MIHS Islander 2022 October Issue

The Islander

Assemblies Subject to More Administration Oversight

Kate Grove Editor in Chief

As the first quarter of the 2022-2023 school year comes to a close, two popular assembly components have been placed under increased scrutiny–sports videos and the Flag Dude skit.

“Every year we are doing our best to make our systems internally think about all students and to have a more inclusive lens to think about the students that we impact and hurt inadvertently,” Interim Principal Nick Wold said. “So we wanted to have more checks and balances set and a way for us to evaluate what goes in front of our school.”

Wold emphasized that incidents in the past, such as the inclusion of hazing and hurtful inside jokes in sports videos, have made this issue a priority for the administration.

“Every minute that is inside an assembly is valuable minutes for us to build culture and climate in our building,” Wold said. “We care about every single second of it, and so having our ASB leadership look at it, having our administrative team looking at it, having our Race in Literature class looking at it [are all] several different checks and balances. It’s not some evil genius in an office looking at it and making a decision.”

Wold also highlighted the importance of having proper oversight throughout the filming and creation process for sports videos, and suggested that these new procedures were not adding more rules, but rather re-establishing proper guidelines and supervision.

“Sports videos through the years have just not been videos that build culture and build spirit and solidify our bond as Islanders. We’ve had this problem for many years, so we wanted to have some guidelines,” Wold said. “Also, some sports videos were slid in without coach oversight, so our coaches didn’t even know that that video represented their program. So part of that was intentiona l to add more people to it so they knew what represented their program.”

Flag Dude Brandon Chew agrees with this sentiment and on the importance of building a more inclusive community. However, he also recognizes that some students might still wish for the less restricted sports videos and skits from years past.

“This year’s homecoming assembly and team videos, it’s a little different,” Chew said. “I think a lot of the student body really enjoys watching and getting to see all of the entertainment and all the excitement that comes with the homecoming assembly and rallying everyone.”

“[In] this day and age we want to be thoughtful and aware of not just one perspective, but all perspectives and we want to be able to be sure that the stuff that we put out to the public and the viewers’ eyes does not offend or hurt anyone,” Chew said. “So the changes, although some people may not agree with the changes and the more strict rules, it’s probably the best for moving forward.”

Kitchen & Market’s Mercer Island Debut

LoBosco CopyEditingTeam

Kitchen & Market, a local grocery business in Pike Place, recently opened a new location on Mercer Island.

The female-owned shop sells typical grocery store ingredients, and it also serves a variety of meal kits to quickly prepare at home. These kits are available to either pick up in-store or order for delivery.

In early 2020, longtime Mercer Island resident Stephanie King decided to fulfill her dream of opening her own store. However, the pandemic caused her to pivot and distribute meal kits instead. She started Kitchen & Market in May with her daughter Hannah, who graduated Mercer Island High School that summer.

“The best reward I could have gotten [as a working mom] was that somehow, a pandemic occurred, and I ended up getting to launch my company with my daughter literally by my side,” King said.

Their first ever meal kits, made for Mother’s Day, were a fundraiser for the homeless shelter Mary’s Place. All the proceeds they gained went directly to the organization, and they ultimately raised $10,000.

“We [also] were able to donate a bouquet of tulips to every mom at Mary’s Place on Mother’s Day, and that is the first time anyone’s ever done that,” King said.

In Nov. 2021, King fulfilled her dream of opening a physical retail space, setting up her first location in the bustling Pike Place Market of Seattle. Her main motivation was to answer the simple question: What’s for dinner?

“To me, that is everyone’s existential crisis of the day, figuring out what’s for dinner,” King said. “So [we] can just help take that off your plate and make it extra delicious.”

The restaurant-style meal kits she has created achieve this goal, allowing families to purchase high-quality food that can be on the table in 15 minutes. After opening the store, these kits have become widely popular among customers.

This October, after almost a full year in Pike Place, King and her team decided to open another store on Mercer Island. It was an obvious choice for King, who has lived in the community for 18 years.

“The plan was always to have a store [here] because I knew that a lot of people were gonna love it. [...] Truly, it just came down to the right location; it became available at the right time,” King said.

The new store held a grand opening ceremony Oct. 15. Now, it is fully available to the public, nestled in an outdoor strip mall in the Downtown area.

“It’s a [small,] convenient store size, but it has everything you need from a normal grocery store,” marketing director Katie Hoffman said. “You can get in and out for

[breakfast, lunch, or dinner].”

King has been pleased with the new store’s success so far, especially with the large number of customers in the evenings. Many Mercer Island residents have praised her, saying she has made dinner much easier for them.

“A whole bunch of families, at around 5:30 when you need to make dinner, all come in here to buy [them],” King said.

The team doesn’t plan to stop on Mercer Island, either. They are looking to expand their store chain to areas such as Bellevue and Medina.

“The whole plan is for Kitchen & Market to be a neighborhood market, so finding great neighborhood pockets all throughout the Seattle area is the goal,” Hoffman said.

Kitchen & Market also collaborates with other local- and female-owned businesses, highlighting their products in the supply chain.

Just like when they started, King and her daughter are still passionate about fundraising. Every Mother’s Day, all proceeds from Kitchen & Market purchases go to Mary’s Place. Additionally, as of right now, 10% of all proceeds go to the Mercer Island Schools Foundation.

“Being part of a community is really important. [...] A big part of that to me is supporting the schools,” King said.

If you are interested in supporting this budding local business, check out the new Mercer Island location at 7635 SE 27th St from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily

Mia

Trader Joe’s Autumn Food Review

5: Do Students Have an Ethical Duty to do Well in School?

Page 6: Taylor Swift “Midnights” Review

Page 7: The Mercer Island Ice Cream Shop

Page 8: MIHS Football Suffers Loss to Newport on Senior Night

Flag Dudes Brandon Chew (left) and Claude Cobbs (right) rally crowd at football game. Photo courtesy Jack Sieckhaus

Photo courtesy Kitchen & Market

Photo courtesy Taylor Swift

The MIHS Islander

Mercer Island, WA 98040 mihsislander@gmail.com www.mihsislander.org

Editors in Chief

Kate Grove and Asha Woerner

Website Manager: Braeden Nett

Photography Editor: Brooks Kahsai

Social Media & Business Team: Emily Fain and Katie Friedman

Copy Editing Team: Mia LoBosco and Kat Marsh

Features Team: Betty Butler, Sam Pelter and Tiffany Zhang Opinions Team: Ashwin Krishnaswamy, Maddie Gaspers and Gracie Hennessy Arts & Entertainment Team : Taylor Holshouser, Kyle Gerstel and Abby Weiss Sports Team: Jordan Balousek and Tiffany Zhang

Senior Staff Writer: Hannah Howison

Journalism Club President: Charlotte Wood Journalism Club Vice President: Jackson Chang

Adviser: Chris Twombley

Staff Writers: Tulin Alrouk, Eli An, Claude Cobbs, Meg Dahlin, Emily Dunn, Lexi Krawiec, Kira Lancaster, Jayce Madamba, Caitlin Riley, Juliette Robadey, Kalden Short, Kat Van Eeden, Julia Weisfield, Alex Winn, Elsa Zepeda Juarez

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The MIHS Islander acknowledges that MIHS is on the traditional land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish People past and present and honor with gratitude the land itself and the Duwamish Tribe.

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the Mercer Island High School student body and members of the surrounding community in a manner that accurately reflects readers’ interests. The MIHS Islander is an open student forum, and the opinions expressed within do not represent those of the high school or district administration.

Corrections: We pride ourselves on accurate, fact-based journalism. If you believe The MIHS Islander has gotten a fact or quote wrong, please contact us and we’ll post a correction on our website.

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Nondiscrimination Notification: The Mercer Island School District does not dis criminate in anyprograms or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, nation al origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, marital status, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The Mercer Island School District offers classes in many College and Career Readiness Programs, admission to which is non-discriminatory. Lack of English-language proficiency will not be a barrier to admission and participation in these programs.

Memorials in the MIHS Courtyard

Contentwarning:mentionsofsuicide

The Mercer Island High School courtyard holds five memorials, four of them for prior students, and one for a teacher. Many staff members agree that it is important to remember the former Islanders who died during their time at MIHS.

A Japanese box flower tree stands in memory of Ben Shamis, who died by suicide on April 8, 2005. Many teachers enjoyed his liveliness and his love for playing the sousaphone. One of the teachers Shamis connected with often was his band teacher, Parker Bixby.

“Ben was an amalgamation of what we can all picture as a connector on MIHS. He was very much interested first and foremost in his friends and their interests. He likes to make [people] laugh,” Bixby said. “He very much wanted every moment he was in to be as fun as it could be and that was a primary for him.”

The memorial near the lunch tables is in memory of Laura Wallace, who died in March 2001 in a high speed crash. She became close with one of her teachers, Dino Annest.

“[Laura] was really nice and artistic, she was always drawing and sketching stuff [...] she wrote poetry too, that’s why there’s a rock out there in the courtyard. I think it’s an absolute tragedy that anybody has to have their life ended, especially this young,” Annest said. “I think it ended up being somewhat of a wake up call and precautionary tale for some kids here. But it doesn’t bring somebody back, and it’s sad that she’s gone because I think she would have done amazing things and would’ve done something with art in her life.”

In memory of former teacher Mike Browne, there is a ginkgo tree with a plaque labeled “M.B.”. Browne died in 2012 from suicide. One of his closest co-workers was teacher Curtis Johnston.

“He was a super good guy who was just misunderstood and felt like he couldn’t be himself,” Johnston said. “We put the memorial there but without the name because we kind of feel like if we put his name, we had to put that he died by suicide [...] and we don’t want kids to think that you can get a tree planted if you die by suicide.”

The dogwood tree is in memory of Jason Levy, who died by suicide in 2005. One of his closest teachers was Andrea Confalone.

“I had him in ninth and tenth grade, before he went to Bellevue and he had a lot of life, a lot of spunk. In some ways, in a good way, he was a troublemaker. He was never the quiet kid in class, he was lively and full of spirit,” Confalone said.

“His death was very tragic [...] and [his former classmates] were just celebrating his life.”

The crab apple tree was planted in memory of George Hattermeyer, who passed away in an accident at a summer camp in 2005. One of his younger brother’s past teacher, Chris Twombley, remembers the impact Hattermeyer made on his class. “I knew him indirectly through his classmates and through the memory of his little brother, Charles. [...] He was loved by everybody. [...] He was outgoing, kind, thoughtful, he would always do extra kind things for others,” Twombley said.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, “[suicide] is the second-leading cause of death among people age 15 to 24 in the U.S. Nearly 20% of high school students report serious thoughts of suicide and 9% have made an attempt to take their lives.”

“It’s important to identify that one safe person you can go to [... we also] have a tipline that you can go to that’s anonymous and students can use that to report suspicious behavior or even talk about [a friend]” counselor Anam Schleuder said.

Ifyouoranyoneoranyoneyouknowisexperiencingsucidalideations,pleasereachthe NationalSuicideHotlineat988bycallortext.

Correction: In its Back to School Issue, the MIHS Islander published an article titled “Letter to the Drones Class.” The article’s headline appears to call out drone students, which we acknowledge unfairly targets them and their teacher. We also acknowledge that the article falls short of our paper’s editorial standards and journalistic ethics. The intended purpose of the article was to comment on the real issue of MISD’s current financial crisis and the fallout for student learning, including class cuts. We are currently investigating the district’s financial status, along with shortcomings of previous budgets.

Maddie Gaspers OpinionsTeam

The memorial trees in the courtyard. Photos by Maddie Gaspers.

MIHS Takes A Step Toward Sustainability

Abby Weiss A&E Team

MIHS has been working towards implementing more sustainable practices this year, although there is still plenty of work to be done.

One of the main focuses this year is reducing the school’s plastic use. The school has been coordinating with the food service director, Carol Bus, in attempts to replace lunchroom plastic water bottles with a more sustainable option, potentially aluminum or boxed. However, this has proven to be challenging due to supply issues. The school has also been hanging posters in the halls promoting reusable water bottle usage.

The district’s director of maintenance and operation, Tony Kuhn, and capital project coordinator Kathy Zurawski have been working with Puget Sound Energy to add solar panels to the Mary Wayte pool building in hopes of reducing their carbon footprint.

According to one of the MIHS Green Team

advisors, Jamie Cooke, “adding new solar panels to our schools is considered when there is maintenance or roof repair work. We are hopeful that more solar panels can be added to our high school in the future.”

MIHS has also been working towards better energy conservation. All of the light bulbs at MIHS have been changed to more sustainable bulb types, such as LED lights.

The staff now receives “school break shutdown checklists,” from the district administration.

The goal in terms of energy conservation is to reduce the energy being used at MIHS during long breaks.

“The district is hoping to expand this to daily and weekend checklists,” Cooke said.

The MIHS Green Team has changed their protocols this year so that all MISD Green Teams meet monthly. Meetings have not been district wide for the past few years.

“We will work with the King County Green School’s coordinator, Dale Alekel, to develop a plan for the year that involves all green teams, advisors, administrators, superintendence, and district maintenance personnel. Our first meeting is Wednesday, Oct. 12,” Cooke said.

Although MIHS and the rest of the school district have been working to improve sustainability, there is still plenty of work to be done.

“We can always improve. We have come a long way from where we were previously to when our

The Impact of Paper Use at MIHS

Elsa Zepeda Juarez Staff Writer

MIHS teachers get a lot of flexibility when it comes to choosing what format to use for assignments. Some use only paper, others use digital, and others use a mix of the two. But what goes into this decision? And for those that do use paper, how much?

During the remote learning period of the pandemic, all teachers were forced to go entirely digital with their handouts. However, now that students are back in the building, paper usage is picking up speed again. From June through September 2022, the printers in the main copy room at MIHS recorded 5,935 color pages and 274,719 black and white pages. Now that the school year has started, the printers have recorded 269,861 individual sheets of paper just in the month of October. If MIHS continues using this amount every month, this means that approximately 2.43 million sheets of paper will be used throughout the year.

One argument in favor of using less paper is sustainability. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a report in 2020 showing the disposal of Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) chemicals in bodies of water by industry. Paper accounted for 8% of these emissions. A similar EPA report in the same year showed that the paper industry was responsible for 21% of TRI chemical releases into the air. It’s important to note that the company supplying MIHS’s paper, Norpac Orca, strives to use a minimal amount of chlorine in their manufacturing process.

However, paper companies don’t contribute to deforestation as much as is widely assumed. Although they do use extensive amounts of trees, only around 10% of deforestation is caused by wood

products–the other 90% being largely clearing land for agriculture. These wood products also include wood used for purposes other than making paper— construction, lumber, etc. And this is only the paper

Green Team was developed. My one wish is to develop a culture at MIHS (students, staff, parents, and community members) where sustainability is important and a purposeful consideration in all of our choices,” Cooke said.

Even though MIHS is involved in the King County Green School Program, many people wish other changes were being made.

“I wish the cafeteria had less plastic sold and I wish that they had food that was more sustainably sourced like local food and plant based food,” Green Team member Lainie Wion said.

In general, MIHS and the MISD are hard at working trying to improve school and communitywide sustainability. However, there is still a long way to go. Students and staff can hope for more sustainable changes to come in the future.

manufacturers that use unsustainable wood: there exist several certifications that indicate a paper company’s sustainability, the most common being the Forest Stewardship Certification (FSC).

Environmental concerns aside, the main consideration among teachers seems to be both convenience and accessibility for students. “If I had to juggle a bajillion pieces of paper, I would most likely lose assignments,” Ceramics and Digital Photography teacher Chantel Torrey said. Other teachers agree with this viewpoint.

“When kids are absent, they can click on Schoology and I have posted what we did in class,” Accounting and Business teacher Lopa Jacob said.

However, other teachers prefer paper for this same reason. “What I have found is that students are telling me that they prefer to have it on paper instead of digital,” AP Calculus teacher Kate Yoder said. “I don’t know if it’s a math thing or something else.”

Physics 1 and Biology teacher Zachary McCauley points out that there have been studies proving that physical paper is better for retaining information. “Some research I saw when I was in teacher education programs suggested that, when students are writing by hand, there’s a different part of the brain that is activated […] I found in college when I was taking notes that I could type much faster than I could write—but then I didn’t remember as much.”

So what is the best way to take advantage of paper’s benefits while being environmentally conscious? For teachers, buying FSC-certified paper, printing on both sides, and minimizing waste are all good ideas. And students can use the blank reverse side of handouts for notes and let their teachers know when they are using electronically versions of assignments to prevent extra copies being printed. It may not seem like much, but it makes a significant difference over time.

Green Team poster hanging in the hallway.

Trader Joe’s Fall Pumpkin Food Items Review

Friedman Social Media and Business Team

Trader Joe’s

Pumpkin Spice Hummus

The Petite Pumpkin Spice Cookies were mainly a positivelyreviewed Trader Joe’s fall product. These sweet, subtly-pumpkin-spiced cookies have a satisfying crunch, accompanied by a smooth white chocolate coating and a fun, colorful touch of fall-colored sprinkles. One of our classmates was extra excited to see these as she has been a returning customer of the product for years past. “The Trader Joe’s pumpkin shortbread cookies [are] top tier. One of the best fall items from this year,” Annabelle Himstreet said. “They have the perfect little sprinkles that add a fun little texture […] I’m literally on my like third box at my house, they’re so good.” However, some found the cookies overwhelmingly sweet. “I need a glass of water,” Sam Pelter said.

Petite Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Pumpkin Tortilla chips

The Pumpkin Tortilla Chips that we chose to accompany the hummus got a slightly more unanimous response. The subtle pumpkin flavor of the chips disappointed some who expected more of a seasonal punch. “The tortilla chip does not taste like it has pumpkin spice on it. It just tastes like a normal tortilla chip,” Hannah Howison said. Others found the lightness of the flavor to be just right. “The chips are like regular tortilla chips but with a little zing. It’s lovely,” Asha Woerner said. Overall, there is not much to dislike about the chips themselves; they’re simple, tasty, and versatile while adding a slight festive vibe for the fall season.

Pumpkin Joe-Joe’s

The Pumpkin Joe-Joe’s kicked off our review as a hit for most.

The slightly sweet cookie with the much sweeter, creamy filling is a classic combo, and you just can’t go wrong when adding the flavor of pumpkin and fall spices. However not quite everyone felt the love for this sweet treat. “So, for the pumpkin flavored Jo-Jo’s, the filling tastes like the frosting when you make a gingerbread house […] So it just tastes like sugar with a very weird, grainy texture,” Pelter said. “I would rate them about seven, no, five point five out of ten. Not a fan.” Pelter’s hot-take was not widely supported in the class, but still proved this product, while looked forward to every year by most, is not in fact enjoyed by all.

Musashi Sushi & Bento

Maple Almonds

The Maple Almonds were easy to approve of. They’re crunchy, sweet, nutty and even vegan, to the delight of our very own resident vegan, Abby Weiss. Even the non-vegans enjoyed this simple autumnthemed snack. “I like the almonds because I like the subtle sweetness of the seasonings, I think it really accents the nuttiness of the almonds,” Ashwin Krishnaswamy said. “It’s a great culinary experience to eat those almonds. I also just like the added texture of the powder on the almonds, because the almond is kind of crunchy and then the powder kind of adds a nice texture on your tongue.” Others found a more sentimental enjoyment in this product. “The almonds taste like the dinosaur egg oatmeal, and it’s like actually really lovely, it’s like nostalgia,” Woerner said. To conclude, this product is hard to argue with in its simple yet well-executed success.

Arguably the most controversial of the new fall products, the Pumpkin Spice Hummus sparked varying opinions across the class. Many had trouble getting their first and only bite down, as the interesting combo of pumpkin, cinnamon, and chickpeas was... puzzling. “The Pumpkin Spice Hummus in my opinion looks like and tastes like mud, respectfully,” Emily Fain said. However, we also had one major fan of this product.

Kyle Gerstel admitted his hunger at the time may have skewed his opinion, but nonetheless confidently expressed his fondness for this funky product. “I do think that the pumpkin tortilla chip with the pumpkin hummus is nice because even though it’s a hint salty, overall it exceeds in a manner that is both sweet and yet light,” Gerstel said. “It feels like you’re indulging while you’re eating it, but at the same time it is a delectable treat for the end of your Halloween meal.” Others had trouble wrapping their brains around the concept and didn’t agree with its branding. “I think that the pumpkin hummus shouldn’t be branded as hummus because it feels like it’s not hummus, it’s just bean pumpkin dip,” Taylor Holshouser said.

Despite the controversial seasonal products Trader Joe’s occasionally releases, overall the MIHS Islander class appreciates its relentless creativity and thinking outside the box. Not to mention the tried and true classics that we all know and love, as well as the new products we look forward to repurchasing in future fall seasons.

Taylor Holshouser A&E Team

If you are looking for a quick, filling and reasonably-priced meal, Musashi’s Cafe is the perfect place to go. The restaurant is pretty small, but great to dine in with a small group of people. The first time I came, my friend and I were with our two dogs, as we began tying their leashes to an outdoor table, one of the employees opened the door to us and invited all of us in. Needless to say, the staff is amazing, they are always so kind and accommodating. The sushi rolls are incredible and the bento boxes, from Yeti Bento, a Korean restaurant that recently merged with Musashi’s Cafe, are packed with mouthwatering flavors. I highly recommend the Double Dragon and the Seared Salmon Nigiri set if you are in the mood for sushi along with any of their seasonal bento boxes.

Fonda La Catrina

O f fIsl

staurant Recom ations

Chung Chun Rice Hot Dog

Fonda La Catrina is a Mexican restaurant located in Georgetown. The restaurant has a unique, upbeat atmosphere that enhances dining experience, especially in groups. It is usually busy but the wait is generally less than 30 minutes. However, they offer reservations if you wish to avoid the wait. “We do not consider the authentic Mexican cuisine we serve here as just food, we consider it an art form. The traditional family recipes that we use are preserved in our kitchen as a bridge between our culture and our customers.” their website reads. You can taste the amount of time and careful craftsmanship in every bite of any dish you order here. The staff is also super friendly, creating a very welcoming and inviting environment in the restaurant. Though the prices are on the higher end of restaurants on this list, trying the food here is a must and definitely worth the few extra dollars.

Tofully, the restaurant that previously occupied the space, was my favorite restaurant, so I was disappointed upon hearing the news of their permanent closure. However, after going to Chung Chun Rice Hot Dog, it rapidly became one of my favorite places for a quick bite. If you have never tried Korean corn dogs, you are really missing out. Instead of the traditional American corn dog that is battered with a thick cornmeal based batter, Korean corn dogs are battered in a yeasted dough or rice batter. This batter makes for a lighter, chewier batter, which combined with the optional sprinkle of sugar over it, creates a balanced bite. Chung Chun Rice Hot Dogs offers a ton of different kinds of corn dogs, varying in fillings including meat free options such as cheese filling, veggie sausage or even chocolate. They also have different toppings to choose from that coat the batter, so I can assure you that you will find something you like here.

Buddha Ruksa

Buddha Ruksa is an incredible Thai restaurant located in West Seattle. I particularly recommend trying the Crab Fried Rice and the Crispy Garlic Chicken. Panithit Chummee, one of the restaurant’s chefs is quoted on their website: “Authentic Thai food was something that I wanted to share with people outside of Thailand so they could experience the food that I grew up with.” Be sure to make a reservation before coming here because the place is usually full, though the food is always well worth the wait.

Katie

is one of the most widely beloved grocery stores across the U.S. From their renowned frozen meals to their wide range of dietary-restriction-friendly products, TJ’s truly has something to offer everyone. There are a few times every year, however, when the grocery store puts a little extra flare in their stores through their iconic seasonal product lines. The MIHS Islander class reviewed five of Trader Joe’s best, and most controversial, fall specialty products of 2022.

PhotoCourtesyTraderJoe’s

Photo by Taylor Holshouser

Do Students Have an Ethical Duty to Do Well in School?

Ashwin Krishnaswamy and Kyle Gerstel OpinionsTeamandA&ETeam

Kyle: Many students argue that school is an obstacle they must overcome in order to achieve whatever they perceive as success. On the other hand, many parents believe that school is an opportunity for growth, which is why they argue that students should soak up as much as they can. However, both of these perspectives imply that the effects of education are personal rather than communal. The public school system is only sustainable if students try their hardest, but that is only possible if there is a major cultural shift regarding college admissions.

Kyle Ashwin

Public education is not a gift, it is an investment: precious tax dollars are spent on funding public schools, which is a good use of government money if everyone involved in education, students and educators, are fully engaged. Unfortunately, this is far from our current reality.

Many teachers get frustrated when students focus on grades, but this has become necessary with the competitive college admissions process. While the competitive college application process provides an incentive for students to improve their grades, it centers education around performance instead of improvement. Student engagement certainly relies on great teachers, but the only way to address it systemically is eliminating the hierarchical status of universities in the job market.

As students, we have the ethical responsibility to do our best in school, but that is only worthwhile in an environment that allows students to focus on improving understanding instead of performance.

Ashwin: As high school students, we should try to learn about what interests us. However, we don’t have an ethical duty to do so. Yes, our high school is funded by taxpayer dollars, and that means that we should give back to society in some way. That being said, we give back to society by working, not by doing well in high school. The point of school is, yes, to learn, but also to prepare young people to work in the future.

As an example, take Steve Jobs, who famously got low grades at a public high school. Is it correct to say that the tax money that went towards educating Steve Jobs was a waste, because he didn’t do well in school? No, of course not. By founding Apple, Steve Jobs’ contribution to society more than compensated for the public money spent on him.

So yes, we should take advantage of the opportunities that we get in high school, because learning can be fascinating and worthwhile. But, we shouldn’t feel a moral obligation to try to learn as much as possible, especially because a lot of the information forced upon us in school is neither interesting nor useful. I agree with Kyle that the school system should allow students to focus more on learning than getting perfect grades for college. However, even if school had the perfect environment, we still wouldn’t have an ethical duty to do our best, because we will eventually repay society’s investment by working.

Vocab Challenge: “This Makes Me Want to Kill Myself”

Hannah Howison and Kyle Gerstel Senior Staff Writer and A&E Team

Welcome to Vocab Challenge, a new column dedicated to exploring the things often left unnoticed or merely unsaid about how MIHS students communicate.

Despite the recent advancement of conversations regarding mental health and appropriate language when discussing it, careless use of the expression “This makes me want to kill myself” can be heard in MIHS hallways on a daily basis. Casually using such phrases hypocritically invalidates our generation’s positive work towards the destigmatization of mental illness, subsequently cultivating a more toxic academic environment.

An unrealistically large portion of Islanders expect themselves to be a part of the intellectual elite. Many students fill their days with challenging classes they are not interested in and evenings with extracurriculars they would drop out of in a heartbeat if these pursuits were not relevant for college admissions. Likewise, students afraid that they will not get an A in a class frequently transfer to a course at the Privett Academy.

“I have observed that many students try to oneup each other over whose life is the most miserable

because of homework, extracurriculars, etcetera,” English teacher Chris Twombley said. “It is like a contest, and the winner is the student who can most emphatically prove that the depth of their suffering far exceeds that of their peers. I would argue that it is almost a badge of honor at this school to be miserable.”

This behavior may correlate to the fact that Islanders tend to be more well-off than those who live in other communities. MIHS students may be inclined to dramatically express their misery as a means of subconsciously wrestling with their guilt.

Improvements are being made: mental health is now discussed alongside physical health, stigma around therapy is decreasing and in July, the phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline transitioned from 10 digits to three (988), making it more accessible.

Additionally, many teenagers are taking action by spreading resources on social media about language to use when discussing mental health. However, many of these teenagers are the same people who casually use expressions involving suicide. This hypocritical behavior may be seen as a sign of performative activism, but we believe it is because

MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES:

The Trevor Project

thetrevorproject.org

students do not connect their use of harmful language and efforts to destigmatize mental illness.

The use of this wording can overshadow cries for help from suicidal people, and paint them in a way that makes them seem like attention seekers when they genuinely need support.

These sayings can also be used by those suffering from suicidal ideation to cope as opposed to actually seeking help, and the continued casual use of them can demotivate people from getting the help that they need.

For those who are aware of the effects of normalizing such phrases but continue to use them casually, why have you not stopped? If it feels like the only appropriate expression of your struggle, refer to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (988), the resources on the back of all 2022-23 MIHS ASB cards and/or the mental health resources in the infographic.

The next time you or someone you know says that something makes them want to kill themselves (or something along those lines), confront it. Changing our vocabulary is not an overnight endeavor, but challenging it is the only way to make sure the language we use aligns with the ideas we value.

The Trevor Project is a non-profit, confidential, and completely free resource for LGBTQ+ youth crisis counseling. With The Trevor Project, you can come into contact with trained counselors, find information and get tools to help your peers.

Pacific Northwest Suicide Prevention Resource Center

hiprc.org/outreach/suicide/

One of the state’s leading providers of information on how to prevent suicide.

King County Mental Health Crisis Line

1-866-427-4747

Local source of services that maximize the benefits of mental health treatment. Focused on providing publicly-funded mental health resources to low-income individuals.

“Race to Be Human” Breaks Our Bubble

Kyle Gerstel and Abby Weiss A&E Team

A moment: the Performing Arts Center is filled with about 40 parents, faculty members and students. The predominantly white audience leans forward, listening closely to a Black student explaining their horrific encounters with racism on Mercer Island. The room brims with sympathy and shock at an experience most of us will never fully understand. This part of the process is uncomfortable, but it is necessary.

On Monday, Oct. 17, MIHS hosted a showing of the iNDIEFLIX film “Race to Be Human,” followed by a Q+A with a diverse panel of MIHS staff and students discussing MISD culture around race. The film was also screened for members of the community at the Mercer Island Library on Oct. 17 and 18.

The film emphasized the importance of involving

students in conversations about how to combat racism in schools. “As much as I appreciate all of the work schools are doing, I think that is impossible without [...] the help of different students,” one youth interviewee said.

The panel addressed how perceiving a space as safe is dependent on personal identity and experience. “We’re on MI, [so] we’re in a little bit of a bubble,” student panelist Carson Schiller said. “Until I reached high school, I thought the island itself was a safe space. Spaces can feel safe to some people and not to others.”

“It’s really hard to find people to talk to,” student panelist Omolara Olusanya said. “One person compared my nostril size and how big my nose was to the headlights of a bus. Growing up in a place where there really aren’t people like me, I just couldn’t have that shared experience with anybody.”

In order for a space to be safe for everyone in it, it is important to avoid targeting specific individuals. “I like to think of calling people in instead of calling people out,” English teacher Daniela Melgar said.

“Using the term ‘racist’ is something that makes [a lot of people] instantly defensive, but I think it’s okay to accept that something you said was racially biased,” student panelist Miles Tardif said.

In addition to discussing the importance of talking about race, the film and panel discussion touched on the importance of showcasing characters played by minorities in stories that do not only discuss their

Halloween Horror Movies

Betty Butler Features Team

“X”: directed by Ti West (2022)–Rated R I was drawn into this film mainly from the cast as it features celebrities like Jenna Ortega and Kid Cudi, as well as it is made by A24, so I was curious to see if it would follow the studio’s trend of either being pretty good or making no sense or be boring. “X” follows a group of young adults in 1979 as they pursue creating an adult film on a farm unbeknownst to their hosts, a very elderly couple. The entire first hour is buildup; there are few to no jumpscares which I think leads to a much more gratifying second half because all the threats are condensed into the last 45 minutes. The part I was most scared of happened about right at the hour mark and was the first kill of the movie, which lasted for an uncomfortable amount of time. The pacing of this movie also works because it allows for the characters to feel better established and relevant to the story. There are eight main characters, but the two I liked the best were the lead girl Maxine, whose desire to be famous drives her into the porn industry, and the cinematographer RJ Nichols, who brings his girlfriend along and tries to see past the lewd nature of the content. I give “X” 4/5 pumkins; overall, a fun, modern take on the slasher genre, but viewers have to be willing to get through the first hour of graphic sex scenes and odd encoutners with the elderly for the chiling payoff.

“Corpse Bride”: directed by Tim Burton (2005)–Rated PG I was very excited to finally put my HBO subscription to use and watch this movie, which I know was made for young children, but I still hear very favorable words about it from my friends and classmates. Before watching it, I attributed a lot of the positive things I heard about it to nostalgia, but I found the movie to be just as endearing as others said. The film portrays Victor, a soon-tobe married young man, as he accidentally says his vows to a corpse, Emily, on the night of his wedding and thus she transports him into the world of the dead. This colorful “world of the dead’’ was the most enjoyable part of the movie for me, the scenes within always had lots of personality, constantly playing with the fact that all the characters within are cartoony skeletons; Emily has maggot living in her skull that consistently offer well-meaning but often unappreciated advice. I was also struck by the fact that “Corpse Bride” is a musical. The songs were quirky and fun, but still managed to capture themes like fear of the unusual and self-consciousness within them.

“Corpse Bride” is altogether a wholesome, feel-good movie, and is a perfect Halloween movie if you are watching with younger siblings or just want to watch a movie that is appropriately scary for the target audience of children, well worth a rating of 3/5 pumpkins.

“Halloween”: directed by John Carpenter (1978)–Rated R

I could not talk about Halloween-themed movies without mentioning the movie that is literally named after the holiday. This film follows high school students on Halloween, particularly the “good girl” Laurie Strode as she babysits a young boy paranoid of the bogeyman, while coincidentally her friends are being hunted by a bogeyman-like killer named Michael Myers. While I was watching this movie, I was confused on where the plot was heading. None of the protagonists were actually aware of Myers’ future attacks, so they weren’t trying to defeat him together. At the same time, his attacks seemed very random, so it was hard to understand and predict why they were happening. The movie is really nothing special, but that doesn’t necessarily make it bad. While many of the characters do not feel developed past the typical horror stereotypes of “good girl,” “scared kid” and “delusional old man,” I didn’t really take much of an issue to this because the characters just all seemed like placeholders to begin with. This old-school slasher movie is a perfect balance of fun and scary; while the teenage protagonists are trying to prepare for homecoming and Halloween, they are also being stalked by a serial killer. “Halloween” gets 3.5/5 pumpkins, and would be fun to watch with friends or select members of your family, like a cool aunt or cousin.

hardships. “If you aren’t represented, you don’t see it, and if you can’t see it, you can’t believe it,” one Latin American interviewee said.

The documentary inspired nuanced conversations within the panel and hopefully beyond. The film ended with a montage of smiles, and after the difficult work of confronting our biases as a community, it is important to reward our progress without abandoning the process. “We’re all imperfect, we’re all unfinished,” Melgar said. “We all have to unlearn a lot and we have to learn a lot.”

Taylor Swift Does It Again With “Midnights”

Marsh CopyEditingTeam

“Midnights,” released Friday, Oct. 21, is Taylor Swift’s tenth studio album. The album has a sound reminiscent of her previous albums, “Lover,” “reputation” and “1989.” “Midnights” marks Swift’s return to pop music after two alternative albums, “folklore” and “evermore.”

When the tracklist was announced, I was hesitant because of the song titles. Titles like “Question…?” and “Vigilante Sh*t” made me lose hope, but the actual songs redeemed Swift’s titles. “Vigilante Sh*t” is actually one of my favorite songs from the album. It reminds me a lot of Swift’s 2018 album “reputation.” This absolute banger features Swift’s lyricism and producer Jack Antonoff’s overall production skills. Maybe it is not full of deep and thoughtful lyrics like “folklore” was, but its lyrics are great in a different way. Some of my favorite lyrics from “Vigilante Sh*t” are: “don’t get sad, get even” and “I don’t dress for women / I don’t dress for men / Lately I’ve been dressin’ for revenge.” This song reminds me of the sound of “...Ready For It” from “reputation” and the theme of “no body, no crime” from “evermore.”

However, I was disappointed by “Snow on the Beach” because it was advertised as featuring Lana Del Rey, but she is barely audible on the track. The song itself is beautiful, again featuring Swift’s classic and beautiful lyrics, but I was expecting Del Rey to get a verse similar to Phoebe Bridgers on “Nothing New” from “Red (Taylor’s Version).” I would have loved to hear more of Del Rey on this track, but her background vocals are gorgeous. Antonoff’s production stands out yet again, and the use of violin adds to the dreamy vibe of this love song.

Swift’s track fives are known to be the most vulnerable on each album, and “You’re On Your Own, Kid” did not disappoint. This song is deeply personal and touches on Swift’s rise to fame, her eating disorder, losing friends and navigating love. One of my personal favorite lyrics is “From sprinkler splashes to fireplace ashes / I gave my blood, sweat, and tears for this / I hosted parties and starved my body / Like I’d be saved by a perfect kiss.” Swift is often renowned for the bridges of her songs, and I think “You’re On Your Own, Kid” is one of her best. The song builds really well into the bridge both sound-wise and lyrically, making for a really wellrounded fifth track.

Another personal favorite is “Bejeweled.” I love both the “I do not need a man” energy in the lyrics and the beat. Antonoff uses a lot of synth in this track which really adds to the vibe. My favorite lyrics on this track are “Best believe I’m still bejeweled / When I walk in the room / I can still make the whole place shimmer” and “And when I meet the band / They ask, ‘Do you have a man?’ / I can still say, ‘I don’t remember.’” This is like the ultimate confidence anthem and I am obsessed with it.

Overall, I absolutely love this album. It is a combination of all of the best parts of “Lover,” “reputation” and “1989.” “Midnights” is a solid album both sound-wise and lyrically, and a great return to pop music for Swift. I think this album is balanced and has a good combination of vulnerability and bad b**ch energy. Taylor Swift has yet to make a bad album. “Midnights” is her tenth iconic album, and I cannot wait for more.

Kat

Halloween is upon us, and with it comes ghosts, skeletons and of course, scary movies. Here are three movies that everybody should watch this year, and to keep with the Halloween-inspired theme, they are rated on a scale of one to five pumpkins.

A table of antiracism resources outside of the PAC. Photo by Kyle Gerstel.

Photo courtesty Ti West

Scan the QR code to read a story told during the panel discussion by MIHS student Omolara Olusanya.

Gone But Not Forgotten: Mercer Island Ice Cream Shops

Jordan Balousek SportsTeam

Today, we mourn the fact that Mercer Island is currently home to zero ice cream shops. However, 10 years ago, it was home to three thriving deliverers of creamy delicacies. With the recent closure of Mercer Island Ice Cream and Dessert–Baskin-Robbins, under an alias because of management issues- secretly I believe that the smiley face pencil drawing of a man with a penis for his nose in the seating area was too much for the old owners–the only place left to get ice cream on the island is … McDonald’s. As much as I love a McFlurry, it is in no way a proper substitute for a good old-fashioned ice cream cone. (Or a cup, for me and my more vanilla friends.)

Yo Mercer would have been the ultimate hangout place for me and my cringy middle school friends, but guess what? It has now been replaced with a physical therapy office. Even if I needed physical therapy, though, I would not go there since I have never seen someone under the age of 50 go inside.

Moving on, the only enjoyable hangout spot for us South Enders who cannot drive is Toshi’s Teriyaki, and General Tso’s chicken is just not what you want when it’s 90 degrees out. This dilemma of ill-suited temperature has left me in situations in which I have been reduced to buying a pint of Ben and Jerry’s from the worst breeding grounds for social interaction on the island, QFC. This is due to the probability of running into an old teacher, friend’s mom or sworn archnemesis—admit it, you’ve run into the rarely busy feminine hygiene aisle after seeing all three. In situations like these, I mourn the loss of the dear old

ice cream shops of days before.

It is no secret that we Islanders are generally rich. If there were a Salt and Straw or a Molly Moon’s here, many of us would happily pay ten dollars for a cup smaller than what should be legal without batting an eye.

Potentially higher prices raise a critical question: if we collectively have so much disposable income and there is demand, why isn’t there a single ice cream shop on the island? It has recently been getting so hot in the summertime that ice cream would absolutely hit the spot after a long day out with your friends (hot for us Islanders, anyways— my cousins from California scoffed when I told them 65 is when I whip out the ancient American Eagle jean shorts). While many businesses frequently come and go on the island, especially those that serve food, that is definitely not the case for all of them. Island Books is almost 49 years old, the aforementioned Toshi’s Teriyaki is still pulling in tons

of customers and many other local businesses are thriving. So, why the perpetual failure of the ice cream stores?

Ice cream is a universally beloved treat for children, adults and whatever you’d consider us angst pot pies–in fact, Americans on average eat approximately 40 pints per year, according to the International Dairy Foods Association. As a child, my parents would drive me and my siblings over to Baskin-Robbins for a treat when we were well-behaved after a long summer day, or they would take us to Yo Mercer after grocery shopping to get my personal favorite treat: watermelon frozen yogurt, with chocolate chips shaped like seeds on top. Don’t judge, you probably liked something weirder, and I still stand by those seedshaped cocoa delights. Menchie’s was always the favorite of my siblings, and they always had the elite combination of tart ice cream, caramel sauce, white chocolate chips and strawberry popping boba available. My point is that most of us, sans our lactose-intolerant friends, have fond memories of ice cream.

Following this logic, these stores should find a strong home on the island. However, that has obviously shown to not be true in practice. I suppose there is nothing we can do about this now but eat our McFlurries and weep next to the chipping pink paint of the old Baskin-Robbins. However, we must all make sure that if a new ice cream store opens on the island, we cannot let it die like the others. Otherwise, in a show of utter determination, I’ll encourage my sister to start selling the ice cream sludge she occasionally forces me to eat.

What Aren’t They Telling You? Canada Edition

Braeden Nett WebsiteManager

Unlike what the Canadian Deep State wants you to believe, conspiracy theories are indeed very real, especially those that expose the truth of Canada controlling the world. For far too long, those northern snobs have duped the entire world into thinking their nation is full of kind people who say “soar-ee” after every possible offense. I intend to expose Canadian lies from my hidden compound before the Canadian thought police come knocking down my compound’s doors.

#1: Canada is Behind Everything

Canada is clearly behind every major tragedy in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. You may be thinking that this is a preposterous claim and impossible to prove. However, have you noticed that after Canada confederated in 1867 the darkest day in human history happened on April 16, 1963, John Delaney’s birthday; when Delaney was born, the world was ushered into an age of darkness. Coincidence? I think not! This is clear evidence of Canadian interference in global affairs. If you disagree with me or show ‘evidence’ that contradicts my claim, you are clearly just a Canadian agent or brainwashed.

#2: The Earth is a Cylinder

Unknown to the general public is the fact that the Flat Earth Theory is a psyop (psychological operation) conducted to dissuade people from questioning the shape of our planet. Unfortunately, criticism of the Flat Earth Theory has been weaponized by the Canadian government and socalled ‘scientists’ (Canadian agents) to prevent the world from realizing the shape of the world is, in fact, a cylinder. The reason why we know the world is a cylinder is because 4Chan told me so, contrary to the false line touted by Ottawa.

#3: King Charles III is a Canadian Agent

Everyone who is not a federal agent accepts the fact that King Charles III assassinated Princess Diana in 1997. However, what most people don’t realize is the true motive behind the assassination. The Canadians would want you to think that Charles III orchestrated her murder because Camilla told him to do it. However, the truth is that Princess Diana had obtained information on the Canadian government’s hold over global foreign affairs and intended to release the information to the general public. Charles III was then tasked by his master Jean Chrétien (the Prime Minister of Canada in 1997) to eliminate the threat of Canadian global hegemony.

The evidence points to the conclusion that if you replace all the letters in “Canada” with the letters “e,v, i and l,” it spells “evil.” This revelation sends shivers down my spine.

#4: John Delaney is the Military Governor of America

2020 Democratic Primary candidate John Delaney is a very mysterious figure and politician, with the general public not knowing the three policies he has on his website. However, the act of being a generic politician with the least controversial views possible is an act. The truth is that our Canadian overlords have placed John Delaney as the military governor of the United States. Canadian scientists designed John Delaney in a bio-lab somewhere in Saskatchewan to be the most boring person on Earth, allowing him to be the least likely person to run the Deep State. May God have mercy on all of us, for we live under the wrathful eye of John Delaney.

#5: Chemtrails Make People Like John Delaney

The fact that people like someone as boring as John Delaney is reason enough to be incredibly suspicious. Who, with their own free will, would actually like that guy? I uncovered the reason for this anomaly when I stumbled across an alternative medicine blog revealing that the Canadian government and NASA are flying jets that release chemtrails across the United States. These chemtrails contain nanotechnology that infect the bloodstream and eventually the brain to make someone hold positive views of John Delaney. The only means of defense against this form of nanotechnology is buying an annual subscription to alternative healing products from Gwyneth Paltrow’s website.

#6: Cigarettes Mixed with Coca-Cola Cures All Ailments

For decades, the government, along with big pharma, have spent billions on propaganda campaigns that preach the supposed danger of cigarettes and a large sugar intake as “unhealthy.” What the shills don’t want you to know is that smoking while drinking Coca-Cola cures every known disease or ailment. Also, the sophomore who vapes in the 200 hall bathroom told me that if one decides to vape instead of smoking cigarettes, they can expect to gain a variety of additional health benefits such as strong lungs and permanent immunity to respiratory illnesses. Clearly, the Canadian Deep State made us

wear masks to prevent us from smoking and drinking Coca-Cola in public.

#7:

Bill Clinton and Kid Rock are the Same Person

Have you ever noticed that Bill Clinton and Kid Rock have never been seen in the same room together? Canadian Agents and so-called ‘rational people’ (shills) would want you to believe that this is merely a coincidence. However, I received an anonymous email from someone who admitted to being Bill Clinton and Kid Rock, along with being a proud owner of a pizza shop in Washington D.C. This is irrefutable evidence of Bill Clinton being Kid Rock; besides, it’s not like people lie over the internet. You may be wondering how this theory could possibly involve Canada. The truth is that I don’t know. But if you say otherwise, you’re probably a paid shill. Nice try Canada.

#8: The Universe is a Figment of an East Timorese Child’s Imagination

According to someone from 4Chan, our universe is actually just the imagination of some random child living in the country of East Timor. Is this theory crazy? Yes. Is there any substantial evidence to back this theory? No. Is East Timor even a real country? Who knows. How does this theory involve Canada? Shut up, shill.

#9: Gnomes are Real

Footage from YouTube has shown that gnomes are indeed living among us and not CGI renders. The Canadian government has been kidnapping gnomes for decades and forcing them to work in coal mines in Alberta (Upper Alabama) because of various supposed reasons. I literally don’t know why they would use gnomes, nor can I prove this is even happening, but I’ve been right about the last eight conspiracies, so I’m pretty sure I’m onto something.

#10: Adam Sandler Has a Body Count

Just by looking at Adam Sandler, you can already tell this guy has bodies in his basement. I don’t care what any feds say; Adam Sandler killed 15 people in the state of Ohio between 1991 and 1997. The government has attempted to normalize Adam Sandler by planting him into the most generic comedy movies possible. Why would the Canadians support Adam Sandler’s killing spree? My response: “Why wouldn’t they?” Checkmate.

Photo courtesy Creative Commons

Teacher Feature: Spanish Teacher Alma Parness

Emily Fain Social Media and Business Team

What were you like as a kid?

“I was an only child. I did not have brothers or sisters and that is unheard of for a Mexican family. I was pretty sheltered, I grew up in Mexico City. So my childhood was definitely very different from what’s on the island. I feel like pollution, crime and all of the traffic played a big role in my lifestyle as a child. [When] I was 16 and in other countries that are not the US, [I had] different freedoms. So I never felt that I had to sneak out, it was pretty open. You could go places or travel.

When I was in high school I went to Canada for eight months, and that’s when I really appreciated the diversity and internationality of it. Just like learning about different cultures and learning how other people lived. I was fortunate enough to be learning English but also learning from other people that didn’t grow up in Mexico City. And that’s when I decided that I should study abroad for college.

I was an international student in the beginning, so all of my friends were from all around the world. We had the commonality that we didn’t work, we didn’t have a family, we didn’t have anything to do, we were learning English, we were doing our college credits. That gave me a very broad perspective.”

What were you like in college?

“One of my favorite subjects was art history [so I

wanted to study abroad]. It was a summer in Florence and it was just so wonderful, but that got cut because my mom got sick, so as an only child, I [couldn’t] go. [I was in Canada for] eight months then I went to San Francisco. I always worked while I was at school. I was like, well this is a great way to learn not just English, but learn how [life] works. I never had the need to find a post office, fill out a form, because your parents do that for you, or it’s not that hard because it’s your home language.”

What type of student were you?

“I really don’t know. I love learning. I had good grades. I think I grew up with the expectation that “you have to perform well, you value this education, you value the preparation you are going to have, and since grade school I was expected to have very good grades. In high school, because of the social distractions, it was a little harder to keep up.

For my masters I went to USC and my GPA was like 3.8 when I graduated. I was kind of surprised because I was balancing a lot. Not just the masters program but you have your clinical hours or your student teachings, so it was like in the morning you would go to an elementary school, from 8a.m.-3p.m. and then the classes would start at 5-10p.m. So it was very intense.

What is your favorite childhood story?

So I always wanted a dog, but my mom was always like “No, no, no, no, no. We don’t have the time to take care of the dog.” So all of the sudden there was a lost dog in the little neighborhood and it was super clean and had a nice collar so we thought it was a neighbor’s. But it wasn’t. It was just there, kind near where we lived. My grandma was like “That’s weird, let’s just put some water out,” because he/she looks lost. And she showed up to the door again, after my grandma put some water out and then she just came in like “Hi, hello,” and she was super well behaved, super well trained, she was like a little maltese, super smart and we kept it, and that was kind of the happiest memory because I had been asking for a dog and it literally walked in so her name was “Happy” because we had been really happy and that’s the only dog I ever had.

Mercer Island Football Suffers Loss To Newport on Senior Night

Tiffany Zhang FeaturesandSportsTeam

During their Senior Night, the Mercer Island Football team fell 31-10 to the Newport Knights on Friday, Oct. 21.

This brings their overall win-loss record to 0-8 for the regular season.

“I think that we played a great first half, we were hanging in there [but] they came out of the locker room in the second half fired up [and] we came out flat,” senior captain Callum Neher said.

Mercer Island and Newport traded possessions for a majority of the first quarter before a Newport touchdown pass to wide receiver Nicolas Bianchi put the Knights up 0-7.

The Islanders gained some momentum nearing the end of the first quarter when a Newport false start led to a first down for Mercer Island, however, a run from senior Vince Catano was ultimately stopped yards short of the goal line leading to Newport taking over on downs.

Mercer Island gained possession of the ball near the beginning of the second quarter when junior captain Luke Myklebust recovered a fumble from Newport’s quarterback, leading to a Mercer Island touchdown run by senior Addison King and tying the score 7-7.

Junior Dylan Way recovered a blocked Newport punt halfway through the second quarter earning Mercer Island possession of the ball, however, the end of the drive resulted in a fourth and long, forcing the Islanders to bring out the field goal unit. Senior Samir Lumba kicked a successful 35 yard field goal, sending the Islanders into the lead 10-7.

Minutes from halftime, Myklebust successfully recovered an onside kick from Mercer Island, though the team ultimately fell short of a score when sophomore quarterback Ryan Rockfeld’s pass was intercepted in the endzone by Bianchi in the last minute of the first half.

Newport came out of the locker room scoring a touchdown which set the score 10-14. Minutes later, Bianchi earned another touchdown, a pass from 35 yards out which put the Knights up 10-21.

“They came out of halftime and they scored a long touchdown and that’s killer,” Neher said. “They score a long touchdown like that [and] it’s hard for us to rally. We just didn’t step up, we didn’t answer the battle on offense once the defense gave up something big.”

Newport threw a successful touchdown pass that was caught in the endzone but the play was called for holding and the Knights were forced to replay third down. This caused them to settle on a field goal, which was kicked successfully and extended their lead 10-24.

The fourth quarter was riddled with penalties and flags for both sides, as well as Newport successfully sacking Rockfeld on two occasions.

The second sack to Rockfeld resulted in a turnover on downs and Newport gaining possession of the ball. The Knights converted that possession into a touchdown, a 54 yard pass to senior Nolan Howle which put Newport up 10-31 and became the last score of the game.

“We need to get better in the second half. Our offense, our run game is alright, [but] we gotta move the ball a little bit better to open up the passing game,” Neher said. “On defense we got good moments but we’re kinda inconsistent. I would say be more consistent, that’s where we could be better.”

The Islanders were missing their starting quarterback Spencer Kornblum, who was injured in the game against Auburn last week. Rockfeld received a majority of the snaps, as well as King receiving many snaps directly under center.

It was a bittersweet night for many Mercer Island players, who celebrated their Senior Night and played some of their last snaps as Islanders. The seniors were celebrated during the pregame, with each senior player jogging out with flowers to meet their parents and snapping pictures.

“When I was a junior, seeing all the seniors out with their parents and stuff, it didn’t really feel real but I get it now,” Neher said. “It’s real and it’s sad, like, this is my senior night and we just got our teeth kicked in so, obviously [it] doesn’t feel good. It definitely feels real now that my season’s ending.”

“We got some good opponents lined up for our last two games [and] we have one more game at home,” Neher added. “I think we got a young quarterback right now in Ryan Rockfeld and he’s only gonna get better with experience.”

The Islanders will hope to earn their first win of the season next week away against Juanita on Friday, Oct. 28.

Senior Addison King on Senior Night. Photos by Jordan Balousek

Hey Islanders! Have you had those moments in class where you space out and wonder what your teachers were like when they were our age? Well, here’s your answer! Teachers Features is a new column where I will be interviewing a new teacher every issue to talk about their childhood. To start this series off, I got the chance to talk to MIHS Spanish teacher Ms. Parness.

Photo courtesy Alma Parness

Junior Dylan Way and Freshman Ari Wolff during the game.