time!

I love singing because I’m the best bass in choir.”

—Jonathon Richards, junior

“I like creating music with other people. It’s just the feeling of it. It builds relationships; orchestra made me the most friends out of the ones I’ll remember the longest past high school.”

—Andy Tu, junior

PJ Sills Staff Reporter Since our last issue, our entire music department has experienced quite possibly the busiest time of the year. Virtuosos from band, choir, and orchestra are preparing for concerts, festivals, and state competitions all at the same time. Not to mention, their regularly scheduled rehearsals in class, or perhaps even before and after school.

Not only are these performers occupied with school events now, some are even anticipating music camps and other festivals during the summer to keep polishing their craft and keeping their bows sharp.

“I’m going to audition to be in the Marrowstone Music Festival this year,” junior Andy Tu said. “It’s for the best of the best and it would be an amazing experience.”

Founded in 1943, the Marrowstone Music Festival is the largest and most comprehensive summer orchestral training program in the Pacific Northwest. Every summer over 200 musicians, ages 14 to 25, come from over 30 states and several countries to study with internationally acclaimed faculty at the campus of Western Washington University in Bellingham.

Another festival Tu looks forward to is the Evergreen Music Festival that spans throughout late July and early August.

Festivals aside, orchestra also performed at the WMEA All-State orchestra contest, and the State Solo and Ensemble Competition in Bellevue and Ellensburg respectably.

AlthoughTu was the only one in orchestra who made it to State, he delivered.

“I made it to State for my cello solo where I performed Edouard Lalo’s ‘Cello Concerto no. 1,’” Tu said. “Also, the string quartet I’m a part of made first alternate for State.”

Representing Riverside, Tu ended up receiving all superior ratings for his solo.

Band held their annual “Pops” concert April 20 in the ART and performed pieces from traditional folk Southern American heritage. Band also had their state Solo and Ensemble Competition at Central Washington University with tremendous results.

Senior Mya Wagner placed third in State for her trombone solo, the brass quartet placed third in State, the woodwind quintet received all excellent ratings, the percussion quartet received all excellent ratings, and finally the saxophone quartet received all excellent ratings as well.

Along with all their Solo and Ensemble success, band had their Green River Music Education Association competition at Auburn High, where several high schools throughout the Puget Sound region performed marvelous melodies.

Last but not least, Riverside’s fine vocalists in choir had an eventful month and change as well.

Between their own state solo and ensemble competition in Ellensburg, touring, and the intermediate level GRMR festival Chorale participated in, it once again goes without saying the singers had their hands full.

With effort came success and gratification. Senior Tara Benabid placed second in State in the mezzo-soprano category, senior Garrett Miller placed second in State for the baritone category, and while the two large ensembles for choir who competed may not have placed, they put on exemplary performances. The large mixed symphonic group received one superior and two excellent ratings, and the large Symphonic women’s ensemble received all superior ratings, landing in the top six in State out of 150 participants.

“It was a first time competing for many, and people were excited, hungry to compete, and overall positive,” choir director Jonathan Stenson said. “The atmosphere was extremely energetic and happy for everyone.”

Riverside’s divas and instrumentalists had an exhausting but fulfilling past five weeks, and each and every one of our Raven musicians should feel proud.

Sports

Auburn Riverside High School

GIRLS WATERPOLO Girls waterpolo has just begun and, despite their record this season of 1-12, as of press time, the team seems to be having a blast bonding and working together.

“Yes, [the season] is going great,” freshman Abby Councilman said. “We’ve lost some games, but that’s okay because of our close friendship.”

The girls have been working hard since the beginning of March at their sport. According to the team, it’s been a lot of fun trusting each other and perfecting their skills. “[I like] seeing improvements and watching them fall in love with the game,” girls waterpolo coach Mike Van Eaton said. He wants to make extra sure his team is working on basic skills to prepare for the years to come.

“It’s a lot of fun,” said senior Abigail Safsten. “The freshmen are [awesome] and I enjoy getting to know them.”

So although they’re still working to improve their skills and up their scores, they’ve had a blast.

TRACK AND FIELD An average start to the season has track motivated athletes to overcome their obstacles and leap over hurdles.

“We’re going to get better by working hard in practice by pushing through to get faster times,” junior Ryan Hess said. “We’re experiencing competition this year, but we’re plenty capable.”

They have thus far had four meets and a record of 1-3 as of press time., which is not as great as they’d hoped but these runners love the sport, and that’s what’s moat important.

Along with their regular meets, there are annual invitationals in which each school selects two athletes for each category. This year, Lindbergh High School in Renton, WA hosted the Arnie Young Invitational on April 8.

“It’s for athletes who are extremely talented,” junior Ryan Hess said. “Only two people are chosen per each event based on the first two meets of the season.”

“We’ve used our meets thus far as experience, to build a solid base for the rest of the season,” junior Leah Kerbs said. “We have a lot to work on but we’re all growing to be better runners.”

GIRLS TENNIS

The girls tennis team has had a successful season, despite slight drawbacks due to weather conditions. They were 7-4 in league as of press time and in fourth place. Three more matches were played last week.

With strong returners, and really good freshmen, the few matches they’ve played in the sun have been very successful.

“We’ve been troubled by the rain,” coach Bruce Diehl said. The team has not been able to practice in the sun much at all, limiting them to indoor practices.

Many of their matches have also been cancelled or postponed, putting them behind in their season. However, they continue to practice hard, even if it means playing in the rain.

Winning the league is always a goal, and State is always in the future.

“I’d like to get half the team to Districts,” said Diehl, “but I do not want to limit kids to two or three.” He is looking to get as many kids on the team to State as possible. Districts begin May 18, and State on May 26.

The ultimate goal Diehl has for the team is to build for the future of the girls tennis team.

Because of the strong freshmen turning out this season, he feels they are already meeting that goal.

15

BASEBALL Having already completed all of their regular season games, baseball finished with a record of 14 wins and 6 loses, and were 10-4 in their league, capturing second place.

The 4A NPSL Baseball playoffs took place last Tuesday, after press time, for seeding and moving on to the 4A West Central District 3 tournament that began yesterday. If they do well there, the team would go to State at Safeco Field starting May 20.

The boys had a strong season compared to those of previous years. Junior Liam Conner plays third basemen and pitcher. Conner also plays on a year long team outside of the school, but has noticed a difference in the Riverside team over his three years on varsity. The team is becoming more intense and focused on their goals for the end of the year.

“None of [the teams] are easy. It’s a team, we all work together,” Conner said.

His favorite part of the season was sweeping Auburn Mountainview, which they hadn’t done for years.

16

Sports

FASTPITCH The varsity girls softball team is 8-3 in conference so far this season and 10-6 overall as of press time, with more games played last week.

Junior Jordyn Judge plays second base and she has been playing on varsity for three years. She likes that her teammates are upbeat and outgoing. Her goal this year is to make it to State and play well throughout the season. “[I’m always] there for teammates and making sure I do my part on the field,” Judge said.

The girls would like to double their wins from last season and make it to the playoffs.

Senior Haley Parsons is a co-captain with senior Iyana Galarza and junior Gigi Alcedo. She enjoys cheering and high fiving her teammates.

“I like being a supportive teammate and being aware of what needs to get done,” Parsons said. “We all get along really well and everyone can have a good time together.”

During spring break, the team played a couple games in California. The varsity team played against La Jolla in San Diego on April 14 and lost 4-2. The team also played against Woodbridge in Orange County on April 15 and lost 13-7.

Coach Bryce Strand has been coaching the team for five seasons and he hopes the team will advance to the state tournament in the postseason.

“They have put a lot of time in the weight room and summer workouts,” Strand said.

“It’s an exciting and fun group to watch and support at home games.”

InFlight May 10, 2017

SOCCER

COURTESY DHC PHOTOGRAPHY

Varsity boys soccer started off strong last February and has now come to a close. The boys have finished all of their regular season games. Their last one was against Decatur, at home at 5:30 p.m., which happened after press time. The boys’ season was great, with an overall record of 8-2-4 as of press time. The 4A West Central /Southwest Boys tournament began yesterday, May 9.

The boys highest scoring game was against Decatur on April 5, with a final score of 5-1, also as of press time.

Freshman Tyler Berry spent his first high school season on varsity. “I like everyone on the team. I like the coaches, and I like the whole vibe of high school soccer.”

For those who have played before, such as junior Preston Green, they feel as if this season is quite different than those before. Green said that the start of this season has seemed harder than others.

Both Berry and Green say their favorite part of the season so far has just been getting out on the field with their friends.

Overall, Berry feels as if they have been improving all throughout the season. “Towards the beginning of the season I think we didn’t work very well together, but as the season goes on we’re getting more into it, and the chemistry is getting stronger.”

Next year Green hopes to get even better. “[I am] trying to improve every day, and [I’m] being the best that I can.”