2020-21 NS Times 9th Edition

NS Track does well at region, advances to state tournament -- see story page 8

Long time educator reflects on 62 years of service in the classroom -- see story page 5

Voice of the North Sanpete Hawks WELL SAID “You can’t relate to someone you don’t undersand. You can try to understand them; it won’t work out probably because people grow up differently, even within our own minority community.

But we all can relate somehow.”

NS elects new student government

Administration acknowledges essential leadership qualities

-- Fernando Mantano on equity in a school enviornment.

BY THE NUMBERS

42

Percent of NS students that believe that the attendance policy change will have a positive impact on their grades.

24

Number of individuals competing in state track.

25 May 2021 www.nstimes.org Volume 14 Issue 9

photo provided by Marcey Curtis

New Student Body Officers at the recent inaguration assembly. (L to R) Kasey Curtis, Secretary; Dante Lowe, Activity Agent; Carson Hadley, President; Jordan Hilton, Vice President. by

Michelle Lee

On May 6, 2021, four new SBOs were elected for the coming school year: the new student body president will be Carson Hadley accompanied by Jordan Hilton as vice president, Kasey Curtis as secretary, and Dante Lowe as activity agent.

At the end of every school year, eight

NS juniors competeted to replace the spots of the current SBOs. After a week of campaigning with a lot of time spent at the school, the students of NS vote to pick the next year’s SBOs. Throughout the week, the teams arrive at school sometimes as early as 6:30 in the morning and often they don’t leave See SBOs, page 2

by Bradley Power

The past twelve months have been nothing short of unique for North Sanpete High. A worldwide pandemic, new administration, and three separate bell schedules have made this year something that will go down in the school’s history for years to come.

With brand-new leadership in the school, students and teachers have seen the core tenets of leadership manifest in our small community: perseverance, determination, and most importantly, connection.

“If you ask anyone in a leadership position, one of the first things they’ll tell you is how important connecting with individuals is,” said Principal Christine Straatman.

“Sometimes, you don’t take the time to step back and connect with peoSee Leadership, page 2

21.3 Seminary sees decrease in enrollment

Percent of NS seniors who plan to attend a 4-year college following graduation.

NS EVENTS Wednesday, May 26 Spring Sports Awards @ Auditorium 9:00am-10:00am Last Chance Dance Main Gym 8:00pm-10:30pm Thursday, May 27 Hawkstock Softball Fields 9:00am-2:00pm Senior Sunset Soccer Field 7:30pm-9:30pm Friday, May 28 Graduation Main Gym 7:00pm-8:00pm Senior Party Main Gym 9:00pm-1:00am Wednesday, June 16 Yearbook Distribution Bus Zone 6:30pm-9:00pm

CONTENTS Opinion..................4 Features.................5 Sports....................8 Arts......................10 Crossword...........12

by

Jacob Cox

Up until last year, more half of the students at NS had been enrolled in seminary, but now those numbers have dropped below 50 percent for the last two years.

Currently, only around only 42 percent of the school’s students are enrolled in seminary, and around 55 percent of the students who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are actually attending seminary.

While the percentages have dropped, the total num-

ber of students in seminary has fluctuated quite a bit over the years.

“From previous years, it kind of depends,” seminary Principal Caden Anderson said. “Seminary enrollment kind of ebbs and flows. It goes up and down a lot. It’s never consistent. It could be based on the community dynamics at the time, and it can also be on the incoming classes coming in. If it’s a big class, then Graph showing the decline in seminary enrollment in recent years our enrollment goes up.”

And while it may be be- it be so low this year when the freshmen is so low right now cause of the community and freshmen class is so big? is partly because of COVID,” because of the size of the “Part of the reason I feel See Seminary, page 3 classes coming in, why would that enrollment among the

NS plans first normal Hawkstock in 3 years by

Caden Clawson

NS will be holding their yearly Hawkstock on May 27th.

This will be the first time in two years that they will be able to hold it.

Activities will start at 9 a.m. and go to 2 p.m. and will include softball, powderpuff, corn hole, Just Dance and more.

One activity that will be different from other years is that yearbooks will be arriving later, so they will not be here in time for Hawkstock.

“A lot of people come to sign See Hawkstock, page 2

ARC you later by

Maren Bench

On May 17 Governor Cox signed Senate bill 219, which was passed by the Utah Legislature, into law. It states that tardies and absences will no longer be counted against students for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year and for all of next school year.

“Senate bill 219 that was passed said that schools can not do anything punitive against students related to attendance,” said principal Christine Straatman. “It really focuses on truancy but it’s not clear in the language and so we discussed as a district administration and we had the discussion about our NCs and ARC. It’s really our NC policy that’s connected to our attendance policy.”

For students at NS, this bill means they will no longer be held accountable for NCs and will no longer be required to complete ARC hours.

“In following the guidelines that were presented to us, we felt like that we See ARC, page 3

News

2

Leadership, continued from page 1 ple as much as you’d like to.

And yet, it’s one of the most important things a leader can do.”

In small communities like NS, it is almost easier to see the effects of leadership and connection. While outstanding leadership can change the world in some circumstances that are few and far between, leadership consistently does something, regardless of the circumstance: it helps a community become better together.

“Leadership is someone seeing a need and working out a plan or leading others to fulfill that need. It is hard because when you fail, everyone sees it,” said teacher Kaylene Johnson. “So it’s a risk-taking mission. If you decide to see the need and work to try to make things better, it is a risk.”

Nan Ault, who was principal at NS for eight years, was promoted to superintendent this year. Straatman,

who was principal at Hunter High before coming to NS, sees the value in connection and exemplary leadership in a school.

“It’s almost difficult, in my professional career, to think of the many leadership figures and mentors who have had positive influences on me,” Straatman said.

“We have a perfect example of what it takes to be a good leader in our superintendent, Nan Ault. What I really admire with Nan is she does listen; she’s always searching for solutions. We’re really fortunate to have in our district a superintendent that cares so much about our community and our kids and is willing to problem solve with you.”

Caring connection and solution-making can exceptionally impact communities, especially when those attributes come from leaders.

“It’s nice to have someone who’s gone before, who can show you the ropes,” Johnson

said. “We want to be motivated and inspired, and it’s often people who do that.”

Interestingly, in today’s society, people sometimes see world leaders as distant, separate from ordinary people, even in the democracy of the United States. It is fortunate that on a small scale (arguably more important than the worldwide scale), leaders can genuinely connect and know those they lead.

“SBOs, they really have to like everyone, and they have to work at it if they don’t,” Johnson said. “I was a class officer, and I realized by the end of the year that I really liked everyone, even those I thought I didn’t like.

But I had to make a conscious effort, and it started out with just going through the motions of being kind and saying hi, but then it became a real part of my life. And it really has to be, for any leader.”

True unity, facilitated by the natural potential for con-

photo provided by NS Times

NS Principal Christine Straatman announces at a recent awards assembly.

nection between human beings, can only be promoted by influential and loving leaders.

The students of NS are fortunate to have many.

“When you connect with people, it makes you more authentic in what you do,” Straatman said. “When it’s authentic, people know you care about them. When you are in a situation where you’re connected and collaborating, and when you all know it’s a

safe environment, and when individuals are connected and care about each other, I think there’s a more positive outcome.”

This year has indeed been challenging. Because of the strong leadership and connection between the members of this small community, NS can put its best foot forward next year, as it has for the past century.

Hawkstock, continued from page 1 yearbooks,” said Parker Lee, student body activity agent. “But this year, they’re not going to be ready in time, so we’re going to get a paper and hand it out that they can insert when they get their yearbooks that they can sign for everyone.”

Most current students at NS have yet to experience a normal Hawkstock. Last year’s Hawkstock was canceled due to COVID-19, and the year before that, it was rained out.

“It’ll be kind of weird,” said Riley Madsen, student body vice president.

“The seniors are the only ones that ever have had like an actual Hawkstock, so I think it’ll be exciting for a lot of the younger classmen.”

Planning Hawkstock this year was made more difficult because of this, though.

“We’re a little behind, just simply due to things changing so quickly,” said Rickie Stewart, student government advisor. “We’ve added some new activities, and that’s going to take some extra planning. Overall, it feels like another year of Hawkstock preparation.”

This year’s SBOs and class officers have planned to make this Hawkstock as fun and as close to normalcy as possible.

“As a group, we’ve planned to try and make this fun because we’ve never really had a Hawkstock,” said ju-

nior Dante Lowe, “so we’re working on trying to make it as normal as possible.”

Hawkstock will be closer to normal than previously thought with lessening of COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines. Students will not be required to wear masks while attending Hawkstock.

“As of right now, we will proceed as we have planned,” Stewart said. “As we get closer, we will adjust if necessary.”

Some worries about Hawkstock include COVID-19 and the weather, but other worries are about people having fun.

“I just really hope people come

out and have a good time,” Lee said.

“That’s my only real worry.”

Hawkstock will come after a year full of difficulties and will end the year on a good note for NS. “I don’t think anything can really make up for not having all that stuff,” Madsen said. “We missed out on a lot just because we weren’t able to do it.

So I don’t think that Hawkstock can make up for it, but it will definitely help us end the year on a good note.

It’ll be something fun that we can remember.”

books would be distributed on the final full day of school during Hawkstock. However, this year, the yearbooks aren’t scheduled to be delivered to the school until June 9, and they will be distributed at a school sponsored barbecue on June 16.

Instead, autograph pages, that can be inserted later into the yearbook, will be distributed at Hawkstock.

Layne Cook, the yearbook advisor, says that prom being pushed back forced himself, the administration and the yearbook staff to make a difficult decision.

“This year, because [prom was in] the middle of April,” Cook said, “we talked to the students in yearbook and with the principal, and we decided, ‘Hey, we haven’t had many pictures to begin with, we’re going to miss prom if we submit and have it on time, and there’s other spring activities and assemblies that are starting to open up, and if we can give ourselves three

more weeks, we can have prom in there and a bunch more pictures.’”

The three week submission delay allowed for not only prom, but also several other spring sports and activities to be included in the yearbook.

This is important because, due to COVID-19, many other events that normally take place during the school year couldn’t happen this year, leaving the yearbook fairly empty.

“If you look at the first three quarters of school, we didn’t actually have any real activities,” Cook said. “I mean you had some limited attendance at games...so we didn’t have very many opportunities to get pictures of people. We had almost no assemblies for the first three quarters. We had [a few] classroom pictures that we could take, but there was hardly anything. One of the biggest frustrations that we had was, we have this yearbook, but we don’t have anything to remember in it, so the quality of the yearbook was pretty low at that point.”

However, even knowing that getting their yearbook on time would mean not having prom included in it, some students and staff at NS are still frustrated by the delay.

“Prom is important to the community, but it’s also important to have the yearbook,” said senior Liz Madsen.

Madsen also expressed concern about how, for the second year in a row, students will be unable to sign each other’s yearbooks. While Cook understands these concerns, he believes that it will be worth it in the end.

“We’re aware of the frustration,” Cook said. “The thing that people that are frustrated didn’t understand is that, the frustration of not having their yearbook and wanting it sooner would have ended up not having pictures, not having prom, not having some of these important events.”

Ellee Pollock, a student in the yearbook class, says that for her, the extra wait-time to receive her yearbook is worth it if it means including prom.

“I just think that the yearbook is like a flipbook of our year, and prom is a big part of that,” Pollock said.

“We all fought so hard to have prom, so I think it’s important that we put that in there.”

NS yearbooks delayed due to COVID-19

by

Carson Hadley

Students and staff at NS won’t be receiving their yearbooks until a couple weeks after graduation this year.

In a normal school year, yearSBOs, continued from page 1 until 7:00p.m. or later. The time commitment is a huge portion of the campaign.

“Being an SBO requires a lot of time, it is a big time commitment,” Hadley said.

“So if you can’t campaign, then I don’t know that you really get to win.”

With all the hours spent in the school, candidates made breakfasts, hung posters, and created stronger friendships.

“While we were all running,” Lowe said, “both

teams helped each other, so I wouldn’t have been mad with whoever got in. It was kinda like a family deal.”

The responsibilities of an SBO requires being a part of school activities, sports, assemblies, and so much more.

It is the job of these four students to make it a great school year for the students of NS, just as it has been for the SBOs in the past years.

“I remember the influence [last year’s SBOs] had

on everyone,” Hilton said.

That influence has inspired these four SBOs and has encouraged them to do and be the best they can be. “[I want to] be an example to students in our school,” Lowe said.

As the four students work together to create the best environment possible for the students, they are off to a great start that will benefit many, if not all of the students.

“We’ve already talked

about a lot of things we want to do next year,” Curtis said.

With the different personalities each student brings into the group, the more insights and ideas come together. In the nature of humans, not everyone will agree on everything that is put before them. However, there will always be those good moments that come from it.

“Everyone in there has different strengths,” Hilton said.

The challenges are there that the SBOs will go through since the day they begin the campaigning process to the end of their senior year. However, these students are up to that challenge.

“It’s my way of giving back to the school for all that the school has done for me,” Hadley said.

News

3

NS makes adjustments to summer school by

Adelheide Johansen

This year’s summer school at NS differs a great deal from last year. A few changes have been made for a new and improved experience for students.

“The only thing that we have had as far as summer school goes has been credit recovery,” said principal Christine Straatman, “but this year we were given a federal grant and were able to expand our summer school program.”

Last year consisted of only credit recovery through online classes, but with the grant the school has received, they have added in-person class options as well. Some of the in-person courses that they are offering include general art, overcoming the odds, art and literature, computer

coding, ESL, financial literacy, math, and creative writing workshop. It is free to anyone who is interested or who needs to come.

“I liked them because I could always do more work than I needed to for that day to get ahead a little bit and have more days off,” said sophomore Ava Lamb.

Along with the in-person classes this year come a few field trips.

“There is a proposed trip out to Topaz--it will be a super great experience, so I’m excited,” said English teacher Kate Carney. “There is also a planned trip to an art museum up north as part of the art class.”

With all that has been going on over the last two years, the school has not been able to provide very many field trips,

especially for summer school.

So the teachers are excited to take some fun trips over the summer. One of them being a trip to Lagoon to celebrate the end of the summer semester.

“Classes start on June 7 and go through July 16,” Carney said. “If you complete your credits, you go to Lagoon on the 19th of July.”

After completing 2 to 3 credits over the summer school, students will be rewarded with the celebratory Lagoon trip for free.

“We will take care of the expense,” Straatman said. “[We will] bring the bus as well as sack lunches, and just have a good time at Lagoon, so we want kids to participate,” It is looking like more students are participating in

summer school this year, with an expectancy of about 80 students a grade based on the survey. One main reason for this being that many barriers have been lifted.

“The grant is helping us with the cost of running summer school, ‘’ Straatman said. “So we don’t want money to be a barrier for kids, we want kids to come in and earn credit. We have kids that are behind and we just don’t want it to be a financial burden.”

With the grant that the school has received, they were able to lift the cost for summer school classes this year, both in-person and online.

Another barrier lifted has been transportation. Last year, the school was not able to provide transportation, but this year, a change has been made to provide buses to

those who need it.

“I think that the summer program will go well just because I know that kids want to graduate and there are more rewards for this summer,” Lamb said.

From her past experience with online classes, she thinks this is a great opportunity and that it will go well this summer.

“We’ve had a lot of kids who struggled this year and this is a great opportunity, so I would recommend taking summer school,” Straatman said. “Again, it’s not going to cost anything; we are going to provide transportation, there’s more selection on courses, and there might be some field trips to which we haven’t been able to do.”

Seminary, continued from page 1 Anderson said. “For example, we do a lot of recruiting with the incoming freshmen the year prior usually, and because of COVID, everyone was home, so not even bishoprics were getting out and inviting them to seminary. What we’ve found is that freshmen, the ones we’ve talked to, just didn’t even think about it. Some of them didn’t even get an invitation extended so they didn’t think much about it or put it on their schedule.

And that’s not the only

reason, of course, but it’s a big one for us.”

In order to help bring more students into seminary, the seminary teachers are now doing something that allows kids to come and just have fun at the seminary building during flex.

“We want seminary to be a place of belonging and make kids comfortable,” Anderson said. “We decided that we are going to have flex time activities. We’ll just have games down here like cornhole and spikeball and just fun little

activities and it will be a place where students can just come and hang out during flex time so that they can come down here and feel how good it feels to be in a place that is so dedicated to God and hopefully that will make them feel welcome and make them comfortable.”

But while they have just started flex at the seminary building, what made kids want to come before?

“In the end, a big part of it was to help prepare for a mission,”

said senior seminary council member Kaje Nielsen. “When you are out in the mission field, the stuff you learn in seminary is the same stuff you’re going to teach and so in a way, it’s kind of like school for a mission. But really it comes down to two things. A, if you are choosing to serve a mission you are definitely going to make time for it, and B, their parents are making them and that’s kind of the sad truth. I wish we could get kids who weren’t in there just

to prepare for a mission or because their parents make them.”

And while students come because their parents make them or because they want to serve a mission, why don’t others choose to come sometimes?

“High school has changed so much in the last twenty years,” Anderson said. “When I was in high school fifteen years ago, there were a lot less options offered to students at the time. Seminary, I think, was a viable option be-

cause of the lack of options at the school. Now that schools offer more college classes and more options, it’s been an unfortunate shift to see some kids put God second and take these other classes first. But since college classes are now an option and because of work, people are deciding to do that over taking seminary. We just really wish we could get some more kids in seminary. We want them back.”

ARC, continued from page 1 needed to remove and no longer issue NCs,” Straatman said. “It is in place for the remainder of this school year and next school year.”

This change has brought about a multitude of mixed feelings from staff and students alike.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea. I think that it encourages kids to not have to come to school,” said NS attendance secretary Tori Hansen.

“There’s absolutely no repercussions for missing school, and so there’s no accountability for kids to be in school and that creates a problem. It makes them not get good grades because they’re never here and there’s nothing we can do about it.”

In a recent survey, 77 percent of students at NS say that they will not be more likely to be absent or tardy to class while 23 percent say that they will be more likely to miss school more often. As far as their perception on

dies or you’re absent occasionally and your parents don’t excuse you,” said junior Alora Whitman. “It’s nice that way because then you don’t have to do ARC, because that’s always a pain.

But I feel like overall, it’s not going to be as good.”

Catherine Carney, who is in charge of the ARC program, believes that this new rule will not benefit students in any way.

“It takes accountability away from students. As a high school teacher, besides just teaching or just having sports, we’re also trying to help students prepare for life as adults,” Carney said. “Whether that is a stayat-home mom, a college professor, or president of the United States, there’s accountability. I feel that by taking that away, we’ve hindered our students in being able to function in society.”

With no more NCs and teachers no longer being able to punish

in class, it directly reflects on your grades,” Hansen said. “You need to be in class to get good grades and do your work and get the work that’s assigned.”

Once a student is behind, it makes it harder to make up the time that they

A recent NS Times survey depicts 77 percent of students that feel their attendance habits will not be change with the new policy.

missed in the classroom, according to Whitman.

“I feel like it’s definitely going to be a bad thing, but a lot of kids are thinking of it as a good thing,” Whitman said. “But the less you’re in class, the worse your grades get.”

An NS Times survey shows 46 percent of students expecting the new attendance policy to have no significant affect on their grades.

how this will influence their grades, 45 percent of students believe that this new change will have no impact on their grades while 13 percent believe that it will have a negative impact and 42 percent believe that it will have a positive impact on their grades.

“It does help if you do have tar-

students with ARC time, there will basically be no repercussions for sluffing a class or just being absent. This has caused worry over how student’s grades will be affected by the rule change.

“I think it will affect grades immensely because when you’re not

With the new rule change, student athletes wonder how it would affect eligibility for game day. According to Hansen, the policy has not changed and student athletes will still be required to not miss or be tardy to class on game days.

There is a possibility that this new policy might change next school year, but it depends on whether or not the administration receives any clarification on what repercussions they can apply to students who miss class.

Opinion

Voice of the North Sanpete Hawks

25 May 2021 www.nstimes.org Volume 14 Issue 9

4

Student underlines the importance of connection

by

Audrey Inglish

Motivational speaker Jim Rohn once said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Two years ago, this statement terrified me. I now understand why: two years ago, the people surrounding me weren’t people I truly and deeply admired.

Upon starting my junior year of high school, I registered as a new student at NS. Today, as I prepare to graduate, my perspective has changed completely. Now, nothing makes me prouder than the thought of being like the students and teachers that I spent the last two years with.

At the beginning of my time at NS, “Real Human Connection” was just an arbitrary slogan, a few vague words that held almost no significance in my life. In the present moment, as I reflect on my high school experience, I realize what a crucial difference this “Real Human Connection” has made for me.

At NS, I found a connection to my peers that I previously didn’t think I needed.

This school gave me a community, a mentor, and stronger friendships than I ever thought I’d have. Through the journalism program, I found a place and a purpose.

I found a group of people willing to understand me.

My time at NS showed me what it means to find real human connection. Connection is choosing to share your human experience with the people around you. Although each human experience is unique, to be connected to others and to your community is to allow them to impact who you are and what you feel. It is striving to understand others and allowing them to understand you in return.

Connection is found in everyday interactions, from deep conversations to smiles

exchanged in passing. On a personal level, connection is the love I feel for my classmates and teachers. It’s knowing that I would do anything for them and that they would do the same for me. It’s sharing their joy and their grief, their laughter and tears.

Connection isn’t a gift or talent that magically comes to a few lucky people, though I do count myself lucky to have found it. To form a connection, you have to actively search. You have to work; to be willing to make sacrifices and put aside your prejudices. It’s not easy at times, but working towards connection is what gives life a deeper meaning.

As we interview, write, and report on experiences at NS, our goal is to seek out

this real human connection.

Especially in a year full of restrictions and limited interaction, it’s more important than ever to us that our time and energy is dedicated to connecting community members through their unique yet shared human experiences.

As we reflect on the challenges of the past year, we at the NS Times hope that through our work, we have helped you find a connection to the NS community. Looking to the future, we hope that you continue to work for that connection. We hope that you find purpose and fulfillment as you continue to search and make sacrifices for those around you.

Because without real human connection—without each other—life means so much less.

Gen: Z, let’s talk, we have a problem

by

Josh Cox

Fifteen years, 1997 to 2012.

That’s what it takes to be a member of Gen Z, and that’s what all of us students are at NS right now. But our generation, as a whole, has a problem.

Well, more than one problem, actually. We are too soft, with no respect for anyone, and extremely dependent on others to do everything for us. But why is this happening to our generation? Why are we so lazy, soft, and disrespectful, all at the same time?

I can put a couple theories forward. One, it’s not actually our fault.

Maybe it’s the generation that raised us. The generations that raised us, mainly Gen X with some Boomers, are too soft with us. Other generations have had parents that are hard on them, that have put them to work.

Many older generations are really tough because of the work ethic they were given, because of the lessons they were taught by their parents.

Now, I think that parents are too lenient with kids and give them what

they want, when they want it, not letting us experience things for ourselves. This style of parenting, called permissive parenting, is becoming increasingly common. An article from Healthline, “Should you practice permissive parenting,” medically reviewed by Melanie Santos and written

by Chaunie Brusie on June 22, 2017 says, “Permissive parents rarely discipline their children. They avoid confrontation whenever possible. Instead of setting rules and expectations or trying to prevent problems from happening, they choose to instead let children figure things out for themselves.”

Because of this, our generation has been allowed to become soft and overemotional. That means when the time comes for us to actually get up and work, we complain and can’t do it.

Oftentimes, our generation procrastinates, especially in our teenage years.

Because we have a lot of things done for us, we become lazy. We don’t know that work is good for us, and that it makes us stronger and builds character.

Another theory is that our generation is like this because of electronics. With all the information we need literally at our fingertips, it’s easy to become lazy, selfish, and disrespectful. For example, when you need to do schoolwork, you can do most of it on the iPads our school gives us. We don’t have to do anything except lay on our couches and half heartedly do schoolwork. Also, a study done by The Center For Generational Kinetics shows that “95% of Gen Z has a smartphone. Over half (55%) of Gen Z use their smartphones 5 or more

hours a day and over a quarter (26%) use their phones 10 or more hours a day.” That is absolutely stunning to me, and a little disturbing.

Some people might argue that doing schoolwork on your iPad is productive, and it is. But, that’s not even half the problem. There are so many things you do on devices that it’s ridiculous. Social media is the worst for this, because it lets you “talk” to people online, and gives you a false sense of socializing. In fact, the study also shows that “73% of Gen Z follow at least one brand on social media and 52% follow three or more.” I know our generation loves this kind of stuff, that’s why it’s a problem, because they don’t see the problem with not talking to people. They’re getting more lazy all the time.

In the end, I think the problem is a combination of both of these things.

Some of our parents are way too lenient on us and electronics make us selfish and lazy. Both of these things combined have an extremely negative effect on us, turning us into a generation dependent on electronics, and a generation taking advantage of their parents. In fact, an article written by Kim Parker and Ruth Igielnik at Pew Research Center says, “They are digital natives who have little or no memory of the world as it existed before smartphones.” This is partly because of our parents, allowing us access to electronics, and then we consequently get addicted to our phones.

Some people might say that electronics don’t affect our generation negatively, and that they’ve improved the world. I agree that technology and electronics have improved the world, when used in the right way. There is so much good you can do with devices, but also so much harm that can be done. In an article published by the Atlantic, “Have smartphones destroyed a generation?” Jean M. Twinge said, “The results could not be clearer: Teens who spend more time than average on screen activities are more likely to be unhappy, and those who spend more time than average on non screen activities are more likely to be happy.”

In conclusion, our generation has some issues. We are lazy, and oftentimes don’t do work for ourselves.

Although it is us doing it to ourselves, and we need to take responsibility for that, a couple things have had major effects on us. I believe it is a combination of the parenting job we have received, along with the constant access to electronics. But, to end on a positive note, Generation Z is also more racially and ethnically diverse than any other generation, along with the fact that we are on track to be the most well educated generation yet.

So, I think there is hope for the future.

And who knows? Maybe this could be the best generation yet.

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Features

Voice of the North Sanpete Hawks

25 May 2021 www.nstimes.org

5

NS teacher reflects on 62 years spent in education swimming lessons for 58 and my kids, particularly years, and she feels like it’s my daughter Katie, pretty one of her biggest impacts much took over the farm in the community. because I was still working “I’ve had two pools, full time at the school.” one in Lehi and one in The Mitchells were Chester,” Mitchell said. also a host family to 34 dif“I’ve taught my one daugh- ferent Japanese kids over a ter Vickie how to teach, so seven year period. They since I went on my mission would come mostly in the in 2003, she’s helped me summer. Their main obwith the pool—she taught jective was to learn better while I was gone to Austra- English. lia.”

She loves to help others One thing that has had and you can see her service a huge impact on her life all throughout the commuis teaching gymnastics to nity. girls in Lehi. She competed “She’s very supportive with them and won state. with whatever we do,” said “In 1965, we had a Britnie Lucas, Mitchell’s full gymnastics team, but granddaughter. “She’s alit was when girls gymnas- ways asking if she can help tics was just beginning in with anything that we are Utah,” Mitchell said. “I doing.” enjoyed my kids thoroughMitchell believes that ly and did lots of activities her purpose is her famiwith them.” ly. She has four children, Another huge impact one boy and three girls.

Mitchell has made in edu- Her last two children were cation is teaching astrono- a set of twin girls. She has my to 5th and 6th graders. ten grandkids and five She has been to Orlando, great-grandkids.

Florida, and seen the real She loves to spend time space shuttles and to John- with her grandkids. She son Space Center where has some great memories they train all the animals with them. that go into space along “The three oldest with seeing famous astro- granddaughters used to nauts. come down when they “One of my favorite were little and sleep on the things to do was star par- floor in their sleeping bags ties at my house at night and watch movies and we for the families of my stu- would have popcorn,” photo provided by Florence Mitchell dents or anybody else who Mitchell said.

Florence Mitchell (left) works with a group of young gymnasts. Mitchell taught a girl’s wanted to come with the She is a great examgymnastic team who, under her guidance, took state at competition. telescopes,” Mitchell said. ple to her grandkids and She loves talking and they’ve learned a lot from

by Hope SHelley what she has always known She has always loved sharing things about as- her past. to do. her job because of the tronomy with others and is “[She’s] shown me that Not only does she “You get up and you learning. She has gotten very educated on the topic. you don’t have to commit know your grades, she just do,” Mitchell said. “I to teach so many things, “Her and I have a to every single thing you knows gymnastics, swim- think it keeps me more and her favorite part has common interest and it’s do, but you can try a lot of ming, astronomy, and the healthy, it helps me have always been the students. space,” Hansen said. “My different things till you find importance of hard work. a goal. Daily goals and One of her least faFlorence Mitchell has weekly goals. I feel good, vorite parts about her job brother came over and did your niche,” said Casey a presentation at Moroni Mitchell, Mitchell’s grandbeen a teacher since 1959. and I’ve always worked.” is when kids don’t do their elementary when we were son.

She has a bachelor’s deAlthough she sees val- work and waste their time. there, so everytime she gets She likes to quilt, sew, gree from Brigham Young ue in working hard, she has “I try to encourage a necklace from NASA ride horses, read, and University, and she has some regrets from her past. them and it makes me sad, or anything like that, she watch movies. also done a lot of studying.

“The only bad thing is really sad because they do Growing up, she loved Currently she is a tracker that I get too attached and not realize that they will shows me.”

She also worked in horses.

All of her spare for the sophomores of NS. spend more time at the never get that time back,” Pleasant Creek for youth time as she was growing “[For] the students who school some of the years Mitchell said. and custody. up from being six years old are failing, I try to be an than I should have and neShe has also made a Whenever she’s not and on she was a horse. advocate for them and say, glected my family,” Mitch- lot of new friends with her working at the school, she As she grew up she would ‘Do you need help talking ell said. “It always made wonderful personality. to the teacher, turning in me feel bad that I was al- “Her office unofficially is working at her farm. She race them too. loved to take care of her She served a mission papers? Do you know your ways working.” is in the library, so we talk horses.

Now it’s just a hay for the Church of Jeelectronics, how to get on Mitchell isn’t sure all the time,” said Robyn sus Christ Of Latter-day your iPads?’” said Mitch- when she is going to re- Hansen, a library worker farm, though.

“My husband and I Saints in Australia, and it ell, a part-time tracker at tire; she loves working and at NS. “She is part of our bought a farm in Chester was one of the highlights NS. “I try to help them doesn’t feel like she needs library family.”

40 years ago and we raised of her life. She has also with all kinds of things to stop yet.

Mitchell has lived in register quarter horses,” been a temple worker at they need help with and “I keep saying another Sanpete for 41 years and encouragement is the main couple years, but I’ve been started part-time teaching Mitchell said. “When his the Manti Temple for the health began to fail, me past 7 years. thing. I also email and call saying that for the last 10 at NS January of 1980. parents.” or so,” Mitchell said. “I A few of the staff memIt seems as though just feel as long as I can be bers at NS she has actually Mitchell never stops. Even of service to the school dis- taught either at swimming at 80 years old, she still is trict, if I’m serving a pur- lessons or in school. Some working and enjoying her pose for being here, then of these people are Jon and job. She claims she is just I want to keep trying to Heather Hafen, Landon a workaholic and it’s just come.”

Bailey, Tyler Bailey, Rickie Stewart, Matt Roberts, and Ryan Syme. One of her most well known students is Governor Spencer Cox. Not only has she been a tracker, she has taught an array of things like social studies, astronomy, physical education, gymnastics, photo provided by Florence Mitchell and swimming.

Florence Mitchell sits atop a horse. 40 years ago, Mitchell She has been teaching raised quarter horses in Chester, Utah with her husband.

Features

6

Cities throughout county shift away from pageant traditions a bby bencH

kind of switched up the process a little bit.”

Like Moroni, most of the towns are doing Judges, dresses, competitions, and crowns. some form of a pageant except for Fairview.

The pageants for Miss Moroni, Mount Pleas- They choose not to do anything pageant-reant, Fairview, and the other towns are held lated this year because of covid. The girls of almost every year to determine who the new Fairview that still want to do a pageant have the royalty will be. In the past, the towns have held option of competing for Miss Sanpete. similar types of competitions, but this year that “I’m really bummed about it because there has changed. aren’t very many options for other pageants,” Last year, because of covid, the pageants said Fairview resident Libby Booher. “I really had to be changed to fit the circumstances. wanted to stay local and have fun with people Some, like Mount Pleasant, just kept their pre- I’ve grown up with.” vious royalty from 2019. Others held different While Fairview isn’t even holding a pagforms of a pageant. eant, Mount Pleasant is doing what they usu“Last year, we had them write an essay ex- ally do each year. They are holding actual pagplaining their platform, their achievements, eants with categories to compete in and a panel and telling about themselves,” said Moroni of judges to determine the winners.

City Council member Jenifer Lamb. “Then the “There is a production number, then fitcity council voted on those without knowing ness, talents, and evening wear,” said commitwho wrote the essay and picked Miss Moroni tee member Ashley Mason. “We’ll crown a and the attendants.” queen and then three attendants. They’ll get a This year, Moroni is doing something simi- cash scholarship. They will be responsible for lar to what they did last year with the addition different things throughout the city.” of a panel of judges to ask the interview quesThe pageant for Miss Mount Pleasant retions. They’re not holding a full-blown pageant cently took place. Hope Shelley was crowned in the hope that it will attract more girls who queen with Marlee Crozier as first attendant, aren’t interested in doing an actual pageant.

Journey Toomey as second, and Ava Jensen as “What our focus actually is would be trying third. to pick young women who are community-oriThe girls who competed all really enjoyed ented, who have a history of service, and who being able to participate like normal this year. hold themselves to a high personal standard,” They learned a lot about themselves and each said Lamb. “We’re really focused on leadership other and each did a great job. The atmosphere and the ability to serve in their community. In there was friendly and fun. order to try and get more participation, we’ve “One night we were practicing the producby

photo provided by Hope Shelley

Newly crowned Miss Mt Pleasant royalty poses for a picture with Miss Fairview. From left to right: Emily Kerksiek, Journey Toomey, Hope Shelley, Marlee Crozier, Ava Jensen.

tion number and the girls were just so funny,” Mason said. “We were down in the stands and the director went up on stage and looked behind the curtain. The girls were just dancing and being crazy and silly. Moments like that are really fun. There are a lot of stressful times but they do still have fun.”

Latino students speak out on importance of equity Mary JoneS

viewed discrimination and equality within the classroom.

On the morning of the Latinos in “It made me think about the way Action (LIA) conference, the LIA ad- that I thought about kids that are difvisor, Matt Braithwaite, called in sick. ferent as a teacher,” Syme said. “I used NS teacher Ryan Syme was asked to believe that I treated everybody the to sit in on the virtual conference. same, and maybe I did, and I thought As some of the virtual presentations that was like the apex; that means I were rather boring, Syme began to wasn’t discriminating against anybody ask the group questions about their because I was treating everybody exexperience being in a minority group actly the same. I’m starting to feel like, at NS. He and some other teachers as teachers, treating everybody the who came in throughout the day were same may actually be unfair.” surprised to hear that the LIA group In each class within the school, felt they were being treated differently there are several different people with than other students in the school. several different backgrounds and “During the day, I was able to get ways of learning. Because of this, eda couple teachers to come in,” Syme ucating everyone equally is hard. said. “Every teacher that I was able to “So in education, there is a tenbring in was surprised that the Latinos sion between equality and equity,” in Action group felt this way about Syme said. “Equality can be defined their regular classroom. I don’t think as treating everybody the same, asthere’s a teacher in this school who suming that everyone in the classroom doesn’t want to fix this.” is on the same level and has the same Students talked about several as- life experiences. Equity means that pects of their experience in school, you try to meet the needs of everymentioning that they feel that they go body.” unheard within the classroom.

According to Cisneros, the hesi“We’re afraid we won’t be heard, tance to ask questions within the classso we just stay quiet and work on our room isn’t a new problem for Latino own,” said NS student Marcos Cisne- students. A lot of it comes from exros. “I feel like when we ask for help, periences that have taken place in the it’s harder for us because it feels like past. they aren’t going to take our opinion “Most of it comes from the past; at all. It’s harder for us because when it’s harder to ask questions or ask for we ask for something, they give us a help,” said Cisneros. “For me, it’s elfeeling like that wasn’t really import- ementary. A teacher yelled at me beant, or that wasn’t smart, or it just cause I couldn’t speak English right. makes you feel like it was dumb.”

Ever since that, I worked on my EnTo Syme, comments like this be- glish on my own so I wouldn’t get gan to make him think about how he yelled at again.” by

Events outside of the classroom also affect the way that students feel at NS. According to NS student Maritza Gonzalez, LIA students are frequently told that because of their race, they will only ever be able to achieve a certain degree of success in their education and future employment.

“By our race, they’re like, you’re going to be a gardener, or you’re going to be a strawberry picker, or you’re going to be a construction worker, or you’re going to be a housewife,” Gonzalez said. “What can we do about that if that’s all that they base us on?”

Just as with the reluctance to speak up in the classroom, these comments are targeted at students from a young age. Though Gonzalez claims that she is now used to hearing these things, when she was young, it came as a shock.

“It bothered me a lot; it made me really sad,” Gonzalez said. “It just makes people sad because, like, it’s a little kid. You’re telling a little kid something that they don’t know about older people with what they do. They are going to be in shock, and they are going to be like, ‘I didn’t know this’ or ‘I didn’t know.’”

These comments, other than registering as a considerable shock for young students, can, over time, become something that they accept. As students are repeatedly told this type of thing, it becomes what they perceive as true.

“Our being told ‘you’re not going to go anywhere, just go back and work like your parents’ and what not. That,

you know, it’s kind of like brainwashing in a way,” said NS sophomore Fernando Montano. “If you keep hearing that for twelve years all the way down from kindergarten to high school, that can really mess with somebody— that’s the mentality that they’re going to stick with now.”

Overcoming these things takes effort. According to Montano, one of the most crucial things in alleviating this issue is understanding one another.

“Understanding one another has a lot to do with this. You can’t relate to someone you don’t understand, ” Montano said. “You can try to understand them; it won’t work out probably because people grow up differently, even within our own minority community. But we all can relate somehow. People tend to not like things they don’t understand, and so at first trying to understand can help the situation.”

Understanding others is essential in recognizing and helping to meet other people’s needs within the NS community.

“It’s definitely made me think about the difference in treating everybody the same and meeting everybody’s needs,” Syme said. “It’s heartbreaking to think that people would feel different or isolated or scared or sad at North Sanpete because I don’t feel that way, and I think that’s what I love about our school—that we are a family.”

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Features

7

Seniors anticipate post-graduation experiences by

JeSSica blackHaM

After four years full of homework, tests, and countless memories, this year’s seniors are getting ready to say goodbye to NS. The class of 2021 will be moving on to all types of new and exciting adventures. Most may go on to seek to receive some kind of higher education, whether it be college or a trade school. For reference, 21 percent of seniors plan on attending a 4-year college while 19 percent intend to enroll in a trade school.

Another 13 percent have chosen to enter straight into the workforce after high school, and out of the entire senior class, 9 percent decided to serve a twoyear mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Spencer Olson is among many of the young men of the senior class who have chosen to serve a mission. He’ll be serving in Detroit, Michigan and plans to leave for his service on Aug. 4.

“I am excited to live somewhere outside of Utah,” Olson said. “Detroit will almost feel like a different country from Utah, so I think I’ll gain lots of cool experiences.”

Going on a mission allows for real-world experience of what it’s like to live on your own without any friends or family around. Olson has been preparing to serve a mission for his whole life, and is excited for this opportunity.

“I’ve always kind of known that I was going to serve a mission,” Olsen said. “I’ve been pretty much planning to go my whole life and then as I watched my friends go on missions, it kinda made me even more excited to serve my own mission.”

Upon returning, Olson plans on attending Snow College to further his education.

Snow College is often a popular choice among NS students. Approximately 38 percent of seniors are planning on attending a 2-year college like snow.

A fellow classmate, Cassi Cook will also be attending Snow College.

“Snow College really is a great school for what it costs,” Cook said. “It’s a good starter school because it is so cheap just to go and get your generals and stuff. Plus, it’s close to home so it’s an easier transition out of high school.”

A recent NS Times survey depicts the post-graduation plans of the senior class. A majority of 38% of seniors plan to attend a 2-year college.

While Cook is excited about going to Snow College, it definitely wasn’t an easy decision for her to make.

“At first I thought I wanted to leave and go to Dixie,” Cook said. “But I could tell that my mom wanted me to stay around here at least for my first year and moms are such a huge influence in our lives. I trust my mom, so I thought about what she said and I realized that Snow is where I should go.”

Deciding what college is best for you can be a long and hard decision. There are many factors to consider when choosing where you want to go. It’s not a decision one makes lightly.

For senior Halee Pay, deciding on a college involved touring different campuses.

“I went on a couple of different college tours,” Pay said. “I went to the Dixie tour and I ended up liking the atmosphere better and how much warmer it is down there. But what I liked most was I got to tour specific buildings that were meant for what I’m planning to major in.”

At the end of the day, entering into this next stage of their lives is exciting, despite the stress and uncertainty that comes with trying to make the best decisions.

“I’m most definitely nervous to move out and be on my own,” Pay said. “But, I’m also really excited to meet new friends and have new experiences.

I still can’t believe that I’m a senior and that I’m actually going to college, but it’s all very exciting.”

Voice of the North Sanpete Hawks

Sports

25 May 2021 www.nstimes.org

8

24 individuals qualify for state

by

Kaylee anderSon

On May 12-13 the NS track team had 15 scoring places for the boys and 20 for the girls in the region tournament at Union High School. Athletes in all events achieved personal records, qualifying for state. Fifteen athletes will be performing in individual events at state making a total of 24 including the runners in the relays.

“We placed a lot of kids in region and they scored points,” said head track coach Scott Butler. “The scoring positions in track is one through eight in any event. A lot of those kids that scored those points obviously had big PRs, but so did the kids that did not score, like Tezra Fisk who dropped five whole seconds off of his 800 and Jerry Jones had PRs in everything that he ran. Our distance girls ran the fastest times of the year at region. It’s super gratifying because we see that the training really works.”

In almost every case, individuals and relay teams competed and qualified for state in

their events.

“I expected to do well in the mile, but I took 4th in the 800 and I am going to state. I’m glad we all qualified, all of the distance girls,” said junior Rachael Jones.

Heading into the region tournament, the expectation was to perform well, but no one, not even the kids themselves, thought that the team would exceed the expectations by this far.

“The team surprised the coaches, the parents and maybe even themselves. I think we came out of region placing a lot better than we were expecting to,’’ Butler said. “We as coaches spend a lot of time looking at where each athlete is ranked not only at where they are at in the region but also where they are at in the state. Based on the rankings of where we were, we ended up a lot better than what we thought we were going to. It was an incredibly good region meet for us.”

Even amongst a team full of state qualifiers some individuals made achievements at

photo by Phaedra Lamb

Laramie Roberts throws the shot put at region track meet at Union High School. Roberts placed second at region and fifth at state.

region that stood out above the rest.

“It sounds kind of cruel to say,” Butler said. “but none of us were expecting Morgan Bowles to end up as region champion in the 300 hurdles. He just kept getting better, and better and better. He ran super well in the trials and then in the finals he just exploded and beat all of those kids he

photo by Carson Hadley

Ashlyn Anderson hands off the baton to teammate Abrianna Benson in the 4 x 100 at state. They placed seventh at state.

had never beaten before and ended up as region champion.”

Despite competing with an injury, Bowles was able to run and take first in the 300 hurdles.

“It was kind of sad because I didn’t get to run all of the races I wanted to because of my injury,” said junior Morgan Bowles, “but with the help of my coaches, Ben Robison, and physical therapist, I was able to run a couple of them and ended up taking first in the 300 and qualified for state for all of them. I didn’t think I’d be able to run and then I didn’t think I would win the 300 hurdles. I thought I’d come in like second or third.”

Some runners competed expecting to do well in one race but were instead surprised when they did better in others.

“It went really well,” said senior Tamsin Stewart. “I got second

in the mile and our 4 x 400 qualified for state.

I did not expect to do that good, especially in the mile because I have been training all season for the 800 and they put me in the mile and I did really good.”

Consistently putting in the work at practice put the track athletes in the position to achieve their personal bests.

“I would just congratulate every one of the kids who was dedicated who came out and trained consistently every day,” Butler said.

“It’s not easy. Those workouts are pretty tough and all of them who stuck it out to the end saw huge improvements. They are much faster, they jump higher, they jump further, they throw further. I just congratulate all of them for their dedication.”

For many of the track athletes this will be their first taste of what a state meet is like.

“We have a really young team,” Butler said. “I am excited for all of these younger runners to really get a taste of what it is like to be state runners. Just having the experience of running on that big stage is exciting for me to watch the kids excel and be able to perform there.”

With the majority of the track members being freshman and sophomores, the potential is there to have a strong contending team in the years to come.

“If the good core of kids that we have now comes out again next year and invites some of the kids that are wandering the halls doing nothing in the spring, we could have a very very good team,” Butler said.

“The boys and the girls team could contend for a region championship if we get more people out. The talent is there.”

Entire girls golf team qualifies for state by

Jared Strait

State this year was the best the ladies have ever done in the history of North Sanpete High School.

They came in just 4 strokes away from making it to the second round at state this year.

As NS comes to the end of the school year, so do spring sports. Receiving personal bests and coming closer than ever before to a state second round is this year’s girls golf team. 436 was this year’s average team score for the Lady Hawks. Leading the way to this success has been this year’s seniors and golf coaching staff. They have managed to teach the girls about the hard work that golf entails and how to achieve success in this sport.

“It’s been incredible to see these younger girls go from not golfing the greatest to being able to get scores that are closer and closer to our top golfers,” said team captain and senior Kaylee Madsen.

Girls golf has grown this year thanks to the coaching staff here at NS with a smaller team, so you get that connection that many bigger teams can’t enjoy.

“It’s so fun to just connect with all these girls individually--we just became so united and we had such a great team bond. I got sad yesterday as I left the server room for the last time,”

said team captain Morgan Drew.

«We were four strokes away from going to state,” Madsen said. “I golfed my personal best as well as Morgan Drew and Sophie Peterson.”

Most of the girls at state golfed under 115 during the state tournament, a considerable improvement from the first part of the season.

“I think the girls did as well as they could,” said Matt Syme, assistant coach. “The girls all played the best they have all year. It was a good experience, and we had a good time.”

Some girls on the golf team don’t just compete in golf though two of them do other sports this time of year, with Tylee Henrie recently setting the school record at NS for the high jump.

Two of the varsity girls had to miss state due to the region track that was going on at the same time as state golf this year.

They have the future to look forward to, with most of the team being younger and a lot of the top golfers being younger than a typical varsity team.

“The younger girls have done better than years in the past and that has made me want to be better, which has improved the team as a whole,” Drew said.

Like other sports this year, COVID has taken a toll on the girl’s golf team through the first of the

season in their golf game.

“It would’ve been so much nicer to have a season last year; I feel like the team could’ve started a lot stronger than we did this year,” Madsen said.

The NS girls golf team will continue to use the knowledge they have gained from a highly successful year to improve upon what they have learned this year and swing with it right onto the green of next year.

photo by Carson Hadley

Eryn Briggs putts the ball at recent golf tournament. The team made it to the first round of state.

Sports

9

4 head coaches leave positions in boy’s sports by

Siri Huntington

This school year has looked anything but normal, and the turnover of coaches has been no exception. At NS, four head coaches will not be returning next year: Cris Hoopes for boys basketball, Dan Christensen for baseball, Steve Solen for soccer and Spencer Dyches for wrestling.

“This is not a normal year. We generally don’t have this much turnover in a single year,” said athletic director Cheryl Hadley. “But as usual, we will do our best to fill the positions with coaches who are the best fit for the program.”

While some of the positions have not been advertised yet, two of the head coaching positions have already been filled. Bill Pollock is the new head coach for basketball and Cheyne Christensen is the new head coach for wrestling.

“With the two that have been hired, so far they were both already part of the programs, which should lead to a smoother transition,” Hadley said. “They will also bring their own philosophies and viewpoints, which generally brings renewed energy in programs.”

Keeping two of the head coach positions in house has brought a smoother transition. However, the program will still change and adapt with the new coaches expectations. Pollock is already preparing for this as well as letting the boys know his priorities.

“Going into next year, I have a lot of high expectations for the kids that are returning.

We have a lot of good athletes who are good basketball players,” Pollock said. “There are things in place for us to have a successful year, so I’m encouraged by the kids that

are returning. I’m excited for the opportunity of bringing a bunch of kids together and creating a culture that breeds winning.”

As part of creating a culture of winning, Pollock plans to coach his boys into players who are both mentally and physically tough. Doing this won’t be easy, but it is what he believes the kids need to have to be able to compete.

“I just told the kids, and this is one of my number one philosophies, is that I want kids who will refuse to lose.

That doesn’t mean that they won’t lose, but I want kids who will refuse to lose,” Pollock said. ”So that means you kind of have to have a tough kid in all circumstances and that’s just my personality. I also believe that we will be one of the best conditioned teams in the state, and the kids don’t like hearing that, but conditioning is not important until it is, and that’s usually in the fourth quarter, and the team that is better conditioned will outlast.”

Pollock is already preparing for his first year, the departing coaches all have different reasons for leaving. For Christensen it’s the intense time commitment.

“I only have 24 hours in a day, and I am so busy with

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photo by Carson Hadley

Bill Pollock (right) will take over as boy’s basketball coach next year. He is one of four new coaches.

my business that I just can’t spare any more time because my business takes a hit,” former baseball head coach Dan Christensen said. “When I leave my business all day long to go on a baseball trip, I lose clients and my business suffers because of that. I have to put that first at this point in my life.”

While Christensen is turning his focus to his business, the boys soccer former head coach Steve Solen is turning his focus to his family.

“I’ve never really been a dad because I’m always doing something else, and my kids are at that age now where it’s like ‘OK I need to be there,’” Solen said. “I’ve missed so many of their things that I need to focus on them.”

Even though Solen is switching his focus, it is still hard for him to make the decision to leave the boys soccer program.

“You don’t want to let kids down because they depend on you to be there for them in certain situations, but you have to take care of you first and then take care of others,” Solen said. “Since I’ve started teaching, from day one, I’ve

been a head coach, and I’ve taken care of others for 12 years, and it’s time for me to take care of me and my family.”

Although it is hard for Solen to leave something that he has enjoyed for so long, the relationships with the boys will always be something he will remember. “[You remember] the relationship you develop with the boys for sure. You get to know them on a personal level outside of school, outside of soccer, you get to know them with the trips and just joking around with them,” Solen said. “It’s something that you treasure for a long time.”

Not only will Solen remember the relationships he has formed over the years, but for Christensen, the relationships were why he put in so much time and effort.

“The relationships were the positives,” Christensen said. “That was why I did this.

I did this for the kids. I did this for the relationships with the kids and so they could have a good program—so North Sanpete could have a good baseball program. That’s really why I gave all my time

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Voice of the North Sanpete Hawks

Arts

25 May 2021 www.nstimes.org

10

Talented junior reflects on personal grown, accomplishments

and creative qualities and the fact that she has always been herself.

“Paige is different from anyone you’d find here; she’s so mature, and she has her own ideas and her own style, her own way she goes about life,” said Junior Natalya Benson. “It’s just so refreshing to see someone who doesn’t get caught up in everything that’s going on in high school––she can just be her own self and rise above everything else.”

Along with her unique qualities, Ison’s ability to be empathetic is also greatly valued by others.

Recently, Benson has been grateful for Paige’s willingness to listen and help.

“The past couple of weeks have been pretty rough for me personally, and I don’t have an easy time talking to people about things,” Benson said.

“So the other day, I was like, ‘I’ll talk to Paige about it,’ and it was the most helpful conversation I’ve ever had. She knows how to put herself in your shoes, and she knows how to explain to you how it’s going to be okay.”

Throughout high school, Ison has been grateful for the experiences that have challenged her and given her more opportunities for self discovery.

“I feel like I’ve been given a lot more opportuphotos provided by Paige Ison nities and been exposed to a lot more things than I NS junior Paige Ison enjoys many outdoor activities including fishing (above) and riding her horse ever have been, especially this year,” Ison said. “I’ve (bottom right). Ison is also a skilled artist, and was recently selected as the Art Sterling Scholar. been given a lot of chances to grow and just learn more about myself and make new friends.”

“I feel like I’ve always done art, like doodling As Ison moves forward into Senior year, she by atHena de Groff and stuff, forever,” Ison said. “It all started when I wants to focus on being happy with where she is was younger, sitting at my siblings’ games. I didn’t and the things she is able to accomplish.

Fear can cause an individual to stunt their own want to watch them play sports––so I’d just sit “Just to be happy with what I’m doing; like, try growth, letting self-doubt get in the way of progres- there and doodle.” not to have too many regrets––I’ll probably still sion. This was the case for NS junior Paige Ison.

NS Art Teacher Paul Allred is excited to see have a few––but to just try to live life the best I can, “I think just when I was younger, I thought that what Ison accomplishes as the Art Sterling Scholar that’s all I want for now,” Ison said. so many people were better than me,” Ison said. this next year.

“Like my sisters were better than me at sports, so “Paige is a great art student; she works hard I couldn’t do it because I didn’t want to fail and be and really tries to do her best,” Allred said. “She’s worse than them. Or I was just like, ‘No, I’m not go- very talented, but she’s also one that even though ing to go hang out with them because they’ll think she has talent, she tries hard to make it a better I’m weird,’ or ‘I’m not going to do that because I skill; like she really wants to achieve great things.” know I just won’t do well.’ Just always looking at the In addition to art, Ison enjoys fishing, singing, negative and everything that could go wrong.” yearbook, and playing Wii Sports.

Although Ison has had a fear of failure through“Wii sports, man. I am a champion. I’m so out aspects of her life, she has not let that stop her good––all gold. I’m so good,’’ Ison said. from accomplishing great things, and discovering When she’s not dominating in Wii Sports new passions and skills in life. games or doing one of her many hobbies, Ison en “I used to be scared of horses because I got joys spending time with friends and family. She is thrown off once when I was little,” Ison said. “Then the youngest of five girls, the three oldest being her a couple of summers ago, I decided to get back on, half-sisters, and then her full sister Aubree. Over and so now I go horse riding a lot.” the years, Ison and her sister Aubree have become Ison also dedicates much of her time to her close, despite being opposites in many ways. love for visual arts. She has been interested in art “It’s kind of like we’re salt and pepper,” Ison for her whole life and started taking it serious- said, “but then she’s also one of the people that ly right around high school. Last month, she was understands me the most; she’s one of my best chosen as the Art Sterling Scholar for the 2021-22 friends.” school year.

Ison’s classmates and friends admire her unique

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Cael Howard

As sophomore George Swapp chisels his stone he knows he must be careful. He carefully lines up the chisel and taps it with a mallet. If he takes off too much rock his final project will be toast. Instead of an elephant, it could be a slice of toast.

“I do not want to break my rock, elephants are amazing,” said Swapp.

In ceramics, students deal strictly with

clay. Students make anything from mugs to masks. They also use the pottery wheel which spins the clay and you can shape your vases that way. In sculpture, students use clay but they also make a paper sculpture and their final project is that they sculpt a stone.

When the students see others’ projects it sparks their creativity and drives them to make something better.

“Usually how it happens is that so and so did this I’m gonna outdo them

photo by Cael Howard

NS sophomore George Swapp works on his elephant for sculpture class.

and I think it’s great it’s a motivation,” said Paul Allred.

In sculpture the favorite project of many students and Allred is the stone. It’s a challenging project that takes a lot of vision to see what they want it to become. Also they have to be careful and assess the condition of their rock. They don’t want to sculpt a crack into their sculpture because working around that crack is difficult and makes your sculpture easier to break.

“I really enjoyed working on the stone. It was challenging to take the idea in my head and carve it into stone,” said sophomore Josh Andersen.

There are other challenges besides the rock sculpture. The pottery wheel can either be fun or disastrous for some students. Allred once had a student that she didn’t like to tie her apron strings. When she was working on the wheel one of her strings got caught in the spinny shaft and it started to pull her into her clay on the wheel. Luckily she wasn’t hurt, but she did get a face full of clay. Even though the wheel can be tricky it gives more satisfaction when your pottery turns out right.

“It always made me happy when I was throwing a pot on the wheel and it turned out just right,” Swapp said.

Students have a lot of fun in these classes since they’re hands on and it’s art. They have a lot of room to be creative and have a lot of fun. Unlike Allred’s other art classes, sculpture and ceramics are three dimensional instead of two dimensional like drawing and painting. There’s some options to fill your fine arts credits.

“My favorite thing is having the kids think outside the box in a three dimensional realm,” Allred said.

“Most kids can draw what they’ve been taught as kids to do two dimensional stuff.”

Students get really creative in sculpture and ceramics. Some have sculpted elephants, dolphins, trees, knights, or even tiki heads. In ceramics the students have made lots of masks, vases, and boxes. One student even made a knight helmet for their mask. Another project in ceramics is the whistle and students in the past have made ocarinas for it. The best thing about sculpture for some students is whacking the rock.

“You get to hit it really hard and it doesn’t break,” Andersen said.

Arts

11

Music students receive superior rankings at state by

MiCHael l arsen

NS music department students attended state Solo Ensemble on April 30. Despite the significant changes to the competition, three NS submissions received high enough scores to qualify for the state competition. One student, Chloe Swap, and the percussion ensemble scored an Excellent overall, and one student, Mia Swapp, received a Superior for her performance at state. Choir students also received a score of Superior after performing in Farmington on May 14.

For Solo Ensemble, students prepare music pieces on their own time to be judged and reviewed.

This year, music competitions had to be changed in order to accommodate for COVID-19 restrictions. Instead of going to Regional Solo Ensemble in person, NS students submitted applications and received their scores from judges online. Some students had mixed feelings about the change of plans.

“Part of the goal of it is the experience. When you go to region, there are a lot of other soloists around and you hear them warming up and hear them perform and it’s a whole thing,” Kidder said.

“And then when you are selected to go to state, you travel up to a bigger school and you know there’s better players around, the whole experience was kind of stale this year because it was recorded. Then you get your feedback then you just record again. I don’t know. It was missing a lot.”

Despite the change in plans, NS students submitted their pieces to judges online to receive feedback and to be scored. Mia was excited to see that she had made the cut to state, along with Chloe Swapp and the percussion ensemble.

“If there’s someone who wants to do Solo Ensemble next year—do it, it’s a good experience to have,” Swapp said. “Pick a song you enjoy singing, and especially remember that the judges aren’t there to make sure you fail, they are on your side.

The judges were very kinwd with their comments and gave me good advice to improve my song, so get out there” NS choir students competed in a state competition on Thursday, May 14. The choir festival took place at Farmington Highschool from May 13 to May 15. Students were bussed up to Farmington High School to perform their pieces. The section leaders this year were Kylee Davis as alto section leader, Colin Zanocco as bass section leader, Adam Cox as tenor section leader, and Liz Madsen as the

photo provided by NS TImes

Music instructor Timothy Kidder conducts the choir at state. Junior Mia Swapp received a superior rating at Solo Ensemble and the percussion ensemble scored an excellent rating overall.

soprano section leader.

Because of covid restrictions, the choir was spaced out from one another and from the conductor in order to follow safety guidelines. Several students remarked that they had trouble performing because of how the stage was organized. In spite of adjustments, students practiced and performed at Farmington High School without any difficulty.

“It was organized nicely,” Davis said. “We were taken from checkpoint to checkpoint throughout the school and stayed very on schedule.”

“They did really well,” Kidder said. “It was kind of a weird experience because the stage was set up to allow for social distancing and some of the choirs in the state are a lot bigger than ours and so there were like fifteen yards between myself and the choir because there was just so much extra space.

Some of the choir members talked about how they couldn’t really hear everyone else in the choir, but they performed really well. They did a really good job and yeah, I was really proud of them.”

Choir students performed three songs to three judges at the competition, including, “The Music of Living” by Dan Forrest, “Bring Me Little Water, Sylvie” arranged by Greg Gilpin, and “Like a

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River in My Soul” arranged by Tim Osiek. After performing, the judges then scored the three songs.

NS received an average score of Superior.

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Arts

12

Heard

Instruments by

MiCHael l arsen

in the

Halls -“Embrace your shortness and punch him in the groin!”

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