The Pack - Vol. 21, Issue 9 by The Mix - The Student Voice of Monarch High School

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PAST MIDNIGHT EVERY NIGHT

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Last month you took a survey. This is what you said

Students are

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ain that you haven’t read all of this because these are just the rantings of a random sixteen year old

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The Student Voice of Monarch High School

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NO ONE SEEMS

we’re pushed to be perfect little barbie dolls

I love this school, but I’ve grown to hate the people because nobody has the decency to care anym e

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329 Campus Dr.│Louisville, Colorado│ 80027 Volume 21 Issue 9 struggling April 2019 WE FEEL LIKE WE’RE ON OUR OWN

Table of CONTENTS April 2019 Volume 21, Issue 9

BACK IN BIZ DECA kids take on Nationals

SCRUMS Ruby looks to claim State again

IF THE DRESS FITS What Prom 2019 is all about

THE MANSONS An inside look at these talented siblings

THE ANSWERS

MAGA?

Your voice was heard in counseling survey

Is Donald Trump a good president?

BE AWARE Climate change is legit

Seek CONNECTION By India Turner Editor-in-Chief Last month, many of us took a survey, about 905 students took it to be exact. It asked how we were feeling about teachers, about school, about the ups-and-downs that make up high school. So, I started to look around my class of about twenty people. The statistics suggested that two of the students around me needed help with eating disorders, ten were anxious because of school, and six wanted help with depression. And so many of these people were struggling alone without a teacher, student, or counselor to talk to. I was horrified, but not surprised. Every day, I hear people saying, “I just want to run away,” “I was up until midnight last night,” and “I. Am. So. Stressed.” I do it myself, joking that instead of dealing with the pressure of grades and AP classes, I’m just going to “run away to Italy and work in a coffee shop for the rest of my life,” free of stress, free of pressure. Yes, I feel stressed, like most of the time. But then my best friend hands me a note telling me to have an amazing day, my teacher asks me how my dance competition went, and I sit with my friend for an hour in the back of her red Tacoma truck in J-lot, talking about that assignment we had no idea how to start. It is connection that keeps us going. (All I can think about while writing this is “Connection”, by OneRepublic, so if you want to listen to it while reading this, go right ahead. Flip this magazine over, pull out your AirPods, and get comfortable.) In the last issue, I talked about how important it was to find balance, to take time to do things simply because they are fun. But just as important is to take time with friends, parents, teachers, and counselors to talk about the stuff that isn’t so fun. To talk to them about stress, about friend problems, about mental health. Having people in your life that are around to do the fun stuff: the video games, the bowling, the dress shopping, is important. But the ones who stick around to hear about all the bad stuff- all the stress and self-doubt, are the people that we all need the most. If I took one thing away from the survey, it’s that we need to make more meaningful connections with people. This doesn’t solve everything. Students will still be struggling with depression and eating disorders and substance abuse, but countless students said that above all, they needed someone to talk to about these issues. They needed someone who could help them. The second thing I took away is that the school created a survey asking us about our well-being because they care. They talked to us about covering the survey and are brainstorming ways to help students, because they care. It’s not a lack of care from teachers and administration that caused this problem, but a lack of connection between people at Monarch. There are connections throughout the school: student to student, teacher to student, teacher to administrator. But there aren’t enough. The survey is real, and its results an everyday reality for most students. Administration is ready for change and students need change, so the only thing left is deciding what we are going to do about it. Not what the students of Monarch are going to do, not what the teachers or administration or counselors of Monarch are going to do, but what we, the people of Monarch, are going to do. Seek connection, India Turner, Editor-in-Chief

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 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

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

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

Back in business

DECA students qualify for International Conference in Florida By Lindsay Haight

When it comes to DECA, nobody touches Monarch. Twenty-five out of the 80 students who competed at the State DECA Conference at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs on Feb. 23-26 qualified for the International Conference in Florida. The International Conference, or ICDC, is very difficult to get into. “There are two ways you can qualify, by role play or written event,” second place qualifier Leah Pring ‘20 said. The competitors present their project to a set of judges. If they place in the top ten, they have to present one more time, and the top five make it to ICDC. Students had a wide range of emotions when they found out they won. “My first thought when I got the news that I made finals was, ‘Why can’t I just go back to sleep,’” first place qualifier Steven Langer ‘19 said. Pring, however, reacted differently. “It’s awesome,” she said. “Last year, I didn’t qualify for my manual, so I made it my mission to do everything I could to qualify this year.”

There are many events that students can qualify in to get to ICDC. For instance, Human Resources Management, community service projects, and independent business plans. Langer placed first in Human Resources Management, Pring placed second in Independent Business Plan, and Julia Kubiak ‘20 placed third in Team Community Service Project. There are many skills to learn from these events. “[DECA] teaches me speaking skills because we weren’t able to see our poster board, so we’d have to memorize it and know which side we’re on,” Kubiak said. Despite the skills, there are many challenges that also come with the events. “Some of the prompts are pretty challenging to come up with creative solutions to, so you really have to be able to think outside the box,” Langer said. These students continue to work hard to improve their products as they head off to their International Conference on April 26-29. April 5

In the

Zone

The unavoidable truth that is the Friend Zone By Sebastian Manzanares The “friend-zone” has always been a high school boy’s worst nightmare. Our grandfathers used to travel long distances (on foot) with flowers and chocolates in hand just to impress the girl of their dreams. Upon arrival, they would pour their hearts and souls into this woman at her doorway. Her response? A slammed door in his face. These days, boys will shoot their shot with a girl online. No matter how hard they try, no matter how charming, caring, and lovable they try to be, a girl’s response is always the same: “Awww thx buddy <3” Crushing. An unavoidable sinking feeling will take place in your stomach. It’s almost like a breakup without ever dating. There have been reports of a fellow brother getting out of the friend zone, but has it actually ever happened? Boys have learned that a girl has not, and never will, admit that she let a boy escape from the friend zone. In fact, in almost all situations, the boy will jump at the chance

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to say he scratched, clawed, and fought his way out of the zone, only for the girl to shoot down his claim by stating that she always liked him the way she does now. Everybody except for some of the boy’s closest friends will believe the girl. So, does a boy ever truly get out of the friend zone? This has been a burdensome question since before our grandfathers with an undisclosed answer. The correct answer may surprise us one day. Unfortunately, the truth may not excite us, brothers.

Happiest place on Earth

Paddock embraces his inner Mickey Mouse

By Sebastian Manzanares One of the first things students realize when they enter math teacher Mr. Aaron Paddock’s room is the collage of Disney images on his wall, directly under his whiteboard. More likely than not, they wonder where Mr. Paddock’s Disney obsession came from. “When I was in seventh grade, my parents took me to Disneyland, and I fell in love with it,” Mr. Paddock said. As a coach for the Monarch football team, Mr. Paddock takes his team to Florida to play against another team every other year. In turn, they get a trip to Disney World. “With every time, you get to see somebody experience it for the first time, and it’s like you’re seeing it for the first time,” he said. He lives for the moment that he could spread the joy of a Disney theme park or watch a young person experience the happiness that it brings for the first time. For Mr. Paddock, Disney truly is the happiest place on Earth.

Slice,

Stick,

Simple.

Four foolproof life hacks

In her jeans

By Jamie Thompson

Lydia Buckman ‘20 is the definition of a fashion statement. Her confident personality allows her to express herself through her clothing. From her squeaky leather pants to her knee high gogo boots, she rocks every outfit she puts on. “What inspires my fashion are various Instagram models and my sister,” Buckman said. “My sister and I are always showing each other new clothes that we like.” Fashion allows everyone to express themselves in many different ways. “My style portrays my personality because I don’t really care if a lot of people judge the way I look and I sometimes have a different outlook on things,” she said. “To like my clothes and style, you have to have a different outlook.”

Stick with it “The stickers just represent things I like and do. Vans and Patagonia are material brands that I just really like and they are cool stickers.” -Mathew Orr ‘21

“It’s cool because some stickers you get because you like them or they serve as a way to carry past memories. I find it satisfying.” -Olivia Killian ‘21

“It’s a sign of individuality, and it allows you to express your interests in a non-verbal way. It makes my days interesting.” -Samm Goen ‘21

1. 2.

It’s well known that clamshell plastic packs are the hardest things to open. To pry them open without seriously injuring yourself is nearly impossible. Use a can opener along the edges. If you’re getting takeout but don’t want frigid food by the time you get home, turn on your seat warmer to keep your food hot while driving.

6 3.

To avoid having to pay way too much for a new phone charger every few months, use a spring from a pen to keep your charger cord from bending and breaking.

If you’ve got a jacket that looks really good but has a zipper that is determined to never work, rub the zipper teeth that are stuck with a nonmechanical pencil to fix them.

April 7

What’s good? By Grant Myers

School’s almost out Good news! There are only 22 days of school left. You’ve almost survived the whole year. You just have to make it through a couple more tests and finals. This isn’t the time to slack but the time to push because summer is right around the corner. Just push through those last 22 school days, and summer will surely be a reward.

Standardized Tests Are Over Good news! Standardized tests are finally over. You can now relax and not worry about the dreaded SAT hanging over your head or having to come in for the CMAS tests. For the juniors, it’s time to start to look into colleges, if you haven’t yet done so.

Sports Teams On The Rise

Good news! Monarch sports teams are playing at the highest level right now. Boys hockey just won a national championship, girls soccer is doing great and boys baseball is starting to heat up. Almost all of Monarch sports teams are playing at their highest level

Debate for the win By Lincoln Roch

Monarch’s speech and debate team sent five students to the State Tournament and will send one student to Nationals. This is the most the team has sent in recent years. Jack McKinstry ‘21 and Cameron Parker ‘21 competed in Public Forum Debate, Jessica Eyeson ‘21 in National Extemporaneous Speaking, and Elizabeth Eyeson ‘19 and Ethan Wearner ‘19 in International Extemporaneous Speaking. “As a three-time state qualifier, I’m confident saying each team did extraordinarily well for their first time,” Wearner said. Wearner heads to Nationals in Public Forum Debate, as well.

Which subject

should YOU teach? Introvert or extrovert?

Introvert

Would you rather stay inside or go out with friends? Inside Social Studies 8 the pack

Friends

World Language

Extrovert

Would you rather read a book or watch shows on Netflix? Books

Language Arts

Shows Math & Science

Boettcher

than the rest Monarch students become finalists for scholarship By Amelia Krueger Reese Kelly ‘19 and Morgan Martin ‘19 made it into the finals for the Boettcher scholarship. Created by the Boettcher family as a way of encouraging some of Colorado’s brightest young minds to stay in the state, 42 students are chosen annually from Colorado high schools and are given a full ride scholarship to a long list of colleges in Colorado. The Boettcher scholarship is one of the most prestigious scholarships in Colorado and has been around since 1952. It works to help jumpstart careers and recipients of the scholarship receive complete financial support, as well as access to alumni. Over 1500 students apply annually, which is then cut down to 100 finalists, and, from that 100, the 42 students are selected. Kelly and Martin went through the long interview process for this opportunity to see if they could make it to the top 42 students. “It was a panel interview and it was based on my application so all the panelists looked at my application and asked questions based on the things I’m involved in. It was about 15 minutes long and then I talked to the director and she asked me a few questions,” Kelly said about the finalist interview process. While both Kelly and Martin made it to the finalists, neither of them made it into the top 42. Martin is an alternate, which means that, in the event of one of the selected 42 not using the scholarship, she is in the pool of students who can fill that spot. If she does, she plans to use the scholarship to go to one of Colorado’s great colleges. “I’m not sure where yet because there are so many options, and there’s no wrong option,” she said.

Adopt your best friend By Jonah Speyer and Estella Barrett

Meet Jelly

This cute and loving dog is named Jelly. She is 3 years old. This dog is located at the Longmont Humane Society and has been there for a little over three months. Jelly does not get along well with other dogs or cats, but works well for families with kids.

Meet Hocus

She is 5 years old and has been at the Longmont Humane Society for a little over five months. She is now looking for a stable and permanent home to live. Hocus loves to be around people and is very lovable.

Find out more information about these loving animals at the Longmont Humane Society website: longmonthumane.org. Photos courtesy of the Longmont Humane Society.

April 9

THE PROWL Highlighting Monarch athletes and their hunt for victory

Underdogs stay on top Rugby looks for another championship By Lincoln Roch

In their first four seasons, Monarch boys rugby went from a single win to being state champions. Now in their sixth season, they plan on continuing their success story. The team was founded six years ago as a division three team. “We were at the bottom of the barrel,” team captain Rami Elnasser ‘19 said. Former head coach Chris Hansen elaborated on the early struggles for the team. “The first year we won one game, and we had mostly freshmen and a few sophomores,” he said. The following year, division three dissolved and joined division two. The Monarch team would spend two years in

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this division, first winning half of their games. The next year, their third as a team, they made it farther. “Our third year, we made the finals for division two and lost in a tight game,” current head coach Dan Schlesinger said. This allowed them to move into division one. Their first year in division one, they got their biggest win. “In 2017, we won the state title in an overtime game against East High School,” Schlesinger said. Last year, they ended their season by placing third at State, solidifying their status as one of the best teams in Colorado. Now to keep their success, they’re focusing on the basics. “The number

one thing is they need to be a team,” Hansen said. “They need to do everything together. Train together, stay committed, have some fun, but do everything as a team.” In rugby, teamwork is a key factor. “You could have 15 of the best rugby athletes in the world playing rugby, but if they aren’t playing as a team they won’t win a game. We could have players that are mediocre athletes that play as a team, and they’ll win,” Hansen said. The coaches goals’ for this season didn’t focus on wins but improving as a team. The players, though, have a different idea. “We’re striving for state championships again this year, but we’ll see,” Rami

Rivalry Alert

The must see game of the spring

By Grant Myers

The girls soccer team will take the field against 49th ranked Legacy on May 25 at the Monarch turf. The Coyotes and Lightning have always been two of the best teams in the Front Range League, so, naturally, this will be a great game. This game could also have a say in who wins the Front Range League, so it is imperative that the girls team comes ready to play and beat Legacy. Come support your 16th ranked Coyotes as they play the 49th ranked Legacy Lightning at 6:00 p.m. on May 25.

Anything can happen

Four hot predictions for spring sports

By Grant Myers

Yulim Kim ‘20 will shoot under 82 three times for girls golf. The team will play in at least twelve tournaments, so she will have plenty of chances to do this. However, some of the courses the team will play are tough, so she will have to bring her best stuff. Luke Martin ‘19 will hit six home runs during the baseball season. Martin has pop in his bat, and there is no other way to put it. If he gets enough plate appearances, he can definitely leave the yard six or more times.

3 4

Girls tennis will qualify at least three teams in the state tournament. The girls tennis team is made up of young talent, lead by Marina Youngdahl ‘21. This young team will be looking to prove that they have top talent, and the qualifying three teams will prove this. Girls soccer team will finish in the top 15 in the state. The team has a notable amount of college level talent. This will translate well onto the field and hopefully make them one of the best teams in Colorado.

Life on the bench

What it means to live life on the bench By Sebastian Manzanares and Grant Myers

One of the hardest things for any studentathlete is sitting on the bench. Benchwarmers spend their time waiting on the sideline. Waiting for their shot at glory, or even a little recognition. These players can play a much larger role than most people see. Most coaches always talk about having a positive bench presence. Players on the bench can contribute a positive bench energy, and this can uplift teams during their hardest times. Nick Santman ‘19 aims to provide a lift to his teammates. “During games, I try and have a positive energy on the bench because it not only gets the team more involved in the game, but it also prepares all of the other guys on the bench in case they get into the game,” he said. “It also pumps up the starters more, which makes them play more focused and in turn better.” Providing a positive energy on the bench is

very important to a team because it not only helps the starters stay focused on the game, but it also helps the other players on the bench stay in the game. “Sometimes the kids who you don’t expect to do much come off the bench and save a game,” Santman said. “I’ve played in games where the kid who doesn’t have the most talent in the world comes in and makes a game saving play. Those are some of the best moments.” Bench players contribute much more to a team than meets the eye. These players help the starters get better in practice whether it’s holding blocking dummies or constantly running the bases so the starting baseball team can get practice with real life situations. These players are what hold a team together and are more important than people think. April 11

Once upon a prom Everything you need to know about prom

The Cinderella moment Finding the perfect dress By Jamie Thompson It’s that time of the year again where every girl is on a mission to find the perfect date, to make that fancy dinner reservation, and to book that huge limo… But let’s be honest. It’s all about the dress. From lace to satin to silk, from halter to strapless to strappy, there is a gown made for every girl out there. “Shopping for dresses is so much fun, but it can also be super stressful. You want to make sure you find the perfect one,” Hanna Spracklin ‘19 said. It’s not a quick or easy process, There will be dress after dress until that very moment when one just clicks. It’s the Cinderella moment. Her eyes light up. A huge smile appears on her face. It’s the scene from a fairytale. All she can think about is seeing her date or her friends for the first time and feeling on top of the world. 12 the pack

“You can always tell when you found the right dress because you get this super exciting feeling in your stomach, and you can’t help but smile and laugh, it’s such a good moment. Every girl deserves to have that special moment,” Gia Dewitt ‘19 said. Once the dress is found, it’s almost as if everything falls into place. It’s the sense of pure confidence that brings out the beauty. “The moment I put the dress on I loved it. I felt confident, and that’s the most important part about prom dress shopping, how you feel in the perfect dress,” Spracklin said. Many girls can relate to the jealousy of the upperclassmen going to prom when they were younger, watching the older girls have the time of their lives, while the thought of waiting until next year or the year after felt like an eternity. “After waiting for two years, I am so excited for prom. It’s one of those nights that every girl dreams of,” Liv Angel ‘20 said. When the time finally comes, it needs to be picture-perfect. The dress is the center of prom. It essentially makes or breaks the outcome of a girl’s night. After years and years people continue to always talk about their high school proms and the magic of the night. Lots of prom traditions have changed since then, but one tradition has held firm: the dress shopping. Finding the perfect dress is one feeling that will stay with a girl forever.

The prince's plans

The process of promposing By Maddie Stilson

It’s finally prom, and love is officially in the air! Boys are working hard to present the best promposal for their dream girl as girls are patiently waiting for the big ask. Although there’s nothing wrong with a simple question, the extravagant and personal celebrations are way more exciting. Andrew Yi ‘20 and Vanessa Hartley ‘19 agree. The two have been dating for six months and continue to fall harder and harder for each other every day. Just last week, Yi knew the time was right and popped the question. After an hour of hard work, the perfect sign was finally done. “I actually put in a ton of effort because I knew it would make her happy,” Yi said. He decided to match the sign with Hartley’s silly personality, so he made a sign that read ,“Vanessa, I can Hartley wait to go to Prom?” in big, gold block-letters. Yi then drove to Alfalfa’s Market, where Hartley was in the middle of her shift. He pretended to be buying a smoothie and proceeded to the checkout counter, where Hartley was working as the cashier. Hartley was pleasantly surprised, and decided to write her answer on his receipt, which was an enthusiastic “Yes!” “Even though Andrew and I have been dating so long, I still got the butterflies. He knows how to put a smile on my face under any circumstance,” Hartley said. The couple can’t wait for the night. With Hartley graduating this year, it’s their last school dance together. They can’t wait to spend prom with all of their close friends and dance the night away. High school love is unforgettable. It’s your first love, your first kiss, your first glimpse into the rest of your life. It may just be a silly sign and extra performance, but the message behind it is what counts. It’s the feeling you have in that moment, that moment where your heart skips a beat, and it’s just two people in love. April 13

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, how does one prepare the ball?

How Senior Senate makes prom happen By Haley Breit Once upon a time, just about two years ago, Megan Banks ‘19, Caleb Guo ‘19, Tyson Trofino ‘19, and Sarah Gilpin ‘19 were anxious, yet joyful, as they found out they were the new executive board of what is now 2018-2019’s Senior Senate. Senior Senate plans and fundraises for their senior prom, chooses the class quote and class song, and helps coordinate their high school graduation. The group realized that there was a long journey ahead of them that day. “From there,” Banks said, “we immediately started fundraising for our senior prom.” Underneath the blinding lights of the first football game of the 2017 season, students dressed head to toe in black and gold and covered in flour stood in line to buy snacks and drinks from juniors who stood behind the concession stand so they could have the prom everyone dreams of. Occasionally, cheers would erupt from the student section and the teens purchasing their food would try and rush the juniors so they could get back to the game. The juniors were already stressed enough. They had never done this before and were running low on snacks to sell. “No one really knew what they were doing,” Guo said. “We would have to try to coordinate in order to make everything run smoothly. We ran out of pizza about halfway through the night. 14 the pack

It was just a total mess.” By the homecoming game, however, the executive team had it down. The juniors had energetic smiles plastered on their faces while gathering donations and shuffling behind the stand to serve each and every person in line so they could put on the senior prom they have always dreamt of. “Tyson would set the prices and also schmooze the customers,” Senior Senate sponsor Ms. Beatrice Gerrish said. “One time, Tyson raised 87 dollars in tips alone.”

They could picture stretch limos and extravagant party buses containing unbelievably excited high schoolers driving up the sweeping driveway. They imagined girls in floor-length, sparkly dresses and high heels walking down the stunning staircases, couples standing outside on the charming balconies, hand in hand. They could envision teenagers dancing below the sparkling chandelier in the magnificent ballroom to their favorite songs. They saw their peers living out the high school fantasy that is only seen in movies, until now. The Chateau at Fox Meadows is the place that will bring this cliche to life. “It looked like something straight out of a fairy tale,” Banks said. Like any fairy tale, though, there was a multitude of setbacks and uncomfortable encounters. “When we visited Chateau at Fox Meadows, there was a political group meeting,” Guo said. “Some lady approached us, and I was like, ‘Alright, here we go.’ She started asking if we were going to vote and telling us who we should vote for and why we should vote for them. I was just like, ‘I’m here to plan a prom, lady.’” Providing the senior year of every high schooler’s dreams to their peers, while also following the rules the school had set, was an extremely difficult task. Ideas and plans that the team had hyped to their friends would continuously get shut down. Irritated, the executive team would have to break the disappointing news to their classmates time and time again. Despite the troubles, site visits continued and their plans progressed. They had to find and hire a photographer with an During the difficult process eye for beauty and discover an of finding a location to hold energetic DJ with a great taste in their beloved senior prom, the music who would be willing to executive team visited Red work at a high school prom. Rocks, the Denver Zoo, the They spent a crazy amount of Botanical Gardens, and the time with assistant principal Mr. Wings Over the Rockies Air Eric Moroye and Ms. Gerrish, and Space Museum located discussing the decisions made in Denver. Finally, the team and getting approval for the next gathered at The Chateau at Fox steps in this long and tiring, but Meadows for the first time and important, process. immediately fell in love with These four seniors have been what they were staring at. working on bringing their fairy “It was great,” Guo said. tale to life for two years and “We walked in and were like, because of this, the graduating ‘This is it. This is the place.’ We class of 2019 will live happily knew right away.” ever after.

Afterprom Where? Sports Stable, Superior How much? $10 When? 11:30 PM to 3:30 AM Photo Booth

Capture the fun of the night with your friends. Complimentary of course!

Cosmic Skate

On the West rink. Lasers and fog bring a whole new look to the rink. Grab your friends, some skates, and join in on the fun! Or join in the open skate on the East rink.

Casino

Try your luck at Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, and Poker. Win prize tickets to increase your odds during the prize drawings at the end of the night.

Spa

How about some post-prom pampering? Drop by the Spa!

Broomball

Form a team and compete for fun and prize tickets. No skates required! Looks like there’s no ice around.

Games and Prizes

Take the Minute to Win It challenge or grab some friends and play a game in the lounge. At the end of the night, stick around for the prize drawings and take home one of the many fabulous prizes!

P R O M

What to bring: Money

Emergency cash is good just in case you wanna go out for a bite with your date later.

Phone

You’re going to want to take pictures and call a ride if you need one. Uber might be busy, so call a cab instead for faster service.

Extra deodorant

It’s going to be hot on the dance floor, and just like every other teenager you will sweat, and nobody wants to see that.

Safety pins

This one is more for the girls. If something rips your dress, then just use a safety pin to clip it back together.

Tide To Go

Tide To Go is a stain remover marker. It comes in handy when something spills on you.

Tic-Tacs

Nobody wants stinky breath on Prom night.

By Hahn Park and Estella Barrett

Saturday, April 27th 8:00 PM11:00 PM The Chateaux at Fox Meadows 13600 Xavier Ln, Broomfield, CO

April 15

16 the pack

Manson

family values

Siblings take track to new heights By Grant Myers, Lindsay Haight, Sebastian Manzanares, Amelia Krueger, and Lincoln Roch

April 17

It runs in the family

Siblings compete in track while breaking state and national records Climbing fourteeners, venturing out into the middle of nowhere, and finding lakes while being surrounded by the beautiful Colorado trees. The Manson family is not only connected by blood, but also by their deep love for athletics and the outdoors. “On one of our hikes, we found this big lake that was surrounded by fourteeners and other mountains,” Mia Manson ‘20 said. “It was so pretty. We spent a few days there camping under the stars, and it was really nice.” Being such an athletic family, the Mansons never falter when finding active and fun things to do as a family. Max Manson ‘19 and his sister, Mia, reign in elite status among Monarch’s athletic community, but it’s their family bond that makes them so special. Max and Mia’s parents were stellar athletes and their kids have been participating in track camps since they were young. Even as youthful as they were, the Manson kids loved to be active. “We had our hands full with Max and Mia, as they were two pretty active kids,” their mom Amy Manson said. “Because they loved to literally climb the walls, we’d play the ‘sticker game’ before bedtime. We would place stickers on the fire alarm, walls or ceiling of their room, and they would climb the door jams and reach and twist and hang and jump from them.” This love to be active started in their childhood and continued throughout their teenage years onto the track. “I’ve been around it my whole life,” Max said. “My dad was a pole vaulter and my mom was a distance runner, so, I’ve really been around it since I was born.” While there is no pressure for Max and Mia to be athletic, it is something that both of them love and are very talented in. “I think that’s why my brother and I love it so much and have had success with sports,” Mia said. “It was our choice, and we were not pressured into it.” Being around sports for a large portion of their lives resulted in big accomplishments for them both. Pole vaulting has been a legacy for their family. Their dad set the high school state record for pole vaulting in 1986. It stood until Max broke the 17-3 record by clearing the 17-3.5 in 2018. “The biggest accomplishment for me was beating my dad’s state record last year at the state meet,” Max said. “He had held it for 32 years and had coached a lot of kids that were 18 the pack

They did what?

“I would love to travel the

A few of the Manson’s biggest accomplishmens

world either pole vaulting or running track. -Mia Manson

Max

1. Won New Balance National Championship

2. Has climbed every fourteener in Colorado

3. Broke his dad’s state pole vault

”

record of 17 feet, 3 inches

Mia

1. Won two rock climbing championships

Set the freshman national record for pole vaulting

3. Won the Junior Olympics in pole vault

“ It was a really special moment

being able to beat my dad’s state record. -Max Manson

”

trying to beat the record. It was a really special moment to be able to do that last year. It was a really special moment to be able to beat his record.” Mia is known for being an extremely fast runner and has achieved so much at track and field meets. “Freshman year, I won nationals and set the freshman national record, and I’ve qualified for New Balance Nationals, which is the biggest meet that is really hard to qualify for because I was a freshman,” she said. The times that they spent running and jumping around as kids helped them develop certain skills that further aided them in their current athleticism. “A little gymnastics and rock climbing was fun, and they got strong doing these,” their father Pat Manson said. “It turned out that the mix of activities was great for pole vaulting.” Their parents also have a huge part in coaching Max and Mia, so they don’t have to look too far for athletic advice and support. “When we go on our big trips to meets, it’s just that they’re my parents and they’re also my coaches, which is fun,” Mia said. “And, of course, they both know what they’re talking about because they’re also athletes.” The family bond passes from sibling to sibling at meets and practice, as well. “Sometimes my brother helps coach me,” Mia said. “It’s really great having my brother there because he knows what I’m working on and what I need.” Next year, Max will continue to pole vault for the Stanford University. Mia has been in contact with college coaches for her future in running track. “Even doing it after college would be amazing,” she said. “I would still have a normal job, as well, but I would like to be able to travel the world either pole vaulting or running track.” No matter what, they both continue to push to become their best.

April 19

THE DRUG PROBLEM

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HERE NEEDS TO BE ADRESSED

For a school that

others

the cracks in the system Last month, you took a survey. This is what it said. By India Turner, Evie Cuffaro, Cara Racenstein, Jonah Speyer, Ruby Cervantes, Lincoln Roch, Brandon Phillips, Savannah Griffis, and Nathan Phillips There is a pressure to do everything: for parents, for college, and for the perfect image. You’re expected to have that perfect 4.0, be part of—maybe even lead—a club, play a sport, have a job to pay for college, eatbathecommutedohomework, and somehow squeeze it all into a 24 hour day. Oh, and sleep at least eight hours every night. And make sure to spend time with family and friends because that is essential for developing teenagers. And don’t forget to have some downtime to rest your brain. And take time to do what you love. Suddenly, it seems as if 20 hours of work must be done within a 24 hour day. These impossible expectations leave many high schoolers feeling stranded. Without anyone to talk to, many can go into freefall. While Monarch students are encouraged to take part in many different activities to enrich their high school experience, this encouragement has become a pressure for students to be and do everything. Many students are barely hanging on. Last month, you took a survey. This is what it said. The Counseling Department developed a survey to determine the needs of students, both academically and emotionally, and had students take it during an Access time. 905 students responded—over half the school. The statistics and comments shocked many administrators, teachers, and counselors.

Half of the respondents said they need help with raising grades and GPA, and more than half said they needed help coping with stress and anxiety. Academics were the number one cause of stress in students’ lives. While these were the largest areas where students cried for help, they were certainly not the only concerns students had. Over 100 people, about one in every nine Monarch students surveyed, said they need help with substance abuse. That’s not one in nine students who use drugs or alcohol, but one in nine who recognize that they have a problem and want help. Over 200 students said they need assistance with depression. Just as many said they needed help with relationships with teachers. One hundred students said they want help with an eating disorder. The list goes on and on. After the multiple choice section of the survey, there was a comments section where students could voice other concerns. All of these comments were anonymous. Counselor Ben Holloway and Principal Neil Anderson read through every single one. They gave The Pack access to all of the responses and data. In the comments section, hundreds of people cried out in frustration and begged for help. “I feel like everyone’s hanging on by their fingertips,” one student reported.

Monarch, how do you

REALLY feel?

51%

of students want support for dealing with stress and anxiety

79%

of students say acedemic pressure is a primary source of stress

55%

of students want support with life skills for adulthood

51%

of students want support with raising their grades April 21

“We live in a world where stress rules us all,” another lamented. “This is how the world works... it’s what schools try to avoid [but] they focus on the change in grades, not what causes them,” said yet another. For many of these survey takers, the problem was larger than the amount of homework teachers gave or studying for the SAT. The problem was the culture of the school. One commenter said, “For a school that preaches kindness, the students do the opposite. I’ve had multiple friends be brought to the point of self harm and suicide because of the culture of this school.” Principal Neil Anderson looked at these comments thoroughly. “I’m very thankful we conducted a survey like this to hear directly from students,” he said. “We do a lot of good work, but there’s a lot of room for us as a school to improve in.” Teachers met with counselors and administrators on March 6 to discuss the data from the survey. “When Mr. Anderson read the comments he was like, ‘We have to get these comments to the teachers,’ because this is the most powerful part of the survey to him,” Mr. Holloway said. The most prevalent theme that emerged from the data was the role stress plays in students’ lives. Stress may come from a missing assignment. It might come from an upcoming test or outside of school. Stress can build quickly, and many students reach a breaking point. “Students are under a lot more stress than they used to be 20 years ago,” social studies teacher Ms. Deann Bucher said. “We don’t know if it’s classes or technology. We’re just trying to figure out how to make everything more manageable.” Common stressors for students include an overabundance of homework, conflicts at home, and social media for students. On the survey, 41.6% of students said they need help with stress and anxiety. While stress is an intrinsic part of life, for many students at Monarch, stress seems to rule their life. “There seems to be the perception that you need insane grades to get into an awesome college. That’s not one hundred percent true,” Ms. Bucher said. Leah Pring ‘20 knows students feel the pressure Ms. Bucher described. “Students take on more because it looks good on college applications, pushes people into a desired field of study, and peer pressure,” Pring said. “All their friends are taking advanced classes, so they want to challenge them[selves]. Students also desire the label of being called ‘smart,’ so they will take several advanced classes. Students also just desire a high GPA.” Katy Sun ’20, who takes 4 AP classes currently, has felt overwhelmed with stress at times. “I would just write down what I had to do, and I’d start crying, and then just nothing would really get done,” she said. Students cope with stress in the first way comes to mind. Sun uses the power of positive thinking as a way out of stress. “Nowadays, whenever I feel stressed, I just use motivation,” she said. “So say like, I know I feel this way right now, but once I get through A, B and C, I’m going to feel better. I kind of use that as a way to motivate myself to keep working.” Many students take several advanced classes, only to isolate themselves from the outside world. Social lives, family and friend communication, as well as relaxation time, are all very minimal. Some students feel they lack a school-life balance. Clubs and activities at school are playing a big role. “Percussion goes year round, and I’m constantly practicing with friends after school or just after school in general,” Annalie Haralson ‘21 said.

22 the pack

“Overall, I end up spending very little time with family at home, which is unfortunate. All this contributes to me having very minimal time for homework, which stresses me out because I’m in five advanced classes.” When a student’s homework load grows and stress builds, they need an outlet and a support system behind them. For some students, the survey revealed, the outlet can become drugs. “Drugs are quite a large problem in this school, and I don’t want to have to deal with the people who consume illegal substances,” a survey commenter said. “There’s a huge vaping problem,” one commenter on the survey said. “On the school bus, in class, in the parking lot, in the bathrooms... it’s everywhere.” Another commented, “One day someone got mad at me for actually using the bathroom stall for its intended purpose.” Vape pens shoved at the bottom of backpacks, red eyes and pounding heads. Many perceive these as part of the culture of the school. Not every student who struggles with substance abuse uses it to cope with stress. Some people use it to boost their popularity or to simply get high. No matter the reason, the survey shows that students are still abusing drugs here at Monarch. Addiction problems can be difficult to break, but a girl named Gwen, who used to attend Monarch, was able to find recovery. She asked to only use her first name to remain anonymous. When Gwen attended Monarch, she struggled with school. “I skipped classes when I didn’t need to just because I didn’t want to go,” she said. “I was failing. I never showed up. I would stay home sick all the time, and I just didn’t care.” This led her toward a life of drugs and alcohol. However, she joined a sobriety group to take control of her addiction. “I’ve been in this program for a while now. My parents were the ones that put me in there, and it took me like four months of struggling and getting high to realize that I wanted to do this,” she said. Over 100 of the 900 students surveyed said they are dealing with similar issues that Gwen faced when she was at Monarch. These respondents acknowledge they’re struggling and want help from counselors and teachers. When asked about these numbers, Mr. Anderson said, “We [staff] have to give ourselves the permission to see it for what it is. The kids we trust responded honestly, and that means something.” While many of these students turn to drugs because they feel alone and misunderstood, Gwen suggests the reality is very different, saying there is always someone who cares. “You’re not alone. It’s impossible to do it alone. Even if it’s not yourself, but maybe family that’s struggling,” Gwen said. To help students with these problems, there is a system in the school. It includes counselors, teachers, administrators, and an interventionist, among others. This system works to help students with problems both big and small, to show they have someone in their corner and they aren’t alone in their struggles. The survey found this system had some clear cracks. First, there’s a problem with the ratios.

April 23

Mr. Anderson responds Our Principal’s Reaction What was your first reaction when getting the results from the survey back? I found it very enlightening and helpful. We need to make sure, though, that the information we gathered is responded to. We also have to make sure this survey is not one and done, but that we use the same survey or some iteration of it and see trend date over time. Many students expressed needing assistance with substance abuse and eating disorders. What do you think about that? The survey does speak to the complications that kids face and the challenges students face these days, and the pressures they face because you had everything ranging from eating disorders to organization to peers and to parents. What are some of your new and what changes do you plan on introducing or implementing to help add that extra support? You have to be really purposeful about where you start because you can’t just randomly pick something. We have to be careful because there might be ramifications over the others, so you want to pick something that you can control so that you can see to implementation and you can ensure it is done with quality, fidelity, intensity, and consistency because otherwise, you’re kind of playing whack-a-mole, and it might not be as effective long term as it might be in the short term, and we’re in a long term game. I want to support kids now, but I also don’t want to do it in a way that’s haphazard. I want it to be purposeful and strategic.

24 the pack

Teachers normally have a docket of around 150 students, oftentimes with more than 30 in a class. “I think it’s hard because teachers have so many things they have to cover, and with the amount of students they have, it’s difficult to get to know each one,” Angelique Cervantes ‘21 said. Then, there are the counselors, who give guidance and help with any social and emotional problems. They are here to work with and directly help the students. But, they face a similar difficulty. “We each have about 430 students on our caseload,” Mr. Holloway said. “And every student has their own unique and personal needs.” That means the counselors are often too busy to meet with students on demand. “If you try to make an appointment with a counselor, sometimes it can be a week out, which is not what we want,” Mr. Holloway said. “It’s definitely better if we’re able to talk to our counselors immediately. There’s the counselor on duty, but they’re just for quick questions. To have an actual conversation, you need an appointment,” Jack McKinstry ‘21 said. The majority of students at Monarch are oblivious to certain limitations the counselors face, and even more don’t realize they’re similar to a normal therapist. “If you come to

“I would just write down what I had to do, and I’d start crying, and then just nothing would really get done.” -Katy Sun the counseling department for help with it, it’s confidential, I will not tell admin,” said Mr. Holloway, “Unless it’s an immediate risk for yourself or others, I can’t tell anybody.” To fix these ratios there’s not much Monarch can do. “Moneywise, we can only have as much support and help as the district can give us,” Mr. Holloway said. But he and the other counselors are willing to try. To provide additional support there’s also a mental health interventionist, Ms. Karin Dudek. “I can’t see all 400 of my kids, so the fact that she can build relationships with some of them helps, but her office is just constantly busy and having just one of her is hard,” Mr. Holloway said. “She can look at family insurance and find therapists with different specialties that can be covered by insurance, but she is not an employee of BVSD,” said special education teacher Ms. Erin Gee. Mr. Holloway said the school is considering several other changes. “Now that we have Access Time on Tuesdays, we’re thinking of running counseling groups,” he said. However, there’s the problem of who has to take the first step before it’s too late. This mostly falls onto the student. “You have to put the initiative on the student to seek the help,” math teacher Mr. David Evans said. For many, reaching out can work. “If a student goes to a counselor freaking out about my class, or are stressed about something, personally, the counselor can then let me know, which is good information for me to have to help that student,” language arts teacher Ms. Mary Prassa said. “If the student doesn’t tell anyone, then I’d have no idea.” Not every student takes that initiative, though. “I think some do, but I think there’s a lot that don’t,” Ms. Prassa said. “I think sometimes they’re too intimidated or don’t want to seem weak.” When a student doesn’t come forward, their problems don’t just go away. They just end up alone. “That’s when it gets scary, if I’m perfectly honest. It gets scary when they’re suffering alone,” Mr. Evans said. Ms. Prassa feels similarly. “For some kids, it can bring them to their breaking point. I’ve had students just start crying because they’re so stressed,” she said. Sun knows what it’s like to fall through the cracks. “At first, I did not deal with stress

The kid who does it all

What an excelling student has to say about the school system By Cara Racenstein People walk past Shajesh Sharma ‘19 oblivious to the great weight he tackles as an individual. “I’m in four AP classes senior year. I’m also involved in a lot of extracurriculars like DECA, NHS, Science Honor Society, and I volunteer outside of school. I work at NIST, which is a government lab, so I would say that I take on quite a lot of stuff,” he said. Sharma also possesses a cumulative GPA of 4.70. He says his stress fluctuates regularly. “Sometimes some classes are more stressful than others for sure,” he said. “I would say AP Lit stresses me out. Just LA in general. When it comes to math or science, I’m not very stressed out.” Stress transitions to outside of school. “It’s other things that stress me out,” he said. “Like, when there’s a lot of things happening at the same time, especially senior year when I’m applying to colleges, looking

for scholarships, and everything happening at the same time.” His stress is not rooted in a specific teacher, but other parts of his life. “I’m in SRS (Science Research Seminar), and I’m working out the lab. It’s pretty stressful, because it’s three to six hours outside of school every week.” Although something such as this may be distressing to most, Sharma chooses to not give in to the rigor. In regard to the school’s support system of stress, he believes the recent survey proves the concern the counseling department holds for the students of Monarch. “The thing that the counseling department is offering, like stress relief activities, is a pretty good idea,” he said. “I think what they already do, like finals week and the student center with the therapy dogs and other mindfulness sessions is a pretty good idea.” Sharma also has suggestions for how teachers can help with stress.

“Communicate to each other about workloads, because sometimes they all tend to have a test on the same day, which is really annoying. This especially happens right before spring break. Teachers tend to have tests or big projects due right at the end of the week,” he said. A percentage of teachers, Sharma says, are truly trying to diminish the stress of their students. “Some teachers are incorporating stressrelieving activities, like my calc teacher. On block days, she has these popsicle sticks, where they each have an activity written on them. She pulls one, and then we do that activity for a minute. They’re usually like exercises to relieve stress, especially during a long period. Other teachers, like my German teacher, has us go outside just to get fresh air. If more teachers did that, I think that’d be nice to hear,” he said. April 25

well. Most of the time I’d break down and start crying,” Sun said. She’s taking four AP classes and all weighted classes, which can be difficult. But over the years she learned how to use the system the way it’s supposed to work. “I will email one of my teachers when I feel overwhelmed, to work out an extension, and for my emotional health, there’s one teacher, who’s always been a really good outlet to talk to,” Sun said. When teachers have the time, and a student has enough courage, it does work. “Between the combination of the teacher recognizing the kid and the kid advocating for themselves, they can get the help they need,” Mr. Evans said. Students and staff agree. This is the way the system should work. “I would love it if every student had a relationship with at least one teacher or someone they can talk too,” Ms. Prassa said. “But I know not everyone does. There [are] students who are really quiet or it’s just hard for them to form those relationships.” The survey highlighted serious problems at Monarch. It was able to show students are not happy with things as they are right now. That was its purpose. Counseling wanted to see where students were struggling and needing help. That was also the easy part. The hard part is deciding what to do next. “There’s a lot we need to think about as a staff, and you have to be really purposeful where we start,” Mr. Anderson said. “I want to support kids now, but I also don’t want to do it in a way that’s haphazard. I want to be purposeful and have a strategy for it.” Staff members have brainstormed a few ideas. “We’re looking at our homework policies and testing calendars so there aren’t tests in all four subjects on one day,” Mr. Holloway said. Mr. Anderson believes these problems must be tackled one at a time. “You have to be really purposeful about where you start because you can’t just randomly pick something. We have to be careful because there might be ramifications,” he said. “Otherwise, you’re playing whack-a-mole, and it might not be effective in the long term.” In the meantime, AP tests and finals keep creeping closer. Teachers are running out of time for their curriculum. Workloads are getting bigger. And stress for students is reaching a peak.

Changes students want Smaller class sizes

Teachers & students

More counselors

Smaller class sizes was an obvious solution brought up by many students. Having smaller classes would make it easier for teachers to build connections to students.

Teachers trying to relate to students better by using things like humor. This connection will make it easier to learn and feel less intimidated.

More counselors was another option brought up. Four counselors helping 1700 students doesn’t work, so having more is an obvious solution.

What Monarch is doing Access times

Group counseling

A new calendar

Access time four days a week offers students extra time to get homework done, study for tests, or just to take some time for themselves. This extra time for students is supposed to relieve stress and anxiety of everyday school life.

The counseling department might initiate group counseling sessions that will discuss topics from the survey, such as stress, drugs, anxiety, and social relations. These group settings will help many students get the help they need.

Some teachers have discussed creating a calendar showing tests throughout the week to limit students having to take three to four tests in one day. This has been discussed by staff in the past, and there are no definite plans or consensus amongst the staff to implement this.

26 the pack

The

Stats

49%

By Ruby Cervantes

Overwhelming Ratios

of students said that stress was an area they wanted support in

.................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. 1 counselor per 400 students 1 interventionist per 1700 students 1 social worker per 1700 students

HELP! HELP!

905 students were surveyed. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what they said they struggled and needed support with.

Personal Lives

School Lives 450 need help with appropriate course selection

109 need help with substance abuse 267 need help with depression PANIC

465 need help with stress/anxiety

484 need help with career pathway options 419 need help with study strategies April 27

UNPOPULAR OPINIONS Students live by the truth and reveal their personal controversial opinions Pineapple belongs on pizza

Sharknado isn’t bad

There are so many toppings that can go on pizza. Pepperoni, sausage, green peppers... However, one that is almost never desired is pineapple. Pineapple on pizza is arguably perfect when you learn how to balance it out with other toppings that complement its sweet flavor. For example, canadian or traditional bacon and green peppers are great toppings to mix with the pineapple. The bacon adds saltiness, and the pineapple adds the right amount of sweet. As a result, you get both the savory and sweet side of pizza. The green peppers, on the other hand, add a nice texture to complement the first two toppings. Pineapple is a great way to change up a pizza slice, so before you shun it, try it and see how it is. -Lindsay Haight

Sharknado isn’t that bad of a movie. Everyone likes to hate on low-budget films, and discredit all of the work put into making them. Those people don’t realize the effort put into making the movie. Sharknado’s budget was only $2 million compared to the average $65 million. Using the little money they had, they were able to create a movie that caught the attention of many, even if the publicity was bad. It managed five sequels afterwards, and the original movie even got another screening only nine days after its initial release. The truth is, it was supposed to appeal to a science fiction centered audience. Take a moment to watch Sharknado. Eventually, you can learn how to quit judging movies. -Savannah Griffis

Dairy is scary

Cow milk is for cows, people milk is for people. We should not drink milk! Humans are the only species to drink another species’ milk. We are also the only species to drink milk past childhood. Cow milk was made to help a baby cow grow into a 1,500 pound beast, not a 150 pound adult. Even worse is the way milk is collected. Cows are stuck in a tiny corral for their whole lives, impregnated with a metal stick and milked by a machine every day until they die. Also, pre milk smells weird, it tastes weird, it looks weird. While it may seem like it is in everything, there’s so many ways to avoid it. There is probably a dairy free option for every food you can think of, and it is probably just as good. It’s 2019, so let’s stop drinking baby cow juice. -Evie Cuffaro

Running is fun

Running isn’t what most students define as fun. For gosh sakes, it’s physical activity. It’s you taking part in gym class outside of school. The average person who doesn’t enjoy running thinks, “Hey, why would I go running when I can binge watch my favorite Netflix show?” However, running is actually fun, and it has been scientifically proven to be good for your health. In terms of physicality, running helps improve cardiovascular health, mood, focus, sleep, and stress resistance. I think of running as meditation in motion, where I get to unwind and marvel at everything life has to offer me. Where, when, how, and why you run are all up to you. Just run! -Nathan Phillips

28 the pack

Kylie Jenner is a self-made billionare

Hear me out. In July of 2018, Forbes Magazine named Kylie Jenner the “world’s youngest self-made billionaire” ever at the age of 21. Starting with her infamous lip kits to now selling everything from concealer, brushes, and palettes since November of 2015, Kylie uses her enormous social media following to build a cosmetics fortune. Yes, Kylie may have had a bit of a head start, but she built an empire from a simple passion for makeup and her well-known family name. What people don’t understand is that this is not her parents’ money. Although it might have been at first, she now has a higher net worth than everyone in her family, including Kim Kardashian. Furthermore, she runs and owns her entire company and her income is not coming from her parents’ pockets. -Ruby Cervantes

Nickelback is good

There has been widespread hate towards Nickelback since the day I was born, and I’m honestly over it. Nickelback is known as “the most hated band ever,” and I would have to strongly disagree. They say the hate has come from the sound of Chad Kroeger’s voice to the variety of their song lyrics. But I am here to tell you haters that Nickelback IS good. Not only have they sold over 50 million albums worldwide but they have created songs that have touched the hearts of many. From “If Today Was Your Last Day” to “Savin’ Me,” these songs make the audience feel. On another note, how could you listen to “Rockstar” and “Burn It To The Ground” without jamming out? To those of you who hate Nickelback, I hope you all take this into consideration because this is an extremely serious topic, obviously. -Jamie Thompson

DONALD TRUMP Just how great have the last two years been?

By Grant Myers

Build the wall Donald Trump has been one of the best presidents in this nation’s recent history. President Trump has been able to pass legislation on a bipartisan basis, increase national security, and bolster the US economy in his time as the President of the United States President Trump has also worked with Republicans and several Democrats to pass important legislation. According to the Washington Post, Trump has been able to pass new prison reforms, opioid trafficking legislation,

and the new Right To Try law, which gives people the right to experimental medication if they are dying. President Trump has worked persistently to get as much done as he can on a bipartisan basis. One of the biggest events in Trump’s presidency has been his involvement with North Korea. Since the Singapore Summit in 2018, Kim Jong Un has scaled back the tests of nuclear weapons and has stopped the constant threats to nuke the United States, according to the New York Times. This is something past

Let’s dump Trump The president is the head of the executive branch and the commander in chief. He’s also America’s consolidator, guardian of our economy, and America’s face to the world. President Donald Trump has failed in all of these functions. He has lead the least stable administration in recent history. The Brookings Institute tracked a 65% turnover rate amongst Trump’s staff during his first two years. For perspective, Obama’s was 24%. That includes eleven Cabinet members resigning with

four leaving over corruption scandals, according to Politico. In its mismanaged response to Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico was left without power for almost a year. This lead to the deaths of 2,975 US citizens that, according to NPR, could have been prevented if the island had the power to administer modern medicine. There was the time his administration separated at least 2,700 kids from their parents and put them in cages. Then, according to Reuters news, deported hundreds of parents while their kids

presidents were unable to do. Another reason President Trump can be considered one of the best presidents in history is because of what he has done for the US economy. The Washington Post says he has boosted the economy by 4.1% during his term in office. This is the most exponential boost since 2014 and one of the highest in history. Unlike most presidents, Trump takes action. When things aren’t getting done as fast as he wants them to, he acts upon them. The wall between Mexico and the

United States is something he didn’t delay. He didn’t wait for Congress to mill around for the upcoming months, but instead declared a national emergency to help protect his country. Trump has taken action in office to make him one of the best presidents in recent US history. He has boosted the economy, bolstered national security, and has passed many bills and forms of legislation on a two-party basis. His body of work to improve the country has made Donald Trump one of the best presidents in American history.

By Lincoln Roch remained stuck in US detention facilities. As the military lacks troops, he banned transgender citizens from serving. His abrupt decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria caused his defense secretary to resign. His tax cuts will increase the economic inequality of the US and add one trillion dollars to the deficit. The trade war he started with China led to the highest number of bankruptcies in the farm belt since the 2008 financial crisis, according to the

Wall Street Journal. His comments have also not helped, such as calling white supremacists and Nazis “very fine people” or siding with Russia and Saudi Arabia over US Intelligence agencies. These remarks, his administration’s actions, and the orders and laws he’s signed have had consequences getting him ranked the 3rd worst president of all time. Although I wish President Trump success in the future, his failures so far have made America significantly worse off. April 29

#Free21Savage

BY SEBASTIAN MANZANARES

Popular rapper should not face deportation

When 21 Savage first hopped on the music scene in 2016 with his quiet, almost incomprehensible, lyrics and hard beats, I was confused. How is this the direction hip hop is going? Then I saw his face tattoos (a foreign concept to an eighth grader) and I got more confused than anything else. Why would anybody want to defile their face like that? It didn’t make any of sense to me and I couldn’t connect to any of his music. I simply was not a fan. For the longest time, I had difficulties finding reasons to respect or even like 21 Savage. For the most part, this was because of his disturbing music and public persona. Recently, 21 Savage was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements on Feb. 3rd because he overstayed his visa. According to ICE, 21 was born in London, England. ICE is determined to deport 21 because he was convicted of a felony drug charge in 2014. While Savage was recently released from an immigrant detention center on a bond, ICE

30 the pack

is still working on getting him Savage is one popular dude. deported. “Straight up,” they It’s obvious that there are should stop. people in America who want 21 Savage is still not my 21 to stay here. favorite artist. However, In the beginning of his fame, nobody can deny the impact 21 was a criminal. No doubt. that he has had on popular He grew up in Atlanta, where culture. he was a drug-dealer and gang Fellow rappers and fans member. This is where my alike have been urging ICE skepticism and doubt toward and the government to allow him initially originated from. him to stay What I failed in America. to acknowledge Atlanta, the is the society city that surrounding “America is 21 Savage is the places he Savage’s home. based in, has grew up, in a embraced gang-infested This is where him despite area in DeKalb he matured the fact that County. There he isn’t from wasn’t a choice and grew into there. He has but to join one, adulthood. There also embraced especially for a it as his troubled youth, is no way that home. Shortly like young 21. keeping him in after his The situation detainment, a that 21 was put America will be a petition was in is not his threat to the rest fault, however. started to free him (which His parents of us.” has almost divorced when reached he was young, 513,000 which is the signatures. It needs 600,000 reason that he left the UK in total signatures). Fifty 2004, when he was 12 years protestors stood outside an old. As any kid who has Immigration Court in Atlanta, divorced parents will tell you, as a #Free21Savage rally. 21 it isn’t pleasant to see their parents argue and fight. It takes a toll on the child, a much bigger one than others think. The fighting behavior that he grew up translated into his teenage years In spite of this, as of recent, 21 has stayed out of trouble. True, the lyrics in his songs may say differently. In real life, 21 has done nothing to harm anyone. In fact, he has done a fair amount of charitable work. In March of 2018, he opened the 21 Savage Bank

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Account Campaign, which was designed to help teach underprivileged children about the value of money and how to save it. The campaign also assists the children with starting their own bank account. 21 has also given back to the neighborhood and town that he grew up in by providing free back-toschool supplies, uniforms, and haircuts. Additionally, 21 Savage has three children. All three of them are United States citizens and would not be able to travel with him if he is deported. The fact of the matter is, no matter his troubled past, 21 needs to stay in America to provide for his children. By deporting him, ICE will be leaving his three children without a father and a stable support system. Given his untouched (by the public) record on child care, 21 Savage probably uses most of his earnings to provide for his children. 21 is a good father who is trying to stay in America for his children. Who knows what would happen to his kids without his financial support. What would you do if your father was about to get deported and there was nothing that you could do about it? America is 21 Savage’s home. This is where he matured and grew into adulthood. There is no way that keeping him in America will be a threat to the rest of us. I believe that 21 can only benefit from staying here, ass well as his kids, his fans, the music industry, America. Do I need to continue? For the culture, keep 21 Savage in America.

CLIMATE CHANGE

STAFF EDITORIAL

It’s time for students to take innitiative and make change

underwater. This may seem enough resources to sustain far away, but the thought that our global population. our children’s generation could The meaning behind all be living in these conditions of this is simple. Without makes the notion that much immediate and extreme more real. changes to the way our If we continue living as collective societies function, carelessly as we do now, there our earth is in danger of never will be many repercussions. recovering from the damages Currently, there is a floating caused by human complacency. mass of plastic in the Pacific Our population lives by the Ocean that phrase, “use is the size of it and lose Texas and it,” where the National everything is “Without Wildlife disposable. Federation This ideology immediate and theorizes that to extreme changes needs there will be change. more plastic Whether it’s to the way in the ocean the choice to our collective than fish by skip the straw 2050. or choosing societies Rising CO2 to recycle function, our levels from and compost burning fossil instead of earth is in fuels have throwing danger of never caused slower everything growth of in the trash, recovering coral reefs it makes a from the and poisoned difference. oceanic Right now, damages caused ecosystems you might by human and the cause be thinking of almost all that the fate complacency.” emissions of of our planet greenhouse is not in your gases links to hands, that humans. The no matter USA is the what you second largest do as an contributor individual, it to CO2 won’t impact levels in our the wellbeing atmosphere. According to the of our planet. Those thoughts ecology-focused website Global are completely untrue. Footprint Network, if everyone Here’s what you can lived the way we do, we would do to force change. First, need four earths to provide acknowledge the fact that

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Our civilization has forgotten about global warming. While we may know the basics, we didn’t get a grasp of the severity of this issue. Global warming is the proof that we, as humans, have failed to keep our planet healthy and that our civilization is officially at risk of irreversible damage to our home. True, we don’t see distinct physical changes over short periods of time, but that is no excuse for the belief that it isn’t happening. Because it is. You must have noticed the countless accounts of floods, hurricanes, droughts, cold fronts and wildfires across the nation. This is not a coincidence. It’s as a result of climate change due to human activity. Maybe the ridiculous amount of Kardashian scandals and other shallow social media “news articles” grabbed your attention. Our collective younger-generation focus has strayed from impactful issues to irrelevant stories that have no positive impact on our wellbeing. What we don’t focus on are legitimate reports discussing the damages caused by humans and our innate indolency. According to the environmentally conscious websit,e Inhabitat, if drastic changes aren’t made in human productions of greenhouse gases, our oceans could rise anywhere from 14-32 feet by the year 2100, causing cities such as New York, London, and Shanghai to be completely

OPINION OF THE PACK EDITORIAL BOARD climate change is real, it’s happening, and it’s serious. No more ignoring the evidence, no more pretending that our civilization haven’t effectively ruined our home, because it has. There are countless ways to take action as individuals or families to make beneficial changes and bring awareness to this global crisis. Start recycling if you don’t already. By limiting the amount of methane produced in landfills, it is extremely efficient in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Politely decline straws when you go out to eat. Your unnecessary need for them doesn’t outweigh the damage they do to sea animals. Even small changes such as carpooling to school effectively saves extra fuel. You can even join Monarch’s very own Eco Club, which spends its time thinking of ways to conserve resources and eliminate waste inside our school. Donate to programs such as The Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit organization that strives to rid the ocean of all plastic. The options are virtually endless. Here’s to change, to knowledge, to awareness, and to making sure our earth is healthy enough for our children and the generations to follow. It’s time to improve on the careless habits that control the functionality of our societies, and become more cognizant of the damage that follows our actions. This planet is our only home, and we have the responsibility of leaving it better off than we found it.

April 31

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