February 2016

Exchanging Experiences

VOL. CI IS. V

Pablo Dominguez-Vázquez: Mexico “There is no snow in Mexico,” Pablo explains. He says he is anything but neglectful of Ashland’s geographical opportunities. As a member of the snowboarding team, Pablo isn’t taking Ashland High School for granted. He is incredibly appreciative of the freedoms here such as having the luxury to eat in class, go to the bathroom at will, and wear what he likes (rather than a uniform).

Alba Povendano Pérez: Spain Ashland High School offers many opportunities and Alba has participated in many sports and other extra-curriculars, such as soccer and playing the violin in the orchestra. One of Alba’s favorite Ashland quirks is our famous Goat Guy, who roams the plaza with his friendly pet goats along with his new sheep.

Pricilla Rojas Romero Hicks: Mexico Pricilla has been fully immersed in the Ashland Culture by enjoying the celebrations downtown and the parades. Since she has been here, she has experienced snow for the first time with her host family. She made snowmen, cut down her first Christmas tree, and went sledding; truly an experience she will take back to Mexico.

Jasmin Zschieschank: Germany Constantly interrupted by laughter, Jasmin proved herself to be friendly, as well as sarcastic, during her interview with Rogue News. She and the other exchange students share many experiences together and appreciate her spirit. Jasmin shared her love of the landscape in the valley. The consistent views of mountains never ceases to amaze her when she wakes up every morning.

February 2, 2016

Henar Fernández Méndez: Mexico Henar is very appreciative of the opportunities she’s had, like going to San Francisco and Bend with her host family, as well as making a home away from home with her foreign friends from all over the world at Ashland High School.

The exchange students here have really formed a family, and Henar is not one to underestimate the power of community.

photo by Brighton Litjens

Miriam Alba Ochoa: Mexico Miriam loves the accessibility of the town and enjoys walking downtown with her many new friends.

Miriam, along with the other exchange students, have adapted to the cultural differences such as the casual “hi” of the American greeting, as opposed to the one to two kiss “hello” in Latin American countries, as well as Spain.

Caroline Colard: Belgium Caroline left her big city home to come and experience Ashland and is continuously impressed by the beautiful green landscape she gets to appreciate every day in the Rogue Valley. Caroline has also gotten the privilege of traveling to San Francisco with her host family and participating on the Ashland High School Cheerleading team.

Jonas Schmid: Switzerland Jonas finds that the community of Ashland is very inviting and appreciates the constant presence of friendliness and acceptance from his peers. Contrary to his other foreign friends, Jonas finds that the mountains, though beautiful, are smaller than those back in his home of Switzerland.

Marta Quesada Alonso: Spain Marta has taken advantage of the many privileges Ashland holds. “I’m so happy to be here,” Marta explains as she appreciates the trees and people of our grand little town. Her newfound experience with water polo is an addition to her American life that she will cherish even after she goes back home to Spain.

by Lili Smith and Lauren Pauli After conducting the interviews with the foreign exchange students, Rogue News realized many Ashland High students grow numb to the awe of the Rogue Valley. In the eyes of our foreign friends, Ashland never loses its charm, and unfortunately,

many locals take it for granted. The outside view of the Rogue Valley can enlighten those who have been a part of it for most of their lives. The foreign friends of Ashland High School never stop appreciating their love for this town and for each other

is infectious. As Rogue News observed the sense of community the foreign exchange students have with each other, it became clear that this opportunity can change and better one’s life.

AHS Clubs:

What’s New with These Two? Robotics CLub

by Karl Moeglein

How are they Gearing up for Competition?

Following the most successful season in Ashland Robotics Club history, the team, which gained over 20 new members this year, will look to use their past performance as a launching block. Officially the team is simply Code 3024, however the team goes by My Favorite Team.

Following the January 9 release of this year’s game, the team has entered the annual build season and the five days per week of building that comes with it.

Ashland competes as part of a larger organization called For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST). FIRST runs the most prominent programs in youth robotics from LEGO robotics competitions to the high school robotics competitions. In 2015, the 24th year of competition, 2904 teams with 73,000 students from 19 countries have competed. While the game each year is different, some basics stay the same. Teams of three or four compete in preliminary rounds trying to complete the goal of the particular game in a short time period. After the preliminary rounds, teams are ranked, and the highest ranked teams get to select the additional members of their team for the elimination rounds.

Last year’s game, called Recycle Rush, required teams to build a robot to make stacks of plastic storage totes and recycling cans. After strong performances at competitions in Oregon City and Philomath, My Favor-

ite Team advanced to their first Pacific Northwest District Championship in the program’s history. The robot’s skill at placing a round container high on a stack of totes made it appealing to other teams when it came to selecting alliances. However their impressive run ended at the District Championships in the quarterfinals.

FIRST Stronghold is the name of the game for the 2016 season. While the game has a complex set of rules that have yet to be released to the general public, the basics of the game are known. Points for earned by doing a number of different tasks during the two minutes and thirty seconds of each match. Sticking to the medieval theme, teams attempt to breach defenses, score fake boulders into goals and finally capture and scale the tower of the opposing team’s castle. With three robot teams, preliminary matchups will be key because it will be unlikely that any robot will be able to specialize in each of the game’s many important phases.

My Favorite Team must create and program a robot that cannot exceed 120 pounds, and they only have six weeks to do it. Currently the team is in the process of testing prototypes and building obstacles, but they know they want to build a small robot which can go under the low bar, one of the defensive obstacles. After the end of the build period comes regional competitions, and, if all goes well, a return trip to the Pacific Northwest District Championship.

Interact CLub

by Tia Wilhelm

What’s it all A-Boat?

For the past couple months, Interact club members have found themselves in a flurry of origami boat folding. These 2,000+ boats represent the devastating number of Syrian refugees who have drowned while attempting to escape the wretched conditions they face at home. The majority of these people are mothers and children fleeing the Civil War that broke out in Syria in 2011 when pro-democratic rebels first acted out against President Bashar al-Assad.

The conditions have managed to advance in a downward spiral, forcing an estimated 9 million inhabitants to seek refuge in neighboring countries or other parts of Syria. Additionally, the Islamic State has managed to seize control of large portions of land, contributing to the steady annihilation of the country and its

citizens. The refugees are in desperate need of assistance and rebel forces have made this extremely hard by besieging areas and cutting them off from international relief. Two Shia villages have been under siege for so long that many trapped inside have been forced to resort to eating grass as a form of nutrition. Additionally, the education, health, and social welfare systems have collapsed.

Hannah Hilden (interact member) and Carson Barry (Club president) came up with the idea which, when presented to the club, was immediately embraced. In order to accomplish the task of raising awareness, the 2,000+ boats will be on display at both the Public Library and Bloomsbury photo by Tia Wilhelm Books for a couple of months starting January 27.

A Star in Universes

The New York based ensemble company, UNIVERSES, has been performing all around the world since 1996. Two of UNIVERSES’ founding members, Mildred Ruiz Sapp and Steven Sapp, moved to Ashland with their son, Ashland High sophomore Quest Sapp, when Quest was 12 years photo by Spencer Hills old. The group has lost some of the original members since ’96, but gained new ones as well. The current group includes Quest’s parents, his uncle and two other students. UNIVERSES blends hip-hop, jazz, poetry, vocals, theater and blues in order to make political statements. When asked to sum up the purpose of UNIVERSES in one sentence, Quest said, “freedom of speech.”

Raised in The Bronx in New York City, Quest grew up learning from his parents that the freedom of speech is something we as individuals should not give up. His parents traveled around the world spreading this idea with their unique blend of poetry, song and politics. Quest told Rogue News, “[My parents] are not scared of what to say as long as it is true.”

Though Quest grew up used to his parents’ frequent performances, his own recent performance at the Ashland High Martin Luther King Jr. assembly and

at the MLK Celebration at the Armory on January 18, were only his second and third performances. His stunning voice struck the students, staff and community as he sang the song “Feeling Good” by Nina Simone; following his parents’ performances at AHS and their keynote act at the armory. “I felt like it would make a real statement,” said Sapp. “I felt like that song had a lot of emotion.” His favorite performance during the celebration at the armory was Mouminatou Thiaw’s performance with her band, The Last Stop, playing a modernized version of “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” lyrics written by Ashland High student Jahiya Clark.

During the keynote act, Mildred and Steven Sapp told a story about their young son, Quest, and the day he learned from a New York schoolteacher that, “they killed Martin Luther King.” His parents talked about their experience as nonwhite parents, having to explain a painful history and reality to their young son.

Despite this difficult experience, Quest and his parents are examples of people that hold up the theme of the 2016 MLK celebration—“let us be dissatisfied.”

At his previous schools in The Bronx, Quest was surrounded by an almost completely black community. “There were only about five white people in my school,” Quest said. Coming to Ashland, it was strange for him to be surrounded by a largely white community. Still, Quest says he has not seen any racism in Ashland since he has lived here. Last month, the Black Lives Matter campaign stated they are seeing racism in the Ashland community. Ahsante Foree, leader of Southern Oregon Black Lives Matter, told Rogue News during the Black Lives Matter march that he has witnessed and been subjected to several instances of racism in the community and on the Southern Oregon University campus.

Until there are no members of the community that are experiencing racism, UNIVERSES has said they will not be satisfied.

The Martin Luther King Celebration

“Let us be dissatisfied.”

- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

photo by Allayana Darrow

photo by Allayana Darrow

by Allayana Darrow

The walls of the Ashland Historic Armory were lined by canvases depicting people’s oppositions toward gun violence. Crowds of people continuously flooded in, the entire space packed. Children squealed as the lights dimmed and D.L. Richardson’s voice carried across the room. He began with remarks on his own background. He grew up in Selma, Alabama, a major site of civil rights efforts. Namely, the efforts to register black voters and the march to Montgomery and where Bloody Sunday took place in 1965. Richardson asked the crowd at large how they’re doing. The crowd responded with a quiet return. As a member of the Baptist Church, Richardson is used to a vocal atmosphere. “I don’t know what you’re thinking if you don’t talk back,” he said and the audience responded with a much louder reply that they were doing well. Hundreds were gathered in the Armory as well as the Varsity Theater, where they streamed the event live, to honor Martin Luther King Jr. in the work he did and that which still needs to be done.

Twenty-seven years ago, teachers from the Ashland School District proposed a celebration to honor Martin Luther King Jr. This year, the event was centered on MLK’s quote from his “Where Do We Go From Here” speech in which he said “Let us be dissatisfied.”

The Crater Renaissance Academy opened the show with an interpretive dance. Matthew Reynolds directed the choreography to “Rhythm Nation.” The second performance was by Plain Folk who sang “Ride on King Jesus,” as an ensemble.

Richardson came back to the microphone to address the aspects of religion present in the event. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was, after all, a reverend. Richardson expressed his hope that honoring MLK and what he stood for would not be condensed to one day. He quoted Dr. King again, saying let us “transform dark yesterdays into bright tomorrows.”

In conjunction with the thought of moving forward and working toward a better future, Richardson said, “The

by Skylar Zundel sooner we get that in our heads the better we’re going to be.”

The third act, an interpretive dance, was performed by Brent Florendo, of Dancing Spirit and Instructor for Native American Studies at Southern Oregon University. The dance was to the rhythm of a poem titled “The Dancer” by sixth grader Ace Bright. Next from Ashland Middle School a video, directed by teacher Ross Woods, played called “Keep the Dream Alive” in which middle-schoolers spoke MLK quotes.

Ashland Danceworks then took the stage. Ashland High students Katya Gustafson, Jada Perry and Mikaela Perry graced the stage in a piece choreographed by Aisha Wand, to the song “Glory.”

The key note speakers, Mildred RuizSapp and Steven Sapp of UNIVERSES, shared their own personal experience of life as people of color. Their son Quest Sapp, a sophomore at AHS, then sang “Feeling Good” by Nina Simone. Following UNIVERSES lively spoken word and song, guitarist and singer, Phoenix took the stage and sang Bruce Springsteen’s version of “We Shall Overcome.”

During the song, the audience was advised to join hands and did so with enthusiasm.

Next SOU’s Slam Poetry Team performed “Elephants,” highlighting social differences that go ignored. Ashland High students Kipling Perowski, Gabe Neimark and Mouminatou Thiaw formed the group, The Last Stop, to perform an updated version of “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.” Oregon Shakespeare Festival assembled a gospel choir as a one-time event and performed the song “Troubles of the World”. The Luminaries sang “Be the Change” as everyone filled out the doorways in happy swarms.

The Martin Luther King celebration in Ashland is a powerful reminder each year of the endurance and capability of the human spirit to remain positive and strong. It is also a reminder of how far civil rights has come and how far there is to go.

There are many negative stereotypes surrounding both the Catalyst program and the Thoreau School. These programs are not a last bid to keep “unmotivated slackers” in school--Catalyst and Thoreau are simply alternative learning programs designed for

Catalyst

by Ia Balbuena-Nedrow

Catalyst is an alternative learning program, not a last attempt at keeping wayward kids in school. Ashland High School students often hold inferior views of the Catalyst program. The problem is that too many people are not aware of what Catalyst actually is. Catalyst is a “graduation track” program: students enrolled in the program are learning the same principles as a traditional high school education in a different style, while simultaneously meeting all graduation requirements. Guest speakers, culinary skills, and greenhouse gardening are all included in the program, making it a unique and useful curriculum.

Catalyst is designed to be more community focused and is structured to prepare students for an independent adult life: each student learns and works at their own pace to complete each level and challenge themselves more. The biggest stereotype to dispel is that Catalyst is a school for “slackers,” who get out of doing testing and homework. This misconception can be explained: students of Catalyst do the same curriculum as students in the traditional school system, but rather than having each class every other day, one class gets the length of 3 class periods, so students have derived every ounce of value from the discussion. “When you’re in class and you’re in an intense discussion and everyone’s involved and sharing their ideas, then suddenly the bell rings and it’s another two days before you come back to that topic, and the momentum is killed,”

explained Reed Sorenson, one of three teachers who teach at Catalyst and Thoreau, along with Alan Parowski and Jen Wahpepah. “The benefit of having a three-period block is that it can spill over into the next class until it runs dry and everyone has collected their piece of wisdom from it.” Parowski described how a combination of small number classes and frequent outdoor field-trips helped foster a healthy teacher-student relationship. “[Students] are different outside of school than they are inside of school. There was snow on the last field trip my students and I went to, and to be there when they experience things like that for the first time is a whole other level of connecting. The hierarchy of teachers being above students begin to dissolve: we all learn from each other.”

All human beings are different from one another, and no student, regardless of how their brain learns, should be made to feel as if they are “too dumb” for the mainstream education system. The Catalyst and Thoreau school help foster the intellectual development of students and well-equips them with the skills necessary for living life independently.

photos courtesy of Reed Sorenson

students who do not flourish in traditional high school environments. Both programs value close personal relationships between teachers and students, community service, and exploring the outdoors.

Thoreau

by Payton Onesti

The Thoreau School, formerly known as SAEJ, aims to engage each student through exploration, inquiry, discovery, and reflection. Like the Catalyst program, The Thoreau School is simply an alternative way of learning for students who don’t thrive in traditional high school. The main difference between the Thoreau School and Catalyst is age: while Thoreau is for 9th and 10th graders, Catalyst is aimed at 11th and 12th graders. Students of Thoreau adhere to Henry David Thoreau’s philosophies of naturalism and social justice for all. Thoreau was an essayist, poet, abolitionist, naturalist, historian, philosopher and leader in the transcendentalist movement during the mid-1800. Many of his ideas are still present in high school literature classes.

Students enrolled in the Thoreau School are on the same graduation path as any other high school student. Students of the Thoreau school are equipped for success with the 21st century school model that offers a challenging curriculum, which builds critical thinking skills, fosters academic excellence, and focuses on developing the individual within a classroom community. In addition to this, the students participate in activities such as cooking, gardening, and frequent field trips. Lots of the activities that students of the Thoreau School participate in are community oriented, helping kids prepare for life after high school.

Reed Sorenson, a teacher at The Thoreau School, states, “One of the big-

gest misconceptions is that the kids are doing less work, when it’s really just different work. The type of work they’re doing is the biggest separation between mainstream high school and an alternative education.” Another distinctive difference between traditional high school and programs, such as the Thoreau School, is the alternative education department’s use of integrated curriculums. “Instead of it being social studies during social studies and English during English, we’re able to blend these ideas at the same time,” says teacher, Alan Parowksi. Perhaps the most unique difference in these programs is that the same teachers spend the whole school day with the same students, giving more opportunity for strong, personal relationships between kids and faculty. They are more easily able to build trust in the classroom and have good discussions on touchy subjects. “Some of the kids I have this year I’ve had for four years--three periods, two semesters straight for four years--so I know them really well and they know me really well. It’s an entirely different relationship than what my colleagues have with their students,” expresses Sorenson. These are just some of the components that make the Thoreau School so unique. These programs should be valued and accepted among the rest of the high school community, for they have made the high school experience more diverse and interesting for our peers.

Made up Disease or Serious Epidemic?

by James Edson As we reach the halfway mark of the school year, many students have begun to experience troubling symptoms of mental illness: a marked decline in motivation to do schoolwork, an excessive desire to skip class and excessive head spasms that cause you to look at the clock every five minutes. You might just say this is a general affliction of laziness, something all students periodically feel, but you would be seriously downplaying the gravity of the epidemic now known as senioritis.

Senioritis generally affects high school and college seniors at the end of their schooling, but why should they lose motivation when they are almost done with their education, about to be done with high school or college forever?

When the curtains close on compulsory education, students, instead of being happy that their pain is almost over, experience a surmounting and debilitating lack of motivation. “How are you going to keep them on the farm when they see Paris?” poses Steve Smith, a counselor at Ashland High school.

“You guys just don’t want to be here anymore.” An existential crisis of sorts, the phenomenon makes students doubt their intentions in every aspect of life. This comes at a time when they are supposed to be making careful choices about preparing for adulthood, whether it is work or college. Senioritis is not just slang to describe laziness—it can have serious consequences.

Most high school and college seniors experience a lack of motivation in some capacity. At first the symptoms can be slight, whether it’s letting a few grades slip or choosing not to study for a test. However, as many seniors and their parents can attest, the symptoms can quickly spiral out of control. Failing grades on your transcript can affect your chances of admission to more selective schools, as well as disqualifying you from merit-based scholarships you might have qualified for before your lapse in motivation. Whether students like it or not, grades really do matter.

The most obvious cure for senioritis is graduation, but there are many other ways to combat this feeling. Senior year can be hectic, so it is important to plan ahead. If there was ever a year to use a planner, senior year needs it the most.

Between rehearsals, practices, meetings, and test dates, a little organization can help you schedule your time more wisely. If you still feel overwhelmed it helps to talk about it. Seek out a parent, teacher, or counselor to help you get in touch with your motivation again. Senior year should also be something to celebrate, a time that propels you into life, so don’t let the senior mentality play tricks on you. *It should be noted that the author put off the writing of this article until the last minute on account of a terrible case of senioritis.

#raised•by•the•internet

by Frankie Mora Upon driving past their previous elementary or middle school, high schoolers are often overwhelmed with nostalgia. Memories of a much simpler time seem like heaven when compared to the stress-ridden reality of high school.

But just as the daydream reaches its peak, an interesting sight distracts: young kids are wearing mature clothes that don’t seem to fit their maturity levels; most of them even have smart phones. Though one may jump to criticize the child, further thought would reveal that social media is the real culprit.

Most social media websites and apps deny access to those under the age of 13, this is due to the Online Privacy Protection Act, which prevents companies from collecting certain information from young children. Though there is this restriction, many kids simply lie about their age—sometimes even with permission from their parents—and there isn’t much that can be done to restrict this. A study done by the Daily Mail in 2014 reveals that over half of all children end up using social media by age 10; Facebook is one of the most popular sites that youngsters join evidenced by 5 million Facebook users under the age of 10 (according to a study done by Forbes).

Considering social media is mostly intended for people of a certain maturity, it is dangerous for young people to have access to such material.

Social media is prematurely aging young kids. Children under the age of 13 are especially easy to influence. They reciprocate what they are exposed to and with so many young people on social media, they are bound to come across mature content that they—at their age—don’t know how to comprehend. Social media is dominated by people in their late teens and twen-

ties. When young kids see popular posts that feature mature clothing and lifestyle trends they often emulate those images in efforts to gain popularity and attention. This will result in choices of clothing, for example, that don’t correspond with their maturity levels. Though clothing style itself may not seem to pose a significant threat to most, there are other problems with children using websites and apps that are dominated by adults.

People in general tend to underestimate how dangerous social media can be (especially to kids who are more likely to be taken advantage of). Frighteningly 43% of people, starting from an average age of 12, message complete strangers through social media. About a third of those that meet people online follow up with an in-person meeting, according to a 2015 Washington Post study. For the safety of their children, parents should restrict kids from using social media until an appropriate age. For further precaution, parents should monitor their kids’ social media. Young people should not be communicating with strangers (whose motives are unclear). Too many kids reveal personal information that can sometimes even include where they live.

This is not information that strangers online should be aware of. In conclusion, one’s childhood should consist of fond memories and free expression.

The influence of social media has essentially stripped these joys from young people while putting them in potentially dangerous situations. Children should wait until they are of a certain age and maturity to engage in social media; the risk is not worth it.

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Valentine’s Day Love it?

Hate it?

In a Relationship

In a Relationship

by Dale Fulton

by Ia Balbuena-Nedrow

February the 14th is one of the most exciting milestones of the year, especially when one is involved in a relationship. Valentine’s Day is often a chance for a fresh start and an opportunity to give relationships a new and exciting spark. Not only do the chocolate and flowers cause overall good feels, they are also a symbol of effort presented in a gift.

The true magic happens during date night when two people can spend time together either by starting a relationship or strengthening an existing one, whether it consists of dinner and a movie or something as simple as walking around town holding hands and talking about anything and everything. Often little acts of kindness and affection are overlooked in a relationship, however when February rolls around, the little things start to take shape, forming into a waterfall of perfect excitement and curiosity for the upcoming holiday. There are many exciting stories of romantic Valentine’s Day dates or experiences and if you can give your Valentine their own incredible fairy tale day, you will be buried with brownie points. However, better than brownie points is seeing that person smile ear to ear, or feeling their excitement with the simple act of being with you on Valentine’s Day. Another aspect of February 14th is the presentation of an appropriate time and reason to ask someone to be their Valentine which could evolve into something more than a simple crush. In short, Valentine’s Day is one of the single most important and exciting holidays for people in or seeking a relationship. For these reasons and more, Valentine’s Day is an exciting, fun, and amazing holiday to spend with that special someone.

Valentine’s Day is loved by many and is often the highlight of the year for those with a significant other. However, I am not one of these people.

It’s not that I am a hater of love and affection- I like affection, and I like flowers, and chocolate. But, I don’t see why inter-relation appreciation has to be designated to one single day of the year. In regards to approaching Valentine’s Day from the standpoint of a relationship, there is a sense of expectation and a necessity of a date or day of special shared moments.

Valentine’s Day not only excludes and casts shame on those who are single, but it also allows for laziness in a relationship. The holiday endorses unoriginality: “she made up for it by taking me out to a really nice dinner and bought me roses,” or “he sprinkled a bunch of flower petals around an expensive box of chocolates” have become common phrases. There would be much more meaning behind a spontaneous date out of the blue.

Not only would that prove to be much more meaningful, but also show how much one values the sentimentality of the relationship. If these expectations are not met and one person in the couple ends up disappointed, then it can cause conflict in a relationship, driving an uncomfortable wedge between a couple. For example, when you bought a rose for your “sweetheart” and you’re sitting in class when a peer dressed as cupid frolics in and delivers literally everyone and their mother roses except for the only person in the room who’s in a relationship: you. You (I) have totally been there before (true story). Then, you sit there bitterly disappointed and say “This blows.” The moral of the spiel is appreciate your significant other- no matter the day of the year.

Single

Single

by Maisie Roberson

by Spencer Hills

Valentine’s Day is about more than just romance. It’s a day set aside to celebrate all kinds of love you encounter as you go through life. While there has been massive commercialization of the holiday, that’s a side effect of any holiday that is largely celebrated. This doesn’t mean that Valentine’s Day needs to be, or even should be, about monetary displays of affection. Valentine’s Day can be a day to focus on positive feelings whether it is romantic love, familial love, the love that comes from friendship, or love for yourself. This is a day to share feelings with those who mean the most to you and to show you care about the people in your life. Spend time with them, give handmade cards, leave anonymous love letters, share quotes about love. Make dinner for your family, invite friends over, have a picnic if the weather is nice. Dress in reds and pinks and whites and smile. Take an extra second to do something kind for someone. Be kind to yourself, love yourself. Allow yourself to put you first. Take the time to paint your nails if that’s something you’ve been wanting to do but haven’t. Visit your favorite coffee shop and take the time to enjoy your favorite treat. Watch the movie you’ve been thinking about. Allow love into your life in all its forms and multiply it by giving it back. You can never run out of love. The more you give to others the more you receive.

It only takes a second to smile at someone, express gratitude, open a door, or voice the compliment you’ve been thinking, and yet all of these actions can brighten someone’s day. Valentine’s Day should be celebrated not as the only day to show love, but as a reminder that love is all around us all the time. It’s a day to reinforce our love for others and for ourselves.

Cornrow Davis

Valentine’s Day: the one day of the year the people summon sufficient courage to ask the love of their lives out. Just ask the person out on Christmas, the beginning or end of summer, Thanksgiving, or any available time in your schedule! This terrible day reminds anyone wanting to ask the object of their affection out on a date that they are a total wuss who can’t even muster up enough courage to say “I love you.”

Now, I understand that you might get nervous at the thought of dating, but you should at least get to know the person you like and reach out to them. Furthermore, no relationship lasts if love is shared and appreciated on only one day of the year! The weekend is just as great a time as any other day to give your special someone that big fuzzy teddy bear or tub of Vegemite.

Then there’s the price of items on Valentine’s Day. Have you seen how expensive everything is? It’s outrageous how much businesses sap people of their money for just one day! If you wait till Valentine’s Day or even the day before, that one dollar teddy bear might become $20. Now you might enjoy giving away $20 for your loved one, but most of us should stay out of debt and instead practice Valentine’s Day every day of the year.

Then there’s the fact that so many relationships break up or ruin people’s lives all because of this horrendous day. All in all, Valentine’s Day in our modern era has turned into a setup for relationships with partners, bank accounts, and lives to all break and decay.

A Tribute to Bowie “Blackstar”: an Instant classic

by Zaida LaRose and Liv West Within his final days on this earth, David Bowie dropped arguably one of his most experimental and unique “anti-pop” albums since the seventies: “Blackstar”. This otherworldly LP is composed of seven remarkably rich pieces that exude both youth and spirit as well as bringing a unique twist to Bowie’s full repertoire. Self-expression and beauty were redefined during Bowie’s unparalleled reign over music. His melodies manifested both an unsurpassed passion as well as an individuality that was uniquely Bowie. These incomparable characteristics remained with Bowie through the final days of his life, and are clearer than ever before in his most recent works of art. The title track is a lengthy nine and a half minutes, with twists and turns and the feeling of deep nostalgia. Bowie gives the whole album that epic feel that he did so well with “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust” and much of his early work. The attestation is perfectly clear to all who listen to this haunting masterpiece: David Bowie has done it again.

But Bowie did more than replicate the exuberance of his younger days in Blackstar, he also brought to his album a new, eerie, exploratory vibe that radiates strange and whimsical beauty.

Filled to the brim with jazzy saxophones and simplistic, futuristic beats, the record was a grand finale for the beloved Bowie. Released on his 69th birthday, the album got significant attention in the week following his unpredicted passing on the 10th of January. In our own Ashland record store, the Music Coop, the record did not even hit the shelves until later that week due to the incredibly high demand. Within 24 hours of his death, Bowie’s video for “Lazarus,” a song off the latest record, racked up 51 million views. This ultimately blew vocal artist Adele’s video for “Hello” out of the water, which received 36 million views in the month of October.

It was no wonder that Bowie’s video got so much attention; as soon as he passed, rumors began to fly about how he hinted about his death in the video. The narrative of the film is truly quite strange, featuring Bowie writhing around on what seems to be his deathbed, and perhaps even paying his audience a farewell before his final “oddity” to space. The tune of the song is hauntingly beautiful, and the lyrics are rich with strange diction that leaves the listener jarred and contemplative.

Overall, David Bowie’s recent feat is a truly fantastic album. The record is surprising and edgy, and continues his legacy in the most perfect way possible. David Bowie left this world with a bang, touching the hearts of people all around the world and leaving behind his own unique goodbye to us all.

Lost in the Cosmos

A Tribute to Star Wars

by Colin Timmons A long time ago, in 1977, Star Wars began its saga. It set forth a rapidly expanding universe and the imaginations of multiple generations of children. Everyone has an opinion on Star Wars, whether praising or bashing. Star Wars has become a genre-defining movie series and has cultural significance.

Dana Rensi, one of Ashland High School’s librarians, recalls her experience with Star Wars. “I remember it was the first movie I ever saw twice in theaters, and as soon as the movie ended I wanted to see it again.” She was one of many parents to raise their kids on the original trilogy, often buying her son the original toys and pajamas. “I have the original XWing toy waiting for my son when he gets a house of his own, but for now I’ll hold onto them,” Rensi states. One of Rensi’s favorite memories relating to Star Wars was when “Episode VI: Return of the Jedi” hit theaters in 1983. “I got off work early and went to the movie theaters and bought tickets for my son and all his friends and drove them to go see it.”

One of the main questions circulating with “The Force Awakens” is if it lives up to the legacy of the saga, according to Rensi. “It did; I liked it. Disney did a good job bringing in new characters but keeping the old ones. I will definitely buy it when it comes out on DVD.” Rensi is one of many staff members who has fond memories of a galaxy far, far away. The AHS Technical departments, Tito Soriano and Steve Mitzel, have their own experiences with Star Wars. “I remember my first time seeing Star Wars was at a drive in. Later that week I actually went to a movie theater and saw it there,” Mitzel said. “I was in elementary school when I went to the movies with my parents to see it,” Soriano chimed in. “The Force Awakens,” being the first of an anthology, seems to be introducing characters such as Rey and Kylo Ren who are similar to Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader.

Mitzel has his own opinion about the current speculation about this. “If ‘Episode VIII’ is similar to ‘Empire Strikes Back,’ then there has to be this big reveal, maybe finding out who Rey’s father is,” Mitzal theorized. Everyone has their own opinion on the subject.

Star Wars is and always will be embedded in everyone’s memories and the memories of future movie-goers.

A lot awaits for the galaxy far, far away. The world eagerly holds for the release of “Episode VIII,” but for now, the padawans must have patience and be one with the force.