Issue XIII, Vol. XI
art by Mumi Thiaw
INSIDE
Page 2-----------------------------QSA Events Page 3-----------------------------Nepal Boys Page 4-----------Education/Filtered Browsers
Page 5----------------------------Robotics Page 6-7-------------------Prom In-Depth Page 8-----------------------Spring Sports
Page 9----------------Student Features - Prom Plans Page 10-------------The Cursive Question (Opinions) Page 11---------------------Debate/Superintendent Page 12--------------------------------Club Penguin
I
Day of Silence by Gemma Coster
t has been said that silence is deafening, louder than spoken words, and the most powerful presence in the room. This effect is exactly what Ashland High School students participating in the Day of Silence hoped to convey. On April 28, students across campus participated in a show of solidarity for the queer community by taking a vow of silence for the day. The Day of Silence was originally started in 1996 by a group of students at the University of Virginia who wanted to raise awareness around lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ+) bullying, harassment and discrimination. Following this movement, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) has since coordinated the Day of Silence into a nationwide event that happens every year on a Friday in April. Since then, students affiliated in high school and college campuses have en-
photo by Madison Fung
I
photo by Madison Fung
couraged fellow peers to raise a discussion around LGBTQ+ issues. This action for change is a peaceful way to raise awareness around the concept that there is an absence of voices and lost lives in the LGBTQ+ community. Ari Albertson, a junior at AHS, intends to be among those representing the voices ignored or silenced among the LGBTQ+ community. He thinks it is “really cool to see a forceful show of people who support you.” Albertson believes in activism and action, which is why staying silent for the majority of the day is worth the cause. The event on April 28 was predominantly void of the usual school noise until celebratory voices fractured the quiet space. As
photo by Madison Fung
photo by Madison Fung
classes concluded for the day, there was a “break the silence” rally on the quad. The purpose of this is for students to break out of their silence and reclaim the power of their voices. Although not speaking for the day may have been challenging for some people, the alliance between LGBTQ+ individuals and allies were united in a movement that was bigger than each individual’s personal preferences. On this day the queer community and its allies stand up for the lives lost for being queer, but it can also a way of recognizing those who have had the courage to sustain their identity through the endless bullying, harassment, and discrimination.
Gender Blender
magine a party filled with technicolor lights and bubbles. On April 28, after The Day of Silence, members, supporters and activists in Ashland High School’s (AHS's) LGBTQ+ community congregated with a dance filled with engaging activities and joyous faces. The Gender Blender, put on by AHS’s Queer Straight Alliance (QSA), is a dance which open-heartedly welcomes all students, with a goal of providing a space for acceptance. The QSA dance has been put on by AHS for over 10 years. Originally known as the Gender
photo by Lucas Searcy
by Bella Manray
Bender, students would dress up in the attire of the opposite gender with which they identify with. In recent years, the QSA decided to change the word bender to blender, arguing that it reinforced the dated ideology of a gender binary. The gender binary is used to describe the system constructed by two genders that align with traditional societal, sexual, and expressive standards, and has been deemed an antiquated ideology today. With this new outlook on the dance, people are encouraged to be themselves in an area of non-judgement. As part of AHS’s four school dances, the Gender Blender works to provide a space where students can relax. However, the dance duly works to promote a school sponsored environment where students can experience photo by Madison Fung an event unlike the archetypal school dance. According to the president of the QSA, Lucas Searcy, “a lot of school dances feel very heterocis normative,” a social situation not every student at AHS feels is enjoyable. By providing a unique dance opportunity held at Science Works’ captivating venue, high schoolers can celebrate a night filled with lemonade, chips, music chosen by request, community and selflove. One of the best things about the Gender Blender, according to Searcy, is its tendency to fill rooms with genuine smiles. This goal is considered throughout the preparations for the dance and acceptance and cheerfulness never fail to make an appearance at the Gender Blender. photo by Lucas Searcy
The Nepal Boys by Liv West
Dreams do come true. Over spring break, 3 seniors, Cedar Barnes, Loden Donahoo and Erik Oline, ventured into one of the most respected and treacherous wonderlands on this planet – the Himalayas. Through National Geographic quality photography and film, the trio documented their trek through this beautiful, stunning countryside. Anyone viewing the first bit of film released on Facebook would jump for joy upon seeing the look of disbelief and appreciation on the faces of the three young men. The media collected by a variety of devices will be put together in a travel documentary. With minds open and cameras prepared, they began a life changing and eye opening adventure, something that is indescribable by words alone. Barnes, Oline and Donahoo have been close pals for a long time, and had travelled together around the Pacific Northwest and other landscapes often before attempting this trip. Barnes recalls that that Oline and Donahoo both said “yes” to the trip right away, no questions asked. Since sophomore year they had been planning and plotting how they would make this endeavor happen. They worked continuously and diligently to raise the funds on their own. Barnes and Donahoo worked at a ranch in summertime, and Oline guided fly fishing trips. They dipped into their savings as well, and raised enough on their own to get them there and back. While the main event planned for the trip was hiking to the first Everest base camp, the trio spent significant time exploring Kathmandu and learning about Nepalese culture. “It was sobering,” explained Barnes. He made the comparison that even the poorest of people in the United States could make a life for themselves in Nepal. The trio met a variety of people, who all exuded open heartedness, respect and kindness. It was easy for the boys to make friends with the people who lived there, and it enhanced the trip greatly. Barnes stated that it was “reassuring and heartwarming” to be surrounded by these people. This friendliness and joy is contrasted by the effects of both a corrupt governmental system and an earthquake that happened in 2015. Politicians only hold office for 9 months in Nepal. This creates an environment where not much changes and not much gets accomplished. As for the earthquake, it devastated buildings and various ancient sculptures. It also left an intense amount of dust floating in the air that has not cleared up completely. An elderly woman the trio met explained that Kathmandu had never been dusty, and that before the natural disaster it
photos courtesy of Cedar Barnes, Lodan Donahoo, Eric Oline
had looked like a regular city. The dust from the 7.8 magnitude earthquake has also contaminated their drinking water. Still, Barnes lit up when he talked about the rich culture that lives and flourishes in Nepal. One can feel the deep influence of religion and history in the way cities are built. Again and again the trio saw streets that were divided to flow around ancient trees, sacred temples and little shrines. Many of these structures are older than the United States. After experiencing the liveliness of Kathmandu, Barnes, Donahoo and Oline then began a trek to the first Everest base camp. Using a Fuji film camera, 2 Nikons and 4 GoPros, the whole climb was documented. The actual footage amounted to 220 gigabytes, and that excluded what was filmed in Kathmandu. They plan to submit a movie depicting their adventure in the Ashland Independent Film Festival as well as other festivals – they just want to get it out into the world for others to see. They did end up summiting a mountain known as Kala Pattar and Barnes describes that as one of his favorite events, stating that “it was such an introspective moment.” As for the future, these young world travelers have discussed going back to Everest together to do the Three Passes trek, a 20-day journey with intense elevation gain and beautiful scenes. Perhaps someday they will even summit Everest. As Barnes said, they were so close to being there, they’d be selling themselves short if they didn’t one day return and make it to the top.
State vs. Federal Education editorial by Amani Mussell The United States is comprised of 50 states and 3.8 million square miles of land, and yet a common conception of education nationwide is that the curriculums taught are similar, if not the same. It is difficult to comprehend that Americans, with such a strong national identity, are getting different educations. While individual states administer standardized tests, the only standardized tests administered nationwide are through private companies such as the College Board. This means that students across the U.S. aren’t necessarily assessed to see if they are all meeting certain standards and depth of education. The federal government, in fact, plays only a small role in what each school district is teaching its students. This is a problem because students around the nation are getting education that can be, and is, in many cases, skewed based on the belief systems of a community. The way content is presented in the classroom is ultimately determined by the teacher, with district requirements, state requirements, and to a lesser extent, federal “suggestions” in mind. One important set of standards the federal government has developed is the Common Core. The Common Core is a set of English/Language Arts and Math standards which, though highly promoted, states are not required to adopt. States that have not adopted the Common Core are Alaska, Indiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. While all U.S. states have similar standards in place, there is enough leniency even within federal standards to allow states like Louisiana and Tennessee to teach creationism as an alternative to evolution and global warming in their public schools. This is where identical nationwide education becomes a misconception and where there is a problem. The standards mean that most schools are addressing the same skills and general subjects, but the content and what students learn from the way that the content in presented may be different. In fact, is some areas, such as with creationism in place of evolution, students are being taught a completely different story. For example, in Oregon, sexual education must address birth control, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and sexuality while stressing that abstinence is the only sure way of staying STI and pregnancy free. Oregon’s standards, as far as sexual education standards in the U.S. go, are pretty comprehensive, and yet dis-
tricts like the Medford school district have enough room to primarily stress abstinence while not inviting speakers from Planned Parenthood to present in health classes. Planned Parenthood is considered a controversial organization to some, because they offer abortions to pregnant young women and free contraceptives for anyone seeking safe methods to engage in sexual activity. Yet rejecting information on contraception as a viable option for young people is deliberate manipulation based on personal beliefs. Furthermore, in states like Louisiana, where, though while s e x u a l education is required, abstinence must be stressed, contraceptive awareness is not required, and any contraceptive or abortive product or material is prohibited in schools at any time. With the freedom allowed to districts, schools in Louisiana can teach virtually no sexual education with abstinence being the singular option addressed in the world of a teenagers’ sexuality. While freedom of culture is important, the culture in each state, especially the less liberal ones, affects what each district is teaching. Inadequacies in education, such as lack of contraceptive awareness, can be extremely counterproductive. Teaching abstinence exclusively is proven to be ineffective. An 86 percent decline in underage pregnancies between 1995 and 2002 was attributed wholly to improved contraceptive use. Where abstinence education has no statistical advantage, comprehensive education on birth control does. Personal beliefs in creationism or feelings about the abortion are entirely valid; however, when personal beliefs are taught to children who are susceptible to interpret ideas as fact, we jeopardize both their freedom of mind and the accuracy of their education. Every child and teenager should be able to take their curriculum and use it to form their own ideas. Every child and teenager should be presented with options, like birth control, which can keep them safe in the face of inevitable experimentation, and like abortion, which can greatly alter an extraordinarily difficult path in life. Every child and teenager should be taught facts and theories, but not have their education manipulated so that any perspectives are imposed on them. All students deserve the freedom to be an individual, to think independently and to provide safety for themselves, because that is what the United States stands for —what we all should stand for.
“In their public schools, Louisiana and Tennessee teach creationism as an alternative to evolution and global warming.”
The Flaws of Filtered Browsing editorial by Abe Neimark The detriment of internet censorship goes much deeper than the ability to access Snapchat in class. Internet filters on school computers actually breaks into the realm of restricting education, since it limits websites committed to education on everything from LGBTQ+ issues to the dangers of tobacco use. All school districts adhere to the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). This is an act that was signed into law in 2000 which requires all public schools to ensure that the internet content accessed by students at school is safe. Due to CIPA, the district follows a program in which the censorship settings are identical across all the schools in the district. Although changing the filters is deeply complex, following CIPA will ultimately be destructive to the self-directed learning that happens on personal devices. Because CIPA operates on a district wide level, it’s not as simple as asking a supervisor to unblock a website. That being said, it’s possible for a teacher to ask for a site to be made available. The catch is that the website would be made available across every school in the district. Many officials would advocate the use of CIPA because of this. For instance, media made available for high schoolers (perhaps with more adult content) could potentially have a negative effect on younger, more impressionable students in elementary and middle schools that are also part of the district. This argument proves how impractical CIPA is. If the education of one student is sacrificed for the protection of another, the system is flawed. Appropriate censorship correlates directly to age, so if one policy is spread over the age range of fourteen years, there is no way to effectively censor media. One may be asking, how could a blocked website actually be damaging to education? The answer lies in the kind of websites that are blocked under the act. In 2003, the Supreme Court ruled CIPA constitutional, which is ironic considering that it blocks constitutionally protected websites. According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, many of these websites that are protected provide information intended to educate people on everything from homosexuality, to dangers of tobacco use, and even information regarding the second amendment. These sites are blocked because internet filters categorize websites and use tags in order to make an “educated decision” on whether or not it should censor the site. This is why CIPA operates on too broad of a level and ultimately blocks media that is educational.
A site that is primarily designed to facilitate education in a specific area needs to be available to students who rely on their school alone for internet capabilities. For students who want to be educated in particular areas that are either not taught in school or are too personal for discussion, the internet (when used responsibly) is an amazing place for this to occur. But in the end, it is unlikely for students to learn internet responsibility when what is appropriate is predetermined. Young adults should have the right to access information that contributes to their own self-discovery and progression. Issues that students feel they should learn themselves are often blocked, which not only has a negative effect on their development, but carries a destructive message. What does it say to the student body when sites containing the real life experiences of people can’t be accessed because it is “adult material?” Questions like this are not a primary concern when considering the protection of students. Furthermore, adolescents should have the right to learns skills such as good judgement for navigating not just the internet, but the world. Blocking everything of an “adult nature” is not how one should go about protecting young minds. A teacher doesn’t just say “drugs are bad,” and expect students to live a substance-free life. Instead, tools are provided that students can use to make their own decisions and use their own judgement, because in this world, there won’t always be an individual with a degree holding your hand to make that decision for you. And what better place for those tools to be taught than in school? In the end, it’s not as simple as getting rid of CIPA. Yet, there are steps that can be made to reform the status quo. According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, schools wishing to pursue the option of a new censorship policy under CIPA must hold an open meeting to obtain community feedback. Spreading the word and building a consensus is the only logical course. Communities should know that filters don’t always work (as evidenced by a 2008 San Jose public library analysis), but also that the sites they manage to block are the ones that contribute most positively to the student body. So ultimately it is not the ability to use Snapchat in class that should concern students, but the ability to authentically gather information and the ability of younger students to responsibly navigate the wealth of information and creativity that the internet contains.
“If the education of one student is sacrificed for the protection of another, then the system is flawed.”
Robotics Trip to Worlds by Uma McGuire
art by Uma McGuire
Ashland High School’s robotics team is one of AHS’s most unique clubs and opportunities on campus for students interested in STEM or science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The club, which was established at the school in small numbers in 2009 has grown with increasing popularity and now amounts to more than 30 students eager to build, program, and compete in robotic competitions throughout the year. The increase in popularity as well as the advanced leadership from seniors including the team’s technical captain Eryl Kenner, has proven invaluable this year. For the first time in AHS history they were invited to the World Championships in Houston, Texas. AHS’s robotic team, named 3024, or My Favorite Team, is tasked by FIRST- For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. FIRST is an international youth organization that operates STEM programs and competitions. Every year FIRST tasks all the teams to design a robot over a 6-week period every year that will be faced with challenges. Once FIRST robotics releases the details of the current year’s challenge, the teams have 6 weeks to build a robot that weighs less than 120 pounds and will score the most points possible in the arena. The tasks facing the teams this year included shooting whiffle balls into tubes of varying heights, transport-
ing gears to waiting team members, and climbing a wall. Even after all the building and programming, the team members have to be strategic in choosing their partners for the knockout rounds. The higher a team scores in the initial rounds, the better chance of forming successful alliances with other teams. However, there is a lot more that you can do in robotics than actually building the robot. Whether it’s fundraising, outreach to kids in the community, marching in parades or going to Science Works and elementary schools as explained by junior, Claire Pryor. The team has changed enormously since Pryor first joined. She noted that the number of girls on the team has increased exponentially as well as the total size of the team. “It was ten people at first who only built the robot and that wasn’t very successful, but my freshman year we started the outreach program and it’s really grown since then.” Pryor’s freshman year was the first time the team made it to the District Championship and it is remarkable that only 3 years later My Favorite Team made it to the World Championship. My Favorite Team’s success was demonstrated this year in the Pacific Northwest Lake Oswego Event Championship, where with an alliance of 4 other teams, they won the competition and came closer to qualifying for the World Championship. They lost before getting to the quarter-finals in the District Championship, but nonetheless, team 3024 was honored with the Engineering Inspiration Award
photo courtesy of Atana Morell
for spreading STEM awareness within the community and was invited to WORLDS to compete against teams from all around the globe. In addition, Pryor was one of two students selected to compete for the prestigious Dean’s List award and became a finalist. After fundraising a whopping $2,000, My Favorite Team left for Houston to compete in this esteemed competition on April 20 making an inspirational stop at NASA on their way. After 6 rounds of competition, My Favorite Team finished impressively at 36 out of 67 teams. The trip proved itself even more valuable than expected for the robotic students as they were able to meet friends from Israel, Mexico, Turkey and Chile, as well as trade shirts, pins and experiences. The robotics team will take a break for the next few weeks before getting started in recruiting for the next year and continue to create a place for STEM here at Ashland High School.
Virtual Enterprise by Raisa Rich
Virtual enterprise is a class in which students learn how to run a business and engage in a business simulation. The class has been working on a company called Impulse, which is an online business that was created 3 years ago and they work on “selling” blender bottles, kinetic energy shoes and smart watches. Students that are in the class now work on improving the virtual business. Although the class does not have many meetings outside of the classroom, some students are willing to take extra time to give presentations about the simulated business. On April 3 and 4, Ashland High School hosted Phoenix High School for a mini trade fair. Trade fairs allow schools like Ashland and Phoenix to give presentations about their businesses and sell products to other students that
are involved in virtual enterprise. At these events they film commercials for the suggested business. Athena di Properzio, a current virtual enterprise student, enjoys being able to do something new that she wouldn’t have been able to do if Ashland did not have this class. She says
“I want to learn different things about business. Say I go to college and I want to learn about business, I now have a base.” that she is doing something that she’s “never done before or even thought about doing.” Currently, Kieran Phillips, the CEO of virtual enterprise, is not particularly interested in studying business in college, however, now can use the skills he learned in the class for his fast-approaching adulthood. “I want to learn different things about business. Say I go to college and I want to learn about business, I now have a base,” Phillips explained. This class gives students the opportunity to share
photos by Gemma Coster
businesses with other virtual enterprise students across the country and learn how to present information. These skills are useful not just in the class or for careers in business, but can be used by any student as they take a leap into their impending future.
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by Zaida LaRose
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New York, New York For a group of five prestigious private schools in the Big Apple, prom is no small matter. Students from Browning, Brearley, Hewitt, Spence, and Nightingale-Bamford schools will roll up to the Waldorf-Astoria’s Park Avenue entrance in stretch limousines, and ascend to the “Starlight Roof ”- a golden ballroom where butlers serve punch on silver platters. Prom after-parties may be held in Manhattan Lofts privately rented by parents for the evening, or students may choose to spend the night in the Hamptons accompanied by private security guards. It can’t be denied that this private, no-fee celebration separates these Manhattan private school students from their peers when it comes to an event like prom.
Newark, Delaware This Delaware prom is comprised of one private all-girls school and one private all-boys school. The morning before the dance, prom-goers from the all-boys school gather in their auditorium for mandatory etiquette lessons. Tutorials include how to properly chew food and wield utensils and napkins. The students then proceed to their gymnasium for dance lessons, and finally, each member of the all-boys school is asked to compose a private letter to their date to be presented at the dance.
Sterling, Kentucky At this school in Kentucky, the most crucial part of prom occurs before the dancing even commences. The goal is to arrive to the prom in the most outrageous vehicle imaginable. Past means of transport include old used cars, snowmobiles, golf carts, Coca Cola trucks, helicopters and even hot air balloons. Whatever these prom attendees choose, choice of conveyance really drives the night.
Savannah, Georgia At this Georgia high school prom, junior and senior classes part ways at the end of the dance and head to the home of a designated classmate. This one brave student from each class opens their doors to all of their peers for the night, and volunteers to prepare breakfast in the morning for the entirety of their class.
Baseball
Spring Sports
When your team is full of dedicated seniors, the expectation can loom large. Rhythm Winicour, a junior on the varsity baseball team, recognizes this pressure. There have been several close games in their 12-6 season that slipped out of reach in the waning minutes. Although it can be difficult to overcome these disappointments, with 3 games a week, they must be able to maintain faith in each other and not dwell on past games. The team’s chances of making playoffs are strong. “There’s a lot of raw baseball skill, and especially off-season training, that gives us a physical advantage out there,” he explains. Combining the talent of a senior-heavy team with mental preparation is what he believes the team needs to achieve greatness. Next year, Winphoto by Kris Prusko icour will work to impart these lessons on underclassmen, as he becomes one of only two seniors on the team. For now, he is intent on “making the most of this time with [his] closest friends” in their final 8 games.
Tennis
Tennis this spring is in full swing. The boys team is looking strong with junior Rox Rogers as the number one singles player and junior Nur Shelton and senior Owen DeRienzo as the number one doubles team. Both have only lost one match to Marist. There are exactly twelve boys on the team this year, which is just enough to have four singles players and four doubles teams. Shelton says, “I think we have a good chance of going to state.” The girl’s team got off to a late start this spring due to difficulty finding a coach, but Phoenix Sigalove was tracked down last minute and has done a great job jumping into the spring sport scene. Players have dedicated themselves to making up for that time lost and many have shown remarkable improvement since the beginning of the season. This photo by Charlie Burr year’s number one doubles team Sarah Kauffman and Soleil Heller have gone undefeated so far.
Crew
Over the past couple years, the rowing program has grown tremendously and shown much improvement thanks in large part to new coach Rick Brown. One byproduct of this change is apparent when reflecting on the latest regatta (the crew equivalent of a track meet). The Rogue Rowing Club’s (RRC) varsity girls program “put out an eight”, meaning they entered an eight-person boat against other teams in their standard 2000-meter race. One of the most distinguishing features of high school rowing is that RRC’s team is composed of rowers from high schools across the valley who travel to Emigrant Lake daily in order to participate. There are generally two regattas in the spring that take place in the region, the biggest being the Northwest Regional Youth Championships, where over 60 races are held over the course of three days. This year photo by Charlie Burr RRC will be competing at the championships in Vancouver, Washington from May 19th-21st and are working hard in the weeks preceding to get ready.
by Tia Wilhelm
Golf
The number of golf participants has been steadily increasing over the past three years, and this season they have grown to a total of 10 girls and 15 boys on the team. Captain of the girl’s team and junior Ginny Cotton, proudly states that they “honestly couldn’t have taken any more players.” The girls’ team has no seniors this year, so they are looking forward to building their ranks for next season. This will also allow their underclassmen to have an opportunity to improvement and establish a strong foundation of skills for the program in the future. Freshmen Luna Alvarez, Suttyn Barrats, and Emily Robinson have recently played in their first varsity level games which is exciting for the team development. It is important for new members to learn how to deal with photo by Kris Prusko the mental aspect of the game. “When you’re out there it’s just you,” says Cotton. On the boys’ side, senior TJ Ferreira has put up a number of impressive performances to round out the team’s hopeful season.
Softball
The current spring softball season has been “a learning experience,” according to senior Kara Hakes. As co-captain, with Gracia Dodds, she has made it her goal to teach new players to “be a part of the family” and work with each other. After graduating ten seniors in 2014, the softball team has had to work hard to build the team from the bottom up. With sixteen girls on the team this year---more than the usual twelve on a team but not enough for two teams-they have been able to do much better than in past years. Out of 16 games so far, they have won almost half. This record is encouraging for players and will hopefully result in a bigger turnout of girls next year and more wins. Junior Softball player Adrianna Bohn hopes they can also improve their offence because they are able to hold off the good photo by Charlie Burr teams but have struggled getting points on the scoreboard.
Track
The track and field program has attracted many new students this year who are eager to get in shape and meet new people. The throwing program is noted for being exceptional at AHS and this year they are equipped with a strong team, ranging from juniors Lili Smith and Troy Boyd to senior Myla Norvel and freshman Nina Munson. “Our team is showing a lot of promise,” sophomore Hazel Richards smiles as she reflects on track this year. “There are some really good freshman,” she adds, mentioning that freshman EJ Holland is currently ranked second in the state in the 5A classification 3000m race. They are losing few seniors this year, which helps build a strong foundation for next year’s team. Sprinters have been on a slightly bumpy path as their main coach has had to take some time off, photo by Kris Prusko but they are doing their best to prepare for upcoming districts. The last home track meet is coming up May 3rd at SOU after school.
Prom Plans Nikki Irvine
by Dylan Kistler
“M
L
iving up to the prom legends boasted by a pair of older sisters is no simple feat. Growing up hearing stories of grand evenings and double-decker buses, Nikki Irvine’s anticipation for the notorious high school event had been cultivated into something bordering on terrifying. Fortunately, it takes most students only fifteen minutes at prom to cool their soaring expectations. For Irvine, whose first prom was last year’s Star Wars themed romp reveled in by some seventy Saint Mary’s students (and their abundance of private school supervisors), it took mere seconds to douse any residual jitters. In all her wildest imaginings, she never pictured gangly boys in Darth Vader masks asking her to dance. But how bad could that really be? In the words of Admiral Ackbar: it’s a trap. After that, most of us would have crystallized a critical opinion of what was once a staple in traditional Americana adolescence. However, having grown up hearing the stories of one prom legend after another, Irvine would not give up quite so easily. Despite having attended Saint Mary’s until this year when she switched to Ashland High, Irvine has known many of this town’s students from early childhood and her time spent on the wrestling team. Among them is the good-hearted ginger and boyfriend of Nikki Irvine: Cedar Barnes. Together they decided Ashland’s 2016 prom a chance, and elected to attend with the wrestling squad. The evening of the dance and her crew made a reservation at Taroko before heading into Lithia Park to take those irreplaceable prom photos that we all fear will reappear uninvited to ruin a job interview or prospective relationship in our thirties. So much fun was this preserving of the frigid evening on film that Nikki’s group arrived at the restaurant late. This of course provoked no more serious consequence than a stink eye from Taroko’s hostess and a proud representation of their much maligned age group. The dinner was everything one could want from a wrestling team outing. Onlookers may have observed a romantic ambience of ever-present shushing from waitresses, ravenous consumption of copious food quantities, and the shattering of more than a couple water glasses. The rabble put their finishing touch on the evening’s elegance and subtly chic style when the Lemley twins, on their way out of Taroko, halted the group in the restaurant entryway and erupted into a passionate argument in Italian. As one would expect, the wrestlers’ absurd endurance endowed them with energy sufficient to make the rest of the evening as memorable as its beginning had been. But more important than having written her own prom legend, Irvine learned that prom is a fantastic opportunity for high school students if they make it unique to who they are. Prom isn’t so much about traditions, expectations, or the year’s theme; it’s a night for celebrating who we’ve become in high school, and treasuring everything beautiful and insane and fleeting about adolescence.
“
Ryan Freiheit by Ana Ferguson
y Dearest, Madeline I could write a lot of puns about not throwing away my shot or not being satisfied if you say no to this but the truth is I just want to tell the story of tonight with you… so one last time… prom? -Ryan”
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Children’s ideas of prom are always glamourous. They watch those predictable (probably Disney made) movies where someone glides down a golden staircase and locks eye with their one true love across the room. At the end of the night the prom queen is crowned and in that moment everyone in the room is united despite their differences. Ryan Freiheit, Ashland High School (AHS) senior, watched those movies as a child, but he has a more realistic idea about prom now. This year will be the second prom he has attended and his motto is simple: have fun. Prom is the last dance of the year, and it is the perfect opportunity for students to relax and decompress. At some schools though, prom can seem like a life or death event. Ryan believes that prom tends to be “overhyped at many schools,” and it’s true that prom is typically romanticized and excessively promoted. The cringy rituals across the country can sometimes cloud the meaning of the dance, despite this fact, Ryan has managed to stay grounded. He believes that looking at prom as just an opportunity to have fun is part of his recipe for success. AHS seems to have followed this formula: “Prom at Ashland is pretty average for a school of our type, but it’s more realistic than schools where it’s expensive.” At some schools ticket prices can run at $100 per ticket, but prom at Ashland is always affordable and inclusive. Even though the superficiality of prom at some schools can negatively affect the impression of the event, Ryan thinks that it is still a worthwhile event. When adults talk about prom, it is always described as a momentous occasion. There‘s the hilarious prom date, the treasured photos, the inevitable embarrassment about ones lack of dance skills, and of course the heartbreak. The nostalgic recounts of prom can make it seem like prom is a tradition of the past. Ryan however, argues that prom is still relevant in today’s society. For better of for worse, prom feels like a rite of passage for many. Prom is certainly memorable, and as students it seems like our duty to make sure the night lives up to its name.
...it’s the perfect opportunity for students to relax and decompress.
...she never pictured gangly boys in Darth Vader masks asking her to dance.
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Prom is certainly memorable, and as students it seems like our duty to make sure the night lives up to its name.
The Cursive Question
Does the classic skill have a place in modern schools?
Long Live Cursive
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ediorial by Ellie Carter
his article first existed as a handwritten paper. In fact, every story I’ve ever written – as well as every assignment, project, or speech – has existed first in my heavily slanted cursive/print hybrid, buried somewhere in a spiral-bound notebook. This method has worked really well for me, since I’d rather write far away from an LED screen and the daunting, blinking backspace line, but perhaps less so for anyone hoping to read what I’ve written – at least for anyone under 25. It’s an unofficial claim, but I’d be willing to bet money on the fact that young people of a certain age don’t have the same skills to read cursive. And who can blame them? School systems stopped teaching how to write cursive after my class. This is incredibly alarming to a traditionalist like myself, but for reasons other than nostalgia or sentimentality, and there are many reasons I believe cursive should continue to be taught in school, and many benefits to this instruction. One of the arguments against teaching kids to write in cursive is that its requirements are too prescriptive, something schools have been notoriously targeted for. I don’t think that anything could be further from the truth, since you’re providing an alternate form of writing that some kids may really employ (in fact, there’s some evidence to suggest that kids with dyslexia do better writing and reading cursive), and giving them a variation of letterforms they can use whenever they want. After all, outside of the classroom, there’s no rule that says writing a few letters in a cursive style means you must write every single letter that way. There’s also the issue of a legal signature, which develops from learning cursive and is second only in creative identification to the fingerprint. This is an instance where if adults don’t know cursive, they won’t have the basis of knowledge they need to develop a lifelong, unique marker of who they are. Cursive doesn’t hinder creativity – cursive prompts it. Another issue with not knowing cursive is a complete inability to read cursive, which automatically throws all historical documents, letters, papers, and some handwriting off-limits to an entire generation. Literacy in cursive is still relevant, as is literacy in print, but it can’t be a pick-your-favorite scenario. Students need to be trained in both – even in our digital era – and cursive has only been made a “dying art” because we’ve allowed it to slip through the cracks. If you really believe that cursive should be obsolete, consider its history: handwriting and hand lettering used to be an art form. Calligraphy was a modern marvel; someone who knew how to use a pen and create beautiful letters was revered. Even in the digital age, there will always be a part of our culture that both relies on and loves good typography, and appreciates the art that letterforms and fonts can be. When you lose cursive, you lost not only a form of communication but an important piece of American culture that is becoming harder and harder to preserve. When Oregon adopted the new Common Core standards in 2010, previously required cursive standards were not a part of them, and many classrooms stopped requiring penmanship to be taught. We don’t have enough distance between then and now to know what kind of issues might come up without our population being illiterate in cursive, but we shouldn’t refuse our students the opportunity to learn a way to write that is still widely used, despite popular belief, and will only help them.
Design Board
Editors-in-Chief.............Maisie Roberson, Zaida LaRose, Frankie Mora, Lili Smith, Karl Moeglein, Lucas Searcy Front......................................................................Garrick Kosct QSA Events.............................Sequoia Snogren-McGinnis Nepal Boys.............................................................Ayla Prusko Education/Filtered Browsers..................Frida Graumann Robotics/Virtual Enterprise..................................Kiara Hills In-Depth...............................................................Frankie Mora Spring Sports........................................................Charlie Burr Student Feature - Prom Plans.........................Charlie Burr The Cursive Question...........................................Lily Annen Debate/Superintendent.....Jaxon Witters, Kip Parowski Club Penguin.........................Nicole Sagal, Nicole Mullen
Let Cursive Die
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editorial by Jade Bromley
ow often do you pick up a book to find it filled with complicated loops of lettering, have a teacher or superior ask you to write an essay in cursive or open up an article to find it typed in curly script? If you answered never, you are probably living in the twenty-first century where cursive is no longer the most common form of writing. Despite this, some schools still force cursive on students at a young age, regardless of their personal preference or ability, and stereotypes about the benefits are still given as a reason to continue teaching it in schools. However, a lot of the research done on cursive contradicts these stereotypes, proving cursive to be little more than pretty handwriting. There is quite a bit of controversy among educators about whether or not they should teach cursive in the classroom. Many argue that the skill is outdated, irrelevant to the other lessons in the class and that it is a cause of distress and frustration for many students, while others say that it is important for understanding historical documents and it connects reading and writing. But recent research has shown that cursive is not responsible for superior reading, writing, motor skills or speed as was previously thought. In fact, students were faster at writing with print or a mixed handwriting than with cursive, and teachers have observed that their students write faster when printing. Speed will come with comfort and familiarity, not with connected letters. Furthermore, children who are better at cursive tend to have difficulty identifying isolated letters, which certainly doesn’t help with spelling or reading. Trying to force cursive on students will not increase their speed or ability any more than forcing left handed children to write with their right hand truly makes them ambidextrous. Children who prefer print now will most likely always prefer print. Besides the so-called “benefits” of cursive, the reasoning behind continuing to teach the archaic form of writing appears to be rooted in tradition as well as creating a standard of handwriting, which is not only controlling but puts the appearance of the words above their content. The prettiness of letters being more important than the words they are a part of creates a bias among educators. In handwritten essays, especially in the AP testing, scorers expect more sophisticated handwriting to in turn have more sophisticated arguments which isn’t always the case. However, that is more of a neatness bias than anything else considering that cursive can be as illegible as print (even if you read cursive). If the concern is neatness, then perhaps keyboarding should be introduced alongside printing, instead of cursive. This would familiarize students with modern text, as well as eliminate any confusion about the formation of letters. The fact is that cursive isn’t a necessity in the digital world. There is so much more accessibility to writing and literature via technology than ever before, and if the goal is to get children reading and writing, then they should be taught the kind of script they will find outside of the classroom. It’s not as though perfect penmanship is a requirement to be a writer or to be a reader. Cursive should not be taught to imaginative 2nd graders. It is a useless skill. Pull the plug.
Debate: Sick at State by Ivy Amann
photo courtesy of Ashland Speech and Debate
Surprise, surprise: Ashland wins Speech and Debate OSAA 5A State competition again…. We know you have heard it before – in fact, 18 times before. However this year brought new obstacles to conquer before taking the title. A sickness that spread like the
plague tried to bring several Ashland High School (AHS) students down, but they did not let it faze them. Over five students advanced to the final round of their events accompanied – depending on their event – only by their speeches, excellent memories,
and many, many tissues. First year coach Mat Marr noted that the Speech and Debate team “has been focused on respect, kindness and excellence all year. Winning was never [their] primary goal but with their hard work [the] students earned it.” Another first year member of the team is freshman Lilli Morrish who performed an ‘After Dinner Speaking’ in front of over 500 people, including AHS Principal Erika Bare. Morrish ranked second overall and will continue to stand out as an exceptional speaker throughout her next three years of high school. Senior students Karl Moeglein, Rob Stallman, Anna Werthaiser, John Ropp, Brayden Preskenis, and Gracia Dodds, Junior Dylan Kistler, and Sophomore Grita Shanks all did amazing and placed very high in their events. Although only a few names are mentioned above, many other AHS students attended this year’s State competition. Coach Marr recognizes the talent and hard work it takes to compete in multiple events. Speech and Debate requires dedication, persistence, and practice, just like a sport. With the years ahead and a solid team stacked with amazing freshman and sophomores, AHS’s trophy case will need to be expanded to fit all the Speech and Debate awards.
A New Face in ASD by Ava Hearn
photo courtesy of Jacqueline Schad
The Ashland School District (ASD) is welcoming a new face to the community, beginning with the 20172018 school year. Kelly A. Raymond, a native Aussie, avid vegan and poetry enthusiast, was chosen on March 10th, to serve as the new ASD superintendent. Raymond has lot to offer the community of Ashland and brings with her a breadth of experience. Raymond was born and raised in Sydney, Australia. She earned a Bachelor of Education degree in Science and Mathematics from Australian Catholic University in Sydney, Australia, and Master of Education degree in Curriculum and Administration from Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia. She taught for four years in Australia before moving to Japan for two years to work as an exchange teacher. After her time in Japan, Raymond was given the opportunity to move to the United States to pursue a teaching job in Washington. During her time in the United States, she has worked in three different dis-
tricts as a teacher, an assistant principal, a director of a high school and a professional development organizer. She currently works as the Executive Director for Instructional Leadership in Highline School District, south of Seattle, Washington. The vibrant community of Ashland and whole child approach of the ASD inspired Raymond and drew her to the area. She hopes to build a stronger relationship with Southern Oregon University and increase the administrations level of communication between administrators, students and teachers. Raymond is always looking for opportunities to expand and improve in her career. Her experience working both nationally and internationally has given her a diverse background that will benefit her in her work as superintendent. Raymond’s knowledge and leadership skills will be an excellent addition to the community of Ashland.
Getting to Know Kelly Raymond Q: If you could live in any fictional universe, which universe would you choose to live in? A: When I was a teenager I always really loved Anne of Green Gables because it seemed like such a pleasant lifestyle. I also think Harry Potter would be fun or any universe with a lot of adventure.
Q: What is your favorite book? A: I really love classic literature. To Kill a Mockingbird, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen. I also really love poetry, especially Emily Dickinson. Recently I have been reading a lot of vegan cookbooks.
Q: Are there any foods that you miss from living abroad? A: From Japan I obviously miss the sushi. Back when I ate meat, I really enjoyed the meat pies in Australia. I love vegemite, but I don’t miss it because every time I go back I make sure to bring enough to last me for a very long time.
Q: What were you like in high school? A: I really enjoyed learning when I was in high school. I was the first in my family to attend university, but my family was always very supportive of my education. I was a sports champion runner and a drama nerd. I got along with most people at school and was kind of friends with everyone.
art by Kip Parowski
Goodbye, Club Penguin Paying our respects to the beloved childhood computer game
by Colin Timmons
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tudents are often nostalgic. Even though they haven’t been alive as long as their teachers, they still cherish the memories of a simpler time. All students have, at some point, taken a rose-tinted, nostalgia-fueled trip down memory lane. Whether it was during a passionate conversation about the stuff they once did in class, or which cartoon they watched on a Saturday morning, students enjoy remembering life before SATs, jobs and college applications. Often, these same students are able to rewatch their favorite cartoons or replay their favorite games, yet this isn’t always the case. On March 29, Club Penguin, a popular online game, shut down forever. The game was important to our generation in many ways, but mostly because it was a safe and easy gateway into the word of the internet and social media interaction. For this current generation of high school students, the idea of being able to interact with a different person in a different town, state or country via the internet was mind boggling. As former players mourn the Club Penguin servers shutting down, they take to
social media to reminisce the hours wasted away playing as their penguin. Club Penguin went through many variations and updates that added new features to the game and fixed the bugs. The game also had very unique security measures. First, it had two different chat functions. One of these chats had pre-selected words and sentences and was known as the ultimate safe chat. The second chat was the more common standard safe chat, which was more akin to common chat boxes. Players were able to freely type words and sentences, however there were strict rules with this chat style. The game developers screening tactics were similar to those found in the works of George Orwell. Names and words deemed inappropriate to their standards would result in a permanent ban and termination of the user’s account. The developers also employed 70 people to monitor the game for inappropriate behavior. This was important was because it made a safe and controlled environment for children to learn how to interact with each other in an online setting. Players often enjoyed
Professor Penguin
creating their penguins and making the penguin an extension of themselves. Players often decked out their penguin in different gear or outfits throughout the gameplay. These penguins would interact in mini-games and competitions to earn in-game currency, so that they could buy items to customize their penguins even more. While this is a common practice in games today, its revolutionary and wildly addicting gameplay resulted in a lot of hours wasted away grinding for that special item. Players could also buy furniture to personalize their igloo, and then invite over other penguins to show off their decor. There was also the addition of puffy pets, appropriately named Puffles. These systems were unique be-
cause they gave the players end goals, and the ability to strive for something they really wanted. Club Penguin held a special place in the hearts of our generation. It was often times the gateway to the wide open world that is the internet. It was also a teaching tool, teaching players how to interact appropriately and how to work hard for a distant goal. There was the occasional bad apple (or penguin), but overall the player base was people who genuinely enjoyed the experience. The servers shut down with 250 million active users, and these players waited patiently to be present when the servers to shut down. They were greeted with a final thank you message and the tagline of the game: an encouraging “Waddle on.”
Have you seen these penguins in the classroom?
art by Nicole Sagal
Penguin Identities left to right : Mr. Britt, Ms. Britt, Counselor Jeff, Ms. Healy, Mr. Huard, Russ Johnson, Sam Scharf, Mr. Lebo