JagWire | Volume 8 | Issue 2 | Nov. 2007 by JagWire

AN OPEN FORUM FOR STUDENT EXPRESSION

EMERALD RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL.12405 184TH ST E SOUTH HILL, WA 98374

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14 >> Divorce at ER

‘Irreconcilable differences’

17 >> Good vs. Bad

Every student at Emerald Ridge, whether they know it or not, has at least one friend with divorced parents. JagWire investigates the various causes and effects of divorce for students at Emerald Ridge.

Mariano Leon-Geurerro is known to most students as the counselor with an iron grip and a heart of gold. But the story behind the handshake is one of perseverance and bravery that everyone can learn from.

Photo Woes

‘A Perfect Salute’

Due to errors on the part of Perler Photography, most students who paid for Homecoming pictures didn’t get them until days after they were delivered to the school. What happened to Homecoming?

News >>03

Op/Ed >>08

Water Polo State-Bound Features >>11

Sports >>20

A talented team has led the boys water polo team to state once more. But the road to state was not a simple one. Read about what led to their success, then go to their game at Rogers on Friday, Nov. 2.

A&E >>25

NEWS

City stops teenage drinking Community adopts new task force with the purpose and intent of stopping dangerous underage drinking by

KELSEY HOWLAND

REPORTER

Captain Morgan, Jack Daniels, R & R; these are some illegally obtained alcoholic beverages that teens get their hands on after a school dance. However, not all attendees make the decision to indulge in the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Since October is Homecoming month, parties happen every night of the weekend. Because of this, law officials, concerned parents and members of our community adopted the Tacoma Pierce County DUI Task

Force and Pierce County Leadership for Alcohol-Free Youth. This “party patrol,” as it is known, is searching out high school to young adultaged parties being held with underaged drinking. The whole point of the task force is to limit teen injuries and injuries caused by intoxicated teens. However, Rogers High School and Emerald Ridge High School are not within their jurisdiction. South Hill does not have the resources to have a specialized team for parties alone. “Every night of every day there are patrol deputies that respond to all complaints of a party,” Deputy Papen, the resource officer for Emerald Ridge said. On the homecoming weekend for Rogers High School, the evening police patrol of South Hill found and broke up a party where

Busch, Coors Light, Millers and mixed drinks were present. “The cops just came in the back door and said ‘You guys are busted,’” Rogers senior Liana Yeoman said. The house had about 40 guests, with Emerald Ridge students amongst the crowd. “Everyone that was intoxicated tried running away,” Yeoman said. “Most got away.” “Anybody we catch under 21 with alcohol on board will be arrested,” Officer Micah Wilson, a Puyallup Police officer and law enforcement coordinator for the evening patrol, stated in an interview with The Puyallup Herald on Oct. 11. “Anybody responsible for the premises will also be arrested, or anyone identified as furnishing alcohol to minors. The night of this party however, none of the partygoers were taken into custody.

“They made the people who were left in the house sit on the living room floor,” Yeoman said. “We sat there while they antagonized us.” There was a boy laying in the front yard with alcohol poisoning who was taken away by the paramedics. The police told the remaining twelve kids sitting on the floor of the living room that if the boy died, they would be held responsible. The police then took the names of the students, while the boy who hosted the house party was questioned. As soon as the police heard word from the paramedics that the boy with alcohol poisoning was going to be okay everyone being held in the house was released. “What’s important is the welfare of the kids,” Papen said. “A secure environment and to make sure medical aid is there.”

Proposed joint levy to end super majority voting Washington state Constitution may face amendment if House Joint Resolution 4202 passes, which will end the current super majority vote by

RACHEL WEBBER

REPORTER

On Nov. 6, registered voters across the state will have the opportunity to approve or reject House Joint Resolution (HJR) 4202, a proposed amendment to the Washington state Constitution which would authorize a simple majority vote for school levies. While other propositions require only a 50 percent plus one simple majority to be approved, school bonds and levies

are an exception, requiring a super majority vote. “It is about fairness,” Rich Wood, Washington State Education spokesperson said. “It takes a supermajority to pass a school levy for kids, but we can build a sports stadium with a simple majority vote.” This issue was last brought to the public’s attention in 1944 when the super majority law was added to the Washington State Constitution (Amendment 17, Article 7, Section 2). “We are the only state in the union that has that type of language in the constitution,” Washington State senator, Jim Kastama said. Currently, bonds and levies require a 60 percent super majority vote to pass. Also, the number of people voting on a levy must equal a minimum of 40 percent of the number

of voters who voted in the last general election. HJR 4202 would apply only to levies, not bonds. “There were not enough votes (for bonds) in the legislature,” Kastama said Levies pay for about 20 percent of educational program and material costs. “School levies pay for smaller class sizes, teachers, sports, and other important things that Emerald Ridge students need,” Wood said. According to Kastama, if HJR 4202 does not pass, the earliest it would be resubmitted is within the next ten to 12 years. “The ‘legislative memory’ as I call it is ten to 12 years,” Kastama said. “The soonest we would look at it (again) is in 12 years.”

Are you looking for adventure... friendship, new skills, leadership opportunities, a lifelong sport, and just plain fun? Come sailing with us on the 1938, 90” yawl, The Odyssey, every Thursday night on Commencement Bay. Check out this co-ed program at www.sssodyssey.org and be prepared to make some new friends!

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NEWS

The News in Brief Elementary earns award by

KRISTIN ANDERSON

REPORTER

Three elementary schools were named, “School of Distinction” by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). They were honored during a ceremony on Oct.10, in Des Moines. Hunt, Fruitland and Wildwood Elementary Schools were among the schools recognized in the ceremony. This award acknowledges the top 5 percent of the state’s 2,500 elementary, middle and high schools. It is considered to be a significant honor. Fifty-one elementary schools in the

state were selected for the award. Each school was given a trophy and a banner. The trophies presented were starshaped and the banners read: “School of Distinction – 2007 State Superintendent’s Learning Improvement Award.” Attendees of the ceremony included Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson, Superintendent Tony Apostle, Instructional Support Jay Reifel, Executive Director of Elementary School Leadership Lynne Rosellini, and Puyallup School Board Director Diana Seeley. Fifteen staff members from each of the three schools also attended.

Empty defibrillator box by

ASHLEE PITIGLIANO

REPORTER

In early October, a defibrillator box was installed on the wall under the stairs in the commons. Since the box is currently empty, many students are confused as to what it is for. “I wish I could just think of something, and when I opened the box it was in there,” senior Craig Tuschoff said, “like a cheeseburger or something.” A defibrillator delivers a dose of electrical energy to a person’s heart that has stopped beating, essentially restarting the heart and saving their life. The box is a safety measure put in to

protect staff, students, and visitors from life-threatening heart situations that may occur during school. It provides help for sports teams that practice or have games after school. “There are about 1600 people here every day,” Assistant Principal Troy Hodge said, “and research states that the sooner the heart restarts, the better chance they have of surviving.” The actual defibrillators, which are at Sparks Stadium, have not yet been installed; Hodge planned to have them in by mid October. “Hopefully we’ll never use it,” Hodge said, “but if we have to, it’s ready to go.”

Clothing donation bins by

KRISTIN ANDERSON

REPORTER

Red donation bins have been placed outside of the gym to help the community. The bins were delivered several weeks after school started and will remain on school property as long as necessary. “It is an indefinite contract,” 2007 graduate Jaryd Madlena said. Madlena was given the task of organizing the new bins. “Mr. Lowney e-mailed (Students for

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Global Wellness adviser Rebecca) Waller and they decided to put this in my hands,” said Madlena, who has been involved in Students for Global Wellness. Students are asked to donate clean clothes and shoes. For every pound of clothing donated the school receives two cents which will be used for Students for Global Wellness. “It is a convenient place for students to donate things that other people can wear,” Madlena said.

Perler Photography issues Perler Photography fails to meet needs for students who purchased pictures at the homecoming dance by

BRIAN SVOBODA

REPORTER

Due to an error in Perler Photography’s computer system, not all students received their pictures on Oct. 29. When the pictures had been received by the school on Oct. 29, several students found pictures of other people in their packets or with wrong package sets. Perler maintains that the barcodes were labeled incorrectly and that because of this some pictures were placed in the wrong packages. At first lunch, after mounting problems, the administration stopped the distribution of photos to students. They were sent back to Perler so that the complications could be fixed. Considering Perler has provided great service in the past, the administration has not expressed interest in altering the contract. “How Perler reacts to the situations is most important,” Assistant Principal Troy Hodge said on Oct. 30. “People make mistakes.” The pictures were returned promptly during lunches on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 after only a two day delay. A misunderstanding with the ER leadership team and Perler had students waiting for up to two hours in line for photos at the Homecoming dance.

The leadership class expected six setups and photographers in the upper gym throughout the duration of the dance. However, all witness accounts testify to there being only three set-ups in addition to the one photographer. This created tension between the leadership class and Perler Photography. “We were disappointed with the single photographer after we had been told six were coming,” said senior Lynn Smith. Three other affiliates were sent to help place people, but the photographer had to take all the photos himself. This, along with the 900 attending students, severely delayed the portraits. Before the dance took place, Perler also spent two weeks redelivering the Homecoming posters after misprinting them: ‘A Night in Emerald City’ became ‘A Night in the Emerald City,’ a subtle change, but still enough to necessitate a reprint. The impression that such problems give reflects badly on the leadership team’s abilities, as well as on all their hard work in setting up the dance. Each issue by itself was relatively minor, but the combined factors made the gravity of the situation far worse. ER’s contract with Perler is determined by the bids the district holds year-to-year between companies who manage specific areas, like B & B for sports photographs and Coca-Cola in the vending machines. They award the contract to whomever the district decides will provide the best quality-to-cost ratio.

NEWS

Student learns what it takes to be a senator in DC Girls Nation gives young women the opportunity to participate in a government simulation program by

DEVIN FLOYD

REPORTER

For the past 60 years in Washington D.C., American Legion has hosted their annual government education program known as Girls Nation. Girls Nation is a female student-based program that teaches participants the duties that a US senator must carry out in a short week. This past year, Emerald Ridge’s own Courtney Covington, a senior, was able to attend Girls Nation, traveling to Washington D.C. as one of Washington State’s delegates. Girls Nation is very difficult to attend because each state (excluding Hawaii) sends only two delegates, positions which the girls must compete for at Girls State. Girls State is similar to Girls Nation, but at the state rather than the national level. Covington first became interested in the idea of Girls State after hearing about it from the previous year’s participants. “I’m really interested in politics and, one

day when I was in AP World the girls from last year came in and told us about it, so I applied,” Covington said. While participating at Girls State everyone has the opportunity to run for a senatorial position by giving a speech and campaigning for the spot. This is a very difficult task to achieve, according to Covington. “I’d never been in front of that many people before and there where several difficult steps to follow in order to try for the spot,” Covington said. Nevertheless she was capable of gathering the votes needed to continue on to Girls Nation in Washington D.C. Following her win for representative of the state of Washington, Covington and Hope Rubinkowski, her fellow delegate, next needed to submit a bill or resolution to Girls Nation. The two decided to adopt the Kyoto Protocol on global warming as their resolution, landing them in Washington D.C. While in Washington D.C., Covington participated in several mock senate sessions where she and other delegates formed committees and conducted hearings on bills that they had created. During session the girls had to speak in Parliamentary Procedure or “Parli Pro,” a complex form of

speech used in congress to keep procedures opportunity for students who are interested in politics and helping shape the governorganized during session. After the session ended for the day, the ment for tomorrow. ER sends two girls and girls were able to visit many sites in the two boys to Girls and Boys State every year nation’s capital and see some esteemed and every one of the previous participants has enjoyed their time spent in Washington political leaders. “I was able to hear the President speak D.C. It is a great way for future politicians to get a hands on experience with the way and saw the Dalai Lama,” Covington said. While Covington said Girls Nation was a our government works. great experience, she felt that she enjoyed Girls State more. “I liked Girls State better because the girls there seemed to have a greater knowledge of government than at Girls Nation,” Covington said. Covington felt Girls Nation was important for societal reasons. “It gives a chance for girls to experience government, which is under-looked in today’s society,” Covington said. Girls Nation is an Covington and Rubinkowski stand with Senator Cantwell at Girls Nation.

New club focuses on discovering aspiring politicians by

KATELYN KREMPL

REPORTER

Attention future political leaders of America: A club called Junior Statesman of America (JSA) has been recently established to focus on supporting students who are genuinely interested in politics and government. JSA meets on Tuesdays during JAG in room D220. AP U.S. History and American Studies teacher Brad Mirk is the adviser to this parliamentary-inspired club. “We are looking to encourage students who have a passion for politics and government issues,” Mirk said. The president and founder of JSA senior Tae-Hun Lee is enthusiastic about the future of this program. After attending Georgetown University’s summer program Lee was pumped to get the students at ER involved. These politically driven students are encouraged to lead and participate in complex discussions and debates that help bring about better understanding of government operations in the states. Senior Courtney Covington was recently elected into a position of leadership in JSA alongside Lee and Sophomore Ben Rieke. Covington shares her enthusiasm for JSA’s potential and describes some of the upcoming events that she Junior Statesmen of America President Tae-Hun Lee discovered the is looking forward to. “We will be taking a trip to Olympia,” Covington said program at a summer workshop in Washington D.C. at Georgetown.

Photo courtesy of Courtney Covington (top), photo by Brianna Lantz (bottom)

JSA also provides learning opportunities in both local and non-local conventions. There will be an upcoming state convention in the fall in which students will be participating in mock government and political skits. The students in JSA will also get many opportunities to listen to guest speakers with clear insight of the political world. “I really enjoy discussing politics with people who are genuinely interested in the topic and actually have an understanding of it,” Covington said. The club in itself seems to prove as a beneficial extra curricular activity to the students who are involved. The students are able to discuss topics and political relations thoroughly that are otherwise excluded from the given curriculum at ER. JSA has an awesome environment that gives political discussions an enjoyable twist. Currently JSA is looking for other government enthusiasts that are interested in joining to reach out to an enhanced population of students at ER. “We are always happy welcoming new students to join in,” Mirk said. Students are not expected to be born political leaders in order to join. A huge focus is to give the students a fun experience that deals with informing people on the interesting aspects of government relations. “Joining JSA is a great opportunity to stay involved.” Lee said. “It looks good on college applications.”

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NEWS

Success in Challenge Day leads to understanding Challenge day activities help students to communicate with each other by

AMANDA WYMA

REPORTER

There were tears, apologies, and new beginnings for students as Emerald Ridge took part in the nationwide Challenge Day program. The vast majority of students who took part in this effort to stop the violence and alienation that youth face on a day-today basis found it extremely inspiring on many levels. Challenge Day consisted of nearly one hundred students who participated in a myriad of icebreakers, group time, and constructive discussion with others in a more open and safe environment. The participants of Challenge Day were selected by teachers and by the “Be the Change” team. The “Be the Change” team consisted of multiple students from different grade levels (sophomore Ryan Maxfield, junior Anna Edwards, and seniors Danny Canham and

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Natalie Hoagland). These leaders helped the coordinating staff select students to invite, led Challenge Day and assisted in the events. Perhaps the most powerful of these activities was the “Cross the Line” activity. Students were read a list of common, yet distinctive issues they may have been exposed to (usually dealing with family, race, or social class). Then the students were asked to cross the line if they had ever dealt with or been effected by it before. Nearly everyone involved commented about this activity, and the way it was able to show the reality of other people’s hardships, and how everyone has similar issues. “It gave everyone the opportunity to realize they aren’t alone in the problems they face on a day to day basis,” senior Natalie Hoagland said, “and also to see the immense number of people who have experienced horrible problems throughout their lives.” Even administrators present seem to be quite impressed with the reaction from students about this activity. “The “Cross the Line” activity gave me the

chance to see the reality of what students and staff have gone through in their lifetimes,” assistant principal Troy Hodge said. “It really helped me learn how to respect and realize we all have a lot of the same issues to deal with. Everyone seemed to have been able to take something from Challenge Day, whether it be healing for damaged emotions or listening to others and realizing they are not alone in their struggles.” Though administration was most excited about the activities done during Challenge day, The “Be the Change” team members expressed enthusiasm for post-Challenge Day behavior. “The best part of Challenge Day was watching everyone stay so excited about accepting the daily challenge of change even a week after the event,” Hoagland said. Administrators also witnessed students and staff beginning to unite throughout the day; they saw students from all corners of different cliques come together. “I think the most impacting part for me during Challenge Day was watching all of the students connect, and realizing that our

similarities come through our uniqueness,” assistant principal Collette Stewart said. While administration was excited about the activities, “Be the Change” team also came away with positive feelings. “I believe Challenge Day was beneficial to Emerald Ridge because it gave students who wouldn’t normally get to know each other the chance to interact and connect on a deeper level than they would on a normal school day,” senior Danny Canham said. Nick Brooks shared a similar opinion. He has a brother coping with Downs Syndrome, and Challenge Day seemed to have stirred up an emotional side to him that others might not have seen before. “It was life changing,” Brooks said. All in all, it seems as if all participants of ER’s 2007 Challenge day departed from the school grounds with something meaningful to take with them. “I feel everyone left with something.” Senior Colin Sprague said. “For me it was having the opportunity to lead others in the healing process, while for some, it was simply the chance to be heard.”

NEWS

D affodil 2007 A Q&A

with the ladies running for princess Kelsey Craft

Tiara Gero

ASB-Cheerleading-Track-Coach-Work What makes you different from everyone else who is trying out? I’m very vocal, I’m not afraid to say what’s on my mind and I’m super loud. What is the hardest part about the competition? I think the hardest part is your speech and resume, and your bio, you’re always wondering if its’ going to be good enough. Who do you most look up to? Why? I most look up my mother. She’s amazing and super strong. She’s a single mother of two, and a manager at Boeing. She’s never given up on anything and it is never afraid to try anything which has made me the same way.

Cheerleading-Youth Group-French ClubJunior States of America-Teaching Academy What are you most nervous about? Not being able to show my true personality to those who don’t know me.

K elsey C raft

What do you hope to achieve in the community? I want to be the role model for girls around this community. I want them to have someone to look up to and inspire them. Who do you most look up to? Why? My grandma. She is the nicest person I’ve ever met. She’s always positive and never has anything bad to say about anyone. That truly takes courage to always say nice things. I love her more than anything.

T iara G ero

Sarah Rasmussen

Anna Anderson

Senior Class Officer-Leadership-DECA-ASL Club-Golf-Work at Tacoma Country Club What is the hardest part about the competition? The hardest part about the competition is writing your speech, it’s hard to tell if yours will really stand out. What does being a princess mean to you? Being a princess means that you have respect for yourself and people around you. Also that you have outstanding character and responsibility. Why did you decide to get involved in Daffodil? Being a part of this experience has always been something I have been interested in. It’s a great way to be in involved in the community and it has been fun so far.

DECA Chapter Secretary-Cheerleading-Senior Class Officer-Leadership-Spanish ClubInternship at Puyallup Four Square Why did you decide to get involved in Daffodil? I decided to get involved in Daffodil mainly because I feel it is a great way to strengthen my leadership and Emerald Ridge and in the community. It is a great program to be a part of. Not to mention getting to know all the girls. Finally, my sister was Daffodil Princess in 2005. I watched her go through the whole process and that really inspired me. What does being a princess mean to you? To me, being a princess means being a positive role model. Not just a girl wearing a crown and a dress but someone of purity, humility and grace. Who do you most look up to? Why? I most look up to my youth pastor Chad Veach. He’s helped me to learn so much about life and faith combined. He lives a life that I aspire to live.

A nna A nderson

Heidi Osborne

Jag Crew-Yearbook Editor-Volunteer for Special Olympics and Habitat for Humanity Why did you decide to get involved in Daffodil? I have always been interested in Daffodil and I really enjoy going to the parades and seeing the princesses. Last year’s princess Erin James and I were really good friends, and once she won it inspired me even more to run. Regardless of the outcome, the experience of running is an amazing thing in itself. What are you most nervous about? I am most nervous about the selection night. I am not only nervous for myself but all the girls. I hope every one gives their speech and answer their questions perfectly. I am nervous and excited to find out who wins because after all the practice and preparation, no matter who wins they deserve it fully. What does being a princess mean to you? Being a princess means representing my school and my community in a positive way. It would be a once in a lifetime opportunity where I would get to be a role model to others. I would get to meet lots of new people, and help out in my community. If I am selected it would be an experience that I would truly be honored to have.

S arah R asmussen This year’s Daffodil Parade theme is “75 Years Remembering Your First Daffodil Parade.” Nine seniors will compete for Emerald Ridge’s Daffodil Princess crown on Nov. 20 at 7pm. The young woman selected will represent ER in the parade and other community activities.

Ansley Tworek

DECA-DECA Class Officer-Senior Class Officer-Jag Crew-Leadership-Honor Society-Homecoming Chair-Club VolleyballVolunteer at Metro Animal Shelter What is the hardest part about the competition? The hardest part of the competition for me is completing all the paperwork and out speeches while juggling school work, volleyball and a job. Who do you most look up to? Why? I look up to my dad the most because he shows great strength and he is driven at whatever he does and is just an all around great person What are you most nervous about? The thing I am most nervous about is being the first candidate to give their speech.

H eidi O sborne

A nsley T worek

Shay Wilhelm

S hay W ilhelm

Symone Stout

Jag Crew-Concert Choir-Teaching Academy-Church Leadership What do you hope to achieve in the community? I hope to be able to help those who feel left out in the community to feel included, and to just help the community be a better, safer, more enjoyable place. Who do you most look up to? Why? I look up to my mom the most, because she is a strong woman and she show that she loves me, no matter what I may do. What is the hardest part about the competition? Getting everything turned in on time, and getting everything completed the right way. Also, writing the essay and speech.

S ymone S tout

Photo by Ashley Vincent

MLK Leadership-Concert and Chamber Choir-Adventure ClubSpanish Club-Girls WrestlingTennis-Puyallup Community Girls Choir-Sea Scouts What makes you different from everyone else who is trying out? I’m not the typical girl, I guess. I sail and wrestle but at the same time I’d love to be a princess. What does being a princess mean to you? It means being a part of generations of tradition. It means upholding Daffodil as a position for caring, intelligent, and respectful girls, and not just as a beauty pageant. Who do you most look up to? Why? Mr. Shipley, my skipper, He’s taught me how to be the best I can, to persevere, to challenge myself, and gives me support.

Katie Mitchell

a blessing. I have learned so much from my little brother, but especially how to be patient and unselfish. What does being a princess mean to you? Being a princess means that you get to be an example of responsibility to everyone around you, and that you are respected for the way that you live your life. Who do you most look up to? Why? I most look up to my older sister. She has gone through many hard times in her life, and watching her persevere gives me the strength to do everything hard in my life.

K atie M itchell

Spanish Club-Key Club What makes you different from everyone else who is trying out? I have a 16-year-old brother with high functioning autism. Much of my life has been centered on whether I had been spending enough time home with him. Some may see this as a sacrifice, but I see at as

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OP/ED

End ignorance to end drinking STAFF T

here are certain unspoken facets of high school: that homework doesn’t get done until the last minute, that the second a teacher leaves the room conversation erupts, and that most students, before they graduate, will drink alcohol despite the fact that they are underage. Because underage drinking is so prevalent, the laws against it are barely being enforced. During Rogers’ Homecoming weekend, a party with alcohol was interrupted by police. Even though one of the underage guests had alcohol poisoning, no one at the party was held accountable for their actions. No one was arrested or even charged with a crime, not even the parents who owned the house the party was at. The law was not enforced. To the credit of the police officers who responded, action was threatened against the guests in the event that the guest with alcohol poisoning died. Thankfully, he did not, and everyone got off scot-free. But threats are not enough. There is a reason that people under the age of 21 are not allowed to drink. The parts of the brain that determine judgment and reasoning are not fully developed even until the age of 24. Students who drink under the legal age are more likely to make bad judgment calls, including drinking and driving and drinking

the fine print Emerald Ridge High School 12405 184th St. E. South Hill, WA 98374 253-435-6300

Editorial Mission

As an open forum, JagWire exercises student free expression rights to their fullest extent. We pursue an unbiased truth while maintaining the highest journalistic integrity. Our top priority is to raise awareness while covering a wide variety of issues that impact our readership. By exploring different angles to make sure

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themselves to death. If the laws don’t get enforced, even if the offenders are caught, then a blank check is written to underage kids to drink as much as they want, with no fear of punishment. The fault for the underage drinking epidemic can be placed squarely on the shoulders of those who know about parties where underage drinking occurs and do nothing about it. Accountability is needed, from all involved. The police need to enforce the laws of the state and the nation. Parents need to take active steps to ensure that they keep their – or anybody else’s – alcohol from their children. And friends of students who go out and get drunk every weekend need to protect their friends from themselves. Action is the only thing that can make this problem better. Those who know about underage drinking need to stop pretending like it’s not happening, rip off the band-aid of their own ignorance, and take the steps necessary to prevent it.

Editorials are composed by, and are the opinion of, the JagWire editorial board.

EDITORIAL BOARD..........................................MORGAN T. GARD . ....................................................................................... GERRY LECONTE . ...........................................................................................LAUREN SMITH . ...................................................................................... ASHLEY VINCENT . ...................................................................................DALLAS M. WELKER COPY EDITOR....................................................................MIMI SISON DESIGN MANAGER ...................................... HEATHER GORMAN BUSINESS MANAGER.................................... ANDY DICKERSON CIRCULATION MANAGER............................... STASIE HENSON REPORTERS................................................................ MEGAN ALBERT . ............................................................................... KRISTEN ANDERSON . ......................................................................................LAUREN BARRON . ........................................................................................ LEXI BROCKAMP . .....................................................................................DANNY CANHAM . ..........................................................................................KAITLIN CLARK . .................................................................................................DEMI CRAIG . .........................................................................................ALIESHA DRIVAS . ...........................................................................................NATE DUMLAO . ...................................................................................... ADAM FANGMAN . ..............................................................................................DEVIN FLOYD . .................................................................................. KELSEY HOWLAND ....................................................................................................JOSH JOYCE . ....................................................................................................KATE KAYE . ...................................................................................... KATELYN KREMPL . ....................................................................................................BRI LANTZ . .......................................................................................LINDSAY NOLAN . ....................................................................................ALANNA NUGENT . ........................................................................................ ASHLEY O’BRIEN . ................................................................................. ASHLEE PITIGLIANO . .................................................................................... BRIANNA ROGERS .......................................................................... JULIA SERVA-DELMONTE ................................................................................KRISTEN STEENBEEKE .........................................................................................BRIAN SVOBODA ............................................................................................... TESSA TORRES ...................................................................................................... ZAC TRAN .......................................................................................... RACHEL WEBBER ..........................................................................................AMANDA WYMA ADVISER............................................................................KEVIN SMYTH AFFILIATES

JEA, NSPA, SPJ, WJEA, WSJA

our coverage is fair, balanced and accurate, we seek to continue the publication’s tradition of excellence through self-reflection and improvement. Letters Policy JagWire will accept unsolicited copy from students, staff and community members. Only signed and dated letters with address and phone number from community members, or grade level from students, will be accepted. Letters should be limited to 300 words and will be published as space is available. All letters are the sole opinion of the writers, and the staff reserves the right to edit any letter for space and/or clarity. We will not publish material that may substantially

disrupt the school process. Letters to the editor may be submitted by mailing them to JagWire c/o Emerald Ridge High School, or by e-mailing them to ksmyth@puyallup.k12.wa.us. Advertising Mission The JagWire publication staff accepts advertisements for most products and services available to the public. However, the staff reserves the right to reject, edit or cancel any advertisement that the staff deems offensive in light of normal public standards. Ads identifying students as athletes by photo or text (WIAA 18.20.0 and 18.20.1) also will not be accepted. The staff will not accept advertising that is racist, sexist or illegal for high school students.

OP/ED

“ “ 12” 11” 10” STAFF” Not everybody should be a winner in high school the voice of the people:

Do you think underage drinking should be more strictly punished?

“

No, the laws are strict enough. -Philip Westfall, senior

n Sept. 27, the leadership class held elections for sophomore class officers. Eight kids ran for seven spots, meaning that one sophomore would have to remain unelected. In response to this potentially damaging blow to a frail sophomore’s spirit, the ultimate number of elected positions was changed – to exactly the number of kids running. The administration seems to be afraid of excluding anybody from anything, even if that particular process – such as an election – is defined by picking the best and excluding the worst. Even fun deterrents from the typical high school syndrome, such as Color Splash and Gender Defender, have been cancelled because of the air of competition they fostered and perpetuated. Even sports, an institution founded on competition, are not immune to this policy. Students are asked to cheer for ER’s teams when they do well, and when they do not, students are asked to cheer for a job well done. Were it not such a staple of the sport, scoring might have been removed from football entirely halfway through last season. The precedent is not that far off. At other schools, students are forced to take a test to be admitted into the AP program. At ER, anybody who wants in gets in whether they are qualified and able or not. The irony and contradiction in this practice is that those students who are unqualified for the AP program wind up doing poorly in the class, damaging their self-esteem more than any letter of denial could. High school is supposed to prepare students for their lives after school. The first of these lessons should be that it is impossible to succeed in life without competing with others. Job interviews and college applications are two of the most competitive and selective processes a person can take part in, but students are ER are not getting prepared for competition of this magnitude. This policy also goes against the intentions of the administration and the district. Schools have to be competitive in order to get fund-

“

Everybody’s gonna do it anyway. It’s not like (the police) can sit in the house. -Ashley Pickens, junior

Yeah, the law is there for a reason. -Nathan McCurtain, sophomore

Yes. Alcohol’s available at every home, and unfortunately not supervised. -Sandra Cash, Main Office Secretary

ing. At school board meetings, representatives only present the good side of what’s happening at their schools in order to make it seem like they deserve more funds than they actually might. The school board is the ultimate decision-making body, and if they don’t receive a favorable analysis of the goings-on in the school then the school might not receive so many resources. Competition between schools is at the very heart of the funding process. A school cannot eliminate competition in its halls and at the same time hope to be competitive itself. When both philosophies get embraced, like at ER, the likelihood for failure on both ends increases exponentially. Everyone might be a winner at ER, but everyone is not a winner in real life. Editorials are composed by, and are the opinion of, the JagWire editorial board.

Want some extra business? To advertise in JagWire, contact us at (253)435-6348 volumeEIGHT.issueTWO

OP/ED

Education should include real life I nde p e nde nc e – something most teens are striving for. If you listen closely, you can hear the faint, tentative whisper of “freedom,” floating through the hallways. But then Aliesha Drivas it is stifled. Stifled, Commentary like the joyful cries of “Merry Christmas!” or the cheerful, sugar-induced bellows of “Happy Halloween!” Stifled, like the engaging conversations in Mr. White’s class. “AP psychology is my favorite class,” junior Corey James said. “The conversations we have in there stick to my brain. He gets in trouble a lot though.” Teachers are barred from discussing controversial issues such as sexual preference, religion, and gay marriage. However most of these issues correlate to current events, something most teachers like students to

keep up on. These issues are out there, in the real world, and we are going to come across them sooner or later. Why not have educated conversations about them now? Ignoring these is-

“

AP PSYCHOLOGY IS MY FAVORITE CLASS. THE CONVERSTATIONS WE HAVE IN THERE STICK TO MY BRAIN. HE GETS IN TROUBLE A LOT THOUGH.

sues is giving teens license to be ignorant children. Why, in a place where we come to be educated, are we condoning ignorance? The answer is simple. If these conversations are held in class, students may get offended, and offended students tend to bring about heavy lawsuits. Teachers are banned from mentioning even trivial things like Halloween and Christmas because they might offend someone who is a Wiccan or a non-Christian person. “We were talking about a Christmas party in advisory,” junior Nasia Mead said, “and

GOT

another student pointed out that I was Muslim. They changed it to a ‘holiday party’ I don’t really care what you call it. It’s just

—Corey James, said

”

a party to have fun. It’s not going to change my beliefs or who I am.” If people were actually able to keep a level head instead of getting irate when another person expresses a different opinion than them, we would be able to have

substantial and interesting conversations in the classroom. People get so wrapped up in their own thoughts they have no room for the opinions of others. Being impressionable young teens, the government also feels that we will believe everything teachers tell us. This may be true of factual evidence we can find in books or other references, but it is not true of opinions. An opinion is a belief or view held without grounds to produce complete certainty. In the end, it’s really about how tolerant and understanding you are as a person. Being strong in your beliefs does not mean that you have to crush everyone else’s ideas beneath your feet. Being strong in your views is about hearing and learning about other people’s views without flying off the handle. When everyone can achieve this, then perhaps we can and should be able to have intriguing and controversial conversations in a school setting.

Visit us online at www. getjagwired.com To contribute story ideas, or letters to the editor visit room E157 or contact us at jagwire.newsmagazine@gmail.com

10 volumeEIGHT.issueTWO

FEATURE

A legendary handshake Mariano Leon-Guerrero is well known around campus for his tough grip but many students do not realize where he learned it from by

DEMI CRAIG

REPORTER

When a class erupts in joy at the idea of having a story on a certain staff member, there is good reason to listen to its voice. Counselor Mariano Leon-Guerrero (LG) is hard to dislike, always smiling and willing to shake a hand. Born in a town called Dededo in Guam, he carries on a tradition that is used by the natives. His ‘special’ handshake – a grip that is extremely strong and pulled to his head-is a form of respect and courtesy. “In the island it is usually a younger person to an elder showing respect,” LG said. “Here I make it equal.” LG spent his life in Guam until he was 17, living with his father, younger sister and older brother. School was a good experience for him and he was eager to graduate, thinking of all the different pathways he could choose from. “It was an exciting time,” LG said. “I wanted to be an architect, an engineer, a teacher, a principal like my uncles were.” When LG was 17, his brother was drafted into the Vietnam War. Once LG graduated from school, he too joined the war. “I didn’t wait for the draft,” LG said. “I knew it was coming. I was healthy

LG is a member of the Army Rangers Hall of Fame.

Photo by Ashley Vincent

and in good shape, ready to serve and contribute.” Becoming a soldier was something LG had thought about since he was four years old. His uncle had been a soldier and one day he placed his soldier’s cap on four-year-old LG’s head. “He taught me to salute,” LG said. “He said that (my salute) was perfect and that I would make a good soldier.” Unfortunately, his uncle died in the Vietnam War, but LG forever remembers his uncle as the soldier and a role model “When the coffin came back I remember this massive padlock that had the letters U.S. on it,” LG said. “I had no idea what that meant, I didn’t even know what the flag meant.” Growing up, LG heard stories about all of the soldiers who had made sacrifices to save their island. His uncle and these stories made it easier for him to make the decision to join the service. He arrived in South Vietnam on Jan. 7, 1968 during the Tet Offensive and was ambushed just seven days later. By then, LG was a team leader, responsible for four other riflemen. He was only 18. “I was an 18-year-old and it was a lot of responsibility,” LG said. “I said to myself ‘accomplish the mission, take care of the men.’” LG has earned an exceptional amount of awards, and is also honored in the Army Ranger Hall of Fame. LG is a very humble man, and openly admits that. “I am just a simple pilgrim,” LG said. “Whatever I do, as an educator, or whatever, I’ll do my best.” LG made a responsible commitment to train his people well enough so as not to lose them. He was able to be responsible and mature enough to fight in the war because of his father. When he was extremely young, LG’s mother passed away, leaving him, his brother and his sister to be raised by their father alone. His father raised them as Catholics and to follow good Christian values. “He taught us to wash the clothes, iron the clothes, make meals, and do chores,” LG said. “We did all of that real young. I was pretty dependent and mature.” After 20 years, LG retired from the army in 1993. He has been living in the United States since 1971, and he often has had to leave to travel with the troops. He lives here with his wife of 36 years, Jayne. Together they have three sons and a daughter. In 1995, he attended St. Martin’s Uni-

versity where he received his first of two master’s degrees and Teaching Certificate. He attended several different colleges from 1971 to 2001, earning many different degrees. LG went to Rogers High School in 1994 and helped form the JROTC program. After two years, he ventured into the classroom setting and taught Social Studies. He earned his second master’s degree in 2001, which was right before he came to Emerald Ridge. Although busy, LG keeps his philosophies in mind. He wants to enjoy and lead a balanced life, guided by Christian values. “I want to be guided by the American way of life and the democracy that I served so many years to protect and defend,” LG said. “And to just be happy.” During the summer breaks, LG goes back

to his home island and tries to get acclimated to the island life each time. He enjoys going golfing, deep-sea fishing and eating the local food. He tries to attend mass on the weekends but is too busy sometimes. That is when another philosophy comes into play: “I just try to have a balanced life; I need to be realistic with what I can do.” He hopes to move back to Guam after retirement with his wife. His brother and sister still live there and he would like to see them more. “It’s my hope that we’ll go back to the island and contribute to the community,” LG said. “Go back to the jungles and live in a bamboo floor house with a coconut thatched roof. I’m sure love will prevail and she (my wife) will follow me.”

volumeEIGHT.issueTWO

FEATURE

“Whatever doesn’t kill you just makes you stronger”

TESSA TORRES

REPORTER

Kailee Jensen is not your average student roaming the halls. Jensen is a talented sophomore and well balanced in many areas, making her a star on the rise. Having played soccer for over eight years, Jensen is a starting center midfield for the Emerald Ridge Varsity girl’s soccer team and holds a 4.0 G.P.A. “I’ve learned to prioritize with soccer and school,” Jensen said. “It’s hard sometimes to

stay on top of things, but it makes life easier.” Jensen’s accomplishments are shown on the field also as she whips past her opponents at a scrimmage. “What motivates me in a game is that anything is possible,” Jensen said. “The game is never over until it is officially over.” This student-athlete has a lot to be proud of: winning the Best Offensive Player Award at her junior high and scoring the winning penalty kick at her club soccer team’s state cup game are just a handful of her proudest

accomplishments; but she has also faced some struggles. “Sometimes it’s hard to get over that mindset that you can’t do something. But you just have to tell yourself: Ok, don’t think about it. Just do it.” One thing that makes Jensen unique is her physical appearance. Jensen’s arms are not the full length of an average person due to complications during birth. At first glance this seems like an obstacle for her, but one’s opinion is quickly changed after talking to her. “I’ve always been really determined with whatever I do and my parents and I have never let me put myself down,” Jensen said. “I know that whatever I put my mind to, I can do.” All around, Jensen claims that her experiences have made her a better person and more independent. Jensen loves doing things on her own and is always up for a challenge. She doesn’t ask for help, but instead makes the extra effort to accomplish her goals.

“I could be in a much worse situation, and I’m lucky that I can do anything that anyone else can do, it’s just more of a challenge,” Jensen said. She goes on to explain that she could never be put in a situation that she couldn’t handle. Jensen is happy in her own skin. She wouldn’t change anything, since it has made her into the person she is today. “Whatever doesn’t kill you just makes you stronger. It’s always rewarding to do something difficult and then see yourself succeed,” Jensen said. Now when Jensen sees someone who looks different it doesn’t faze her, and she encourages people to do the same. “Once people know my personality, they look past (my physical image),” Jensen said. “I’m a really fun person to be around and you should get to know me because we probably have a lot more in common than you think.”

Sophomore Kailee Jensen has played soccer for eight years and is now on the Jags varsity soccer team.

12 volumeEIGHT.issueTWO

Photo by Katelyn Krempl (top), photos by Ashley Vincent (bottom)

Many children across the nation spend their time thinking about how much their parents argue. They think about the mother or father they have not seen for a significant period of time. They think about what a normal family feels like. They think about how their future will be affected. They think about

Divorce

The honeymoo OV 13%

of ER students with parents who divorced considered it a negative experience

divorce affects many people, including about 35 percent of the ER student body

How does divorce affect Emerald Ridge?

by KRISTEN STEENBEEKE, reporter

here are many words in the English language that possess negative connotations. Although the sound of one of those words could bring about dire thoughts and bad feelings, many people do not think far enough into the concept to see that there are many sides involved. Divorce is one of these concepts. Often, people think of divorce as purely negative situation. However, there is an array of possible situations – positive ones, negative ones or simply a mixture of the two. Divorce cannot simply be a generalization shoved into the category of “bad.” At Emerald Ridge, there are many students who have dealt with or are dealing with the repercussions of their parents’ failed marriages. It may be a friend, a lab partner, or simply a person you pass on your way out of the bathroom. According to a survey of 140 students, approximately 34 percent of ER student’s parents have been through a divorce. Translated into numbers, this means that about 520 of roughly 1500 students at ER’s parents are divorced. This may seem like a staggering statistic, but according to “Americans for Divorce Reform,” the national average for the US is 49 percent. Divorce at ER is not always categorized in the “bad” category. Out of the 48 students that answered that their parents were divorced, 54 percent said they have mixed feelings about the divorce, 22 percent said it was a positive advancement in their lives, 13 percent said it was a negative situation, and the last 11 percent were indifferent. One of those who has mixed feelings is senior Madeline Hyatt. Because of her parents’ imminent divorce, her household has been filled with tension. However,

she views the future divorce as positive. “Living with my parents has showed me what a marriage shouldn’t look like,” Hyatt said. “My mom is unfaithful in every aspect that you could look at being unfaithful. My dad kept his promise with his vows. My mom hasn’t. He’s tried to keep it together but my mom always finds a way to mess it up. It’s definitely brought me closer to my dad, though, in many ways.” In contrast, there are people who the divorce only slightly affected, like junior Eric Storwick. “I didn’t really understand what was happening at the time, since I was only five years old,” Storwick said. “It hasn’t really altered my life. My mom has a boyfriend who is pretty much like my dad because my real dad lives in Florida. It probably affects kids more when they are adolescents than when they’re young adults.” There are various ways kids cope. Out of the 48 students with divorced parents, 25 percent have seen a counselor in regards to the divorce. “Not many kids come in, but when they do, they have issues with going back and forth between parents,” counselor Mariano Leon-Guerrero said. “They are usually coping with emotional issues, though, and more kids tend to deal with those themselves. It’s their way of moving forward.” Often students are put in a place where they must support their friends or acquaintances. Even if there is little to be done about ending divorce – it is the choice of the parents and the parents only – students all around need help coping with the ups and downs of their parents’ divorce. “Students tend to be resilient,” LG said. “Just advise them to be there for both parents and support them. It’s all we can do.”

of noncus fathers do pay child s

(Source: Census Bureau repor No. 173)

on is VER

stodial not support

rt. Series P-23,

marriage rates have dropped nearly

30%

Divorce rates dropping, taking marriage with them

in the last 25 years

by LEXI BROCKAMP, reporter

umors that divorce rates are rising are untrue – a fact being attributed to a rise in unmarried couples living together with families. Divorce rates have been thought to be on the rise for the last couple of years but according to experts consulted by the Associated Press, rates are at their lowest since 1970. Rates peaked in 1981 at 5.3 divorces per 1,000 people. This could be because the marriage rate itself has dropped by nearly 30 percent in the last 25 years as couples have started living together without getting married. Since 1960, the number of couples who live together without marrying has increased tenfold and correspondingly, the marriage rate has dropped by nearly 30 percent (in the last 25 years). These families live as though they are married, but the unions were never recognized by the state. Therefore, the separation is not recognized either. Combining these statistics brings us to the conclusion that though divorce rates have dropped, separations have not. In cases of legal divorce, infidelity (or unfaithfulness) was polled to be the strongest factor at 22.8 percent. However, others feel that cheating is just a symptom of deeper things. “One thing I feel strongly about is how little impact adultery has on divorce,” divorce mediator Lee Borden says on his web page. “I know that I’m going against the tide here. I hear constantly from all-knowing observers – many of them fundamentalist Christians – who

after a divorce, many face issues finding a steady source of income

ccording to The New Bankruptcy Law, 91 percent of the 1.6 million people that filed bankruptcy in 2006 had experienced a divorce. The growing rate of divorce leaves single mothers, fathers and their children struggling financially. Lawyer costs, child support and wages all contribute to this. Emerald Ridge students, like senior Stephanie Steuby, have struggled financially due to divorce. In most cases a sole income cannot handle what two incomes could afford together. “We (Stephanie, sister Nicole, and mom) had to move into my aunt’s house because my mom could not afford the house anymore,” Steuby said. “My dad wasn’t paying child support because he got custody of my brother.” In Stephanie’s case only 20 percent of mothers not receiving child support had other financial arrangements with the father. Though some women do pay child support, 84 percent of child support providers are men, according to the US Census Bureau. This is due to the fact that 83.1 percent of the single custodial parents are women. Without child support, necessities like

decline in legal marriage leads to a drop in divorce rates, but not in separation proclaim that if you look behind most divorces, you’ll find an adulterous affair somewhere. “That may be partially true … but I believe adultery to be a symptom, not a cause, of most divorces. Adultery is the legal ‘gotcha.’ … I think the crud that drives husbands and wives apart causes divorces,” Borden said. The “crud” Borden speaks of has to do with the communication problems that ranked next on the poll at 21.6 percent. Marriage experts agree that communication problems tend to be the root of divorce. Inability to communicate when trying to work through problems makes it impossible to do so, and when the problems build up couples decide it’s just not worth it. Communication problems transfer into financial matters, making it hard to come to decisions. This leads to financial tension, which is also a major contributor to divorce. Bonnie Fitch, a former associate municipal court judge, says money plays such a big role in divorce because couples don’t talk about their issues. “Money is such a taboo subject,” Fitch said in an article in Jet magazine. “People associate bad things with money. If you’re in a serious relationship, talk about this. If you don’t, it will cause a huge gap.” Finances can put strain on families for reasons that are not commonly spoken of. An unequal division of money in separate bank accounts can cause problems because control isn’t equal. Money is connected with power and authority and things get strained when one person mismanages it, and their partner isn’t benefited.

Probable cause for bankruptcy by JOSH JOYCE, reporter

food, clothing, medical bills and insurance are covered by one parent alone. “I wish my dad would have given my mom money when it was hard,” Steuby said. “I didn’t want to always have to go to him when I wanted or needed things.” There is financial aid available to single mothers and fathers. The most common of these is called the Pell Grant, which is a federal education grant. It pays from a range of $400 to $4050 a year depending on the cost of the child’s school, enrollment status and the need of the student. Though most single parents struggle financially, stepparents can be a big help. “My cousin died and (my stepfather) was a friend of my uncle. My mom and him met at the funeral,” Steuby said. When we moved in, he helped get my car and helps pay for everything that’s a necessity.” Not everyone’s case is like Stephanie’s. The majority of divorced parents continue to struggle financially. Even with financial aid and government assistance, the upward struggle to retain a comfortable financial situation is great.

Students not the only ones

of youth suicides accounted from fatherless homes (Source: US Dept. of Health & Human Services, Bureau of the Census)

itch Noll is a Sign Language teacher here at Emerald Ridge, and like many of his students, his parents are divorced. Noll’s parents were separated when he was 20 years old. And they divorced when he was 22. “Any child has a magical concept that their parents will get back together and be as happy as they were, and that’s what I wanted,” Noll said. Noll was in the process of his own marriage while his parents divorced. “Divorce is not an option with my wife and I,” Noll said. “We told each other we will always work it out.” It was hard for him to start a marriage when his parents were ending theirs. “It was our beginning but their end, and it was really hard to think about,” Noll said. The one major effect from the divorce was on Noll’s wedding day. Both the parents were together and they created some arguments. “I had to tell them to stop fighting,

and that’s when they realized it was my day,” Noll said. Because of Noll’s age when his parents got the divorce, he was not affected as much as his sister, who was only seven at the time. “For me it wasn’t so bad, but it really messed up my sister’s development,” Noll said. His mom got remarried, and his dad started dating another woman, who he has been dating for 12 years. His dad had more of a difficult time with the divorce than his mom did. “My mother wasn’t satisfied with her marriage to my father,” Noll said. Thanksgiving and Christmas werenever a problem for the family, because his mother’s family moved to Utah and his father’s stayed in Washington. “My mother still asks about him, she still loves him very much, but it just wasn’t working out, so it was a positive issue for her,” Noll said. Divorce has become more common

What happens to children of divorce?

many children face depression, loneliness, stress, and other medical problems due to the divorce of their parents

by DALLAS M. WELKER, editorial board

he effects of divorce on children vary depending on the conditions of the divorce. It was once thought that children would become aggressive or depressed due to the divorce itself. New studies are saying that these feelings start pre-divorce as the marriage begins experiencing difficulties. Reactions from children to a separation vary depending on certain circumstances. The quality of the parent-child relationship before the divorce occurs, the level of parental conflict during the legal separation, and the parents’ focus and desire to provide a healthy habitat for the child post-divorce will all affect how a child handles the situation. The initial reaction to a divorce is usually denial. Children will often lie to themselves and others saying their parents have gone on a long vacation. This is done in hopes of reconciliation between parents. This can be followed by feelings of abandonment, anger and hostility towards one or both parents and then depression. Depression is common, especially in adolescence. Children who are depressed will often act out in an aggressive manner and withdraw socially. Bigger problems can evolve from depression like sleep and eating disorders. Physical injury and harming oneself happens frequently in adolescence experiencing a divorce. Those disorders mentally and physically affect the overall health of an individual. Another common occurrence in children with di-

How was the news broken to you?

63%

by ASHLEY O’BRIEN, reporter

vorced parents is immaturity or hyper maturity. The children who become immature regress in mental age. They mentally go to a place or time when their parents were happy and together. Children may speak in a younger manner or wish to participate in activities that are not appropriate for their age. Those who experience hyper maturity try to grow up faster and act older than they are to compensate for the lack of mentorship in their lives. They feel the need to be more independent since their parents are now independent as well. Boys and girls react differently to divorce. Boys tend to externalize their feelings while girls internalize them. A boy can be more outwardly angry, confrontational, and difficult to communicate with. Boys are also more likely to misbehave in school, in athletic teams or in clubs. Girls can become easily depressed. Physical stress may happen as well. This can include headaches, stomach aches and changes in sleeping, eating and menstrual regularity. Ultimately, a child’s reaction and ability to handle the outcomes of a divorce depends on the parents. This means parents who work hard and communicate well with each other will have the least difficulty adjusting their children. Conflict in the parents’ relationship is the deciding factor of the psychological affects on children. Over time, most adjust positively to divorce, viewing it as constructive action.

a teacher reflects on dealing with his parents divorce when he was in early adulthood since Noll was younger and it has been easier to get than it should be. “At the first sign of struggle, most couples throw in the towel without working things out,” Noll said. Noll thinks marriage counseling is a wonderful thing for any couple, even if they don’t need it. “Don’t try to change your spouse,” Noll said. “They won’t be happy, and you won’t be happy when you get a divorce with this them,” Noll said. Noll expresses how important it is to work to keep a strong and healthy marriage, and how glad people would be in the end. “Marriage is work,” Noll said, “everyone has to work at it or the marriage won’t work at all.” Noll’s parents may have divorced, but he will not let that have a negative impact on his life. He has accepted his parents’ decision. He will keep his wife’s promise too, as he says, “never throw down the towel.”

students recall when their parents revealed that they would be filing for divorce...

Cody Cano, 10

“I came home from King of the Hill this year and my parents were fighiting. I didn’t see my stepdad for about a week after that, and my mom was obviously sad. I got a call from my stepdad saying that he couldn’t be a part of this relationship. They had been fighting on and off for awhile, and eventually it just blew up.”

Cody’s parents divorced when he was 15.

Sarah Boyce, 11

“I walked into my house and my parents asked if they could talk to my sister and I in the other room. My mom said they would always love and support me, but that they were getting a divorce. I knew they were having problems, but it was a big shock to find out. It’s hard, but it just takes getting used to, and I’d rather have them be happy and apart.”

Sarah’s parents divorced when she was 15.

Craig Tuschhoff, 12

“My parents brought the kids into their room, sat us down, and told us they wouldn’t be living together anymore. I didn’t understand what was going on, but my older sister did and she was upset. Then I just went back in forth between the bedroom and bathroom giving my mom and my sister tissues because they were crying.”

Craig’s parents divorced when he was 7.

MIMI SISON, commentary

tripped of its formal definition, divorce is every stab of a thousand knives slowly inching their way into a child’s heart, and every ounce of blood being squeezed out of that small heart as another marriage goes to heck. There is a lot of pain growing up, and a lot of pain that never goes away when you are a child of divorced parents. Sure, there are children fortunate enough to have separated parents who are willing to put aside their differences for their children’s sake, but those who enjoy this advantage are few and far between. Most of us experience divorce for the domestic catastrophe and dirty affair that it is. My family has gone through one separation and one divorce and I honestly can’t tell which one has left me feeling more disoriented and displaced in life. The separation haunted me from the time I was 5 to the time I turned 11. By then I had grown old enough to realize that my biological father was every inch the womanizer and coward my mother had so fondly referred to him as all those years. Ugly words about my father floated in the air like pollen in spring; one of these words was bigamy and at 11 I didn’t have the good sense to look it up in a dictionary. My mother remarried an American who afforded us a trip and permanent residence in the US. Strangely enough, it

wasn’t until my stepfather gave me a Merriam-Webster collegiate dictionary for my 12th birthday that I was inspired to look up the word bigamy, and a dirty word I found it to be. However, it was not nearly as dirty as the word divorce. Five years into their marriage and my parents’ relationship, like so many other couples’, was plagued by miscommunication, untold secrets, financial disputes and domestic violence. The unfairness of knowing each of my parents’ faults weighed heavily on my mind. It was the kind of stress that threatened to disrupt my schooling, rendered me distant from my peers and depressed about life. To this day the fruits of my parents’ separation evoke feelings of anger and, at times, violence on my part. I became very familiar with the paintings hanging around the counselor’s office; the magnets that stuck to her fridge and the seat across from her desk. So, how was I doing? Good, good. How about school? How am I doing in my classes? It seems that my friends were concerned about me and wanted to know what was up. I stared at her. It wasn’t because I thought she was prying, or that I was trying to be rude. Her light inquiries were just getting dangerously heavy and I was not ready to bare private family matters on the table.

But eventually I did. How do you feel about living with your mom? And your dad, is he OK with this? Oh, he’s your step dad … I see. She didn’t, of course. I couldn’t hold eye contact, blink back tears, and gulp down a headache all at the same time so I closed my eyes and kept talking. The divorce alienated me from the one true father I did have. One of the biggest problems that divorce imposes on children is the decision of whom to live with. Mine was between the step dad who promised a secure home and bright future, or the mom and siblings who were bound to be homeless and dependent on government aid due to the partial arrangements of the divorce. I chose Section-8 Housing and welfare. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think about my dad, but nothing could move me from where I am now. My allegiance rests on family, and family is wherever the woman who has put up with me for 18 whole years, and the sisters who need me most, are. After all, though other things may change us, we start and end with family.

Not exactly

home sweet home staff members share their personal experiences with divorce and how it has effected the dynamic of their family

JULIA SERVA-DELMONTE, commentary

y parents divorced when I was three, and honestly, I don’t know anything different. Was it a horrible way to grow up? No way. It is what it is, and that’s OK. There are many instances where families are torn apart from parent’s separation, but sometimes divorce is what brings families together, strengthens them and keeps things running smoothly. Think back to the 1950s when divorce was so unheard of that if a kid with divorced parents became another breed of their own. Now it’s so common it’s become a part of our society. Not everyone’s parents hate each other; some are actually still friends years after their legal separation. As every year passes my parents make fun of each other

on their birthdays, teasing the other parent about their grey hair and laugh lines. People expect every divorce to have a tragic outcome. I’ve had reactions like, oh I’m so sorry, and that’s too bad, but I just shrug my shoulders. Why be sorry? It’s not a horrible disaster; it can be better this way. Why wish for my parents to be married again when I know they wouldn’t be happy if they were? This way, they can move on and find other people that they can be happy with. My father found someone that he can say he’s honestly in love with. And now, my mom is coming to that place with her boyfriend. If my parents were in a relationship, they’d bump heads constantly and drive themselves into madness. They weren’t right for each other, and I understand that. Everyone makes mistakes, and maybe their marriage was just another lesson they had to learn to get it right the second time. The thing about having parents that are

divorced is that you have duplicates of everything. Two houses, two rooms, two sets of families. I’ve met wonderful people through my parents’ significant others, and they have included me in their families as well. Tradition in my family has been redefined. No longer are we all together at Christmas, or Thanksgiving. My parents have a system where each parent gets me for every other holiday. Sometimes even, they share a holiday. Mom’s house for the beginning of winter break, and Dad’s for the end. I love seeing them both and spending time with them one on one. Plus, how many kids get two sets of Christmases and birthdays? When I was younger my parents fought a lot about things like child support and visitation rights. Don’t get in the middle of their mess, I would think to myself. Going home to my mom was a relief because I knew that my dad was not there to irritate her and cause her unneeded tension. This

way, she has her space, and he has his. And when I see both of them separately, I don’t have to worry about the other parent there to stir things up. It’s not perfect having my parents divorced. Sometimes it can be a hassle getting to and from both parent’s houses, sometimes they annoy me with their bickering. But when I look back at everything that’s happened I can’t imagine it any other way. I’ve learned from their experiences and mistakes individually, and and also those they have made along with the people they’ve chosen to have relationships with have made a mark in the way I’ve grown up. A happy ever after ruined by split up parents? No, because they are happy with the way they are, the way we are. We’re still a family, but with a different description. This is the age of having four parents instead of two, and sometimes, it’s just not that bad.

FEATURE

everyone has a story

The power of positive energy by

DANNY CANHAM

REPORTER

What kind of music do nurses listen to? It’s not something that’s often thought about, but if junior Skye Lebo follows her goals and doesn’t change her mind – she’s only a junior after all – one of them might listen to punk and alternative rock, and then do her patient’s hair and makeup. “I want to go to college and become a registered nurse,” Lebo said. “And after that, I want to be a cosmetologist so that when I give people shots, I can make them feel better by making them look pretty.” Lebo’s initial interest was not in nursing, but with her parents’ persuasion, she moved her focus to it. “At first she was really leaning toward cosmetology,” her father, Dana Lebo said. “But then (her mother and I) convinced her toward becoming a nurse.” An outgoing and positive girl, it takes little to make Lebo smile. “I don’t think there’s such a thing as a stranger to her,” said her neighbor, junior Tommy Todd. “She’s not shy; she’s a

Lebo’s dad didn’t just give Lebo her work ethic; he also took her to her first concert, sparking an interest that has led to many an ear-numbing experience. “I went to my first concert when I was 6-yearsold,” Lebo said. “My dad took me. It was KISS.” Since that first show, Lebo has been to at least 20, her favorite show which included the band +44, was last December. “Me and my friend Kylene went to the +44 concert,” Lebo said. “Afterwards, we stayed a little longer and Mark Hoppus came out and he signed stuff for us. It was amazing.” Her true musical ‘love,’ however, is reserved for Travis Barker who, like Hoppus, is a member of the currently-separated Blink-182. “I’m in love with Travis Barker and all of Blink182,” Lebo said. “I first heard them on the radio. The song was ‘All the Small Things’ and it was one of the first to really strike an interest to me. Travis Barker’s a really cool guy who works hard and makes cool clothes. I appreciate how much he’s accomplished.”

Junior Skye Lebo hopes to combine two interests into one future career.

giant ball of positive energy.” Lebo blushes when told how people perceive her. “It makes me happy,” Lebo said. “I try to be positive and that’s an accomplishment because there’s a lot of negativity in the world and (my doing so) makes people happier.” Despite not having a job, this Aeropostale-, Zumiez- and Pac Sun-dressed teen knows how to work. More than once she has accompanied her father as he worked within his ship building business, All Points Marine. “He makes me work really hard,” Lebo said of the experience. “I use sandpaper to buff stuff so it can be painted. It has helped build character. It’s work.” While doing so she has seen the likes of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s and the Bacardi family’s mega-yachts. On the more domestic front, Lebo hopes to get a job with a clothing retailer so she can enjoy the accompanying employee discounts. “I want to work at one of the places I shop at,” Lebo said.

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Photos by Nate Dumlao

FEATURE

Amanda Robertson

struts her stuff at the Miss Teen Seattle competation

KATE KAYE

REPORTER

Pageants are a good, fun way to help girls with their looks and their characters. There is a student at Emerald Ridge who knows about this from her own experience. Sophomore Amanda Robertson competed in the Miss Teen Seattle pageant where any girl from the age of 10-19 has a chance to compete for a $20,000 scholarship, a crown, a title and a spot in the Cities of America Pageant in Florida. Though 230 girls compete, only 30 girls from

This is Amanda’s first pageant and she hopes to participate in more.

Photo by Mimi Sison

each age group will go on to Florida. “Contestants have to be invited by the pageant to be eligible to compete,” Robertson said, “and they are encouraged to bring any friends who may want to compete as well.” Robertson explained that the objective is to help boost girls’ confidence, and is based on the contestant’s personality as well as looks. The confidence boost is what she liked the best. “I feel more confident about the way I look, and about myself in general,” Robertson said. Sophomore Hannah Crane, one of Robertson’s friends, said that Robertson and her sister went to a pre-interview for qualifying. “She had fun and really hoped to compete,” Crane said. “She was really excited to find out that she made it to qualifications.” An information session, a pre-interview and a training session are necessary in order to select contestants. “There is a lot of time and work that has to be spent even before the actual pageant day,” Robertson said. So what would make Robertson want to compete in such conditions? “My mom was part of the reason I decided to do the pageant,” Robertson said, “and it also was something new.” She explained that her mother had done some modeling, so she was able to help her out a lot. Robertson, along with the other contestants, had to do another interview the day before the pageant. Then on the day of the pageant, the contestants had to answer questions on stage and walk in two different outfits. “It was really fun,” Robertson said, “(but) a little stressful and there was a lot of people. Some parts were really fast and you had to work hard to get stuff done, but you still made some new friends along the way. It was very rush, rush.” Robertson’s mother, grandmother, aunt, sister and a family friend were all there to support her on pageant day. Though she did not place, she is still glad she did it. “If the opportunity came,” Robertson said, “I would do another pageant. I’m kind of glad I didn’t place in this pageant because I heard they ask you some hard questions right on the spot at the Cities of America Pageant.”

volumeEIGHT.issueTWO

SPORTS

Postseason still out of reach Early in the season, playoffs were in the football team’s sights for the first time, but after a rough second half they were one game short of the postseason by

LAUREN SMITH

EDITORIAL BOARD

Despite a number of losses during the second half of the season, the Jag football team finished above expectations with an overall record of 5-4. In the SPSL South, the team finished in fifth place with a record of 3-4. “The whole season was sort of a rollercoaster,” senior quarterback and defensive back Logan Bushnell said. “We had some highs early and a couple of dips here and there. It was a mix of emotions every weekend.” After a quick 4-0 start, the Jags suffered losses to both Curtis (55-27) and Puyallup (38-21). According to junior wide receiver and defensive back Michael Guimond, this was not only because of Curtis and Puyallup’s reputation for strong football programs, but also because of missed opportunities. “The loss to PHS was a big change in how we played because we had opportunities and should’ve won; it felt a little bit like we gave the game away,” Guimond said. Another factor that played into the Jags mid-season inconsistency was the injury of senior wide receiver and defensive back Gabe Weber. “Gabe’s injury hurt us a lot because with Gabe we had three big threats on the field (Guimond, Weber, and senior wide receiver

and defensive back Joey Williamson) and teams couldn’t cover all three of us,” Guimond said. “With Gabe gone they could doublecover Joey and cover me so that neither of us could be open all of the time.” Weber, who missed a total of four games over the course of the season, was injured on Oct. 5 in the game against Puyallup. “I separated my shoulder when I was hit after a run,” Weber said. While Weber’s injury was a setback for the team, the Jags still pulled out a win over Beamer, 4834 on Oct. 11 to assure a winning record for the season. The Jags ended the regular season on Oct. 25 with a loss to Graham-Kapowsin, 42-14, which terminated their chance at a playoff berth. “It was a disappointment to lose because everyone thought Senior quarterback Logan Bushnell led the team to its one touchdown during the game against Bethel on Oct. 19. we were going to win, especially fensive lineman will be returning next year Bethel, Graham-Kapowsin and Puyallup are after how we played in the first quarter,” has sparked optimistic attitudes in both the going through the same thing,” Tarsi said of Williamson said. staff and players. losing experienced seniors. “As far as getting Now that the season has come to a close, “We should have a solid year because we a new quarterback, the next guy just needs to coach Vince Tarsi looks to make improvehave a lot of returning players, especially on step up and be ready for that position.” ments during the offseason to prepare the the offensive line,” junior offensive and deThe team may also face some coaching team for next year. fensive lineman Spencer Kajca said. “Our goal changes during the offseason, and is likely to “One thing I noticed this season was that is still to make the playoffs like it was this gain some fresh staff depending on whether we need to work on our strength,” Tarsi said. year, and I think we’ll have a good shot.” they lose their current coaches. “It’s one of my plans to implement into the As far as graduating players – primarily “I’m always looking for ways to strengthen program that we work in the weight room and Bushnell, Kajca believes that the team will the team,” Tarsi said. “There may be some train throughout the school year, because be able to overcome the obstacle of having new guys thrown into the mix next season; it’s not something that can be fixed in one a new starting quarterback. guys who want to be here and build a solid summer.” “Every team goes through it – I know football program.” The fact that three of five starting of-

Volleyball continues struggle for successful season The team is working to redeem former strength by

STASIE HENSON

REPORTER

Last Saturday at leagues, Oct. 27, the girls volleyball team lost a tough match to Kentridge, 2-3, but will continue to districts on Nov. 3. “Game five was not as productive as we wanted,” coach Tanya Campbell said. “We stopped our serve-receive and we stopped talking – two major things you don’t want to let go.” The Jags, who are ranked 10th in the SPSL, will be playing this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. against Kentwood, second

20 volumeEIGHT.issueTWO

in state. “Districts is going to be tough,” senior captain Erin Craven said. “After leagues, we’re in a hard position. We definitely can still make it to state, but we made it hard on ourselves.” The team is sure that the prospect of state is still within reach. If the team wins their first match, then they only need to win their second match. However, the team must win three matches overall, if the first match is lost. “We have so much talent on this team,” Craven said. “We just need to focus and bring it all together, that’s really what it comes down to.” Throughout the season, the Jags have won all their matches against Graham-Kapowsin, Spanaway Lake, and

Beamer, but have not won matches against Rogers, Puyallup, Bethel, or Curtis. The Jags played a successful match against GrahamKapowsin on Oct. 2, winning 3-1, even with injured teammate, senior Jessica Nieblas. The team considers it the best played match this season. “Jessica (Nieblas) and Brittany (Rusler, senior) had the games of their lives,” Craven said. “Nieblas played with a jammed thumb, but you couldn’t tell. She played amazingly. We all showed up on top of our game, so when we all came together, it worked and helped us win.” Although the team is not up to its usual standard, it is working on rebuilding its previously instilled sense of teamwork and skills that are hard to match.

Photo by Ashley Vincent

SPORTS

Cross country runner to state by

MEGAN ALBERT

REPORTER

The cross country team made great strides as the boys and girls qualified for the district meet, and are sending one of their runners off to state. With tons of individual achievements, the team has a lot to celebrate. The boys finished their season 4-3, and the girls finished 3-4. At sub-districts the boys placed sixth and the girls placed seventh, securing both teams spots at the district meet. “It’s never happened in the same year before, and it’s a huge accomplishment,” said senior captain Livia Mahaffie about making it to districts as a team. The boys team was especially optimistic towards the district meet. “I just want to make it to state, and I know we’re capable,” junior captain Jordan Mirk said. The girls and boys teams both ran great races although neither team qualified for state. The boys took 10th place as a team. “Everybody had personal records (on the boys team),”

sophomore Jakob Koveleskie said. “We all ran well, and it was a good meet.” To represent Emerald Ridge, junior captain Kevin Thomson qualified to run in the state meet. From districts, 30 athletes move on to state, and Thomson placed 13th. “I wanted to place in the top 20, and the previews didn’t even have me in the top 25,” said Thomson. “But, the whole team made a statement at the meet, and ran great. Even though the team didn’t make it to state, we left the meet with smiles because we all ran our best times of the season.” Thomson will be competing at the state meet on Nov. 3 in Pasco, WA. The girls also finished on a great note at districts, placing 14th. “The way the team handled themselves at districts this year, and the heart everybody brought to the meet is really encouraging,” sophomore Kayleigha Holten said. “I wanted to finish by leaving everything on the course and everybody else did, too.” Sophomores Holly Fosmark and Shelbey Leimbach also showed great improvement throughout the season, both

helping the girls to districts. “The season has been crazy,” Fosmark said. “It’s my first year at high school, and we qualified for districts. It was really exciting!” “Both teams exceeded my expectations at districts,” coach Gary Osborne said. “We had a great season, overall.” Individually, Mirk, Thomson and Mahaffie excelled, and were selected for the All-SPSL teams. Thomson was placed on the first team while Mahaffie and Mirk made the second Next season, the cross country team is looking to build upon their season this year. “Next year will be exciting,” Osborne said. “We’re only losing two of our varsity runners from each team, and we had a lot of young talent this season.” The team is hoping that the experience at districts will help them next season, and the boys are hoping for an SPSL title. “We know what to expect and what to train for now,” Holten said. “I’m confident that if we show the same amount of determination and pride next year, both teams will go to state.”

Soccer seeks improvement by

LINDSAY NOLAN

REPORTER

Facing many hardships this season, the girls soccer team takes a sixth place stance in South Puget Sound League with a 4-7-3 record. The team made slight improvements since the beginning of the season, but still has not made it to the skill level of last year’s season. “It was very tough this year,” senior captain Alicia Brannan said. “Since we lost over half of our team, we had to make this year our building year.” After practicing and perfecting certain plays on the field, the team tied Rogers on Oct. 9. Scoring the two goals in this game was junior and captain Lauryn Helmers. Helmers tied the game in the beginning with a free kick shot to make the score 1-1. Rogers scored again, and, soon after, Helmers took a penalty kick and scored to tie the game 2-2. “League records for both teams are very similar, so I am not surprised at all that both contests ended in ties,” coach Dan Stueckle said. “Both teams had other chances to score, but just could not make it happen.” Despite the loss 0-4 to Beamer on Oct. 11, the girls played an outstanding game, keeping the score as low as possible. Senior and goalkeeper Angela Pashon blocked numerous

shots fired at her, only allowing four goals. Although the score does not show it, the girls worked hard and made small improvements on specific plays throughout the game. “We were able to keep the score low,” Brannan said. “Beamer is one of those teams that when they win, they win by a lot and we worked really hard to not let that happen this game.” One aspect the team worked hard on building over the season was communication on the field. Having a younger team set the girls back leadership-wise, which is believed to be a reason for the lack of wins. “We had a lot of talented girls, but the communication just hasn’t been there,” Brannan said. “If we had improved that sooner, I think we could have won more games than we did.” For next season, the team will once again be reunited with around 11 returning players, if all decide to return. The girls can pick up where they left off this season and utilize the talent and skills they built up to hopefully make a return to post-season. “We have played very well in many of our games,” Stueckle said. “While our record is not great, what it does not show is that we were, in almost every game, playing very competitively. The experience that we have gained this year as a fairly young team will serve to help us next year.”

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SPORTS

Controversy ends girls swim Having beaten Rogers for the first time, an appeal to the district may compromise the girls swim team’s sense of celebration over an otherwise good season by

BRI LANTZ

REPORTER

Despite facing their fair share of setbacks, the girls swim team has ended the season with a satisfying 5-3 record. “Overall I’m really happy with the team’s performance this season,” sophomore captain Marissa Davis said. “We’ve improved a lot, and we have swimmers dropping a lot of times.” Davis has excelled this season, proving herself one to watch in the future. Her best personal achievement was her 1:06.3 time in the 100-meter butterfly. Coach Kenn Fidler is proud of his team’s performance. “I’m really pleased with our record and our success at JV districts,” Fidler said. ”We won three of 11 events, which is very impressive.” JV districts acts as the last chance for swimmers to qualify for the district meet on Oct. 26 and 27. Junior Annette Gallagher was the only swimmer at JV districts to get a district time of 1:17.40 in the 100-meter backstroke, qualifying her for the district meet. “I got first in all my personal events and in a relay,” Gallagher said. “I didn’t get best times in any of my other events other than the 100-meter backstroke, but I was still

glad that I made the league time in one event.” Three ER divers and eight swimmers competed at districts. ER placed 14th out of 21 teams, with 38 points. “I’m a little bit frustrated because that was our last opportunity to go to state,” Fidler said. “It doesn’t take much to miss state; just one little point, one little second.” To add on to the disappointment of districts, a recent controversy has thrown the team into an upset. On Oct. 4, ER beat Rogers for the first time in history, 9492. Their excitement didn’t last, however, when Rogers made an appeal to take back ER’s win. In the 200-meter freestyle, fifth and sixth place were held by ER freshman Brittney Hein and a Rogers swimmer. Due to technical difficulties, the places reportedly got switched. ER won the meet because of that fifth place, spurring Rogers’ appeal. “I’m disappointed in the way the district is handling this,” Fidler said. “It’s not fair what they’re doing to these girls.” Nonetheless, the ER swimmers won’t go down without

a fight. They are now reappealing Rogers’ appeal, which is in pending process right now. “We are appealing the committee’s decision,” athletic director Dell Dittus said. “The procedure for handling protests was not done fairly and correctly.” Since this win was the first time the girls have ever defeated Rogers, the issue remains a heated topic. “We’re not going to let this go,” senior captain Judy Carlson said. “It won’t go quietly.”

Water polo makes state by

ALANNA NUGENT

REPORTER

With the current record of 6-3 and an exhilarating finish to the season, the members of the boys water polo team announced that they qualified for state. The game against Puyallup was close, but the boys pulled through at the last minute and won with a score of 10-9. “It was amazing that we won. But the score shouldn’t have been that close,” senior Zach Turner said. On Oct. 22, senior captain James McMullan scored six goals for the team. Turner made a goal along with senior Jacob Baudin who scored 3 goals including the winning goal. Sophomore Ryan Maxfield blocked over half the shots thrown by the opposing team, keeping the Jags ahead for the majority of the game. “They really played their hearts out and were in control for most of the game,” coach Dave McMullan said. “They got tired after the

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second half, but never gave up and really showed PHS what kind of competitors they are. I’m really proud of them.” Before the game McMullan explained that the team has been trying to achieve consistency and strong determination so they can win the games and make it to state. Now that they have qualified, they are going to have to work harder, play better games and improve on the little things. “We’re definitely going to be a contender at state,” Turner said. “Last year we weren’t considered as a team to beat; now we’re proving to be more difficult.” Next season, McMullan plans to build off of what was learned this season and to expand their strengths as a team. He is proud of the team’s abilities and cannot wait for next season, even though it will mean losing four experienced polo players. “We have a strong group of sophomores and underclassmen,” McMullan said. “They show great potential for leadership and have the desire to do well.”

At the league meet, sophomore swim captain Marissa Davis tries to make districts in the 200 im event.

Photo by Heather Gorman

Tony Rowley Athlete of the Month How long have you been playing tennis? Ever since I was little, but I started playing competitively in ninth grade. Do you play tennis for an organization outside of school? I play tournaments, and all year round I play at Bally’s three times a week. What is your favorite part of tennis? It’s very independent. You rely on yourself, even when you’re playing doubles. Is there anything special you do before a match? I try my best to prepare myself, physically and mentally. I drink a lot of water, and think about what I need to do during my match. Who is your biggest inspiration? My grandpa. He got me to play tennis, and he’s been hitting balls with me all my life. He made me who I am today as a person and a player. What has been your most memorable moment at ER? Winning the SPSL South championship and getting a No. 2 seed in districts. What goes through your mind during a match? I think a lot when I’m losing. But, when I’m winning I don’t have to think about anything, I just play. What kind of racquet do you have? Babolat Z Lite. Do you prefer a specific brand of balls? I actually like Wilson Opens, Penns are crap. Do you like playing singles or doubles better? Both, actually. I play singles during tournaments, but during the season I enjoy playing doubles. I think I’m a better doubles player because I’m good at playing the net. Do you plan on playing tennis in the future? I would like to play for a small college, but we’ll see what happens.

shout from the sideline “Tony was elected captain at the end of last season. He encouraged the boys to play all spring and summer. I think Tony leads by example, he may not be the most vocal guy on the team but he walks his talk. Tony is a great doubles player because he has great vision on where the opposing players are on the court. He is fantastic at the net because he can put a ball away with power but also has great placement.” Theresa Gotter, coach

Photos by Lauren Smith

SPORTS

Girls golf state, boys improve A strong end to a successful season leaves golfers with high expectations for next spring by

LAUREN BARRON

REPORTER

The boys and girls golf teams finished a satisfying season both with records of 7-3. From the boys team, sophomore Brian Clarke made it to state qualifiers, and seniors Katie Bryant and Whitney Hobbs have qualified for state. This is Clarke’s second year on the team. It is his first year going to districts and his second year lettering. “I still have two years to improve on

my game, compared to juniors and leaving seniors,” Clarke said. Once qualifying came around, Clarke didn’t make it to state due to a miscommunication with the score he turned in. He was disqualified because he accidentally wrote the wrong score on his score card. On the brighter side, Bryant and Hobbs are pleased that they are moving on to state to represent Emerald Ridge. Hobbs has her mind set on going farther in state then last year. “Now that I have made it to state,” Hobbs said, “I’m entered in a lot of tournaments to help me practice. I am really concentrating on my problem parts of the game, so I can improve on them.” Going into qualifying rounds, Hobbs

knew she had to stay calm and focus on the match. “Everything just fell into place when I needed it to, and I played with my friend Sadena, from Bethel, so it just helped me

“

brought something new to her matches. “One day my driving was really good,” Bryant said, “and the next day my short game was really good. That’s what helped me move onto state.” Practicing every day for at least an hour and playing every Sunday is in Bryant’s schedule from now until the state competion arrives. “This season has taught me to work hard and stay on schedule, and since golf is in my future, I want it as a career as well. Working hard really does pay off,” said Bryant. State is going to be held on May 20 and 21 in Bellingham. The girls golf team hopes that all the hard work and anticipation they have endured will pay off.

I AM REALLY FOCUSING ON MY PROBLEM PARTS OF THE GAME, SO I CAN IMPROVE ON THEM.

”

— Whitney Hobbs, senior

relax even more,” said Hobbs. On the other side, Bryant is also using this golf season to prepare for her future. Each day during qualifying rounds, Bryant

Boys tennis sends doubles team to district match Mid-season improvements foreshadow a possible win at districts for boys tennis in upcoming months by

ADAM FANGMAN

REPORTER

The boys tennis team had a satisfactory finish this season with an overall record of 8-5-1, and fourth place in the SPSL. An expected win at the distircts tournament has given the Jags reason to be excited. “Taking fourth this season was good, but that’s how we did last season, and we wanted to take at least third,” junior Chad Edmonds said. The boys continued to have success as they did earlier

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in the season with wins over both Bethel, 3-2, on Sept. 24 and Spanaway Lake, 5-0, on Oct. 2 Unfortunately, the boys suffered a second loss to Todd Beamer 2-3 on Oct.4. However, the Beamer loss was a marked improvement over an earlier season loss that ended 0-5. Similar to the Beamer match, the boys also suffered another regular season loss to Puyallup, 1-4, on Oct. 8. The season was punctuated by a near upset against Curtis on Oct. 10, in a remarkable 2-2 tie coming from a previous 2-3 loss. “That was good. We really wanted to improve and beat those guys, and we did,” said senior captain Tony Rowley. Rowley saved the match with a third set victory alongside doubles partner sophomore Greg Medlock. The mid-season improvements against Curtis and Todd

Beamer are a clear indication of the determination that is uniform to the team’s seasonal success and the level of expectation shared by every member. Such success has qualified several members for the subdistrict tournament at Sprinker Recreation Center. Those who competed in the tournament included: Medlock, Rowley freshman Scott Medlock, sophomores Travis Beck and Chad Edmonds, juniors Jim Staurm and Chris Burdick, and senior Daniel Clark. “I expected most of us to win at least the first rounds,” said Rowley who, alongside Medlock, won the SPSL South Championship at the sub-district tournament and is now second seeded for the district tournament. “We obviously expect to win at districts,” Rowley said. “State is the goal.”

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A&E

‘Dan in Real Life’ gives importance to love, family Comedian Steve Carrell reveals the depth of his acting ability by spotlighting the subtle humor of ‘Dan’ by

REVIEW



one star - poor | two stars - average | three stars - good | four stars - great

MORGAN T. GARD

editorial board

The funny thing about real life is that the easier you want it to be, the harder it gets. The funny thing about the new movie “Dan in Real Life” is that it stars comedic genius Steve Carrell. Carrell plays Dan Burns, a single dad raising three girls and an advice columnist on the verge of syndication. As if Dan didn’t have enough on his plate to worry about, he also falls in love with a beautiful world-traveler (Academy Award winner Juliette Binoche) during a family retreat to his parents’ cabin in Rhode Island. She’s a girl, he later finds out, who just so happens

to be his brother Mitch’s (Dane Cook) new girlfriend. Will Dan be able to conquer his own insecurities and the seemingly impossible odds to find true love? If you have ever seen a modern film love story, you should know the answer. But that’s not what’s important here: the ending is almost negligible when you consider what comes before it. “Dan in Real Life” is a charming and delightful comedy about family and love, in that order, and it is a very well done one. The first thing that people will have to understand about “Dan” is that it is not a bustyour-gut, laugh-all-90-minutes knee-slapper.

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It is funny, yes, but if you expect a non-stop laugh-fest à la “The 40 Year-Old Virgin,” you will be thoroughly disappointed. Nearly every giggle and snicker the movie has, though, comes courtesy of Carrell, who is undoubtedly the great comedic actor of this decade. He has this unique ability to make nearly every line he has either funny or, at the least, noticeably humorous. Carrell has made bad decisions before and taken on glaringly bad projects, but even in the widely-panned “Evan Almighty” it comes through that he tries his absolute hardest to make the audience laugh as much as possible. Without Carrell, “Dan” would have fallen apart. But that’s not to say that the other actors do a bad job. Director Peter Hedges somehow managed to get Cook not to overact his role to death, and Dianne Wiest and John Mahoney obviously had a lot of fun in their role as Dan’s parents. Even Dan’s daughters,

Fun Fall activities NATE DUMLAO reporter

Set aside Family Time

Make a Pile of Leaves

The trees have recently shed their leaves and left you with a free and fun way to have a good time. Look outside, get your old clothes and gather all those leaves into a giant pile. Proceed to jump into them and throw them ecstatically into the air.

Family is important. At times we can get overly focused on the rest of the things in our lives, so sit down with your family and eat a dinner together or go out to the movies.

played by actresses 21, 16 and nine years old, do brilliant work. The acting is really the key to the family dynamic this film so flawlessly portrays. That family dynamic – truly the heart and soul of this movie – is enhanced by Hedges’ direction. Moments like the introduction of Dan’s extended family all take place in one extended shot, reflecting the lasting nature of such meetings, and scenes like a family football game shake and move like they were being filmed on a handheld home video camera. If you’re looking for a movie that aims to make you laugh nonstop, go and see “Bee Movie.” If you’re in the mood for a gritty, real-world drama, go find “American Gangster” or “Michael Clayton.” But, if you’re looking for something that sits comfortably in between, go and visit the lovable, charming “Dan.”

Go to a Harvest Festival

Pumpkin Seeds After recently experiencing a good time with pumpkin carving, you have hundreds of seeds left over. Put them in a pan, sprinkle some seasoning over the top, and put them in the oven. A little while later you will have a few hundred delicious snacks that you can chow on all season.

With the fall season in full effect, schools and other establishments are beginning to have their annual harvest festivals. Drop in on one and enjoy some fun activities, good food, and a unique harvest environment.

Have a Scary Movie Marathon

Halloween has just passed and you’re still in the scary movie mood. Sit down with a group of people and enjoy a great scare with some popcorn.

Enjoy Hot Chocolate Distribute Food at a Shelter

It’s beginning to get chilly outside and what better way to warm up then to heat up a nice cup of hot chocolate and enjoying it with your significant other or close friends.

There are people that are not as fortunate as some. This fall season head out to a local homeless shelter and bring some of the fortune you have to the unfortunate.

Go Camping

Make a Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner

Have a Photo Shoot

Camping season is almost over and the winter season is soon to come. Pack up some sleeping bags and a tent and head out to a campsite or even your back yard, start up a campfire and roast some s’mores.

The fall season is full of an abundance of amazing colors that are just calling to have their pictures taken. Get with a friend, grab a camera and start snapping away. Get the pictures developed at a 1-hour photo and have a good time.

Thanksgiving dinner is something that is looked forward to all year ‘round, what would happen if you made one a little sooner? Get some friends together and make yourselves a big preThanksgiving feast and eat it the same way you would with your family.

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A&E

FAT

getting with Gerry LeConte and Zac Tran The Rock Wood Fired Pizza

(253) 286 - 2402 www.therockwfp.com

Gerry’s Opinion Environment: 4.5 Service: 4

Food:1 Overall: 3

Two things that should never be messed up are rock ‘n’ roll music and pizza. The culture of The Rock Wood Fired Pizza fuses both, making it a truly dangerous place to eat. They pulled off the rock ‘n’ roll pretty well. The interior is more metal than wood, giving it a hard, grungy feeling. Virtually all the lighting in the building is neon or black light, and there’s a television stuffed in every corner showing either sports or the artist info for whatever song is currently playing. To top it off, the environment is full of power

ballads and guitar riffs ranging from the late ‘60s to present day. The menu is full of the same names coming from the speakers. The pizza is cleverly labeled with names like “Sweet Emotion,” “Wild Child” and “Bad to the Bone.” In addition, The Rock also offers salads, burgers, pasta and more. I opted for the Bohemian Rhapsody. Apparently, this pizza is supposed to contain “tender pieces of chicken,” “cream sauce” and “Cajun spice.” Not so much. I ended up with cheesy bread, dunked in “Cajun spice” with some chicken that was the opposite of tender. In the chef’s defense, I think most of the faults with this pizza are in the recipe. Overall, however, I was far from impressed with my food. All in all, The Rock has a fun environment and I enjoyed the restaurant. I just wish I could say the same about the food.

Zac’s Opinion Environment: 4.3 Service: 4

Food: 2 Overall: 3.5

Pizza is always a good comfort food anyone can binge on. It’s good hot or cold. The Rock offers a huge selection of unique pizzas that friends and family can enjoy. The pizza section takes up practically the whole menu. Even if you don’t enjoy a slice or two, The Rock will have something great to offer, whether it is a delicious salad, or the crazy garlic mozzarella bread. Take as much time as you need to look over the gigantic menu, but remember to choose wisely. For how good most of the pizza is, such as Swan Song or Crazy Train, there are also some iffy ones. For instance, Bohemian Rhapsody sounded great on the menu, but not so much in the mouth. It just

tasted like salty dough that was rained down upon by cayenne pepper. Not to say that all of The Rock’s pizza is like this, but that is really up to the diner to choose. The atmosphere of this place is incredible. The interior design makes it look like you’re eating in a shipyard or a warehouse. If a seat is available near the open kitchen area then definitely take it. The hustle and bustle of the kitchen is open for everybody to see. So many pizzas were getting thrown into the ovens and salads being tossed all over the place that I wanted to shove everything into my mouth and taste the essence. Aside from the scenery, the waitresses and waiters are extremely friendly, making the service great and they look like they’re actually enjoying their job. Overall The Rock is a great place to grab dinner and also a remarkable place to pick up something to eat into the late hours of the night.

Experiencing death from an interesting viewpoint by

KAITLIN CLARK

REPORTER

A man is driving down the freeway and is crossing a narrow bridge. A semi truck, being driven carelessly slams into his car and destroys it completely. It also destroys the man inside. The book “90 Minutes in Heaven” by Don Piper is a truly inspiring story. It is an autobiographical story about a man (Don Piper) who gets into a horrible car wreck and is instantly pronounced dead at the scene. After 90 minutes he amazingly regains consciousness and is flown to a hospital. During these minutes he goes to heaven and then regains consciousness. He tells of his captivating experience in his story. If you are a believer in Christianity, this one is for you. Some people think death is something to fear and this book proves otherwise. It describes death as a peaceful, amazing experience. A person feeling down in the dumps would surely find this story uplifting.

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In the story Piper has to have 34 surgeries and undergo a process to heal his leg with a bone restoration device. Every moment of it was complete pain. It affected his family greatly. After reading this it can make one think, “If he can do all that, then I can do this.” Piper learns to walk again with only one leg. He meets new people, many going through the same type of bone restoration process he had. He inspires them, and tells them they are not alone, and that they will get better. This book is full of hope and great miracles. Throughout this entire story, there are surprises around every corner. Some of the events that occur appear unlikely. However, as the book progresses it becomes apparent that these events are not fabrications but at first, people may think this book might not be true. But after the first three pages you’ll be convinced. The way he describes his accident and what happens, it had to have been that he was indeed dead. Piper had no pulse or any sign of life, so they covered his car

with a tarp. It is because of the power of prayer that he is alive today. After a while, the book gets to the point where it is at a standstill. All Piper seems to be doing is feeling sorry for himself in his hospital bed. It gets repetitive with the whole “woe is me” notion. For instance, towards the middle of the book Piper is so depressed that he yells at his doctor just because the doctor cannot predict his healing time. One can understand that this was the hardest time in his life but, after the hundredth time I think the reader understands he is experiencing pain. Another thing that was a bit agitating was that he jumped around a lot. One moment he would be talking about the day after his accident, and then the next paragraph he would be talking about 10 years later. It would have been helpful if the story was told chronologically. Despite a few small details, this story is filled with so much courage and triumph. Some people may be skeptical about heaven or if it is real or not. If you are one of those people, this book just might change your mind.

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Minutes to Midnight

Brian Svoboda

Kristin Anderson

DJ Lithium Self-titled

Mika

Life in Cartoon Motion

Danny Canham