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Viewpoint
Mountain View High School 2135 Mountain View Road Stafford, VA 22556
STUDENT NEWS Magazine MVHS VOLUME 11 ISSUE 5 January
Read more on pages 8 & 9 about the benefits of yoga towards ones’ mental health
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The Viewpoint JANUARY 2016 VOLUME XI ISSUE V
EDITORIAL Relationships can be tricky, add to that the dramas and woes of it being a high school relationship and things can turn downright chaotic. Now while some high school relationships can be beneficial and teach valuable life lessons, there’s no doubt that high school relationships don’t have their ups and downs. One of the main problems that occur when people date in high school is that people take them way too seriously. From this stems unnecessary drama and even more unnecessary turmoil for everyone invovled. High school should be a time to learn more about yourself and what you want in life and unless a person’s significant other is helping them do that, the relationship can turn more negative than positive in the long run. Dating in high school does not often lend itself to a forever commitment, unless you are in the 14 percent of people that statistically end up marrying their high school sweetheart according to Elite Daily. As a result, relationships shouldn’t be the end-all-beall of your high school career because there’s so much
Managing Editors
Hailey Bullis Morgan Ocetnik
more offered. Your involvement in clubs, sports, and academic career are important in the development of who you will be later in life too. Now, of course, relationships can be beneficial, the person you are dating could (and should be) someone that pushes you to be your best self and encourage you to do your best in school. Dating as a teenager can teach you what you want in your significant other later in life and teach you more about yourself and what you believe in. If you do like someone, you shouldn’t be afraid to take the opportunity to date them because many relationships bring happiness, long-lasting memories, and if nothing else, a lesson learned. When dating, however, it is important to realize when a relationship is having more negative effects on your life rather than positive one, you should be the one to take responsibility for your life and where you want it to go. High school is too short to spend it with people who don’t make you happy.
Social Media Editors
Lexi Strawder Abbey Whitehead Copy Editors
Leah Garza Reagan King
Photography Editor
Emilee Holmquist Extra Editor
Paige Doerfler Briefs Editor
Ruby Jackson Adviser
Trisha Strahl The Viewpoint is a cross-section of the news and opinions of the student body of Mountain View High School. It is a forum of expression published by aPrintis. Letters to the editorial board are welcome and should be submitted to rooms 303 or 311.
Staff Writers
Feature Figure by Jenny Bullers
Jenny Bullers
The girls field hockey team won the state championship this fall, making it an unforgettable season. Bringing undeniable honor to Mountain View, senior captain Lily Bryngelson was named Free Lance Star’s player of the year. Leading the team in the stats book, the title is undoubtedly well-deserved. Bryngelson began playing field hockey in sixth grade because her middle school did not have a soccer team. She has played on varsity all four years and will be continuing her field hockey career at Christopher Newport University. “I went there for a camp and fell in love with the school. I knew that was where I wanted to go no matter what,” said Bryngelson. She then developed strong relationships with the coach and other players and recruits at CNU, making the decision to commit even easier. “I was very happy that I was named player of the year. It was also very unexpected at the same time; I never thought I would be player of the year,” said Bryngelson. Bryngelson was also on First Team All-State, First Team All-Region, and First Team All- Conference. All of Bryngelson’s hard work over the past few years has helped her accomplish all of this. Winning the State Championship is a memory the field hockey team will hold close to their hearts forever. “I was dead-tired. I think I was the only player who walked to the dog pile because I was so dead and couldn’t feel my legs,” said Bryngelson, admitting that she definitely shed some tears as
she was high-fiving her teammates. Bryngelson continues to push herself to improve her field hockey skills. “On my own I do a lot of arm workouts at the gym, but as a team we do a lot of long-distance runs and sprints. Sometimes if we play each other in a game in practice there will be a punishment for the losing team,” said Bryngelson. “Off the field, the sport has taught me that you have to trust your friends and teammates to be there for you because field hockey is definitely not a one-man sport. You can’t do it all by yourself; I have learned that many times,” said Bryngelson. Bryngelson could not have excelled without her family’s support. “My mom is the one who takes me to all my away tournaments in Pennsylvania and pays for my plane tickets to California and Florida and everything. She has always been there for me and acts as such a great support figure,” said Bryngelson. It is a constant workout for Bryngelson as she begins the transition to collegiate field hockey. Bryngelson is also bringing two more Wildcat field hockey players along with her when she goes to CNU-- Yazzy White and Nathalie Tortolero-which will help ease the transition into college. Bryngelson is excited to make new memories at college to add to her amazing memories of high school field hockey.
Jenny Bullers, Nicholas Chechak, Charlotte Hazard, Damien Veal, Austin Venable, Adam Skoloda, Sophie Perez Front Cover Morgan Ocetnik
2014-2016 Virginia High School League State Championship First Place Award Winner 2013, 2014, 2015 Free Lance-Star Best Over All Newspaper 2011 Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medalist 2011, 2010 and 2009 Virginia High School League First Place Award Winner
Mountain View High School 2135 Mountain View Rd. Stafford, VA 22556
Loving The Viewpoint? There’s even more! Check us out on issuu.com to see more pages of content from The Viewpoint EXTRA. index q january 2017 q the viewpoint q 3
January at mountain view On Thursday January 12, Learn and Serve team, led by Stacey Adams, met with around 12 other schools and educational facilities for an event called Canstruction. At this event, students gather in teams of five to construct a sculpture out of the food cans based on a theme. This year’s theme was “Driving Out Hunger.” These sculptures are then judged by the public and the event is broadcasted by B101.5. Some key participants of Mountain View’s team were Lilia Stewart, Emmy Wright, Anna Pettry, and Trevlis Hunter. During the two weeks that canstruction happened, Mountain View collected 545 cans of food which were later donated to the Fredericksburg Food Bank.
School board meeting by Charlotte Hazard On Tuesday, January 10 at 7 p.m., the Stafford County School Board held their organization meeting for the year. Holly Hazard was re-elected chairman and Scott Hirons was elected vice chairman. The board approved funding of a complete renovation for the North Stafford High School Library and also approved funding for a Teacher Learning Summit. A Teacher Learning Summit is a professional development for teachers that will occur at the end of the year. Speakers at the meeting were mainly parents of students in the Governor’s School at North Stafford. They spoke out about technology problems that students were having and how it was impacting their schoolwork and learning. Some talked about how the computers were acting up, documents weren’t saving, and how it was stressful for the students. The School Board listened, but did not comment. Redistricting was briefly discussed but a decision was made that a meeting would be held at Colonial Forge on January 26 at 7 p.m. It is a meeting open to the community and anyone can attend. This meeting will impact students and where they will go to school.
100th wrestling wins by Paige Doerfler and Damien Veal Wrestling can bring many achievements; one great milestone is a wrestler’s 100th win. “I think that since almost half of our wrestlers have all hit their 100th win this season, while most teams maybe get one kid a year who gets it, just shows that we have a great chance at winning states,” said senior Joseph Altorfer. Altorfer, senior RJ Williams, junior Matt Mitchler, and senior Michael Chang are among those who have reached their 100th and are all extremely excited to have accomplished such a great feat. ‘I felt pretty good, especially when my whole team made a sign for me.… I would really like to become a state champion this year; that’s what I’m working towards,” said Williams. The wrestling team often celebrates each other’s accomplishments. Signs are created by the entire team to acknowledge each member’s 100th. Mitchler recently endured a car accident, causing everyone to worry that he would not return to the sport. He recovered in a swift two months, allowing him to compete and get his 100th earlier than most wrestlers. “Most people get it their senior year, and I’m a junior, so I was happy about that. It was pretty cool,” he said on the matter. Chang walked around school with a bag full of all his wrestling medals out of excitement towards his 100th. “It’s a big milestone, and it just reminds me of how much work me and the team put into it… The 100th win not only represents me, but my whole team,” Chang said. On top of these great achievements, the team was able to recognize Altorfer’s older brother in a memorial tournament dedicated to him. Altorfer was able to win 5-0, winning at such an important event to him and his family. The wrestling team has manifested many great wins, proving to be working hard towards finishing out the season strong.
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Stacey Adams
Canstruction by Sophie Perez
Teenage relationships Teenage relationships can influence students’ grades in more ways then one by Adam Skoloda and Damien Veal Teen relationships’ prevalence is increasing, but they could be causing students to lose track of their priorities. Relationships and crushes can have a downward spiralling effect on students’ grades, as well as the rest of their lives. For example, Barbara Greenbergy, Ph.D. stated that teens who date early have a higher chance of dropping out over teens who wait until a later time. However, some people see the positive side of having a relationship in high school. Junior Edward Gaines said, “It can be a positive thing because in a relationship you want to be able to motivate each other and inspire each other to do better... You want to see the person you are with to succeed in life.” Teenagers can motivate and push each other to achieve more in school, resulting in higher grades for both parties. Teacher Josi Brooks said, “They [teenage relationships] can have a positive effect on students when the student is happy with the relationship. ” Brooks also said that a teenager can be happy with a relationship when they are appreciated and accepted. So when teens are happy, their performance in school is likely to increase. As long as the relationship is headed in the right direction, grades should improve. On the other hand, teenage relationships can cause distractions such as texting in class, emailing in class, or skipping class to see their significant other. These distractions can harm students’ grades and can prevent students from focusing in school. Senior Taylor Defreitas said, “You’re so distracted by being with them that you don’t do your work.” Linsey Lowe’s survey reported that 41 percent of teens say they have skipped class to see their significant other and more than 50 percent of the students say that they have texted their significant other during class. Brooks said, “Teen relationships can have a negative effect when it doesn’t go well.” Christine Stutler and Brooks both said that social media can pressure teens into a relationship. Brooks said, “They see happy couples posted all over it... it looks like they’re super happy based on the pictures that they post, and so other people might think that ‘I need that too..’” Sophomore Aiden Cruz said that for some people there’s pressure because everyone seems to be in a relationship. Teenage relationships are becoming more popular, and students’ grades are affected because of them whether it be negatively or positively. It all depends on how much the teenager allows the relationship to affect other aspects of his/her life that will determine the magnitude.
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The
Snowflake Generation Today’s generations are increasingly more sensitive, causing issues to arise in society by Paige Doerfler
S
ociety has quite literally become the most sensitive generation yet, with an inability to accept and understand failure, creating an environment where not everyone has a voice. Today, there is significant emphasis on others’ feelings, and in order to keep the masses as happy as possible, we craft the idea that people aren’t allowed to have strengths, weaknesses, and differences as a whole. We create this fake reality that blurs the lines between us all. We are repeatedly called “the snowflake generation,” and I can clearly see why. We don’t get praised for our strengths or critiqued enough on our weaknesses; we are taught that everyone has the same strengths, and we are all great at everything, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Educators and parents are teaching younger generations that they are all winners. Everyone gets a trophy, an award, a pat on the back, etc. Why is this? You see instances like this all the time, and it creates this idea that everyone is equally successful and equally talented. This is a problem. According to Jean M. Twenge, author of The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement, the “everyone’s a winner” mentality does not build true self-esteem; instead, it “builds this empty sense of ‘I’m just fantastic, not because I did anything, but just because I’m here.’” Great, you showed up; now do something about it. You will not make it through life by happenstance. People are becoming lazy and are expecting to get by and “win” without putting in the effort it takes to be truly successful. Obviously, something needs to happen to change this. However, the issue that arises is how sensitive people can be. After being told otherwise, people don’t know how to accept that they aren’t great at everything and aren’t always right. Our society is so sensitive that I can’t even state my opinion without some voice butting in to rebuke me or take offense. What is the point of having freedom of speech when I can’t speak my mind without the need for someone else to “one-up” me, be the center of attention, or get offended by what I have to say? It’s time for us to move away from being so incredibly close-minded and sensitive. A prime example of being sensitive and taking offense is when a non-Christian American citizen is told to say the Pledge of Allegiance out of respect for our country, and take issue with it. These non-Christians say that they feel like it’s religiously biased, and they shouldn’t be forced to say it.
According to the Freedom from Religion Foundation, the Pledge of Allegiance was created by Baptist minister Francis Bellamy in August of 1892 with the intent to acknowledge great points of our national history from the Declaration of Independence, the makings of the Constitution, and the meaning of the Civil War, with the hopes of the people in mind. The Pledge is a patriotic oath, and as a citizen of this country, you should be saying it. If that is too much of a problem, at least respect it and appreciate its importance. When someone disagrees with allowing people to choose which bathroom to go into, they are automatically a soulless human being for not considering the transgender community. People that are in favor of choosing don’t see the simple fact that there are sick people in this world that could brutally abuse that privilege. In an article published by the New York Times, students around the country were interviewed on this topic. One seventeen-year-old girl, Grace Driggers, said, “I think that it is endangering females by opening the doors for any man who wants to enter locker rooms and restrooms where females are… these laws and orders will allow any guy who wants to enter these previously all-female spaces without being restricted by law. If schools want to provide a gender neutral restroom or space where transgender people can go, that is one thing, but eliminating any place where girls can go and have privacy from men is a very bad policy.” This statement says it all. While the solution is targeted towards transgenders and their needs, it allows for unsafe environments. It’s not that complicated to work together to find a solution that fits everyone’s needs; however, transgenders feel somewhat persecuted, causing unnecessary upheaval that could be resolved very simply if logically approached. When a Caucasian person says “all lives matter,” they are deemed a racist by all the people that promote other ethnic movements, like “black lives matter.” Protests all over America have caused major problems due to the simple fact that everyone thinks that they are mistreated by others. What exactly is the point of that? The point is to practice what you preach, rather than create a place where you are superior over the rest. Everyone is supposed to be equal in America, and everyone should matter, not just one ethnic group because the amount of melanin you have in your skin. At this stage of our lives, measures should be taken to attempt to listen to and respect people’s opinions, which will hopefully destroy the sensitivity issue of our generation, benefiting not only America, but the entire world. opinion q january 2017 q the viewpoint q
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Find Your Balance Yoga is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices that provide essential benefits to people of all ages by Morgan Ocetnik, photos taken of Brennah Russel and Hannah Jones, information provided by Livestrong and the Stafford House of Yoga instructors
De-Stressing Stress is caused by a variety of reasons, such as conflicts in one’s life. Although many adolescents don’t have full-time jobs and bills to pay, they’re still prone to stress. Students are facing stressful facets of everyday life such as academic pressures, college applications, peer groups, mental and physical health, family pressures, and financial fears. When one walks in a yoga studio, there’s nothing else; they don’t bring their to-do lists, family drama, work, tension, anything received from the outside world. As soon as they step in, they take their shoes off, grab their yoga mat, step in, get in their first child’s pose and there’s nothing else, everything goes away. That’s why the more one focuses on their breath, the more tension released, and everything becomes further away. They dedicate 60-75 minutes all to themselves. Another name the practice of yoga is the moving meditation. Meditation has been proven to help people de-stress. They feel so much better at the end of class. They give themselves to the practice and it returns relief. For some people the de-stressing only works if yoga or mediation is a regular practice. If it’s done once or twice a month, it won’t do much. As long as one dedicates 10-20 minutes on a mat, meditating, breathing or going through five sun salutations, it then becomes a practice. People must dedicate time for themselves, nobody needs you, no worrying about finishing homework or studying for a test, it’s just you. That’s the most important thing is to take care of yourself first and they that’s when the de stressing comes along; it’s all about self-love.
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Improved Concentration Yoga offers time for the body and mind to relax from the rigors of learning. One of the main focuses of yoga is breathing. Throughout the day many forget about breathing because it’s involuntary. During yoga and throughout life, people should take notice of their breath. Breathing affects every bodily movement. People become more aware of their body and their movements when focusing on breathing, which helps with concentration. The more one practices yoga breathing techniques, the more it is incorporated in everyday breathing. Its benefits include increased concentration while driving, studying, and dealing with relationships. Medical students who practiced yoga for just one month reported better sleep and improved concentration during their studies in a study published in a 2013 issue of the “Indian Journal of Community Medicine.” Focused breathing and meditation brings endurance not only to the body, but to the mind. When one goes about their day, saying “what’s next, what’s next,” they aren’t filling their body up with oxygen in a way. The practice of Ujjayi, “the breath of victory,” is a deep inhalation closing back of the throat and filling up the whole body with oxygen. Exhaling entails mindfully discharging all air, over and over. “When they do that they’re more aware and soak it all up, not just the air but the smells, sights, colors, vibrations. It allows them to become so much more focused and mindful,” said yoga instructor Elizabeth McCone
Enhanced Body image Students often struggle with poor body image, resulting in awkward movements or posture. They often work to build better confidence and more respect for their bodies. Yoga puts you in your place. Whether a dancer, marine, or someone with a beautiful body, often times they cannot fold, touch their toes, or stand up straight. Yoga puts them in check because a lot of times people who think they’re amazing are the ones who beat themselves up the most. In the practice of yoga, when one realizes that no one is perfect, it allows them to be happy and comfortable. A study published in “Explore” in the summer of 2013 found that high-school students who practiced yoga instead of regular physical education for a semester, reported better kinaesthetic awareness-- the sense of how your body moves through space-- and more respect for their own bodies. Through yoga, people embrace all of the flaws they think they have. Most people don’t realize that you must be strong and have good balance to be flexible; “balance is key,” said yoga instructor Elizabeth McCone. When people build those aspects, they become more accepting of themselves because they’ve learned all of the movements and positions, went through all of those failures but they learned it and now they’re happy because they’ve gone to the top of the mountain. Yoga improves one’s body posture because they’re happy and proud of themselves. They are no longer ashamed and “that confidence makes your look so much more beautiful,” said McCone.
Mountain pose
Chaturanga
Forward Fold
Upward facing dog
Halfway Lift
Downward facing Dog
Yoga sequences
Warrior ii
Triangle Pose
Extended side angle
Half moon pose
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The truth about girls nights
The battle of the sexes is in full spirit over heated opinions on the infamous “girls night” by Jenny Bullers
He said Girls around the world look forward to a night out or just staying in the house with their closest girlfriends. On the other hand, “girls’ night” isn’t exactly a boy’s cup of tea according to some. Many male students have voiced their disapproval of this night dedicated to girls getting together, but why?
“Girls get together and like to gossip and talk about all of the bad things guys do,” said senior Tre Coghill. Students may recall senior Daniel Dittman’s Twitter thread where he ranted about girls nights. He and other male high school students provided examples of why they disagree with the activity. This began in Coghill and Dittman’s Oceanography class when a couple boys were “fed up” with it. “There is always that one single girl who tries to convince the girls in relationships that it is better to be single,” said Dittman. Dittman believes that girls’ nights are the end of relationships, breaking up couples. Boys believe that their girlfriends will gang up on them at girls’ nights. “They will say ‘my boyfriend does this’ and ‘my boyfriend does that,’” said Dittman. Dittman and Coghill believe that girls reciprocate this hatred towards guys’ nights.
She said Girls’ opinions on their dedicated nights for each other is on the opposite end of the spectrum. “I think girls nights are something that is necessary for friends so they have time to relax and forget about all their stress,” said senior Jordan Johanson. Guys have this twisted ideology that girls nights are dedicated to talking about them, when in fact, it is a break from them. “They are mad that they aren’t invited. Also, they are jealous that girls can have more fun without them there,” said junior Kristen Mehr. Even though there can definitely be some wild nights with the girls, most girls’ nights are about
quality down time with your closest friends. “It’s a good way to bond with my girls without male distraction; it brings us closer together,” said Mehr.
“On girls nights, my friends and I usually just hang out at someone’s house, watch, movies, and eat,” said Johanson (with an emphasis on “eat”). In response to Dittman’s Twitter thread, Johanson said, “I thought his Twitter feed on girls’ nights was funny because girls got to see what guys actually think we do.” Boys believe that we have a mutual hatred for guys nights; however, they are just as important as girls’ nights. “I think guys’ nights are just as important as girls’ nights because they need time to just chill with their close friends,” said Johanson.
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Trump’s Cabinet
Rex Tillerson, CEO of Exxonmobil, shares the President-elect’s friendliness towards Russia. Putin awarded Tillerson the Order of Friendship in 2013 and they negotiated a deal worth billions of dollars that would have searched for oil in Russia’s Arctic ice fields. This close relationship between Tillerson and Putin is a cause of concern, even among Republicans, making Tillerson’s nomination highly controversial. Trump ultimately chose Tillerson for his strength and instinctual decision-making.
James Mattis is a retired Marine Corps. General known Jeff Sessions Steven Mnuchin Jeff Sessions is the former AtSteve Mnuchin is a former part- for his aggressive speech ner at Goldman Sachs. He was and dislike of torture meth- torney General of Alabama and the chairman and CEO of One- ods. He wants to be tougher was one of the first Congress on America’s adversaries members to endorse Trump. West Bank, which foreclosed and is especially focused on He opposes the Voting Rights almost 36,000 homes and could complicate his confirma- defeating ISIS, refusing to Act, has opposed almost every rule out sending troops to Senate immigration bill that tion. Mnuchin helped the Republican National Committee the Middle East to combat included a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, and opraise tens of millions of dollars the organization. He cannot be confirmed unless poses legal immigration as well. for the Trump campaign and Congress passes legislation, Despite his ultraconservative has remained loyal to Trump since federal law states that views on some policies, he has since the campaign’s infancy. defense secretaries cannot compromised with Democrats He claims that tax reform will have been on active duty in in the past to support policies be his top priority, including corporate and middle class tax the past seven years. such as criminal justice reform. cuts.
Other Cabinet Nominees:
Vice President- Mike Pence Secretary of the Interior- Ryan Zinke Secretary of Commerce- Wilbur Ross Secretary of Labor- Andy Puzder Secretary of Health and Human Services- Tom Price 12 q
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US Department of Defense
Slate
James Mattis
US Congress
Rex Tillerson
GreatAgain
Speakerpedia
The United States President-elect has nominated a colorful cast of figures from a variety of backgrounds, once again proving his unparalleled abilities to cause controversy and defy expectations. by Leah Garza
John Kelly
John Kelly is a retired Marine Corps General and was part of the administration for Guantanamo Bay. He opposes the efforts to shut down the prison and wants stricter border control along the America-Mexico border. Despite efforts to shut down ISIS, he believes that ISIS is not representative of the Muslim population as a whole and that most Muslims are “wonderful people.” Although his speech can be blunt, he is a generally well-received pick because of his reputation for loyalty, humility, and honesty.
Secretary of Energy- Rick Perry Secretary of Housing and Urban Development- Ben Carson Secretary of Transportation- Elaine Cho Secretary of Education- Betsy DeVos
17 going on 70
n o s n a H a i Jul
los Syndrome n a D rs lo h E h to gnosed wit a stark contrast After being dia is fe li ’s n so n a lia H in June 2016, Ju s by Hailey Bulli re fo e b s a w it what
B otog raph y
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sisters and one of their friends told me I should write a blog. When they said that I was like, ‘No you guys are crazy. I’m not doing that.’ because they only people I had told about my chronic illness was my family and three close friends. I didn’t know what it would be like to get it out there, I thought people would think I was crazy or exaggerating and I wanted to keep it to myself, but then the night that they told me to do that, I started secretly making the blog and while I was setting it up and making it I was thinking “I’m not actually going to do this but it looks really pretty. I wanted to make it look beautiful and then the next day I kept working on it and I worked on it for a whole entire day. It was funny because I never wanted to do it but I ended up doing it because I had a little push. VP: Why do you think it’s important to talk about EDS? JH: I’ve always struggled with talking about it because I just feel like I sound like I’m complaining. Everyone always tells me ‘Julia you’re not complaining’ so I think its important to talk about things that are affecting us, especially with me with my EDS because it shows that everyone is going through something, everyone struggles with something whether its illness, self-esteem, family issues, everyone goes through something. It’s important to bring light on things that people don’t know about because things like self-esteem and all that stuff is common but this isn’t common and people need to know about it because maybe if I talk about it another person will realize ‘hey that’s how I’m feeling, maybe I have that as well’ and so it’s really just spreading the word. VP: I noticed that in your blog you have some poems written by you, was poetry always important to you? JH: Honestly, I never really liked poetry that much until I sat down I wrote one and I was like, ‘ I like this, I’m not very good at it but I like doing it’ and I think it’s a creative way to show how I’m feeling. The first post I put on was a poem called 17 going on 70 because that how I feel a lot of the time and it became important to me. VP: What would you like to tell everyone about EDS? JH: EDS is more than a chronic illness, it alters the path of your life. Before I was diagnosed I wanted to be a midwife but now I can barely lift my water bottle up to my mouth without getting shaky. So EDS affects your whole life and it affects your relationships with people, how you move throughout the day, how much you sleep, and whether you can spend time with the people you love and that’s really hard. It’s really hard to think that I can’t do what I used to. So I just want to let people know it effects your whole life, it’s not just something where you get an occasional ache and pain, its a constant pain and it changes your mental health as well so it affects every aspect of your life which is crazy.
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Viewpoint: Can you describe what Ehlers Danlos syndrome is? Julia Hanson: Ehlers Danlos Syndromes are a set of connective tissue disorders that are multi-symptomatic, meaning that they don’t just affect one part of your body, but a lot of parts of your body. For me, I have a type called Ehlers Danlos Hypermobility, meaning I’ve always been able to do the splits and lick my elbow and pull my thumb all the way back to my hand and for me it mostly affects my ligaments and how stretchy they are so I waste a lot of muscle energy trying to hold my joints in place because my ligaments won’t do it. So, Ehlers Danlos is pretty much...it’s a chronic illness that won’t go away and it’s genetic as well, my mom has it.... There are a lot of subtypes, but the three big ones are the vascular types, which are the most dangerous to have, the hypermobile type, and the classic which affects your skin, and how stretchy it is. VP: When were you diagnosed? JH: I was diagnosed around June 2016 I believe. My mom was only diagnosed probably a year before I was even though she’d been suffering from symptoms for a long time because doctors would tell her she was crazy and say ‘there’s no way you have that’ and then when she finally got diagnosed a couple months later, we starting noticing the symptoms in me as well. So, my mom did everything she could, she got me to doctors...I had so many doctor’s appointments from the end of last year until now, more than I've ever had. So I was diagnosed in June by an osteopathic doctor, which is someone who works with bones. VP: What has changed most in your life since then? JH: I don’t know if one thing has changed more than anything else because a lot has changed. A big thing is that before I was diagnosed and before I starting getting really bad symptoms, I did a lot. I was never at home; I filled all of my time because I liked to be busy and I liked doing things. I worked. I was the vice president of competitive events for Virginia FCCLA. I was the president here at Mountain View for FCCLA. I babysat. I did all these extra things and I just kind of had to stop doing them. At the beginning of the school year, I thought I would be able to jump back into everything again, but I kind of had a breakdown after the second week of school and told my parents that I couldn’t do it because it was all too much and I was right. If I had tried to do it, I would never be at school and I’m barely at school now. VP: What pushed you to create your blog? JH: Well, it was actually my sisters. I was really down, which you can expect from not being able to do anything, because I’d given up a lot of things that make me who I am. I had to stop playing piano, it’s hard for me to play viola, and I didn’t do FCCLA anymore. I would just sit in my room all day and have no clue what I should be doing. So I messaged my sisters and I asked,‘Could you guys think of anything that I could possibly do to take my time up and something that is important?’ My
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what’s in C LA R E J O H N S ON , 10 “Loom bands, a speaker, a first-aid kit, three bottles of lotion, make-up wipes, baby shampoo, two watches, my contact solution case, two pairs of headphones, a phone charger, an ace bandage, an eyelash curler, running headphones, backpack pins, two chapsticks, a phone armband, rope, a compact mirror, a calculator, a thermometer, safety pins, and a packet of hot chocolate mix. You can never be too prepared for the apocalypse.”
H A D L E Y D E PU T Y, 11 “Two notebooks, a folder, tons of random pieces of paper, keys, three pencil pouches, two calculators, two books, and two rolls of duct tape. I have been known to carry duct tape in case I’ve ever needed it because it’s known to be a pretty useful tool.”
A N DR E W MC DA N I E L , 12 “Two binders, one folder, my calculator, 17 and a half pencils, chopsticks, a ping pong paddle, three spoons, blank manilla folders, a roll of emergency duct tape, a zucchini, another bag, shoelaces, and notebook paper. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my 3 plus years of high school it’s that you never know when you my need to break out the old pingpong paddle and get a game in.”
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YOUR
BAG Take a peek at the quirky items students carry with them in their backpacks everyday by Ruby Jackson and Emilee Holmquist
What you need to know about GMO A seedless orange, a Hershey chocolate bar, and a can of Coca Cola all have something in common whether you realize it or not: they are genetically modified organisms by Lexi Strawder In 1983, new technology made it possible to produce the first genetically modified organism, better known as a GMO. According to the Responsible Institute of Technology, “A GMO (genetically modified organism) is the result of a laboratory process where genes from the DNA of one species are extracted and artificially forced into the genes of an unrelated plant or animal.” The GMO awareness organization stated that “in 1975 a group of biologists got together with a few lawyers and doctors to create guidelines for the safe use of genetically engineered DNA and in 1880 the first GMO patent was issued.” In 1994, the first genetically modified Fvlar Savr tomatoes were sold in grocery stores to ensure a longer shelf life compared to regular organic tomatoes. Over time, GMOs have become an inevitable reality: an inextricable facet of the American diet that only some are aware of and even fewer are truly knowledgeable about. Products such as fruits, vegetables, and even some name brand products such as Pepsi, Kellogg’s, General Mills, Nestle, Coca Cola, and Kraft contain GMOs. But why do we have GMOs in the first place? According to MIT Technology, “Climate will make it increasing difficult to feed the world. Biotech crops will have an essential role in ensuring that there’s enough to eat.” The increasingly high temperatures and increasingly wet climates have created new issues such as diseases and infestations in some regions, while causing drought and crop failure in others. In addition to the changing climate, MIT Technology predicts that in 2050, the global population will exceed more than nine billion people, making it impossible to feed the entire world without genetically modifying our crops. Nutrition and Wellness teacher Charla Evans said, “Anytime somebody says GMO people automatically think they are bad when the biggest benefit is being able to feed large amounts of people with perfectly healthy food. Corn is still healthy, just because it’s GMO
doesn’t mean that it’s not healthy anymore. Corn is still corn it’s just genetically modified so that we are able to use herbicides on them to kill weeds. But for every advantage there is always a disadvantage that is directly tied to it.” GMOs come with some drawbacks. ZME Science says, “Anti-GMO activists claim that while there is no proof that genetically modified organisms are bad or safe, there is this precautionary that we might not only see the ill effects until later in the future.” GMOs have only been introduced to our markets and the American diet for about 23 years, so nobody can know for sure the long term effects GMOs have on the human body. Evans said, “It’s just that many of the things that they’ve done are not natural that they aren’t seen as natural foods anymore. There have been so many foods that have been altered that they don’t taste the same. Some of them don’t have the same nutrients and aren’t as nutritious as they use to be.” The possibility of ingesting lingering pesticides when eating GMOs has also unsettled some consumers. However, Jennifer Hsaio, writer of Harvard Science in the News, said the herbicide glosphate found in such products are “less toxic and less persistent than traditional herbicides, which means it carries fewer possible health risks for humans.” Evans said, “One of the biggest reasons we genetically modify our produce is so we can use herbicides such as roundup without destroying or harming our crops. If you spray the roundup ready product on the genetically modified crops then the crop itself will not be harmed because the goal is to just kill the weeds but like any chemical it’s not safe to be exposed to too much herbicide.” Many misconceptions exist about GMOs due to a clear lack of knowledge. Factual information should back up any judgements, and the benefits and disadvantages should be weighed before a hasty conclusion is made.
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More Into The Person It’s not uncommon for teenagers to experience moments of unfair judgment by older generations because of appearance or personal beliefs by Sophie Perez. Artwork by Clare Johnson
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aybe it was your grandmother commenting on your ripped jeans at dinner or your uncle making a remark about your new trendy hair cut. Whatever the case, we’ve all been there. The fact that this has happened to just about everyone doesn’t necessarily make it any less annoying. Obviously a lot has changed over the past generations. People now have much more freedom to express themselves with their looks than ever before, manifesting in ripped skinny jeans, contouring makeup, highlight and more. Most view this as a positive change, but others disagree. Coach Dodd said, “I think that older generations are definitely more conservative than younger people nowadays.” Many of these new freedoms are also seen as strange or even wrong by older generations who are used to a more simple style. Over the years there have been some crazy fashion trends. There was the hippie era in the late sixties and seventies, crazy hair and neon colors in the eighties, dark grunge looks in the nineties, Juicy Couture track suits in the early 2000s and now we’ve made it all the way to velvet dresses and bomber jackets. One thing we’ve all learned by now is that the modern era trends will without fail be scrutinized by older
generations. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but is insulting something as simple as another person’s fashion choices really necessary? Everyone should be allowed to express themselves and when others’ choices have no effect on you whatsoever, there’s really no point on having that opinion, let alone expressing it and possibly damaging someone else’s self esteem. Other than physical differences, there are often major differences in the way generations think and the beliefs they hold. Sophomore Izzy Acheson said, “I think younger generations are a lot more open minded and accepting.” Our predecessors often call us the “snowflake” generation, but that doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. We are often called this because we are seen as oversensitive to things that older generations would have just had to “man up” about, but if you look at this from a different perspective, it shows how we are more accepting of things like different sexualities, gender fluidity, and different forms of self expression in general. No matter your views on these topics, new generations being unfairly judged by older generations is something we should put an end to. feature q january 2017 q the viewpoint q
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