JagWire | Volume 11 | Issue 4 | Feb. 22, 2011

J ag W i re { { A Limited forum for student expression

Emerald Ridge High School

Senior Jake Rowe displays his bicep tattoo, which means family, gauges, ear piercing and lip ring.

12405 184th St E Puyallup, WA 98374 february 22, 2011 Volume XI Issue IV

{

volume xi issue iV February 22, 2011

Medical Explorers contribute The Medical Explorers volunteered at the opening of Good Samaritan’s new Patient Tower

M

edical Explorers from Emerald Ridge are volunteering for the new MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital Patient Tower. The tower opening in Puyallup is bringing the town excitement. With three years of building, 350,000 square feet, 400 million dollars wrapped in complex architecture, the tower is opening February 17.

The Medical Explorers, along with many nurses from other hospitals, are being transported to the new tower and many are helping with the opening.

The grand opening provides the chance to check the hospital out beforehand and have the opportunity to take a walking tour of the tower, enjoy family-friendly activities, entertainment and light refreshments. The entertainment includes steel drums, magicians, YMCA demonstrations, a Jimmy Buffet cover band and more. The tour takes place February 13 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Medical Explorers volunteer at hospitals to learn basic medical needs and learn what it’s like to work in a hospital. It’s a program for those who are interested in the medical career, want to get community service hours, and qualify for awards and/or cash scholarships.

One Medical Explorer at Emerald Ridge, sophomore Carolyne Schmdit, will be volunteering at the Tower for its opening.

“It’s really fun and we get to learn a lot about the medical field,” says Schmidt.

When she was asked about what she does, she explains that she shadows workers, works with x-rays, first-aid, learn about medicines and procedures from the nurses, and attend meetings every Thursday.

“It is [stressful], we have homework every week and a big book to study and tests.”

She states that although it is demanding, the Medical Explorers is a great experience where you can meet a lot of people and go camping in the summer with the Boy Scouts.

The Medical Explorers volunteer in their free time, but are required to volunteer 20 hours in a six

{ Brittany Tracy - JagWire }

Senior Sarah Barnard interacts with public visitors at the HOSA club booth at the Good Samaritan Tower opening. month span.

Schmidt says she wants to be a pediatric nurse and is planning to take medical classes at Emerald Ridge next year.

The Medical Explorers are preparing their future early and are excited to educate themselves more by volunteering and learning the advanced technology provided for them at the new tower.

Tower Facts - The tower cost $400 million to build.

- There are over 80 private patient rooms in the tower.

- The elevators can hold up to 40 people at a time.

- The rest of the tower will be opened by March 21.

{ Source: www.multicare.org }

{ Brittany Tracy - Reporter }

Weird News

{ Moe Herbert - Reporter } { Illustrations by Kaitlyn Schlegel } No need for laundry day

Do you want fries with that husband?

ver think of not washing your clothes for over a year? Student Josh Le, University of Alberta, teamed up with a fellow professor for an “experiment”. Le did not wash his jeans for 15 months in the pursuit of the perfect fit. His studies found that the amount of bacteria on the 15 month old jeans was equivalent to the amount found on jeans that were only one week old. Whether you find this project disgusting, interesting, pointless, or ambitious, you must be thinking the same thing as me; as the fit nice?

veryone dreams of that day when they can walk down the aisle, lock hands with their lover, and say those two important words: “I do.” But what if the aisle is a line waiting to order, and the “I do” is drowned out by an intercom calling out orders? Now couples in Hong Kong can get themselves a McWedding. Those big golden arches have out done themselves this time. For a reasonable price, one couple can get a cake stacked with apple pies, pink invitation cards covered in golden arches, and decor featuring the company of Ronald McDonald and the Hamburglar.

E

{ Source: news.nationalpost.com }

E

{ Source: news.yahoo.com }

Silence your Farts please

W

e all know how it feels to “cut the cheese” in public. Everyone has done it, and has had to deal with the embarrassment. With that in mind, how would you feel if you were ticketed for fluffing? Residents of the small African country, Malawi, are outraged at a proposed ban placed over farting. Residents will be issued a misdemeanor fine for the indecent “crime”. { Source: www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/weird-news }

Staff Editor-in-Chief/Focus Editor...............Allie Rickard News Editor/EdBoard....................Kaitlyn Schlegel Athletics Editor..................................Maddie Stutz Opinion Editor............................Quinn Sanderson Features Editor/EdBoard..............Billiemarie Klein A&E Editor/EdBoard....................Milena McLaren Sound Off & The Beat Editor...............Aubrey Moss Copy Editor/EdBoard....................Aubrey Kendall Photography & Graphics Editor..............Jamie Bush Business Manager.................................Josh Bozich Reporters.........................................Amaya Adams ......................................................Kristen Casten .........................................................Ryan Chavez ........................................................Sydney Dawn ..........................................................Casey Duke .........................................................Moe Herbert ..............................................................Ben Leair ...........................................................Kate Meyer ....................................................Christa Noonan ....................................................Keegan Ouzman .............................................................Josie Ruiz .........................................................Griffin Silver ..................................................Candace Swenson .......................................................Brittany Tracy ...............................................Virginia Van Keuren Adviser...............................................Kevin Smyth The Very Fine Print Editorial Mission As a limited forum, JagWire exercises student expression rights under the jurisdiction of the Puyallup School District. 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 effecting our readership. We will publish an engaging newsmagazine which will entice, excite, and engage.

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 substaintially disrupt the school process. Letter to the editor may be submitted by mailing them to JagWire c/o Emerald Ridge High School or emailing them to jagwire Advertising Mission 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 atheletes by photo or text will not be accepted (WIAA 18.20.0 and 18.20.1). The staff will not accept advertising that is racist, sexist or illegal for high school students. Advertisements do not necessarily reflect the views, endorsements, and/or positions of the staff of JagWire, student body, faculty, administration, or school board.

Corrections JagWire staff values accuracy in every aspect of our publication. We wish to correct the errors that we do make and extend an apology for any inconvenience to our readership. If you believe that we have made an error, please contact us at: erhs.jagwire@gmail.com.

- In the article on Mormonism, Joseph Smith’s name was incorrectly printed as John Smith.

Cover Photo by Xavier Ness

volume xi issue iV Ferbruary 22, 2011

{

{ Minor { Annoyances*

*all the little things we hate

T

here is literally nothing worse than waking up. I mean really, the thought of getting out of my warm, cozy bed is like death. Death, in fact, might even be better than pulling my heavy limbs out of my heavenly bed of fluffiness - at least then I could sleep.

5:20 my alarm goes off. The sound of my alarm is like knives to my ear, piercing the warm silence with each ring and ding. I try to pry my heavy eyes open for long enough to press snooze on my phone. Five minutes later, the ringing happens again.

“No, no, please no!” I think to myself. Maybe this time the school will call and report a snow day. Maybe, there has been some sort of miraculous snowstorm, leaving school closed for the next week.

No call. No snow. By this point, I think to myself, “What could another 15 minutes do?” I have before school commitments I know I should go to, but in a blurry state of mind all I can think about is closing my eyes and dreaming of rainbows and butterflies.

Fifteen more minutes pass. Ring, ding, the vibration of my phone on my bed makes me want to throw it across the room.

By this point, I feel my hair. My hair has a tendency to curl and wave. At night it becomes an untamed mess. How do my bangs feel? Is it still straight? If the answer is no to all of these questions, I thank the lord and snooze for another 20 minutes.

6:30, my alarm goes off for a final time. I now know that I have to wake up. I have already slept through my morning commitments, I can’t miss school too. I kick off my covers, roll over onto my empty belly, kick my feet like a two year old throwing a fit, take a deep breath and slowly ease myself out of bed. Pain chases through my whole body as I make my way to my bathroom, tripping over shoes on the floor of my room. I take off my horrendous glasses and put in my contacts and let the day begin.

Throughout the day, I look for any opportunity I can find to take a nap. During lunch, I go to Mr. Smyth’s room, I curl up under the counters and sleep. When I am home, between an intense amount of activities and ‘to do’s’, I sleep whenever I can, even if it is for only 10 minutes. I run on about four hours of sleep every night. Everyone tells me to go to bed and to rest, but there is no time to actually sleep. Between filling out stacks of college and scholarship applications, homework, working, and millions of extra curriculars, there is no time to do anything! No time for friends or family, let alone sleep. { Billiemarie Klein - Features Editor/EdBoard }

B

lue slips are annoying. They gave me a paper cut, in sophomore year, and I’m still bitter. I’ll tell you what more, I didn’t have any of my handy dandy travel bandaids with me. Blast being level-headed, I got a paper cut and I’m mad about it!

It was in the first few weeks of Sophomore year and boy, was I naive. I mean, I was fresh-outta-the-womb naive. I missed my fifth period American Studies on a Thursday, so on Friday I stood in the brutally long line at the attendance office, finished my math homework, wrote down a few ideas for my memoirs, took a nap. When the person in front of me got their blue slip, I shook myself awake, wiped off the puddle of drool developing on my sweater, and eagerly received my blue slip.

When she handed it to me, I felt the importance of the lofty document in my hand. I skipped off to see my American Studies teacher to have him notarize this Declaration of Excused Absence, with self satisfaction. But to my confused dismay, he didn’t give five frats about my blue slip. He’s actually gave me a pitying smile and signed my slip. He was surprised I brought it to him!

But wait, my little sophomore head is confused. Down at the office, they said I had to get this thing signed. While pondering this question, I got the infamous paper cut which sparked this Minor Annoyance and reality started to crumble before my eyes.

If most teachers don’t care about blue slips, then why do we have them? As far as I can tell, it’s to maintain the semblance of efficient accountability, but failing to be efficient by being only nominally important and wasteful.

How ironic that we went to all the trouble to install the ecofriendly hand soaps in the bathroom, but we insist that blue slips are essential to maintaining a functional ERHS. Since most students aren’t aware that we have recycling bins at ER, most slips aren’t recycled. As for the poor kids who want to recycle but think we don’t have bins (since they are hidden under counters and tables), are forced to save their slips in little baggie and take them home to their own personal recycling receptacle and give themselves big-ole pats on the backs. In short, blue slips are about as essential as the new TV we just got in the office. Ooh yay, Hodge in High-Def! All of this ethical dilemma, ecosystem stuff aside, there is still the worrisome danger involved in handling one of these slips.

Our district is not equipped to finance the huge numbers of band-aids needed to cover every gaping paper cut, on every student. Mr. Lowney and his pack of wily administrators will have to break into Fort Knox, if they are going to have enough money to pay for the gauze, band-aids and occasional sling, needed to mend our blue slip battle scars.

Blue slips are vicious and they will attack without warning.

They’re like hungry pandas, innocuous at first glance, but stark raving mad. Emerald Ridge should not let blue slips loose on it’s students, unless they are willing to pay the medical bills.

I’m glad to be hearing the whispers of implementing electronic attendance. If ER is going to hide our recycle bins, and use copious amounts of paper, then the least it can do is liberate us from blue slips and their masochistic reign. { Aubrey Kendall - Copy Editor/EdBoard }

{

volume xi issue iV february 22, 2011

( *\[ )YVUaL STUDENT SPECIAL ONE MONTH UNLIMITED TANNING $25.00

$10.00 OFF ANY BODY PIERCING Excluding ears with gun. With coupon.

Conventional beds only. With coupon.

STUDENT SPECIAL TEETH WHITENING $69.95 With coupon.

Gift Cards Available

WA State Licensed Must be 18 yrs. or older for tattoos Parental consent for piercings if under 18 yrs. old

Located behind the Meridian KFC 10105 122nd St. E. - Puyallup 253.841.4898

For a limited time only...

$5 OFF! with coupon

Hurry down to the Student Store and get $5 off yoga pants Coupon expires Tuesday, March 8

volume xi issue iv February 22, 2011

Bowling champions Stats T

hree time State championship winners Courtney Couch, Gabrielle Bostwick, Allison McCormick and Cece Watkins swept out their competition just two weeks ago. The Emerald ridge bowling team beat Rogers by 575 pins.

“We dominated them” McCormick said.

Many of the girls have been on the bowling team since freshman year.Watkins first got into bowling her sophomore year and has been playing ever since. Junior member Couch, senior McCormick and junior Bostwick joined the team because they grew up bowling ever since then can remember. They enjoy bowling and nothing really is more fun for them than going out and playing, whether it is with the team or on their own time. Most of the girls already knew they would be on a team later in life because they have always looked forward to it. As for Watkins she noticed how fun

bowling looked and how much fun her best friend Bostwick was having and decided that bowling was right for her as well.

“It was kind of a given” said Couch.

Couch has recently received athlete of the week in the Seattle Times knocking down 1,102 pins, which is a six game average of 184 pins. Couch beat out her competition Ashley Johnson, who attends Rogers, by 44 pins.

Ever yone of them have their own strengths. Bostwick’s strengths would be that she dances while bowling and always picks up the 7-10 splits, which is seemingly impossible when trying to hit these nonadjacent pins with a huge gap, which is very dance worthy. Bostwick has some natural talent with her splits. Couch is always good at picking up her spares as well as Bostwick.

McCormick keeps the game going, she

makes sure everyone is ready and excited to play.

As for Watkins, she bowls just as well as the rest of the team, some of her biggest strengths are giving it her all and lodging the pins off the lane. Watkins also keeps the team pumped, she makes jokes and lightens the mood of stress during the matches. Thus she got her nickname “The Motivator”.

All of the girls work hard. Their daily schedules are packed with bowling. Everyday they come to school and stay after from until six to practice at the Daffodil Bowling alleys or Pacific Lanes. After, they don’t have time left for anything but homework and rest.

Students look forward a fourth time state championship, for the ERHS bowlers, in years to come. { Josie Ruiz - Reporter }

“Couch

has

recently

received athlete of the week in the knocking

Seattle Times down 1,102

pins,which is a six game average of

184. Couch

beat out her competition

Ashley Johnson, Rogers, by 44 pins.”

{ Alex Shuster - Yearbook }

The Emerald Ridge Bowling Team Champions pose for a team photo after ter a meet.

Gymnastics team G

{ Kristen Casten - JagWire }

Sophmore CaroLyne Shmidt competes on the bars.

ymnastics, like any other sport, is not always as easy as people can make it look. Being in top physical condition is a must and having enough commitment to stick with it through the long nights is a struggle. “[I started gymnastics] because I thought it looked cool, like the tricks people did,” said sophomore Kayla Walker.

Though most people would agree that gymnastics “looks cool,” it takes a lot of strength, determination and practice.

The Emerald Ridge gymnastics team is no stranger to hard work; these girls practice for two and a half hours everyday, and three hours when they have competitions.

“It takes a lot of time, but you make a lot of the best friends you’ll ever have,” said senior Sydney Boyle.

Having their meets on Wednesdays usually means their weekends are open to hang out with friends. Boyle does admit that it sometimes means she does not get

of

{

Girls Bowling

Wins/Losses - 9/0 Highest Score- ER 5, Graham- Kapowsin 0 Next Game- N/A

Boys Basketball

Wins/Losses - 2/16 Highest Score- ER 71, Todd Beamer 75 Next Game- N/A

Boys Swimming

Wins/Losses - 0/2 Highest Score- ER 64, Rogers 106 Next Game- N/A

Boys wrestling

Wins/Losses - 2/6 Highest Score- ER 63, Spanaway 12 Next Game- N/A

Girls basketball

Wins/Losses - 16/2 Highest Score- ER 77, Todd Beamer 54 Next Game- N/A

Girls Wrestling

Wins/Losses - 0/1 Highest Score- ER 30 Rogers 42 Next Game- N/A

Gymnastics

Wins/Losses - 1/1 Highest Score- ER 166.45, Puyallup 156.40, North Thurston S.D. 149.20, Rogers 149.15 { Ben Leair - Reporter }

all her homework done in time and during the week they do not usually have time for anything besides gymnastics. Normally, their Wednesday meets will last from 4:00 until 10:30, so by the time they get home, it is time for bed. “[Gymnastics] takes all my time,” said junior Emily Watsek, “And on the weekends I have sub-districts, districts and then state.”

Every Wednesday meet is between three schools and made up of four events: floor, beam, vault and bars. Gymnasts can compete in any or all of the events for a score. When the ER girls competed at sub-districts, they got 3rd place, and then started looking forward to districts, where the top two teams continued to state. Having never gone to state as a team, everyone was very excited for districts, and were hopeful they were going to make it to state.Though the team tried their best, they found that they will not continue to state as a team, but some of their

teammates will continue on without them.

In addition to having an amazing season, the team has been awarded the South Puget Sound League Sportsmanship Award. It’s a great honor to have received the award and they are very excited to have been honored with it as their teammates continue on to state in the hopes of becoming champions.

Gymnasts Elizabeth Clemens and CaroLyne Schmidt will be competing in the All-Arounds, Caron Schmidt will compete on bars and vault and Emily Watsek will compete on vault.

Competing in the All-Arounds, Elizabeth and CaroLyne will be involved in four events.

After competing in all four, they will receive an overall score for how they did. Emily and Caron will only be competing in selected events, they will be scored individually. { Sydney Dawn - Reporter }

{

volume xi issue iV february 22, 2011

{

My Morning with Milena & Moe Every morning, students choose whether or not to alter their appearance. Here’s a look at a male and female perspective.

5:48 a.m.

Stage I of my hair process: Extra hot flat iron on my hair.

(Style, not straighten. That would make it go flat and that’s not okay.)

6:00 a.m.

Makeup time! This includes toner, moisturizer, foundation, powder, concealer, eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara and lipstick.

02 01 Senior Isabelle Criado 02 Senior Jake Rowe 03 Senior Hover Lagrimas

6:25 a.m.

A&E Editor Milena McLaren opens up a tube of mascara to apply as part of her daily makeup.

Milena mclaren 5:09 a.m.

First alarm goes off (keep in mind it’s 6 minutes fast).

01

03

5:20 a.m.

I get in the shower.

5:35 a.m.

I use volumizing mousse in my hair and then blow it dry on the warm setting. This ensures that my hair does not dry too fast and adds extra volume. The last two minutes of blow drying are set to the cool setting. I’m not exactly sure what it does, but I just heard that it’s good for your hair.

A

s House Majority Leader John Boehner ushers in a new era of tanning, we again are prompted to examine our own reflection, and ask ourselves why it is we feel the need to change our physical appearance.

Today, most body modification can be chalked up to vanity and striving to be some image of perfection.

Britney Spears made every little girl want a belly button ring and Jersey Shore made being pale the Cardinal sin.

Every morning the bathrooms are filled with girls applying their last few coats of mascara and guys check to make sure each little gelled spike on the top of their heads are high and hard and students under eighteen have appendages full of tattoos.

But tattooing, and other physical alterations, are historically more diverse in motive than today’s vanity driven modifications.

According to Wikipedia, tattooing in Japan dates back to Paleolithic days when the indigenous Ainu women tattooed their mouths to create the illusion of a very wide, exaggerated lip, in an act of kinship which united all the Ainu women.

Across Eurasia, Polynesia, the Americas and Africa, tattooing, piercings and body paint have been used in ceremonial, religious and day-to-day life, including biblical nose rings, Aztec tongue piercings and the 19th century freak-show preforms (whose full body tattoos would be a bit less shocking today).

On the other more solemn side of the aisle, branding

World War II concentration camp victims, with numbered forearms, was an effective way of keeping track of prisoners under Nazi control. Even the Romans branded those entering the gladiator arena, with a burned symbol on the forehead, and the letter ‘F’ for robbers. Similar practices persisted all over the world for thousands of years.

Although it is easy to think of body modification in only its modern form (tramp-stamps, false eye lashes, self-tanner or gauges), it’s interesting to remember all the incarnations of body modification, and then look into the future, at what we’ll be doing to ourselves then. { Aubrey Kendall - Copy Editor/EdBoard }

Students’ Body Modifications Do you have a tattoo?

Stage II: This is when I first begin backcombing my hair.

Each section is thoroughly hairsprayed and backcombed.

Once every section has been completed, it is brushed into place by a soft-bristled comb, then hairsprayed again. The bigger, the better; it hides my roots that I must dye blonde every five to eight weeks.

6:40 a.m.

Deciding what to wear can last anywhere from 10 to 25 minutes. The majority of the time, this big decision has been made the night before and is perfected that morning.

7:00 a.m.

Final touch ups vary day-to-day and usually consist of rebackcombing my hair (Stage III) that has gone flat, adding the extra coat of mascara or last minute wardrobe changes.

I grab all my school stuff and a breakfast I eat in the car.

7:13 a.m.

Leave for school.

moe herbert 6:35 a.m.

I wake up and get in the shower.

6:40 a.m.

I get dressed, brush my teeth and do anything else that needs to get taken care of in the morning.

7:00 a.m.

Leave for school.

Reporter Moe Herbert brushes his teeth.

Do you have a piercing?

01 Sophomore Adam Landy 02 Junior Holly Bayless da Costa 03 Senior Teresa Helton

Yes 14% No 40% No 86%

342 responses

Yes 60%

01

02

03

Hear from Brian Gowler, a tattoo artist for 20 years, and Shanda Rishel, a piercing artist, from The Tattoo Machine.

JagWire: What’s the typical process for getting a tattoo or piercing?

Brian Gowler: “Most customers will have an idea of something that they want, often a custom design. Our job is to get inside their head and get the design out on paper. Then we set up an appointment and do the tattoo. Customers would only come back in if they need a touch up, but this hardly ever happens because we do the tattoo correctly in the first place.”

Shanda Rishel: “We will discuss what type of piercing they want and what type and style of jewelry they would like and then do the piercing.”

JW: What are the risks and benefits of tattoos and piercings?

BG: “The main risk is that you’re going to change your mind and want to cover it up. By far the most covered-up tattoos are names, so we discourage those. Benefits are hard to say because everyone gets something different out of their tattoo. It really depends on what the person is trying to get out of the tattoo. For example, memorial tattoos can provide closure for some people.”

SR: “Well there is the risk of infection and not taking care of the piercing and jewelry. Benefits are personal.

A lot of customers get piercings because they think that they look cool.”

JW: What reasons do your customers typically cite for getting a tattoo?

BG: “Simple adornment is the most common reason— just because you want it. Also, some people get tattoos to mark a point in their life.”

JW: What kinds of tattoos or piercings do you specialize in?

BG: “My specialty changes over time. I find something more challenging or interesting and lean toward

that—my specialty is always in flux. I think that I am really good in black and grey and I also enjoy large pieces, the subject matter doesn’t matter so much as that I like doing large tattoos.”

SR: “I do everything—I haven’t said no to anyone yet and I’ve done some pretty strange stuff.”

JW: What should adolescents know when getting a tattoo or piercing?

BG: “You have to be 18. Period. End of story. If you are 18, you should know what to look for in cleanliness in the shop and consistency in the photo albums. Some shops will take photos off the internet and try to pass them off as their own. The popularity of tattoos has spawned some shady, shady practices so you should look for someone who has been around for a long time. You should ask around about the studio first.

Word of mouth is our number one advertisement, word of mouth is everything. Do not impulsively get a tattoo. That’s a cover up waiting to happen. Think about what you want, why you want it and if you can live with it for the rest of your life. They don’t come off easy.”

SR: “Make sure you do the research and look into pros and cons. Read feedback from customers and research different shops. Be mature in deciding what piercings you want to get.”

JW: Anything else you’d like to add?

BG: “In the high school setting, no one is completely done growing yet so the location and look of a tattoo will change as you grow. Also, get your tattoos done at a licensed shop. Hepatitis can easily be transferred with infected needles so don’t have your friend give you a tattoo.” { Allie Rickard - Editor-in-Chief/Focus Editor }

{

volume xi issue iV february 22, 2011

{

My Morning with Milena & Moe Every morning, students choose whether or not to alter their appearance. Here’s a look at a male and female perspective.

5:48 a.m.

Stage I of my hair process: Extra hot flat iron on my hair.

(Style, not straighten. That would make it go flat and that’s not okay.)

6:00 a.m.

Makeup time! This includes toner, moisturizer, foundation, powder, concealer, eye shadow, eyeliner, mascara and lipstick.

02 01 Senior Isabelle Criado 02 Senior Jake Rowe 03 Senior Hover Lagrimas

6:25 a.m.

A&E Editor Milena McLaren opens up a tube of mascara to apply as part of her daily makeup.

Milena mclaren 5:09 a.m.

First alarm goes off (keep in mind it’s 6 minutes fast).

01

03

5:20 a.m.

I get in the shower.

5:35 a.m.

I use volumizing mousse in my hair and then blow it dry on the warm setting. This ensures that my hair does not dry too fast and adds extra volume. The last two minutes of blow drying are set to the cool setting. I’m not exactly sure what it does, but I just heard that it’s good for your hair.

A

s House Majority Leader John Boehner ushers in a new era of tanning, we again are prompted to examine our own reflection, and ask ourselves why it is we feel the need to change our physical appearance.

Today, most body modification can be chalked up to vanity and striving to be some image of perfection.

Britney Spears made every little girl want a belly button ring and Jersey Shore made being pale the Cardinal sin.

Every morning the bathrooms are filled with girls applying their last few coats of mascara and guys check to make sure each little gelled spike on the top of their heads are high and hard and students under eighteen have appendages full of tattoos.

But tattooing, and other physical alterations, are historically more diverse in motive than today’s vanity driven modifications.

According to Wikipedia, tattooing in Japan dates back to Paleolithic days when the indigenous Ainu women tattooed their mouths to create the illusion of a very wide, exaggerated lip, in an act of kinship which united all the Ainu women.

Across Eurasia, Polynesia, the Americas and Africa, tattooing, piercings and body paint have been used in ceremonial, religious and day-to-day life, including biblical nose rings, Aztec tongue piercings and the 19th century freak-show preforms (whose full body tattoos would be a bit less shocking today).

On the other more solemn side of the aisle, branding

World War II concentration camp victims, with numbered forearms, was an effective way of keeping track of prisoners under Nazi control. Even the Romans branded those entering the gladiator arena, with a burned symbol on the forehead, and the letter ‘F’ for robbers. Similar practices persisted all over the world for thousands of years.

Although it is easy to think of body modification in only its modern form (tramp-stamps, false eye lashes, self-tanner or gauges), it’s interesting to remember all the incarnations of body modification, and then look into the future, at what we’ll be doing to ourselves then. { Aubrey Kendall - Copy Editor/EdBoard }

Students’ Body Modifications Do you have a tattoo?

Stage II: This is when I first begin backcombing my hair.

Each section is thoroughly hairsprayed and backcombed.

Once every section has been completed, it is brushed into place by a soft-bristled comb, then hairsprayed again. The bigger, the better; it hides my roots that I must dye blonde every five to eight weeks.

6:40 a.m.

Deciding what to wear can last anywhere from 10 to 25 minutes. The majority of the time, this big decision has been made the night before and is perfected that morning.

7:00 a.m.

Final touch ups vary day-to-day and usually consist of rebackcombing my hair (Stage III) that has gone flat, adding the extra coat of mascara or last minute wardrobe changes.

I grab all my school stuff and a breakfast I eat in the car.

7:13 a.m.

Leave for school.

moe herbert 6:35 a.m.

I wake up and get in the shower.

6:40 a.m.

I get dressed, brush my teeth and do anything else that needs to get taken care of in the morning.

7:00 a.m.

Leave for school.

Reporter Moe Herbert brushes his teeth.

Do you have a piercing?

01 Sophomore Adam Landy 02 Junior Holly Bayless da Costa 03 Senior Teresa Helton

Yes 14% No 40% No 86%

342 responses

Yes 60%

01

02

03

Hear from Brian Gowler, a tattoo artist for 20 years, and Shanda Rishel, a piercing artist, from The Tattoo Machine.

JagWire: What’s the typical process for getting a tattoo or piercing?

Brian Gowler: “Most customers will have an idea of something that they want, often a custom design. Our job is to get inside their head and get the design out on paper. Then we set up an appointment and do the tattoo. Customers would only come back in if they need a touch up, but this hardly ever happens because we do the tattoo correctly in the first place.”

Shanda Rishel: “We will discuss what type of piercing they want and what type and style of jewelry they would like and then do the piercing.”

JW: What are the risks and benefits of tattoos and piercings?

BG: “The main risk is that you’re going to change your mind and want to cover it up. By far the most covered-up tattoos are names, so we discourage those. Benefits are hard to say because everyone gets something different out of their tattoo. It really depends on what the person is trying to get out of the tattoo. For example, memorial tattoos can provide closure for some people.”

SR: “Well there is the risk of infection and not taking care of the piercing and jewelry. Benefits are personal.

A lot of customers get piercings because they think that they look cool.”

JW: What reasons do your customers typically cite for getting a tattoo?

BG: “Simple adornment is the most common reason— just because you want it. Also, some people get tattoos to mark a point in their life.”

JW: What kinds of tattoos or piercings do you specialize in?

BG: “My specialty changes over time. I find something more challenging or interesting and lean toward

that—my specialty is always in flux. I think that I am really good in black and grey and I also enjoy large pieces, the subject matter doesn’t matter so much as that I like doing large tattoos.”

SR: “I do everything—I haven’t said no to anyone yet and I’ve done some pretty strange stuff.”

JW: What should adolescents know when getting a tattoo or piercing?

BG: “You have to be 18. Period. End of story. If you are 18, you should know what to look for in cleanliness in the shop and consistency in the photo albums. Some shops will take photos off the internet and try to pass them off as their own. The popularity of tattoos has spawned some shady, shady practices so you should look for someone who has been around for a long time. You should ask around about the studio first.

Word of mouth is our number one advertisement, word of mouth is everything. Do not impulsively get a tattoo. That’s a cover up waiting to happen. Think about what you want, why you want it and if you can live with it for the rest of your life. They don’t come off easy.”

SR: “Make sure you do the research and look into pros and cons. Read feedback from customers and research different shops. Be mature in deciding what piercings you want to get.”

JW: Anything else you’d like to add?

BG: “In the high school setting, no one is completely done growing yet so the location and look of a tattoo will change as you grow. Also, get your tattoos done at a licensed shop. Hepatitis can easily be transferred with infected needles so don’t have your friend give you a tattoo.” { Allie Rickard - Editor-in-Chief/Focus Editor }

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volume xi issue iv february 22, 2011

DRUMLINE One Team, One Sound.

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ne team. One sound. That’s the philosophy the and helps everyone stay together and work in unison. Judrumline formed this year. Going under the radar nior Trevon Fields is the veteran on the drumline, playfor the past three years, the nine students on the ing drums for the past six years. Last year Fields attended drumline are making it known they are here to leave stu- Curtis High School and was on their drumline. He had dents and faculty in awe, with their special moves and fast multiple opportunities to perform in front of big crowds. paced drum beats. Of the nine “It’s cool seeing everystudents one is a senior, four juone’s face when they’re rumline isn t all gum drops niors and four sophomores. playing in front of the “I joined the drumline to get and candy canes a lot of prac school,” Fields said. more involved in band and to “That’s exactly how I was tice and hard work goes into when I played at an assembecome a better percussionist,” senior Josh Erberich said. bly for the first time.” each performance Usually the drumline only Drumline isn’t all gum plays at halftime shows during sporting events, but de- drops and candy canes though, a lot of practice and hard spite the pressure of every eye on them, every ear listen- work goes into each performance. Whether it be for half ing, they pulled off their first schoolwide assembly perfor- time shows, pep assemblies or the Daffodil Parade, the mance cleanly. drumline practices, almost every day, and meet during “A lot of practice went into that performance,” band JAG whenever possible to practice alone or together. teacher Scott Fry said.

“The hardest part is putting all of the parts together,” The students involved with drumline try to make a name sophomore Nathan Taylor said. “We only practice as a for themselves. Before this school year the drumline went whole once a week.” unrecognized. Every team has one person that stands out Mr. Fry and the students of the drumline hope to play

“D

’

,

-

.”

more assemblies before the school year comes to a close.

They will perform during the Daffodil parade with the entire school band in April, which they’ve been rehearsing for all year. More performances means more practice and practice makes perfect.

“We want perfection,” Fry said.

Fields, the veteran on the drumline, has most of the responsibilities. Along with putting all of the parts of the song together, he also has to make sure everyone is working well together. Pressure is a huge factor on drumline.

Everyone wants to sound and be the best.

“All of us feel the pressure when we are practicing or about to perform,” Fields said. “We try not to get pressured but it’s tough.”

If being on the drumline sounds interesting, Mr. Fry chooses spots for the drummers who take band as a class.

He has the students try out then he appoints them to which ever instrument best suits them. Being on drumline gets students more involved with the school, it builds team work and you have fun all the while. { Kate Meyer - Reporter }

{ Candace Swenson- JagWire }

volume xi issue iv february 22, 2011

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Meet the Muehlenbruchs After six years of happily ever after and working together, Mr. and Mrs. Muehlenbruch spend time coaching sports and raising their family.

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01 Muehlenbruch family 02 Ben and Jenni at Lindsey Fewing’s wedding 03 Ben and Jenni in Lincoln City, Oregon

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t was 2002. Ben Muehlenbruch was teaching leadership at Rogers High School when he was asked to chaperone the Senior Ball. After much ridicule, he admitted to his class he was going stag.

He was later convinced to leave the decision of who he should bring to the dance to his students. Senior Lindsey Fewing had a sister about his age. During class she called her sister and asked if she would be Muehlenbruch’s blind date to the Senior Ball.

Jenni Fewing was finishing up college at Central Washington University when she received a phone call from Puyallup.

It was her little sister begging her to come home for Senior Ball and chaperone with her leadership teacher as a blind date.

Fewing, thinking it was a joke, decided to go along with it and said yes.

When the big day arrived Muehlenbruch, in classic prom attire, picked up Fewing from her house. Hitting it off from the start, the two went out to dinner then proceeded to the dance. Not wanting the night to end, the couple took a romantic walk along the waterfront. “[Prom] was great,” Ben Muehlenbruch said. “She had a better time than I did.”

May 11, 2003 was their one year anniversary. Fewing, being the thoughtful and considerate one, bought Muehlenbruch a gift. After just one year of dating, Muehlenbruch knew it was time to settle down with the love of his life. However, having spent all of his time thinking about their future together, he forgot to get Fewing a present in return. Needless to say, Fewing was not very happy with her boyfriend to begin this memorable night.

In an attempt to make up for his mistake, Muehlenbruch took Fewing on a romantic date. Fewing and Muehlenbruch sat on a hilltop admiring the enchanting city of Bellingham as Muehlenbruch got

01

down on one knee, gazed into Fewing’s beautiful eyes and said the words she waited her whole life to hear: “Will you marry me?”

Jenni said yes and on April 3, 2004, the love birds exchanged vows and forever transformed into Mr. and Mrs. Muehlenbruch. The duo welcomed their first child, Blake, into the world in 2006.

Three years later their family grew once more as they added their white blond daughter, Ainsley.

Jenni Muehlenbruch got a job instructing Teaching Academy at Emerald Ridge High School while Ben Muehlenbruch was still teaching at RHS. In 2006, the head basketball coach position opened up at ERHS. Ben Muehlenbruch, who had been the assistant coach at RHS, applied for and was offered the job. In the same year, a Social Studies teaching position opened up and Ben and Jenni Muehlenbruch found themselves both working at the same high school. “[Working together] provides a unique situation,” Ben Muehlenbruch said. “We have a lot of the same students and the same coworkers so we can relate.”

The Muehlenbruchs are very busy in and outside of school, Ben coaching the boy’s basketball team and Jenni coaching the dance team.The couple agrees that although they work at the same school with a thin wall separating their two classrooms, they rarely see one another during the day.

“It’s comforting to know we’re both here,” Jenni Muehlenbruch said.

Sharing a work place creates a special bond and unique connection that most couples don’t have. They found this situation brought them closer together because they understood each other’s personal as well as professional lives. But the couple has an agreement to keep work at

work and don’t talk about it at home.

Although the two educators teach separate subjects and rarely discuss their teaching techniques, they both have a sense of humor that make learning fun for their students. Their teaching styles are easily compared.

“We both think we’re funny,” Jenni Muehlenbruch said. “But I need to have activities organized and planned and he does more lectures.”

Jenni Muehlenbruch’s thoughtful nature and ability to remember all the little things (except for the placement of her keys) is one of the many reasons Ben Muehlenbruch loves her. He also adds that whatever she does she does well, from mothering their children to coaching the dance team.

Jenni Muehlenbruch’s love for her husband’s sense of humor exceeds her annoyance at his “sniffing” sound and mumbled words. She also enjoys when he lets her win their marital arguments.

“Ben’s patient,” Jenni Muehlenbruch said. “Far more patient than I am.”

Ben and Jenni Muehlenbruch’s love is a real life fairytale. A love beginning at the ball, blooming into a family, and continuing to grow everyday.

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{ Quinn Sanderson - Opinion Editor } { Maddie Stutz - Sports Editor }

Fo

rev er & Al way s

{ Photos Courtsey of Jenni Muehlenbruch }

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volume xi issue iV february 22, 2011

{ Getting } Fat

I love cupcakes. I am a die-hard cupcake fiend.

Can you think of anything better than frosting on a personal-sized piece of cake? Probably not.

After hearing so much talk about how Hello, Cupcake is the best thing since sliced bread, I was very disappointed to find out that sliced bread is, actually better.

It is a cute little shop that looks like it was been decorated by the housewife of the year. The environment was excellent to say the least. After ordering our three different dreamy cupcakes, I was beyond excited to share each one with Milena and Kaitlyn.

My first bite of the Red Velvet cupcake wasn’t all that I hoped. It was good, but it wasn’t “OH MY GOSH” good!” As for the Raspberry Chocolate, I gagged on my first bite. The frosting was seriously killing me. I didn’t even know what do with myself, and not in a good way either. I gulped that one down one as fast as I could and chased it with creamy milk.

Out of all three cupcakes, the double chocolate was the best. It was rich, too rich, but how could you not love chocolate? Each cupcake had a common theme: too much frosting and dry cake.

Though Hello, Cupcake is very cute, don’t let the cuteness fool you. With little options to choose from, Hello, Cupcake was just “eh,” not “yay.”

A charming little cupcake shop on Pacific Ave in Tacoma was the destination for my adventure with Billiemarie and Kaitlyn. Welcomed by a flowerfilled basket hanging from a bike, we walked in to see all the cupcakes perfectly displayed behind glass. They had just a few fun flavors, and the cupcake selection was slim and pretty ordinary.

Taking our seats in the window and splitting each cupcake into three (which is more difficult than it looks, let me tell you) I tasted the chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting and the chocolate raspberry. At first bite, it was delicious. Once I began to delve deeper, I noticed how dry all of the cakes were. The chocolate-on-chocolate cupcake was a little too rich and overwhelming after a few bites. The chocolate raspberry was quite good, but I was distracted by how crumbly the cake was. It was practically impossible to eat without a glob of frosting; which there was more than enough of. The red velvet cake was nothing fabulous, but the best component of all three cupcakes had to be the cream cheese frosting.

If only there wasn’t a mountain of it on top of the cupcake.

No matter what, I think it’s difficult for a cupcake shop to not be completely adorable and enticing but I’m not quite convinced Hello, Cupcake is worth a special drive to Tacoma.

If you know who I am, you know that I have a huge sweet tooth. Ice cream? I’ll take it. Chocolate chip cookies? Give me some. But, I have one ultimate weakness. One thing that can make my heart flutter at the mere sight of it: cupcake.

When Billie, Milena and I decided to go to Hello, Cupcake, I was as giddy as a school girl. I thought that going to a store filled with delectable cupcakes would be an oasis for me. I got more excited. When we walked in; I was set. I knew that I was going to be satisfied. The cute atmosphere just made me want to live there. I ordered my chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting (and a root beer to drink, of course), and sat down at the window seating. Then I took a bite of my cupcake.

To say that I was thoroughly disappointed with Hello Cupcake would be an understatement. They don’t have a wide variety of cupcakes to choose from. You can have several different versions of vanilla and chocolate cupcakes, and a couple other to choose from. I am not sure if their cupcakes are like this all the time, but the one I had was anything but fresh. The overload of frosting was enough for me to put my cupcake down and be done. Cupcakes are supposed to be moist; mine was the opposite.

Overall, I have been to much better cupcake shops, I have had much better cupcakes, and I am probably not going back to Hello Cupcake anytime soon.

{ Billiemarie Klein - Editorial Board / Feature Editor }

{ Milena McLaren - Editorial Board / A&E Editor }

{ Kaitlyn Schlegel - Editorial Board / News Editor }

{ Photos and Illustrations by Milena McLaren - JagWire }

volume xi issue IV february 22, 2011

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I love you guys! There’s such diversity in their music, but you always know Rod Argent when you hear him. They’re distinct sixties, but still timeless. Zombies 4EVA. - Aubrey Kendall The Zombies have an early Beatles feel. Delectable harmonies perfectly compliment the band’s ‘move your feet’ type beat. - Aubrey Moss The Zombies are classic 60’s rock. They have a skilled vocalist and good harmonies, and catchy yet complex grooves. Although they may at times feel like a sort of Beatles rip off, if you consider the period, who wasn’t? -Josh Bozich

Aubrey Kendall -The Zombies (60’s) When I listen to them, all I can think of is Kristen Stewart trying to prove she can act. They’re fine.

They’re teen angst incarnated. They blend into the background for me.

- Aubrey Kendall

My infatuation with The Runaways grows every car ride. Joan Jett and Cherrie Currie’s vocals send my ears musical pleasure. I find their antinormality and revolt irresistible.

- Aubrey Moss

They make me think of the Beach Boys. I think it’s the beat, too mellow for me. Definitely not a favorite band, but I can deal with them. -Christa Noonan

The rhythms and progressions were simple, bordering on remedial. With lyrics sounding like they were written by a junior high student and a singer sounding like the Justin Bieber of rock, my thumbs point down.

Listening to them makes me want to go out and cause mayhem. I think the guitar solos are amazing. It’s such a big voice for a little lady to sing with; props to her, she definitely beats other voices I’ve heard!

- Christa Noonan

Aubrey Moss -The Runaways (70’s)

- Josh Bozich

The Sound Off : I think Yes’ decade was not the eighties, they did better in the seventies, but they’re still fun to listen to.

Although they’re a great band, the only time I’d really listen to them is when they come on 104.5 FM.

Josh Bozich -Yes (80’s)

- Aubrey Kendall

Through the Decades

Yes, you can own my lonely heart. Anyone who knows me knows I have a spot in my heart for the 80’s, that Yes does not hesitate to fill. I’d consider them a more upbeat version of Rush. They’ve got my vote.

- Aubrey Moss

Complex themes, stunning vocals, musicianship and overall heavenly writing prowess define this band. Although my favorite songs of Yes are in the 70’s, the groups 80’s ventures like “Changes” and “I’m Running” do not cease to amaze.

One of my favorite bands of all time.

- Josh Bozich

Just listening to the beginning of one song already annoys me. I’m not a big fan of this type of music, whatever it is. The lyrics? Not something I would rave about. The percussion is extremely obnoxious to me.

I’m thankful I don’t listen to them.

- Christa Noonan

I wouldn't listen to them in the car; I wouldn’t listen to them with a czar. I wouldn’t listen to them on a boat; I’d rather drown myself in a moat. - Aurbey Kendall The Red Hot Chili Peppers define my childhood. I have an undefined respect for their music and message. Although not as popular in the new age, these music misfits are still going at it, proving yet again that recent music hasn’t completely lost its soul. - Aubrey Moss Red Hot Chili Pepper’s songs all sound the same. The musicians are good, and the vocalist is fantastic at what he does, but from a musician’s standpoint, their songs are kind of stale. My only word to describe them is “meh.” - Josh Bozich This band is my zen. No other band could bring peace like Red Hot. They have perfect words to fit the music. If a band could be a god, Red Hot would definitely be my golden Buddha.

Anyone who dislikes this band is obviously not worthy enough to hear the music of the gods. Christa Noonan

Christa Noonan The Red Hot Chili Peppers (90’s)

The Beat - Feb./March Giving you the lowdown on the South Sound 22

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Today! George Washington’s Birthday!

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1 March!

Community Service Fair in Advisory

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7

14

HSPE Testing Boys Soccer @ Rogers

Daylight Savings Time - Set your clocks forward!

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First day of spring

Featured Artist

Courtney Main { Sophomore }

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22 Tennis, Fastpitch, Baseball and Soccer Games and band concert

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Annie Get Your Gun Musical - Curtain at 7 p.m.

Annie Get Your Gun Musical

Annie Get Your Gun Musical and Solo/ Ensemble Contest at Puyallup HS

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College Fair in Advisory Sr. Boards Training Annie Get Your Gun Musical

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5

Annie Get Your Gun Musical

Annie Get Your Gun Musical

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Senior Directed One Act Auditions

Senior Directed One Act Auditions

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Dr. Seuss’ Birthday Senior Boards Training

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Teacher Learning Day - NO SCHOOL

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24

HSPE Testing

23 Fastpitch @ Bethel

HSPE Testing St. Patrick’s Day

24 Boys Soccer vs.

Beamer

Valley Region Band Contest

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19

Local Scholarships App Due

25 Baseball @ Bethel

26 Boys Soccer vs.

Beamer