The Viewpoint October|November 2019

The

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

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VOLUME 14 ISSUE 2 October | November

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Editorial

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The Viewpoint

These past two months, the Viewpoint staff has delved into the world of learning about diseases. While that may not sound too enticing, it has actually been quite fascinating. Various strains of diseases affect different parts of the world, therefore, making it crucial to understand the causes, symptoms, and treatments of the ones that are a potential threat to yourself and others.

The staff writers and editors have provided an insight on which epidemic in history is the most interesting in their opinion. Some writers agreed that the smallpox epidemic in the 1900s is the most interesting while Lexi, Javonna, Jules and Claire argued that the Bubonic, or Black, Plague is the more intriguing disease.

Cover 16 Vanished LA coast Claire and Javonna both stated how they appreciated the grim, but necessary, outfits of Ads 17 “Lighthouse” review the plague doctors, and their influence on modIndex ern-day costumes, while Lexi took a more histor18 Who done it ical perspective on the plague by stating, “The Ads Bubonic Plague is the most interesting because 19 Astrology What’s New @ MV most people think that it originated in Europe but it didn’t. The Mongols would use catapults 20 Stafford fried rice Match your teacher to throw dead bodies infected with the Plague into other areas. It was also one of the first cases 21 Stafford fried rice Match your teacher of biological warfare being used.”

We all fall down Danielle and Isabella acknowledged how the 22 Cardboard oven smallpox vaccine has evolved through time to Recycling be more effective and act as a model for others, 23 E-sports as well as how smallpox is the only true eradiTwo types of foodies cated infectious disease in the world to date.

24 Fashion Greases my gears While both the plague and smallpox are 25 Exchange student essentially a thing of the past, save a few cases Road heading down of plague annually and the threat of bioterror26 Unpopular opinions ism, some staff writers focused on more current Road heading down diseases.

Banned book quiz 27 LGBTQ+ bullies Catelynn wrote about the recent Ebola outbreaks. She said, “It all started with a small fruit Ads 28 Recipes bat, and it has become so contagious that doctors have to wear full body suits just to get near the patients.”

Aisha said, “Zika is a very serious epidemic because it can trigger paralysis and also in pregnant women it may cause subsequent birth defects. This epidemic is extremely rare, but it can spread by animal or insect bites or stings.”

No matter which one you are most interested in, all past and current epidemics have left lasting effects. Keeping that in mind, please wash your hands.

Index

Feature Figure

AUGUST|SEPTEMBER 2019 VOLUME 14 ISSUE 2 Managing Editors Isabella Roeske Danielle Piper Extra Editor Caroline Pollock Social Media Editor Javonna Brigham Photography Editor Jules Torrice Briefs Editors Aisha SantiagoBurgos Lexi 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 Staples. Letters and art to the editorial board are welcomed and should be submitted to room 503.

Staff Writers Catelynn Aiman, Ceci Alvarez, Javonna Brigham, Aisha SantiagoBurgos, Lexi Jackson, Sean Jones, Danielle Piper, Caroline Pollock, Isabella Roeske Jules Torrice, and Claire Watkins Front Cover Isabella Roeske Danielle Piper

by Ceci Alvarez

Junior Jesse Scott is currently Senior Enlisted Advisor of the entire MCJROTC Wildcat Battalion. He earned this position for his dedication and leadership towards the program.

Scott said, “I am committed to ensuring that the Wildcat Battalion continues to grow and succeed.” His goal is to attend the United States Naval Academy after graduating from Mountain View and then commissioning into the United States Marine Corps as a pilot.

Scott also explained how his commitment has taught him valuable lessons. He said, “the MCJROTC Program has helped me grow in many different ways, including character and mental development, as well as physical fitness. The program has also taught me to live by the Marine Corps core values- honor, courage, and commitment. I’ve also learned the value of integrity- to never lie, cheat, or steal.”

One of Scott’s favorite hobbies is working out. He loves baseball and also enjoys umpiring in his spare time. Outside of being head of the Battalion Staff, he is also on the cross country team and has been a member of the Math Honors Society for the past two years.

An aspect Scott wishes people knew about the MCJROTC program is that it’s more fun than students realize. He said, “We have plenty of great people within the program. Lieutenant Colonel Barnes and Sergeant Major Tanner make it a great program.”

2014-2017 International Quill and Scroll First Place Articles 2014-2016 VHSL State Championship First Place Award 2013, 2014, 2015 Free Lance-Star Best Over All Newspaper 2011 Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medalist Mountain View High School 2135 Mountain View Rd. Stafford, VA 22556

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Halloween costumes

by Claire Watkins

Halloween, originally a Celtic tradition called Samhain, falls on October 31. Over the years, Halloween has grown progressively commercial, thus earning a large amount of participants in the holiday. For Halloween, many people carve pumpkins, trick-or-treat, and, of course, dress up in a costume.

This year, Halloween fell on a Thursday--a school day. Students are allowed to dress up as long as school dress code rules are obeyed. A chunk of people, including Noah Hernandez, senior, came to school in costume. Hernandez dressed up as Gardener Minshew II, the quarterback of the Jacksonville Jaguars, because “he is an unorthodox player who has old school vibes.”

Some people, on the other hand, did not come to school in costume. One of those people is Chase Bradshaw, a junior. “I just don’t like participating in the spirit stuff,” he says.

Regardless of whether a person dressed up or not, the seasonal spirit was definitely in the air--and hallways-- of Mountain View High School this Hallow’s Eve.

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What’s new at the View?

Improv show

by Catelynn Aiman

The Improv Team at Mountain View put on a show in the auditorium on Friday, October 18. Students and parents gathered in the auditorium just a few minutes before the show.

Once the clock hit 7:00, Bob Ross, played by Ben Carthron, walked on stage, making the members come to life. Once all the members came to life, they started playing improv games. In one of the games they ran out of marinara sauce, and a guy lost his legs.

Catheryn Stumpf, junior, said,” We are like a family, we always hang out with each other.”

Another game they played is Four Square: four people stand in a square facing the audience, two people in the front and two in the back, the two people in the front are given a place and then they rotate, until each group of two goes. Following four square they played a game called ABC Scream: two people from the team are picked, then start with a letter from the audience, in this case it was F, the two people chosen had to go back and forth with their lines starting from the next letter in the alphabet. The final game played is called Summer Camp: five people from the team are given a weird object to write home about. The game ended up becoming a story about a camp set up by the government, to trick kids into back-stabbing and betraying each other over a limited edition game.

“For our first show it went great, the new guys did good, but we can improve our Improv,” said Jenna Dilsher, junior.

The show ended with a thank you to everybody that came out to watch.

“Celia”

by Danielle Piper

After much anticipation and over two years of devising, “The Celia Project” competed at the Virginia Theatre Association, VTA, conference in Norfolk the first weekend of November. The play is based on the book “Celia, a Slave” by Melton Alonza McLaurin, and was devised by Mountain View’s artistic director, Tom Clark with the help of the cast and crew of the play.

The story follows Celia, a young slave girl from Missouri who was purchased by Robert Newsome at 14, and sexually abused by him for five years until she chose to defend herself against his advances. Celia was then accused of his murder and put on trial, ultimately leading to a ruling declaring slave women had less rights than free women, and Celia’s execution. Within the play, all the male characters are not portrayed by actors, but instead acted as larger than life puppets, emphasizing the oppressive nature of the men in Celia’s life.

Sophomore Makayla Hoffman, who played a member of Celia’s supportive “choir” this year, and previously played Celia in last year’s casting said she really enjoyed the devising process. “It was actually really cool. I liked being able to put more of myself into it than just playing a character.”

At VTA, the play competed against a number of other schools from Virginia for various awards, as well as for a coveted spot in the final round of judging. “The Celia Project” won the “Judges’ Choice Award for Best Original Play,” “Honorable Mention for Tech” and freshman LaBelle Gnansounou, who portrayed Celia, won “Best Performance” for her role.

The play did not make it to the finals, but the cast and crew who returned from Norfolk the following Sunday were proud of their hard work, and look forward to competing with “The Celia Project” at the Virginia High School League competition.

Band for hunger

by Sean Jones

On Monday, November 4, all the high school marching bands of Stafford County came together and participated in the ninth annual Band Together to Fight Hunger.

The bands were playing to help the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank raise money, gather food items, and to display the bands’ shows to other people in the county. Admission was just a can or monetary donation.

Brooke Point High School was the first band to go and played their show “Stand Together,” then North Stafford presented their interpretation of the “Twilight Zone.”

Mountain View followed them with their show “Incantation”, followed by Stafford High School with their retelling of “Pearl Harbor.”

Last but not least was Colonial Forge with their performance “Sounds of Space.”

The event ended with all the bands coming together for a grand mass marching band and played “America the Beautiful” conducted by guest conductor and principal of Widewater Elementary Karen Bingham.

Other notable people in attendance were Stafford Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Scott Kizner and Virginia House Delegate Rob Thomas.

The event raised over $17,450 and collected over 2,500 food items. This is enough for 34,900 meals. brief u october | november 2019 u the viewpoint u05

match your teacher

Try to figure out which childhood photograph matches with which teacher

by Javonna Brigham and Caroline Pollock

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We all fall down A deeper insight into the downfall of a NFL headliner

by Javonna Brigham | Photos by Wikimediacommons

Antonio Brown #84 Raider, steeler, #17 Pat Wide Receiver

#NoMore

It’s not uncommon for fame to go to someone’s head. Antonio Brown went from a promising college athlete destined to make it to the professional league to a man swimming in controversies and accusations.

Antonio Brown attended Central Michigan University before being drafted into the NFL. In 2012, he was the second wide receiver pick for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

From the beginning of his NFL career, Brown has always been a star athlete, even helping his team make it to Superbowl XLV. In 2017, Brown’s actions started spiralling. His first offense came after he streamed the events in the team locker room after a game. He was fined for violating a social media policy put in place by the NFL organization.

The following year, Brown, who was still a Steeler at the time, faced lawsuits following an anger filled rage in which Brown threw furniture off of an apartment balcony and almost struck a nearby two-year-old. Just a month after the furniture incident, Brown was caught and ticketed for driving over 100 mph in a residential 45 speed limit zone in Pittsburgh.

At the end of 2018, Brown began skipping team practices due to an argument with fellow teammate, Ben Rothlisberger.

2019

This year has also been filled with drama for the now former NFL star. In July, Brown began leaving practices early because he wasn’t able to wear the helmet he wanted to due to new safety codes.

Brown soon became a member of the Oakland Raiders, although that position didn’t last long. Brown quickly asked to be released.

By September, Brown agreed to a one-year deal and became a New England Patriot. Just a few days after joining the New England team, Brown was accused of sexually assaulting his former trainer on three different occasions. A week later, the New England Patriots released Brown due to the sexual allegations, and according to ABC News, the now former Pat, tweeted, “Thank you for the opportunity.”

The controversies surrounding Antonio Brown have created many different opinions in people’s minds.

“I’m not for anything he’s done,” Coach Sorrentino said.

“You know the same set of standards applies to him just like any average person. Just because you’re an athlete doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be entitled to any special privileges. As a coach, I want people to know just because you’re good at football doesn’t mean you can run through life doing whatever you want.”

Many fans are hoping for more seasons from the former all-star, while others aren’t expecting or wanting it. There isn’t a definite yes or no answer as to whether or not Brown will play in the NFL again.

“He was a great wide receiver. He started playing for the Steelers and was babied. The whole offense revolved around him until JuJu came in and basically took his shine, so he left. He played for Oakland which he did horrible and further got traded to the Patriots, played one game, and they released him. Now he’s a free agent. I dislike him to be honest,” said senior Dalton Blankenship.

08 u the viewpoint u october | november 2019 u news

Next Steps According to CNBC, Brown’s agent Drew Rosenhaus commented, “I’ve said there is interest in him from teams that are looking for the investigation to conclude, and I fully expect Antonio to be playing this season.”

Brown expects to play in the NFL again, just not this season. A tweet made by a fan expressed his sad emotions from not being able to watch Antonio Brown’s highlights, and Brown replied with “2020.”

A sports-related Instagram page post claims, “Antonio Brown really took the Madden Curse to new heights.”

Digital Trends website explains the Madden Curse by saying “Of the 22 players who have been selected to grace the cover of “Madden” games through this season, 16 have had troubling or abruptly shortened seasons following their cover debut — including several who suffered season-ending injuries shortly after their game hit shelves.”

Brown continued to make this curse seem like a reality after appearing on the cover of “Madden 19.”

Although there are predictions of what may happen next for Brown, no one truly knows what’s to come. Brown has been commenting on his future playing in the NFL, but not playing until he is treated “fairly.” The situation is set to blow over according to Brown’s agent, and Brown is prepared to play again in 2020.

“Lions don’t lose sleep over the opinions of sheep,” said senior Adin Huntington, implying that Brown is living unbothered and just lying in wait for the next step.

Recycling Uncovered Find out if paper, plastic, and cardboard are actually getting reused after they are recycled by Lexi Jackson For decades, nearly half of the world’s trash was sent to China, including seven millions tons of trash a year from the United States. However, in January 2018, China began restricting imported recyclables, such as magazines, plastic and junk mail. The problem that has arisen is the amount of plastic that will now have to be burned, deposited in landfills or left to run into river systems. Not properly disposing or reusing plastic can result in air, water, and soil pollution.

Eric Hokanson, technical theatre and media production teacher, said, “Last year, China closed its doors. China will [not take anymore] of our recycling: zero. America has absolutely no contingency for recycling locally, outside of glass. They can turn glass into aggregate for roads. But paper, we can do at least something with. And film plastic is treated locally as well. Plastic itself goes nowhere at this point. We’re trying to send it to India but India doesn’t want it either. All plastic you put in the recycle bin, more or less goes to the landfill.”

As of 2015, the U.S. generated 262.4 million tons of waste, a 4.5 percent increase since 2010, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA. Landfills are the third most contributor to methane emissions in the U.S. Organic waste, a contributor to pollution in the environment, emits harmful methane gases as it decomposes, Junior Tatum Lonack said, “I try to find reusable options wherever I can so I use reusable utensils at lunch … I try to be as conscious as I can. The simple things matter. If you wipe off your makeup with a makeup pad everyday, it really adds up.”

Because of China’s ban, waste companies around the country are charging higher interest rates on the standard charge to pick up trash and recycling. For example, Broadway, Virginia has had a recycling program for 22 years. However, since China’s ban, waste management increased their rates by 63 percent and eventually stopped offering recycling pickup.

Stafford

Regional Landfill- 489 Eskimo Hill Road Rowser Building- 1729 Jefferson Davis Highway Gayle Middle School- 100 Panther Drive

Plastic

Glass

Locally, Rappahannock Regional Solid Waste Management Board, also known as the R-Board, is required by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to recycle at least 25 percent of the waste generated in their jurisdiction. The R-Board doubled their target with a recycling rate of about 50 percent.

The organization set up separate containers for cardboard and glass, in addition to regular recyclables.

Residents in Stafford and Fredericksburg are provided with single-stream recycling drop-off locations, such as Northern Virginia Metal Recycling, Rowser Building and Belman Road Recycling Center. Single stream recyclables, such as newspapers, magazines, cardboard, paper products, plastic containers, glass, cans and food and beverage cartons are accepted. Recyclables not accepted in the single-stream recycling bin that are accepted elsewhere include batteries, light bulbs, motor oil, antifreeze, tires, cooking oil and appliances.

Before recycling, it is essential to ensure that the recycled products are not contaminated with food waste. According to the National Waste and Recycling Association, about 25 percent of what ends up in recycling bins are contaminated.

In the Stafford community, plastic bags and film plastic can be taken to grocery stores to be reused. Additionally, people should consider donating gently-used items to second-hand stores to be sure they don’t end up in the landfill.

Amelia Milliard, senior, said, “To be environmentally conscious, I try to examine every aspect of my life in terms of how it impacts the environment as a whole.”

At Mountain View, students can be environmentally conscious by using less plastic. For example, instead of using plastic silverware at lunch, bring your own and use reusable water bottles instead of plastic water bottles. Some people think “it’s only one straw or one plastic bag,” but those can really add up.

Fredericksburg

Belman Road Recycling Center- 1200 Belman Road Hugh Mercer Elementary- 2100 Cowan Boulevard Walker Grant Elementary- 1 Learning Lane

Organic

Metal

Cardboard

news u october | november 2019 u the viewpoint u09

Out of 125 votes, 57 percent of people cut their sandwiches diagonally, and the other 43 percent of people cut their sandwiches horizontally.

Out of 120 votes, 99.2 percent of the people voted for cereal before milk and the other 0.8 percent voted for milk before cereal.

“Milk then cereal, to me it’s like putting shoes then socks because it is not logical,” said Rony Flores, sophomore.

diagonal cuts or horizontal cuts Out of 124 votes, 93 percent of people voted for breaking pieces off is how you eat your Hershey bar and the other 7 percent voted for biting pieces off is how you eat it.

cereal first or milk first

break off pieces or bite right in

Two Types Of Foodies There are two types of ways when it comes to how and what to eat: this way or that way

by Jules Torrice

Out of 116 votes, 42.9 percent of people eat the cream of an Oreo first and the other 57.1 percent of people eat the cookie part first.

“Cream first, always,” said Jade Cross, sophomore.

Out of 124 votes, 51.6 percent of people said they are for pineapple pizza, and the other 48.4 percent are against it. “I don’t mind either. I really only prefer cheese,” said Aidan Louton, junior.

cream first or cookie first

pineapple pizza: yes or no Out of 121 votes, 60.3 percent of people voted for eating salsa with chips and the other 39.7 percent people voted for eating guacamole with chips.

guacamole or salsa 10 u the viewpoint u october | november 2019 u opinion

What greases my gears This issue I reflect on the advancements in space exploration and human curiosity by Sean Jones Have you ever looked up at the stars at night and wondered what it’s like out there? You know, like what other planets are like, are there other intelligent lifeforms (aliens, I’m talking about aliens) are out there? Stuff like that. I know I have. It’s a question that never fails to challenge my curious nature.

Luckily, we’re living in the golden age of space exploration. SpaceX has paved a way for private companies to explore the cosmos, NASA is going back to the moon and trying to put people on Mars, and new countries are starting to catch up with other large countries (and private companies) when it comes to space travel. So with that being said, let’s talk about SpaceX. Ever since SpaceX made history in 2008 by being the first company to launch the first liquid fuelled rocket into the Earth’s orbit (Falcon 1), they have been the major talk of space exploration. They have been developing revolutionary technology for eleven years now under the supervision of Elon Musk. However, he isn’t new to running companies that revolutionize the landscape of their specific field. His company, Tesla, is also well known for changing the landscape of vehicles. Musk sees a future in battery-operated vehicles and the colonization of Mars. The only thing holding SpaceX back, other than money, is that they want to develop and implement many projects all at once. It’s quite astonishing they are this ambitious, but that might be because Musk is a very ambitious man. Speaking of ambitious…

NASA wants to colonize the moon! I don’t think you understand how excited I am about NASA wanting to go back to the moon. It’s not just the fact that they want to go to the moon again that makes me ecstatic, no, it’s that they want to use the moon as a hub for Mars. So imagine this: you want to go to Mars for a vacation, but you’ll have to do a layover on a station orbiting the moon. NASA is turning my nerdy dream of making a space station around the moon into a reality. That sounds awesome.

But while we wait on that, NASA decided to do the first ever all-female space walk on October 18. Yeah, I know that doesn’t sound as exciting as colonizing a rock that “floats” in whatever space is, but it is something that needs and should be talked about. First off, they did a space walk (in case you don’t know what a space walk is, it is when astronauts are put into space suits and tethered to a rope so that they can do things on the outside of the station without floating away). And more importantly, it’s NASA working towards equality (in space!). And I already went off on my equality rant last issue, but let’s just say, I’m excited about this space walk.

So NASA, you keep doing your thing. And SpaceX, you also keep doing what you’re doing. But, I want to shed some light on other organizations outside of the U.S. that are working on space exploration. Sure I could talk about Russia and China and call it a day, but that’s boring and too obvious.

So, let’s talk about some other countries, like India.

Why talk about India? Because they now have the capability to launch things to the moon, and they actually have. But sadly, they lost contact with the moon lander, and it crashed on the surface of the moon (this happened this year on September 6 in case you’re curious). But even though they failed, it’s still a really good step forward, and I can’t wait to see where

they take their rocket development next (hopefully they are working on getting humans to space too— the more the merrier).

Let’s see who’s next on my list… Australia? Why is that surprising? Well their space program didn’t start until 2018 and is very, very new compared to pretty much every other country. So, even though they can’t do much yet, it’s still a really interesting and good step for space exploration. They at least have an organized program to work on and engage in space discussion and (hopefully soon) will join the other countries (and maybe companies) in space.

And last but not least on my list is a country who’s not really known for their space program… do you want to guess or should I just tell you?

Okay, I’ll tell you. It’s Israel, we’re talking about Israel. Why are we talking about Israel? Because unlike Australia (not throwing shade at Australia by the way), they have the technology to launch things into space. In fact, they did in 1988 when they launched their satellite (Ofeq-1) into the orbit.

So, Sean, what are they doing now? Actually, sadly the same thing India is doing, crashing things into the moon. But, on the bright side, they did get to the moon. They are, however, doing things other than crashing into the moon and launching satellites into space, such as launching vests (...into space). Okay, let me explain. The vests are being made to protect against radiation, and how do they test them? Basically, they launch them beyond Earth’s low orbit and exposed them to intense radiation.

Okay Sean, that sounds pretty cool, but why are they doing that? Because when you get launched out of the orbit, you get exposed to a lot of radiation. The purpose of this vest is to be able to protect the vital organs in your torso from the radiation. They are doing this with the help of NASA and the German Aerospace Center. So, even though they aren’t doing the most exciting things right now, they are doing their part to help advance the technology for space travel.

Why am I gushing about all this? Because, like I said in the first paragraph, I have a very curious personality, I enjoy looking at things differently, I like to just know about stuff. It calls back to my child-like wonder of wanting to be an astronaut and fly up into space (I still want to go to space) and just bounce on the surface of the moon. And right now, we are in the best situation for going to space since the space race. Companies like SpaceX help to keep space exploration in the news, NASA is getting very ambitious with their work again, even Australia wants to be apart of this. More and more countries and corporations are joining the space bandwagon. Yeah, maybe I won’t be able to live out my childhood dream of working on a space station (probably in the mail room, but all jobs are important). So, I can’t wait to see where these new developments will take us. And I hope you can see why we are going to space--because humans are curious buggers and no planet is safe from our curiosity.

“I think it should be a major priority for us, not only as a nation, but as a people. This is the next age of discovery. Somewhere out there is this generation’s new world.”

- Emma Huntsberry, junior

opinion u october | november 2019 u the viewpoint u11

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ith catalysts such as the anti-vax movements, mass hysteria, the inability to vaccinate and widening economic inequalities, the road we are headed down with the following diseases is turning out to be a dark one. A resurgence of epidemics are threatening communities around the world every day.

Senior Caitlin Mayer said, “The threat of these diseases to people in America is extremely high. I don’t think they should be taken lightly simply for the fact that infectious diseases are a leading cause of death.”

According to the New York Times, the vaccination debate heated up in September when New York became the fifth state to pass a law stating all daycare and school children must begin getting their vaccinations for diseases including measles and hepatitis B within the first two weeks of school, and be completely up-to-date by the end. Any families who do not comply must either homeschool or leave the state when the law goes into effect in June. Roughly 26,000 children who had previously received religious exemptions were faced with this new law, and members of the anti-vaccination community do not plan to come quietly.

An article by NBC New York stated the details of a demonstration in Albany on September 9 where hundreds of people, mainly parents and their children, gathered at the state educational building. The protestors wore all white and brandished signs requesting the state’s Board of Regents delay the exception and respect their right to freedom of religion. Many of these protestors belong to the Orthodox Jew community and are at heightened risk of contracting serious diseases due to the low vaccination rates in areas where they live. Others in the anti-vaccination movement include Mennonite, Amish, and other devout Christian groups; proponents for healthcare autonomy; and general skeptics. The Board of Regents maintained its position on the issue.

Recent cases of diseases such as measles, hepatitis A, polio and legionnaires are more difficult to track if they do not occur in clusters. Nurse Paula Horton said, “[These diseases are] more prevalent than people think; people think it’s a disease that has been completely eradicated but it’s something that’s not very common, it’s just a little bit harder to diagnose until you start seeing trends.”

With the number of recent cases of deadly diseases, avoiding them is of the utmost importance. Horton said, “[Avoiding diseases] goes back to general health. It goes back to all the things your parents told you: getting plenty of rest, a good diet, exercising so your body is strong, and the most important thing often overlooked is handwashing. Most people don’t realize how important handwashing is and how it can get rid of many, many germs and viruses.”

d a o R The

Hepatitis Hepatitis A is a communicable disease of the liver, according to the CDC. The virus is transferred through contaminated foods and drinks or from person-to-person. The symptoms of Hepatitis A resolve within a few months and are usually non-life threatening.

Hepatitis A is vaccine-preventable and according to MedicineNet, the vaccine is made of the inactivated virus. This allows the body to create antibodies that will kill any live strands of the virus that a person may come in contact with at any given time.

Hepatitis B is another strand of Hepatitis that is vaccine-preventable and affects the liver. All school-attending children are required to be vaccinated for Hepatitis B in the states of New York, California, Maine, West Virginia and Mississippi, according to the National Conference of State Legislators.

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the viewpoint u october | november 2019 u feature

Starting in October 2019, the largest outbreak of measles in over 30 years occured in New York.

Over 600 people were infected with measles and 52 were hospitalized, according to the Health Department. Of the people infected, over 70 percent were not vaccinated. The outbreak was declared over in early September.

The reason for the breakout has been connected to the growing negative opinion of vaccinations. Multiple rallies have been held in New York to protest vaccines. At the second of these rallies, Del Bigtree, an anti-vaccination activist, attended.

While downplaying the severity of measles, Bigtree said, “They [anti vaxxers] should be allowed to have the measles if they want the measles.”

In actuality, measles is a deadly disease which progresses to pneumonia in one out of every 20 children who contract the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the CDC. The recent outbreaks of measles in the U.S. is upsetting considering the disease was considered eliminated in the states back in 2000. Unfortunately, once one person has measles, it spreads very easily. Measles can be transferred from person-to-person by coughing and sneezing, and can remain active in the air up to two hours after infected by one of the former. According to the CDC, breathing contaminated air or even touching something that an infected person has touched can lead to contracting the disease.

New York Health Commissioner Oxiris Barbot said, “Measles is one of the most contagious diseases on the face of the earth.”

Measles

Legionnaries

Polio Polio is not a current threat in the United States, but it does continue to affect people in Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan. Polio can easily spread as the virus travels through the fecal-oral route. The poliovirus may infect a person in one of two ways. It either attacks the central nervous system, which may result in paralysis, or it doesn’t attack the central nervous system, which leaves the person with mild symptoms, according to The Global Polio Eradication Initiative. If the poliovirus paralyzes a person’s lungs, that person may need iron lung treatments.

In the 20th century, two different vaccines were developed. The goal is to maintain large scale vaccination in order to prevent the spread of polio in the three aforementioned countries.

Mass immunization campaigns, such as National Immunization Days, are geared towards going into vulnerable communities and vaccinate children. It is hoped that polio will be contained so that paralysis by the virus may be avoided in the future.

Legionnaires disease is often thought of as a thing of the past, and while it is not as prevalent as influenza, it is still a current threat.

Legionaries is a type of pneumonia caused by a specific bacteria called Legionella. While the bacterium isn’t transmitted from person-to-person like measles, the bacterium spreads through mist, such as that of air-conditioning units for large buildings, like hotels and hot tubs.

In late September and early October, an outbreak was confirmed in North Carolina when symptoms of the disease were presented in about 140 people who attended the state fair. The state’s Department of Health and Human Services concludes that a hot tub caused the outbreak and spread of bacteria.

There is little individuals can do to prevent contracting Legionnaires disease. The responsibility is left to the owners of hotels, hot tubs, etc. who must manage their water systems so that Legionella does not build up.

“I’d like to be an economist for the State Department or the International Monetary Fund and they both deal with interacting with different countries/ cultures. These diseases are more serious in less economically developed countries because they might not have the luxury of health care in their region.

I see myself interacting with these diseases in the future given the wide scope that economists study and have to take into account when evaluating countries and their economic status.”

-Simone Tapp, senior

feature u october | november 2019 u the viewpoint u 13

What banned book should you read?

Cold weather + three days off school = the perfect time to read by Claire Watkins 1. Out of these three options, which is your favourite genre of literature?

A. Dystopian B. Science fiction C. Political satire

8. What’s your favorite 90s sitcom?

A. Seinfeld B. That 70s Show C. The Simpsons

2. Which of the following professions appeals most to you?

A. Firefighter B. Soldier C. Dictator

9. Choose a college major.

A. English B. No thanks. I’m joining the military C. Political science

3. Pick an animal.

A. Dog B. Bird C. Pig

10. Which franchise do you prefer?

A. “Harry Potter” B. “Lord of the Rings” C. “Star Wars”

4. What do you feel is your purpose in life?

A. To explore B. To fight C. To lead

11. If a movie was made about your life, who would be the director?

A. Ari Aster B. Francis Ford Coppola C. Taika Waititi

5. Which word do you feel best describes you?

A. Curious B. Sarcastic C. Bossy

12. Where would you rather eat?

A. At home B. At a locally owned restaurant C. At a fast food joint

6. Choose a book to read on a rainy day.

A. “The Giver” by Lois Lowry B. “Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad C. “1984” by George Orwell 7. If you could time travel to any time period, where would you go?

A. The future B. 1910s C. 1940s

Mostly As: “Fahrenheit 451”

Mostly Bs: “Slaughterhouse 5”

Mostly Cs: “Animal Farm”

In Ray Bradbury’s infamous novel “Fahrenheit 451,” the protagonist, Guy Montag, struggles with his mundane life in a dystopian universe where books are banned.

Curiosity creeps up his back until he must make up his mind on how to live the rest of his life: rebelling or continuing to relent to the laws of the government.

“It really introduced me to the realities of war in World War II and the psychological impact of that war. It’s a really powerful book,” says Sharon McCamy who first read the book at 13 years old. “Slaughterhouse Five” is a science-fiction anti-war novel.

George Orwell carefully blends personification and political satire in his 1945 novel “Animal Farm.” The novel depicts farm animals attempting to create a peaceful society under their human farmer. In this experiment they debate and argue over how they should live: under capitalism or communism.

14 u the viewpoint u october | november 2019 u quiz

LET THE BOND WITH YOUR K9 BE...

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Stop by Mr. Margheim’s office or Mrs. Patton’s office to purchase spirit wear!

You can stop by anytime before school, after school, or during lunches!

Season passes are also for sale online and in school! Check the MVHS homepage for prices!

advertisements u october | november 2019 u the viewpoint u15

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Van Ished: Louisiana’s coastline

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The strip of land bordering bodies of water are ideal places to see the way the earth is constantly changing. Want to visit a place made up of miles and miles of beautiful, rich coastland? Louisiana is the place for you. Unfortunately, due to an increase in developments, these plentiful wetlands and coastlines are depleting. Today, Louisiana’s wetlands make up 40 percent of the wetlands in the continental United States, but they make up 80 percent of the losses of wetlands in the country.

According to the USGS Science Center, “Louisiana’s 3 million acres of wetlands are lost at the rate of about 75 square kilometers annually.”

Natural evolutionary processes are the ultimate cause of this depletion, although human activities have a large impact on land and coastline deterioration as well. These human activities can include dredging wetlands for canals, draining and filling for agriculture, grazing or development.

Canals and levees have positive benefits on the environment and communities, such as preventing floods, providing renewable energy sources and supplying nearby towns and cities with fresh water.

Another advantage specifically benefits the agriculture industry. Dams and levees provide easier access to water for irrigation which is a significant utility with the growing of crops.

On the other hand, canals and levees constrict and confine the path of major bodies of water, like rivers.

The sediment that inhabits rivers is essential to wetlands and coastlines. With levees and canals, this sediment cannot reach the delta, or the landform that is formed at the mouth of a river, that is needed to replenish the eroding wetlands.

This causes the coastlines to suffer over time.

“Coastal erosion is a natural process but when humans start interfering with that it will have a much larger impact,” said science teacher Sarah Pacheco.

“Since the 1930s, Louisiana has lost close to 2,000 square miles of wetlands, an area roughly the size of Delaware,’’ according to the Walton Family Foundation.

At this rate, Louisiana’s coastlines are at a serious risk of further demolition. In addition to the expansion of levees and canals throughout the coastal area, major shifts in the course of the Mississippi River contribute significantly to the demise of the wetlands. The Mississippi River is not only a dynamic and continuously changing river, but it is also very curvy, making it known as a meandering river. Its course has changed many times throughout the years, its path will eventually change again.

The main factor for the changing of the river’s powerful course is simply energy. “As the water flows through each of the meanders, there is a difference in the rate of flow and energy between the inside and the outside of the meander, or bend. Water on the outside of a meander has a further distance to travel, thus it flows faster than the water on the inside of a meander. This change in energy results in an area of erosion and an area of deposition in each meander,” according to the National Park Service.

In Louisiana, there are many bodies of water that contribute to the culture and habits of the inhabitants. The Mississippi River runs through it, the Gulf of Mexico is to the south and the entire state is saturated with slow bayous. A bayou is an intensely slow-moving stream or river, or a marsh or wetland.

Due to the fact that the entire state is surrounded and filled with bodies of water, the constant threat of flooding, illnesses caused by contaminated water and other such issues arise.

Another dilemma that contributes to the disappearance of coastlines is the numerous cities that are below sea level in Louisiana. As sea levels rise due to global warming predicaments, the city, as well as their coasts, are at risk. Rising sea levels, flooding and tropical storms impact these low sitting cities especially.

“Impacts on the health of the Louisiana coast reverberate throughout our national economy and local communities. Continued land loss threatens up to $7.6 billion a year in direct costs to the nation’s economy and billions more in potential indirect costs,” according to the Walton Family Foundation.

Not only does the economy of Louisiana depend on the Mississippi River, but the river is an economic regime for the nation as well. There is an abundance of environmental changes that threaten the stability and health of the coast. Industries that rely on the healthy coasts are also at risk.

“My parents grew up in Louisiana and they talk about how much it has changed over the years because of the industrial developments and such. I think that the changes made by humans have affected the coastlines just as much as the natural environmental changes,” said Savanna Hilton, freshman.

Our coastlines do not only affect those living there, so protecting them should not be their responsibility alone. It will be the help of the whole nation that will make an impact and save our harmed coastlines and protect our growing coastlines.

Robert Colton, senior, “I like hearing about new topics going around in my area and ways that I can help. It really makes me feel like I can make a difference.”

Individuals can help by recycling litter, planting new trees, and spreading the word. By just growing the awareness of this struggle to restore the wetlands, KQED Science a huge difference can be made.

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Dramatic shifts in the course of the Mississippi River have caused the beginning of the demise of Louisiana’s coastline and wetlands

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16 u the viewpoint u october | november 2019 u news

“The Lighthouse” Robert Pattinson has come a long way since “Twilight” by Claire Watkins “

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he Lighthouse,” starring Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, tells the tale of two wickies’ descents into madness after finding themselves stranded on the small, remote island of “The Lighthouse” to which they are tending. Pattinson’s character, Ephriam Winslow, wrestles with discomfort from the get-go. During one of his first nights on the island, a seagull wakes Winslow from his sleep with aggressive pecking at his window. For the next few days, the seagull interrupts Winslow’s work, becoming the man’s enemy.

As odd as the seagull storyline may seem, it is one of the milder aspects of “The Lighthouse.” Every development to the film’s plot dives deeper and deeper into Lovecraftian horror, a dramatic fear of the unknown. As the movie progresses, both the audience and the characters struggle to understand what is real and what is fake. Is the mermaid who captures Winslow’s mind just a figment of his imagination? What about the peculiar shadows coming from the light chamber? How long have Winslow and Wake been on the island?

The cinematography of “The Lighthouse” is unique and wildly different from that of many 21st century films, which are normally filmed in clear 4K resolution. This thriller, however, was shot in black and white on 35 millimeter stock and edited to fit the screen with a ratio of 1:1.19, almost a perfect square shape. The aesthetic value and compelling plot of “The Lighthouse,” directed by Robert Eggers, definitely makes the film worth the watch.

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Wickie: A nickname given to lighthouse keepers, derived from the task of trimming the wick of the lamps, according to the United States Lighthouse Society.

“If you thought Joker was the most insane movie in October, then oh, boy, you haven’t watched ‘The Lighthouse.’ This period film has the perfect mix of nautical folklore, mythology and cabin fever that will make anyone spiral into madness with the duo,” said Chris Coto, senior.

According to English teacher Ian Miller, “The Lighthouse’ is fascinating because it combines age-old sailing mythology with a postmodern style of storytelling. I also thought that the use of the black, white and square ratio added to the claustrophobic feel.”

opinion u october | november 2019 u the viewpoint u17

Who-done-it These celebrities’ deaths remain unsolved, but theories have emerged with possible answers by Lexi Jackson

Influential rapper, Tupac Shakur, was shot and killed on September 14, 1996, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The official cause of death was respiratory failure caused by the gunshot wound. He was killed in a drive-by when leaving the MGM Grand with Suge Knight, founder of Death Row Records in New York.

The first theory surrounding Shakur’s death is that his rival, Biggie Smalls, was behind the drive-by because of competition between their two record labels, Death Row Records and Bad Boy Records based in Los Angeles, California. In November 1994, Shakur was shot, for the first time, in the Manhattan recording studio Quad. He had suspicions that Smalls was behind the attack and in June 1996, released a diss track titled “Hit ‘Em Up” targeting Smalls. However, Biggie Smalls was also fatally shot just six months after Shakur’s death.

Theory number two is that Tupac Shakur is actually alive and well in Cuba. Michael Nice, who was part of Shakur’s security team, claims that he helped to smuggle Shakur into Barbados after death threats were made. Many people claim to have seen him in Cuba after his alleged death.

Sophomore Megan Shaw said, “I’ve heard a lot of theories about how people think he went to Cuba … It makes sense why somebody would want to get away from lights and their career.”

18 u the viewpoint u october | november 2019 u feature

Marilyn Monroe

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Princess of Wales, Diana Spencer, was involved in a traffic collision that led to her death on August 31, 1997, in Charles Foix, Paris, France. Diana and her Egyptian socialite boyfriend, Dodi Al-Fayed, were being driven through the Pont de l’Alma tunnel when the car crashed. The driver, Henri Paul, Diana and Al-Fayed died while the only survivor was the bodyguard.

Theory number one about Spencer’s death is that it was Henri Paul’s fault because he did not take the usual exit road. This led to claims that the road was purposefully blocked to lead them down a different path. The autopsy showed that Paul’s blood alcohol level was three times higher than the legal amount in France which is .5mg/ml. Both the French and British governments ultimately blamed the accident on Paul.

Theory number two is that the royal family was behind the accident. According to Mohammad Al-Fayed, Al-Fayed’s father, Diana was pregnant at the time of her death. He also claimed that the royal family did not want an Egyptian Muslim baby in the family. In 2003, a French policeman told UK reporters that Diana was pregnant at the time of her death and documents proving it were kept hidden, according to The Independent newspaper.

However, according to forensic scientist, Professor Angela Gallop, the princess was not pregnant at the time of her death.

Karoline Colucci, senior, said, “I think it was the royal family that killed her. It seems most likely ... I haven’t really formed an opinion. [I’m] probably bandwagoning. It seems a little suss and the royal family didn’t like her anyway so it makes sense [why they would kill her].”

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Tupac Shakur

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Princess Diana

Blonde-bombshell actress Marilyn Monroe overdosed on barbiturates on August 5, 1962, at her home in Los Angeles, California. The last time she was seen alive was leaving Frank Sinatra’s casino, Cal Neva, on his private jet. Investigators ruled her death a probable suicide.

The first theory is that her death was orchestrated by the Kennedy brothers. Monroe had an affair with both John and Bobby Kennedy. Allegedly, she kept records of conversations between her and the brothers. Many of those conversations contained confidential government information which made her a threat. As a result, Monroe was thought to be a liability to John F. Kennedy’s presidency.

Darjeling Arteaga, junior, said that she believes that Monroe did not die from an overdose but that President Kennedy had her killed. Ultimately, Arteaga concludes that she was killed because she knew too much and threatened to expose the Kennedys which led to her death.

Theory number two is that the mafia killed her. Monroe was said to have had an affair with Johnny Roselli who worked for Sicillian American mobster Sam Giancana. According to Darwin Porter, author of Marilyn at Rainbow’s End: Sex, Lies, Murder and the Great Cover-Up, Monroe was “threatening to blow the lid off of his operations.” Additionally, Giancana was connected to Sinatra, who was a former friend of JFK. Some believe that JFK hired the mob to kill Monroe through his friendship with Sinatra.

Greek God/Goddess’s Zodiacs

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reek gods and goddesses used to rule the western world until other religions people found other gods to worship. They are not gone completely, however, because you can still channel them through your zodiac sign. According to Elite Daily, each zodiac corresponds with a Greek god/ goddess. Each sign has been paired with a god/goddess that will help one in life.

Aries (March 21-April 19). Aries corresponds to Ares, the war god, and bringer of chaos, with a huge amount of rage. Aries are head-strong and have fire in their souls. Both, Ares, and Aries are passionate about what they believe in.

Taurus (April 20-May 21). Taurus corresponds with Demeter, the goddess of harvest, an introvert who has a gentle soul.

Taurus are kind, gentle and hardworking. “I work all day and all night,” said sophomore Michelle des Rivières. Demeter and Taurus just want love to everybody.

Gemini (May 22-June 21). Gemini corresponds with Hermes, the messenger god, a trickster who is cunning and clever. Jonathan Renderia, sophomore, when asked if he liked Hermes he said, “Hermes is my god; he is a baddie.” Gemini are affable and intelligent, Hermes and Gemini are both smart.

Cancer (June 22-July 22). Cancer corresponds with Artemis, the goddess of nature and the moon and sister to Apollo. She is introverted and independent. While Cancers are caring, they like to be alone most of the time. Artemis and Cancer are both independent, thus they go together.

Leo (July 23-August 22). Leo corresponds with Apollo, the god of music and the sun. Due to his need for music, he tends to be more laid-back. Leos are loyal and consistent, but most importantly they are optimistic. Because Apollo and Leo are happy overall, they make good buddies.

Virgo (August 23-September 23). Virgo corresponds with Hestia. Hestia is the protector of the eternal flame and the goddess of family and home. She devotes her life to others and is very content. A Virgo has common sense and is very logical. Hestia and Virgo are both pure.

Pixabay

Every zodiac and the Greek god or goddess they share a personality with

by Catelynn Aiman

Libra (September 24-October 23). Libra corresponds with Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Although Aphrodite is said to be vain, she is beautiful and loves other people. Libra are all about the balance of love and justice. With this, Libra and Aphrodite both advocate for love.

Scorpio (October 24-November 22). Scorpio corresponds with Hades, the god of the dead. With Hades is morbid and dark and Scorpios being persistent, curious, and vengeful, together they are shady and misunderstood.

Sagittarius (November 23-December 21).

Sagittarius corresponds with Zeus, the god of lighting and king of the gods. Zeus is said to be angry and merciless, but he is actually carefree, wise and fair. Sagittarius are flexible and energetic. Together, Zeus and Sagittarius are natural-born leaders and quite unpredictable.

Capricorn (December 22-January 20). Capricorn corresponds with Hephaestus, the god of crafting and smith. Though Hephaestus has some self-esteem issues, he is peaceful and hardworking. “I come up with ideas a lot, and I’ll do projects ‘til three a.m.,” said Kayla Mattingly, freshman, when asked if she likes to make things, like her god. Capricorns are stoic, ambitious, and practical. Hephaestus and Capricorns are both sensitive and driven to succeed.

Aquarius (January 21-February 20). Aquarius corresponds with Prometheus, the titan of mankind, a titan is the parent of a god. Prometheus is brave and selfless. An Aquarius is eccentric and assertive. Both Prometheus and Aquarius are mysterious and free-spirited.

Pisces (February 21-March 20). Pisces corresponds with Poseidon, the god of the ocean. Poseidon is said to have inherited many of his less admirable traits like greediness from his father Kronos, but he also fights for what he believes in. Pisces have good manners and are often easy-going, but they become defensive when angered. The worst side of Poseidon and Pisces show when they are upset.

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astrology u october | november 2019 u the viewpoint u19

Stafford rice that fries the best Pixabay

Come and check out the ratings of who has the best fried rice in town by Aisha Santiago Burgos

Sake Color: colorful and light brown Texture: perfectly cooked Smell: smelled like vegetables with rice Flavor: had a balance of vegetables and meats to rice ratio Presentation: colorful and well presented Sake in Doc Stone Commons is an amazing restaurant; I highly recommend it to all. Their presentation and service is outstanding. When they place the plate of fried rice in front of you, you can see how colorful it is and you can smell the vegetables that are put in it. Every grain of rice was cooked to perfection and every bite of meat was seasoned to excellence. I will definitely be back.

Madison McDonald, junior, said, “It has a very tranquil atmosphere, and the food is fresh and delicious.”

Umi Color: pale light brown Texture: rice was cooked to perfection, very soft and edible Smell: smelled like cucumbers, onions and soy sauce Flavor: rice and vegetables were flavorful, but the meat was slightly dry Presentation: could have been neater but overall presentation was not too bad; should have been placed correctly in the middle of the plate Umi, located off 610, is a very neat and welcoming restaurant. The fried rice was cooked to absolute perfection and the taste was on point.

The only downside was that the meat was under seasoned and dry.

Keana Roberts, junior, said, “10/10 recommend Umi’s fried rice. It’s really good and you can get a large for only $8 and it’s two servings.”

20u the viewpoint u october | november 2019 u opinion

Jin’’’s Garden Color: dark brown with different colors of orange and green because of the vegetables included Texture: the rice was soft Smell: smelled like peas and onions mixed with the grease of the rice Flavor: a little bit oily, but overall, very tasty Presentation: nicely presented, and looked very appetizing Jin’s Garden in the North Stafford Plaza is a very decent restaurant since it’s welcoming and it is always quiet inside. The food never takes a long time to be prepared and always comes out at a great temperature. The rice is tasty and overall well presented. I would recommend for you to give it a try.

Formosa Color: perfect shade of brown Texture: cooked to be easily eaten Smell: smelled like soy sauce, and onions in grease and pork Flavor: perfectly seasoned, tasted like roast pork and soy sauce Presentation: appetizing, and sort of organized Formosa in the Brafferton Center is a small place but has good food to offer. Their rice was perfectly seasoned, there were no hard pieces, and it was enjoyable and tasty. The presentation was not all that neat compared to other restaurants where the food looked more appetizing. You could smell the mix of roast pork, onions, and soy sauce from a mile away. I would highly recommend for you to go.

Hibachi Color: very light brown Texture: soft, but some grains of rice were overcooked; meat was well cooked Smell: smelled like onions, grease and soy sauce Flavor: slightly salty, meat slightly bland Presentation: messy and greasy Hibachi in Doc Stone Commons offers a buffet but also has a made-to-order menu. I ordered my items off the menu so they would be fresh. The rice was greasy and was overpowered with the flavor of soy sauce. The fried rice had a light brown appeal to it, but the presentation was messy.

Abigail Tucker, junior, said, “I think Hibachi’s rice is okay but it’s not my favorite. I like that they cook it with teriyaki sauce but it tastes kind of greasy.” opinionu october | november 2019 u the viewpoint u21

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Have you ever been out camping and wanted to eat pizza or cookies? Now you can! With a cardboard box, aluminium foil, aluminium foil tape and some other tools, you can make your own oven to use on camping trips in 5 easy steps (will take roughly 45 minutes to an hour to do).

Materials: Foil tape, aluminium foil, a cardboard box, soda cans, charcoal briquettes, aluminium baking pan and scissors

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Seal all openings on the bottom of the box with foil tape.

Make sure everything is sealed completely so no heat escape.

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Cut off one of the longer Flaps on the top opening of the box and tape it to the other Flap of the box to make a door.

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Wrap the outside and inside of the box with aluminium foil and foil tape. Make sure that everything is covered up in the foil because the box will get very hot and it could cause a Fire if not covered completely.

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Put the soda cans inside the box. These will be used to hold up the baking sheet.

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Light the charcoal briquettes in an aluminum baking pan.

Let them heat up, and then put it under where the baking pan would be.

Now it’s time to enjoy your new oven!

Cookies are a good food to try with and it only takes 10 minutes to bake.

22 u the viewpoint u october | november 2019 u how-to

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don’t put down

the controller Read about the surprising benefits of video games and the new introduction of E-sports to VHSL by Ceci Alvarez Contrary to popular belief, video games are actually very beneficial to the body and mind, so much that we have now implemented video games into our school life in the form of E-sports.

What is E-sports? E-sports is a whole new world of organized competitive video gaming.

E-sports consist of video games such as “Overwatch,” “Fortnite,” “Madden” and “Counterstrike” to name a few. Professional gamers play at conventions or even live stream on Twitch, an online live streaming platform, to an audience. E-sports has become a billion dollar business and is only continuing to grow.

Studies have shown that students involved in extracurricular activities are more successful in a number of ways. Students can thrive in a number of areas, and it can be rewarding to show off certain skills or share interests with others. E-sports is everything that an avid video game playing student is looking for.

Inclusion is important for students since video gaming as a hobby can be very isolating.

Helping gamers connect with other gamers can boost mental health and motivation. According to American Psychological Association Gabriel Cerrillo, administrator for E-sports and business teacher, said, “Us gamers do not always do well when talking to people, so it’s a great experience to get out of that classroom sl.com vh shell and talk with people who are like-minded. The kids needed an outlet.”

According to American Psychological Association, “Social rejection increases anger, anxiety, and depression. E-sports can help gamers have a safe space and feel more cohesive with their school community.”

Many people believe that video games have virtually no benefits, but that is not the case.

Interesting enough, E-sports and STEM programs, go hand-in-hand. In 2018, for example, Riot Games’ director of collegiate esports, Michael Sherman, said that nearly two-thirds of their “League of Legends” players were majoring in STEM fields.

The promotion of violence has been a rising concern regarding violent video games, but the fact of the matter is that this is not completely true. Researchers in Germany used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on long-term players of violent video games and found that they had the same neural response to emotionally provocative images as non-gamers. This finding suggests that empathy is not blunted by playing video games long-term. On the other hand, social rejection, something experienced often in the gaming community, has been proven to be a leading cause of violence or aggression; therefore, implementing E-sports in schools can lessen the amount of students that feel outcast from their peers.

Although many people believe video games are “for boys,” the realm of video games is not just a man’s world. In 2018, the Pew Research Center reported that 97 percent of teen boys play video games and 83 percent of teen girls play video games. A few well-known Twitch gamer girls are Pokimane with 3.4 million followers and most famous for her Fortnite and League of Legends gameplay, KittyPlaysGames with 1 million followers and most famous for her PUBG and Overwatch gameplay, and Loserfruit with 1.1 million followers and most famous for her Overwatch and Witcher 3 gameplay.

Recently, VHSL has introduced some different games to their new E-Sports program: “Rocket League,” “League of Legends,” and “Smite.”

“Rocket League” is a video game involving race cars and soccer balls. In simple terms, it’s soccer but you’re driving a racecar. People can play online in teams or play locally. This game requires intense focus and strong hand-eye coordination. Teamwork is also a crucial part to the success of your team.

“E-sports teaches how to behave in a team. You don’t have to be a good player, you have to be a good team member which is why I’m doing it, for the team,” Cerrillo said.

“League of Legends” is a multiplayer online battle arena video game. The game is a more intricate game than “Rocket League” and requires deep strategizing.

Players compete in matches, lasting anywhere from 20 to 60 minutes on average.

In each game mode, teams work together to achieve a victory condition, typically destroying the core building (called the Nexus) in the enemy team’s base after bypassing a line of defensive structures called turrets, or towers, very similar to capture the flag. Like “Rocket League,” the game requires teamwork and communication throughout the duration of the match.

Are you considering joining E-sports? E-sports at Mountain View consists of 2 levels: a varsity team consisting of the best of the best players, and a non-varsity level that you can stay at while you work your way up.

Cerrillo said,“If somebody wants to come play, we’re definitely welcoming people. We are not pushing people away.”

Even if you may not be a hardcore “League of Legends” player, you can still join to get practice in and get help from other players on how you can improve. The gaming community is extremely welcoming and a great way to meet people who have the same interests as you. featureu october | november 2019 u the viewpoint u23

In Korea, it seems that is the place where trends and fashion media comes from.

A lot of designers go to Korea to find inspiration because plenty of experimental, avant-garde styles can be viewed on the streets. According to the website Stylecraze, “This is why it is not surprising to know that Seoul Fashion Week, which started in 2013, is a thing now and has designers flying there from all over the world.”

With the Asian influence sweeping over many countries in the Middle East, Europe, and North America, the cultural styles has reached the global fashion world. Fashion plays a big role in many aspects of Korean culture, such as in Korean Popular Music, also known as K-pop. This attention to fashion is evident in the outfits worn by artists, who are partnering up with major fashion houses to showcase their work. Many K-pop fans closely follow popular groups’ activities, with fashion playing both a role in the trends set by their groups or idols. In turn, certain fans may replicate their style to fit their own lifestyle.

“Asian fashion influences American streetwear a lot and vice versa. A good example of an influence taken from Asian street wear are masks.

Dust masks were used because of high pollution and then quickly became a fashion trend in Asian countries. It’s somewhat popular in America, but I feel likes it over done,” Rony Amaya Flores, sophomore.

Asian fashion reflects clean lines, textures and quality fabrics. Some people dress very simple; for example, oversized coats and jackets are worn over t-shirts, or a slip dress is layered over a long sleeve t-shirt and paired with sneakers or flats.

According to the website Topman Korean street fashion, athleisure wear of Asian style is “the combination of casual sportswear with high fashion statements is the ethos of this look e.g. denim jackets with technical shorts, placement prints on hoodies. This is a great meeting point for those who favour one look over the other but want t o t r y s o m e t h i n g i n - b e t w e e n , a n d a l s o a g r e a t e x c u s e t o w e a r j o g g e r s o u t t o d i n n e r.

Some popular brands in Korea include KYE, Hyein Seo, The Studio K, Lucky Chouette, Tibaeg, 8Seconds, and as seen across t h e g l o b e , N i k e , A d i d a s , To m m y H i l f i g e r, C o a c h , a n d m a n y m o r e .

Asian vs American fashion American fashion ranges from extravagant to informal. With Americans’ diverse cultural roots, they are reflected in mainly clothing, particularly those of Asian and European styles.

In American fashion, both women and men tend to dress less conservative, especially in the media with TV, movies, magazines, music videos, etc. There are many styles such as classic, hipster, preppy, sporty, bohemian, and punk. People across the US dress differently, and there is a diverse amount of fashion in the United States because of this.

Dress norms in the United States are generally consistent with those of other post-industrial Western nations, and have become largely informal since the mid-20th century. Clothing in America may also depend on a variety of factors including location, venue and demographic factors such as ethnicity. For example, jeans are a consistent fashion trend among all classes, with variations being vast in both price and style.

“American fashion is very unique, different ethical backgrounds are in America. There isn’t a really set fashion in American. I do think Asian styles affect American culture and style because a lot of people read anime and watch it. I love anime characters all the time I base some of my outfits off of the characters. For example Totoro, Rilakkuma, Hello Kitty etc... there are a lot of outfits I get from Asian culture,” Savannah Washington, sophomore.

Some brands popular in America include Nike, Ralph Lauren, Old Navy, GAP, Michael Kors, Coach, Tommy Hilfiger, and many more.

“I normally wear oversized graphic t-shirt tucked into a pair of jeans. I think most of my outfit inspiration comes from seeing what people online and at school wear. I wear similar trends to America,” Sydney Hooke, sophomore.

Fashion is changing not only in the United States, but also in Asian countries like Korea

by Jules Torrice

24 u the viewpoint u october | november 2019 ufeature

featureu october | november 2019 u the viewpoint u3

m a e A dr d e l l fi ful Meet Jermaine Amatanwar, an exchange student from Suriname by Brayden Hitz Jermaine Amatanwar, junior, is living his childhood dream of visiting America by temporarily residing in Stafford as an exchange student.

Home Sweet Home

Amatanwar has lived in his native country of Suriname his entire life and loves it there, where he has made many friends. He describes Suriname as a very hot country, and his expectation was that Virginia would be the opposite.

He said, “The first expectation was it’s gonna be cold, and obviously it got fulfilled.

It’s sixty one degrees right now, which is cold for me!”

One of the things that Amatanwar misses the most about Suriname is the food, which he loves. He stated that he is extremely lucky to have learned how to cook, allowing him to bring a taste of his home country here with him. Sweet and sour chicken is one of his favorite dishes to cook, although he enjoys preparing lots of local foods from Suriname.

Living in a country where over a dozen languages are spoken, it is not surprising that most Surinamese citizens can speak multiple languages. Amatanwar explained that while the official language of his country is Dutch, most of the people also speak Sranan, which is a language that was originally made by native slaves. Beyond English, Amatanwar can speak several languages, including Indonesian, Indian, and some Spanish.

Some differences exist between his school in Suriname and Mountain View High School. Amatanwar said, “I feel like the educational system in America is far greater than Suriname, but I’m not used to being in school with two thousand students. In my school, there were four hundred [students], so it’s a big jump. I knew everybody; I was the popular kid.”

Despite being in a new environment, Amatanwar is enjoying his time here at MVHS, and states that he is having a great time.

A Dream Fulfilled

While many exchange students choose to attend school in another country for a year as a way to experience a new culture and environment, Amatanwar is also fulfilling a

childhood dream by coming here.

He said, “Since I was little, it was always my dream to come to America. When I was in tenth grade, I got an offer to be a foreign exchange student. I took the chance and I made it.”

Amatanwar flew on an airplane for the first time when he made the trip to Stafford in July. It was an enjoyable experience for him; his seat had plenty of legroom, situated just behind the business class.

His first flight took him from Suriname to Miami, where he got a chance to briefly look at the hotels and other buildings in the city. He spoke of how he enjoyed that experience, as Suriname does not have any skyscrapers.

From Miami he flew to Washington D.C., which took him about three hours. There was a large amount of turbulence along the way when the pilot was forced to fly through a storm, but this did nothing to dampen Amatanwar’s spirits. He describes the experience as “great, but it was cold.”

Amatanwar will be staying here in Stafford for ten months, returning home to Suriname when the school year ends.

Amatanwar said, “I’ve made a lot of new friends. My English is better, my accent got better, and I’ve really connected with my host family. They feel like family now.”

Beyond being colder than Suriname, Amatanwar had quite a few expectations about living in the States. He expected different food and was not disappointed in that fact, getting the chance to eat and enjoy new foods that he did not have back home. He also expected a difference in language speaking abilities between what he was used to in Suriname and how we speak here, as well as different house architecture.

Amatanwar’s biggest surprise about living in America is exactly that: living in America.

He was surprised that his dream was able to come true and is very thankful for the incredible experience.

Jerm

aine

Amat

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nwar Grad e Lev el : Jun Hobbiior Socce es: r Favor and Wrestli it n Red , Blue , e Color( g s): Green ,a Fa Pasta vorite Fo nd Black or Ch od: ine se Ch ick

en

Final Thoughts

Amatanwar said, “If you get the chance to come to my home country, definitely come.

We have a lot of awesome food, locations, you can swim, go to a beach and drink coconuts- I don’t know, it’s a fun country!

You should definitely come.” feature u october | november 2019 u the viewpoint u25

Michael Shelton ,11- “A lot of upperclassmen don’t give freshmen a chance but I think freshmen are pretty cool and fun to be around”

Nicole Vile,11“Spaghetti O’s are nasty”

Joseph Nunes,10“Taco bell is extremely overrated”

Edgar Rivera,10- “I personally didn’t like Stranger Things, I thought it was too overhyped”

Connor Christian,11“Sour is better than sweet”

Um...

What?!

Students share their unpopular opinions by Ceci Alvarez

Ethan Goyette,12“If females shot their shot instead of dudes there would be many more relationships”

26 u the viewpoint u october | november 2019 ufeature

Jake Holts,11- “Tea is disgusting”

M aggie Hanse,12- “Kraft M ac n’ Cheese is the best mac n’ cheese”

Sabrina Troughton,12“I don’t like cheese”

Bullies and

LGBTQ+

In this day and age a lot of people identify as LGBTQ+, but the community still deals with many problems

by Catelynn Aiman

I

n America, there is a lot of hate towards the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/ questioning + community, also known as LGBTQ+. According to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, suicide in this community has gone up 10 percent in the past year, and members are three times more likely to attempt suicide than a heterosexual cisgender person. One way we can stop this is to teach the negative people what they are actually doing, and hold them accountable for their actions.

Bullies. According to Bullying Statistics website, most people experience bullying at least once in their life. Within this group, an estimated nine out of 10 LGBTQ+ people have reported being bullied. Bullying in the community looks like ripping down posters, throwing slurs, and sometimes will even get physical with the victim.

Zachary Roland, freshman, had this to say about people bullying LGBTQ+ people: “It’s ridiculous to ridicule someone for wanting to love and be loved.”

People bully for numerous reasons including how they were brought up, peer pressure, jealousy etc. People have their own opinions and will most likely express them if they see something abnormal. Bullying others, however, is never the best option and there are many other outlets to turn to.

Even though it may not feel like it at the time, students experiencing bullying have many ways to reach out. They can go to their counselor and/or a trusted adult to find help. The Trevor Project, a hotline or LGBTQ+ people in crisis, is available at all hours at (866) 488-7386.The person who will answer the phone is trained to deal with crisis type issues and can give qualified advice on how to deal with bullies.

Some people who are bullies aren’t trying to be mean they just do not know how powerful a slur is and will use it as a playful insult. When an LGBTQ+ teen hears a homophobic slur, like “that’s so gay,” or “queer” they can feel less safe in that time and place. Especially at school, when kids do not understand what they are saying and how it affects others, hurtful words get thrown around and other kids tend to feel less safe.

Megan Brown, senior, said, “One of the reasons we formed Colour Club is exactly that: remedy ignorance.”

To stop LGBTQ+ suicide, Mountain View can provide resources to teenagers like the Trevor Project and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which will give these people health coping mechanisms to better themselves.

To stop bullying, Mountain View can inform the bullies that what they are doing is wrong, and show them statistics of what they are doing and how it affects an LGBTQ+ person’s day-to-day life. Schools can celebrate LGBTQ+ history month, October, with facts each day about a person who is LGBTQ+ and made a change for the better.

The only way the suicide and bullying rates can go down is if we take action, and we need to take action now because the rates are rapidly climbing.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the Trevor Project are open 24/7, and will always be there to help you.

“It’s childish.

People (especially teenagers) should be able to express themselves however they want because of our age. This is the time for us to figure it out of who we are, so when people make mean and ignorant comments, it makes us feel pressured to be a certain way.”

-Caroline Roberts, freshman opinionu october | november 2019 u the viewpoint u27

Feel better r ec i p e s Spicy Thai curry soup adapted from Budget Bites website

Serves 4 Ingredients: 2 tablespoons neutral oil 3 cloves garlic (jarred is fine) 1 tablespoon grated ginger 3 tablespoon Thai red curry paste 2-3 small sweet potatoes 1-2 bunches baby bok choy 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth 3.5 oz rice vermicelli noodles 1 can light coconut milk ½ tablespoon brown sugar 1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper 1-2 teaspoons garlic powder ½ tablespoon fish sauce (optional)

Directions: Prepare vegetables • grate ginger and garlic (if using fresh) • peel and dice sweet potato into roughly one inch cubes • wash and chop bok choy into one inch strips, separating the leaves from the stalks • prepare garnishes of choice Heat cooking oil, prepared garlic and ginger, and Thai red curry paste in a large pot on medium heat until fragrant, 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently Add vegetable broth, prepared sweet potato and bok choy stalks to pot Bring pot to boil on medium-high heat, then reduce to low heat and let soup simmer until vegetables are tender, roughly 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally While soup is simmering, bring a small pot of water to boil and add noodles to the pot and cook until tender, about 2-3 minutes, see package instructions When fully cooked, strain noodles and set aside After vegetables are tender, return to the soup and add coconut milk, brown sugar, crushed red pepper, garlic powder and fish sauce (optional), adjust to taste, and heat on low and stir until combined Add bok choy leaves and allow to wilt, about 2 minutes Divide noodles between four bowls and pour soup over Garnish with sesame seeds, green onions, lime and/or cilantro and serve

Lemon-thyme and orange juice popsicles adapted from Bon Appétit website For a super simple vitamin-c filled treat, freeze orange juice in a popsicle mold overnight and enjoy the next day.

MV The Viewpoint

24 u the viewpoint u october | november 2019 u recipe

Makes 4 pops Equipment: 4x4 popsicle mold Ingredients: 20-30 sprigs thyme (¼ cup fresh thyme leaves) 1/4 cups honey + ½ cup water 3-4 small lemons (½ cup lemon juice) + ½ cup water

Here are some fun recipes that help kick any cold to the curb

by Bella Roeske and Danielle Piper

Try mixing and matching: • honey • lemon juice • cinnamon • organic apple cider vinegar • ginger

Soothing tea add-ins

Directions: Strip thyme leaves from sprigs and set aside Heat ½ cup water, honey, and thyme leaves on medium-high in small saucepan until honey dissolves, about 2 minutes Let cool for 10-15 minutes While sweet mixture cools, squeeze ½ cup worth of lemon juice through a strainer into a measuring cup to catch pulp and seeds Set strainer aside and add ½ cup water and sweet mixture into measuring cup, creating 1½ cups of thyme-lemonade Pour lemonade into popsicle molds and place in freezer overnight

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