This semester was certainly an interesting experience for me. I thought that from last year, the momentum I had would just keep going as an editor, but once October hit I realized that I can’t just steamroll through these things anymore. In terms of production skills, InDesign is something that I think I have gotten fairly good at using, in the sense that I don’t need to ask Adamson for much, if anything, anymore. Hopefully it stays that way going into second semester and I don’t try anything too out of the box. Deadlines from the editor side of things seem so different, even though I know they aren’t really. There is so much work to be done once articles start coming in and I can see why last year, the editors always seemed so drained once we hit production week. The staff this year is great, I think I genuinely enjoy talking to all of them, freshman included in that as well. Most of them seem really dedicated or committed to the stories they write, which is great for the editors. Spotlight is a kind of laid back page as a whole, there isn’t really much to do in terms of hard articles, so maybe my opinion is swayed because none of my articles are particularly challenging for them to write. There was one time this semester when I thought I saw something that was plagiarized, which it wasn’t really, but it felt like it. This one article just sounded “too intelligent” as Adamson put it. It didn’t feel like a highschooler wrote it. Turned out to be nothing, but it served as a good reminder to be checking this on all of my stories. Now normally, this would be the part where I would say I was a great asset to the staff and all of this other stuff. Honestly, I didn’t do anything of note this time around, at least, I don’t think I did. I know this sort of bleeds into the next section, so I’ll just combine them and get it over with. Last year felt different when there was a deadline coming up. There would always be some speech at the start of class, Brook or someone, usually the editors, would be either angry or too burnt out to get angry, and we all rushed to get work done. This year, that doesn’t exist. There isn’t some huge push to get stuff done earlier for the sake of the editors, and by proxy, the editors can’t be done early because of that. I didn’t feel any real reason to work hard on my article because it either wasn’t a major story, the interviews weren’t hard, or it was just an opinion piece. I wrote TWO pro/con stories this semester, only because it would be easier to do with my lower energy self. The staff this year is amazing, they are all very fun and I’ve talked to all of them, and of course the editors are all together, but whatever bug I had last year that made me go crazy with writing and editing stories seems to be gone. I think I realized it in October, when we got called outside to talk about even being editors still, that I’m not able to do all of this stuff anymore. There are other people relying on me and I need to make myself as available as possible so that when they have questions, I can answer them the best I can. By the end of next semester, I’ll hopefully be able to help everyone, editors too, with whatever questions they have. This winter break coming up might be the most needed break I’ll ever take from working on my projects, both school related and my other side stuff, like making videos and whatnot. Next semester, the focus is going to shift for me from self centering getting my article done to getting it done early for the sake of the writers that need my help.
I would say the most significant thing I’ve written so far was the violent video game pro article in September. This is the article I have cared the most about writing since being in newspaper, especially because I am one of those people who play “violent” games. In terms of difficulty, I probably made it harder on myself than it really needed to be. I know off the top of my head about a couple of studies that supported my argument, but I did not just want to have a few sources to support it. I wanted to be sure that no matter what the opposition was, that it didn’t matter because of the tidal wave of evidence I had behind me. The research for the article was absolutely insane, I spent more time researching than writing, probably a good six or seven hours reading all of these scientific papers and whatnot. In its first form, the article was incredibly poorly written, I lost myself in the research and either had paragraphs of pure research without drawing a conclusion from said research, or was just whiny, plain and simple. Once I went through it and wrote it again, I began to get an idea in my head of how I wanted to have the article flow and it became a little bit more organized than before. When I see the finished product, I think it is the best thing I could have put out about something that truly means a lot to me. I actually had a lot of people after the paper was delivered come up to me and say how much they agree with me and how the other article was wrong and this and that. It was a good feeling to know that it wasn’t just an argument with the other writer, but it evolved to where it got the student body involved and talking about it, and that was a pretty good feeling.
First Draft
This pro/con about violent video games was something I am really proud of. I’m not usually proud of any one article, but this one was about something I wanted to tackle for a while and I think I covered it pretty well.
The other pro/con I wrote was especially fun to talk about. Politics and social media is such a hotly debated topic with the political climate right now and I wanted to write something that I felt would be a fair standpoint against removing these things completely from social media.
Parliament isn’t really something a lot of people understand, especially in America. It was fun to learn about what exactly is different when talking about one system to another. I didn’t even know that a parliament was a type of democracy before writing this, so the information is just interesting to hear.
Spotlight
14 ● September 20, 2019
THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS
a new teacher
Old student becomes
Andrea Daly has brought her talents back to Cactus Shadows
HELPING OUT, Andrea Daly talks about her lesson with
a student. Daly prefers to keep the class moving and active during her lessons. 4Callahan Schwartz
Callahan Schwartz staff writer
A
NDREA
DALY, A new teacher, energetically informs her classes about her favorite subject, English, after completing six years of post high school education, including a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education. “I believe in order to engage students they need to be having fun and learning something interesting, which is hard with some of the content. “I like to have them moving around as much as possible,” said Daly. Daly graduated from Cactus Shadows and got her Bachelor’s Degrees in Journalism from
THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS
Old student becomes
the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. She continued her education at Grand Canyon University and recieved a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education. Daly came back to the same high school that she graduated from to teach her favorite subject, English. “I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and I loved English so the choice was pretty clear,” said Daly. Being new to any job adds stress to life. Different jobs add different stresses, and a varying amount of time has to be put into each type of job. Being a new teacher requires lesson planning a year's worth of information on a new subject.
“The first week was bad because of all the lesson planning. I would wake up at 5 am, got to school a 6:40 and would not get done until 3:30, go home, lesson plan and then go to bed,” said Daly. New teachers often struggle with engaging with high school students in their first few years. “She gives off a lot of energy and it makes the class easy to pay attention in and fun,” said Cameron Jordan, a student in one of Daly’s classes. Making sure classes do not get too rowdy is a necessity for learning. Although having fun is her goal, at the end of the day, school is for learning. “I have taught my students that there is a line, and that I like to
have fun. But when it gets out of hand I’ll say, ‘signal please’ and hold my hand up. That means everyone stops talking and listens,” said Daly. Finding tutors and experienced peers can help with starting a new job. Having friends that work in the same profession offer easy access to answers for any questions that may arise in a new job. “I do have a Master’s, so I feel prepared, but it can get overwhelming because I don’t have necessarily all the tools that more experienced teachers have. But I do feel like I have an excellent support system here,” said Daly. Ms. Daly is a new teacher on campus that tries to make learning fun and engaging for all of her students.
“
“I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and I loved English so the choice was pretty clear” Andrea Daly
A newly minted English teacher
4Callahan Schwartz
September 20, 2019 ● 15
SPOTLIGHT
Humans of Cactus Shadows
“I’ve been trying to hangout with friends a lot more. Hanging out with a great group of friends is always very fun and makes you feel good. I like to draw a lot, most of the time I’m drawing or playing games. I’ve been drawing for a little under a year, I’m self taught. I just look at a picture and I got it, you just have to keep adjusting.”
Declan Flanagan, a senior
WORKING on one of his drawings, Seth Schneck, a junior, also enjoys making 3-D models. 4Jo Breese
“I’m from Cornwall, England. I moved here junior year. It’s so much different here, a lot more strict. The people here are a bit clique-y too, it’s like the movies. I like it here though, I’ve gotten used to it.”
Lana Jones, a senior
“I like to play basketball, I’ve been playing for two years. I’m probably gonna try out for the school team. I moved here from Guam two years ago. It’s so much better here than Sonoran Trails, the food is better.”
Nate Morgan, a freshman
4Gianna Cazzalo and Nia Sogaard
Artists seek motivation Jo Breese
creeker editor
Students artists tend to fly under the radar and do not recieve much recognition from the public. “Art is free expression. Just because it’s a way you can just put down your feelings in the way your art is,” said Amanda Eramorado, a junior and a student artist. Art can really be anything, just as anyone can be an artist. Art can be a painting, a sculpture, or even a video game or a song. What is art and what is not art very subjective, as one person can say that something is art, while someone else could say it is not art and they both would be correct. “I just kinda did [art] as a kid, but my dad was really into art so I kinda was into art to,” said Seth Schenck, a junior and an artist. Seth Schenck’s father, Eddie Schenk, is a professional artist that makes sculptures and 3D art with car parts, paper mache, and just general scrap. Seth Schenk makes mostly 2D cartoon style art but also dabbles in 3D type
art. Eddie Schenk also owns a food truck named Hibachibot that has one of his pieces, a massive red robot, attached to the back of it. “[I get my motivation from] my friends, and making something to either make them laugh or please them in some way, or just for a purpose. Like making art for a purpose, I don’t like just making it just to make it. I don’t get motivated that way,” said Mr. Schenck. Artists get their motivation from lots of places. Some just like to draw because it's fun, others to fulfill a purpose or need, and some just want to express their emotions. An artist's motivation can come from anything. “[A student artist is] brave, self-directed, hardworking, intelligent, and a problem solver,” said Deborah Wales, an art teacher. Student artists usually put in a considerable amount of time to draw and express themselves. They usually are self-directed in the sense that they start pieces whenever they want to and finish them when they believe to be done with them.
Claire’s fall Playlist Natural Affair (Single Edit) - The Growlers Birds Don’t Sing - TV Girl Small Talk - Julia Jacklin Freakin’ U Out - Antarctigo Vespucci Art School - Remo Drive Be the One You Love - Sitcom Sunflower - Vampire Weekend Uncanny Reflection - Riley Queer Talking Backwards - Real Estate Swim and Sleep - Unknown Mortal Orchestra
16 ● September 20, 2019
THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS
IT: Chapter 2 adds comedy to horror Michael Kaegi
3Claire Geare
staff writer
Pep rally excites new students The first pep rally of the school year kicked off the football season and set an example of what it means to be a Cactus Shadows student. The gym was packed with enthusiastic students dressed head to toe in blue to show support for the football teams and to show their school spirit. Returning students showed freshmen how to have fun cheering on the Cactus Shadows football team.
BRINGING THE ENERGY, Brix Bootz,
The cheer and pom team as well as the band gave a preview to their routines performed at the first football game. The captains of the fall sports teams and the varsity football team got to introduce themselves and got to be cheered on by their peers as well.
4Emma Bauer
The choir performed the national anthem as well as Happier by Marshmello. Students had the opportunity to participate in the interactive pep rally traditions with the nest leaders, such as the "I believe that we will win" chant and the crowd wave.
a senior, pumps up the crowd from down on the court. Bootz is one of six nest leaders this year.
3 Nia Sogaard
Rebel Lounge cultivates local music Kolton O’Connor staff writer
F
ANS ARE GOING to concerts almost every night at a music venue called the Rebel Lounge because of a unique music experience that attracts fans and bands of different types of music. “At the Rebel Lounge the experience is different because you can move around the venue and move back and forth which gives you more freedom,” said Emily Watters, a junior. The way the stage is set up at the Rebel Lounge is different compared to other venues. The ability to move freely through the crowd
makes it so anyone can end up where they want to be. This is much different then a large venue where you are sitting in a seat. “The experience of going to a concert is everything, you don’t even need to know the music to have a good time and there's nothing like going to a concert when you get a massive adrenaline rush,” said Connor Lund, a freshman. What separates the rebel lounge from other small music venues is the ambiance. This venue has stickers of a lot of bands and a merchandise table. Occasionally the members of the bands that
are playing stand around the merchandise table. “Yeah for sure. A lot of bands have made a name for themselves after playing there,” said Emily Watters. This venue is also considered a stepping stone for a lot of bands. Nirvana, Green Day and Guns and Roses all played the Rebel Lounge before becoming some of the most famous rock bands in the world. “Everything is based on your preference and what type of music experience you want,” said Caesar Rojas, a history teacher. The rebel lounge may be a popular underground music venue but it is not for every-
one. A lot of people listen to indie alternative rock music but do not like smaller shows and a lot of people listen to pop or hip hop but do not like the larger shows. The best concert experience is different for every person. ”I really like the sign and the design,” said Watters. The rebel lounge attracts a lot of fans from the design of the venue and the sign outside. The inside has stickers from all of the bands that played there which shows that they care about the bands that play there.
IT Chapter Two is the follow-up to the events of the previous installment, and takes the franchise in a whole new direction with an adult cast and a bigger focus on comedy, differing from what some might say made the first one as successful as it was. The movie was directed by Andres Muschietti, who also directed the previous installment, which are both classified as horror. The movie begins 27 years later, after the Losers have gone their separate ways and moved on with their lives. Now in their early 40s, they get called back to their hometown after Pennywise has returned in order to defeat him once more, and learn the value of the bond they have together as a team. The Loser’s Club: Beverly, Richie, Ben, Bill, Eddie, Mike, and Stanley are played by Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, Jay Ryan, James McAvoy, James Ransone, Isaiah Mustafa, and Andy Bean, respectively. The cast is one of the strongest parts of the movie with all the big names involved, who have been in many successful movies, TV shows and commercials over the years. The bond they convey together on screen as adults as well as the actors of the kids really provides a strong core element to both of the films. Besides that, IT Two is not successful in the way that the first one was. While the first one was primarily successful on the camaraderie of the Loser’s Club and the horror elements, this one takes a different direction, being more comedic than overly scary. It’s hard to say whether or not some of the comedy is intentional, because there are many of the jump scares, like many of the scenes during the character's traveling back to their childhoods to collect artifacts for the ritual. Both the scenes of Mrs. Kersh’s apartment, which was originally Beverly’s childhood home, and the sewer drain with the arms of the children who were taken by Pennywise reaching to Bill, were both more comedic in the way they were portrayed rather than scary. However, the scenes with Bill Hader were pretty funny, but would have been better if it had been broken up by more serious horror elements, so it would stand out more. The movie does work as being a comedy as it can be entertaining at times, but it’s not what made the first IT successful, which may turn people away from the film. The effects that accompany it are not the best in many areas, including the end battle scenes with Pennywise in his arachnid form or some of the blood. The strobe effect in the mirror maze and during the fight scene can be distracting and also kind of hides some of the cheapness of the effects. However, it can work in some spots due to it being a big budget movie, like when Eddie goes down to the basement of the old pharmacy and finds an old, zombified version of the pharmacist, who covers him in a brown substance, which looks pretty decent. The score for the film is pretty basic and is not anything that is astounding or revolutionary. It’s not exceptionally good, but it is also not terrible either. IT Chapter Two provides a decent follow up that is more of a dark comedy rather than a full on horror movie, which contradicts what made the first one so successful. With the movie being about 3 hours long, it does drag on a bit, and could definitely be cut down during the scenes of getting the artifacts and explaining the ritual in order to defeat Pennywise. On the other hand, there are good moments sprinkled throughout and can definitely be comedically entertaining at times, since it’d definitely focused less on the horror and more on the comedy, whether that was intentional or not. Overall, I would give it a six out of ten for being entertaining, but definitely not living up to what made the first one great.
Spotlight
14 ● October 18, 2019
THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS
David Jeffcoat
staying focused on the future
Hope Black
global news editor
D
AVID JEFFCOAT, ALSO known
as “Jeffcoat Productions”, started his photography and videography productions company a year ago. He runs the company by himself, and he is constantly trying to gain more experience and grow his portfolio. Jeffcoat began film and photography at 13 years old. Jeffcoat was first introduced to photography in eighth grade, when he went on a school trip to China with his Chinese class. He takes photos once a week of things he sees while exploring, and whatever catches his eye. “My trip to China was just really eye-opening, I just fell in love with taking pictures,” said Jeffcoat. The first camera he shot pictures with was the 2-Megapixel Buzz Lightyear Camera that came out in March of 2010.
For fun and profit When he takes photos for fun, Jeffcoat takes pictures in order to remember that specific moment and what it meant to him. He captures all different kinds of photographs such as landscapes, portraits, nature, and architecture. Last school year, he took photos for prom and the lacrosse team. Some of Jeffcoat’s inspiration for his artwork comes from Cole Bennett, who is an entrepreneur and videographer based in Chicago. Although, his main inspiration would be his father. Jeffcoat loves his work ethic, and he teaches Jeffcoat to push his hardest and everything will work out one day. “It’s kind of a creative outlet, and something that makes me happy. It kinda makes me “me” if that makes sense,” said Jeffcoat. Over the past two summers, Jeffcoat has been in two film programs. The first program was during 2018, at the New York Film Academy based in Los Angeles. He was able to film on the Universal Backlot and work with a group of intelligent people who helped students in making their own films. The second program Jeffcoat attended was a five week college
FRAMING HIS FUTURE, David Jeffcoat, a
junior, looking through his camera roll. Jeffcoat takes photos at least once a week, and hopes to commit full time later on. 4Miah Thirion
program at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. The program called the Filmmaking Summer Intensive includes learning things like cinematography, editing, producing, and culminating in a screening of one’s work. “It was a great overall experience, both programs I learned a lot of information to help me get started. I gained tons of “on set” experience and really get a feel for how the industry truly is. It was sick,” said Jeffcoat. In school, Jeffcoat sits alongside Sam Rojo as a News Anchor for the video announcements. Their job is to check the stories to make sure they are new, re-write anything that does not flow well, and create their own segments as well as doing the anchoring. Rojo and Jeffcoat like to improvise when it comes to the script.
Hard work “He’s a really hard worker, and he’s very motivated filming his Jeffcoat productions. Working with him in the News business is really fun. He’s always positive and always has good feedback. He helps me be a better person and film-maker,” said Sam Rojo, a junior and film student. In the future, Jeffcoat hopes he could commit to his work full time. He pictures himself to be working in the film and photography industry, and on set of his own film. The way he will accomplish this is by taking multiple job opportunities and staying on task. “I don’t know much about Jeffcoat Productions, but I think it will grow and become big. When it does, Sam Rojo will be his manager, then they will go on to make millions,” said Luke Scott, the Business Tech and Film teacher. On his website, Jeffcoat has photographs of streetlife, for example, abandoned areas, nature, and portraits. He also has a series of films he has produced and directed, Some examples including “Last Day” and “Bull’s Island”. For more information about Jeffcoat and his work, visit his website at Jeffcoatproductions.com where he keeps all of his contact information, and the photos and films he has shot.
THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS
October 18, 2019 ● 15
SPOTLIGHT
Behind the Scenes Atlas: Enneagram Humans of Cactus Shadows
Nia Sogaard
STAFF WRITER staff writer
RYAN O’NEAL, OR more famously known under the name Sleeping At Last, has constructed an album that resonates with many listeners. Built on the famous Enneagram test, O’Neal’s album consists of nine songs, in which each song corresponds to an identity described under this personality type test. Atlas: Enneagram has proved to be largely successful, totaling over 40 million plays on Spotify. Chris Heuertz, author of The Sacred Enneagram, said that the test “helps us be honest in the parts of our lives where we’ve allowed fragments to lay claim to the whole of who we truly are.” O’Neal admitted to being skeptical about personality tests, feeling that they gave reasons to not improve bad traits. However, O’Neal favored the Enneagram because he believed it enabled self-improvement. “What gave it credibility to me outside ringing true - it begins with honesty, exposing all of our ugly first. Not that I enjoy nega-
tivity, but for a tool that is meant to teach us a deeper understanding of who we are, I think it’s really important and honesty and vulnerability should be on the forefront,” said O’Neal. To produce each of the nine songs, O’Neal aims to write from the perspective of each type and did as much research on each personality to be able to better relate to each type. Each song was written with the intention of describing the struggles that each identity tends to possess, as well as redemption to this struggle. “I wrote down just a few titles of songs or pieces that in one way or another sort of melodically or tonally made sense in my mind. I noticed a common thread between the pieces, was that many were in the key of C. I thought it was a perfect description of the one type, it is very traditional, it’s very tidy and organized,” O’Neal says on his process for writing Atlas: Type One. O’Neal uses his seasoned lyricist skills to fill each song with sincere narrations of each personality and has a way of assembling classical instruments such as piano and violin in a unique way. Every song allows the listener to take a glimpse into the
life of each personality, just by listening openly. Personally, I believe this album is the most unique one I have come across, as the concept of basing songs off of something that can be further researched is something I have never come across. As a type eight, I feel that the corresponding song is extremely accurate and felt as if O’Neal was speaking to me through the music. Two, the song with the most plays on the album absolutely takes the cake. Melodically, the song appears to be a playful love song, as the upbeat piano and violin create a feeling of childlike wonder. However, the lyrics subtly reveal the darker side of being an empath. O’Neal describes in his podcast, The Sleeping At Last Podcast, the process he took to write each song in detail. There are a handful of tests online that allow one to discover what Enneagram type they are and discover how they resonate with the song dedicated to them and their personality. Overall, the album deserves a 5/5 for the intricate and thoughtful process that went into the production, and the insight it brings to the listener.
“I’m dressing up as a WWI trench officer. I go trick-ortreating, my plans vary every year, sometimes I’ll go and then come home and help hand out candy. My favorite candy would have to be Milky Ways. One year on Halloween I hid in a bush dressed as the Grim Reaper and scared a group of kids.” Nathan Ring, junior
“I don’t think highschoolers are too old to trick-ortreat, I would definitely go if I had someone to go with me. I‘m not sure what I’m going to be yet, but I have to dress up for a drama club meeting. Every year for Halloween, my mom and I put up Halloween tree, it’s a full size black christmas tree with Halloween decorations. I’m most excited about the snickers. Snickers are my favorite, I go to Walmart and buy bags of of them to eat throughout the year.” Emma Dean, sophomore
No one is laughing at this Joker Michael Kaegi staff writer
16 ● October 18, 2019
THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS
Jokers Improv
Gone wild
Improv crew kicks off the year
JOKING AROUND, Brittany Whalen, a member of the troupe since sophomore year, and Kelsey Casas, a newcomer, hanging out before club photos. Emma Weaver staff writer
T
HE CACTUS SHADOW’S Improv team
starts the year off with a bang after performing their first show on Friday, October 27. The team welcomed 12 new members into the team inviting new jokes, humor and talent into the spotlight. “I think kids join Improv because it’s kind of a unique performance opportunity. To be creative and funny and I think it harbors a lot of things that kids don’t get to do in actual school. Which is like expressing their silly ideas and being goofy and to not get yelled at for it by a teacher,” said Andrew Cupo, the Improv supervisor. Students who join Improv get to experience the art of what Improv truly is. During the morning and after school rehearsals teammate practice games to help them understand how to switch different voices and characters, along with getting comfortable working with other teammates. “On Improv, they give each other criticism. A lot of times, the first thing they’ll tell you at the first practice is that they’ll give you criticism, and it’s not supposed to be mean. It’s just supposed to help make you better. And that’s a lot of the relationship we have. We want to make sure everyone in the scene
looks good, and that we’re all doing an equal amount of work,” said Kiera Reinhard, a newcomer to the Improv team. The Jokers Improv team has brought humor the students of Cactus Shadows for years. Improv shows are one of the theatrical performances the school offers, allowing students to relax and take their minds off of the stresses of everyday life. “It takes you away from everything that’s going on. Like anything you may be stressed about in your own life, when you do improv, it gets you into a whole different mindset and takes you away from whatever you may be stressed about,” said Emily Knape, the captain of the Improv team. Even though Improv shows are smoothly put together and is a stress reliever for those in the audience. It’s more difficult for then it looks. “One of the things that people don’t realize is we still meet like any other team to practice and go over the different performance elements that go into a good improv. We spend a lot of time practicing the different skill sets that make quality improv. Because a lot of people don’t realize that improv is not just saying whatever you think of. There is actual skill and thought involved in what makes it quality and makes a decent performance,” said Cupo.
Even after practicing, rehearsing, and getting criticism from fellow Improv members. Being in front of an audience still gets nerves rattling. “It is a little bit nerve wracking. Knowing that there is no script and you don’t have anything to go back on, everything is made up on the spot. So that aspect is kind of nerve wracking. How something can go wrong,
“
It’s just supposed to help make you better. And that’s a lot of the relationship we have. We want to make sure everyone in the scene looks good, and that we’re all doing an equal amount of work.” Kiera R einhard
newcomer to the Improv team.
aClaire Geare
4Claire Geare
or you may say something and laugh when you’re not supposed to. But once you run out on stage and start the show, than it’s really exciting and exhilarating and really fun,” said Knape. The Jokers Improv next show is Friday November 8 at the Lecture Hall on campus. The show starts at 7 p.m. and admission is $5 at the door.
JOKER TAKES THE story about an iconic DC comic villain who’s known for his incessant laughter, and turns it into a serious message about the effects of mental illness and what it can do to a person. Todd Phillips is the director of the film, who is best known for directing the Hangover trilogy and other comedic films. While the film seems similar to Martin Scorsese’s style of direction, it was not directly influenced by him but there are elements that have similarities to some of his movies. The film follows Arthur Fleck, a struggling comedian, whose mental condition causes him to laugh uncontrollably, leading him to be outcasted by society and seen as a freak. Many of the strengths that make the movie so uncomfortable is Joaquin Phoenix’s performance as Fleck and the Joker. His half-laugh/half-cry help to define the insanity that lies within his head and the amount of pain he is in. Fleck is extremely close with
his mother, who he lives with and takes care of. However, she is very delusional and believes when she worked for Thomas Wayne that they were together, leading her to constantly write letters to him. With the social worker union closing down, not being able to take his medication because of it, and losing his job, all lead him down a dark path filled with anger and revenge. Through all this, he creates a clown riot movement in Gotham city after murdering three men on a subway with a gun that his friend, Randall, provided him. A pivotal scene of the movie is when he goes on The Murray Franklin Show, Fleck’s favorite talk show that he ends up getting to be a part of, and admits to the murder of the three men on the subway. The suspense created by his rehearsal before the show, which he had planned to shoot himself on live television, create an eerie, uncomfortable atmosphere of what will happen. The scene is accompanied by a suspenseful but perfect score, which is also found throughout the movie, using songs that were
made when this film took place, giving a complete feeling to each scene. One of the weaker aspects of the film is the relationship between him and his neighbor, Sophie Dumond, played by Zazie Beetz. They seem to have a faint connection throughout the movie, supporting him at his failed stand up and going out with him occasionally, but that’s all broken when he runs into her apartment after a bad day and she doesn’t know who he really is. This scene along with others, when he believes he is in the audience of Murray Franklin, delve deep into the psyche of Fleck and what really exists and what is in his imagination. It makes the movie a strong character analysis of a depressed, mentally challenged man rather than just a movie about how the Joker came to be. Overall, Joker deserves an 4/5 for taking the idea of a comic book origin story and turning it into a deep, thought provoking character analysis that deals with the struggles of having a mental illness.
a Gianna Lazzaro and Nia Sogaard
“I’m not dressing up for Halloween this year because I’m staying home to work on my schoolwork. Typically I hangout with my family and some friends too. The most memorable Halloween I’ve had was two years ago, a bunch of my friends came over and we spent time with my family. I’ll probably steal some of my sisters candy, my favorite is Twix.” Alex Hernandez, sophomore
H A L L O W E E N P L AY L I S T 1980s Horror Film II - Wallows Spooky, Scary Skeletons - Andrew Gold (Don’t Fear) The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult Halloween - HUNNY Bellyache - Billie Eilish Dead Man’s Party - Oingo Boingo Black Magic Woman - Fleetwood Mac Hey Kids - Molina Who Loves the Scum - The Growlers Teenage Dream - T. Rex
3Claire Geare
Spotlight
14 ● November 15, 2019
Pumpkin artist
Ray Villafane
Cait Bunkers staff writer
squashes expectations
ILYA FILIMONTSEV, A PROFESSIONAL CARVER, working on his next masterpiece.
The garden is covered in hundreds of carvings of this quality. a Emma Weaver
Emma Weaver staff writer
ay Villafane and his team of world renowned pumpkin carvers, partnered with the Town of Carefree to put on the fifth-annual Enchanted Pumpkin Garden. Spread out across four-acres, Villiane and his team work tirelessly to fill the Carefree Desert Gardens with mystical desplaces, enchanting carvings, live music, food vendors, and live pumpkin carvings. “I realized that the general public seemed to love and resonate with a pumpkin carving more than the stuff I was doing with Marvel and DC Comics. I like pumpkin carving, it’s magical. You could carve something in wood, clay or wax and it just wasn’t as magical as a pumpkin. That’s when I realized there was a niche that wasn’t being filled,” said Villafane, the founder of Villafane Studios.
With a team built out of skilled sand sculptures turned pumpkin carvers, like Ilya Filimontsev, and Dmitry Klimenko. Along with talented cavers, Deane Arnold, Luke Schroder, Vicki Jessing, and Brandy Davis. It’s easy to see how every pumpkin and potato mouse contains a part of the cavers uniqueness. “I’ve been craving since 2012 when I entered in a worldwide online contest put on by Ray, the mastermind behind all of this. When I entered the contest my pumpkin ended up winning so I got to work with Ray afterwards and I started doing pumpkins for country music television and Progressive Insurance,” said Brandy Davis, world-recordholder in the Guinness book of world records for largest jack-olantern. Villafane’s dream for the Enchanted Garden is to expand it so the event is known worldwide. This year, Villafane canceled his other events in order to not stretch himself thin, guaranteeing him the precious time to focus on the garden. But it had to come at a cost, as this was the
THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS
BOOK REVIEW
Teen faces challenges in rural Montana
this event, and that my kids' kids know about this event. In order to do that, they can’t afford to do it for free, and I can’t afford to do it for free, so we had to start somewhere,” said Villafane. Even with an admission fee, people piled into the tightly packed garden to see new carvings, enjoy the food, and I want to grow this gaze at the carvers as they did so that people in their work. multiple countries With the attractions and carverings changing every know about this year, there is always someevent, and that my thing to look forward to. “My favorite attraction was kids' kids know probably the pumpkins hangabout this event. ing from the trees, that had R ay Villafane fairy wings on them. It was pumpkin carver professional pretty cute and very creative,” said Gianna Kammo, a junior who went to the Enchanted Gardens for the first time. Even though the town of Carefree is now charging to get in, it’s a small price to pay for an amazing experience. The wonder, magic, and enchantment of the pumpkin carvings and cavers themselves will keep people coming for years.
first year with an admission fee. “I wouldn’t be able to hire as many artists and create as rich of an experience as I want to do. I want to grow this so that people in multiple countries know about
‟
Emily M. Danforth’s debut novel, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, is a coming-of-age story that examines conservatism and prejudice in Miles City, Montana in the early 90s. A young girl, Cameron Post, is gay, struggling to find her way, and raised by her overly conservative aunt and grandmother after her parents die in a car crash. This story is an outstandingly accurate depiction of life years before the legalization of gay marriage. Danforth writes candidly and realistically, without over-dramatization of characters or events. This story is a brilliant testimony to Cameron’s resilience in the face of adversity. The Miseducation of Cameron Post is meticulously and artfully detailed. It paints a realistic picture of growing up as a gay teen before the legalization of gay marriage, while also providing hope to readers of all backgrounds. Being gay is not Cameron’s only defining trait, though. Cameron is kind, funny, smart, and has an affection for shenanigans and shoplifting. Danforth develops Cameron’s character by showing how she matures throughout the book She grows throughout the story, becoming a mature woman after her innocence is shattered. Years after her parents’ death, Cameron is sent to conversion therapy when she is caught dating another girl. Her aunt feels - and shows - no remorse, even after seeing the multitude of ways her prejudice negatively affected Cameron and many other supporting characters. Danforth’s writing also illustrates the damage of her aunt and grandmother’s closed - mindedness, a dark, yet meaningful part of the novel. Cameron and her friends escape in the final chapters of the novel, hiking more than thirty miles to the place where her parents died. In the final moments of Danforth’s novel, Cameron finds her parents’ bodies, and with them, closure. As she realizes that there is a whole world waiting for her, the novel draws to a close, leaving readers wanting more. Overall, Danforth’s artfully crafted, sophisticated story has incredible resonance. The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a brilliant novel that highlights the importance of persistence both during and after trauma. It is a four star read, with solid character development and interesting events, however, there are brief moments of stylistic immaturity throughout the book.
THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS
November 15, 2019 ● 15
SPOTLIGHT
A Mid '90s Night's Dream
Max Sotelo
trending now editor
Drama Club’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” ran from Thursday, October 17 to October 19. The play begins with Hermia, played by Emily Knape, in a predicament, where she is in love with Lysander, played by Keegan Smith, but her father wants her to marry Demetrius, and if she does not, she could be put to death. So, she and Lysander run away together into the forest. Demetrius, played by Jackson Rinkes, goes after her where Helena, played by Brittany Whalen, Demetrius’ former fiance, chases after him and tries to win him back. The invisible king of the fairies, Oberon, played by Christopher Fletcher, watches these events as they unfold, and orders a magic potion be placed upon Demetrius to make him fall in love with Helena. However, it was accidentally placed on Lysander, causing him to fall in love with Helena. The play follows these characters as they attempt to undo this mistake. One actress who stood out was Cheyenne Yerkes, who played the role of Titania. She really did a great job of embodying the power and grace her character has as queen of the fairies. This particular production had a special twist, added by Andrew Cupo, director. It was set in New York City in the 1990s. However, the script entirely kept to its original Shakespearean English language, which made it difficult to understand the setting. To make the setting clear, the crew relied on the costumes and props, such as the “brick telephone,” a favorite among audience members who lived through the 1990s. Adding another hint of 90s nostalgia, they played instrumental versions of songs from this time period
JUST DREAMING, Brittany Whalen, a
senior, performing in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Her character, Helena, is madly in love with the face on the notebook, Demetrius, her former fiance, played by Jackson Rinkes. 4Megan Hinsberg
Heaven Surrounds the Crescent
Events around town
vvvvI
PHOENIX PIZZA FESTIVAL
Surf Curse brings their music to the Crescent Ballroom
Nov. 16 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Jenna Raines
Held annually since 2014, the Festival is a place to purchase and devour slices of pizza from around 20 of the best local pizza makers at Margaret T. Hance Park.
Tickets are $10.
DOWNTOWN DONUT FESTIVAL Nov.17 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. A vendor line up comprised of some of the best donut shops from around Phoenix. They offer a $1 donut at Margaret T. Hance Park.
Tickets are $10, but an $8 ticket is available for later noon entry.
MAC AND CHEESE FESTIVAL ARIZONA Nov.16 and 17 Talking Stick Grounds
25 of the valley’s best restaurants put their mac and cheese’s head to head for a chance to win the Golden Noodle. They offer $2 samples of each mac and cheese, and there will be games and cooking demonstrations.
General admission tickets are $15 online with discounts for children.
16 ● November 15, 2019
during scene changes. Although it was somewhat odd to hear (almost) modern people speak in Shakespearean English, the story of Hermia and her struggle to marry who she loves still takes place in an evolving society that challenges the traditional ideas of courtship and marriage. Another unique feature of this sold-out play was that it was performed in the round, black box theater at the Fine Arts Center. Performing in the black box theater presented new technical opportunities for the performers and crew. Evidently, there were also some challenges. Seating was extremely limited, with just up to three rows of seats on each side of the stage. With only a capacity of 150, it felt as though they were going to sell more tickets than there were seats available. Shout out to Drama Club for selling out of tickets, however, some groups who got there late had to be split up as there were no seats in groups available anymore. Some of the actors failed to project their voices. It was especially difficult to understand what they were saying with their quiet voices on top of the Shakespearean English being spoken. The set was great for the round theater. There was no obstruction on any side and it was very well put together. The crew worked in between scenes to move certain objects on and off the stage. There were some columns on the corners of the set, a tall platform for Titania to sleep on, and a bridge. Overall, Drama Club did a great job with their interpretation of this famous Shakespeare play. I think the actors really delivered this play well, I could tell that they understood this story and the lines they were saying rather than just reading words off a script. The set and costumes added a very interesting twist to this old Shakespearean play.
THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS
SPOTLIGHT
Humans of Cactus Shadows “I’m grateful for my family and all the opportunities I have been given. To express my gratitude, I say thank you and I do my best in whatever I’m doing, like with sports, that’s an opportunity I have been given so I do my best. I also give back by volunteering for animal organizations." Arielle Nelson
sophomore
“I’m grateful for my close friends and family. They all know me so well and if I didn’t have my friends I’d be sad all the time. I express my gratitude by saying it out loud everyday. I try to speak it into existence.” Delaynee Smith
junior
Privilege is being able to have things and opportunities that others might not be able to have. For example my privileges are having a safe environment where I live and being able to have a good education Stefan Schaeffer
junior
a Nia Sogaard and Gianna Lazzaro
Doctor Sleep not shining as bright as prequel Michael Kaegi
Danny in the last movie, of the child who is find-
staff writer
Doctor Sleep is the longing out about the powers awaited sequel to The Shining, they’ve been given and what taking a whole new approach they can do with them. The compared to the previous bond between Dan and her installment, and adding its throughout the movie when own unique spin on the origitrying to get rid of the creanal novel. tures from the group as well The film was directed by as their teamwork in genMike Flanagan, who is best eral, help to make her stand known for directing other out more and make her a critically acclaimed horror more interesting character movies, like Ouija: Origin of to watch develop throughEvil and Hush. While this is a out the movie. direct sequel to The Shining, Much like IT: Chapter there are eleTwo and other ments in the Stephen King movie that make movies, the it less of a horror movie’s runMuch like movie and more time could of a thriller, due be cut down, IT: Chapter to its concept especially Two and and lighter plot some of the other Stephen lines unlike most scenes in the horror films out original hotel, King movies, there. in which Dan the movie’s Ewan becomes one runtime could McGregor plays of the creaDan Torrance, tures. It only be cut down, the little boy lasts for a especially some from the first brief moment movie, who is making it of the scenes now grown up seem forced in the original and struggling and not servhotel." from the events ing a purpose of his past by to anything. coping through However, alcohol. He has many of the learned to cope with his shine, recreated iconic scenes the power to communicate from the original make a with others telepathically and comeback, which look great manifest things that aren’t here and add to the overall really there. While there are atmosphere of the film. other leads in the movie, Dan Along with that, the score is fundamentally the most well accompanying the film is developed character due to his pretty decent as well, needback story as well as his liking to be dramatic when it ability and connection with needs to as well as add to Abra, the little girl who also the scene when it needs an learns she has shine as well. extra boost. Such scenes Another plot line involves a as the final fight with Rose group of people who feed off and when Dan manifests his others who have the shine, father at the bar capture the which they consume in the big and quiet moments of form of steam. This group is the film. led by Rebecca Ferguson, who Overall, despite some of plays Rose, who satisfies as a the underdeveloped charvillain, but needs to bounce acters, it does follow-up on off of the other group memthe first movie fairly well, bers to make her interestwith many callbacks to previing, because there is not a lot ous scenes, while going a difof development around her to ferent direction and telling a center her as the only one. One new story altogether. The film, aspect of her character as well while not a must-see movie, as the rest of the group that is would be good to check out if missing is their motivation to one was looking for a different kill people with the shine, and take on what makes the first how they obtain energy from film a cult classic. the steam that is released.
‟
Abra, played by Kyliegh Curran, takes the spot of
v v v II
guest writer
Surf Curse released their new album Heaven Surrounds You on Sept. 13, 2019. Following their other two albums and an EP, they continued a beachpunk vibe with seemingly self-deprecating lyrics. Their album brings a new emotional depth to what could otherwise be plain lyrics. Since relocating from Reno, Nevada to Los Angeles, California, Heaven Surrounds You is the band’s first album released while living in L.A. Inspired by Hollywood horror films and shows, like Twin Peaks and Dead Ringers, they chose a darker tone for the album. Their overall compo-
sition and songwriting has matured since their other albums. Seeing their live performance of songs from Heaven Surrounds You, Nothing Yet, Buds, Sad Boys an EP, and singles, was electrifying. Not only were they interactive and open with the crowd, but the moment they stepped out on stage and everyone pushed their way to the front, there was a widespread feeling of belonging somewhere. Teens and young adults all rushed to the front as lead vocalist and drummer, Nick Rattigan, began the show with an impressive drum solo. Jumping and losing their voices to the music, people
alike all joined together to create an incredible atmosphere. As the band members pause between songs, they took the time to make conversation with the crowd. This included Rattingan going into the crowd at one point to talk to the crowd and shout out his parents, who were watching in the back. Heaven Surrounds You was nowhere near a let down, and stayed true to what the band is about. Their vocals and instrumentals may even be better live than what is on the album. They made sure their concert would be something worth remembering, and it was exactly that.
6 â—? September 20, 2019
COMMENT
THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS
Do violent video games make people violent?
M
Raven Ramirez
ORE THAN HALF of the 50 top-selling video games contain violence, according to Crystal Ayres, the chief editor of the Vittana blog. Violent video games are to blame for increasing violence in the
real world. As many as 97 percent of U.S. kids play video games, and many of these games contain violence, according to the American Psychological Association. One risk of video games containing violence is the gamers having a higher risk of creating an addiction to these games. In a report issued by Nottingham Trent University and the International Gaming Research Unit, about 12 percent of online gamers exhibit signs of addiction with their playing. Furthermore, these violent games can cause the urge to punish others in reality. Research from the University of Missouri-Columbia shows that consistent exposure to violence in video games can diminish the response of the brain when it encounters violence in real life. In the research, players were also given an opportunity to punish a fake opponent. Those with the highest levels of violent video game exposure, exhibiting the lowest levels of brain response, were the most brutal in their response to such an offer. Gamers can also emphasize the need for conflict while playing these games. The structure of a violent video game suggests that violence is the primary way to solve problems in the world today. If this perspective transitions to the real world, then some gamers may find themselves aggressively pursuing physical altercations when they have an issue with someone that must be addressed. These games can keep the ones playing in their fantasy world, and they could potentially lose the ability to know what is reality and what is not. Some gamers find that the world of the game is more intriguing or beneficial to them than the world in which they live. They spend their time in this world, only engaging with those who share their perspectives. This can lead some gamers into a life of social isolation, even if they communicate with others for team-based activities within the game. About 3 percent of gamers face isolation tendencies, sometimes at extreme levels, because of playing video games that may be violent according to Natalie Regoli, chief editor of the Green Garage Blog. Game creators encourage all aged kids to play them, as long as they get the money from all of the purchases. Most violent video games are given a mature rating. The cartoonish nature of some games, such as Overwatch, invite children to want to play them at an early age. In 2016 a Twitch streamer helped a 7-year-old boy during the Trials of Osiris in Destiny, which was widely distributed through Game Rant. Promoting young children having success in video games like these encourages others to do the same thing. Besides encouraging violence, violent video games can contribute to unhealthy effects such as increasing the risk of obesity. Sitting and playing games all day and not moving is one of the many contributions video games can play a part in causing obesity. A team from the University of Zaragoza in Spain found that every hour spent playing video games increases the risk of being overweight for a teen. In the end, violent video games make hurting and killing people look fun. This notion causes the players to act upon these actions in reality.
YES
V
IOLENT VIDEO GAMES have recently come under fire for pro-
moting malicious or violent action, with the main idea being shootings. The mainstream media loves to push this idea of the two being linked when they really
are not. The biggest claim people make is that violent video games cause these sorts of mass shootings and other things. This is widely accepted by the population because historically, people are more likely to go along with something they hear from a public figure or celebrity. According to a paper published in Royal Society Open Science written by Andrew Przybylski and Netta Weinstein, this connection does not exist. The paper details a survey of over 1,000 14 to 15-year-olds of both genders and found no connection between video games and violent action. This is further supported by an article published by the American Psychological Association, finding no solid connection between the two. The article did, however, state a link between violent games and less prosocial behavior. As far back as 2011, the US Supreme Court ruled that a link between violent video games and aggressive behavior does not exist, based purely on research having been conducted over the span of multiple years. Findings such as this are something that major political figures and celebrities either do not know of or simply ignore the evidence for. People like that are the reason why violent video games come under fire so often in the wake of a tragic event like a mass shooting or a bombing. Armed with little and often unconvincing or even made up evidence, politicians have blamed violence on video games for years, probably decades would be more accurate now. Their rhetoric turned up to an all-time high in the 1990s after games like Wolfenstein 3D and the original DOOM popularized the genre of violent first-person shooting games. Since then, video games have been blamed for shootings at Columbine High School in 1999 all the way up to Marjory Stoneman Ryan Douglas High School in 2018, anything in between, and it can be Bartholomew assumed that the trend will continue in that direction. An article by the New York Times has a quote from Chris Ferguson, a psychology professor at Stetson University, that seems fairly concrete. “The data on bananas causing suicide is about as conclusive,� said Ferguson. According to him, the numbers really do work out about the same. It was mentioned earlier a link between games like DOOM and whatnot being linked to a decrease in prosocial behavior, which makes sense. Most people, when thinking about or picturing a gamer, tend to picture overweight people, usually male, or those who are super secluded and shut off from the world. Justifying a stereotype is not what this article seeks to do, but all stereotypes were at one point based on some level \Evan Myers of truth. It would not have started had it not been a very common appearance for gamers, be it a reflection of the truth or simply a media portrayal. The issue of antisocial behavior is another beast altogether, and something that I, as an avid player of these games, would want to see addressed a bit more, since there is concrete evidence to support it. However, the claim that violent or lethal action is the result of video games is not supported by the sheer amount of evidence opposing it.
NO
4 ● October 18, 2019
NEHS offers opportunities
Ryan Bartholomew spotlight editor
National English Honors Society (NEHS) is one of the many honor societies that have a chapter established on campus. The society is intended for those with higher performance in a certain area of their academics. In America, the oldest academic society was Phi Beta Kappa, which was founded as a social and literary fraternity at the College of William and Mary. It later organized as a formal honor society. NEHS was founded and sponsored by Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society, which is what college students join. NEHS is the only international organization exclusively for SAVANNAH GALLOP, a high school students senior and NEHS member, introand faculty who, in the duces new members to the field of English, have an program. NEHS focuses on literacy impressive track record and writing.4 Emma Bauer in their past and present accomplishments. Individual high schools are invited to petition for a local chapter, through which individuals may be inducted into Society membership. “I joined because I love literature and enjoy community service work,” said Reece Toso, the vice president of NEHS. Each chapter plans and directs a program of activities in order to develop a community of people who are interested in English. Participation in chapter activities is one of the most valuable benefits of NEHS membership, as these can include, but are not limited to, community service, which many put on a
college application. The society only started meeting in late September, with meetings during lunch aimed for Friday as the year goes on and club activities pick up more. “Because it is an honor society, one of the main aspects that we focus on is volunteering. This year we upped the amount of hours required because we want the kind of people who can adjust and who value volunteering enough to stick with the club. Additionally, we are going to introduce activity specific leadership committees so that students are more involved and can hone their leadership skills while remaining under the umbrella of English Language Arts,” said Savannah Gallop, who was the acting president of the society at the start of the year. All of these extracurriculars add up to assisting students with various scholarships members of the society may be given based on their academic performance within their chapter. Members of a chapter can do anything from inviting in guest speakers to going on field trips. One thing the chapter on campus does is buddy reading days, where members go to read with the kids at Black Mountain Elementary. NEHS at Cactus Shadows does service projects and tutors kids in English on campus. There is also a plan to possibly do a slam poetry night at Janey’s Coffeehouse, a popular choice among students. “It promotes their continuing interest in English Language Arts. So I think it’s the idea of appreciating literary works, appreciating the written word, and participating in activities that promote literature,” said Julie Binnicker, the NEHS advisor, as well as AP Language and AP Literature teacher on campus. Various opportunities for writing have been crafted since the founding of NEHS to encourage and reward members for putting their thoughts to paper or screen. The Intellectual Freedom Challenge asks members to argue for the inclusion or exclusion of texts that some might find objectionable, a debate that has plagued schools for years now.
THE NEWS
continued from Inhaling danger on page 1 Even though cigarettes have been around for ages, information about the effects of smoking continue to develop, which means smokers may not realize all of the health risks involved in smoking tobacco. Lung.org released a story highlighting recent discoveries on the effects of smoking cigarettes. One of them was that smoking can increase the risk of age-related macular degeneration. That is a leading factor in blindness. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people who smoke are actually 30-40% more likely to get Type Two diabetes. It also increases blood sugar levels, which can lead to insulin resistance. With e-cigarettes, however, most people are unsure of the long-term effects, since they have not been around very long The main tool used for quitting smoking is essentially e-cigarettes. That is what they were created for and are advertised as. For example, on the Juul website, they are referred to as “The alternative for adult smokers.” There are reasons why only adults can buy these things. Because they are designed for the usage of adults. Nicotine is harmful to begin with, but it can be much more harmful to adolescents. Because their brains are still developing, they are more sus-
EVIT Superintendent involved in scandal Zachery Valentine staff writer
The superintendent of East Valley Technical Institute (EVIT), Chad Wilson, who was indicted in September by a grand jury for allegedly mishandling public money while serving as Apache Junction’s superintendent, has been reinstated by the Governing Board. Many Cactus Shadows students are currently enrolled in EVIT, and travel to their campus in East Mesa every day to attend classes “When I found out about this situation, it got me thinking about whether or not I should still take this program next year,” said Mikala Kraven, a sophomore. Wilson was indicted on four felony counts of theft and misuse of public money, allegedly making unauthorized payments to his administrators. These
charges are for events that occurred when he was a part of the Apache Junction School District. Wilson was accused of the misuse of $133,000 in public funds to different school administrators without approval. All of his charges are considered felonies. The Arizona Republic reported that the money included, “$126,000 in performance payments that went to 11 to 15 administrators; $3,880 for professional development instruction, and $2,550 went to three administrators to attend athletic events on Friday nights.” The Fountain Hills Times reported that on February 11, the EVIT governing board heard a report from the law firm that they had hired to investigate allegations in regards to the school. Wilson told The Republic that it was common
practice for the district to pay subs $90 a day. According to the attorney general's office, Wilson made these payments while the district was experiencing financial difficulties and cutting school programs. “I still want to take this program my junior year of high school because it hasn’t affected the program in any way,” said Kacey Flanery, a sophomore. Wilson wasn’t the only superintendent to be accused of misuse of money. According to azcentral, Sally Downey, the EVIT superintendent who hired Wilson,, had been on administrative leave since January. Downey resigned at the end of April as a part of the separation agreement. The EVIT governing board held a special meeting on September 12 discussing the situation and what to do
THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS
Vaping concerns
with Wilson’s employment. According to 12 News, there were more votes to keep Wilson as the superintendent of EVIT than there were for not keeping him. Therefore, they decided to keep Wilson in his position with some safeguards. Chad Wilson was offered his job back. “ know that there has been a lot in the newspapers lately about what is going on with the leadership of EVIT, but it has had no impact on the quality of their programs that they are delivering to their students,” Louise Rochford, Career and Technical Director. EVIT stands for East Valley Institute of Technology. It is a public education program of career training options. At Cactus Shadows, students enrolled in EVIT spend half a day at their high school and the other half at an EVIT campus.
ceptible to become addicted to the product. Doctors are now advising that smoker find another way to quit. "Adults who would like to stop smoking should discuss with their healthcare providers about safer options for smoking cessation," said Dr. Paul Ndunda, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita. Another one of the FDA’s concerns are THC vapes. They are mostly sold through the black market. In a story posted on The Verge website, which reports on technology issues, researchers found that vitamin E acetate can coat the insides of lungs like grease, potentially damaging them.” A test done by NBC News on 15 black market THC cartridges proved that all 15 of them contained a fungicide that, when burned, can turn into hydrogen cyanide. This is extremely poisonous and flammable liquid that boils when slightly above room temperature.13 of those THC carts also had vitamin E acetate in them.When legal THC cartridges from California were tested, they were found to be safe. FDA officials have said that the public should reconsider using any black-market THC cartridges.
6 ● November 15, 2019
COMMENT
THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS
Should politics be on social media? Social media websites have been re-evaluating their terms and conditions and debating if politics should be allowed to be posted.
When talking about social media and politics, it is hard to not mention names like Donald Trump or Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez. These people, among others, use social media as a means of communicating their own politics and ideas to a larger audience. This is not limited to people with copious amounts of money, many people express their views using online platforms. Now, some social media sites seem to be shutting people down for doing exactly that, which goes against their whole purpose and abuses an unfairly complicated censorship system. The prevalence of social media in politics is in no small part due to how elected officials and candidates have the ability to publish content and broadcast it to millions of people all over the country. This instantaneously allows campaigns to carefully manage the image of their candidates with little to no cost, in most cases. Platforms like these are not without their flaws, of course. There exists bias, and in some cases, that bias has led to other people being forced to take down certain posts, or even have their whole account deleted or permanently banned for voicing their opinions by platform administrators who might see things differently. Most people, when confronted with the long terms of service page while creating an account, simply scroll to the bottom, and do not bother to read it. It is in this where a site supposedly outlines its censorship guidelines, although these tend to vary. Some may find themselves victims of this censorship down the line, as something harmless to say out loud to someone else may completely violate the terms of service of Twitter or another social media service. It is important to ask what is what when it comes to censorship, as very frequently, it is different to our First Amendment rights. Completely removing politics from social media makes even less sense for shutting down people who are expressing their views. There are sites online where like-minded people can congregate, and these are great. The inability of people to talk respectfully about politics and such should not mean the complete removal of those topics from a platform designed for the sole purpose of expressing oneself. A popular case of free speech coming into quesRyan Bartholomew tion was with professional Hearthstone player Ng Wai Chung, more commonly known as Blitzchung, and a protest during an official esports broadcast in mid-October. Blizzard Entertainment, the developers of Hearthstone, saw his protests,issued a one-year suspension from esports tournaments, and rescinded his $10,000 in tournament earnings. Driving up an audience like this also helps with the money side of things for a site like Twitter or Facebook, because now with any controversy, millions more people will visit the site and earn the platform millions of more dollars. Someone with a large enough follower count is able to do almost anything without whatever platform or website they are partnered with taking action because of how profitable the person is, where smaller accounts are left completely helpless against what is, all things considered, a pretty unfair system of copyright claims and lawsuits. I will not say that politics absolutely belong everywhere, and everyone should be talking about it constantly, even though that is what we, as a society, are leaning towards. The real issue stems from censorship and people not remaining civil when discussing these topics. The First Amendment must be extended to cover the rights of people online and protect the freedom to speak on whatever topics interest them.
YES
\Evan Meyers
Politics in social media have corrupted our system. Social media is commonly used as a way to connect with friends, family, and allows people to voice their opinion on a global scale. Only now, social media has become overwhelmed with political ads, opinions, and hateful comments or posts. Within every social media app, there is a user agreement that lays out the rules, regulations, and guidelines. Many users simply scroll to the bottom of the user agreement hit the button that says “I’ve read over the agreement,” and never think twice. Except when they either get demonetized, censored or deleted all together due to their posts. The user agreement for any social media platform clearly states what is accepted and what is not. Politics within a face to face conversation can get heated quickly, especially when there are two or more people on opposite sides of an issue. When that conversation is then posted on social media, millions of people can comment and voice their opinions. It morphs into others displaying their hatred of people's opinions or thoughts on a topic. The fire of hatred only gets bigger from there, as it spreads further and further, affecting more people as it continues to grow out of proportion. Hiding behind a screen leads to problems such as cyberbullying, threats, and humiliation of others. Adding in a controversial topic such as politics causes the whole situation to go up in smoke. A simple post can blow into heated conversations, which may lead to threats, protests and, worst comes to worst, the ultimate worst casino. To other countries, this looks—in one word— unprofessional. Within a social media platform, there is no longer such a thing as professional. No one can just say “agree to disagree” anymore, because people hide behind their devices, making them think that they now have the right to do and say whatever they please. In 2017, the U.S. had 834 protests due to Presidential Emma Weaver tweets and differences alone, according to The Washington Post. Due to the controversy, violence, and struggles that surround the political world, why should we have that broadcasted for the world to see? Why should we listen and get ourselves wrapped up in strangers’ comments? We are human beings and we need other people's satisfaction and validation in order to be happy, which is why we defend our candidate, celeb or side of a decision until it gets out of hand. On the other hand, there are those that point to the First Amendment and our freedom of speech. The First Amendment means that companies should not be able to censor anything because it is our birthright. Americans have an entitlement to their own thoughts and perspectives on different topics. However, this does not give people the right to hate, bully, humiliate, and even threatened others just because they do not have the same opinion. Steps are already being taken to help this situation. Twitter announced in October that they would no longer accept political ads. Facebook employees sent a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg not to just ban false political ads but all political ads. It is a step in the right direction to help keep politics off social media platforms, for our sake, and for those who may get harmed physically or emotionally by one post.
NO