JagWire Newspaper: Volume 24, Issue 6

What being a consumer looks like for students in an age of fast fashion and ever-changing trends

FEATURES

5

Mother-daughter duos serve their community through the National Charity League

OPINION A&E

12

How deleting social media platforms for a year helped free a JagWire reporter

14

A guide to weather patterns and cloud formations, plus how and where they appear

The doorbell rings, announcing the arrival of yet another package and putting an end to days of anticipation. This scene is common, but the effects of constantly buying more and more things, nonessential things, can be more harmful than people realize.

Consumerism is defined as a preoccupation with and an inclination toward the buying of consumer goods. While the definition doesn’t inherently present as a negative, the extent to which people are buying goods has become problematic.

Consumerism might seem harmless at first glance, but the psychological and environmental effects can be more harmful than they might seem. The American Psychological Institute report- ed that the idea of materialism doesn’t necessarily cause unhappiness but can cause it, as excessive buying takes the focus away from things that promote true joy like time with friends and family. “Trendy” clothes and fast fashion websites are perfect examples of how consumerism can affect the environment. Around 92 million tons of waste are created by the fashion industry annually, and the average American throws out around 85 lbs of clothing every year as reported by Earth.Org. Fast fashion plays a large role in this

because as things go in and out of style people get rid of them and immediately buy the next trending item.

The negative effects of consumerism aren’t solely the faults of the consumer. The culture surrounding shopping, the idea of trends, fast fashion websites like Shein and Temu as well as advertising and deals only make it harder for people, especially young adults, to resist buying more and more things.

However, there are answers to fighting consumerism. The dangers of consumerism stem from the rate at which people buy things, not how much they cost. For example, buying two pairs of leggings from Lululemon is less harmful than buying eight from Amazon, despite their similar overall costs. The amount of items people buy is what affects the supply and demand, especially when it comes to trendy clothes. This can lead to greater waste when people get tired of clothes that don’t have long-time wear capabilities.

The answer to combating consumerism isn’t to stop buying things in general; it is to limit buying unnecessary things. Buying from thrift stores and consignment shops, as well as donating things you no longer wear can create a smaller impact on the environment. When something isn’t brand new it doesn’t create more waste, making buying from thrift stores a smarter choice.

However, there is a fine line, as buying more things than necessary whether they are new or second hand can only make the problem worse.

In general, the easiest way for students to avoid overconsumption and consumerism in everyday life is to step back and think “will I wear this?” or “will I use this more than once?” every time they think about whether they should buy something.

PAYING THE PRICE

BOUNDLESS POSSIBILITIES

Open enrollment opens the door for students to chose their school within Kansas as long as there are available seats by ian chern copy editor

Starting in the fall, students in Kansas will have the opportunity to enroll at any school state-wide after Kansas lawmakers passed House Bill 2553 in 2022. This bill requires districts to allow any student to enroll at their schools, if capacity permits, in hopes of helping them find the best educational experience.

As required by law, the school board recently decided to adopt the enrollment capacity numbers and determined that the district has 34 available seats for non-residential students across four elementary schools and one middle

We want to be conservative on that number [of new students allowed], knowing that there is enrollment growth coming our way

Assistant Superintendent Alvie Cater

school. Both Mill Valley and De Soto high schools are considered at capacity and cannot accept additional non-residential students .

The law requires districts to announce the amount of open seats they have for nonresident students by June 1. Since the policy gives each district the ability to decide that number, assistant superintendent of Alvie Cater believes that this is especially beneficial for USD232.

“What’s helpful about the law

is that the school district can determine how many seats are available,” Cater said. “We want to be conservative on that number, knowing that there is enrollment growth coming our way.”

Many student-athletes may see this as an opportunity to join a new team; however, KSHSAA rules still apply: non-residential transferring students must sit out a year before being eligible for varsity competition. As a result, athletic director Brent Bechard explained that only incoming fresh- men will be affected by the policy.

“The state association for athletics is still going to enforce their transfer rule, so the only main thing that [open enrollment] is going to change is for incoming freshmen who haven’t been established at a high school,” Bechard said. “They can establish at any high school that has space, so they could technically go to a place where they want to play sports, but that’s only going to be for freshmen.”

While this policy may be exciting for many families, it also presents capacity challenges for already growing school districts. According to Cater, USD232 will need to closely mon- itor future growth as they make decisions.

“The challenge for us is that we are a growing school district and if you look at our growth over the next five to ten years, we are going to see the number of students attending their schools increase,” Cater said. “The challenge then is how can we look at this at a point in time, so that we allow space for the families who are residing here.”

Important dates for the first year of open enrollment design

By May 1 The Board of Education must determine if there is space for non-resident students. Mill Valley and most schools high schools in the area have zero space for new students

By June 1 the district is required to publish the number of open seats

Applications are open from June 1 to June 30

If the number of applicants surpass the number of open seats a lottery is to take place by July 15

TWO GENERATIONS ONE GIFT

by barron writer/photographerfox

Sophomore Kyndal Geis and senior Alli Gervais have found a new way to involve themselves in a multitude of activities and community service through an association called the National Charity League. The mother-daughter organization assists many companies with community service and philanthropy.

Kyndal’s mother, Brittney Geis, one of the grade level advisors, de- scribes what the club is and what its motives are.

“[It] is for mothers and daughters to spend time together, serving our three pillars: leadership, cultural awareness and philanthropy,” Brittney said. “The girls apply in sixth grade and then they serve until 12th grade. Our goal is to give back to the community. We have approximately 15 partnering philanthropies and that changes year to year.“

The club follows a parliamentary style of meetings. Kyndal describes what the meetings are like and the structure of the meetings.

“We have grade level meetings and meetings throughout the whole organization each month,” Kyndal said. “We have an agenda that we go through for the following month and what we need to accomplish. Everyone has their own position, like a president and secretaries, so they all have different roles.”

Gervais details some of the volunteering opportunities that the club has brought her and other students.

“[I have a few] favorite volunteerings that we do,” Gervais said. “I go to shadow buddies a lot, and there’s multiple different things to do: like ironing clothes for dolls, painting on things, or making clothes for dolls. I’ve also done Happy Bottoms and dropped off cookies at the firehouse.”

The National Charity League creates service opportunities for mothers and daughters

As a part of the nominating committee, sophomore Kyndal Geis and her mother Brittney Geis discuss board positions for next year. Each year a group of girls is selected to help choose jobs for their class, these jobs help meetings and volunteering run smoothly. photo by maddie martin

With so many volunteering opportunities, there are many bene- fits this group can bring students. Gervais comments on how this club has improved her character.

“It’s made me a better person because I’ve gotten to see [different cultures while] volunteering,” Gervais said. “I’ve also made a lot of new friends that I would have never met if I hadn’t done it. I’ve also gotten to do a lot of stuff with my mom, so it’s made me closer to my mom.”

A HELPING HAND

Overall, the National Charity League can be helpful towards students because of the exposure to people different from themselves.

“[By] serving the community we are exposing [the girls] to [dif- ferent] cultures and areas that are unfamiliar and trying to get them outside of their Johnson County lives as well as preparing them for leadership opportunities,” Brittney said.

Steps made to establish The Charity League

1925: A group of women led by Gladys Bernice Wilkinson made layettes for the American Red Cross and assembled food baskets

1946: The league is reestablished after WWII

1977: The Salt Lake City chapter in Utah became the first chapter to leave California

2006: The Charity League expands to Canada

Source: National Charity League

AWARDING THE ARTS

Five seniors named finalists for Johnson County Arts Council’s Shooting Stars award program

by anna zwahlen editor in chief

Fby madelyn writer/photographermulryan

ive seniors with a specialty in the arts were chosen by visual, performing and literary art teachers to apply for a scholarship funded by the Shooting Stars Program. Through this competition, the seniors were given the opportunity to showcase their talents in hope of winning college funding. The Gala to recognize all 99 finalists took place April 7 at Johnson County Community College and the Nerman Art Museum.

To enter the competition, seniors Caroline Alley, Nathan Anderson, Emma Clement, McKinley Graves and Kate Marten were each nominated by a teacher and completed auditions or submitted portfolios demonstrating their ability, depending on the category. According to Alley, there were additional requirements as well.

“When Copeland first asked me, I was shocked that he chose me,” Alley said. “I was very happy but at first I felt a little overwhelmed

because I needed to make sure I had all of the requirements like the essay, the headshots and the resume.”

Though Alley was surprised at the nomination, her sponsor, drama teacher Jon Copeland, found her to be the best candidate.

“We look at the full four year career of the person,” Copeland said. “[Alley] has done so many shows, and obviously does great onstage. She’s just done a lot over the years and that helped her emerge as the person that I thought would be good for this nomination.”

An advisor’s recognition of ability is the first step towards becoming a candidate for the schol- arship, according to Marten.

“It honestly just takes recognition from your artistic director or the person in charge of what you’re pursuing,” Marten said. “Steiner chose me because she knew I was going to continue a career in music in college and she thought that I represented Mill Valley well.”

Outside of the nomination by

KATE MARTEN

WINDS & PERCUSSION

Mentor: Band teacher Deb Steiner

their teacher, the process for be- coming a Shooting Stars finalist is mostly student driven according to art teacher Erika Matyak.

“If [students] want me to help them decide which pieces to put in their portfolio, I will help them with that,” Matyak said. “Otherwise, it’s very student driven. I just remind them of deadlines and then share any information I receive about the contest with them.”

Alley not only filled out applications, but also performed live.

“The auditions are very different for any of the categories,” Alley said. “I decided to do a song from the Music Man, one of my very first shows here, which is very dear to me.”

Graves, who was nominated by choir director Jessie Reimer for classic vocal performance, selected two songs to submit to Shooting Stars. Graves sang an upbeat song and a slower, harder vocal range piece.

“One of my songs was an upbeat

Prepping for band class, senior Kate Marten plays her warm ups on the bassoon. Marten played her bassoon at an in-person audition for the program.

photo by eva hernandez

Seniors Nathan Anderson, Emma Clement, Caroline Alley and McKinley Graves stand at the Shooting Stars gala following their recognition Sunday, April 7. photo by eva hernandez

VOICE CLASSICAL 2D VISUAL ART

Mentor: Choir teacher

Jessie Reimer

MCKINLEY GRAVES EMMA CLEMENT CAROLINE ALLEY

Wednesday

foreign language song,” Graves said. “It’s always recommended for any performance that you do want one foreign language; it just shows your skill set better.”

While Alley and Graves have been working on their craft for years, Anderson’s literary nomination resulted from a newfound passion, ignited from Mrs. Huang, who sponsored him.

“I actually didn’t really know that I was interested in writing un- til this year when I took Creative Writing,” Anderson said. “I just enjoyed writing my own stories rather than writing essays, then Huang encouraged me and nominated me for the scholarship.”

While none of the school’s nominees won a scholarship award, being finalists brought them closer together, according to Alley.

“Everybody was very support- ive of each other and we even worked on our resumes together,” Alley said. “I am very glad and honored to be the nominee for the performing arts this year.”

Mentor: Art teacher

Erica Matyak

Mentor: Drama teacher

Jon Copeland

THEATRE PERFORMANCE LITERATURE

NATHAN ANDERSON

Mentor: English teacher

Kristen Huang

Senior Emma Clement works on perfecting her color in a self portrait Monday, April 8. Clement submitted a portfolio with eight art pieces to the Shooting Stars contest that she worked on in her Advanced Painting and AP Art classes. photo by avery clement

Senior McKinley Graves practices her solo during seminar

March 27. Graves not only practices during seminar, but also in her three choir classes. She chose to sing an upbeat song and a slower, harder vocal range piece at her audition. photo by luke wood

Writing during seminar Friday March 29, senior Nathan Anderson jots down ideas to use in future projects. Anderson found his passion for writing in his Creative Writing class this year, where he worked on some of the pieces he submitted. photo by luke wood

Preparing for the play, senior Caroline Alley acts out a scene on stage Thursday, March 28.. Alley will play Jo March in repertory theater’s “Little Women” this spring and performed a monologue from the show as part of her audition. photo by eva hernandez

CONFRONTING CONSUMERISM

CONFRONTING CONSUMERISM

In an age of fast fashion exists, the pressure to keep up with the newest trends is prevalent and overconsumption worse than ever

IN WITH THE NEWER

The rush of getting something new can be incredibly satisfying, whether it’s a gift or a purchase of the latest trend. Updating wardrobes with the latest brand name, replacing a Stanley with an Owala, or simply trying out the newest skincare phenomenon are all commonplace for high-schoolers.

However, many aren’t aware of just how much they consume over the course of this process. According to the MIT Press, “capitalism preserved its momentum by molding the ordinary person into a consumer with an unquench- able thirst for more stuff.” Social media influencers and the tactics of large corporations have made possessing the newest version of something a necessity as consumers sacrifice quality for quantity. While consumers are often forced to over-purchase because of the sacrifice in quality, there are ways to be conscious of what is worth buying and what should be passed over.

A BAD INFLUENCE

Trends are always changing with the fast pace of social media, leading to mass amounts of consumerism. That rapid pace is often reflected in many peoples’ buying habits.

According to business teacher Adam Runyan, speed is what drives the popularity of modern day“Iconsumerism. think now the way we define consumerism is as our ability to quickly get what we want and how quickly can you get the prod- uct in your hands,” Runyan said.

Senior Keira Patty has found that many students are frequently purchasing and replacing things at the rapid pace made available by the ease of shopping.

“I’ve found that [people] constantly re-buy things that they don’t honestly need,” Patty said. “They just never reuse anything that they could if they wanted to.”

Social media plays a large role in how quickly people decide it’s time to go out with the old and in with the new, according to Patty.

“Influencers and social media in

by evan writer/photographerleroy by madelyn writer/photographermulryan by anna zwahlen editor in chief

general have people just constantly wanting the most popular thing and the newest thing,” Patty said. “People get rid of things really fast and they just decide that it’s not popular anymore.”

Products aren’t just pushed by influencers who are paid to do so. Family and friends can also play a role in promoting products that follow trends, according to Patty.

“My mom’s always trying to get me to buy all the newest things,” Patty said. “I just don’t see the point. Sometimes I’ll listen to her with shoes, but I don’t think I constantly want the newest thing.”

For senior Chaley Spaulding, influencers and social media are just the surface of what causes students to over-consume and overspend.

“I think consumerism is really heavily influenced by social media because of what’s trending and how many people are promoting and influencing [products],” Spaulding said. “Then there’s also a lot of wanting to fit in with what everybody else is wearing or buying or Pattydoing.”agreed, finding that many

HOW DO YOU CONSUME?

Different ways students shop and their patterns as young consumers

32% OF STUDENTS SAY THEY HAVE SHOP ONLINE WHILE AT SCHOOL ALL THE TIME

33% OF STUDENTS GO THRIFTING ONCE EVERY SIX MONTHS Survey of 132 students

12% OF STUDENTS SAY THEY HAVE SOMETIMES MADE THEIR OWN PRODUCTS

people are motivated to buy things simply to fit in.

“I think people just want to be cool,” Patty said. “I think people just want to keep up with the trends and keep up with what everybody else is doing.”

THE FINAL PRODUCT

Keeping up with what’s trending can be difficult not only because of the rapid changes in trends, but also because of the impact on finances. On top of the environmental impacts of product waste, consumer culture creates financial waste.

The speed of buying and receiving is a luxury of consumerism, but according to Runyan, that speed can result in major financial consequences.

“On one hand, it’s awesome,” Runyan said. “The speed at which we can get a hold of products we want. It’s also dangerous because it leads us to overspend because we see something and we immediately want it.”

Despite the low prices of items on sites like Shein and Temu, the frequent low quality of items leads to spending more in the long term, according to Runyan.

“[Consumerism] can also be a danger because of how much of a quality item it is,” Runyan said. “If it is not good then you’re going to have to go back to them and buy more stuff.”

The financial impact of consumerism is relatively small when viewed from the global and environmental lens, according to Spaulding.

“I know consumerism has a big impact on the world just with how the product is being made and how much it takes to make a product,” Spaulding said. “In Mill Valley, I feel like there’s a smaller impact: everybody is being the same

and nobody is sticking to who they really are.”

Despite the impact of consumerism on the environment, Summa argues that the consumer only bears so much responsibility because the product would have been made regardless.

“Clothes are gonna continue to be made so there’s no point [in worrying],” Summa said. “[The product] is gonna be made anyways and other people will buy it if you aren’t buying it.”

[Consumerism is] also dangerous because it leads us to overspend because we see something and we immediately want it

Business teacher Adam Runyan

The climate around consumer culture factors heavily into people’s buying patterns, according to Runyan.

“It’s a little bit of a dangerous climate we live in now where everyone’s in debt,” Runyan said. “There’s this massive burden of debt on people and we’re overspending on stuff we can’t really afford. [Consumerism] is great because we get a hold of stuff really quickly, but it also can be a danger with how quickly we can spend money.”

Senior Keira Patty looks through her clothes she has thrifted Thursday, April 4. Patty’s goes thrifting at least once a week

Photo by elizabeth summa

DON’T BUY IN

Taking steps to be mindful about what an individual buys is the key to being cautious about spendingLookinghabits. into products is the difference between buying something that could be terrible quality and buying something that’s worth the money. Spaulding makes sure that she looks into products before she buys“Whenthem.I see something that I could potentially buy I do a lot of research on it and see what other people are saying [about the product],” Spaulding said. “I saw this lip treatment and I was like, ‘oh, it’s probably just being influenced,’ but then I did research on it and how it works and a lot of people actually love it so I got it and I love it. Just do a lot of researching and reading reviews before buying something [can be a solution]” Shopping second-hand is also a good alternative to buying items brand new. Purchasing from thrift stores or garage sales is a great way to know the item is not wasting materials. Patty explains how

she’s able to stay on-trend without spending more than she needed.

“I have a HydroFlask I got at a garage sale and I got my Stanley at a lost and found,” Patty said.

Patty also goes thrifting to prevent consumerism by buying second-hand.

“Once I go thrifting for the first time [in a while] I want to do it constantly,” Patty said. “I would say [I thrift] like once a week of genuine interest.”

Buying in-person can prevent purchasing incorrect sizes or something shoppers don’t actually like. Summa details why stores can be preferred over online shopping.

“I’m very small, so things tend not to fit me,” Summa said. “I also like to try [clothes] on and make sure I like them.”

Shopping in-store can also make sure that consumers get what they paid for, since some online stores aren’t always honest about products. Sophomore Ella Kaemmer explains why she prefers in-person“Ishopping. like shopping in-store because you can see what product they actually sell,” Kaemmer said. “If you’re shopping online, there’s a lot of inconsistencies.”

Runyan details why overspending as a habit can lead to bad spending in the future.

STOP BEFORE YOU SHOP

Before buying something new next time, try asking yourself these questions to see if it is a necessity

IS THIS ITEM PRACTICAL?

Check if the item can be used on multiple occasions. If so when, and can you move comfortably in it?

HOW LONG HAVE I WANTED THIS?

Usually, higher priced items mean better quality, try to think about how long you’re willing to wait to pay for the item and if it’s worth it

WILL I ACTUALLY WEAR IT?

“If you’re spending more money than you make then you’re putting yourself in the red,” Runyan said. “If you’re not able to save any money during the month, and you’re at zero and you’re overspending you probably need to cut back a little bit.”

Is the item you’re about to purchase going to be worn only once? If so, wait to buy a piece you won’t leave in your closet

photo illustration

Senior Emily Summa looks through her closet to find a new outfit Wednesday, April 3. Summa goes online shopping almost everyday.

by elizabeth summa

Sophomore Ella Kaemmer’s holds up her shawl Tuesday, April 2. Kaemmer crochet some of her clothing pieces. photo by elizabeth summa

Source: Fewer and Better

design by barron fox

FINDING

Iby maddie writer/photographermartin

t started as a challenge, sitting in my living room last February scrolling through my phone. A second to check the time on my phone became a two-hour rabbit hole. Then my dad decided to make a bet that I couldn’t go a month without social media to constantly entertain me. He made the mistake of betting I couldn’t do something, so I did it. I deleted Instagram and TikTok, my most used social media apps, and it was a better decision than I could have imagined.

I felt good, relieved really, more than I thought I would be. I don’t know why I didn’t realize soon- er how social media affected my mental health. I didn’t feel jealousy or insecurity when looking at apps like Instagram, more so an intense feeling of missing out.

The American Psychological Institute reported that those who engage in social status seeking and social comparison, on apps like Instagram, are likely to experience depressive symptoms, social anxiety and body image issues. These issues stem not simply from the use of the app but from the use of likes, comments and reposts that make people correlate their self worth to how popular their page is.

The first week without social media was hard. I found myself constantly checking my phone but not having anything to look at. As time went on I stopped looking at my phone as much, only looking when I got a notification.

I can describe living without social media in two words: freeing and isolating. The biggest struggle has simultaneously been a positive: the fear of missing out on trends, news and important events in people’s lives. I genuinely believe that the things I miss out

on are superficial, and the things I experience as a result of not being on my phone as much are more important than the next big trend on TikTok.

Now that I no longer see everyone’s perfectly picked profiles on Instagram, there is no comparing myself to others and no fear of

I can describe living without social media in two words: freeing and isolating. The biggest struggle has simultaneously been a positive Sophomore Maddie Martin

missing out. I feel a sense of freedom not having to think about what everyone else is doing anymore.

Additionally, I discovered when there isn’t a constant distraction, you can get a lot done. I didn’t have some incredible epiphany about my life with all my extra time. Instead, I prioritized things I actually enjoyed. I did my schoolwork when I was supposed to,

spent more time with my family, kept my room clean and even found the time to read a book. I also discovered that when there isn’t something keeping you tied to your phone there is nothing to keep you up at night. I was able to get more sleep because I no longer spent hours before bed scrolling through TikTok, getting lost in the algorithms.

It’s not the perfect solution though. People in my life make plenty of jokes I don’t understand because they came from TikToks I’ll never watch. I also miss current events and other noteworthy things going on in the community as I no longer see them plastered over my feeds.

Not having social media doesn’t stop me from finding other things to fill my brain to avoid important things. Starting a new TV show or watching hours of baseball highlights also make good ways to procrastinate my homework.

Over one year into not having Instagram and TikTok, it would be in-genuine to say that my life is completely different and that I don’t miss it at times. However, my answer when people ask me, “when are you getting social media back?” has stayed the same. I don’t know, and for all I can tell, I’m better off without something to constantly entertain me.

JagWire Reporter Maddie Martin deletes Instagram and TikTok in order to reduce screen time and help improve her mental and physical health

GO WITH THE FLOW

Popularity: 2015-2019

Notable features: Food-grade stainless steel Condensation-free exterior Extensive collection of beautiful designs

The evolution of trending water bottles over the past decade STANLEY

Popularity: 2023-2024

Notable features:

Recycled stainless steel Car cup holder compatible Comfort-grip handle

“[I like my] Stanley because it’s easy to carry and has an open straw.”

Popularity: 2019-2021

Notable features: Pro-grade stainless steel Wide mouth opening Leak proof flex straw cap

HYDROFLASK OWALA

Popularity: 2024

Notable features: Stainless steel

Sip and swig

carry loop

“Owalas are my favorite water bottles because I think that they have the best variety of fun colors and I think they have the best function.”

information from national weather service

design by quin peters

APRIL SHOWERS

by anna zwahlen editor in chief

25,000 ft

HIGH LEVEL

Learn about the varieties of cloud types and their formations

CIRRUS

Cirrus clouds are wispy, feathery, and composed entirely of ice crystals. They often are the first sign of an approaching warm front

13,000 ft

MID LEVEL

6,5000 ft

LOW LEVEL

AIR

*Not to scale

ALTOSTRATUS

Altostratus clouds possess a flat and uniform type texture in the mid levels. They indicate the approach of a warm front

STRATUS

Stratus clouds develop horizontally

CUMULUS

Cumulus clouds develop vertically

MAKE IT RAIN

How students spend their rainy days

67% choose to watch movies and shows on rainy days

Students who enjoy napping their rainy days away

28%

56%

like to go outside into the rain

CUMULONIMBUS

A storm system developing will initially be round and fluffy, but will develop into an anvil shaped cumulonimbus

Statistics taken from survey of 132 people

FUTURE TORNADO CHASER

“I want to deal with tornadoes myself. I’d love to storm chase one day, but I just like to study cloud formations and how these tornadoes work and how they become so powerful.”

A TEACHING MOMENT

by ian chern copy editor by emma clement editor in chief

Senior Colin McAlister, junior Allyson Makalous and soph- omore Gwen Kline have found new ways to get involved with athletics by coaching sports.

Makalous was a gymnast when she was younger and does dance currently, which is part of the reason she began coaching at Pinnacle Gymnastics. However, she also just enjoys working with kids.

“I love hanging out with younger people,” Makalous said. “I think that they’re so creative and I think that they’re so innovative. They’re really smart human beings but not in the sense that we normally consider smart.”

Kline has a similar background to Makalous in that she began coaching at Dance Expressions be- cause she herself is a dancer. Kline also finds the kids are what make coaching so fun.

“They’re so cute and silly,” Kline said. “Of course, they go a little crazy, but they’re just so sweet and they always want to do better.”

For McAlister, along with being enjoyable, coaching at Mill Valley Kids Club and Monticello Trails Middle School is important in helping kids learn and develop.

“I think the sport of wrestling helps people in life so by coaching them in wrestling, I can also coach [the kids] and teach them lessons about life,” McAlister said. “That’s really important to me, especially as they grow and develop at such an important age of childhood.”

For Makalous, the joy in coaching ultimately comes in the mo- ments of success after a lot of hard work.

“It’s those little moments that make it [so fun],” Makalous said. “It’s not about getting the skill, it’s more about accomplishing the goal and working for and achieving something that you thought you couldn’t do.”

SOPHOMORE GWEN KLINE

COACHES DANCE

“I got asked to [coach] and I thought this would be a really good experience for me in general and it’ll help my confidence get better. I felt like it would help my skills a lot.”

Through coaching kids, three students are able to connect with the sports they love

COACHES GYMNASTICS AND SWIM

“I love to coach because they’re super duper creative. They always come up with the most random things, and they’re so giggly and happy. Their day is determined by how many jokes they can say rather than tests and I just think that’s so awesome. I just love how joyful they are.”

JUNIOR ALLYSON MAKALOUS SENIOR COLIN MCALISTER

COACHES WRESTLING

“I started coaching because I’ve always thought the coaches were my role models growing up and I thought it was important to be a role model. I’ve heard a lot of people say, ‘You don’t master something until you can teach someone else,’ so I decided to improve my own game and my own wrestling.“

design by olivia peters

Junior Allyson Makalous spots a child on her back bend kick over at gymnastics class Saturday, March 30. photo by avery clement

From watching his moves, senior Colin McAlister talks to his wrestler on what could help in his match Saturday, April 6. photo by eva hernandez

Sophomore Gwen Kline leads her class in a stretch at Dance Expressions Wednesday, March 27 photo submitted by Gwen Kline

POWER TO

The main steps Reid Ellis implements to create his own video game

PLAY

Decided what the game will be about. Look at other games for inspiration and decide a art style

Decide on deliverables. Plan how the game will function

During the second semester in Computer Science Principles, junior Reid Ellis and the class’s other students have to pick what project they will be working on to use the skills they learned first semester. This decision was an easy one for Ellis to make. He decided to design and program a video game where the character travels through the layers of hell as described in the poem “Inferno” by Dante Alighieri.

Ellis has worked throughout the semester programming the video game using a game engine called Geode. However, Ellis isn’t working alone. He is being aided by other students at CTEC to work on visuals for the game.

“I contacted [artists in graphic design classes] and came up with a design brief,” Ellis said. “Senior Alannah Hart and senior Jules Shumaker are working on the an imations, the characters, and the background.”

Hart was interested when Ellis asked for help, knowing it could

Begin programming with the physics engine of the game, how the character moves. Map design and enemy design all rely on this

Begin implementing enemies and insure balance in the game

Implement the artistic components of the game

help majorly in the future and look good on their resume.

“He walked into our [Workplace Design] class at CTEC and asked if anyone wanted to help him with his game and I said sure, since [video game design] is what I wanted to do in the future,” Hart said.

This project has required a lot of work from Ellis to finish, including learning many new skills and a whole new programming language.

“It’s a learning curve; I need to keep figuring out more,” Ellis said. “The [app has its] own programming language that you have to learn. I’ve never done video game programming and there’s so much to learn with it. I’ve really just programmed the physics so far.”

Ellis is excited to finish the project and share it with other students.

Working on the design of his game at CTEC, junior Reid Ellis writes notes on sketches made by senior Alannah Hart April 2.

The octopus is one of the bosses players will encounter in the first level of the game. It attacks players by stabbing with two pointed tentacles, and once defeated, leaves room open for the player to advance to the next level. design by senior Alannah Hart

REID ELLIS

Junior Reid Ellis works in his Computer Principals class at CTEC to create his own video game

by evan writer/photographerleroy

design

hailey perrin

photo by jules shumaker