The Viewpoint September 2015

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Viewpoint

Mountain View High School 2135 Mountain View Road Stafford, VA 22556

STUDENT NEWS Magazine MVHS VOLUME 10 ISSUE 1 September

Junior Hannah Galligan illustrates life at Mountain View and the seniors’ big finish. Read more on pages 4 & 5.

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GREETINGS & SALUTATIONS I would always avoid the question whenever someone would ask what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I always loved talking to people.

Also, I was a big dreamer; I loved creating stories and sharing my opinion.

When I was in 8th grade, I had a teacher; Mrs. Scott. She was my English teacher but she taught me way more than just that. She gave me amazing feedback on everything I wrote, to the point where I would bring her pieces I wrote completely outside of class just to get her opinion. She was a phenomenal teacher and a great influence in my life.

As the year drew to a close, she constantly encouraged me to apply to Mountain View’s Journalism program. I admit I protested slightly because I loved the free range of writing anything I chose for my own selected audience. With hesitation though, I submitted my work and applied.

My first class on my first day of freshman year was Journalism with Mrs. Eshelman. I always looked forward to that class, and I found that while the other students were bored out of their minds and rolled their eyes, I was having the time of my life.

Of course I went on to be a member of staff my

sophomore year. Mrs. Eshelman moved away but was replaced with the extremely dedicated Ms. Strahl. I learned from some of the most amazing people and young journalists I could imagine. Megan Clark, Sami Toal, Paul King, Josh Guillemette, and Erinn Black are among some of these wonderful teachers.

Fast forward to present day. I feel incredibly blessed to be the Editor in Chief of such a great publication. I have a talented staff behind me and I feel that the things we can accomplish this year are limitless. I hope The Viewpoint remains a prominent part of Mountain View student life and we are able to accomplish our goal of highlighting all parts of this school and community.

Here’s to a great year, Wildcats.

In Memory of Joe Riddle

by Krissy Poff On September 8, 2015, the Mountain View was shocked to hear that member of the community had passed away.

Joseph Riddle was slated to graduate with the Class of 2016. He was a member of the freshman football team his first year at Mountain View and also played throughout middle school. In his spare time Joseph would always be down at the lake fishing, or riding four-wheelers.

He was an avid fisher and had become very good at it the older he became. He was always the one to catch the biggest fish out of all of his friends whenever they were at the lake.

Joseph’s mom described him as a

person whose smile could light up a room and his outgoing personality could easily be spread to those around him.

Family and friends were of the utmost importance to Joseph, and he would cherish every minute with them.

Joseph’s friends remember him as being sweet, kind, patient, and loving.

Joseph left behind a loving family and tight group of friends who will miss him dearly, but they know he is watching over them everyday.

The Class of 2016 is devastated, but is determined to graduate in honor of Joseph Riddle.

Editor in Chief

@mvtheviewpoint

The Viewpoint SEPTEMBER 2015 VOLUME X ISSUE I Editor in Chief

Sarah Yakulis

Assistant Editor in Chief

Hailey Bullis

Social Media Editor

Krissy Poff

Copy Editor

Leah Garza

Photography Editor/Extra Editor

Cory Haley

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 editor are welcome and should be submitted to rooms 303 or 307

Staff Writers

Jenny Bullers, Lily Cowper, Paige Doerfler, Michael Goffus, Zane Gobie, Alex Harrington, Morgan Ocetnick, Reagan King, Austin Venable, Front Cover Artwork: Hannah Galligan Photo: Hailey Bulis

2014 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. september 2015 q the viewpoint q 3

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Hailey Bullis

Krissy Poff

Krissy Poff

Hailey Bullis

Hailey Bullis

Hailey Bullis

B16 finish Senior year can be the best time of your life, but many struggle to determine what path they will take come next fall. by Krissy Poff you possibly can your freshmen year, you never know where it’ll take you,” said Phillips.

Freshman year is like a trial run for high school. There are so many opportunities for you to join clubs and sport teams. “My piece of advice for freshman is, get involved in clubs and do well in all of your classes. High school is a great experience and you’ll have a lot of people supporting you along the way,” said Phillips. From freshman year to senior year, change is inevitable. “I definitely won’t be as lost as I was freshman year,” said Flett. Getting lost the first day of freshman year is tradition, but now seniors are lost when it comes to thinking of they’re future.

“Walking in to my last day of senior year is scary, but I’m optimistic for what this year has to bring,” said Flett. Freshman year when The Class of 2016 first walked through the doors, a sense of pride and anxiousness filled the air. Many seniors look back at at how nervous they were the first day of their freshman year, and now they realize that there was nothing to be nervous about. “I was extremely nervous my freshman year, but mostly just scared of the seniors.” said Phillips.

The senior class of many high schools is seen as the big, bad rulers of the school. Movies and tv shows portray seniors constantly pulling pranks on the underclassmen, but that’s so last century. The Class of 2016 dares to be different. “I want to make the underclassmen feel the excitement that seniors experience,” said Phillips. This year’s senior class officers are doing their best to make Moutain View feel like home.

“I’ve made alot of friends and memories here at Mountain View, and to me it’s my home away from home,” said Bishop. The upcoming year has the potential to be the best one yet, but it’s all up to you.

June 11 seems like a normal day for many people, but for seniors it marks the beginning of the rest of their lives.The moment you put on your cap and gown is a moment you’ll never forget; that’s the moment you realize that you’ve finally made it. Walking across the stage at graduation symbolizes taking the next step into your future, and beginning a new chapter. The story within that chapter; well, that’s up to you.

You can’t run away from your future, but you also can’t let it prevent you from having the time of your life during your last year of high school. Senior year is the year to make your mark here at Mountain View, and to leaveno stone unturned. “I want people to remember the Class of 2016 as a class of creativity, innovation, and leaders. We may have started off small, but we’re going to finish big,” said Phillips.

When you walk across the stage in June, don’t forget that it should be a moment you will remember for the rest of your life. Class of 2016, it’s time for your “B16 Finish”.

Cory Haley

A

ll throughout high school graduating is on everyone’s mind, but as the date approaches many seniors begin to look back at the memories they’ve made here at Mountain View.

It’s a big diffirence walking through the front doors as a freshman vs. as a senior. You walk in knowing you’re the top dogs of the school, with nothing holding you back. “I’m definitely more confident and mature than I was when I walked into Mountain View my freshman year,” said senior Vice President Zach Phillips. “I’m excited to walk in to my senior year with a great group of friends, but sad that it’ll be my last year.” The nervous feeling of freshman year has been replaced with a feeling of mixed emotions, because this is the year to accomplish everything you want to do before we walk across that stage in June.

Speaking of accomplishments, most of seniors are probably in panic mode while trying to make their mark here at Mountain View while they still have the chance. “I want to accomplish a lot this year, but most of all I want to be able to balance my grades and dancing career,” said Abigail Bishop. As senior year becomes more and more surreal the to-do list grows, and before you know your future is around the corner.

“I’m excited for senior year, but I’m expecting a few mental breakdowns as college draws near,” said Sam Flett.

The most important aspect of senior year is also the most dreaded: your future. College and getting your first job seems exciting to a lot of people, but not when you’re a senior filling out application after application. At one point or another, you fill out so many applications that many students become overwhelmed with decisions. Then the worry kicks in, and you start to wonder what college you’ll get in to or what job offer you’ll accept. “My future is important, but I don’t want to forget that this is my senior year and I need to have fun while I can,” said Bishop.

Once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat. Well at least that’s what they’re told. Many students all fear one thing: leaving behind the family you have learned to love these past four years .“I’ve made a lot of friends here at Mountain View, and it’s going to be tough going our separate ways,” said Phillips. Seniors this year were all dying to graduate as they saw some of their friends from the Class of 2015 move on, but now that it’s their turn they are forced to think of their future. For some that’s a scary thought, but for others their path has already been set in stone. “It’s a good feeling to know what I want to do in the future, it makes me push myself that much harder,” said Bishop.

For senior athletes, this is the year to leave everything out on the field. College coaches are looking for that one player that could change the whole dynamic of their program. However, balancing sports and grades is never an easy task. ““Try out for as many sports as

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HARD aCT to

FOLLOW

AHMad Tweedy

The Viewpoint talks to Ahmad Tweedy about his first year as starting quarterback.

by Hailey Bullis

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The Viewpoint: As starting quarterback this season, game? how do you feel pressured to compete in a game?

AT: I just love the game, and I like playing. There’s Ahmad Tweedy: Most of the time, whenever you no point in playing if I’m not going to give my best. My play quarterback, you’re going to have a lot of pressure teammates count on me and I’ve got to do my job. because you’re supposed to be the leader of the team, VP: As an athlete what’s your biggest accomplishleader of the offense, and most of the time the most ment? vocal. Then everyone is watching the quarterback spot AT: Starting as a freshman, that’s an accomplishment. because he is the one who has the ball the most, so VP: Is there any particular routine you do before a when you make a mistake, everyone knows it. It’s not like game? you’re a lineman and nobody really looks there, so I feel AT: Not really, just listen to music. Talk to the teamlike the position is glorified, because everybody is watch- mates and stuff. That’s about it. ing. So, sometimes there is pressure, but it’s just how you VP: How do you continue to better yourself and your handle it, and how you go about it. playing as an athlete?

VP: How do you handle the pressure?

AT: Just practice and try to make yourself better and AT: Treat it like the game’s like a practice, and just try then eventually it’ll make my team better. not to get too involved with the crowd and all of the VP: What’s the hardest thing about playing? distractions, and play how I know how to play.

AT: Playing the quarterback. The quarterback position, VP: What are you most excited about this season? there’s a lot of reads, there’s a lot of things you have to AT: Our team, and how we’ve built a lot of chemistry. I do. You have to know what everybody is doing on the think we can do some pretty good things this year. field plus what you’re doing so it’s just... it’s a lot, but with VP: Elijah Burress was the starting quarterback last practice and experience anybody can handle it. season, so do you have big shoes to fill? Do you play like VP: What’s the most memorable moment this season? he plays or do you play your own way?

AT: Probably just seeing all the smiles on all the guys’ AT: Yeah, I have some big shoes to fill, because he faces after each game that we’ve won. Just the energy was pretty successful here and now he’s playing college and how we’ve come together and played like a team football so I kind of have a big expectation to put up the past three games. some of the numbers that he put up, and hopefully go to VP: Who is your biggest critic? play college football.

AT: Probably myself, my coach and my dad.

VP: Is there anything you do differently then Elijah VP: Why is that? did?

AT: Cause they all expect a lot from me and I expect AT: No, not really. We’re two different people so our a lot from myself also, so I’m pretty hard on myself and playing styles are different, but he watched his film, I most of the time and Coach sees it and he just tells me to watch film. He practices, and I practice, so we’re pretty keep my head up; have short-term memory. much the same.

VP: Who is your biggest fan?

VP: The varsity team is currently undefeated, and goAT: Probably my dad. ing against Colonial Forge on Friday, September 18th, do VP: How are you a leader on and off the field? you feel that the team will continue the winning streak?

AT: Being the quarterback, you’ve got to be a leader, AT: I think we will. Forge has been good the past cou- because you lead the offense, lead the team. I’m also a ple of years, but this year I don’t think they’re as good as captain on the team too. So you’ve got to be vocal there they were. So, I think we have a shot at winning. We just because there is a lot expected out of a captain-off the have to stay focused and stay humble. field, in the classroom just participating, sharing ideas, VP: What inspires you to play your hardest during a bringing up ideas and coming together.

“

I just love the game, and I like playing. There’s no point in playing if I’m not going to give my best. My teammates count on me and I’ve got to do my job.”

Hailey Bullis

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Hear me out Where do you prefer to discover and listen to your favorite artists? The Viewpoint explores two of the most popular music platforms of the season.

by Paige Doerfler

Macbooks, iPods, iPhones, iPads, and now this? After creating Beats Music and iTunes Radio, Apple has finally decided to join the music platform industry that has drastically changed the way many listen to music.

Apple Music was recently released to the public with a threemonth free trial, claiming to be a streaming music service that allows you to listen to any song available in the iTunes library.

Once this three-month period is up, the service will cost $9.99 per individual or $14.99 through iCloud Family Sharing for a family of up to six people per month.

“It’s the best thing that ever happened since the iPod,” said Eddie Richardson, senior at Mountain View High School.

Not only do you have full access to the iTunes library, but you also have the ability to download music for offline use. In addition, you will have to opportunity to make iTunes Radio ad free.

Reaching over 100 countries, Android and Apple users, alike, will be able to benefit from this service.

Although this seems like a great success for Apple, not everyone has pleasant things to say about it. Twenty-five year-old Taylor Swift wrote a public letter on social media to Apple shortly after Apple Music was released, saying, “I’m sure you are aware that Apple Music will be offering a free three-month trial to anyone who signs up for this service. I’m not sure you know that Apple Music will not be paying writers, producers, or artists for those three months. I find it to be shocking, disappointing, and completely unlike this historically progressive and generous company.”

Her opinion lead Apple to find the funds to pay all artists during their three-month free trial period, satisfying Swift and other concerned parties associated with this issue.

Apple has also recently released 24/7 global radio station Beats 1 Radio. Based in Los Angeles, New York City, and London, Beats 1 Radio is hosted by numerous radio personalities, and will not only play music, but feature special guests throughout time on the air.

One of Apple’s top competitors in the music platform industry also had some news over the summer. Spotify caused a public disturbance with its shocking, new policies, resulting in major damage control for the company.

Launched in Sweden in 2008, Spotify allows users to play music directly from the Cloud. Boasting over 30 million tracks, this service has a vast collection that caters to almost everyone, however the new policies have turned away much of their business.

To give an overview, Spotify introduced a new privacy policy,

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the viewpoint qseptember 2015

effective as of August 19, 2015, that demanded access to all pictures, contacts, voice controls, location services, and media files.

Stated in the second article of this policy are the words, “If you don’t agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, then please do not use this service.” This intrusive policy outraged many users and made quite a few quit the service entirely.

“It’s unnecessary. It’s just music,” said Kevin Hall, senior at Mountain View High School.

In response to the negativity, CEO Daniel Ek reassured the general public through Spotify’s official blog: “We understand people’s concerns about their personal information and are 100 percent committed to protecting our users’ privacy.”

Regardless of your personal opinion; it is undeniable that music, and the many ways that it can be accessed, has become a huge part of our society.

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Highest level

Fawn Fessner

Mountain View athletes are taking a big step to the next level with competing in their sport. by Morgan Ocetnik and Sarah Yakulis

Olivia Alexander

Fawn Hessner

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Many athletes are taking it to the next level at such a young age.

Sophomore Olivia Alexander is an athlete dedicated to CrossFit and weight lifting. She is being homeschooled this year to stay competitive in the CrossFit games and competitions.

CrossFit is a strengthening and conditioning program for competitive fitness for any type of athlete. Alexander trains about six times a week for two hours each session. Her schedule consists of strength training and an actual workout for a couple of the days. Other days she will do strictly Olympic weight lifting and then CrossFit.

Alexander joined a CrossFit gym in Stafford last year in October with her family. Beforehand she started watching videos of Olympic CrossFit athletes, and from then knew it was something she wanted to pursue. Alexander explained that at her gym they have a competition called “The Open” that prepares them up to the games. Her gym members show up on Saturdays and complete their workouts together while submitting their scores Alexander said. They do a bunch of different workouts to see who has the fastest workout or does the most rounds of it, etc. The scores are submitted to a website; it tracks and places the athletes. Alexander said that she remembers not being able to do a lot of the things other people could do, and as she progressed she realized how fun everything was and how much she loved CrossFit.

Deciding to be homeschooled for CrossFit and weight lifting was actually a last minute decision, said Alexander.

She explained that after she started competing, she got a job at her gym with the daycare center and realized she did not want to leave that. Recently her coach said that she should get more into weight lifting, meaning on top of that she would join the USA Weightlifting Club, and on top of that she would do meets throughout the week.

Her options were doing a couple meets on the weekends or she could sacrifice school to do more. In the end she chose to be homeschooled, but takes online courses that you have to pay for. “I think it’s kind of harder in a way because you don’t have a teacher, but it’s also easier because you can go at your own pace, and don’t have to worry about other people catching up or anything. It’s different, a lot different...,” said Alexander. It was a hard decision for her because she knew she would miss a lot of friends and the volleyball team. She’s still looking forward to going to football and basketball games, however, to support Mountain View.

Alexander explained that she gets lots of support from her parents and coaches. Her coaches are there all the time helping and giving her lots of tips with her CrossFit and technique. Assuming Alexander’s passion for fitness continues, Alexander’s life goal is to open up her own gym or business someday.

Joey Rohal The Viewpoint: How long have you been doing taekwondo?

Joey Rohal: 9 years VP: What did you like most about it?

JR: It’s a really good stress reliever.

VP: Where do you practice?

JR: Power Kix Martial Arts.

VP: How do you feel you’ve excelled in Taekwondo?

JR: I started off not really liking it, because you start off not on teams really, so you get to a point where you have to be like, okay. Am I going to be really good at this? Or am I just going to be like, ‘Oh I’m just going to do curriculum and I’m fine?’ and then you realize ‘Oh I’m actually good at this’. And you’re like ‘I can go far!’ and so you go and you get really good and you keep excelling.

VP: When was that point for you?

JR: This year really. I had a really good year this year. Last year I dealt with a ton of injuries. I had surgery this year and was able to fight, but last year was a mess.

VP: What was the process of getting into the Olympic Trials?

JR: I haven’t been to the Olympic trials, I want to. I trained at the Olympic Training center for a week and to get there I had to make top four.

VP: Top four of what?

JR: We had two different team trials, I was just at AAU team trials, but USAT, which is USA Taekwondo. I fought there and then they do double eliminations so you have to keep fighting, but you had to make A team to go to the Olympic Training Center. I made B team, but the kid who was going to go didn’t. So I was able to, and I’m a national B team member, so whatever tournament he doesn’t want to go to or if he can’t go to, they can me and I go.

VP: What are you most excited about coming up for you?

JR: I’m actually going to Germany this year for the German open, it’s a huge tournament. It’s obviously US Open, Dutch Open, Spain, Mexico, and Germany this year, the AAU team get to travel to Germany and appear for the trip and fight.

VP: Is traveling hard?

JR: Yea, if it’s local, we’ll drive like, it’s Florida, we’ll drive, but we do travel a lot.

We fly a lot, go to California, and go everywhere. VP: What are your goals for your future in taekwondo?

JR: 2020, 2024 Olympics.

Andrea Rohal

Provided by Annalee Johnson

The Power of Focus

Annalee Johnson The Viewpoint: Explain the trial cut you got, how you got it, and what this means?

Annalee Johnson: Okay, so for the Olympics, you have to go to trials first. So this summer at the Senior Champs meet I got my trial cut in the 100m breaststroke. In June, when national trials happen, I’ll attend the trial cut meet with around 1400 other swimmers. I’m competing against everyone in the United States … college, high school, out of college, on national teams … everyone.

VP: What is the time you had to get for the cut?

AJ: It’s a 1.11 high and I got a 1.11 low. So, I got it by like half a second.

VP: How hard is it to go to a competition like this?

AJ: It’s pretty difficult. I train eight times a week for two and a half hours each time. I also do weight training.

VP: Has this been a lifetime goal for you?

AJ: I’m really weird in that I don’t like to set goals for myself out of fear of not making them. I knew I was close to the cut but it’s just such a big goal… trials is such a big deal. Only like, 100 swimmers in the USA make this specific cut and I didn’t want to miss it and be disappointed. I swam prelims and was half a second off from the time and my brother motivated to go for it. It wasn’t something that had been on my mind since day one like I have to get a trail cut like thats how most people do it, they shoot their whole lives for it. I trained for it, but it just kind of happened.

VP: What club do you swim for?

AJ: I am on NCAP, nationals capitol club it is the best swim club in the country. So, i know other people who have gotten cuts. A lot of Olympians train with NCAP. VP: What specifically are you doing now to train for this trial?

AJ: I’m staying with the same training schedule, but I’m going to see a nutritionist. I know that I probably won’t go to the Olympics but I just want to have the best season I can. This is my last season with my coach before I go away to college. I don’t want to switch my schedule I’m still keeping with the same things, just adding some new things that I’m sure will help me.

VP: Are you planing on swimming in college?

AJ: Yeah definitely, I just haven’t decided where yet. I should be committed by the end of October.

VP: Overall, do you think you’ll end up making it to the Olympics?

AJ: No, no chance. Theres’ people on National Teams. People who have graduated college; this is their job, this is what they train for. This still really excites me and I can’t wait to compete and watch them. In the future i would love to make top 16 or top 8.

VP: Do you want to continue swimming after college?

AJ: I’m not sure yet. It really just depends where I am at that time in my life. T I’ll graduate is a year of trails so I can either go and see where it takes me, or that’ll be then end of 12 years of swimming for me.

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New faces Orchestra and band gain two new directors with a fresh outlook on the music program at Mountain View.

by Lily Cowper

Meet Warren Welch (left) and Brian Schmidt (right). These are Mountain View’s newest and youngest band directors -- and they’ve got big plans.

Both bringing an abundance of energy to the band rooms, their backgrounds will allow them to explore new ideas and experiences to share with their students.

We’ve got some great things coming to MV music, and they’re both right here.

Welch, who is originally from Hanover, Virginia, joins us as the new band director at Mountain View.

After graduating from Virginia Tech, Welch moved to the Cayman Islands for five years teaching K-12 music classes (including both chorus and band).

There, he taught kids from around the world with varying talents and many different backgrounds in music.

This allowed students to mesh together and share musical knowledge with each other.

With much smaller class sizes in the Cayman Islands compared to here at Mountain View, Welch’s teaching style has been influenced to allow him to work with students in smaller groups.

He said, in reference to the move from smaller classes to larger classes, “I think that’s been the biggest help for me — figuring out how to work with small groups in large group settings.”

Also coming this year, Welch will be using a lot more technology in the band program than in the past.

He’ll be posting blog posts and news articles for his students to read, as well as students using the program Smart Music a lot more — this means students can record themselves playing their instruments at home and send it in to their teacher for grading. These programs are meant to allow students to be engaged outside of class.

Welch is setting the bar high this year for the band due to their excellent ratings in the past. He said he plans on “maintaining the tradition of

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in music superior performances.”

Schmidt, a violinist, is the music department’s new Orchestra director and comes from upstate New York.

After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Music and Performance Education at Ithaca College, Schmidt is excited about this year’s talented students.

He said, “I’ve dedicated my whole life to music and the arts. The chance to share that with students is a really exciting prospect. I feel like I’ve gained such wealth and knowledge and to let that be just for me would be selfish.”

This year, Schmidt hopes to be including symphony orchestra collaborations with the band. It is a major transition year for both of our new directors – so most of their newer programs and ideas will be implemented in the next coming years. Most of Schmidt’s ideas won’t be put into place for a year or so.

For example, Schmidt plans on introducing an IB Music course sometime within the next few years. This course will be offered for music students and will be focused around music performance, music history, music theory, and composition.

IB Music students will be learning about music outside of western culture such as traditional Indian, Chinese, and African music.

He also noted the possibility of the orchestra using electric instruments and playing different styles of music rather than just classical.

Both Schmidt and Welch plan on using their own and their students’ compositions in their ensembles’ performances. In fact, Welch said, “We’ll encourage our students to continue to write their own [music] or arrange music for the band.”

Teresa Whitehead Mr. Welch and the band at last Friday’s home game against Colonial Forge.

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IIP Media Archive

Love wins in all 50 States Supreme Court decision legalizes gay marriage in all 50 states. by Michael Goffus

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ashington, D.C. lit up in a rainbow on June 26, 2015 as the Supreme Court ruled same-sex marriage is legal in all 50 states.

A crowd of gay rights advocates burst in to cheers and tears as the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision was announced the morning of the 26th. The news occupied every major news channel and radio station. Social media was lit on fire as #LoveWins and #Pride both became top trends on Twitter. Even President Obama joined in the celebration, tweeting “Today is a big step in our march toward equality. Gay and lesbian couples now have the right to marry, just like anyone else. #LoveWins” to more than 60 million followers. Snapchat featured a new story called ‘Marriage Equality’ that showed pictures and videos of people celebrating the news, as well as new rainbow filters that users could use. Justice Anthony Kennedy was the swing vote between the four liberal justices and the four conservative justices. “No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice and family.

In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than they once were,” wrote Justice Kennedy after the decision was made according to the Washington Post. The celebration could be seen all across America. However, with the decision being decided by the slim factor of only one vote, one can still wonder: was legalizing same-sex marriage right for America?

This summer America became the 21st country to fully legalize same-sex marriage. The thought of two men or two women marrying one another isn’t a

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new idea, but it’s still met with both support and opposition. In a survey of 100 Mountain View students, 56% said they were happy with the decision, 10% are unhappy, and 34% had no opinion on the issue.

The same-sex marriage debate came up again this summer as a Kentucky county clerk, Kim Davis, refused to give marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

After still refusing to issue licenses to gay couples after multiple orders to do so, Davis was charged with contempt of court charges and sent to prison. The Internet lit up with arguments for both sides of the debate, with some defending the actions of the clerk, and others saying she didn’t do her job and broke the law.

The debate was brought to a halt when the clerk was released September 10 on the condition that she does not interfere with those who issue licenses for samesex couples, as her co-workers had been issuing licenses in her absense. Davis has now returned to work in the county office staying true to her morals, but same-sex couples can still receive licenses from the other workers in the office.

Love might’ve won in the United States, but gay marriage still has a long way to go. With some countries still sending citizens to prison for gay activity, samesex couples still aren’t accepted by everyone - but equality in America is a step in the right direction.

“I don’t agree with it because I think it’s wrong and a sin. With the men, it’s gross. But with the women, it’s fine.” -Rodrigo Silva, junior “I believe people should have the right to love anyone no matter the circumstances, if they’re black, white, blue, green, male, or female, it should be okay. it’s a huge step for the U.S.” -Kylie Paxton, senior “It doesn’t matter to me as long as they don’t stuff it in my face.”

-Lainey Gish, sophomore