Jo Breese Portfolio by Lori Hart

Jo ? o i l o B f t r o P : Q r E s E

S e eF

L cT

I didn’t really learn anything new this semester besides learning how to use some new indesign features. They wasn’ really that hard and I didn’t have much trouble with it. I definitely got way better at Indesign this year from last year though. Deadlines were always really hard for me to meet but I think I think I did pretty well with them. I was able to get most stuff done on time. Working with others is a core part of Newspaper and I think I did a good job with that. I never thought I had problems with it, as I’ve always been able to work with people. I’ve always thought ethics in journalism are very important. I’ve been mindful of sounding too biased in my stories and in the stories I’m editing. I mostly did opinion pieces this semester so it wasn’t that big of an issue though. I had an issue this year with many stories missing interviews and being based on bad sources. I think I’ve been a pretty good asset to the staff this year. I’ve finished my page on time, edited my stories on time, and been trying to help new writers. My main goal for this year was to start helping more new writers, and I think I did pretty well with that. The biggest issue I had this year was with deadlines. Deadlines were always very hard for me to get the motivation to meet them. My greatest weakness has to be finishing deadlines and conducting interviews. I have always had a hard time doing interviews but this year I think I did the worst ones.

R e F l E c T i O n #2 THE CSPRESS

COMMENT

MARCH 19, 2021 ● 7

Staying safe or spring break?

Claire Geare Opinion Editor

Well, well, well… What do we have here? Sand in the pockets? A lingering smell of pineapple? And what’s this? Cornrows? In this political climate, no less? This is just what I expected… you’ve been to Rocky Point. Listen, I’m sympathetic to the cause, really. With the upcoming anniversary of our nationwide lockdown, I too need an escape to the sunny beaches of Puerto Penasco. There’s no cure for burn out like illegally drinking in a Mexican dive bar, frolicking the beaches packed with fellow spring breakers, and getting stuck out of

\ David Lane

the country for two weeks in a mandatory quarantine. I just hope the pina coladas were worth it. I don’t normally have a problem with spring break, besides the usual begrudgement and my crippling fear of having fun. My problem however, comes from the sheer irony of the situation. Too many graphics warning the public to stay inside. Maybe you thought it said “stay inside except for spring break” or maybe you just can’t read the title with all that glare from the beach.

\ David Lane

Minimum wage must be increased Jo Breese

creeker editor

Fifteen dollar minimum wage is the least we could do to help Americans live their lives. Many companies have committed to a 15 dollar minimum wage. Amazon, Target, and Costco are just a few of hundreds that have created their own rules for minimum wage. Since the government won’t do it, many companies feel the outrage directed at them. An increase to the measly federal minimum wage of

7.25 would add over 107 billion dollars in wages for workers, which can pull many people out of poverty. Many of those affected by low wages are tipped workers, who only have to get paid two dollars and thirteen cents by their bosses, as the rest is expected to come from tips. The biggest issue with raising the minimum wage is how a lot of people will lose their jobs, over 1.4 million estimates CBO. This number is inaccurate though, as studies following state increases to minimum wage have found that the estimated job loss never happened and unemployment mostly stayed level. A 2018 study from UC Berkeley found no negative employment effects. The idea that massive job loss will happen as minimum wage is slowly increased is an outdated myth that holds no basis in reality. During the aftermath of the pandemic, a 15 dollar minimum wage is desperately needed. Wages in many states have been the same since 2009, when it increased by a measly 30 cents. The cost of living

since then has blown up and many people cannot afford their rent and are being forced to work extra hours or take on more jobs. Adjusted for inflation, the minimum wage is the lowest it’s been in decades. The average worker today is paid 29 percent less than 50 years ago. American workers have not been feeling the economic growth that the United States has gone through in that time. A single parent working for the federal minimum wage couldn’t bring themselves to the poverty line without taking on other jobs. Over 900,000 people will be lifted out of poverty soon after the minimum wage increase and it will allow others the opportunity too. People being paid the federal minimum wage are suffering while places Arizona and California are flourishing due to state minimum wage. The minimum wage should be the same for everyone in the US, so no one should be poor just for being born in a different state.

The purpose of this piece was to argue the benefits of a 15 dollar minimum wage. This piece was pretty good I think, I had reliable sources and solid evidence to back up my claims. I was pretty familiar with this topic before writing this story so it wasn’t that big of a challenge to write. The hardest thing I think was backing up my counterclaim with reliable sources. I picked my counterclaim based on what I thought people who oppose it would say, but I don’t think it was as good as it could be. This piece was not as heavily edited as others, most of the edits were just fixing small mistakes or moving sentences around. I did have to redo my counterclaim however, I just added something about a small business nearby that would hurt due to the 15 dollar minimum wage. While creating this piece I researched a lot about minimum wage and found lots of evidence that made me surprised that it wasn’t 15 dollars already. Many of the sources are from major research institutes or colleges that have proven minimum wage increases to be incredibly effective at stomping out poverty. The counterclaims that I saw during my research were miniscule compared to the benefits of a minimum wage hike and it was hard to find a popular counterclaim that wasn’t either made-up or debunked by researchers. In the finished article, I really liked how I spread out my points and added sources to back them up. Usually I don’t add a lot of sources but this time I added on to prove my point. I also liked how I got it done before the deadline, which is always hard for me, but I think it helped me focus on my editing and making my page the best it could be. I am really proud of this piece and my points and ideas stated in it.

by the earlier lunch group, causing some students not to eat at all. Also, school lunches can be very repetitive and often barely feel like a break for the students. This leaves them constantly drained of energy throughout the day, which can cause them to lose focus in class and not be as productive. Allowing students to leave during lunch, gives them a sense of

pus is that students might decide not to return after lunch, and miss their classes. However, with the Infinite Campus app on every student’s phone, when they are absent from class, it is posted online immediately, meaning there is no way to avoid the consequences of skipping class.

Time to put the broom away The “sweep” is a tactic used by the adminis- late. This creates an inconsistency between tration to counter the abundance of tardies what teachers will send you to the office and this past year. While it is useful in punishing students, does it really need to? Do students late to class really need more time out of class? There are tons of good reasons The sweep is noth- kids might be late too, going to the ing new, it was used in bathroom, finishing up classwork, the 2000s too, but was dropped after a while. and just getting there might take a Students might be while. Especially with all the closed punished with a detenbathrooms around school, trying to pee tion during classtime. It seems very counter- can take time finding out which ones intuitive to punish kids are open and which are not. not going to class with more time out of class. And what is defined as being late? According to Tony Vining, the which will not. Why even principal, being outside of the classroom in enact this if many teachany way after the bell rings is a tardy. That ers will not follow it? But a detention is never means you could just be standing in the doorway talking to friends and get detention promised as a punishment, late students could get anyfor being late to class. There are tons of good reasons kids might thing, it just depends on what be late too, going to the bathroom, finishing they want to give out that up classwork, and just getting there might day. The problem of inconsistake a while. Especially with all the closed tent punishments is common bathrooms around school, trying to pee can here, as one kid can get three take time finding out which ones are open days in school suspension for and which are not. Many teachers do not cursing, while another might just care about this new sweep policy, and as peo- get a warning. ple do when they don’t agree with a policy, they disobey and still let in kids if they are

“

Jo Breese spotlight editor

Administration recently decided to re-implement the sweep, a tactic to get students to get to class on time.

FORGET THEM sweep away the sweeps.

4Robert Adamson

This is my only piece published this semester besides my minimum wage story, and I think it is very good. I choose this one because it is the only one I can choose. I’m pround of how I tackled researching this article and how I agured my point.

R e F l E c T i O 3# n

Jaden Lea staff writer

Students should be allowed to leave school at lunch

T e A r

THE CSPRESS

Staying safe or spring break?

load of places within dents to be leaving campus midfive to ten minday. However, there are a lot of lot of business, such utes of school that new precautions and ways that as Burger King, Jersey would receive a lot the school can ensure a safe and Mikes, Sprouts, and of business, such as quick way of leaving and returnWendy’s, which all Burger King, Jersey ing to school. Mikes, Sprouts, and One argument for letting stu- provide a quick and Wendy’s. dents leave campus at lunch easy way for students An argument is that much of the lunch food against open cammade each day is already taken to eat. pus is that students by the earlier lunch group, causmight decide not ing some students not to eat at to return after all. Also, school lunches can be very repetitive and often barely feel like a lunch, and miss their classes. However, break for the students. This leaves them con- with the Infinite Campus app on every stantly drained of energy throughout the day, student’s phone, when they are absent from which can cause them to lose focus in class class, it is posted online immediately, meanand not be as productive. Allowing students ing there is no way to avoid the consequences to leave during lunch, gives them a sense of of skipping class.

students to go. Many schools in Arizona do this and there are very minimal issues that are easily fixed with consequences for students who attempt to take advantage of it.

COMMENT

MARCH 19, 2021 ● 7

Time to put the broom away

The “sweep” is a tactic used by the adminis- late. This creates an inconsistency between tration to counter the abundance of tardies what teachers will send you to the office and this past year. While it is useful in punishing students, does it really need to? Do students late to class really need more time out of class? There are tons of good reasons The sweep is noth- kids might be late too, going to the ing new, it was used in bathroom, finishing up classwork, the 2000s too, but was dropped after a while. and just getting there might take a Students might be while. Especially with all the closed punished with a detenbathrooms around school, trying to pee tion during classtime. It seems very counter- can take time finding out which ones intuitive to punish kids are open and which are not. not going to class with more time out of class. And what is defined as being late? According to Tony Vining, the which will not. Why even Jo Breese principal, being outside of the classroom in enact this if many teachspotlight editor any way after the bell rings is a tardy. That ers will not follow it? But a detention is never means you could just be standing in the Administration recently Opinion Editor doorway talking to friends and get detention promised as a punishment, decided to re-implement late students could get anyfor being late to class. the sweep, a tactic to get There are tons of good reasons kids might thing, it just depends on what students to get to class on be late too, going to the bathroom, finishing they want to give out that time. the country forthere twomight weeksday. in aThe manWell, well, well… What do we have here? problem of inconsisup classwork, and just getting punishments is common take of a while. Especially with all the closed datory quarantine. I justtent hope the pina Sand in the pockets? A lingering smell bathrooms around school, trying to pee can here, as one kid can get three coladas were worth it. pineapple? And what’s this? Cornrows? In take time finding out which ones are open days in school suspension for don’t a problem withmight just this political climate, no less? This isandjust while another which are Inot. Manynormally teachers dohave not cursing, care about this new sweep policy, and as peo- get a warning. spring break, besides the usual begrudgewhat I expected… you’ve been to Rocky ple do when they don’t agree with a policy, and mykidscrippling Point. they disobeyment and still let in if they are fear of having fun.

“

Claire Geare

Listen, I’m sympathetic to the cause, really. With the upcoming anniversary of our nationwide lockdown, I too need an escape to the sunny beaches of Puerto Penasco. There’s no cure for burn out like illegally drinking in a Mexican dive bar, frolicking the beaches packed with fellow spring breakers, and getting stuck out of

FORGET THEM sweep away the sweeps.

4Robert Adamson

My problem however, comes from the sheer irony of the situation. Too many graphics warning the public to stay inside. Maybe you thought it said “stay inside except for spring break” or maybe you just can’t read the title with all that glare from the beach.

\ David Lane

Minimum wage must be increased Jo Breese

creeker editor

\ David Lane

Creeker

12 ● FEBRUARY 12, 2021

THE CSPRESS

Local artists show off their creativity in Scottsdale expo

Finding scenic views in the Creek the lookout

RODMAN

The lookout is a popular scenic view for its view of Cave Creek and the mountains During the day the mountain view is the main attraction, while at night the town of Cave Creek lights up. It is located right before you enter frontier town and old town Cave Creek

LEISURE This local artist is one of the many that is showing their pieces at the art expo. 4Max Sotelo

Black Mountain

The top of Black mountain has a popular view of Cave Creek and all the little shops in the town. When at the top of the mountain there are scenic views all around and Cactus Shadows is actually visible.

tonto forest

Erika Potter staff writer

Artists from around the world come together and make Scottsdale their home for ten weeks as they create original pieces of fine art. A worldclass annual art event, the Arizona art expo, is a unique opportunity to meet artists in their studios and to experience the creation of fine art. There is much to explore, discover, engage and collect original works of art directly from renowned artists. “The expo is really fun and there was a lot of different kinds of art there,” said Livia Lowe, a junior. The expo is dedicated to the improvement of art appreciation and education. Whether there’s a committed art collector or a new patron to the arts, the Arizona fine art expo combines the characteristics of a juried art festival, the elements of a gallery and the inner-workings of an artist’s studio. There are about 124 Artist

Tonto forest is another one of the great spots in Cave Creek. There are a lot of wildlife opportunities and some views of the mountains surrounding Cave Creek. If you drive all the way through old town Cave Creek a sign will pop up for Tonto.

“

His choice of ink studios featuring a painting subjects wide range of differhave to be rooted in ent art mediums like his construction and sculptures, metal art, mechanical backpaintings, watercolor, ground, some of his oil, acrylic, contempo- I draw like a child, pieces go from steam rary, realism, modern, fearlessly and engines, bridges, impressionism, ceramwithout a care for buildings to other ics, wood carving, and judgement vehicles. He used to more. do a lot of tight pen “My work is inspired R odman Leisure and ink techniques, by everyday people,” an artist at the expo the ability to do tiny said Ans Taylor, an artdetails with so much ist at the expo. The expo is a great place to wander control is what got this artist into his around, there’s diverse art everywhere artistic journey. The annual Arizona art expo is proyou look and it’s easy to converse with the artists as they create more art- duced by award-winning Thunderbird work on site. An artist was working on Artists. This year the event will run from his first sculpture, he had much to say mid-January everyday through March 28 and is 10 dollars for daily access, about his work. “I draw like a child, fearlessly and it’s located off of North Scottsdale and without a care for judgement,” said Jomax Road. It goes from 10 a.m. to Rodman Leisure, an artist presenting 6.pm., seven days a week. his work at the expo.

pinnacle peak

Pinnacle Peak has a great scenic view. It is also a good spot to get a bit of exercise. The hike is not too difficult and is easy for beginners to do. It is a 4 mile hike there and back.

apache wash

Apache wash is a great spot to look at the sunset or sunrise. There is a nice hiking trail to view the wildlife and plant life that Cave Creek has to offer. It also has a shaded picnic area. It is not very popular and is known for its lack of people.

3 Kolton O’Connor

Celebrating love in the Creek Owen Taylor staff writer

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, many are planning a fun day around the Creek with their significant other. Many students plan to go to breakfast at The Grotto, Local Jonnys, First Watch, and other local businesses. All are popular places to eat a nice breakfast for Valentine’s Day. “I plan to take a girl out to Big Earls and have a nice burger to enjoy as a couple, and then after we will go to a nice shop to pick out gifts,” said Dylan Lies, a junior.

Big Earls is a popular hotspot for students and is known for their greasy burgers. They have a wide menu of diner-themed foods. They serve breakfast, burgers, and shakes in a former gas station. “For Valentine’s Day, me and my friends are going to exchange gifts and take a hike up Black Mountain, after we will go to a cute place to eat in Cave Creek,” said Kelsey Morris, a junior. Hiking to spend time with their significant other, and Cave Creek has many scenic locations to hike at. Black mountain is a popular location due to it being so close to the center of town

and near lots of restaurants and diners. Another option is Jewel of the Creek, which is another mountain with a scenic hiking trail. “Me and my wife are going to go out around lunch time and walk around all the stores in Cave Creek, after that we are going to go on a sunset horseback ride. Valentine’s Day is always one of my favorites, especially in Cave Creek,” said Jason Arnett, a parent. Around Cave Creek there are many different deals and specials being made for Valentine’s Day or around that day.

ot see this view.

Creeker

10 ● DECEMBER 11, 2020

Nekter Juice Bar has recently opened to the public and is located in Cave Creek right next to the local Sprouts. “I think it is a good location for Nekter because Scottsdale and Cave Creek are so wealthy, and deciding to locate here was a good idea to get more customers,” said Alaina Rosas, a new customer. Founded in 2010, Nekter had the idea that “healthy” can be affordable, and taste good as well. It is most known for their variety of juices, bowls and smoothies. Juicing is one of the easiest ways to get your daily servings of fruits and veggies in every day. Raw juice is digested quickly and easily, allowing us the opportunity to increase the body’s natural digestive efficien-

cies. They have two different juice cleanses, the first being the celery cleanse, it’s a type of celery juice meant to be drank once a day on top of a regular diet and is meant to be used as a detox to clean your body and get rid of toxins. The second cleanse is a six day cleanse with six different juices. “This cleanse takes a little more will power but I’ve tried them both and I would have to say I think they’re effective, they’re very good for a body reset, especially if you’re looking to start a diet and start a healthier lifestyle,” said Randy Shipley, the owner of Nekter juice bar. The celery detox is the most

4Gianna Lazzaro

THE CSPRESS

Getting juiced in Cave Creek Erika Potter staff writer

THE VIEW OF CAVE CREEK FROM BLACK MOUNTAIN Many residents every year take tne hike up the mountain

recent thing added to their menu, it includes celery juice and has been reformulated to provide bloat-reducing, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich health benefits. The Nekter cleanse is a way to break your body from processed foods habits and can help decrease your sugar cravings. “I’m glad there’s a new healthier option for food around this area rather than the other typical fast food,” said Aubrey Ozaki, a long time customer. Juicing is used to nourish the body with minerals, vitamins, and living enzymes.

Local artists hide in the hills Hidden in the Hills, a free self-guided artist studio tour, celebrated 24 years of art November 20th through the 29th. The 160 artists were scattered among their 40 studios located throughout the Desert Foothills communities of Cave Creek, Carefree, and North Scottsdale 10 A.M. - 5 P.M. At the beginning of the 1990s a group of artists called the Crafts Council evolved into a notfor-profit organization dedicated to promoting the visual arts, artists, and art education within the Desert Foothills community now called The Sonoran Arts League. Hidden in the Hills in The Leagues signature premier event and throughout the years sponsored hands-on workshops to open the community and enable participants to work with different media and to learn new techniques. The tour offered seasoned collectors and art enthusiasts a rare chance to observe artists at work in their private studios during the six-day tour. The studio tour also attracted holiday shoppers seeking original, unique gifts. Each studio had one or more guest artists who also displayed and sold their work. All artists are Sonoran Arts League members, and several came from different parts of the state to participate in the annual event. Due to COVID-19, Hidden in the Hills implemented new rules and restrictions. For instance, studios set up encouraged social distancing with a minimum of six feet of space between attendees whenever possible. They also set a limit on the number of people in the studio at one time. All artists, attendees and guests were required to wear a face covering to help protect public safety and welfare. Artists and attendees frequently washed hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

3 Emma Weaver

The Eddy makes a splash Paul Wernes travel editor

THE LOCAL JUICE BAR HAD ITS GRAND OPENING RECENTLY. Nekter opened it’s first store in Costa Mesa, California in 2010 and has been exanding across the US evresince. 4Miah Thirion

The Eddy, an art gallery and gift shop in Cave Creek, opened on September 19 and it has become a hit in a matter of days. In addition to a gallery and gift shop, food trucks gather there every Saturday. “This is my first time coming here and I can already tell that I will be back. This is such a great place to be on the weekends during the evening. The food is great and the ambiance is out of this world,” said Heidi Gardner, a first time customer. The Eddy, boasts a collection of extraordinary art, unique handmade gifts from local Cave Creek artists, and on Saturdays, delicious foods from various food trucks. The Eddy is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. There is one food truck that is currently stationed on the property on 6006 E. Cave Creek Road called the Hibachibot. Eddie and Virginia Schenck run the food truck and The Eddy. “Never did we dream of owning a

food truck… never did we dream of having lines… let alone lines so long you can’t see the end of them,” said Virginia Schenck. The Hibachibot food truck serves Korean barbeque food. “The exterior has an industrial look, there are huge robot sculptures made of scrap metal throughout the area. I think that it is very unique because nowhere else has artwork like this. You can tell that they put in hard work to make everything,” said Gianna Lazzaro, a junior. The exterior artwork is made out of old bike and car parts. Within the artwork are chains and steel rods, which create the robots. On Saturdays, multiple food trucks show up in the parking lot. There are various types of food available for the people. The Re Di Roma food truck serves freshly made, wood-fired pizza, pasta, salad and desserts. The Eddy is a very unique place for food trucks. The location acts as a welcome to the town of Cave Creek as it is the first building on the left side of North Cave Creek Road.

S h E s E

T e A r

Spotlight

APRIL 16, 2021 ● 14

THE CSPRESS

Blowing up on youtube

ZEBULAN SCHNORR FILMING A VIDEO FOR THE CHANNEL,The channel was started in 2015 and now boasts over 6.3 million subscribers.

3Peyton Marinelli

4Katelyn Pinkham Katelyn Pinkham staff writer

ITH OVER SIX million subscribers on YouTube, Ethan and Cole Schnorr, better known as Extreme Toys TV, are the stars of Cave Creek. “It really started out with us just having fun, and now I get to do so many things that normal kids don’t get to do, which I’m extremely grateful for,” said Ethan Schnorr. Their journey to success began back in 2015, where the two boys and their father began making YouTube videos for fun. Extreme Toys TV started out making videos of toy sharks, because the boys enjoyed playing with them and wanted to see more of it on YouTube. Later, the channel moved on to doing skits and much more elaborate videos aimed for children. As the boys’ channel started to grow, their father quickly realized this was going to be something much bigger than they could have ever imagined. “It came to a point where it made more sense to do YouTube as a full time thing, probably about a year or two into it,” said Zebulan Schnorr, the boys’ father and creator of Extreme Toys TV. Now, the channel has approximately 6.3 million subscribers on YouTube and has over 4 billion views total, according to SocialBlade, an American website that tracks social media

statistics and analytics. The channel mainly does skit and even more exciting, and finally works on the sound, which adventure themed videos, along with other types of videos includes music and voice overs. “My favorite type of videos are the ones that have lots of such as gaming or challenges. They have also made many sponsored videos or collaborations with big companies such special effects, because they are very fun to edit, and I love editing,” said Zebulan Schnorr. as Moose Toys, Mattel, However, doing YouTube can WWE (World Wrestling come with a few challenges. Entertainment), YouTube’s algorithm is constantly Minecraft, and Nascar. changing, and it can be hard to When it comes to It came to a point where it made keep on top of that. Certain videos actually filming the more sense to do YouTube as a full of theirs can also be demonitized, videos, they come time thing, probably about a year or where content creators are denied up with a concept or paid advertisements in their video, general idea and just go two into it.” thus denying them revenue and from there. A lot of their Z ebulan Schnorr, the boys’ father and creator of reducing their income from the videos are not exactly platform. Staying motivated and planned out, and things Extreme Toys TV. staying active is a key part of being are changed on the fly successful on YouTube. or improvised. Extreme “The process of filming can be Toys TV uploads usually hard, and sometimes it takes a while once a week, as it takes a few days to film and edit the videos. The editing process is left to get things right,” said Cole Schnorr. Overall, Extreme Toys TV loves what they do and continue up to Zebulan Schnorr, where he takes what they have filmed and makes it perfect. He pieces all of the video clips together, to have fun with it everyday. then goes through and adds all the special effects to make it

“

Lippincott and Daughtry deliver well-balanced story Cait Bunkers creeker editor

Rachael Lippincott and Mikki Daughtry are back with a new modern fairytale romance novel All This Time. Kyle and Kimberly have been a couple all throughout high school. They even plan on going to the same college. However, Kimberly breaks up with Kyle on the night of their

graduation and tells him she will be attending a different university. While they are driving, Kyle loses control of his car and they spin out into a crash. When Kyle wakes up, Kimberly is dead and everything as he knew it is gone. He is severely injured, his best friend barely speaks to him, and he loses all motivation to go to college. As Kyle begins to rebuild his life,

he meets a girl, Marley, who has also recently experienced the death of a loved one. Marley introduces him to creative writing, which he uses as an outlet for all the feelings he’s kept inside since the accident. He even helps her teach writing classes to the local community. Kyle begins to explore his love for writing even more, and gets a job at a local newspaper, which inspires

him to take community college classes in sports journalism. As Marley and Kyle heal from their losses together, they begin to fall further and further in love. They make the perfect couple until, one night, a severe storm rolls in and Marley’s puppy runs out of the house. Kyle chases the dog and reinjures himself, losing consciousness.

This time, when Kyle wakes up, everything has changed. The book ties heavy material into light and airy scenes, giving it a perfect balance. Lippincott and Daughtry are also co-authors of Five Feet Apart, and Lippincott is releasing The Lucky List on June 1. 4/5 stars

THE CSPRESS

APRIL 16, 2021 ● 15

New teacher takes on film and finance Livia Lowe staff writer

3Peyton Marinelli

AVE CONTRERAS IS a new teacher in the district this year who teaches film and finance. Contreras began teaching when the school transitioned from online into in person teaching. Despite the challenges he was faced with in the beginning of the year, he has settled in nicely and his students appreciate all of his efforts. “Film has been good, it was a bit rough at first but once Mr. Contreras came in everything panned out,” said Carson Pershina, a junior. This year, the class focuses more on the behind the scenes of film making rather than being in front of the camera. “Last year was more creative oriented, but now i feel it’s more business orientated so like making ads and doing interviews, it’s gone from creative to business,” said Olivia Shine, a sophomore. Previous to teaching, Contreras worked at a video production company. There, he would work on wedding videography, photography, concerts, corporate events, commercial work among many other things.

“I have a lot of background experience being an owner of a video production company. I’ve been doing video production for the past 10 years and I would love to pass that on to the next generation,” said Contreras. For Contreras, film isn’t just something he teaches, it is something that he is genuinely passionate about. Contreras hopes to inspire his students to think out of the box as they watch movies and television shows. To look at the media as an elaborate story rather than just a source of entertainment. “I want to encourage, empower students to really think deeper than what they see online, in movie theatres, TV, not to just experience it on a surface level but to dig deeper and figure out why is that emotion that they’re getting suspense, drama, sadness, happiness, inspiration,” said Contreras. Contreras plans on staying a Film and Finance teacher for next year. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, this year he wasn’t able to do as much as he would have liked but wants to be able to provide each of his students with film grade cameras in the years to come.

Event Calendar

MOTHERS DAY FINE ART AND CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL May 8 - 9 Taking place in Prescott from May 8 to the 9th, the Mothers Day Fine Art and chocolate festival will offer its visitors a wide range of different kinds of artwork from paintings to sculptures and everything in between. Admission is free, and along with the artwork, a variety of different foods will be available and new this year, the festival will offer more fine chocolates for mothers to choose from.

‘A’ MOUNTAIN CHALLENGE April 1 to May 31 Registration is $20 and is open until May 15th The ‘A’ Mountain challenge is a two month hiking, walking or running challenge taking place from April 1 until May 31. Participants are to complete the challenge on their own time by May 31, 2021. Registration includes a shirt as well as prizes that can be won as participants reach various climbing milestones.

SCHNEPF FARMS’ AGRITAINMENT PARK Feb. 25 to Al;ril 25 The park is open from February 25 until April 25, and is only operating Thursdays through Sundays. Hours are 5:00-10:00 PM on Thursday and Friday, and 12:00-10:00 PM on weekends. Tickets are $27.95 a person or $99 for a season pass. HELPING A STUDENT, Dave Contreras has been work-

ing with film for over ten years and plans to stay teaching for next year. 4Miah Thirion

Subbing for COVID-19 Owen Taylor staff writer

FILLING IN WHEN TEACHERS CAN NOT, substitutes like Brian Bunkers help teachers stay safe.

4Miah Thirion

As classes for the 2020-2021 school year began online, then made the switch back to in-person instruction on Sep. 8, some teachers were not able to return for in-person school. The in-person classes were delayed by a day due to a lack of staff. As a result of teachers leaving, long-term substitutes were needed and requested. Brian Bunkers, a substitute for now six years, filled in for journalism teacher Lori Hart while she was gone for inperson learning. He faced challenges after being out of the substitute teacher game for a long time. “Getting used to the technology used in

education now. While I have had my sub certificate for six years, really my only experience subbing was for Ms. Hart’s classes,” said Brian Bunkers, a substitute teacher. Having a substitute for so long can affect the students as well. They may have a tougher time learning because the material may not be taught the same way. “It’s nice to have a substitute every once and a while, but having the main teacher in class when trying to learn is the best,” said Wyatt Ferguson, a student that has had experience with long-term subs. “Subs played a critical role in continuing the education of our students through this challenging year. We had impacts in three programs,

Newspaper/Yearbook, Film and TV, and Culinary. The ability to stabilize the classrooms with longterm subs created more successful outcomes not only in content delivery but in building relationships with our students,” said Sara Haugen, CTE director. Finding the substitutes for these classes and other classes throughout the district is tough. One of the biggest challenges in acquiring a ‘healthy” amount of subs was the very short notice that was given due to the COVID19 pandemic. Trying to find a consistent person to take a job was very difficult when demand was high for substitute teachers.

For the 80th anniversary of Schnepf Farms, the Queen Creek mainstay introduces Schnepf Farms’ Agritainment Park. More than 25 rides and attractions are available to the public including a ferris wheel, bumper cars, zip lines, a roller coaster and a petting zoo. The park is open from February 25 until April 25, and is only operating Thursdays through Sundays. Hours are 5:00-10:00 PM on Thursday and Friday, and 12:00-10:00 PM on weekends. Tickets are $27.95 a person or $99 for a season pass.

STATE FARM STADIUM TOURS All season Tickets are $9 for adults, $7 for children and seniors, and children under the age of 3 can get in free. Tours are available on Wednesday through Saturday at 10:30 through 2:30. State Farm Stadium is offering tours for fans to go into areas that are not visited on game days like the press box, a private loft, the NFL visiting team locker room, and a look up and around from the stadium floor.

3Livia Lowe

20 ● MAY 14, 2021

Spotlight

THE CSPRESS

Fewer teachers are leaving school this year

Statewide teacher shortage fails to affect CCUSD Michael Kaegi news editor

FEWER TEACHERS ARE LEAVING this year than last year, according to principal Tony Vining. Janet Anderson, a biology teacher teaches about cell division.

4Miah Thirion

Mortal Kombat succeeds with gore and action Kolton O’Conner staff writer

Mortal Kombat is a good action movie with a fun plot and great fight scenes along with its fair share of blood and gore. Mortal Kombat has always been a gorey franchise that has never been afraid to add a scene that makes you cringe. Whenever playing one of the video games or watching the movie you can always expect to see someone’s heart ripped out or face ripped off. The plot was good but left a little bit to be desired in my opinion. It was very simple and easy to understand but the ending was lacking. Towards the end of the movie I really didn’t know what to expect. Throughout the whole movie the characters mentioned a massive competition but instead of seeing that, we were faced with just a regular fight scene and it was disappointing. The actors were all fairly good, but no one really stood out. It felt like they all were just playing their roles and going

through the motions. However I did really like one character, Kano, who was played by Josh Lawson. He provided much needed comedy and his Australian accent plus his unfiltered dialogue made the scenes with him in them much more enjoyable. I see a lot of similar problems with this movie as I do with some of the movies made by , the dialogue feels very unnatural and forced just for the point of getting to the plot. You never really feel like these characters have an actual connection. You’re told that they are connected by the movie but you never actually feel like it. A glaring issue is how the movie just says things but gives no reason behind it. We hear about all these events from different universes but we never understand why these things happen. All together it was a fairly good movie. I enjoyed watching it because of the great fight scenes, but the story was bland in my opinion. I probably would see the next installment in the series but I would not go out of my way to do so. 4/5 stars

As an increased teacher shortage continues to affect Arizona, more teachers are continuing to depart from districts around the state. However, this does not include CCUSD, as most positions have been filled for the upcoming school year. As of September 2020, 751 teachers had resigned or retired, with 28 percent of teacher positions remaining vacant. This is up 7 percent from the previous year, with 427 teachers resigning in 2019. The large increase in teachers leaving is primarily due to the pandemic, with 43 percent saying that COVID-19 was their primary reason for not returning. “I think that the district could look more into what the teachers both enjoy teaching and what they are qualified for because if someone enjoys doing something, I think that they will continue to want to do it,” said Sydney Borso, a junior. The pandemic continues to be one of the main reasons behind a massive teacher shortage that is occurring not just in Arizona, but nationwide. Even as COVID-19 cases continue to trend downward and students begin to return to classrooms, some teachers are still hesitant to return to the classroom due to the large concentration of people and the lack of physical distancing that schools can provide. A recent survey has shown that there has been little progress in turning around

Arizona’s teacher shortage. However, many measures are being taken to combat the growing number of teachers across the state. Specifically in our district, the more positions that are filled with the most qualified teachers, the better off the students’ experience will be. “The quality of teachers here is something I like, but I think the retention is where we need to make sure that it is not an issue. I could bring in anyone that’s good quality out here for a year or two, but it’s about how I can keep them for 3-5 years,” said Tony Vining, the principal. Even with the growing number of teachers leaving around the state, CCUSD has managed to have less teachers leave this year than in the past. “It’s pure luck, there are some years where it can be up and down. I was worried we were going to be short but we’ve been very lucky. We actually have less teachers leaving this year than in normal years. Currently, I have almost every position hired,” said Vining, when asked about how the school is combating the teacher shortage. The main focus for the district has been to hire quality teachers that plan on staying long term. With this goal, the district plans on bringing back it’s mentorship course for new teachers, which will help ensure that teachers get proper training and experience so they will be committed to stay. This will also help to make the student learning experience better and more engaging.

What is your favorite movie you have seen this year? “My favorite movie I have watched this year was Caddyshack.” Grayson Skinner a freshman

“I liked Godzilla vs Kong as my favorite from this year.” Taryn Friend a freshman

“My favorite movie from this year was Nomadland.” Denine McNamara special education teacher

“I will go with Fast and Furious Eight.” C hloe R oshalt a senior

SPOTLIGHT

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