The Pack - Vol. 21, Issue 8

the pack The Student Voice of Monarch High School

THE PEOPLE OF MONARCH Pulling back the curtain

329 Campus Dr.│Louisville, Colorado│ 80027 Volume 21 Issue 8 March 2019

Table of CONTENTS March 2019 Volume 21, Issue 8

4

THE MIX Band beyond the music

10

THE PROWL Girls basketball storms back

12

YOU DON’T KNOW Students’ unspoken experiences

16

KEEP SWIMMING Katey Lewicki’s journey to success

20

URINETOWN Behind the scenes of Monarch’s musical

24

THIS IS THE ILC An inside look at the ILC department

28

WE WANT CHANGE Students strive for improvement at MOHI

31

IS IT WORTH IT? The teenage drinking epidemic

Seek BALANCE

By India Turner Editor-in-Chief So, testing season is coming around. The time for SATs and standardized tests has arrived, and for all upperclassmen, it feels like the workload just tripled. College research needs to happen, the Khan Academy SAT practice notifications on your phone need to be attended to, and all the regular homework still needs to be done.

I’ve been known for pulling insane hours to keep that A in the gradebook, always saying “that’s just how junior year is” and “it will all be worth it” if I get into my dream college. After all, it’s just a couple years, right?

While I promised to buckle down and work hard at the beginning of the year, on the first day of school I made myself another promise. A promise that I wouldn’t let school take over my life. That I would still dance in my room, do silly YouTube challenges with my friends, and have hours-long conversations with my mom about the meaning of life.

And so on my way to school on the first day, one of my favorite songs came up on Spotify, “Suit and Jacket” by Judah and the Lion, and I blasted the music, scream-singing, “I ain’t trading my youth for no suit and jacket” with the singer. Silently, I promised myself that I wouldn’t look back on junior year with nothing more than memories of filled-out worksheets and flashcards.

Education is important, but it’s not everything. You have to be careful that a couple years of stress “just to get into college” doesn’t turn into 10 years of working overtime or a lifetime of putting your life on hold for the next milestone.

As we brainstormed ideas for this issue, it felt like we were channeling our own stress into the story ideas we picked, choosing topics like “top ways to de-stress,” and “how alcohol is used to escape the reality of high school.”

There was this urge from the staff to talk less about the students of Monarch, and more about the people of Monarch. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the bustle of school that we forget that students are more than just students--we are people with complex, multi-faceted lives that have much more going for them than just their grades.

We followed theater kids working to produce their musical, profiled an athlete who may be headed for the Olympics, took photos of an adaptive Ninja Warrior course, and found out about all the crazy, incredible adventures Monarch students have been on.

It’s not easy to do, I get it. The pressure of getting into college, landing that internship, or reaching for a job promotion always seems to overshadow the things we love to do. But I’m asking that we all try to keep each other accountable, not for making every homework deadline and acing every test, but for taking some time off and living life outside of a textbook.

Seek balance, India Turner, Editor-in-Chief

Follow our stories @mohimix Get current updates @mohimix See our photos @mohimix

the pack The Student Voice of Monarch High School

Editor-in-Chief India Turner Team Editors Haley Breit Evie Cuffaro Grant Myers Cara Racenstein Jamie Thompson Podcast Editor Lincoln Roch Webmasters Brandon Phillips Nathan Phillips Staff Writers Estella Barrett Ruby Cervantes Lia Farrell Savannah Griffis Lindsay Haight Amelia Krueger Sebastian Manzanares Hahn Park Samantha Sarmiento Jonah Speyer Maddie Stilson Adviser Ben Reed

Our Mission: MOHI Media is an

organization the appeals to the cliques of Monarch High School through discussing trends, staying real, and keeping it hype.

We promote discussion by speaking about what needs to be said.

Our Policies: Opinions or expressions

made by students in this publication are not expressions of Boulder Valley School District Board policy. The district and its employees are immune from any civil action based on any expression made for or published by students. The Pack is an open forum for and by the students, faculty, and community of Monarch High School. The Pack is willing to accept and publish any appropriate articles submitted by students of MHS and reserves the right to edit any of these articles. We will not print letters sent to us without a name and signature. Submit letters to mhshowler@gmail.com

I MX MOHI

Monarch High School.

MOHI students set trends across Boulder Valley.

What we wear, what we say.

Everyone wants to be a Coyote.

Here are eleven things that set us apart in the pack.

4 the pack

X 1

Middle school and high school students perform together at the Brass Ensemble Concert on Jan. 30.

Young and breathless Concert and Jazz bands play more than just music

By Sebastian Manzanares

In middle school, every student had an activity that they looked forward to every day. It could be a sport, a club, a class, or seeing their friends. Whether it happened after school or during the day, they anticipated it to be the highlight of the day. Almost every time, it proved to be true.

For Nathan Dankers ‘20, the band was his escape.

He practiced his alto saxophone everyday and had aspirations to pursue a music teaching career.

One of Danker’s band directors at Wayne Carle Middle School in Westminster had the biggest impact on him.

“She made it fun,” Dankers said. “She made the band awesome.”

His director saw his passion for music. She recommended that he abandon his home school of Standley Lake to join the band program at Monarch.

“She told me that there was a killer program at Monarch, and I decided to follow her advice,” he said.

Santiago Marquez ‘21 is a percussionist in Monarch’s concert band. His introduction to Monarch came through the band during the summer of his sophomore year after he transferred from Fairview High School.

Marquez believes that the band helped him integrate

into Monarch. It helped him meet people who would become his friends.

“I felt welcomed,” Marquez said. “I knew people before coming [to Monarch], and then they introduced me to a ton of my other friends.”

Band members eat together, hang out after school, and help each other with any issues they have.

Practices aren’t always the highlight of any athlete’s career, and the band is no exception to this, especially after a multitude of hours that are put into one big performance with a large group of people.

“At times people will be annoying, and sometimes the directors are, too,” Dankers said. “But in the end, we all have a blast.”

Paige Harvey ‘20 has been performing in jazz and concert band for the past seven years. She hopes to be a music director when she grows up. She believes in a family-oriented group within the band, and it’s something that she admires about it.

“When I joined the marching band, there weren’t too many kids from my band program from my old school with me,” she said. “I met so many new people who were welcoming and ready for me to join.”

March 5

2 What you should watch on Netflix

EVERYTHING SUCKS! This comedy is a call back to the 90s.

Two groups of misfit teenagers in Boring High School’s AV and Drama Club want to show the ups and downs of the 20th century. They create a play in hopes of gaining popularity, but will their love interests get in the way?

MANIAC

Annie Landsberg and Owen Milgrim, along with 10 others, are drawn into a mysterious pharmaceutical trial. They take a series of problem-solving pills, created to make their lives better in different ways.

In the end, the pills become more of a downgrade than an upgrade, and it is not without risks.

6 the pack

3

Things parents should know

Ways to talk with the ‘rents

By Amelia Krueger

It’s part of growing up. Every teen struggles with communicating with their parents, especially when neither can understand how the other feels.

School takes up the majority of a teenager’s life. There is pressure to succeed, and many kids struggle to keep their grades up to the standard of their parents or themselves.

“Parents should understand that grades don’t define our worth and that it’s how hard we try that really matters,” Hunter Schellman ‘21 said.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one in five adolescents suffers from at least one mental illness. “A huge problem with today’s youth is their mental health,” Tate Wearner ‘22 said. “Many parents don’t have the ability to recognize when something is wrong. Don’t always assume that everything’s okay.

Talking can be all the difference for the person, so it’s important to communicate with kids because the small things can make the biggest difference.”

An important step in connecting is to try to understand the priorities of both parents and students. If either party does not acknowledge the priorities of the other, miscommunication could create a divide. “Family dinners are really important in my family because that’s when we share about our day and become closer,” Schellman said.

5

1. Wait a Minute!

Willow 2. Free Animal

Foreign Air 3. Saturday Sun

Vance Joy

Here’s your

Spring Break

4. Someone to You BANNERS

playlist

“

It’s pretty cliche, but the basic thing is, if it doesn’t work, have you tried rebooting it, and have you tried unplugging and plugging it back in? That’s a decent chunk of my job.

4

-Zach Buller (IT guy)

”

5. Be Your Girl

Teedra Moses Follow Mohi Mix’s Spotify account! @Mohimix

Make your

Spring Break

ROCK Make this break one to remember

Denver Art Museum

The Rabbit Hole

Fiske Planetarium in Boulder

TopGolf

The Cereal Box

Celestial Seasonings Tea Factory

This museum currently is showing many exhibits, including art from emerging artist Jordan Casteel and an animal-themed art exhibition.

Located on the CU campus, the planetarium shows films about astronomy as well as astrophysics.

Shows run Thursday through Sunday.

A cute, original cafe in Arvada where you can personalize your own bowl of cereal, add toppings, and try different flavors of milk. The options are both endless and delicious.

A popular escape room in Louisvillle, you and a small group of your friends solve a series of mysteries and clues to get out of a room within a 60 minute time frame.

A unique, fun way to spend time with friends or family and show off your golf skills all at once. Each party rents out a “bay” where they can relax, eat, and play golf!

Enjoy a free tour through the tea factory, test out different samples of teas, and explore the world of tea.

March 7

7 Painting Her Future Mae Harmon ’19 discusses what her art means

By Ruby Cervantes and Cara Racenstein

She’s simply living out the dream her mother chose not to pursue. Born into a creative family, Mae Harmon 19’ began exploring art at a young age.

“My mom was an artist. She loved drawing and designing [...] but eventually she realized she had a family to raise, and she had to kind of give up art,” Harmon ‘19 said. “I wanted to show that you can do art for a living now, and you don’t have to be held back by society.”

She began her artistic journey by painting theatrical scenery, which then evolved into digital art and has now moved on to more traditional mediums, such as charcoal and graphite.

Above all, though, ink is her favorite medium to create with.

Over the course of time, she has developed a certain confidence in her abilities, especially through her participation in Monarch’s Art Club. “It’s just a super great place to try out new things,” Harmon said.

As she approached her junior year, she realized that her passion for art was truly serious and that she wanted to pursue it as a career. After so much dedication to her craft, she is now planning to go to Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia (many artists’ dream school), for she has become infatuated by the people and campus as a whole.

8

SAY CHEESE The Pack’s top 3 picks of mac n cheese

PANERA

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“I’d say the hidden meaning is that a lot of people tend to walk by things that are actually amazing and not acknowledge it because they’re so focused on other things. So, the whole point of it is to prompt the viewer to look at things a bit closer and you’ll see something you didn’t expect.”

-Mae Harmon ’19

8 the pack

Here’s a bowl of mac that’s perfect for a snowy day. Unlike other options, it doesn’t need toppings or to be fried. Just like its name, it’s simple and it’s great. The flavoring of the sauce makes it just that much better.

This mac and cheese reigns supreme.

NOODLES

Heavy on the cheese, this mac hits you right when it goes in your mouth.

It’s even topped with shredded cheese. However, if you like a consistent bite, this might not be your favorite.

FAT SHACK

If you’ve ever needed proof that everything is better fried, here you go. If you choose to dip it in the buffalo ranch dressing it comes with, it is a completely different flavor then the mac n cheese you’re used to. But if you just want some traditional mac and cheese to eat with a spoon, this might not be the best place.

9

HOW TO DE-STRESS

As we dig deeper into second semester, try a few of these skills to bring the peace Listen to some calming music, like jazz. This can quiet the mind and help you relax.

Stay on top of your work.

Falling behind creates a lot of stress on it’s own.

Spend some time with loved ones. This can be your friends, family, or pets.

Invest in a coloring book and some colored pencils. This is a way to stay calm.

Exercise is a great way to release stress. It takes your mind off of what’s bothering you.

Write down your stressers on a piece of paper and throw it away, kind of like letting it go.

10 PARENT

AS A TEACHER A unique relationship only few can claim

By Sebastian Manzanares

Imagine waking up in the same house as your social studies teacher.

Then, you remember that you had homework for that teacher, which leads to a scramble to complete the homework.

This is what it’s like for Carlina Wharton-Bucher ‘20, whose mother is Social Studies teacher Deann Bucher. Ironically, Ms. Bucher’s social studies wisdom did not rub off on her daughter.

“I’m bad at social studies,” Wharton-Bucher said. “I love math and science, and [Ms. Bucher] is all about that.”

Ms. Bucher spent time recounting the time that her daughter was enrolled in her diversity class.

“I actually felt embarrassed,” Ms. Bucher said. “She was seeing a part of me that she had never really seen before.”

11

TUTOR TIME

Harping ‘19 dedicates her time to helping others

By Lincoln Roch

During Access Time, while many students are sleeping in or getting help on their science homework, you can find Makylah Harpring ‘19 in the Coyote Learning Commons helping others.

Harping initially started tutoring for National Honor Society (NHS) hours but soon began to enjoy helping fellow students out.

“I’m definitely done with my hours. Now I’m just doing it for fun,” Harping said Harping has already been inducted into NHS. Now she helps NHS tutors connect with students as the coordinator.

“A lot of kids need help, and it’s easier when you have someone your age teaching you what’s going on instead of a teacher who has so many kids to worry about,” Harping said.

Students can receive help with academics in the Coyote Learning Commons from 2:30-4:00 on Mondays, from 3:15-4:15 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and from 8:00-9:30 on Wednesdays.

March

9

THE PROWL Highlighting Monarch athletes and their hunt for victory

#ComebackSZN

Return of former coach helps the girls basketball team turn around their season

By Sebastian Manzanares

Swish. Abigail Russo ‘20 holds her follow-through high in the air as the crowd erupts. Russo and the rest of girls basketball team celebrate the victory, and Coach Gail Hook stands and claps with a proud grin on her face.

At 14-10, the girls basketball team experienced a comeback season after going 4-20 last year. The return of long time coach Gail Hook had the players driven to work hard and push for a state championship.

Coach Hook spent three seasons away from the team, but decided to return this year.

“I missed coaching,” she said. “I missed the competitive piece. I missed the relationship with the kids.”

Hook spent time as an assistant coach at 10 the pack

the University of Northern Colorado and Purdue University. She also has experience as an assistant coach for USA basketball and the WNBA. The girls’ team is happy to have her back, and it shows in the way they play.

“Everyone is more confident on the court,” Russo said. “I know I am because she helps me fix the mistakes I make in a game by going over it in practice.”

Hook brought back some winning strategies, such as setting goals for the team and emphasising competition.

“We review the goals and revise them if we need to,” Hook said. “It just gives them something tangible for them to strive for.”

These strategies have brought the team together, and they are more motivated than ever to perform at a high level.

Monarch has already had a dominant season. Their best win was the 76 to 15 blowout of Regis Groff. Monarch limited Regis to less than ten points in three out of the four quarters of the game, and the Coyotes never slowed down offensively.

Hook believed that Monarch’s team has a shot at making a run for the state championship.

“We just have to stay focused and take it one game at a time,” Hook said.

The team reached the first round of the 5A playoffs, where they lost to Cherokee Trail.

Based on the season that the girls had, it’s obvious why Hook is optimistic. With a talented and young group of girls and Hook in command, expect a championship run sooner than later.

Rivalry Alert

The must see game of the spring

By Grant Myers

Anything can happen

Four hot predictions for spring sports

1

By Grant Myers

2

Girls tennis beats Fairview for the second year. One of the best parts of the girls tennis teams season last year was beating rival Fairview for the first time.

The Knights lost little talent to graduation, so growing the win streak to two is achievable.

Girls golf takes their varsity team to State. The team is lead by two seniors, Jamie Thompson and Hannah Spracklin. Senior leadership is crucial, and if the team can play well in league, taking a team to state is definitely a possibility.

3 4

Girls soccer averages four goals a game. The Lady Coyotes have several experienced goal scorers that are dangerous from any part of the field. If the Coyotes can establish an offensive presence, then four goals a game is highly attainable.

The boys baseball team goes to battle against the rival Broomfield Eagles on Apr. 25. This game is always a nail bitter that comes down to the final innings and always produces excitement. Bad blood fuels this rivalry, as several players have transferred to the opposing school, betraying their old team.

Every year these teams circle each other’s names. Since the Coyotes are the defending League Champs, Broomfield will be gunning for them. Come out and support your Coyotes at 4:00 p.m.

Apr. 25. at the Monarch baseball field.

Boys baseball repeats as Front Range League Champs. With a team built around a pitching staff lead by Zach Given and a strong defense, they have the chance to become back-to-back champs.

Ponder the pinner Multi-sport athlete thrives on the mat

By Lincoln Roch

Will Ponder ‘19 has made his name as a wrestler. Ranked 3rd in the 5A classification for his weight class of 220, and qualifying for state, he is feared by his opponents.

He’s been wrestling for Monarch since his freshman year and hasn’t let anything, even an injury that kept him from completing a full season, get in his way.

Ponder, who also plays football and rugby, believes wrestling is harder than other sports, because it requires more than just skills.

“Mentally, wrestling’s the hardest sport I do,” Ponder said. “I think it’s one of the hardest sports out there. Overcoming the urge to quit, or to give up and roll over on your back is one of the hardest things I’ve had to do.”

Next year, Ponder plans on attending BYU-Hawaii where he will be taking a break from athletics, although he is grateful for how his athletics have helped him.

“I’m not going to play any sports,” Ponder said. “But a large part of the reason I think they accepted me was because of my sports, and especially because of the lessons and hard work that I learned from them.”

March 11

He may seem like a quiet, run of the mill, anxious-for graduation-senior, but Spencer Stilson ‘19 has big plans before his high school years are over.

Six years ago, Stilson began his rugby career in London. He is now a force for the Monarch team, playing for them for the past three years.

“As of last season, I was ranked 15th fullback in the nation. Fullbacks are basically like safeties in football, except rugby,” Stilson said.

As his final season approaches, he and his fellow teammates, especially the other seniors, are hungry for a trophy. “The last thing I want to do before I graduate is to win the state championship with all my friends,” he said.

12 the pack

What you

DON’T KNOW about

Monarch The untold stories of Monarch students

Tell me s’more

By Lia Farrell

No matter how cool you think you are, when it come to achievements, Annalie Harrelson ‘21 has got you beat.

The coolest thing she’s ever done?

Roasting marshmallows on top of a volcano in Spain.

“The volcano basically covers the entire island… [It’s] mostly dormant, but steam comes out all the time,” she said. The volcano in question is Mt. Teide, which resides upon the island of Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands.

“Most tourists only take the gondola half of the way up, but to get the real experience, you have to go to the top,” she said. “It was just super exhilarating to be doing something that strange in one of the most beautiful places I’ve been. I feel like it captured the heart of humanity.”

March 13

Through the camera lens

By Jamie Thompson

When most people hear Peyton Allen ‘19, they automatically envision her with a camera in her hand and a smile on her face.

“It all started summer of 2016. I went to Portland with my softball team, and I brought my GoPro. They loved to film on it,” Allen said. “I spent some time putting some clips together, and everyone thought it was the coolest thing. I even took my GoPro to nationals where we took 1st place, and I captured that moment. After that, I began to realize that I loved using it, as I would spend days on end trying to make it look perfect.”

Allen has made various videos that have not only touched the hearts of her teammates, but everyone around her.

Before Allen graduates, she hopes to make a documentary. “I want to step out of my comfort zone and make something personal and meaningful,” she said.

After attending school in England at Sandringham West Newton, Sam Keenan ‘20 was surprised with the opportunity to meet the Queen.

“It was so cool! Her summer estate was right next to my school, and she came over and shook all our hands,” Keenan said.

14 the pack

Many people know the intense rush of playing Mario Kart. Not many people have the determination and grit to pass the one and only “Rainbow Road” course… except for Keira Sager ‘22. “It took me like 10-15 tries until I succeeded. It was the highlight of my life,” Sager said.

Imagine finding your true self through a two week art trip Imagine finding your true and coming back with a whole self through a two week artmind trip and new set.coming Claire back Laurie ‘19 with a whole new mindset. traveled to Amsterdam, Bruges, Claire Laurie ‘19 traveled and with a handful toParis Amsterdam, Bruges, of other students.

“By far andBVSD Paris with a handful other BVSD theofcoolest thingstudents. or experience “By far the coolest thing or I have ever done was travel experience I have ever done to was Europe with the school travel to Europe withart the school art program.

I program.

I learned to love learned to love art so much artmore so much more than I ever than I ever thought thought I could. loved being I could. I loved Ibeing surrounded different surrounded inina adifferent culture than what I was culture than what I was used used to. It was one of the to.coolest It was experiences one of the coolest I have ever had,” Isays experiences haveLaurie. ever had,” says Laurie.

WHAT YOU

COULD KNOW ABOUT

MONARCH

By Nathan Philips

Life is only so long. We desire to connect with people throughout our lifetime but in reality, we only end up getting a sliver of who they really are. It would be nice to get the whole slice of a person, wouldn’t it?

Looking out the window of a bullet train, you see a blur of color that by the end of the journey paints a picture. Madeline Hall ‘20, a junior, rode this journey. “I’ve been to Japan where I rode a bullet train, which was pretty awesome. It was a new experience where I got to go halfway across Japan in an hour,” she said.

To watch someone define themselves in front of people is really cool to see. Brooke Hagelin ‘20 got to watch one of those people.

“One time I saw American Idol live, that was pretty cool,” Hagelin said.

Imagine flying and sliding in the air, capturing a memory through several images.

Sophia Westerkamp ‘21 has experienced this. “When I was 13, I went to Costa Rica for a wedding. One of those days, we went zip lining over the Costa Rican jungle, and it was so beautiful,” Westerkamp said.

We all adore concerts but when it comes to traveling to another continent to see one, it might just be a big deal. Miranda McCoy ‘21 could fill you in on the journey. “The coolest thing I’ve ever done is fly to Paris, France just to go to a concert. Because I didn’t speak the language, I just had to make the best out of it and figure out how to get around. Plus, I met a lot of amazing people while I was there,” McCoy said.

Music makes the listener feel emotion, and when Leah Pring ‘20 went to Costa Rica with Boulder Suzuki Strings, (an orchestra group based in Boulder), she got to be one of the artists that made it all happen. “[For] one concert we performed in Tortuguero, Costa Rica. It’s a small island that has no roads and it was raining the whole time. We were there and the electricity gave out, but we kept on playing and the locals pulled out their phones to give us light for the rest of the concert, it was amazing,” Pring said.

There are so many incredible stories you’ll never hear if you don’t ask. Go and get the full slice of Monarch, not just a sliver.

March 15

S

he jumps in the pool, feeling the cold water surround her. She takes a deep breath, reassuring herself that she is ready for her best swim, the 100 yard backstroke. This is what it is like for Katey Lewicki ‘20 at her state meet.

In her junior year of high school, she ranked third overall in 4A state. Lewicki set a state record when she won first place in the 100 yard backstroke event at the State Meet on Feb. 8. Now she is taking it to the next step—the Olympic Trials.

Lewicki started swimming when she was five with the Louisville Dolphins. “I originally started swimming because all my friends did it, and my mom just put me in it for the social aspect,” she said. As she grew older, she began to love the sport more and more.

Her swimming career started to take off when she got to high school. “When I turned fourteen, everything just started to click.

Before that I wasn’t the best, but as I grew more comfortable in my body and could manage my limbs, that’s when it all just came together,” Lewicki said.

However, it hasn’t always been easy for her. She has experienced some setbacks throughout high school. In her sophomore year, she was diagnosed with elbow bursitis, which caused her to be out of the water for three months.

“Once I was able to swim again, I really had to figure out how to get back into the rhythm and figure out what was going to work and what wasn’t after coming back from an injury,” Lewicki said.

After recovering from her injury, Lewicki spent more than a month preparing for Leagues, her team’s biggest meet of the season. Following Leagues, she got into Junior Nationals for the first time.

Though Lewicki has accomplished so much in the pool, she doesn’t advertise it to people. “At no point does she go around and air it in any way,” girls swimming coach Melanie Beard said.

“When she’s there for high school swimming, it’s all about her teammates and having fun.”

Lewicki takes her time to be with her team and be there for them not just herself. “Even though she’s the facet, one of the fastest swimmers on our team here, she never lets it go to her head and she always respects everyone that she’s racing,” team captain Laura Zhang ‘19 said.

Most of the swimmers only swim for the Monarch team.

16 the pack

Lewicki, however, is a year round swimmer. This means that she swims for Elevation Athletics Swim Club, as well as Monarch’s swim team.

“I love Monarch,” Lewicki said. “ Everyday I go, everyone is smiling no matter the set and everyone wants to be there and get better.” Lewicki is always there to cheer on her team and vice versa.

“Our entire team at state went and watched her win her 100 yard back and we were there cheering for her when she was on her podium,” teammate Alison Cross ‘20 said.

Lewicki has set many goals herself throughout a stretch of time.

She has recently just achieved two of them. “Her goal at our home meet on January 15th was to break the 200 Individual Medley [IM] record, rebreak her 100 back record, and then take the 100 freestyle record,” Beard said.

At this home meet she achieved the 200 IM record, and broke her 100 back record.

Recently at Leagues, she placed second in the 50 yard freestyle and the 100 yard fly. Overall, the Monarch girls swim team placed fifth. In the state Katey placed 3rd overall for the 200 yard IM, and she set a Colorado state record with a 54.36 second 100 yard back.

Just keep swimming

Katey Lewicki ‘20 strives to do more than just set records

By Grant Myers, Lindsay Haight, Lincoln Roch, Brandon Phillips, Sebastian Manzanares, and Haley Breit

March 17

Although she has many short term goals, one of her long term goals is to make it the Olympics.

“I know I can make Olympic trials because I was close last summer, but it doesn’t count until this summer,” said Lewicki. “So I have this summer and next season to get to Olympic Trials.”

So will she make it to the Olympics? Once she goes through the Olympic trials, prelims are the next step. In prelims, she will have to place top two in one of the thirteen individual events and top six in the 200-meter and the 100-meter freestyle relay teams.

It is a difficult process to go through, but she continues to push to reach her goals. Lewicki’s year round coach was a big part in her decision to go for the Olympics.

Lewicki’s coach constantly pushes her to achieve her ultimate goal.

This year Lewicki is reaching for higher goals and she keeps pushing to achieve them. One of Lewicki’s goals was to get into state in all 8 individual events.

She made it into state this year not only in all 8 individual events but in all 3 of her relay teams as well.

When an athlete wins an event at state they get to walk out to a song of their choosing. “And when they bring everyone out for the event they’d walk out to that song, and when everyone is announced she’d be the last one announced.

It’s kind of any elite athlete’s dream. That’s her goal for this year,” Beard said.

If Lewicki were to have a walk out song it would be “Roar,” by Katy Perry because “I think it really represents me and how far I have come,” she said.

Even after all Lewicki has accomplished, she always values fun over anything. “My favorite meets are when all my friends and I listen to music on the bus and then we get there and we are all just in a good mood,” she said. “It would be amazing to have good swims at that meet too, but I just feel when I have fun and I’m there for myself is my best meet.”

Even though Lewicki has accomplished so much, she keeps on pushing to achieve more goals. Throughout everything, everybody is wishing her luck as she pushes and strives for the Olympics.

18 the pack

Katey swam the 100 yd backstroke in 54.36 seconds at state, setting a new Colorado record.

Katey finished in 1st place 11 times this season in various meets.

11

54.36

Lewicki’s fastest time for the 50 yard freestyle is 24:02 seconds.

The average swimmer time for the 50 yd free is 35 seconds.

24.02

23

23

Lewicki By The Numbers

Lewicki finished in 2nd place 23 times this season in various meets.

The average for the 100 yd freestyle is 1:19 minutes. Lewicki’s best time in this event is 54:93 seconds.

54.93 125.1

She finished in 3rd place twice this season in various meets.

Lewicki swam the 200 yd Individual Medley at a time of 125.1 seconds, making her one of the fastest in the state in this event.

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State Qualifiers

Congratulations to this years State qualifiers, Alison Cross ‘20, Angeline Settle ‘21, Carolyn Jewett ‘22, Celia Webster ‘22, Clare Arguijo-Boehm ‘20, Kaelan Norgard ‘22, Katey Lewicki ‘20, Laura Zhang ‘19, Maya Teaford ‘19, Megan Mitchell ‘19, Paige DiFronzo ‘21, and Randi Rens ‘19.

March 19

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March 21

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here’s an electric feeling in the air right before the start of a show. Quiet anticipation echoes through both actors and audience as they watch lights go down, curtains open, and the production begins. As months of hard work and dedication come alive on stage, the viewers are enraptured by the story.

where citizens must pay to urinate due to a massive drought. “The name is very unique,” main actor, Wyatt Lowrie 19’ said. “Urinetown isn’t a name that strikes you as something you want to see, but it pokes fun at itself and other musicals. So, it’s actually a very well written plot. It’s just the name that’s there to throw you off guard, but it’s a good story and message.”

Monarch’s theatre program presents Urinetown as the spring musical from March 14-16 at 7:00 PM with an additional 2:00 PM matinee show that will also be on March 16.

The show uses satirical elements to illuminate the importance of political awareness and the issues in today’s society, such as “the dangers of bureaucracy and capitalism, and the protection of the environment that comes with the dangers,” Lowrie said.

This year’s musical title is certainly an attention grabber.

Urinetown is a comedic and satirical show highlighting a flawed government system,

Max Murray ‘20, who portrays the hero Bobby Strong, experiences an exhilarating feeling during showtime just as much as audience members do.

“It’s great,” he said. “It always seems to go along and

everyone freaks out near the end and then in the last few days it all comes together and it always feels great, like every piece of the puzzle fitting together.”

The students take it upon themselves to make their performances memorable and dynamic. Members of the cast can be seen preparing at any given moment. They walk around the stage rehearsing their lines, practicing facial expressions, and humming the tunes of the musical’s songs.

There is rarely a moment when action is not happening at rehearsals. Students mill around, pushing props around the stage and yelling about the perfect lighting or best spot to be able to reach every single audience member.

Theatre students use their previous experiences to help them connect with their character, as well as the play.

“I’ve been doing theatre since sixth grade so six years now.

I’d say I’ve definitely had my fair share of experience. It’s not new to me, but one I love every time I come back to it,” Murray said.

The actors often rehearse at home and school, showing great commitment. Levi Spanarella ‘20 is a central character for this year’s musical. Her character is Hope Cladwell, a naive and kindhearted girl, who is the love interest of Bobby. As one of the main characters, Spanarella rehearses no matter where she is.

“I’ll rehearse my lines in the mirror because it’s just a good way to see how physically to enact them,” she said. Using

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AU DI S A E N: TO TU RI T H UM RD UR A SD Y, SH M A AY PM OWT RC , M H 1 AR I SH M CH 6 OW ES 14 AD O N : 7:0 MA 0 P CH MIS RC M W ILD SI H1 RE ON ITH : N, 6 AN SE ADU NIO LTS AD DI RS -$1 TIO ,M 0 ILI NA TA L2 RY, :00 methods like rehearsing in ST UD a mirror will help the actors EN perform their absolute best.

TS -$7 It’s their goal, reaching everybody in the crowd, that drives the actors and crew to pour themselves out on stage. For those hours during the week that they rehearse, they belong to the play. “We have rehearsal every day for around two to three hours. Not everyone is asked to be there every day, though. So, I would say on average, each person spends probably six to eight hours a week,” Lowrie said.

On Saturdays, each member of the play is encouraged to spend hours on tech in order to sculpt the most meaningful show. Although everybody must contribute to the the tech, there are specific people that must take charge, someone having a specialty in each area.

Gregory Bell ‘21 works as both an actor and a part of the crew. “I enjoy both acting and doing tech, and I’m lucky enough on this production to be doing both acting and lighting,” he said. “I have to say acting is my favorite, just because I’ve been doing it for significantly longer, and acting is the entire reason I got into theatre.”

Tech is an imperative piece of any theatre program, working with meticulous care everyday to ensure the show comes together seamlessly.

Every minute of work that the crew dedicates in order to compliment the performers makes a lasting imprint to the final product. “As we get closer to the show, it’ll be six days a week lighting and acting,” Bell said. “It feels nice to be apart of the artistic team that is bringing the entire show to life,” he said.

By the end of rehearsals, tech meets, and long hours of labor, the actors and crew have reached their objective of recreating Urinetown. No matter who it is, everyone’s role is important, from fixing the lighting to spinning their co-actor around on stage in a chair. Practices are spent memorizing their cues, lines, or helping to craft the perfect prop for the audience members to enjoy. Each person and piece is essential for the production of a musical.

DID YOU KNOW...

The show first appeared at the New York International Fringe Festival in 1999.

Urinetown was one of the first shows to successfully transition from Fringe to Broadway.

Urinetown earned 10 Tony nominations and went on to be awarded three, including Best Book, Best Original Score, and Best Direction.

Urinetown is actually a book-based show. Author Greg Kotis not only wrote the book, but also helped write the lyrics.

March 23

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ILC

A look into the Intensive Learning Center program

by Haley Breit, Ruby Cervantes, Jonah Speyer, and India Turner The ILC isn’t a place. The ILC is a bunch of places. The ILC is students coming together to serve coffee in the Student Center with smiles plastered across their faces.

It’s Unified basketball tournaments. And it’s constant laughter, no matter what. The ILC is a safe haven in a school of 1800 students.

The acronym ILC stands for Intensive Learning Center, but it’s more than just that. ILC stands for kindness and acceptance, a group of students and teachers caring and supporting each other. It stands for teamwork and encouragement, a diverse group of students working with teachers and administration to create an adaptive, accessible learning environment for all.

“Everyone has incredible qualities about them, and I want people to focus on the positive and what students can do rather than what they might not be able to do,” special education teacher Jennifer Cohen said. “It’s a program, not a placement. A student is not in ILC. They use ILC services to help them get support in other areas.” At Monarch, the ILC creates a unique learning experience for students who access the program with classes, such as Unified P.E., Unified Theater, and job opportunities in the school.

There are actually two sides to the ILC programs. One side works with students on the autism spectrum. “The other side of the program has students with multiple disabilities, such as cognitive or physical, and everything in between,” Ms. Cohen said.

MOHI Perk, an ILC student-run coffee shop located in the Student Center, is an opportunity to gain skills through interaction and real world experiences.This work space allows the students to develop better

communication skills and practice good work ethic.

ILC students have, relatively, the same schedule as their peers. “Their schedule depends on what they’re interested in. It also depends on what they’re working on. Sometimes they have additional support, sometimes they don’t,” Ms. Cohen said.

This program has a multitude of supporters including, the school administration. ”[Principal Neil] Anderson has probably been the biggest supporter of making MOHI Perk happen and making sure that we went through the right hoops and that he spoke to the right people and made sure we had the right materials,” Ms. Cohen explained.

“Student mentors also help support the ILC program and work alongside [students] so that they [ILC students] can model what an appropriate social interaction looks like,” said Ms. Cohen. Students can see “what appropriate things are in a natural setting and have conversations with students, rather than an adult constantly telling [them] what to do.”

Without this program, students’ needs would get lost in a sea of faces. Thankfully, Monarch does have the ILC, which paves a path of success for each and every one of its students. “I think that, with any department, it provides things that students need. If a student needs extra support to take notes, somebody will help them figure out how to do that. [...] We kind of help navigate students through a building of 1800 students where it’s super overwhelming,” Ms. Cohen said.

Not only is this department a safe place for students, but a place students learn, grow, and become amazing adults who are ready to take the world by storm.

March 25

Unified PE

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Block day field trips, Friday “Just Dance” contests, Ninja Warrior Battles and many more fun activities all go hand in hand with the Unified PE class here at Monarch. Students in the ILC program participate in a unified soccer tournament with other schools, and Jennifer Dixon has even “put on a bowling tournament in BVSD for Unified,” special education teacher Jennifer Cohen said.

The diverse activities make sure the class is never boring.

“Sometimes we play dodgeball, which can be fun... we play floor hockey... [or] just get to walk around the gym,” Ryan Danekind ‘19 said.

When it is nice, students, walk the track, throw frisbees and play soccer. On some block days, the class even holds scavenger hunts in the mall.

This class brings joy to every single person involved, and nothing but smiles and laughs fill the gym every fifth period.

H Y S E D M E

N T O R

A growing program

“I’m definitely a huge Broncos fan [so] I might work at the Broncos stadium. I’m gonna be a football ref one day... and I might even ref NFL.“ - Ryan Danekind ‘19 26 the pack

For the first time in Coach Jennifer Dixon’s four years teaching Unified PE, there were enough mentors to have two semesters of this uplifting class.

“We had over 50 mentors sign up,” Dixon said.

These mentors’ jobs are to support and help lead these students everyday. They’ve created strong friendships and made unforgettable memories together.

“It’s not just us teaching them, they teach us so many new things everyday,” Isabelle Dugan ‘21 said, who’s been a part of the class since August.

“My favorite part is the friendships you develop with them,” she said. “They’re just like everyone else. They simply just need a little extra help.”

For Noa Greene ‘21, it hits a little closer to home. “I live with a sister who has high functioning autism,” she said. “These kids are still teaching me so much about life every second I spend with them.” Being a part of the program since January has given Greene a new understanding for people with special needs and has allowed her to see a different side of a life that isn’t much different from her own sister’s.

“They [ILC students] teach you more than you could learn in a math class,” Amanda Dombek ‘21 said. “They teach you how to work with other people and how to be inclusive.”

All three girls said their sole mission is to destigmatize the idea that students in ILC are less capable than everyone else. “Being with them for the first five minutes in the class, I learned they can do just as much, and even above and beyond what other people can do,” Dombek said. “They have such a different perspective and take on life than everyone else does, it opens your eyes to a lot of things.”

These mentors are passionate about what they do. “Awareness and education are the first steps to building an inclusive community,” Greene said.

Breaking barriers The ability to become a policeman, a baker, or a princess allows people to build a new world. “It’s just like Theater 2, but in a unified environment,” mentor Grateful Beckers ‘20 said.

Advanced theater students mentor those who use the ILC program to create works of art.

Every student is an essential part of theater productions as each person is a unique character that adds something to the storyline. After all, you can’t perform Beauty and the Beast without the prince. When even one character is removed, the magic of a production falls to pieces.

The same is true of the people. Students who use the ILC program and those who don’t together fill the classroom with a cast of different personalities, contributing their unique verse.

Special Education teacher Ms. Jennifer Cohen and theater teacher Ms. Gwendolyn LukasDoctor co-teach the new class. “[It] incorporates a lot of peer support and peer mentors to work alongside, so that they can model what an appropriate social interaction looks like,” Ms. Cohen said.

The class breaks barriers between people by creating a unified class where everyone can learn from each other. “I enjoy it because I like the idea that theater is for everyone,” Beckers said. “It’s better to be in a world where you’re not afraid to be with people different than you.”

T H E A T E R “I feel like I’m more aware from taking this class.

I definitely feel more mindful of myself and even more empathic.”

-Grateful Beckers ‘20

Real world skills Monday to Friday, periods one to four, ILC students serve hot drinks in the Student Center while wearing their MOHI Perk Coffee t-shirts.

This is a program that gives students the opportunity to gain skills they can use in the real world. “A lot of students, when they leave here, are not college bound... but they’re going into the community. We want to provide skills that students can use in the community,” Ms. Jennifer Cohen said.

MOHI Perk allows students to interact with their peers, learn how to work in the coffee business and it even teaches them how to interview for future jobs. “The students actually wrote resumes and cover letters,” Ms. Cohen said. “They researched the positions, interviewed for the job and actually went through a training process.”

M O H I P E R KK Support MOHI Perk every day periods one through four in the student center!

March 27

CHANGES IN THE SCHOOL How we would make Monarch better

Students shouldn’t take more than one AP class

I cannot count how many times I have heard my friends say, “Oh my gosh, I am so stressed because of my AP classes.”

The truth is, many high schoolers are stressing themselves to the maximum for AP classes. A high school student shouldn’t take more than one AP class because the stress can be unbearable.

Many of my friends who are taking more than one AP class sometimes have no time to sleep or have a social life because they are too stressed about their grades. Some of these classes look good on college applications, but it is not worth losing sleep over.

Lacking a social life or having poor sleep schedule is not good for mental health, and it is not worth it for a class that most likely won’t matter in the future.

-Lindsay Haight

Teacher evaluations should be done by students

It is important for administration to get teacher evaluations from a new angle, and students are the answer. All students should evaluate their teachers on how they teach, since they’re with their teachers 172 days a year. In these 172 days, they will get a sense of how of good a teacher really is. Students will have the opportunity to speak their mind and have the chance to tell the administration what a teacher is doing well or what they need to improve on. There may be some bias on a teacher, but the majority of the class will give admin a sense on how a teacher is teaching. Administration should have students evaluate teachers because the students can give the most realistic evaluation.

-Grant Myers

Speed limit should be increased on Campus Drive

Every morning, it seems another car has been pulled over on Campus Drive, but is the problem how fast people are driving, or the limit itself? Kids aren’t walking down the road, and there’s no sidewalk past the K-8. Yet it’s still stuck as a school zone with a limit of 20 mph.

With no one really following the speed limit, except 40-yearold moms and newly licensed 16-year-olds, the speed limit only causes frustration and encourages dangerous driving with cars constantly having to pass and change lanes.

Speed limits for neighborhoods where kids play in the street are 25 miles an hour. A rural road with heavy traffic should not be five miles slower.

-Lincoln Roch

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Teachers should be politically neutral We’ve all had those teachers who make comments. They’ll throw shade about hot topics and political issues, such as Trump’s wall, in class. While they can’t be blamed for having an opinion, they should keep it out of their job. Not all kids share their opinion, and it can alienate kids who don’t have the same views as the teacher. It can also make kids more reluctant to go to their teachers for help. In addition to potentially causing a divide between teachers and their students, politics don’t have a place in the classroom. Students don’t come to school to learn about what their teachers think about so-and-so politician. They come to learn the facts about what the class is actually about.

-Lia Farrell

College doesn’t matter There is a certain expectation set for students nowadays that I struggle with. I am a student who worked hard for four years straight and ended with a high GPA, but college is not the route I am taking. I will be attending cosmetology school this fall, and I am confident in my ability to succeed through something I love.

There’s a certain standard that everyone should attend college after high school, and although this may be true for some people, there are many students who follow different paths to reach success. I admire people who reach their goals by doing what they love and not following the norm.

If someone is truly determined, they don’t need a degree to show it.

-Jamie Thompson

Standardized testing doesn’t define knowledge

As high schoolers, the importance of standardized tests in our education system has been ingrained in our brains excessively.

One of the major criteria colleges look at is a student’s score on the SAT or ACT, and a bad score can damage the chances of getting into quality schools. So much is riding on the ability to test well, but this expectation is not realistic.

Standardized test scores do not define intelligence. These tests only cater to the students who test well. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses in school. Someone with high testing skills could be terrible at presentations or vice versa. Standardized tests do not take into account the students who may think more creatively than logically. Not everyone thinks the same way, and our potential as students should not be determined by our ability to think identically.

-Amelia Krueger

VOTING AGE Should 16-year-olds be given the right to cast their ballots?

Taking matters into our own hands There has been talk about the voting age being lowered to 16 to accomodate a younger voice in the voting system and allow minors to have a say in who gets to be in charge of our government.

Many 16- and 17-year-olds today have a view on where they stand politically. That is why the voting age should be lowered.

For instance, it would keep people who are not fit enough to run the country from

becoming President. I disagree with some of the political actions made by President Trump and people high up in the government. For instance, the government shutdown over a stupid wall.

Although the teenagers can’t do anything about the current situation, we would be able to help in the future to keep things from happening the same way as they have been.

However, there are some concerns. Like the concern

We don’t know everything March 1971, the height of the U.S. conflict in Vietnam.

Congress overwhelmingly passes Amendment 26 to the United States Constitution, allowing anyone between 18-20 to vote in local and national elections.

The driving force behind this was the thousands of 18-yearolds who were being drafted into military service, yet didn’t have a say in their government back home.

In November of 2018, the Washington D.C. City Council introduced a bill to lower the

voting age to 16. This bill was indefinitely delayed, meaning unless the votes change, the bill will die.

As teens, we think we know everything, or we at least like to think we know what’s happening that will affect us.

However, I would disagree.

This year it was announced that the starting time for BVSD would be pushed back to 8:30.

How many of us knew about this change before the outrage hit? Truthfully?

Now imagine if we can’t even be aware of something

By Lindsay Haight

about the influence parents have on their kids’ political decisions. Most 16-year-olds are already on their way to figuring out what works for them politically.

Although teenagers could be influenced by their parents politically, 16-year-olds are growing into their own political views. Some teenagers already know where they stand on political issues today. The current political atmosphere is screwing up the future for kids

in my generation.

But by the time we turn 18, the next Presidential election will be past us. And another bad president could be elected, screwing up the future for their generation.

This is why the voting age should be lowered. Because there are some questionable people that the Democratic and Republican parties have chosen to be their candidates. I just don’t want another adult to screw my future up.

By Brandon Phillips happening so close to us?

How can we be responsible for something as serious as deciding laws, much less a presidential election?

Some may say that the human brain doesn’t fully mature until 25, so 18-year-olds are still technically immature.

But those 18-year-olds in the 1970’s were beings drafted into Vietnam, we’re not.

There’s also balancing taxes, paying rent, and just living.

18-year-olds have to deal with real life while still living with our parents.

Also, 18-29 year olds in the 2016 presidential election didn’t have the best turnout ratios either. 43% voted compared to 77% of 45-59 year olds, according to Election Project. We won’t be much better. So what’s the point in going through the time and energy and money to make a law that won’t be of any use.

As teens most of us aren’t simply interested enough, or involved in our government enough, to make large impacting decisions for our country.

March 29

CLASSISM

BY SAVANNAH GRIFFIS

Words hurt, but money hurts more

Money. Sometimes it feels as if I’m taunted by it. Like a cat with string, I’m drawn to money, but upon further inspection, the string curls itself to something-- a bougie Monarch student walking onto the school grounds, wearing Fila Slides and ready to strut.

Not just walking into school wearing an item you enjoy, but showing it off in every way possible.

When you wear a Patagonia jacket, I can sympathize. It’s cold and they keep you warm, but when you refuse to take it off during class because it messes up your “fit,” you have a problem. When you make fun of someone for having an Android over an iPhone you have a problem.

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying an item you have, but to ridicule and mock someone for not having that item is a whole other topic. This cat and string game is all based on one thing: classism.

At this school, not a day goes by that someone is not judged by the amount of income their family makes.

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I’ve been able to see it from the idea that having things both perspectives. One of my such as free lunch or getting parents is on the wealthier side help to pay for that field trip and is able to for provide me. makes you a freeloader. This On the other hand, I can see puts those kids down and how my other parent struggles makes them not want to use to even get by. While one of something given to them that my parents can take me out to was supposed to help them dinner to celebrate, the other and their family. has to put her kids on free Almost everyday I see people lunch just so take their daythey don’t to-day items starve for the for granted day. Some or complain “Although I students about how their understand aren’t as parents won’t lucky, spend all of the issue isn’t though. their money just the “rich” When I on a new $300 go down to Patagonia jacket, making fun my lunch while other of the “poor”, spot without kids do their food because shopping sprees no matter I’m too at Salvation which side embarrassed Army. to get free Prejudice you’re on, lunch, against there’s always knowing I’ve something as been made ridiculous as prejudice.” fun of before, how many green I don’t feel bills you have included. is something I feel like I so incompetent should transfer out of here that it should not be tolerated just so I have people that are anywhere. Many Louisville accepting. and Superior families are Students like to toss around wealthy, but the amount of money you have shouldn’t determine your attitude. The least fortunate person could have a golden and positive outlook on life. You just can’t see past the price of their shoes.

Now, there is absolutely nothing wrong with wearing something you want to wear or having an item you want to have, and you should

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never be judged for it, no matter who you are. Upper class people can be victims, too. It’s just rarer. If someone judges another student just for spending money that they’re not showing off, then it’s just as bad as bragging about how much money you have.

We as a school need to stop being so judgmental and harsh to people who are trying to express themselves by whatever means. So, how do we stop this? It’s simple.

See something you don’t like?

See something that makes you upset solely because you don’t have it?

Deal with it.

If you see someone walking in the hallway, getting talked about for what they’re wearing, help the kid out. I know not everyone has the motivation or confidence to stand up for this, but we as a school shouldn’t let this judgement happen. You don’t have to take action right then and there, but console the kid after it happens. Students have normalized this type of harassment, but this hurts the pride of others. By including someone regardless of their economic status, you’re making a difference.

This is an unjust action and should be taken seriously by the students here. So, if you were to go around spitting your self-worth onto others by hurtful words or actions, start apologizing. This habit will be passed on to the younger generation and we need to stop it before it becomes a habit in children.

THE DISREGARDED EPIDEMIC Why you don’t need alcohol to be happy

OPINION OF THE PACK EDITORIAL BOARD

high school might seem apt or age. One in every 13 adults completely over the top. So, deals with alcohol abuse or to make things clearer, here alcoholism, but if you start are the stats. Thirty percent drinking before the age of 15, of people 12 to 21 had some you are four times more likely alcohol within the last 30 days, to be dependent on alcohol. and 14% of students 12 to 21 Your likelihood of addiction binge drank (5+ drinks for a multiplies again if all of your man in two hours, 4+ for a friends are heavy drinkers. woman in two hours) in the It’s not that you should never last month, have a drop according of alcohol to the Youth in your Risk Behavior entire life.

Survey.

Alcohol itself An epidemic is not evil.

“If you drink is defined as However, every Friday an infectious there is a disease. reason there night at a party, Drinking are age you may not be alcohol isn’t, restrictions at least in a on drinking. an alcoholic, medical sense, The adult but you are contagious; brain is able it can’t be to cope with dependent on “caught” drinking in a substance to through a moderation, cough or can have a make you happy a sneeze. drink every or to escape.”

However, now and who you again. Teens spend time do not have with is who this same you become. capability In that sense, and every alcohol negative spreads like effect alcohol an infection. has on adults Just as you is magnified pick up your for those who friends’ are underage. mannerisms In the and sayings, United you pick up their habits and States, 1.7 million, one in pastimes. The more time you every 50 teens, is on the street, spend with people who drink according to the Department or binge-drink, the more likely of Justice. Up to 70% of you are to “catch” the common homeless teens abuse drugs addiction. and alcohol and are two to Even ignoring the fact that three times more likely to alcohol consumption for abuse alcohol than the average minors is illegal, there are teen. This isn’t to suggest countless other problems with that one drink will make you starting to drink at a young homeless or to suggest that a

“

The speaker blasts music from the corner, shaking the floor as people jump and sing along. Drunken smiles beam from people’s faces as the alcohol flows. As you pass through the crowd, you see a sea of familiar faces, with just enough new ones to make it exciting. It’s a celebration of making it through the week. At the end of the night, everyone leaves with a smile on their face and a mess to clean up in the morning. It’s a high school party on a Friday night.

His head pounds. Every time his coach shouts or a ball hits the backboard it feels like he’s been pummeled in the head by the basketball he dribbles down the court. Practice ends.

His teammates yell, talking over each other and clapping him on the back. All he wants to do is go home. It’s the morning after a high school party on a Friday night.

She wakes up to a buzz on her phone. Flipping it over, she expects a notification telling her she’s been tagged in a photo from last night. Instead, she finds a text from her friend in all caps saying, “HOW COULD YOU SAY THOSE THINGS ABOUT ME?” What had seemed clever and cutting to say last night seemed cruel this morning. It’s the morning after a high school party on a Friday night.

She drives home. Her head is muddled, but her parents will get home soon and she needs to get there first. The car drifts towards a pole as she loses focus and she swerves, narrowly missing it. It’s the morning after a high school party on a Friday night.

Depending on what circle you run in, using the word epidemic for alcohol use in

STAFF EDITORIAL

single drink will destroy your life. This is to suggest that when alcohol is used to help escape mental illness, stress, or family problems, it pulls you in deeper, and makes your circumstances worse, not better.

It’s not easy to handle stress, especially in high school. The stress of tests and college and peer pressure and fitting in builds until it becomes a tsunami of pressure coming at you that you just want to escape. However, the negatives of drinking in high school outweigh the positive release of dopamine, which can be achieved in many other ways.

If you drink every Friday night at a party, you may not be an alcoholic, but you are dependent on a substance to make you happy or to escape.

The negative effects of alcohol are unpreventable, but the positive effects can be replicated without alcohol. By eating foods rich in tyrosine, like avocados, cheese and chicken, exercising, and being around family and friends, you can increase your levels of dopamine, and replace alcohol in your life.

Be confident in your ability to be happy without the help of a drug and surround yourself with people that make you confident enough that you don’t need alcohol. It’s not that you can’t ever drink alcohol, but don’t be dependent on it.

Don’t drink every week just to escape high school. Even if it doesn’t seem like it, you are strong and intelligent and creative enough to live a life without alcohol, and still be happy.

March 31

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