Morgan Reimer's Portfolio by Lori Hart

Morgan Reimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2018 Newspaper Portfolio

Reflection # 1 This year was a whirlwind of new experiences, friends, and excitement. With the energy of the newspaper classroom, it made it easy to do my best and make close friendships with my classmates. Throughout the year, I learned how to make a proper article, and explored more about how Indesign works. I will definitely use these computer skills in the future because it is essential to know the basic skills of printing, the correct format, and how to make a PDF. This semester, we specifically worked on improving the issue every month, and worked on communication and going back to the basics. I experienced with different pages, and used my creative writing skills to the best of my ability, while keeping it as a journalistic approach. Writing is used daily, and every time we open a computer, we gain new skills for the future. Since the beginning of the year, I have improved with my interviewing skills, but definitely need to speak up more. It has been something I have always struggled with, but this year (and class) has helped me to break out of my shell even more. Deadlines, deadlines, deadlines! The magic word when you want someone to anxiously whip around from whatever work they are doing and engage panic mode. Okay, with that slight exaggeration, deadlines were very important this year. Second semester is always that last push, the last hurdle in the race, and we all had to work even harder to make sure everything was completed on time. To do this, our teamwork needed to accelerate our work ethic. I think our class bonded almost immediately, which is going to be really great next year with our small staff. I think if everyone is comfortable with one another, it makes the final outcome even better. I learned that a journalistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s job is to tell the truth, and sometimes people may be upset with the words printed on the page. As long as we do not embellish the truth, our job is successful. The word plagiarize just sends shivers up my spine. I just have to remember that as long as we remember to cite the sources we use, they are okay. (Though we should try to avoid much content from the web). With any new obstacle thrown in my direction, I do my best to find a solution, and make the best of it. Whether it was a quote missing from a page, or someone needed more pictures, I tried my hardest to accomplish my goal. I am very dedicated to our team, which makes me work harder to make sure no one is disappointed. (And I make sure to get my work done on time ;) If there is something wrong, I am always here to help, especially because this class means so much to me. The only â&#x20AC;&#x153;hardshipâ&#x20AC;? I faced this semester was a small debacle with a man on the street I had to do. We got the quotes from the three people we needed, but we ended up having to call them out of class because the pictures did not turn out very good. It did not end up being a big problem, though it was a bit stressful. Next time, I would try not to get as stressed out because it always works out in the end. My weakness would probably be not speaking up enough, but I have definitely gotten better since the beginning of the year. With everyone so expressive here, it was easier to just be myself. When I am an editor next year, I get to pick articles that I think people will enjoy, and design my own pages. I believe next year I will be able to interview people a lot easier, and simply enjoy the experiences with the friends I have made.

Reflection # 2 This semester, I believe my most significant piece was my tennis team article. At first glance, it seemed like an easy article to write, (and some aspects were) but I really wanted to make it a strong article. It meant a lot to me because my sister is on the team, and I wanted them to have their own moment in the newspaper. At first, I knew this article would be on the easier side of the process because the courts were easily accessible, especially since Sydni had practice every day. But then, as I glanced on the newspaper board, my heart skipped a beat. Written under the “Tennis Team” article was a word that would make anyone shake in their boots. Needs Pictures. After my mini heart attack, I checked out a camera and began my quest to get the best pictures I could. This was the part I was most nervous about. This was one of the main times of the year where we had to use the pictures I took. We couldn’t take any from yearbook, (because we did do that a lot :) but I was ready to try my best. The only thing I regretted from this year was not learning more about how to work the cameras. I knew the THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS basic skills I needed to take the pictures, and received help along the way, but one of my goals is to learn all of the correct buttons. That and uploading the pictures too.

Arizona hosts a series of extreme races

SPORTS

APRIL 13, 2018 ■ 13

By GRIFFIN GOLDSTEIN g staff writer

FROM MUD RUNS TO Ironmans, extreme races attract endurance athletes of all ages who enjoy putting their bodies to the test. Some people participate to get in shape and others just for the thrill, but they all share one thing in common; they push themselves to their limits to cross the finish line.

sign some sort of waiver, as the conditions of extreme races can sometimes result in injury or even death. Luckily, this is a very rare occurrence, but it has happened in the past. In 2011, two men lost their lives in a Warrior Dash event in Kansas City due to heat-related illness. People have suffered heatstroke, hypothermia, electric shocks, burns, and many more different types of injuries from extreme races all across the nation, so caution is advised to any potential contestants. “Hydration is definitely a very important detail that a lot of people miss. You are pushing yourself very hard from anywhere between half an hour to four hours in the hot sun,” said Devin Goins, Spartan Sprint finisher.

I wasn’t allowed to go inside the courts during the actual games, but I did my best to take the pictures when they were scrimmaging each other. As Adamson said, I took as many “okay” pictures as I could, which happened to be around 200. I’ll never forget the dayTRAINING in races class Extreme are not justwhere we any charity 5k fun run. They are generally multi-staged, were checking for photos and only about eight popped up. containing many different terrains, with I remember asking, “Where are all obstacles of and them? I know I extremely long distances and harsh conditions. Usually, comtook more than that,” and Adamson replied inbe inthe most petitors must already decent shape to be able to complete extreme courses. hilarious/awkward way. He replied, “Oh, I know. These “I ran Cross Country and Track in high school and I are the only good ones.” After that remark, knew I had started getting intoIlifting in SPARTAN RACES college, all of which I definitely A very did popular extreme think helped a great deal,” saidthey to step up my game for next year. Thankfully, race that started in 2007 is the Kieth Durkin, a sophomore Spartan Race, which has more at the University of Arizona. pick one of my pictures in the end, Some which felt manageable really conditions than people train for months other extreme races to include for one race in particular. This good. a larger audience. It contains kind of dedication and patience a series of obstacles in which is commonly seen among ultracompetitors have to run, crawl, and triathOverall, I was really proud with how marathon therunners article turned jump, and swim through to finletes. An “ultra” race is defined ish. All finishers are awarded a as a race that is longer than 26.2 out. Everyone was really excited whenmiles,Ithe official had to for medal and the top athletes are distance of a ask given prizes. marathon, with common disThere areThe four different tiers tances to for single-staged interviews, and it wasn’t too difficult get races them. of the Spartan Race, each one being 31, 50, 62, and 100 miles at a different level of difficulty. only thing that went wrong was, theylong. spelled the perThere is the Spartan Sprint, TYPES OF RACES which is three miles with 20 son in the picture’s name incorrectly,Multi-staged which was a obstacles, bumraces are a plus the Spartan whole new story. They throw Super, eight miles and 25 plus in multiplehow different sports into obstacles, the Spartan Beast, mer. Although, I was really proud of this piece one course. For instance, in tri13.1 miles and 30 plus obstathere are three stages: cles, and the Spartan Ultra, a turned out, and I can’t wait to takeathlons, more pictures in swimming, cycling, and runlengthy 26.2 miles along with ning. 60+ obstacles to overcome. the future. One of the most infamous “The obstacles are fun, but multi-staged races is the Four Deserts series, in which athletes will have to complete 250 kilometers across the Atacama, Gobi, and Sahara deserts along with a stage in Antarctica. Some extreme courses contain not only harsh conditions, but dangerous obstacles as well. Barbed wire, free-climb heights, and fire are not uncommon in these events. Generally, participants will be made to

after a few miles, they get very physically demanding,” said Luke MacGowan, a Spartan Super finisher. Anybody can jump in a community Spartan Race, but athletes must qualify to make the Spartan World Championships. To qualify, athletes must finish in the top five in a U.S. Championship Series event or a Regional Championship in your category.

Finding their net worth “I’ve been playing tennis, for, basically all my life, and I’m really excited to be apart of the team this year. Having my sister on the team is awesome.”

PREPARING FOR

A SHOT, Daniel Quenzler, a junior, works on her serves. Daniel and her sister, Nicole Quenzler, are both on the team together.

4MORGAN REIMER

Nicole Quenzler, a freshman.

By MORGAN REIMER g staff writer

Y serving, swiping, scoring aces, playing

singles, doubles, and applying lots of sunscreen, the girls tennis team continues its season after Spring Break. “This is my ninth season. Typically the first day we just kind of look at skills, and then after that we go into a challenge match tournament, but this year I was lucky enough that we didn’t actually have to make cuts,” said head coach Jill Mclyn. The girls tennis team practices five times a week from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m., and has approximately 17 girls, ranging from freshman to seniors. Throughout the season, the girls have won their games seven to one. “The first six players are on varsity, then the rest are on JV. Our best team bonding moments are in the bus and dinners after an away game. There is never a time where we are not laughing and having fun,” said Lauren Kieley, a junior. This is the school’s second year with the upgraded tennis courts, which provide better traction, and more room for the players to train; there is now an additional canopy shading the bleachers, which allows better

viewing areas for onlookers. “Both teams can practice at the same time with all eight courts, and they’re great for games with a lot of matches,” said Rena Jakway, a junior. The players have a “ranking” throughout the season, in which they have the option to “challenge” the player above them if they wish to have a chance to move up on the scale. If they win, they move up, but if they do not, they stay where they are, and wait until the next challenge match is available. “I’ve been playing tennis, for, basically all my life, and I’m really excited to be apart of the team this year, as being a freshman. Having my sister on the team is awesome; I love that team comradery, just having that team feel,” said Nicole Quenzler, a freshman. Unfortunately, the girls tennis team lost to their rivals Notre Dame, from an overall score of 5-4. Following Spring Break, the rest of the girls tennis team’s season consists of eight more games, split between home and away games, including an “HHS doubles extravaganza” tournament. The girls tennis team finished their last home game on April 12th, and is continuing their practice in hope that they make it to state this year.

Reflection # 3 Throughout my first year of newspaper, I never thought I would know how to be a true “journalist.” Although, I had one heck of a year. Everyone was so supportive, which made it a lot easier to improve my writings and to interview people. Next year, I hope I can be much more tech savvy, and be the best editor I can be. The first article that I am proud of was the “Styling on a Budget” piece I wrote for the style page. This was an article I was encouraged to be creative with, and I had a lot of fun grabbing bits and pieces of information. There ended up being a ton of information jampacked into the article, and I really loved how the page turned out. I also had to pull out some “fashionable” friends from my classes, and they loved their mini photo shoot. Overall, my article was a blast to write. For my next article that I was proud of, it happened to be one that wasn’t published. Kassidy, Maja, Brook, and I had a “competition” for a front page story. It was about Gun Violence, and we had to go off of that. It was my first time writing a front page story, so I worked as hard as I could. In the end, Kassidy’s article ended up being chosen for that issue, and it was well-deserved! Even though mine wasn’t picked, I was really proud that I wrote such a long story. Also, when it was published, he gave us all credit as well, which was a really kind thing to do. My last piece that I am proud of was my “Road Tripping” article. I tended to enjoy the more expressive pieces for the paper, and I knew that it would be a lot of fun to write. Because the year was almost over, I wanted to make it relatable, and give some information that people could use if they wanted to go on a trip here. In the beginning, it said I needed to get pictures, and I had a few ideas, but it ended up getting other graphics instead. Overall, I felt it was a good “last hurrah” article for the end of the year. Even though I only talked about three articles, I enjoyed every task thrown at me. This year has been a whirlwind of new friends, classmates, and just getting down to business. I am so proud of everything we accomplished this year, and I can’t wait to take on next years newspaper as an editor!

FMSC produced nearly 273 million meals due to the work of more than one million volunteers in 2015, grabbing the attention of BLT club members. Leading the club are co-presidents Caitlin Bickle and Akayla Dolezal, both seniors, alongside Aaron Pettinato, the Dean of Students and co-advisor to BLT, and Corrie Klinefelter, a school counselor. As stated by Pettinato, everyone must be nominated by a peer or a staff member in order to be apart of the club.

there on, they divided into different groups of what they would be doing for the next few hours.

SEEKS TO BUILD CHARACTER “FMSC is a great service project that helps build character. It teaches empathy and opens your eyes to some of the struggles that other kids are going through in other parts of the world,” said Pettinato, telling exactly why they chose the trip. “When we were leaving... I just thought about how that was a great perspective for me to learn off of and be more grateful for the life I live. And, I’m sure the rest of the kids had their shared moments from the trip as well.” With that being said, club mem-

thankful for everything you have,” said Diaz. Once time was up, the team cleaned up their mess together, tried out the food that they just made, and watched a few more videos to wrap up the day. Chaperones and members could be seen buying merchandise that would help remember that day and would donate more money to the organization.

February Tear Sheets SEEKS DIVERSITY

“We really aim to pick out a diverse mix of kids in all social groups. Therefore, all voices are rep-

AT FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN IN MESA, Molly Scaccia, a freshman

from the BLT club helped to prepare food for malnourished children in the Philippines. Feed My Starving Children also ships food to Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, South America, North and Central America, and the Middle East 4 BROOK BOWMAN

French exchange students to arrive

By MORGAN REIMER g staff writer

February 9, 2018 News February 9, 2018 Tech

For students eager to expand their knowledge of French, French Honor Society prepares students by learning about its culture, foods, and games. Linda Dunbar, French Honor society adviser, is looking for more people to host French students, who are coming for their spring break to learn more about America, and better their English skills. So far, the “Frenchies” are scheduled to come on Feb. 23, and stay until March 9 with their host families. “They’re the group from northern France, and it’s a school group; They’re on vacation, and so they are coming, there’s about 25 of them, and they’re just coming to... get a little taste of American family and school,” said Dunbar. Exchange students aside, French club participates in several activities

throughout the year including community service projects and school events. One of the new volunteer opportunities of French Club this year was visiting the preschool to teach kids more about the language. This included how to say their names, learn about body parts, colors, and teaching the kids as often as they can. “It just exposes them to, you know, another language from an early age, so that’s cool,” said Ashley Wilkins, a junior and second year member of French Club. Another popular club activity was the crepe competition. French club experienced how to make crepes, many for the first time, and were challenged to a competition. Teachers were invited to taste test their crepes, and deem a team the winner.

“I’m excited for next semester where we can make sweet crepes because this semester we made savory crepes, but I want to make more crepes,” said Bella Sayegh, a junior. French Club, or French Honor Society, meets in Room 158 every other Friday at lunch. Before students can join, there are certain requirements that must be met. Students have to take at least two years of French before they are considered for a recommendation letter. Typically, students take French 1/2 in middle school, then French 3/4 freshman year. Applicants must maintain an A throughout their French language class in order to stay in French Honors society, and have to write a letter beforehand stating why they would be a good

“They’re the group from northern France, and it’s a school group; They’re on vacation, and so they are coming, there’s about 25 of them, and they’re just coming to... get a little taste of American family and school.” Linda Dunbar, a French teacher.

fit for the club. Once they are committed to the club, they have to pay the $80 club fee in the bookstore, and have to complete five hours of community service per school semester. For seniors, to get their chord at the end of the year, they have to complete everything listed above, and remain in the French class itself.

FEBRUARY 9, 2018 ■ 9

Digging up privacy How companies are using online data to find out personal information. BY MORGAN REIMER g staff writer

W KASSIDY WHEELER

their skin okia Sleep, edback on and how sleep, and gives runrt rate and n.

In a world that is constantly changing and developing, businesses continue to update technology to the point where it is becoming even greater through the screen. Through the process of data mining, advertisements people happened to like a long time ago are popping up everywhere. The direct definition of data mining is “the practice of examining large data bases in order to generate new information.” This can be perceived as good for companies, and strange for people, but many people are not even aware of what data mining is. “Data mining affects people in ways they are not even aware of. It’s not a coincidence if you start seeing ads for earrings in the weeks before your wife or girlfriend’s birthday. Facebook tracks 98 separate data points, minimally, on each user,” said Jeffrey Walker, an economics teacher. Companies use this new technology to their advantage, especially when they believe they can make a profit on something. “With data mining, thousands and thousands of gigabytes of information are processed to extract useful patterns. What’s useful is determined by whoever is doing the mining,” said Walker. “For a government, it may be to predict who is more likely to be a terrorist but for a corporation it could be who is more likely to buy a brand new Ford-150 in the next 30 days.” People may not realize it yet, but data mining is popping up in a lot of places, from businesses to the government. “I think data mining can be dangerous because certain corporations can gather information you might not want them to know,” said Jad Bazzi, a junior. Some argue that for businesses and corporations, data mining can be perceived as a good income advantage for their specific company, but the gray area depends on if it steps over the boundaries of people's privacy. “On one hand, it’s really good for companies and helps narrow the scale on what you really want, but also that fear of keeping the data, and privacy being broached,” said Abagail Mock, a junior. Overall, it comes down to the debate between companies, and privacy. “History has shown that governments don’t always do the best job at protecting the rights of their citizens when they are entrusted with massive amounts of information, and corporations clearly have their own agenda of increasing profits regardless of costs,” said Walker. The future of data mining remains unclear, thought the rest depends on how far both companies and businesses take it to make the sale.

style

stylin’ February on a budget 9, 2018 Style

Morgan Reimer shares tips on how to shop smart and save money at your favorite stores. Forever 21. H&M. Goodwill. Ross. Marshalls. Urban Outfitters. All stores with clothes awaiting someone with their eye on a prize. Goodwill has major steals for the patient shopper, while more expensive stores like Urban Outfitters are a place to splurge. The trouble is knowing where to spend money; should you snag six Forever 21 shirts for $40 or splurge on the perfect pair of boots at Steve Madden? These tips and tricks will help you figure out how to shop smart and get the best deals on your favorite clothes. For super cheap clothes, thrifting is the perfect place to start. Thrift stores can be a bit intimidating to navigate for first-time thrifters, however, but a good starting point is to know what you want.

“I was looking for new tennis outfits at Goodwill, and I spotted a Nike tennis dress for $10. It was originally about $80, so it was great,” said Danielle Quenzler, a junior.

Avoid buying impulse pieces, and try to pause and decide right then and there if the piece of clothing on the shelf is something that you will wear all the time, or if it is just going to hang in the closet until college. Also, when entering Goodwill, always take note of the colored tag on sale that day, and always look out for half price Mondays at Savers. “The fashion club likes to bring in older items they find at Goodwill, consignment shops, or even their own clothes that could use some updating. They find lots of tips on how to upcycle or DIY clothes on Pinterest,” said Kelsey Garner, fashion club adviser. Thrifting is a great opportunity to purchase basic pieces and DIY them into unique, trendy styles. The key to shopping retail is shopping on markdown days. Each store has a certain schedule on when they markdown clothing, so do some research on when

your favorite stores typically put items on sale. For example, shop at H&M when they release a new season of clothing, because that is when they put last season’s clothes on sale. Anthropologie discounts their clothes on Mondays, and as a general rule, many stores tend to discount clothes on Thursdays in preparation for the weekend rush of shoppers. Occasionally, online shopping can be easier, especially if you tend to buy on impulse. The trick to getting the best deal is to shop online and save a favorite item, then purchase it when it goes on sale. The best way to do this is by signing up for email lists so you’re the first to know when sales start. This is also an opportunity to gain coupons and discounts. “I was looking online at Rue21 for cute high waisted mom jeans and I ended up finding the perfect pair on sale for $15 cheaper than the original price,” said Emma Torrey, a junior. Another trick to saving money is to know when to splurge and when to shop more inexpensively. Shoes, purses, and jeans are the best items to spend a bit more money on because they are staple pieces that are worn frequently, so you want them to be high quality. Pieces like t-shirts, gym clothes, and trendy items, on the other hand, are things that can be bought at more inexpensive stores. “One of the best ways to have fashion on a budget is to purchase a bunch of different pieces that are neutral tones that you can mix and match. That’s what I do when I go on vacations, I take a lot of black, tan, cream, gray, and then I’ll mix it all together so I can get several outfits out of it,” said Cameron Bender. Whether thrifting, shopping retail, or buying online, knowing how to score the perfect deal is essential to saving money on the clothes you want.

STYLED IN STAPLE CLOTHING FINDS, Danielle Quenzler, Emma Torrey, and Drew Johnston, juniors, talk about their favorite places to shop. “I love shopping at American Eagle and PacSun. I try to go when they’re having sales, and I usually find really good deals,” said Johnston. 4MIA GILLING

BREAK THE RULES

Is it wrong to wear white after Labor Day? Avianna Hoppes asks students about popular fashion trends and whether or not they follow them. THE RULE: Never wear socks with sandals. TRENDING NOW: Socks with sandals, normally completely shunned by the fashion world, is slowly becoming more accepted. People add socks under sandals such as Birkenstocks during the winter to transition a warm-weather shoe into another season. OPINION: “I follow the socks and sandals rule because that looks pretty ridiculous,” said Josh Vishney, a sophomore. THE RULE: Never wear denim on denim. TRENDING NOW: Denim on denim is becoming an increasingly popular trend in the fashion world as 70s-inspired fashion returns. While this look is a bit too bold for some, it can easily be styled by pairing two denim pieces of the same wash. OPINION: “I don’t wear double denim; that’s way too much,” said Jenna Englund, a junior. THE RULE: Never wear black with navy blue. TRENDING NOW: This rule in particular is rarely still followed in the fashion world. Because black and navy blue are both neutral colors, they can be worn together easily. OPINION: “Wearing black with navy blue depends on what the pieces of clothing look like in my opinon. Sometimes it clashes and sometimes the articles of clothing fit well together. Many people wear that combination though,” said Hope Black, a freshman. FEBRUARY 2018 intrigue

March Tear Sheets March 9, 2018 Front Page Additional Research to Kassidy SHOTS

THE

FIRED

As another school shooting shakes the nation, students and teachers examine gun violence in the U.S.

PRESS

The newspaper of Cactus Shadows High School in Cave Creek, Arizona

By KASSIDY WHEELER g staff writer

With additional reporting by Brook Bowman, Morgan Reimer, and Maja Peirce

MILIE Parker, a 6 year-old elementary school student, left her home on the morning of Dec. 14, 2012, to join with her first grade classmates at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Little did she or her family know, it would be the last time they would ever see each other alive. Emilie Parker was one of 20 children and 6 adults who lost their lives at Sandy Hook Elementary School that day, after a crazed gunman armed with a Bushmaster .223 caliber rifle gunned them down. The Sandy Hook shooting was an unthinkable event. The lives of these young children, tucked away in a relatively small school in a quiet suburban community, cut short by perhaps one of the most shocking acts of gun violence in the United States.

WHAT’S INSIDE

THE MARCH 9, 2018 ISSUE

2 4 11

LONG LIVE THE KING

12 DIE AT COLUMBINE

Strutting down the runway clad in togas and crowns, boys of all grade levels competed in the annual Mr. Cactus Shadows’ pageant. Makenna French talks to participants and planners about the preparation that went into the event.

Sandy Hook was not the first time the sound of gunshots echoed through school hallways in this country. In 1999, before most students in high school today were born, two students armed with several guns, including two shot guns and more than a dozen 10-round magazines, walked into Colorado’s Columbine High School and went on a terrorist-like rampage, resulting in the death of 12 students and 1 teacher. Since that time, most teenagers in high school in the U.S. today grew up in the shadow of an ongoing debate about gun violence. There have been 25 fatal school shootings at elementary and high schools in America since the Columbine shooting. The most recent occurred in February of this year, when a 19-year-old former student, armed with an assault rifle, took the lives of 14 students and three faculty members at Marjory

BILLS ON BILLS After examining failing scores and a poll proving student indifference on the AZ Merit standardized test, legislators and school administrations look to new education bills to increase student incentive. Brook Bowman discusses local and statewide propositions.

FLU BLUES With major influenza outbreaks in 48 states, Morgan Reimer examines the magnitude of the new wave of disease and how it has impacted students.

UNLOCKED VAULT After a brief hiatus, the pole vaulting team returns to the track with a new coach and reinvigorated student interest. Maja Peirce talks to athletes and coaches about the reformation of the team and the steps needed to take it to the next level.

“Since then, it just seems like there’s been one awful story like this after another.” Kyle Anderson, a junior.

See Shootings on page 2

March 9, 2018 Features

THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS NEWS

Shootings

CRACK THE CODE Sebastian

continued from front page

Leon and Tyler Douglass, both juniors, work on learning new code. “My favorite aspect of the club is coding, because it is really interesting to learn about,” said Douglass.

Central to this debate is the question of how to prevent gun violence while upholding Second Amendment rights, or the rights of all American citizens to bear arms or own a gun. The debate is often divided along political party lines, but Pew Research results show that many Democrats and Republicans actually agree on several points. They agree that people suffering mental illness should be restricted from purchasing guns, there should be stricter background checks for private gun sales, and gun purchases should be banned for anyone whose name appears as terrorist threat on the nation’s no-fly list. “The country has barely changed since it was founded, but what has changed is our culture and media coverage. In a drunk driving accident we blame the driver and in a school shooting we blame the gun,” said Paul Yevtushenko, a junior. Despite some of these shared beliefs, partisan divisions still exist when it comes to banning high-capacity magazines, equipping school teachers with weapons, and prohibiting the sale of assault rifles. The recent shooting in Parkland, Florida, seems to have heightened the debate about arming teachers with guns to defend their students if a shooter comes on campus.

4 AUBRIE GILLING

ARMING TEACHERS

Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. “I sort of remember when the Sandy Hook shooting took place,” said Kyle Anderson, a junior. “I came home from school and I could tell from the look on my mom’s face that something was wrong. Since then, it just seems like there’s been one awful story like this after another.”

“If you don’t know how to handle a gun, all you’ve done is provide a weapon to someone who might actually overpower you and take that gun from you to do more damage,” said Steve Bebee, the principal, “That’s why we have cameras and police officers on campus, that’s their job.” Newt Gingrich, Former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and a previous Republican presidential candidate, has recently called for there to be a minimum of six to eight teachers armed in each school. Also, during a presidential listening session at the White House in February, following the Parkland, Florida, shooting, President Donald Trump said he thinks that about 20 percent of teachers in this country, or about 20 percent of teachers in each school in this country, should be armed and trained to encounter a mass shooting event. Contrary to these positions, the National School Safety and Security Services is vehemently against arming teachers. The organization states that arming teachers and school staff with guns would create significant responsibility and potential liabilities for school districts, and also pose challenges greater than the skills and professional capabilities of their school boards, administrators, and teaching staff. “Arming teachers with firearms is a terrible idea, because we have a cop trained to use guns on campus,” said Kyle Anderson, a junior. “Teachers can’t be expected to become law enforcement experts.” In reaction to the recent shootings, the district implemented a new policy to improve the safety of students on campus. There are now only three entrances to the school in the morning which are monitored by school administration. When a student enters they must present their school identification to ensure they are a part of the student body. School ID rules are strictly enforced, and students must wear them at all times in order to ensure that faculty can easily decipher if a person is supposed to be on campus or not. Everytown Research shows that there have been nearly 300 school shootings since 2013 in America. This year alone there were 18 school shootings in just the first 45 days of the year. Kids who come to school do not expect to encounter guns or shooters, but in this day and age it is a reality too many students have had to face. While this debate has been going on in the U.S. now for nearly 20 years, the shooting in Florida at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School has given way to more teenagers and students across the country speaking out and insisting on change.

MASS SHOOTING IN U.S. Gun violence is not measured just by school shootings. There have been 1,500 mass shootings in the United States in the past 5 years, including incidents at churches, movie theaters, concerts, and workplaces. While gun violence may not be just an American problem, the number of mass shootings experienced in the U.S. is far greater than in most other developed countries. Data from Everytown Research shows that America’s gun murder rate is more than 25 times higher than the average rate of other high-income countries. The debate surrounding gun violence is amplified with each incident, and the most recent school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is no exception. “I believe gun violence could be prevented if there were stricter policies on who is allowed to carry a firearm,” said Abby Nosan, a sophomore.

GUN DRAWN, School resource officer Brad

STUDENTS WALK OUT

Penner’s responsibility in a school shooting is to protect students and disable the shooter. “I would be lying if I told you that a school shooting could never happen here at Cactus Shadows. We are the exact same demographic as many of the locations where they have occurred in the past.” 4KIERA RILEY

For example, students around the country have staged walk outs, given speeches, and called for the adult decision makers to give strong consideration to dramatic change. In fact, students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School traveled to the Florida State House in February to have their voices heard. Those students were deeply disappointed when a proposal to consider the ban of assault weapons in the state was actually rejected by a vote of 71 to 36 less than a week after 17 members of their school community lost their lives. Just as knowledge of a school’s emergency procedures and policies might help a student stay safe when a threat occurs on campus, knowledge also can be a useful tool to help students better understand this long-standing debate and advocate for their safety, security, and beliefs about gun violence in society. This topic is surely one that teens will soon be able to influence, as many of the young people who have been living in the shadow of this debate are coming of age, and will be able to have not only their voice heard, but their vote cast in upcoming elections that impact millions of young people around the country. MARCH 9, 2017 ■ 11

FEATURE

THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

In their own cyberspace Computer Club takes on programming, coding, and website design

By MORGAN REIMER

staff writer

Y exploring the world of com-

puting and design through the small screen of a desktop, Computer Club reaches out to students who are interested in the media field by learning programing skills for the future. “We promote an interest in computing, we look at through computer games, and also through computer coding,” said Jeffrey Walker, computer club advisor. Computer club meets at lunch and after school every other Thursday in order to aide students who either want to learn more about computers or obtain future skills involving the technology field. “After school we have a tutoring program where Cass Smith, the president of the club is teaching them about coding,” said Walker. Computing includes coding computers to make it easier to control and print specific items. According to Codeconquest, a website that discusses the basics of coding, the three main facts to keep in account when running a computer program is to remember: the source code is translated into an assembly language, which is then translated into a machine language, and is finished as

The influence of influenza

March 9, 2018 front page continued tech page

staff writer

HROUGHOUT the

entire United States, the flu outbreak has affected the majority of the country, reaching 48 states. Through coughing, sneezing, sore throats, headaches, skipping school, and more, this flu season tops the charts as one of the worst America had for a long time. “It’s awful, it took me out of school for like, three weeks. It was pretty bad,” said Kate Rosenbaum, a senior. Influenza, or the flu, swings back around every winter, but this year specifically it has been affecting the younger and older age groups. According to the CDC, or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all of the U.S states except for Hawaii and Oregon report ongoing flu activity. “Your temperature’s generally really high, and you don’t really feel like doing anything. I kind of felt light headed a little bit,” said Rochelle Ring, a junior. Signs that may lead to the flu include headaches, fatigue, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and muscle or body aches. Depending on the age of the person, it could be more or less severe if they actually have the flu. When someone contracts the flu, the main solution to getting better is to rest, eat as healthy as possible, and take the proper medications. “You just drink water, keep hydrated, eat something if you can. Take some medicine if you can take it,” said Ring. In correspondence with the Washington Post, the flu pandemic has been fluctuating, with some hospitals receiving nearly four times as many patients with flu symptoms. The CDC stated that with this year’s pandemic, approximately 63 children have died from the flu. People who are very susceptible to the flu include children, and adults over the age of 65.

\SARA WINDOM “I know your guys’ desks seat so many kids during the day, and mainly if we could keep those desks clean, and of course wash your hands after using the restroom and before meals, we could cut down on sickness of students,” said Paulette MacGregor, school nurse. Important ways to help prevent the flu include, sneezing into one’s shoulders, staying hydrated, getting the proper amount of sleep, and washing one’s hands. Though this does not confirm that this will prevent people from catching the flu, it will help fight against severe symptoms. I have been seeing quite a few [flu cases] here at school, in the past, it seems like Paulette MacGregor, school nurse. its been worse, but as far a the community itself, I know its pretty bad out there, and hopefully it’ll get better soon,” said Macgregor. It is not required, but many doctors recommend getting the flu shot. It does not prevent the flu from taking over the body, but if a patient who gets the flu who also received the shot should have lesser symptoms. The flu is one of the most dangerous onsets of diseases the U.S has experienced since the 2014 flu, but doctors and patients work to rid themselves of the illness. As of now, there is no indefinitinte perfection to the flu vaccine, but to avoid the flu, people need to remain as healthy as possible to keep up their daily lives.

“...If we could keep those desks clean, and of course wash your hands after using the restroom and before meals, we could cut down on sickness of students.”

Results of a poll of 100 Cactus Shadows students on March 2.

WOLIVIA STCKEL AND BROOK BOWMAN

a binary code. Everything including the screen, operating system, photos, videos and more result from a few simple numbers and commands. “It is fun, but sometimes it can be tedious when a lot of people just don’t cooperate, everyone who likes video games and computers and all that technology,” said Jake Reinert, a senior. Members of the club encourage students who are interested in the field of computing to consider computer club as the group is growing in membership and opportunity. “We definitely want to try a field Jeffrey Walker, adviser. trip at the end of the year,” said Bootz. On Fridays after school, Computer club organizes time to wind down and play Super Smash Bros. to learn more about analyzing video games, and also take a break from the school week. Whether it is for a hobby, or future career, the art of computing can be discovered in computer club, and students can complete activities like web design, analyzing video games, and going back to the basics with computers.

“We promote an interest in computing, we look at through computer games, and also through computer coding.”

The growing pandemic has had society questioning...

By MORGAN REIMER

MARCH 9, 2018 ■ 3

April Tear Sheets THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

FEATURE

APRIL 13, 2017 ■ 11

Maja Peirce and Morgan Reimer take a look at what can be done to keep the mentally troubled from causing harm to themselves and others.

BROKEN MINDS SHATTERED LIVES \ SARA WINDOM

ENTAL Illness has become one of the leading factors citizens blame gun violence on within the nation. “It’s hard to be a student in high school these days because you’re constantly looking over your shoulder. You never know what to expect when you go to school that day,” said Anya Holding, a junior. Despite the fear that has come with recent events involving violence in schools, it is not the largest issue that the nation is combating regarding gun violence. Every year, less than one percent of the gun related homicides are due to mental illness. Meanwhile, suicide deaths with the help of firearms are the main cause of gun related deaths. “I think a big issue is that two thirds of gun deaths in the United States are suicides which means that there's a bigger issue with people killing themselves then there is people killing other people. That’s a big example of problems with mental health and depression. So I do think that we should focus more on mental health personally,” said Colin Saliba, a junior. Under Federal law, anybody of 18 years or older can purchase a gun, if they have not been pronounced mentally defective or committed to a mental institution and passed their background check. In the years between 1998 and 2014, the FBI declined 16,669 possible gun buyers because a adjudication concerning their mental health in their background check.

Only about 1.4% of approximately 1.2 million background checks ended in refutation. Mental illness, however, does not only appear in adults but also children and teenagers. Those who are younger in age still need to be given attention and help, which can be difficult because they spend a majority of time at school and the parents may not know the half of what is happening in the adolescent’s head. “We train teachers to pay attention to your staff, to your students. I personally believe that if a teacher takes the time to get to know their students, they can look you in the face and know when things are off today. Maybe it’s not mental illness, but they’re just going through a hard time, so we can help them,” said Dr. Bebee, the school principal. According to Giffords Law Center, Arizona does not require a background check prior to the exchange and/or purchase of a firearm, or require the firearm dealers to own a state license. Along the lines of this and many other alarming laws, Arizona is ranked as one of the worst gun control states in the country. Many solutions have been suggested to resolve this conflict but the population has yet to agree on a resolution. “I think everyone should work on their mental health because it can easily slip,” said Chase Kirby, a junior. With careful consideration, the nation could help improve overall mental health and decrease some of the violence that has been rising within our society.

April 13, 2018 Features

“Suicide deaths with the help of fireArizona hosts arms are the a series of main cause extreme races of gun related deaths.” THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

APRIL 13, 2018 ■ 13

By GRIFFIN GOLDSTEIN g staff writer

FROM MUD RUNS TO

Ironmans, extreme races attract endurance athletes of all ages who enjoy putting their bodies to the test. Some people participate to get in shape and others just for the thrill, but they all share one thing in common; they push themselves to their limits to cross the finish line.

TRAINING

April 13, 2018 Sports

SPORTS

Extreme races are not just any charity 5k fun run. They are generally multi-staged, containing many different obstacles and terrains, with extremely long distances and harsh conditions. Usually, competitors must already be in decent shape to be able to complete extreme courses. “I ran Cross Country and Track in high school and I started getting into lifting in college, all of which I definitely think helped a great deal,” said Kieth Durkin, a sophomore at the University of Arizona. Some people train for months for one race in particular. This kind of dedication and patience is commonly seen among ultramarathon runners and triathletes. An “ultra” race is defined as a race that is longer than 26.2 miles, the official distance of a marathon, with common distances for single-staged races being 31, 50, 62, and 100 miles long.

TYPES OF RACES Multi-staged races are a whole new story. They throw in multiple different sports into one course. For instance, in triathlons, there are three stages: swimming, cycling, and running. One of the most infamous multi-staged races is the Four Deserts series, in which athletes will have to complete 250 kilometers across the Atacama, Gobi, and Sahara deserts along with a stage in Antarctica. Some extreme courses contain not only harsh conditions, but dangerous obstacles as well. Barbed wire, free-climb heights, and fire are not uncommon in these events. Generally, participants will be made to

SPARTAN RACES A very popular extreme race that started in 2007 is the Spartan Race, which has more manageable conditions than other extreme races to include a larger audience. It contains a series of obstacles in which competitors have to run, crawl, jump, and swim through to finish. All finishers are awarded a medal and the top athletes are given prizes. There are four different tiers of the Spartan Race, each one at a different level of difficulty. There is the Spartan Sprint, which is three miles with 20 plus obstacles, the Spartan Super, eight miles and 25 plus obstacles, the Spartan Beast, 13.1 miles and 30 plus obstacles, and the Spartan Ultra, a lengthy 26.2 miles along with 60+ obstacles to overcome. “The obstacles are fun, but after a few miles, they get very physically demanding,” said Luke MacGowan, a Spartan Super finisher. Anybody can jump in a community Spartan Race, but athletes must qualify to make the Spartan World Championships. To qualify, athletes must finish in the top five in a U.S. Championship Series event or a Regional Championship in your category.

Finding their net worth “I’ve been playing tennis, for, basically all my life, and I’m really excited to be apart of the team this year. Having my sister on the team is awesome.”

PREPARING FOR A SHOT, Daniel Quenzler, a junior, works on her serves. Daniel and her sister, Nicole Quenzler, are both on the team together.

4MORGAN REIMER

Nicole Quenzler, a freshman.

By MORGAN REIMER g staff writer

Y serving, swiping, scoring aces, playing

May Tear Sheets travel

coachella forever

CAMPING IN THE DESERT at the Coachella music festival, Zoie Lambesis, Kiera Riley and Rachel Hommel are doing their best to beat the heat. Many people choose to camp at Coachella, making it cheaper and easier to attend the popular event.

4ZOIE LAMBESIS

Road trippin’

Festival goers packed their bags and headed to Indio, California to take part in one of the biggest music festivals in the U.S.: Coachella. For both weekends, I had a really fun, but exhausting time at the festival, and enjoyed listening to all my favorite artists. Over 100 artists perform at Coachella each year, and since there is such a high demand for attending the festival, the creators have split the festival into two weekends, the first from April 13 to 15 and the second from April 20 to 22. Tickets for the 3 day festival started at $429 for general admission. With that being said, just attending the festival is expensive, therefore cutting the cost on housing and traveling fees is a must. Instead of spending money on a pricey hotel room, I personally choose to camp at the festival itself. This not only will save money, but will also save time getting there. There are two options when it comes to camping. Car camping and tent camping, both are reasonably priced at $113. With car camping, you get a 30 foot by 10 foot

grass space, where you can easily fit your vehicle and a 5 person tent. Tent camping is a little different, as the goer will only be offered a 15 ft by 10 ft grass space, and their car is not allowed on the campsite. With my experience, car camping was the best option, because not only did we avoid ridiculous hotel fees, but we also got to use the car as shade, and could use the outlets and USB ports in the car to charge our phones and portable chargers. Also, since we were camping on the festival grounds, we were able to walk into the festival each day. This prevented us from purchasing Uber rides, and paying the parking expense. A bonus to camping is the ability to leave the festival and go back to your campsite to get food and drinks. Having a cooler full of cold drinks and snacks is beneficial because then we did not have to spend money on overpriced food. We had stocked our cooler with oranges, apples, waters, vitamin waters and most importantly, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Overall, camping at Coachella was a great experience. The only downfall is that since it can get hot during the day, cooling your body down is difficult. And, staying hydrated is extremely important for camping.

May 18, 2018 Travel

Zoie Lambesis Food Editor

With summer right around the corner, many people go on road trips with their friends and family. Morgan Reimer discusses the best places to drive to for a vacation, and what to bring to have the best experience. When summer arrives, it is time to commence with the kicking off of shoes, gobs of sunscreen, and starting the next adventure of the long break ahead. Among families, road trips are a popular and amusing way to enjoy time together and get out of the heat. “I just went to my grandparent’s house, it’s like three states away. Make sure you know where you’re going, and bring snacks and water in case there’s traffic,” said Rochelle Ring, a junior. With the Arizona heat, the hottest parts of summer dwell over the civilians for the longest of times, and those who stay home during the summer take the initiative in what they plan to do. Families can listen to music, play car games, or watch movies to pass the long hours. Whether one is staying in a hotel, or a quick and easy Airbnb, road trips can lead to

places one has not dreamed of yet. “We went to California to see my Aunt, and I was driving, and it was on this winding road. Bring coffee and energy drinks, especially if you’re driving,” said Lauren Hemesath, a junior. According to the Huffington Post, Tracy Staedter and Randy Olson created an algorithm of the perfect road trip route to travel through 48 states, in which they only drove to nationally recognized landmarks in the country. Simply find the quickest path to start the number one route, (found on Google Maps) and anyone can be on their way. “My favorite road trip was one we took about five years ago, and we went to Redondo Beach, California, and we drove to Yosemite National Park, and came back down through Vegas and Death Valley. We

did a big loop around the states,” said Lori Larkin, an English teacher. For those who would prefer a day-road trip, Arizona features beautiful and hidden spots for people to explore. Families could hike the hieroglyphic trail at the Superstition Mountains, (Gold Canyon) look at the stalagmites in Kartchner Caverns, (Benson) or even go to the Grand Canyon to enjoy the endless canyon, go hiking, or ride the trail down on horses. It depends on the type of activity families would enjoy most. “Another favorite day trip is going to National Bridge in the Tonto National forest up by Payson, and when I first moved here, you could still swim in the water. It was just wonderful,” said Larkin. The most important items to bring are a map, phone, a small travel bag with snacks, sunscreen, tons of water, and a camera.

W ANNALEE BARNETT MAY 2018 intrigue

12 ■ MAY 18, 2017

FEATURE

THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

Should apps and social media sell user information?

POLICY May 18, 2018

OPINION

MORGAN REIMER

Features

WANNIE SOGAARD

With every text sent, picture liked, item posted, received and searched, the media continues to become part of who each person is on the Internet. In this day and age, it can be difficult to tell whether someone is being safe online, even when they claim to have done nothing wrong. With everything people send online, it becomes a piece of their “digital self,” which could be concerning for some future aspects. Although the world may not realize it, every little piece of technology could be secretly watched upon, which includes ordering items off of sites and searching for answers in the search bar. Businesses make more money every time someone sees an ad and purchases themselves, which resulted in people sharing and/or liking something they saw online. Millions of people use the Internet every day, especially for purchasing items they want or need. When advertisers use their own ads for websites, they are playing to the needs of the viewers. This should not be allowed to happen, because it gives businesses an unhealthy advantage. That is why people always get pop-up ads when they are on websites, and it almost always relates to something they have “liked” on an app or bought recently. This could be considered an invasion of privacy because of these pop-up ads. As society looks deeper into how they sell information, it almost always leads back to a

recently liked image. Imagine how websites and apps sell people items; based on images they have liked or bought in the past. Some of these ads for clothing stores or Amazon purchases are real, but some ads can be very deceptive. Every once in awhile people could receive a “congratulations” ad saying all they have to do is fill out their address and credit card information to win a prize. Though it could potentially be real, it is most likely a trap to steal information. Recently, Facebook has had some alarming facts recorded by CBS news about selling information based on statuses. They claim it is based on users’ demographics, location, interests, and behaviors. This is found off of the ads they click, what “consumers” share, what apps and websites they use and more. Though the suspicion of not knowing how much these websites know is increasing at an alarming rate, it can be researched on how to access personal data files. The safest way to avoid this is not to believe in every ad that floats to the surface of the page. Be aware, smart, and conscious of what is going on with the technology at our fingertips. If apps continue to take over everyone’s technology, people’s private information will be on display for everyone to see.

“This should not be allowed to happen, because it gives businesses an unhealthy advantage.”

MARK ZUCKERBERG FACES CONGRESS