The Lumberjack -- November 7, 2019

WANDER IN THE WILD PAGE 18

THE LUMBER JACK

NOV. 7, 2019 – NOV. 13, 2019

Online at JackCentral.org

From the Editor

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have one genuine piece of advice for you: do it.

As Halloween fades and Thanksgiving approaches, it is important to be grateful. College, work and everyday life can be an alarming mixture of overwhelming and demoralizing. And sometimes, it all feels like too much to handle. Uncertainty inflicts a sense of futility — like nothing matters at all — but truthfully, existence means everything.

When life becomes unclear, I do not respond well. For example, the more homework I have, the less motivated I am to complete it. The more lonely I am, the deeper I isolate myself. The more unhappy I am, the greater my worthlessness becomes. Once the downward spiral begins, it feels suffocating and impossible to escape. And oftentimes, my choices exemplify that trend, whether intentionally or subconsciously.

This Thanksgiving, I challenge you to be mindful — and act accordingly.

Rather than succumbing to fear and complacency, be brave and bold. Regardless of how hard that mindset may seem. Psychologists study analysis paralysis, which TREVOR refers to the human propensity for overthinking and thus, stalling. Don’t fall into SKEEN that trap. Life is a gift, and your actions should reflect that treasured meaning through a cognizant and decisive nature.

ASSISTANT NEWS When I was younger, I watched an unhealthy amount of love movies EDITOR with my parents: Notting Hill, Love Actually, Friends with Benefits. Although unrealistic, I admired the characters’ impressive courage and appreciative mentality. Somehow, they conquered fears of rejection and loss in order to attain connection and love.

I recommend you send it, shoot your shot, just do it. The cliches exist for a reason. Carpe diem is an ancient Latin expression, but it still rings true today.

One day represents endless possibility. A beacon of hope or a crushing sense of despair. It intrigues me to contemplate how a single day contains 24 hours; 1,440 minutes; 86,400 seconds. People always talk about how they had a bad day at work or a good day with friends, which simplifies an abundance of moments into one broad assessment. A day can change everything, but only if it’s treated as such.

Think of Thanksgiving as a day to evaluate your existence. To me, the holiday demands a level of introspection. Savor the food and revel in the company, but also think about your life. Consider what makes you happy, who you love and how you establish purpose. Use these answers to move forward and maintain perspective — and enjoy some pie while you’re at it.

Do it: book your plane ticket, apply for your dream job and tell your true love exactly how you feel. Maybe fantasy can become reality, but only if you try. Coming from someone who’s loved purely, lost painfully and lived authentically, I encourage you to apply my advice. And be thankful you have the chance to lead a remarkable life.

Thank you for reading.

THE LUMBERJACK VOL. 108 ISSUE 12

Editor-in-Chief Bailey Helton Faculty Adviser David Harpster

Phone: (928) 523-4921 Fax: (928) 523-9313 Lumberjack@nau.edu P.O. Box 6000 Flagstaff, AZ 86011

Managing Editor Sebastian Moore Sports Adviser Rory Faust

Director of Digital Content Copy Chief Brady Wheeler Collin W. Clayton Faculty Adviser, Visuals Print Chief Sales Manager Taylor Mahoney Bella Valenzuela Marsha Simon Valerie Devoy

Media Innovation Center Editorial Board News Editor Scout Ehrler

Features Editor Shaelene Walker

Sports Editor Molly Smith

Asst. Dir. of Illustration Aleah Green

Asst. News Editor Trevor Skeen

Asst. Features Editor Ash Lohmann

Asst. Sports Editor Jacob Terrill

Director of Photography Morgan Fisher

Online News Editor Ray Anne Galzote

Culture Editor Sabrina Proffitt

Director of Circulation Robyn Monroe

Asst. Dir. of Photography Bess Valdez

Asst. Dir. of Circulation Anel Lamadrid

Senior Photographer Shannon Swain

Director of Illustration Madison Cohen

Director of Multimedia Shawn Patti

Online News Editor Karin Johnson Op-Ed Editor Caitlin Burke

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Asst. Culture Editor Nathan Manni Asst. Op-Ed Editor D’Anna Davis

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

“I just want to say how grateful we are to this administration, to the military and to the special forces that went in.”

– Marsha Mueller

Former NAU student Kayla Mueller participates in a Flagstaff rally in 2009.

Photo courtesy of The Lumberjack archieve

On the cover A pathway through Aspen Corner is lined with tree trunks Oct 20. Autumn in Flagstaff comes with the turning color of leaves, including those on the aspen trees.

Shannon Swain | The Lumberjack

Corrections & Clarifications The Lumberjack is committed to factual correctness and accuracy. If you find an error in our publication, please email Bailey Helton at brs289@nau.edu.

PoliceBeat Oct. 28 At 2:15 p.m., a student at the Learning Resource Center called to report an injured bird.

NAUPD responded, and the bird was moved to a location off campus, per Arizona Game & Fish Department instructions.

At 6:12 p.m., a student called to report kittens under two vehicles at parking lot 32.

NAUPD responded, but the kittens could not be caught.

Residents of surrounding dorms were advised to check underneath their vehicles before starting them.

At 7:39 p.m., a staff member at Cline Library called to report a subject in need of medical attention. Flagstaff Fire Department, Guardian Medical Transport (GMT) and NAUPD responded, and the non-student was found to be in good health. The subject was booked into Coconino County Detention Facility (CCDF) on two active warrants and was warned of trespass campuswide.

Oct. 29 At 10:57 a.m., a staff member at the University Bookstore called to report a theft. NAUPD responded, and one student was cited and released for shoplifting.

At 9:07 p.m., a student at Hilltop Townhomes called to report a verbal dispute with their roommate. NAUPD responded, and information was provided. Both parties were separated for the remainder of the night, and hall staff continued to monitor the situation.

At 9:37 p.m., an RA at McKay Village called to report a stray kitten in the area.

NAUPD responded, but no contact was made.

Oct. 30 At 4:46 p.m., a staff

member called to report people skateboarding on the first level of the Knoles Parking Garage.

NAUPD responded, and the students were informed that they are not allowed to skate in the parking garage.

Compiled by trevor skeen NAUPD responded.

The student was transferred to Flagstaff Medical Center.

At 10:07 p.m., a student at Mountain View Hall called to report they had received a threatening note. NAUPD responded and determined that the reporting party had written the note. The student was arrested and booked into CCDF for false reporting to law enforcement.

At 6:44 p.m., FPD reported locating the outstanding subject from an open NAUPD domestic violence case.

NAUPD responded, and one nonstudent was booked into CCDF on suspicion of strangulation, Nov. 2 aggravated assault and domestic At 4:29 p.m., a residence violence. hall director at Reilly Hall called to report harassment. NAUPD Oct. 31 officers responded, and one At 2:14 p.m., NAUPD student was booked into CCDF reported assisting FPD with on suspicion of threatening and a domestic violence incident intimidating, criminal damage between two students on East and harassment.

Pine Knoll Drive and East McConnell Drive. No further At 4:40 p.m., a nonaction was taken. student came into the NAUPD office with an NAU track At 10:25 p.m., an RA at hurdle. The item was entered Mountain View Hall called to into safekeeping, and NAU report the odor of marijuana. Athletics will be contacted to NAUPD responded, and one retrieve its property. student was deferred for the use of marijuana and possession Nov. 3 of drug paraphernalia. Two At 2:30 p.m., a staff students were deferred for the member at Printing Services use of marijuana. called to report smoke coming from a dumpster. NAUPD Nov. 1 officers responded, and Flagstaff At 12:37 a.m., staff at Fire Department extinguished Sechrist Hall called to report the fire. Facility Services was a suicidal student. Flagstaff notified.

Fire Department, GMT and NAUPD responded and located At 11:27 p.m., a nonthe subject. The student was student at parking lot 46 referred to Counseling Services. reported a domestic violence incident. NAUPD officers At 7:39 a.m., an responded, and a non-student NAUPD officer reported was booked into CCDF on finding a blanket in the road suspicion of disorderly conduct, near SkyView. The item was assault and preventing the transported to NAUPD for use of a telephone during an safekeeping. emergency.

At 11:29 a.m., multiple students at McKay Village called to report a student who was having a seizure. Flagstaff Fire Department, GMT and

NOVEMBER 7, 2019 – NOVEMBER 13, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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NEWS

Counseling Services continues to struggle with student demand molly brown

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ounseling Services at NAU continues to wait-list students seeking assessments and counseling, even though a student fee increase approved by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) in April was put in place to help alleviate the issue.

NAU Communications would not release the number of students on the waitlist or the amount of time before services are available to these students, even though a public information request was filed in early September.

A response by NAU Communications to the information request explained the Counseling Services waitlist is used when caseloads are full. This policy allows staff to track interested students so they can be contacted as openings become available.

A number of NAU students, such as junior Mercedes Yanez, have been put on the waitlist, and some have waited for months.

Yanez said she was put on the waitlist in July when she contacted Counseling Services for an assessment and counseling.

Even though Yanez said she has contacted them multiple times to find her status on the waitlist, she said she is yet to be contacted as of Oct. 30. “[Counseling Services] kept saying it was out of their hands, they have a lot of students to deal with and that they’ll get to me when they can, basically,” Yanez said. “They haven’t reached out to me for anything. I’m the one that reaches out

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to them.”

NAU Communications also stated it does not wait-list students for assessments and instead offer them group counseling as an alternative.

“The waitlist is for students interested in initiating non-crisis counseling. If students are in crisis, they are scheduled for same-day appointments, in order to assess needs, assess risk and make a plan of support moving forward,” NAU Communications said. “Also, if students are interested in group therapy and identify a group time that fits with their schedule, they are not placed on the waitlist — they are able to join groups and begin this weekly treatment option immediately.”

This statement is not being supported by students like Yanez, who said she was never given group counseling information at the time she requested an assessment. She has since been searching for help off campus but said it is difficult with the increased cost and lack of mental health services available in Flagstaff.

Another student who never received counseling services is sophomore Cameron Meyers, who said he was put on the waitlist in January and was not contacted until May 31, after he had already moved back home at the end of the semester.

Similar to Yanez, Meyers also said he was never informed about

Illustration By MADISON COHEN

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group counseling availability or other resources when he was originally put on the waitlist. He said he attended a free walk-in assessment event on campus last semester, but was not offered counseling until May. Meyers said the lack of contact and concern was the reason he did not seek counseling after returning for the fall semester. He said he did not recieve any communication or updates from Counseling Services while on the waitlist.

Junior Will Rzeszutko said he eventually gave up on his original counseling appointment due to the long wait time. He said he was put on the waitlist for counseling his freshman year in fall 2017 and struggled through a challenging time on his own as he waited for over a month to be contacted.

After canceling the November 2017 counseling appointment he waited weeks for, Rzeszutko said he later rescheduled and began counseling in late January 2018. Since starting counseling, Rzeszutko said his monthly sessions have helped him immensely.

Rzeszutko said he has friends who have had issues with their insurance not being accepted for counseling services, so staff availability is not the only problem.

“I’m obviously grateful to have good insurance, but it goes to show that it’s not just a shortage of staff that’s the issue,” Rzeszutko said.

ABOR secretary Karrin Taylor Robson published a statement in June referencing research by the American College Health Association, which highlighted an increased need for mental health care and counseling services for college students.

“The percentage

of students who reported receiving treatment for anxiety has increased at a concerning rate from 9.2% in 2010 to 22.1% in 2018 — a 140% uptick just in the last eight years,” Robson said. “During that same time period, we’ve seen a 118% increase in students seeking treatment for depression, which today impacts more than 18% of all college students.”

Robson also said depression can lead to even more severe outcomes.

“Meanwhile, in the last year, 40% of college students reported feeling so depressed that it was difficult to function, with 10% seriously considering suicide,” Robson said.

An increase in calls to local law enforcement regarding suicidal intentions, as reported in recent Police Beats published in The Lumberjack corroborates Robson’s claims.

While it is unclear if help was sought in any of these instances, it is clear that a lack of availability and awareness about counseling is a factor for many students.

“They should be reaching out and seeing if I’m OK, because I mean, with the stuff that’s been going on, it’s part of my school’s responsibility to take part in our well-being,” Yanez said. “By not reaching out, it’s showing that they don’t care.”

Anyone who needs more information or assistance can find it through the Counseling Services website, which lists outside resources, group counseling sessions offered free of charge, anxiety workshops and emergency contacts.

Anyone experiencing a psychological emergency can contact Counseling Services at 928-523-2261 to request a crisis appointment. If students are not experiencing some form of psychological emergency, they can select group counseling as an alternative to the waitlist. A brief assessment is needed prior to attending any group sessions and can be scheduled by calling Counseling Services.

NEWS

A Mountain Line bus approaches its stop Nov. 2. Michael Patacsil | The Lumberjack

Sinema introduces bipartisan public transportation bill mark fabery

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en. Kyrsten Sinema, D-AZ, and Sen. Jerry Moran, R-KS, introduced a bipartisan bill to the Senate that, if passed, will provide additional funding to public transit in small communities, including Flagstaff.

A similar bill was introduced to the House in early August and was co-sponsored by Arizona Democratic Rep. Greg Stanton. These two bills would provide more money through the Small Transit Intensive Cities Act (STIC), which was established in 2005.

The goal of the program is to increase federal public transit funding for communities with highly-used public transit systems that serve populations between 50,000 and 200,000, as stated by Sen. Sinema’s website. Together, Rep. Stanton’s and Sen. Sinema’s proposed bills would increase funding from 2% to 3% to keep up with the growth and success of the program.

Through the STIC program, communities in Arizona, including Flagstaff, received $1.8 million in 2019, according to a statement from Sen. Sinema.

“Investing in Flagstaff’s public transportation system will create jobs and expand opportunities for the city,” Sen. Sinema said.

“I’ll keep partnering with Arizona communities to support critical infrastructure investments.”

Sen. Sinema has introduced various transportation bills that have had positive effects for Arizona throughout her time in the Senate and the House. Most recently, the senator introduced the bipartisan Moving FIRST Act, which, if passed, would enhance and modernize the transportation systems of American cities through the encouragement of innovative t e c h n o l o g y, according to Sen. Sinema’s website.

Erika Mazza, CEO and general manager of Mountain Line, is no stranger to Sinema’s past and current efforts to improve transportation infrastructure in the state and country.

“Senators Sinema and Moran are two of the leading voices in transportation, and their sponsorship of [STIC] is yet more proof of their continued commitment to transit,” Mazza said in a statement. “I applaud them for introducing this commonsense, bipartisan legislation, and

I look forward to working with them on this important issue.”

The prospective increase in funding from the STIC would help counter Mountain Line’s failure to pass Proposition 421 during the 2018 midterm elections. If the legislation passed, Proposition 421 would have created a new tax to support an increased level of bus services in Flagstaff, which would have generated $41 million over 11 years, as stated . on the Flagstaff elections website.

Although it is unknown if Sen. Sinema’s funding increase for STIC will reach the president’s desk for signing, Mazza is hopeful the respective funds will help improve transportation.

“This legislation will further reward highperforming small transit systems like Mountain Line with additional funding for achieving the

“I think it would be great for Mountain Line to increase efficiency with the new funding, because on weekends, I have to wait over an hour for a bus to pick me up at the mall ” - International student LinLin Zhou

same performance measures as larger systems,” Mazza said. “Transit is about connecting people to their daily lives, and this increased STIC funding proposal affords communities the opportunity to deliver enhanced transit services, thus creating stronger communities.”

Linlin Zhou is an international student from Shanghai, China. Zhou said she uses Mountain Line to get around Flagstaff, just like thousands of other NAU students who rely on public transportation to commute between work, friends, school and entertainment.

“As an international student, I don’t have a car to get around Flagstaff, so Mountain Line is a great and affordable alternative to get around,” Zhou said. “I think it would be great for Mountain Line to increase efficiency with the new funding, because on weekends, I have to wait over an hour for a bus to pick me up at the mall.”

The possibility of Sen. Sinema’s bipartisan STIC funding increase passing anytime soon is unlikely, particularly because Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell promised to be a “grim reaper” of progressive policies in the Senate, as reported by CBS News. Although the possibility remains slim, STIC would increase the amount of federal funding for public transportation in Flagstaff by $650,000, according to a statement from Sen. Sinema.

NOVEMBER 7, 2019 – NOVEMBER 13, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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NEWS

Off-campus apartments hinder Flagstaff’s sustainability efforts trinity archie

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ven with on-campus sustainability efforts in place, many off-campus student housing complexes still struggle to provide on-site recycling.

Off-campus housing communities without on-site recycling options include Fremont Station, The Standard and Woodlands Village Apartments, among others.

In 2018, Flagstaff imposed restrictions on the recycling of certain plastics. This regulation resulted in an increase of landfill waste, which raised concerns for off-campus housing complexes that do not offer recycling.

NAU’s on-campus housing provides students with small recycling bins in dorms, which can be emptied into one of many large recycling bins outside. Metal cans, paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, jugs and jars are accepted as recyclable materials.

Without the convenience of on-site recycling, many off-campus residents dispose of their recyclables alongside landfill waste, rather than seek alternative recycling locations.

Furthermore, many students may not be aware of recycling drop-off locations throughout the city.

The city’s sustainability specialist Dylan Lenzen explained why many of Flagstaff’s housing complexes do not provide easy access to recycling.

“Recycling in multifamily complexes can

be challenging,” Lenzen said. “First, these types of properties are not actually required to provide recycling service, so many of them don’t or only procure a single recycling dumpster relative to many trash dumpsters.

This scenario can be pretty inconvenient for residents.”

The city has made recycling pickup services cheaper than landfill waste pickup, which encourages property owners to recycle.

Although city recycling prices are low, many complexes go through private companies with higher prices.

“As a city, we’ve tried to incentivize recycling by structuring the costs so that recycling

Illustration By ALEAH GREEN

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is much cheaper than trash,” Lenzen said. “With that said, multifamily properties can also purchase service from private haulers operating in Flagstaff, which may not offer the same incentives.”

There are alternatives for those who are not able to recycle directly at their residences.

Most off-campus student housing does not advertise these separate recycling options.

Along with the Flagstaff Municipal Materials Recovery Facility located at 1800 E. Butler Ave., current drop-off locations include the Continental Little League field parking lot, Coconino Community College and NAU’s Pine Knoll Drive drop-off.

Due to the lack of on-site recycling and information about drop-off locations, many residents are unaware they have the option to reduce waste.

With numerous global efforts aimed toward sustainability, it may appear as though conservation has gradually increased. This trend may not be true for waste reduction.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the total amount of municipal solid waste produced in 2015 was approximately 262 million tons. This amount increased by 3.5 million tons from 2014. Of the 262 million tons of waste, 26% was paper and paperboard, both of which are recyclable materials.

These statistics make it apparent that Flagstaff housing complexes that do not offer recycling conflict with the city’s emphasis on environmental preservation.

The Flagstaff Sustainability Program works to increase recycling efforts citywide.

Maggie Twomey, an event coordinator for the Flagstaff Sustainability Program, organizes events that promote community involvement and sustainability.

“There are many aspects of sustainability, and we are working really hard on sustainable living,” Twomey said. “It takes a global effort to

make it happen.”

A Master Recycler course, which is offered through the program, is open to the public. The eight-week course trains participants on waste prevention and composting.

According to the city, participants also learn about sharing goods, waste-hauling programs, toxin reduction, residential recycling, fixing and reusing.

Along with community involvement programs, Flagstaff has established several goals toward reducing waste, many of which involve recycling. According to the city’s Sustainability Commission, one goal includes achieving zero waste by 2050, meaning 90% of materials must be diverted from landfills. Recycling will be a key component to accomplish this goal.

“First, these types of properties are not actually required to provide recycling service ... This scenario can be pretty inconvenient for residents.”

– Dylan Lenzen, Flagstaff sustainability specialist

In addition to the lack of recycling at Flagstaff apartment complexes, there are also inconveniences with glass recycling. According to the city’s glass collection services, residents can recycle glass at one of the designated dropoff locations. Those interested in having glass picked up at their residences must pay a $3.81 monthly subscription fee.

Recycling inconveniences may lead to increased landfill waste in Flagstaff. This costly trend can be combated through community awareness and involvement in recycling.

Additional information regarding recycling can be found on the city’s website.

VISUAL SPOTLIGHT

CHOO CHOO!

Top Left: A model train running at the Model Train Club open house for the public, Nov. 2. The club holds these open houses every month at Fort Tuthill so people can come see the trains in action and learn more about them.

Bottom Left: A window at the club’s open house where people can look at the model trains.

Top Right: John Viggers, a Flagstaff local and a member of the Model Train Club, helps at the club’s open house. Viggers has been a part of the club for three years and does woodworking.

Bottom Right: A model train with smoke coming out of the top at the open house.

Jay Soliz | The Lumberjack

MONTH #, 2019 – MONTH #, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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COMIC SPOT comic By christian ayala

comic By aleah green

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VISUAL SPOTLIGHT

Locally crafted arts, herbs and jewelry from Winter Sun Trading Co.

Top Left: Locally made Hopi Native American Tribe artistry, herbs, and essential oils are sold at Winter Sun Trading Co. in downtown Flagstaff, Nov. 1.

Bottom Left: Janek Keediniihii, sales clerk at Winter Sun Trading Co. in downtown Flagstaff, puts out new jewelry made by local Hopi artists.

Top Right: Locally made Hopi Native American Tribe jewelry sits on display.

Middle Right: Herbs are sold at Winter Sun Trading Co. Bottom Right: Locally made Hopi Native American Tribe pottery.

Megan Ford-Fyffe | The Lumberjack

NOVEMBER 7, 2019 – NOVEMBER 13, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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OPINION-EDITORIAL

Ethical headlines are expected ryan dixon

Mansplainers, there’s the door

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t this point in time, you might think the mansplainers have taken a back seat and let women ride out their own lives. Unfortunately, they are still in full force.

In June 2018, around 30 female employees for the accounting giant Ernst & Young received a training presentation called “Power-PresencePurpose,” according to HuffPost. This presentation included instructions on how women should dress and act in the workplace.

Not to my surprise, the proposed guidelines regarding the female employees’ physical appearance was almost entirely based on oversexualization.

The presentation stated women shouldn’t flaunt their body, because “sexuality scrambles the mind.”

That sounds more like something out of a high school dress code than a professional workplace with D’ANNA mature adults.

DAVIS HuffPost reported that one section of the ASSISTANT OP-ED presentation stated women should have a “good EDITOR haircut, manicured nails and well-cut attire that complements your body type.”

From my understanding, Ernst & Young has the unrealistic expectation of wanting women to maintain a certain appearance that is attractive but also wards off the sexualization they face from their male colleagues.

News flash: the oversexualization women face will never be under their own control.

Before the training, women were given score sheets to rate themselves on different masculine and feminine traits. The score sheets are not the problem. Rating themselves on different qualities could lead to selfimprovement. However, splitting traits into masculine and feminine categories infers that women will score lower in masculine traits.

Some of the traits listed under the masculine column were ambition, leadership abilities and self-sufficiency, as if a woman couldn’t have any of these things and dominate the workplace.

The traits listed under the feminine column were fitting of the stayat-home housewife stereotype of the 1950s. Women were expected to rate themselves based on affection, femininity, gentleness and warmth.

Ernst & Young is trying to keep its female employees vulnerable and wrapped around a misogynistic finger.

The firm stated to HuffPost that, “We are proud of our long-standing commitment to women and deeply committed to creating and fostering an environment of inclusivity and belonging at EY, anything that suggests the contrary is 100% false.”

It’s interesting how, to Ernst & Young, inclusivity means confining women to a box and wanting to limit their freedom in the workplace.

Now is the time for people to learn that women can dress as they please and dominate the workplace while doing so, no matter how many men try to mansplain them otherwise.

T

he shadowy fear of terrorism is a darkness that hangs over the heads of all Americans and innocent people worldwide. The tragic loss of life due to terrorism on 9/11 is a permanently-etched scar on the heart of the United States.

Terrorism is an evil of the highest accord. The murder of innocent people in the name of radical beliefs is despicable.

For over a decade, the war on terror has been an effort that has united people of all backgrounds, beliefs and political views. The United States gathered together in the face of evil and collectively agreed that the fight was ours.

This is why the media coverage of Abu Bakr alBaghdadi’s death at the hands of U.S. special forces was so utterly shocking to me. The Washington Post’s sickening online article covering the death of the infamous terrorist leader was absurdly irresponsible.

One of The Washington Post’s headlines, before it was retracted in a cowardly display of damage control, described Baghdadi as “an austere religious scholar.”

The first time I read the article, I was taken aback.

I tried to convince myself there was no way a paper as reputable as The Washington Post just referred to a terrorist as an austere religious scholar. But on my fifth read through, the headline hadn’t magically changed.

From the time I realized my passion for journalism, I dreamt of being a writer for The Washington Post. I wanted my name printed on their bylines and associated with their publications for the rest of time. Now, I’d be hard pressed to ever voluntarily read one of its articles with any measure of respect.

I was physically sickened, and still am, by the moral blindness and blatant disrespect that allowed the writer of the obituary to put such kind words into a headline

about a terrorist. I have so many questions about how the article ever got approved for online publication. I will never understand how such words made it through a proofread by the writer themselves, multiple editors and, ultimately, out to the public.

The article and headline are a repulsive display of moral grayness and blindness toward human decency that journalism as a whole must not fall into.

The day a terrorist dies is a day we should all thank God for, and the media should share that similar respect.

While I do my best to live by principles of love, kindness and understanding, I will never find it in my heart to forgive the atrocious actions of terrorists.

The Washington Post’s handling of the death of a monster was disrespectful to the victims of al-Baghdadi’s cruelty and inhumanity, and to their families, who live with the pain and consequences of his actions.

The mission that resulted in the death of the ISIS leader was named in honor of Kayla Mueller by President Donald Trump and military officials.

Mueller was an NAU alumna and resident of Prescott who was in Syria engaging in humanitarian aid, as reported

by The Lumberjack. Mueller was kidnapped and suffered unspeakable abuse at the hands of al-Baghdadi’s troops before her execution. The pain of her loss radiates through the NAU community, and forgiveness for the brutality she and hundreds of other innocent victims of ISIS’ actions suffered will not come soon, at least not from me.

The Washington Post should take into consideration that if it decides to cover the death of one of the world’s greatest fiends ever again, it should be respectful to those that deserve it. Words such as “austere,” “religious scholar” and cheerful anecdotes about childhood sports do not belong anywhere near descriptions of terrorists.

Al-Baghdadi was evil personified. He must be depicted as such.

Photo courtesy of fox news

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OPINION-EDITORIAL

Spill the weight-loss tea Madeline hollmann

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any celebrities and influencers post pictures promoting products. Lately there has been a wave of posts promoting detox and weight-loss teas. These companies claim their products can help people lose weight.

Before an influencer decides to promote a product, they should research what they endorse to their audience. Companies pay influencers to promote a product, and it can be enticing to take an offer for a paycheck, but morals should always come first.

By promoting weight-loss teas, influencers promote unhealthful weight-loss methods and eating disorders. It is wrong for influencers to promote these products to impressionable Illustration By christian ayala

audiences. The majority of sponsored influencers are fitness accounts or Instagram models. A huge percentage of their followings are young women who are easily influenced by social media.

Women look at these gorgeous models and compare themselves to them. Social media has a huge influence on their expectations of beauty. Women who want to look like their favorite influencers might be convinced to buy products that influencers promote. If weight-loss teas are being portrayed as a method to look healthy and beautiful, then followers are more likely to buy them.

In their sponsored posts, some influencers claim the tea they promote contributed to their toned bodies. In reality, these influencers are on strict diets and work out religiously to achieve amazing figures. Saying that weight-loss teas are the reason they look that way is false advertising.

Weight-loss teas can be enticing to some, especially if their favorite influencer is promoting it. Detox tea companies profit from people’s insecurities, because these posts basically say that someone can look like a model if they buy the product. These companies profit from people’s desire to lose weight and be thinner, without supplying them with long lasting results.

Weight-loss teas are not a healthful way to lose weight. Most

detox teas are technically laxatives, according to The Cleveland Clinic. Most products contain ingredients like nettle leaf, dandelion leaf and senna leaf, which are diuretics.

As a diuretic, detox teas are naturally dehydrating. The weight loss people see from these teas is just a loss of water weight.

There is no evidence that tea will contribute to weight-loss in the long run.

According to the National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), there is no convincing evidence that proves detox and cleansing products will remove any toxins or improve people’s health. The reason consumers may be losing weight in conjunction with drinking tea could be due to caloriedeficient diets.

The NCCIH stated weight-loss tea companies have even been found guilty of putting harmful ingredients in its products, and action has been taken by the United States Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission to combat this.

Influencers should not promote these harmful teas to their followers just for a paycheck. It is wrong to promote something that preys on people’s insecurities.

Musicians have no reason to lie Kylie soto

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n the music world, it isn’t uncommon for songwriters to go without credit. Popular artist Lizzo found herself in court after being caught in a copyright infringement lawsuit over a line in her hit song “Truth Hurts.”

In Lizzo’s case, she actually came forward and gave credit to British singer and songwriter Mina Lioness. The singer tweeted an earlier version of the infamous line “I just took a DNA test …” when it was first formed. Lizzo was under fire as soon as the public caught wind of Lioness’ tweet.

These scandals are present in even the biggest stars’ careers. Beyoncé, for example, was caught in a similar situation upon the release of her song “Formation.” A few more artists who have faced similar accusations include Robin Thicke for his song “Blurred Lines,” Coldplay for their hit song “Viva La Vida” and even The Beatles for their timeless song “Come Together.”

No one is immune to negative exposure, and that proves artists should just tell the truth.

After all, their followers pay to listen to their music, so we deserve to know.

If singers were transparent about the origins of their songs, there would be no problem.

Artists should mention outright whether or not they had a significant role in the production of a song.

In this day and age, listeners honestly don’t care if an artist writes their own songs or not.

However, it is important if an artist t a k e s credit for something they didn’t w r i t e .

Pe o p l e listen to vocalists who tell the truth.

No one wants to support a liar.

For some artists, the truth hurts. Some choose to avoid speaking publicly about a controversy until it’s trending on Twitter. This not only shows an artist’s true colors but turns off any new listeners, sending an artist into a downward spiral toward irrelevance.

The public is fascinated by people similar to them, especially with food videos and daily vlogs being all the rage now.

Y o u Tu b e r s have stepped further into the light, and people are begging to identify with people who are normal.

The values of millennials and Illustration By amy czachowski

Generation Z tend to differ from previous generations. However, one thing remains true: honesty is key.

The public wants to see this carry throughout all mediums of entertainment.

Everyone wants a role model, and the artists who stay true to their craft are the ones who gain the biggest followings.

That being said, these generations are also trigger happy — we are quick to expose and cancel anyone who may be caught in a fabricated web of lies. That isn’t to say an artist will be canceled entirely, but dishonesty could put a significant damper on the growth of an artists career.

In some cases, artists lose some of the followers they already had, but if a controversy is mild, they are still relatively unaffected.

Nowadays, people don’t care who wrote a song, as long as the truth is being told. The values of newer generations are drastically different, but the fundamental virtue of honesty will never go out of style.

NOVEMBER 7, 2019 – NOVEMBER 13, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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FEATURES

Veterans pursue Camille Sipple

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eterans Day is a national holiday dedicated to being grateful and showing appreciation for those who have served the United States and protected its freedom. Even a city as small as Flagstaff is home to many veterans and their families.

Since the opening of the Veteran Success Center, which is located in the University Union Fieldhouse, NAU has become increasingly more popular for veteran students. Retired Army veteran junior Elias Reyes and Marine veteran alumnus Zach Hamilton are just some of the many veterans who have found a home at NAU. Reyes was a 16-year active duty member of the U.S. Army and was deployed to Iraq during his service. Hamilton was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps for four years and was deployed overseas four times during those years. He has been to the South Pacific Polynesian kingdom of Tonga, as well as South Korea and Afghanistan. When they returned home, both Reyes and Hamilton decided to pursue their undergraduate degrees at NAU. For many veterans, one of the most difficult parts of returning home from active duty or service is having to readjust

to society.

Reyes was injured in his last deployment and said the recovery period made adjusting especially difficult. He said adapting to civilian life alone is a very challenging feat for most veterans.

“The military has a standard for everything, so when you’re trying to be a career service member, adapting to civilian life can have its ups and downs,” Reyes said.

In Hamilton’s experience, adjusting to civilian life can be difficult, simply because it is such a drastic change of pace that requires individuals to be self-driven.

“In the military, you are often told where to be, what to do and how to do it,” Hamilton said. “Most of your schedule is made up by somebody else. One of the major challenges that I faced, and that I think most veterans face, is they come here and they experience a lack of structure for the first time.”

As with many veterans, returning to school and earning degrees was very important to Reyes and Hamilton once they left the military. Reyes said he had some uncertainties about returning to school, mainly because he is a non-traditional student and not in the same age range as his peers. However, he found a very welcoming atmosphere at NAU and said he has enjoyed every second of his past three years as a Lumberjack.

Military patches hang on the wall in the NAU Veteran Success Center Oct. 30. Megan Ford-Fyffe | The Lumberjack

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“I’ve been very privileged to be accepted by my peers, and my professors don’t talk down to me, even though I’m probably older than some of them,” Reyes said. “NAU has been a wonderful experience for me, and I’m looking forward to graduation next December.”

As Hamilton began his path toward an undergraduate degree, he noticed his priorities were different than other college students. Hamilton said he truly knew what he wanted to do with his life, because he was several years older than many of his classmates.

Hamilton struggled with not having anything in common with people around him, until he realized he could learn from them, despite an age gap.

“Getting over that was realizing what I can contribute to the classroom and what traditional students could teach me,” Hamilton said. “Even though they were five to seven years younger than I am, I still had a lot to learn from them.”

After earning his undergraduate degree in politics, Hamilton became a full-time NAU employee at the Veteran Success Center.

His job includes helping veterans, as well as military-affiliated students, pursue success within their education and potential career paths. He said he also attempts to facilitate a welcoming environment to help these students navigate any military-based

FEATURES

e success at NAU The Veteran Success Center located in the fieldhouse is open as a place for military-affiliated students to connect and find resources, Oct. 30. Megan Ford-Fyffe | The Lumberjack

Elias Reyes poses for a portrait in the NAU Communication building Oct. 30.

Megan Ford-Fyffe | The Lumberjack

difficulties that may get in the way of achieving their goals. However, Hamilton said all students face difficulties.

“Veteran students don’t face more hurdles than any other subgroup of students — I don’t think,” Hamilton said. “But they do face a different type — a different category than most other students do.”

The Veteran Succes Center provides a variety of services to veterans, including free printing, computer access and social events.

U.S. Army veteran Rachel Thorpe also works at the succes center and said it puts on a multitude of events to allow the veteran student population to mingle and meet other veterans.

The success center just recently held a Veterans Challenge Race Monday, which was open to all students.

“We’re just trying to incorporate other students with veteran students so that people who don’t have much knowledge of the military can come to participate and learn about it,” Thorpe said.

The Veteran Success Center is the central campus location for anything military or veteran related. The goal of these events is to bring students and veterans together.

Hamilton said the most important goal within Veteran and Military Services is to

ensure each and every veteran is provided the opportunity to pursue education and rewarding careers. Although Hamilton has finished his time in college, he said he is still focused on gaining more knowledge over the years.

“It’s time to start going out and seeking out more education so I can continue expanding my career, mind and skills,” Hamilton said.

After he earns his degree and graduates in December 2020, Reyes plans to do more humanitarian work. He has already traveled to Latin America in past years to volunteer. As he prepares to pursue his dreams with the help of a college degree, Reyes said he is beyond grateful for the programs NAU offers to him and his fellow veterans.

“I always want to leave a fingerprint wherever I go instead of a smudge,” Reyes said.

“I’m grateful for the program that NAU has — working with veterans, working through disability resources — so that there aren’t any limitations to be able to attain your dream.”

NAU has walked the extra mile to ensure all veteran and military-affiliated students feel welcomed and supported at the university.

Despite the difficulties that come with being a veteran student, Reyes, Hamilton and countless other veterans who pursue degrees prove it is worth the transition and effort.

NOVEMBER 7, 2019 – NOVEMBER 13, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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FEATURES

Photo Illustrations By Renee Hanneken

Students stay safe while partying hard Ashlyn Easley

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lagstaff is a college town, and students can often be found at parties on the weekend.

Parties can be great social events for some students, but safety should always come first.

Freshman Adam Kim does not have much experience with drunk friends, but he does with family members. He said his aunts and uncles are usually the ones getting drunk. However, one of Kim’s friends did have a little too much to drink during Homecoming weekend.

“My friend wanted to hang out with some girls down the hall while he was drunk, so I reminded him that he had a girlfriend and kept an eye on him for the rest of the night,” Kim said. “If he had started throwing up, I probably would have taken a page out of my friend’s book and laid him down in the bathtub facing the drain so that the vomit would have somewhere to go.”

Kim said people should avoid alcohol completely whenever they feel down.

“Getting drunk when you’re sad is not a good experience,” Kim said. “Drinking with the boys when you’re sad is even worse.”

All first-year and transfer students are

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required to complete an alcohol safety and awareness program at the beginning of each semester. This online course aims to prepare students for college drinking experiences, regardless of whether they plan to drink or not.

Students are taught to recognize the warning signs of alcohol poisoning and know when to trade alcohol for water, as well as how much alcohol is in a standard drink. The course also covers common myths and misconceptions about alcohol.

Freshman Devin O’Neal completed his alcohol course earlier this semester. Although he is not a drinker, O’Neal said he found the course helpful.

“The alcohol training was really timeconsuming, but I got a lot of information from it,” O’Neal said.

For some students, alcohol training is nothing more than a review. This was especially true for freshman James Novak, who was taught how to take care of drunk people at a young age.

Novak said his house was a popular destination for parties hosted by his older brother, so he grew up around heavy drinkers.

Novak said drinking behaviors are typically influenced by people’s childhoods, where they

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

grew up and if they were raised around partying.

He grew up in a small town, so he had a tightknit group of friends.

“There was this unspoken code among our friend group that if anyone went too far, we would take care of them,” Novak said. “We would always get people food, water or whatever else they needed.”

This code differs from group to group.

Novak said some people believe it is every one for themselves when it comes to drinking. He said these people believe, if someone drinks too much, it is their own responsibility to take care of themself. Novak said he does not respect this viewpoint, because friends should take care of each other.

Novak said the key to taking care of drunk friends is to be there when they need it. Water, sleep or something to throw up in are all useful when drinking too much. If a friend seems to have gone too far, Novak never hesitates to take them to the hospital. He said their lives are always more important than whatever other trouble they might get into.

When going out to drink, Novak said it is always good to have someone trustworthy around and to know personal limits.

Resident Assistants (RA) are trained to promote student safety, especially when it involves alcohol. Junior Sarah Jones was an RA over the summer and said students’ safety is always the first priority in any situation.

“RAs are not there to punish people so much as to make sure they are being safe,” Jones said.

Over the summer. there is a more diverse campus population, with children and international groups joining the regular summer students. Consequently, RAs for the summer semester are given more broad training than those in the regular semester.

Jones said she was taught to always bring someone with her when getting involved in potentially dangerous situations, so she would not have to make decisions alone. She was also taught to call NAU Police Department if she ever felt like she needed outside help.

Students can call 911, 928-523-3000 for emergency services or 928-523-3611 for nonemergencies. Health Promotion also offers substance abuse support for those who need it.

Remember, it is OK to party, just stay safe while doing it.

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NOVEMBER 7, 2019 – NOVEMBER 13, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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CULTURE

How to handle abnormal sleep Kyler Edsitty

The crash of the Conspiracy palette

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hane Dawson and Jeffree Star’s Conspiracy collection is finally out for purchase for the fans who anticipated its release. Through Dawson’s YouTube channel, fans were given sneak peeks and the ability to watch the entire process of creating the collection, from picking out the colors and names to final touches on the packaging. As an audience, we’ve been able to see the entire journey, and on Friday at 10 a.m., we were given the quick chance to own it.

Within the collection, there is the main Conspiracy eye-shadow palette, which has 18 unique eye-shadow shades, a mini palette called The Mini Controversy, five liquid lipsticks that SABRINA come separate, and, in the Pig Lip box set, a clear PROFFITT lip gloss called Shane Glossin’ and more.

CULTURE EDITOR The collection is beautiful, with accessories like pig mirrors and makeup bags that take every single detail into consideration. It is also expensive, the collection bundle is $210, but the amount of detail down to the stamps on each shade of eye shadow make every cent worth it. The names for the shades of eye shadow and lipstick also give me nostalgia, some tying back to Dawson’s old YouTube videos. A bright yellow eye shadow shade is titled Food Videos — a nod to the old bright yellow video thumbnails of his food reviews.

The design and components of the collection were revealed days before, which built anticipation. Videos of fans in huge lines at Morphe stores across the world surfaced the morning of the release. Since Flagstaff doesn’t have a Morphe store, I set numerous alarms and sat by my laptop, nervously awaiting 10 a.m.

The worst part about the collection wasn’t any part of the collection itself but the online ordering process. As I said before, the palette was released at 10 a.m. Friday, and I prepared to order 30 minutes early. I set up my shipping address on Jeffree Star’s website and had my debit card beside me, ready to go. As soon as the clock turned 10 a.m., Star’s website crashed. It refused to load, so I refreshed the website, only for it to bring me back to the home page and show the error message again. Quickly, I moved to Morphe’s website, which also crashed.

However, Morphe had a loading page where customers were placed in lines to wait. I juggled back-and-forth between the two websites. I borrowed my boyfriend’s laptop as well to attempt to order it there. After 30 minutes of fighting with technology, I was finally able to order the palette on Morphe’s website. Every other piece in the collection had already been sold out. By the end of the day, every piece of the collection was sold out.

Beside the ordering process, which should have been accounted for due to Dawson’s popularity, the collection created anticipation I’ve never seen for a makeup palette before, and I’m so glad I was able to score one before they sold out.

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ramming for tests throughout the night and staying out late at parties can have long-term effects on a student’s physical and mental health. However, in college, all-nighters are common for many students. Sleep is a constant for everyone and can be crucial in daily life for students.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults need at least seven hours of sleep every night, but 32% of adults in Arizona get less than that. The CDC also reported that inadequate sleep could eventually lead to depression, diabetes or obesity.

Maintaining sleep regularity can be difficult in college when students juggle academics, jobs and social lives.

Senior Evie Pooyouma said she is experiencing sleep problems in her final year of college. On average, she gets five to six hours of sleep every night. She usually goes to bed around 2 a.m. and wakes up at 8 a.m. It is common for her to go to class without sleeping.

“At home, I can easily get eight hours of sleep,” Pooyouma said. “In school, getting eight hours is easier said than done.”

Pooyouma works as a peer mentor at the Native American Cultural Center (NACC), has an internship and often takes her work home. Her school workload adds even more stress, and she usually has heavily weighted assignments to complete each week while studying for tests.

Caffeine and periodic naps often get Pooyouma through the day, and said she takes frequent trips to coffee shops to replenish her stamina. Between classes, she takes 20 to 30 minute naps to get another boost of energy. She also practices meditation, which clears her mind and gives her a moment to relax.

“I’m afraid that it will start to affect my cognitive health,” Pooyouma said. “I don’t think all this hard work will be worth it if my health is permanently affected.”

Physical effects she has seen are a loss of appetite and a huge dip in energy. She said she has gone several hours without eating and did not realize it. Often she has felt sluggish, which notifies her that she needs to rest.

Pooyouma said she wanted to make changes to her life to get an optimal amount of sleep. She now refrains from doing work at home and completes her school work on the clock. To avoid last-minute stress, she starts her assignments earlier. In order to practice self-care, she makes more time to see her friends and family, and makes a greater effort to have restful alone time.

Freshman Michelle Mexican has experienced similar issues. Her workload makes her stay up until 2 a.m. and wake up at 6 a.m. Occasionally, she studies in Cline Library until 3 a.m. She usually gets six or seven hours of sleep every night.

Mexican has also experienced similar symptoms as Pooyouma, such as fatigue and loss of appetite, and her lack of sleep has negatively impacted her social life. Even when she visits home, she finds herself staying up late to keep up

Illustration By Madison Cohen

with her assignments.

“I haven’t had the chance to fully experience college because of how much work I have to do,” Mexican said.

“Having more time in my schedule would allow me to get out there a little more.”

Mexican has a plan to optimize her free time to get more sleep. To improve her social life, she has learned to take breaks from her assignments and sees her friends more often. To avoid procrastination and late-night studying, she prepares for tests and assignments rather than putting them off.

However, unlike Pooyouma and Mexican, some students are able to get the recommended amount of sleep.

Coconino Community College sophomore Rancita David gets an average of eight hours of sleep per night. She is able to maintain this consistency by allocating enough time in her day to do assignments and sleep. Having designated times for work, sleep and school keeps her organized.

“I try to do assignments over a period of several days so I don’t do them all in one sitting,” David said. “Knowing all of my assignments are done lets me sleep better at night.”

According to the CDC, there are few ways to improve an abnormal sleep schedule. Having a consistent sleep schedule with the same bedtime and waking time and keeping the room dark without any light can be helpful.

Being physically active, and avoiding caffeine and alcohol before lying down also makes it easier to fall asleep.

These actions can lead to longer sleep periods and a consistent schedule that can improve overall health.

CULTURE

League of Legends celebrates 10 years Ian Sloan

I

f someone has been online in recent years, there is a chance they have heard about one of the most popular video games, League of Legends, and how large its community is.

According to PCGamesN, an online gaming magazine, the current player base reached 8 million players in September.

On Oct. 15, 2009, League of Legends caught the world’s attention and proceeded to become something more than just a game to its players and developers. Last month, the gaming community celebrated the anniversary, but League of Legends is played yearlong across the globe.

According to its website, League of Legends developer and publisher Riot Games was co-founded by Brandon Beck and Marc Merrill in Los Angeles in 2006. Three years later, they released League of Legends as a free-to-play game, and it gradually became a global phenomenon that has garnered the attention of mainstream media and was even mentioned in an October “Saturday Night Live” skit.

As part of its 10-year celebration, Riot also announced new efforts, like a card game, a fighting game and an animated series influenced by the game.

With a large global presence, there are also students at NAU who have been invested in the game since its early days. Junior Conner O’Brien has played League of Legends since season two, which dates back to 2011.

“The first time I saw League was in fifth or sixth grade, and I saw my friend playing it, and I said, ‘This looks like a really stupid game,’” O’Brien said. “I didn’t play until seventh or eighth grade when I changed middle schools, and I started making friends, and all of them played it. I started in the middle of season two, and it was pretty rough. Back then, getting your account level from one to 30 was a real chore — probably 100 hours [of gameplay].”

At the initial launch of League

of Legends, there were only 40 champions, which are playercontrolled characters that have unique abilities and attributes. That number has since come close to quadrupling at 145, with champion 146 being released soon. One of O’Brien’s favorite champions is Kha’Zix, a massive, vicious creature that seeks greater prey to evolve.

“Before [my account] was level 30, I only played the 3 versus 3 game mode,” O’Brien said. “The second week I started playing, in the free list of champions was Kha’Zix. He’s an assassin whose main gimmick is that he can transform his abilities. I thought that was the coolest thing in the world. So, I saved up all of my ingame currency and played Kha’Zix all the way up until I was level 30.”

O’Brien is one of many players at NAU whose lives have been affected

by League of Legends. Another player who coaches NAU’s League of Legends esports team is senior Devlin Nipper.

Unlike O’Brien, who has played since the game’s early days, Nipper started playing late in season five, which took place in 2015.

“Before I came to NAU, I was originally set to go to Brown University on a Division I wrestling scholarship,” Nipper said. “I ended up breaking my leg in four places in a crazy training accident and lost the scholarship. I was stuck lying down for about three and a half months. In that time, my friends introduced me to League.”

League of Legends is more than just a game to Nipper. As a coach, he is part of the North American Scholastic Esports Federation, which means he gets paid for his time. “[League of Legends] has done a lot. If I’m being 100% honest, it’s saved my life on a couple of occasions,” Nipper said. “There have been times where I’ve been in bad spots in my life, and that game has pulled through. It puts a roof over my head and feeds my pets, me and my soon to be wife. I owe a lot to League of Legends at this point.”

Another member of NAU’s esports team has been involved with League of Legends since 2010.

Freshman Stefan Mihailovic has played the game since before the first competitive season was released. He also uses it as a method to stay in touch with distant friends.

Mihailovic said when his mother got a new job and his family

moved, he used the game as a form of communication with old friends.

“That’s when I initially started, but it wasn’t until three years later when I actually started playing the game seriously,” Mihailovic said. “The elementary school I went to at the time — there was a group of seven of us. After school, there was an internet cafe that was literally right next to the

school, so we would go and play for hours.”

With a community as large and passionate as League of Legends’, the game has developed a veritable history. Not only has it accumulated one of the largest followings of any modern video game, but it helped grow esports as an industry and changed the lives of thousands.

Illustration By Angelo Sanchez

NOVEMBER 7, 2019 – NOVEMBER 13, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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CULTURE

Exploring nature with Wilderness Volunteers Nayomi Garcia

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ikers and nature enthusiasts are given an opportunity to explore their love for nature with the Wilderness Volunteers organization. The Flagstaff organization was founded in 1997 and allows people to volunteer, explore nature and help improve national parks.

Wilderness Volunteers was founded by executive director Ashely Northcutt’s mother. She said her mother’s goal in establishing this organization was to inspire people to discover their natural side and enjoy hiking trips that also allow them to provide services to natural areas.

“My mom ran this project out of her house until 2015,” Northcutt said. “Since then, we’ve ran the organization out of an office here in town, and I’ve taken over as executive director. My job is to coordinate trips with national parks and other organizations that will allow us to provide service for their parks or

trails.”

Each project involves a trip leader that directs volunteers on expeditions. Trips range from about five to seven days in length. The trips involve helping create new trails or providing services, such as cleaning up at a park or trail.

Trips are divided into three different categories: active, strenuous and challenging. Each trip lasts around the same amount of time but is designed for people that have different hiking abilities.

Since its establishment, the organization has expanded its trips nationwide.

“Each year we try to add new trips to expand around the country,” Northcutt said. “We have people who find our organization in Flagstaff, and then we work out ways to connect with them when they are from a different state. We usually try to find a trip leader for the most common states, and then we coordinate from there.”

The trip season for Wilderness

Volunteers runs from March through October. During months when there are no trips, Northcutt and the program manager Aidalicia Swertfeger plan trips for the upcoming season.

Amy Qian is a trip leader based in California. Before becoming a trip leader, Qian said she was looking for ways to go on more hiking trips.

Then she came across Wilderness Volunteers.

“I’ve always been a nature person,” Qian said. “For me, hiking is like going on a vacation, and I wanted to find more hiking opportunities. I wanted this to feel more productive and do volunteer work while hiking.

This is when I found Wilderness Volunteers. This group is unique because of the volunteer service each trip provides. Not everybody gets to help out a national park when they go on a hiking trip.”

Before becoming a volunteer, Qian said she only participated in one volunteer project in California. She said she became interested enough in Wilderness Volunteers projects that

she applied for a leadership position and went through leadership training.

Qian said she has led two trips: one in California and one in Colorado.

“The Colorado trip was one of the best trips to lead,” Qian said. “We worked on one of the popular trails in Indian Peaks Wilderness. During this project, we helped build a bridge out of rocks that we knew people would use because it made the trail easier to hike. I think it’s satisfying to know that what you’re working on is going to help someone enjoy nature more.”

Qian said she plans to continue leading trips in future seasons. She said she would like to continue leading more trips near California and plans to lead at least one trip each year.

Trip volunteer Sarah Kocher discovered Wilderness Volunteers in May. Kocher said she has gone on two trips this year and plans to continue as a volunteer.

“I found out about Wilderness Volunteers at work,” Kocher said.

“I love to volunteer and travel, so I

Plants and trees outline the trail at Sawmill Multicultural Art and Nature County Park Nov. 3. Alana McCrea| The Lumberjack

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thought I would give this a shot. This year, I went to Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park and Daniel Boone National Forest in Kentucky. The work ethic and willingness to help from the volunteers is astounding. It’s awesome to see that so many people want to give back to nature.”

Although Kocher has only been on two trips, she said her experience as a volunteer changed her life.

Kocher said the trips are challenging, but everybody has a smile on their face while they are on a hike.

“Getting to work with national parks is also a great part of the trips,” Kocher said. “They truly appreciate our help, and it’s great to have our volunteers work so closely with them.

I would recommend going on these trips to anybody who is interested in hiking and outdoor adventures. You won’t regret having this experience.”

Even if people have never done a volunteer hiking trip, Wilderness Volunteers allows them to have this experience and enjoy themselves while on a hike.

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SPORTS

Talent over analytics

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omething that strikes fear into many people who work or want to work in sports media is mathematics. Whether it be algebra, calculus or statistics, math is a subject we try to forget about, because we don’t want it to be involved in the sports we love.

However, math is being used in sports now more than ever, especially in baseball. It comes in the form of one ghastly word: sabermetrics.

MLB general managers have hypnotized coaching staffs into making sabermetrics a near religion in the game, as it makes them believe they have cracked the code or found the formula for winning.

Sabermetrics is just a fancy term for overthinking. Coaches stray away from their gut instincts about who they think CAMERON RICHARDSON should pitch and rely on formulas to tell them what to do.

WRITER Take Game 7 of this year’s World Series, for example. Starting pitcher Gerrit Cole was the premium pitcher for the Houston Astros’ entire playoff run. With only one loss between the months of May and October and having just pitched a seven-inning gem in Game 5 of the series, anyone who tuned in to Game 7 knew that Cole was going to see the mound at some point. Man, were we ever wrong in that assumption.

With Houston up 2-1 in the seventh inning, Astros manager A.J. Hinch removed a stellar Zack Greinke from the game and went to relief pitcher Will Harris, instead of Cole.

Without a doubt, this was due to sabermetrics telling Hinch that Cole wouldn’t be as effective coming in after two-days rest.

Did Hinch forget that this was Game 7 of the World Series?

Hinch’s decision would be equivalent to the Diamondbacks throwing pitcher Greg Swindell in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series instead of going with their two best pitchers at the time, Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson, to get the job done.

If there’s one example of how I view sabermetrics compared to relying on talent, it is the Chum Bucket versus the Krusty Krab from the timeless cartoon “Spongebob Squarepants.”

Plankton is the sabermetric general manager looking for the secret formula that will defeat his one superior opponent, Mr. Krabs, and turn his dump of a restaurant into a hot spot in Bikini Bottom. Instead of seeking the best talent to make the food, Plankton solely relied on a formula that he believed would make his restaurant great.

In this year’s World Series, Hinch became Plankton. After everything Cole had done for the Astros leading up to that fateful game, Hinch banked on a formula to win the championship over trusting his top talent to finish the job.

Hopefully down the road, MLB franchises will figure out that math isn’t the best answer. Sabermetrics may look pretty on paper but will never formulate into a World Series trophy.

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Amanda Bock returned to NAU this July as assistant athletic trainer for the women’s volleyball team after finishing her master’s degree, Oct. 29. MacKenzie Brower | The Lumberjack

Born to be an A+ athletic trainer Amber Neate

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he glossy court glistened under the fluorescent lights as the NAU volleyball team rushed out of the locker room. It was game time. Assistant athletic trainer Amanda Bock stood courtside, hoping no one would get injured. The sound of squeaky sneakers bounced off the gym walls as senior middle blocker Victoria Ewalefo leapt to hit the ball over the net. As her feet hit the court, a sharp pain rippled through her knee, and Bock ran to her aid.

Bock rushed Ewalefo to the training room to conduct a careful evaluation of her knee. Ewalefo successfully performed a series of squats and running exercises, but she did not return to play.

“Everything felt pretty stable,” Bock said. “She just had a little pain with it. So, I decided then that I didn’t think anything super serious was wrong with her knee.”

Throughout her career, Bock has made mistakes and experienced the overwhelming victory of helping an athlete heal. Sometimes the extent of an injury is not always apparent. This was the case in Ewalefo’s injury. Two days after Ewalefo’s physical evaluation, it was clear that the injury was more serious. An MRI revealed a tear in her ACL, which ended Ewalefo’s 2017 season. Bock was defeated.

Every athlete dreads an ACL injury.

Bock went straight to the team physician, Dr. George Hershey, for guidance.

“Doc, I don’t know what I’m doing,”

Bock said.

Hershey reassured Bock that it’s easy to miss an ACL tear. No one is perfect, and that is why medical imaging exists.

Even though Bock faced some personal apprehension, Ewalefo trusted Bock to help her with rehabilitation.

“Going through an injury is actually more of a mental battle than a physical battle,” Ewalefo said. “Amanda was there for me along the way — helped me stay positive and push through. She made me realize how strong I am.”

Ewalefo’s injury was a turning point in Bock’s career. It taught her that mistakes are inevitable, and she became a better, more experienced athletic trainer because of it. She developed a tight bond with a resilient athlete as she stuck with

SPORTS Ewalefo through appointments and surgery. Bock provided more than physical support, consoling her when she was anxious or frustrated. She never left Ewalefo’s side and watched her conquer her debilitating injury.

The intricacies of the human body have always fascinated Bock, and her passion for helping others is infinite. When she was younger, she wanted to be a nurse, so she shadowed her sister, Kristen Mayberry, in the intensive care unit at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California.

“Literally the moment I walked into the hospital, they were intubating someone, so I was like, ‘OK, never mind,’” Bock said.

“It was too intense, and I knew that’s not really what I want to be doing.”

But Bock knew one thing for sure: she wanted to help people. At a young age, she was a natural, independent leader.

She played golf, rugby and was the captain of her equestrian drill team. Whether she was on the field, in the arena or spending time with family at the lake, her compassion touched the hearts of everyone around her.

Her mom could not agree more but said she can be commanding when she needs to.

“She’s giving and kind, but she can come across as a hard-ass when she needs to be in charge,” her mother, Lisa Bock, said.

In high school, football was Bock’s favorite sport to watch and work with. She took a sports medicine course and fell in love

with it.

Bock’s college experience was her first time away from her home in Castaic, California. She attended a community college there, then transferred to Fresno State University for two years.

After earning an undergraduate degree in athletic training, she earned her master’s degree at NAU. Bock worked with the Nova Southeastern University volleyball and softball teams in Florida for one year before returning to NAU as the women’s volleyball assistant athletic trainer. Nova volleyball was a different dynamic than coaching the championship-minded NAU team. Nova Southeastern had a 6-24 season record in 2018. Bock saw consistent losses and injuries. Her experience in Florida taught her a lot, but when she received a job offer from NAU, she knew Flagstaff was calling her home.

Senior outside hitter Sydney Lema worked with Bock often and was thrilled with her return.

“This summer, our head trainer said, ‘I have a surprise for you guys,’ and I just had a feeling that Amanda’s coming back,” Lema said. “I was right. She’s back now, and our relationship is even stronger.”

Lema suffered an MCL tear during her sophomore year. Bock worked with her every day to get the swelling down, and Lema was back on the court in just three weeks. This year, Lema injured her shoulder in the first week of the season. After consistent

massage treatment, resistance exercise and weight-training rehab with Bock, Lema regained strength in her shoulder and is back on the court again.

“Amanda knows I always want to play, no matter if I’m hurt,” Lema said. “I’m hurt a lot, because I dive around and stuff, so I’m always getting treatment. Amanda’s really important to me.”

Bock is more than an athletic trainer. She is a friend, role model, inspiration and support system for team members.

“I can be that constant factor where they can come and talk to me and vent about anything or get advice,” Bock said. “I’m someone they can trust, who is always in their corner.”

Volleyball athletes often experience chronic injuries in their shoulders, abdominal strains, knee injuries and ankle injuries.

With the help of head coach Ken Murphy, Bock created an ankle prevention program to reduce the risk of player injury.

The program entails after-practice activation exercises, such as dynamic hopping, single-leg calf raises and stabilization exercises, that increase in intensity each week. Since the implementation of this program, ankle injuries have been almost nonexistent.

“She has a lot of input in the decisions we make about our players,” Murphy said. “We feel her impact every day.”

For Bock, one of the most rewarding parts of the job is watching the athletes make small victories in their recoveries, but the biggest satisfaction of all is seeing athletes return to play.

“I love NAU, and this is honestly a dream job,” Bock said.

NAU Volleyball gathers together before their matchup against LSU at Rolle Activity Center Sept. 13, 2019. NAU defeated LSU in three straight sets in Friday’s matchup in the Lumberjack Classic.

Micheal Patacsil| The Lumberjack

NOVEMBER 7, 2019 – NOVEMBER 13, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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SPORTS

Preseason Lumberjacks dominate 109-75

Left: Cameron Shelton (20) and Nik Mains (15) keep the ball away from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University players during their game Oct. 27. Top Right: NAU Basketball huddles up and listens to head coach Shane Burcar during a timeout. Bottom Right: Bernie Andre (10) keeps the ball away from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University defender Nick Johnson (12) Oct. 27.

Bess Valdez | The Lumberjack

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SPORTS

Ice Jacks back on the attack

Top Left: Sophomore defenseman Dimitri Thorsen skates down the ice controlling the puck, Nov. 1 Top Right: Freshmen forward Demetrius Johnson skates gets into an attacking position.

Bottom: The NAU hockey club joins together in the middle of the ice during its game against ASU Nov. 1. Emma Keider | The Lumberjack

NOVEMBER 7, 2019 – NOVEMBER 13, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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