JagWire Newspaper: Volume 17 Issue 2 by JagWire newspaper

Jagwire

mill valley high school volume 17 issue 2 oct. 27, 2016 mvnews.org

Upcoming elections create discussion among students Pages 9-17

In this issue ... NEWS

04 roofing 06 distance learning

FEATUREs 07 09 12 14

spotted: Chad Brown who are you voting for? political influences state elections

OPINIONS

15 staff editorial 16 opinions

SPORTS

18 runner Britton Nelson 19 overtime

A&E 21 Louisburg Cider Mill 22 behind the scenes

PHOTO ESSAY

24 silver 4 classes

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Design by Madison Ferguson

18 Cover by madison ferguson and margaret mellott

24 mill valley high school

Jagwire

LEtter

from the editors

fter completing issue one, there was a huge sigh of relief. Issue one is the hardest issue each year because we’re still getting into the swing of how everything should work throughout the production cycle. New staff members are also getting used to a production cycle and accommodating to the new-found stress. Thanks to all that, transitioning into issue two wasn’t easy. With so many days of school that we got off this month — between parent-teacher conferences and the end of the quarter — timing just didn’t work out. We had to push our production cycle back a week in order to give this issue the time and work that it needed. With such a large portion of this issue being election coverage, we wanted to provide an adequate amount of time covering an important topic. With the election only a month away, we are able to cover it through a partial-

JAGWIRE OFFICE

5900 Monticello Road Shawnee, KS 66226 Phone: (913) 422-4351 Fax: (913) 422-4039 Email: jagwirenewspaper@gmail.com Adviser: Kathy Habiger khabiger@usd232.org JagWire, a monthly publication of Mill Valley High School, is printed by the Sedalia Democrat.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Kansas Scholastic Press Association National Scholastic Press Association Journalism Education Association The 2015 JagWire was named a Pacemaker winner and an All-American newspaper by the NSPA, and earned an All-Kansas rating from the KSPA. The Mill Valley News website was also named a Pacemaker finalist by the NSPA.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Twitter: @millvalleynews Facebook: Mill Valley News

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ly-themed issue where we would focus on politics. Instead of having just a cover story, we’re covering multiple topics relating to the election, including opinions that revolve around specific election issues. Politics is such a delicate topic, and we knew that when we decided to cover it, we had to be extremely careful and unbiased in our coverage. We did a survey of the entire school in order to provide insight as to what the majority of our school thinks about this election. Having an abnormally large survey, which consisted of 1146 students instead of our normal surveys with about 250 students, proved to be difficult when it came to tallying up the results. Fortunately, we had help from some of the MVTV crew and were able to have all of the surveys counted on time. Even though the election is so controversial, it’s important to talk about these political issues as they affect everyone for the next four years.

Jagwire 2016-17 staff EDITORs-IN-CHIEF Madison Ferguson Margaret Mellott Braden Shaw

managing editor Morgan Gurwell

copy editor Alison Booth

photo editor Victoria Wright

business manager Madison Ferguson

Hunter Ristau

news editors Katya Gillig Annie Myers Margaret Mellott

features/a&e editors Claire Boone Tricia Drumm

Braden Shaw

CENSORSHIP POLICY

Kansas Senate Bill 62 guarantees the same rights for student journalists as are guaranteed for professional journalists. These rights include, but are not limited to, all First Amendment rights, including the rights of freedom of speech and the press, insofar as published items may not contain libelous, slanderous or obscene statements, may not incite or promote illegal conduct and may not cause a substantial disruption to normal school activity.

EDITORIAL POLICY

We value your opinions. If you wish to submit a column or a letter to the editor for the JagWire, you can do so by handing it in to a member of the staff or to the print journalism room (C101). Additionally, you may email any member of the staff with opinions, as well as tweet us at @millvalleynews. Anonymous content will not be accepted. Please understand that we have the right to edit all copy that runs in this publication.

opinions editors Nora Lucas Ally Nguyen

sports editors Anika Roy Jakob Twigg

social media editors Lexi Flipse Abby Layton

ILLUSTRATOR Avery Sheltra

REPORTERS & Photographers James Ball Carter Lawson Joe McClain Michael Sandri Marah Shulda Chris Sprenger

Design by braden shaw

staff information

renovatingtherooftop

Prolonged construction on the roof causes additional damage, creating issues for classes and extracurriculars

by MICHAEL SANDRI

reporter and photographer jagwire.michaelsandri@gmail.com

by LEXI FLIPSE

social media editor jagwire.lexiflipse@gmail.com

his summer, construction on the school roof began under direction of Quality Roofing. The project cost the school $1.2 million, and while originally set to begin on Thursday, May 23, construction did not start until early June due to rainfall. Complications, such as weather, held up construction progress and caused leakage that led to significant damage in the main gym and other areas of the school. According to district facilities director Steve Deghand, one roadblock construction workers faced was the heavy rainfall Shawnee received. “When it’s going to rain, you really have to think about when you are going to open [areas of] the roof [for construction],” Deghand said. The leaks from the roof damaged ceiling tiles around the school, many of which had to be replaced. There were also noticeable puddles of water around the school, particularly throughout A-hallway. With construction taking place during school hours, many students and teachers, including social studies teacher Angie DalBello, had to deal with distracting noises and smells throughout classes.

Adding On

“There was a day where the smell [of tar] was almost overwhelming,” DalBello said. “It was so noxious that it seemed like some people could pass out.” Classes also had to deal with the sound of power tools. “To hear someone stomping on the roof you can make sense of,” DalBello said. “But then sometimes it feels like a giant air conditioning unit was dropped from 100 feet above the building.” The construction going on with the roof also left holes in the ceiling of the main gym, allowing water to seep in. “Water ran down the wall and under the floor, [which] caused the floor to buckle,” Deghand said. The unexpected damage cost an additional $98,000, which Quality Roofing will be responsible for paying for. This has left the Silver Stars dance

“The smell [of tar] was almost overwhelming.” SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER ANGIE DALBELLO team and several physical education classes, such as freshman girls PE teacher Christine Preston’s class, unable to use the main gym. “We had a really heavy rain and we came into the gym and there was a gigantic puddle in the middle of the floor,” Preston said.

As a result, freshman PE classes had to switch up the order of their class units, and if the weather permits it, the girls classes will take place outdoors. However, as colder weather approaches, the gym teachers have devised a plan to stay indoors. “When the weather is not good, all the PE teachers will work together and have a combined class in the auxiliary gym,” Preston said. Freshman Brandon Rader’s gym class has found ways to remain active despite the lack of space. “[The lack of gym space] has made it where we can’t do warm ups; sometimes we do them on the tennis courts, [but] sometimes there isn’t any space,” Rader said. “Sometimes we have to run around in the locker room area.” Sophomore Silver Star Olivia Augustine claims the situation in the gym is also problematic for her and her teammates. “We’ve had to use the auxiliary gym and sometimes go to Prairie Ridge [Elementary School] or Monticello Trails [Middle School] and use their gyms,” Augustine said. “It’s an inconvenience because it’s hard to get there in the mornings and it’s hard to get back to school.” Until the gym is fixed, the Silver Stars and some PE classes will have to continue using other spaces for their activities. To fix the gym, workers will have to tear out and replace certain areas of the hardwood floors. This project began around Sept. 20, and is expected to be complete by the middle of November.

A timeline of additions and renovations throughout the history of the school

2000

Constriction of the school is complete, with a total of 128,000 square feet

2004

news

15,000 square feet is added to the school, including some ground-level classrooms

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Jagwire

Show me the

money

A comparison of the separate costs of the roofing project

$1.2

$98

Million is the initial cost of the roof replacement, paid for by the district

ABOVE: While sitting on the roof, a Quality Roofing worker replaces the lining above the B-wing hallway on Monday, Oct. 3. Photo by Hunter Ristau

2010

Thousand is the cost to repair a portion of the main gym floor paid for by Quality Roofing

ABOVE: An ACE worker places wood on the gym floor on Monday, Oct. 10. The project is expected to be completed by Monday, Nov. 14. Photo by Hunter Ristau

93,002 square feet is added to the school, including the activities entrance

2016

2015 Jagwire

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The roof is replaced, along with a portion of the main gym floor

The artificial turf field is installed

Design by claire boone and annie myers

news

learning from a distance Live videostream program allows Mill Valley and De Soto High School students to take AP Calculus BC

by CHRIS SPRENGER

reporter and photographer jagwire.chrissprenger@gmail.com

he students in AP Calculus BC have faced challenges different from those in other math courses because the class is a combination of both Mill Valley and De Soto High School students. The students from DHS participate in the class via a video link that is broadcasted from the Mill Valley classroom by math teacher Brian Rodkey using a video conferencing app called Zoom. Recently, the DHS students have started coming to Mill Valley once a week because of trouble communicating between the schools. According to Rodkey, the class is combined between the two schools because there are not enough students

“It’s basically a Skype call over to the DHS kids.” SENIOR CAMDEN DAVIS from each school for them to have their own separate classrooms. “I think it was decided that wherever the most students were, that’s where it would be taught from,” Rodkey said. “We have 11 Mill Valley students taking

the class and only three [from] DHS.” The structure of the class is similar to that of a normal math classroom for Mill Valley students, such as senior Camden Davis. For the students at DHS, however, the difficulty of connecting with Rodkey’s class via video cameras and screen sharing makes it more complicated. “We do a sort of FaceTime thing where we have a camera pointed at our classroom and Rodkey has a camera to show the work he is doing on his desk,” Davis said. “It’s basically like a Skype call over to the DHS kids.” DHS junior Elizabeth Seidl and her classmates have a harder time learning over a video link because they can not directly speak with Rodkey face to face. “It’s hard to have conversations with Rodkey if you’re confused, and it’s hard to show him something that you are having difficulty with,” Seidl said. Despite these difficulties, Mill Valley senior Jazz Loffredo thinks that the system is helpful to everyone in the class. “We can interact with him from our houses if we log onto the program,” Loffredo said. “Say we are sick one day, you can still log in and watch his lectures.” Rodkey believes that combining the classes has been beneficial to students from both schools. “One of the great things about the video link is it does allow those students to take the class when otherwise they wouldn’t be able to,” Rodkey said. “Having the class over the video link and having that option gives more students the opportunity to take the class.”

RIGHT: DHS juniors Elizabeth Seidl, Cody Moose and Zach Deibert listen attentively to Mill Valley math teacher Brian Rodkey via Zoom on Wednesday, Oct. 12. Photo by Marah Shulda

news

design by Katya gillig and morgan gurwell

Q&a with

junior elizabeth seidl The perspective from the other side of the screen described by DHS Calc BC student

JagWire: What is a normal Calc BC class like?

elizabeth seidl: [We] usually decide if [we] want to drive over to Mill Valley. If [we] decide to stay, they turn on the camera and Mr. Rodkey will send the lessons over. Jw: How does this class differ from an average math class? es: It differs a lot because our teacher isn’t in the building, which makes homework hard because you can’t go in and ask questions if you’re confused. We have to email Rodkey a lot. Jw: How do you interact with Mill Valley students during class? es: We interact with them the most when we go to Mill Valley, but when we are at DHS, we don’t really work with them very much. Jw: How would you improve the structure of the class? es: I wish there was a way for us to be able to communicate with [Rodkey] better during seminar.

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science of

Spotted

growth

A series on our students and staff and what makes them unique

Science teacher Chad Brown spends time encouraging others to explore what life offers

by ANIKA ROY

sports editor jagwire.anikaroy@gmail.com

any students and staff members may know of science teacher Chad Brown because of his infamous nickname, “Lord of Physics.” However, few people know that Brown is an expert in several other unexpected areas. As a teenager and young adult, Brown’s inspiration to become a Physics teacher came from his high school science teacher, as well as his own fascination with the natural world around him. “I’m just naturally curious about the way things work,” Brown said. “Physics is the best way to figure out and explain how things work around us.” After attending Northwest Missouri State University to get his physics degree and UMKC to receive his teaching degree, Brown began teaching at Mill Valley and has now been teaching for three years. Junior Elaina Smith is in Brown’s Physics class and believes he is an excellent teacher. “He explains things very well,” Smith said. “If you need help he’ll come right to you and explain things in a fun way.” Brown has also been very involved in music since high school. He played

the trumpet in his marching band and began playing the guitar, which he still plays today for Grace United Methodist Church. There is also an athletic side of Brown; he has played tennis since he was six and began participating in Brazilian jujitsu 10 years ago. “[Brazilian juijitsu] is grappling based martial art,” Brown said. “There is a lot of arm locks, armbars, chokes and things like that. It’s a lot of work, but it’s fun.” At home, Brown is very devoted to his wife Andrea and two children, Miles and Pierce. His three-year-old son, Pierce, is a “riot,” according to Brown. On top of music, martial arts and science, Brown also coaches eight-year-old Miles’ baseball team and researches the world of science with him. “[Miles and I] like to go outside and explore how things work … and we also like to explore nature,” Brown said. “He keeps a journal of things we see and we come back and do research and talk about it.” Brown is constantly planning inter-

extracircuits Plays an acoustic guitar

Jagwire

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esting, hands-on activities for his students, which makes physics exciting for Smith and her classmates. “He makes [class] really fun. We do really fun labs all the time,” Smith said. “We’ve had a tennis ball lab where we tossed [the ball] up through the bleachers to find velocity, and that was really fun. We’re always going outside and doing [experiments].” Brown teaches a wide variety of concepts to his students and to his own two children, but if there’s one thing he wishes kids would learn from him, it’s how to understand the world a little bit better. “I just want kids to think a little bit more about what’s going on around them,” Brown said. “[Don’t] just go through life looking straight ahead but absorb things, give thought to other possibilities, and maybe use that scientific process, not just for the sake of science, but for anything in their lives.”

A synopsis of science teacher Chad Brown’s favorite pastimes

Has a blue belt in jujitsu

Prefers playing doubles in tennis

photo by joe mcclain

Design by Madison Ferguson

features

ads

Design by hunter ristau

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Jagwire

election coverage IMMIGRATION: 10-point plan

includes building a wall on south U.S. border, deporting criminal aliens and reforming legal immigration

TAXES: Plans to reduce taxes as a whole, ensuring that taxes on rich aren’t detrimental to job industry

HEALTHCARE: Wants to

repeal Obama’s Affordable Care Act and create a patient-centered, quality healthcare system

SLOGAN: Make America Great Again PARTY: Republican RUNNING MATE: Mike Pence

Information from DonaldJTrump.com

donald trump

Where do you stand?

hillary clinton SLOGAN: Stonger Together PARTY: Democrat RUNNING MATE: Tim Kaine HEALTHCARE: Plans to

expand Obama’s Affordable Care Act, reduce the cost of perscription drugs and insurance copays

TAXES: Wants to create a

graduated tax system; the richer one is, the more taxes he or she pays

IMMIGRATION: Intends to

introduce comprehensive immigration reform, a plan to insinuate full and equal citizenship to immigrants Information from HillaryClinton.com

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campaign photos purchased from mct campus Design by nora lucas and margaret mellott

features

election coverage

decision 2016

The Jagwire conducted a 1,146 student survey on the opinions of the current election issues. 107 chose no candidate as president.

party affiliation

important issues

The percentage of students that voted for which political party they identify with

The percentage of students that voted for which issues are the most important in the elections

37.9% Republican

46.3% Foreign affairs

27.3% None

10.3% Other

26.4% Democrat

10.6% Healthcare

6.4% Libertarian

11.9% Domestic issues

1.6% Green party

6.6% Multiple

.33% Multiple

4.12% Abortion

stein 4%

Green party candidate

special section

of students voted for Stein

johnson 14%

of students voted for Johnson

Libertarian candidate

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trump

clinton

Republican candidate

Democratic candidate

42%

31%

of students voted for Trump

of students voted for Clinton

“Hillary hasn’t had a perfect record, but

has had the human decency to admit her mistakes and learn from her past.”

Senior sue kim “He says what he thinks off the top of his head, while Hillary [needs] everything scripted out for her ahead of time.”

Sophomore caleb white “She’s the right choice for all voters; whether you’re gay, straight, black, white, democrat or republican.”

Sophomore madeline lehn “If someone’s going to get us out of ... debt, it’s going to be him, just because he handles money all the time.”

Senior jake atkins Jagwire

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campaign photos purchased from mct campus Design by nora lucas, joe mcclain and margaret mellott

special section

election coverage

Political

by ALISON BOOTH

copy editor jagwire.alisonbooth@gmail.com

by MARAH SHULDA

reporter and photographer jagwire.marahshulda@gmail.com

Several societal factors greatly influence and potentially alter student political opinions and party affiliations

Pressure A

s students scroll through Twitter, turn on the nightly news or even discuss politics with family members, their personal political beliefs are being influenced, for better or for worse. Social media, news sources, peers, religion and family members all have a powerful impact on a person’s political spectrum and the candidate in which they support. According to senior Jack Campbell, the omnipresence of social media sites alters the way students receive their political news. Since most students spend a lot of time on social media sites, they provide more accessible and easier ways to obtain political information. “People don’t really like to read and people don’t really watch the news anymore, so going on Twitter and seeing a headline or something is probably how most people get their information,” Campbell said. In comparison, senior Tom McClain thinks that social media should be used sparingly because social media content doesn’t directly come from the candidate. “The reality is, most candidates’ social media profiles ... is some campaign aid tweeting out excerpts from their website, excerpts from their speeches [or] whatever some focus group told them to tweet out,” McClain said. “So, I don’t really pay much attention to what their social media says.” Junior Maci Montee said that while social media can be used to access political news, it shouldn’t be the sole source of information. “I think whatever [students] see online, especially on Twitter, they believe; they don’t really go into more depth about what is being said to see if it’s really true,” Montee said. In addition to social media, news

special section

sources affect both candidate coverage and student interpretation of political information. McClain said that students should pay attention to news sources because they provide new and applicable information. “I think that most voters, myself included, are not experts on any issue and we probably don’t even know a small fraction of what there is to know about an issue,” McClain said. “So, when I read something or hear something from someone who is vastly more informed about an issue … than I am, then that’s inevitably going to shape how I look at that issue.” News sources that provide political news also frequently appear to be bi-

ased to some students, including Montee. “It’s kind of hard to find [news] that’s not biased, either towards Trump or towards Hillary, there’s not that middle ground,” Montee said. “Honestly, you have to really go into depth; you have to listen to this news channel or this news channel and you need to get both sides of the story.” Social studies teacher Cory Wurtz said that students should not limit themselves to only listening to or reading from one source. By reading from multiple sources, students will be able to form their own opinion, according to Wurtz. “Gather the evidence first, sort

ABOVE: While her father, Rick Montee, discusses recent political events on Thursday, Oct. 13, junior Maci Montee considers her position. Photo by Victoria Wright

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37% Family/friends

What Influences you? How students at Mill Valley are influenced politically Survey of 1146 students Survey of 1,146 students

“It’s important to have an open mind and talk to people that have differing opinions than your own.” SENIOR TOM MCCLAIN politics. “I’ve been raised in a very conservative household, so I’ve kind of just been brought about these beliefs,” Montee said. “Me and [my dad] talk about [politics] a lot and he’ll give me websites to look at or even tell me what to watch on TV.” In contrast, junior Zach King’s political beliefs directly oppose those of his dad. “My mom’s [beliefs] are generally the same [as mine], but my dad is very conservative. We’re way different in every aspect,” King said. “I generally took a lot of opinions from my mom because I spend a lot of time with her.”

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17% News source 9.5% Multiple 9%

Social media

5.6% Church/religion

ABOVE: Senior Jack Campbell reads from Bloomberg News on Wednesday, Oct. 12. Photo by Victoria Wright

through the evidence then come up with your answer,” Wurtz said. “Most people want to come up with the answer and then find evidence to support their answer.” Family influence has also impacted student political views, causing them to either align with their family opinions or form autonomous opinions. Montee said that her dad has inspired her to want to become more educated about

21% Other

.26% No response

Campbell thinks that some students tend to lean toward the political values of their parents because of early family traditions. “There are kids that definitely go hunting, for example, and that’s always been something they’ve done from a really young age, and so practicing their Second Amendment right is a big deal; that just immediately labels them as a conservative,” Campbell said. Furthermore, religion sometimes affects student beliefs in specific political issues, including in the beliefs of sophomore Faith Dmyterko. “I have viewed [political issues] based on my religion, especially topics like abortion,” Dmyterko said. “[My religion] has made me against [abortion].” In addition, the opinions of peers play a large part in one’s political views, especially in high school setting, according to Wurtz. To help form these political opinions, student classes, such as civics, are utilized. “Civics is important for freshman in particular because it is throughout high school that [students] will develop a lot of their political behavior,” Wurtz said. “Much of what they know right now is what they hear at home, and now the biggest influence in their life is not going to be their parents, it’s instead going to be their peers and what their peers think.” Several social studies classes are implementing discussions about candidates into curriculums, according to Wurtz. Campbell said that peers can provide new and different opinions on issues, and are ultimately beneficial to forming personal political opinions. “I think I’ve become more influenced by [my] peers as I’ve gotten a little older, in my high school years. There’s a

lot that you can gain from your peers; they offer different viewpoints that you may not have ever thought of,” Campbell said. McClain said that students should participate in political discussions without preconceived opinions. “If you don’t go into those conversations with at least somewhat of an open mind, we’re not going to get anywhere with the gridlock; nothing’s going to change,” McClain said. “It’s important to have an open mind and talk to people that have a differing opinions than your own.”

ABOVE: Following a comment at the presidential debate on Sunday, Oct. 9, senior Tom McClain covers his mouth in surprise. Photo by Victoria Wright

Design by margaret mellott and jakob twigg

special section

election coverage

Attention to retention Multiple judges to possibly be voted out of Kansas Supreme Court

ith a majority of the focus on the national election, many students are not informed about issues at the state level. This election year there is a historic push to get many Kansas Supreme Court justices out of office. Five of the seven justices are up for retention: Chief Justice Lawton Nuss, Justices Carol Beier, Daniel Biles, Marla Luckert and Caleb Stegall. Judicial retention is a process where voters decide whether an incumbent judge will remain in office for another term. If retained, a justice serves for six years and then is up for retention again after the sixth year. No judge has ever failed to be retained. According to sophomore Seth Hobson, this is an unknown topic for most students. The fact that state politics are currently not in mainstream news could explain why students are not informed. According to Hobson, being informed is something all students should do. “It’s your state and it matters,” Hobson said. “When you’re eighteen you need to know the politicians in your state.” This year, however, there is a big push for select judges to fail to get retention. If all four fail to receive retention, Gov. Sam Brownback would be able to control the Kansas Supreme Court and appoint the judges’ replacements. According to Wichita Eagle statehouse reporter Bryan Lowry, this could a have big impact on the ongoing school funding legislation. “The state’s currently facing a $60 million budget gap for the current year, so the new legislature will decide how we fix that,” Lowry said via email. “It’s also a big deal because the legislature will have to write a new school finance formula this year.” There is more funding this year going towards the effort to oust the judges than in the past. Unlike other elections, judges do not have to report contributions to these campaigns. Lowry believes that this is what has made the vote so high profile. “I think one thing is that we’ve never seen so much money and effort go toward ousting justices in the past,” Lowry said. “In a normal year a judicial reten-

special section Design by tricia drumm

tion race wouldn’t be getting so much attention.” In the past the Republican party has controlled the House, the Senate, and the Supreme Court. This year however, moderate and liberal candidates running for these positions could have a greater chance of winning the seats up for grabs. There are multiple factors that could contribute to this shift, the biggest one being the low approval rating Brownback has been receiving. According to KSNT news, Brownback’s approval ratings have plummeted to 25 percent, the lowest in the nation. These low approval ratings have created a certain amount of mistrust among Kansas citizens. According to retired teacher Shelley Brim, the current politicians in Kansas have not been doing their jobs, have not

by ABBY LAYTON

social media editor jagwire.abbylayton@gmail.com

by KAtyA GILLIG

news editor jagwire.katyagillig@gmail.com

what you know On a scale of one to five, students were asked how informed they were about state elections Survey of 1191 students

“It’s really important to know what’s happening at the statehouse.”

least informed

17.13%

29.97%

28.13 %

18.64%

most informed

6.13%

WICHITA EAGLE STATEHOUSE REPORTER BRYAN LOWRY supported public schooling education like they need to. “I think we have too many professional politicians in there, and they’re not necessarily looking out for their constituents’ need,” Brim said. “They’re looking out for special interests.” State elections often impact students more directly than national ones. State elections can affect educational funding, and this can affect school board decisions. Lowry believes that state election are just as important, if not more important, than national elections. “National elections rightly get a lot of attention, but most of the stuff that affects your daily life actually gets decided at the state level,” Lowry said. “State elections determine how much money go to your schools … If you care about what kind of community you’re going to have, it’s really important to know what’s happening at the statehouse.”

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don’t be afraid to get political during election Students should voice their opinions and participate in politics

or adults and teenagers alike, politics is not a comfortable conversation topic. Often, people would rather dodge the topic than try to participate in balanced, civil discussions. There are numerous reasons why people feel this way, whether because of past experiences or insecurities, but the most universal reason is that people tend to simply avoid confrontation. Although it can be difficult getting out of your comfort zone, people should not be afraid to get political. It’s understandable why people feel this way. Growing up, we’re taught to shy away from confrontational speech and political activism, even though these two things are the basis for our country existing today. The Constitution protects the right of freedom of speech, which allows people to share

litter that’s around our school, or that it’s important for people to eat healthy food.” To put it simply: no one ever disagrees with a recycling campaign. The downside to only promoting one-sided arguments is that some kids grow up thinking they should not voice their opinions. With this kind of atmosphere, it’s not surprising that many people are afraid to offend others and end up staying quiet despite having great ideas. While political activism is somewhat awkward in the beginning, the JagWire

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can be a great way to participate in political action. Change.org provides thousands of petitions concerning all sorts of issues that are as easy to sign as they are to find. Getting political can be personal as well. Setting a goal to be more informed this election season is always a great thing to think about, and it helps fuel confidence to speak out. Although politics can be a dividing issue, it is also a chance for high school students to speak out on topics that are important to them. Politics can be uncomfortable, but as long as both parties remain respectful and courteous, productive conversation can emerge. Action for change is something we need to be thinking about as a country, and it begins with having the courage to speak out. No matter which candidate gets elected, young people have the power to share their voice. Do something with it.

jagwire

Don’t be afraid of political activism. their concerns without fear of punishment by the government. Our founding fathers dreamed of a nation in which political participation is encouraged, but somehow we’ve become either apathetic or afraid to speak our minds. Both school and home life are factors in determining how comfortable a person feels talking about politics, but school often reinforces the status quo in context of teaching appropriate social skills. In an effort to teach citizenship, schools often suggest ways to get involved in the community, but don’t necessarily bring anything controversial to the table. For elementary school students, this is OK, but teenagers preparing to enter the real world should be engaging in the political process. Even the dean of education at the University of Wisconsin Diana E. Hess agrees. She thinks schools encourage politics in a way that never requires thought-provoking discussion, for example “that we should clean up the

Staff editorial

The JagWire gives its opinion on a topic covered in this issue

staff vote Agree

believes getting political is something we, as a society, should be doing more often. From outwardly campaigning for a presidential candidate to asserting your opinions around the lunch table, getting political is simply vocalizing the change you want to see. With the rise of social media, it’s astonishingly easier to let people know how you feel about a political topic. Everything is extremely accessible, but a tradeoff is that many people end up sharing their opinions wholeheartedly without actually doing anything. The most obvious way to get involved is to vote, but even signing a petition online

illustration by Avery Sheltra

Disagree

Design by Nora Lucas and ally nguyen

opinions

election coverage your vote affects the election more than you’d think Exercise your right to vote even if you don’t like any of the candidates

by VICTORIA WRIGHT

photo editor jagwire.victoriawright@gmail.com

s we get deeper and deeper into this upcoming election, America seems to be becoming more divided. I’ve heard many people say that they aren’t going to vote because they think both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are awful candidates. However, no matter what political party you associate yourself with or your opinions on these two candidates, you should still vote. You may be thinking the same thing

that many other Americans are during this election: that both these candidates are not fit to run our country and that you don’t want to cast a vote for either of them. Clearly, you won’t agree with every single thing a candidate says, but find one that best represents your views and what you think should be done to help America. Still don’t want to vote? Despite what you think, every vote matters. In the 2012 presidential election, only about 60 percent of age-eligible voters voted and in the 2016 primaries, only about 30 percent of age-eligible voters voted according to a study conducted by Pew Research Center. With turnouts like these, only a small portion of the American people are being represented, resulting in an inaccurate representation of how the American people feel. Voting is also a right that you have as an American citizen; a right that others are fighting to help protect. There are men and women in our military do-

ing all they can to assure our rights. We owe it to them to uphold the rights they protect for us every day. Don’t take this opportunity you have for granted just because you think your vote won’t make a difference or because you don’t like either candidate. If a majority of people have this mentality, then who is going to get elected? Maybe someone you truly didn’t want running our country or someone that could end up doing more harm than good. You have an amazing opportunity living in America to choose who will lead the nation’s government, military and people. It’s a right that people in some other countries could only dream of having. Even I wish I was one year older, so I could vote in this election. Just remember, there’s a candidate out there for everyone and your vote really does matter. Don’t leave this election in the hands of everyone else; get out and do your part for our country, soldiers and most of all for yourself as an American citizen.

My Political beliefs do not define everything about me Stop judging people based solely on political opinions and values

by ALISON BOOTH

copy editor jagwire.alisonbooth@gmail.com

couple of weeks ago, I was hanging out with my friends after a Friday night football game. We were standing around talking, when all of the sudden a car drove by and yelled my name, along with a few tactless words relating to my political beliefs. This incident isn’t isolated; a few instances have occurred where people have developed opinions of me based on

opinions

my political beliefs and have vocalized these opinions through social media or in person. Instances such as these occur not only throughout our school but also in our society as a whole, applying too much pressure to political opinions. Ultimately, as a society, we need to stop judging people solely on their political values and instead see each other as nothing less than people. Now, I’m not saying political values aren’t important. My political beliefs play a huge part in how I define myself and have a large impact on my life and interests. However, they are not the end-all, be-all of who I am, and they should not greatly affect one’s attitude towards my character. The way one perceives another’s political views may not be completely accurate. Just because one associates themselves with a certain party doesn’t automatically mean they agree with

that particular party on all issues. It is completely OK to side with different parties on different issues. Instead of assuming one’s beliefs because of their party affiliation, start having discussions. If you don’t agree with someone else’s political views, there’s nothing wrong with that. But this systematic routine of judgement has become problematic. Instead of immediately disliking someone for their political views, have a political discussion with them. This can be extremely beneficial and can teach you vital information about both the opposing side and your personal beliefs. I never thought I would say this, but politics aren’t everything. While politics are extremely important in today’s age, especially in the era of an election, a person’s political opinion does not and should not define everything about them.

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do your own research on every presidential candidate Don’t rely on biased media sources as a basis for your entire opinion

by HUNTER RISTAU

business manager jagwire.hunterristau@gmail.com

ith less than a couple of weeks left before the American people vote in probably the most controversial election of our lifetime, people should know every candidate’s policies. This includes all of the pros and cons regarding the candidates, as well as their stances on certain issues. You can’t trust every video you watch or everything you read because of biased media and interference of personal opinions. This is why voters

should do their own research on all of the candidates. What the media says is not always accurate. With media giving biased opinions, it’s hard to depend on the news as an unbiased source. Depending on what media outlet you get your information from, coverage can have one-sided arguments to a specific candidate. For example, Fox News is more conservative which will lead the viewers to be more conservative standpoint. On the other hand, MSNBC appears to be more liberal than Fox. These biased sources may lead viewers to have similar views to that news source. This does not mean that all of the information regarding the candidates from the media is untruthful, it just might lead the voters to make unformed decision when it comes time for them to cast their vote. In order for you to make an informed decision about the candidates, you first need to know all of the candidates. People often forget that there is more than the obvious two parties: Republican

party and Democratic party. Therefore, you should research all candidates, including the third-party candidates. For example, libertarian Gary Johnson and running mate William Weld and green party candidate Jill Stein and running mate Ajamu Baraka should not be cut out of the race just because they’re not in the two-party system or because they don’t receive as much media coverage as the other candidates. These two candidates are just as important as the Democratic and Repulican nominees. People ultimately need to do their own research about the candidate they support. When researching before voting, you want to look at multiple news sources, not just one. Make sure that your news comes from a reliable news source, and to find a reliable news source you will have to look at multiple news sources and evaluate what each of them say. Just remember, when you’re able to go vote, you should know all the ins and outs of the candidates.

all candidates should be respected Regardless of where your views align, candidates deserve respect

by MARAH SHULDA

reporter and photographer jagwire.marahshulda@gmail.com

espect is not necessarily “liking” a person, but understanding that they deserve to be treated with civility. Many people choose to ignore a politician’s accomplishments because their views don’t align. Respecting candidates and their opinions can be a struggle to many, myself included. Hillary Clinton deserves the American people’s respect for many reasons.

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First of all, she is the first woman ever to make it this far in a U.S. presidential race. While she was first lady, she helped create the Congress Children’s Health Insurance Program, which helped give all children health insurance. She has always tried to help others and is very generous. People often focus on the mistakes she has made and overlook these accomplishments that she needs to be respected for. Trump is also ridiculed for some of his failures such as Trump Airlines, Trump: The game and Trump Casinos. Yet he always finds a way to bounce back and keep moving forward. I personally find many of Trump’s statements very offensive and it is hard for me to respect him. Becoming the Republican nominee is a big deal in it of itself and requires exceptional leadership

illustration by avery sheltra

skills and I respect him for that. In 1987, Trump founded the Trump Foundation which has donated money to multiple organizations such as the American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, Alliance for Lupus Research, Autism Speaks, Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America, and many more. One candidate may stand out as the clear-choice president and the other option may seem horrible, but both presidential candidates deserve our respect. In my opinion, respecting both candidates makes it easier to gain more knowledge and to form stronger opinions about politics and politicians. It seems hard to many of us, including me, but we have to respect all candidates and recognize the positives that they’ve done.

Design by nora lucas and ally nguyen

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RUNNING STRONG

After switching from volleyball to running, junior Britton Nelson finds success on both the track and the trail

by MORGAN GURWELL

managing editor jagwire.morgangurwell@gmail.com

by ABBY LAYTON

social media editor jagwire.abbylayton@gmail.com

Setting the Pace

In both track and field and cross country, junior Britton Nelson set multiple records

ABOVE: Junior Britton Nelson has gained numerous running accolades, including the school record in the two mile and Girls 5 KM. Photo by Claire Boone

t’s a great accomplishment for any athlete to win a state title, but it’s even more remarkable for junior Britton Nelson. She started out playing volleyball her freshman year, but became a track state champion just over a year later. Other than middle school track, running had never been a big part of Nelson’s life. It wasn’t until the track season of her freshman year that she fell in love with the sport. The following fall sports season, she switched to cross country because, according to Nelson, she “was a lot better at running than volleyball and … loved the people.” Her improvement throughout the seasons is displayed by multiple first place race finishes, setting two new school records and a state title in the 4x800. Nelson believes that the tremendous amount of progress she’s made is a combination of both skill and dedication. “[I] kept working hard and there was some natural talent, I guess,” Nelson said. “I’m pretty motivated, so I can push myself when I want to and need to.” In addition to her own hard work, Nelson attributes her success to the bond with her current and former teammates. “We are all really close, especially last year with the seniors. When you’re running together, you kind of have to be close because they help you push yourself,” Nelson said. “It’s not always

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easy to be motivated, but they make it fun.” According to 2016 graduate Ellie Wilson, who was also a part of last year’s 4x800 state champion team, it’s been rewarding not only to have grown so close to Nelson through running, but also to watch her progress. “Running is a difficult sport, but looking at Britton, you wouldn’t guess that. I have so much respect for how positive and hard-working she is, both at meets and in practice,” Wilson said via email. “It’s been amazing to see that in combination with how much talent she has.” Head cross country coach Mark Chipman believes that there are multiple factors that contribute to Nelson’s success in cross country. “She’s a hard worker, she’s a leader and she shows the other kids the right way to do things,” Chipman said. “I think she’s gotten a lot more confident both athletically and overall. It’s helped her become stronger.” Nelson realized how much her dedication had paid off when she won a state title last spring. “I’d say I’ve come a long way. Freshman year, I didn’t even go to state for track and so I definitely did not expect to go there and medal and everything,” Nelson said. “After that happened, I kind of could see how far I had come and that I can keep pushing myself to get better.”

design by braden shaw and Jakob Twigg

4x800 Relay State CHAMP

11:35 Girls 2-Mile Record

19:36 Girls 5 KM Record

First place Finish at Rim rock Farm

ABOVE: Nearing the finish line on Thursday, Oct. 6, junior Britton Nelson takes first. “I definitely have to lead a lot which is different for me, but I am still learning,” Nelson said. Photo by Claire Boone

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Three things about

zero hour you said it

Athletes regularly participate in zero hour, a morning fitness practice

by MORGAN GURWELL

managing editor jagwire.morgangurwell@gmail.com

Athletes give their opinions on the best and worst parts of zero hour

“The best part is just lifting with my buds. The worst part is getting up

[early].”

“The best part is . . . you’re getting better and it’s just a good time with everyone. The worst is being sore the next day.”

JUNIOR CLARK HARRIS

JUNIOR EVAN RICE

on the board

A look into some of the current weight room records

MILL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL WEIGHT ROOM RECORDS CURRENT TOP Three

Squat

Clean

Bench

Vertical inches

seconds

5x10x5

Boudreaux 540

Boudreaux 380

Boudreaux 275

Hartman 36.5

Hartman 4.51

Donn 3.89

Zars 519

Graviette 333

Ballagan 274

Sosoya 36

Vomhof 4.6

Bergeron 4.15

Garrison 487

Milne 315

Derritt 267

Bergeron 35.5

Meljanac 4.66

Boudreaux 4.16

Munsterman Flaming, Rice Trauernicht 288 473 245

Midyett 34

Ashford 4.51

Rice 4.07

Talley 439

Valencia 286

Rice 33

Young 4.56

Talley 4.11

Young 405

Young 280

Hinkle 4.6

Young 4.18

pounds

GRADES

11-12

GRADES

9-10

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pounds

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pounds

Rice 239

Ngo, Young Talley, States 236 32.5

seconds

OverTime An inside look and additonal coverage on this season’s sports and athletes

breaking it down

Senior Alec Derritt gives an estimated time schedule of his zero hour workout

ABOVE: Squatting 365 pounds, senior Alec Derritt finishes his last workout of the day on Monday, Oct. 10. Photo by Avery Sheltra

6:00 a.m.

Wake up